A&E: THE FILLMORE TO BRING VINTAGE VIBES TO NORTH LOOP PAGE 4
EARLY WEEK MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
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SERVING THE UMN COMMUNITY SINCE 1900
NEIGHBORHOODS
Chemicals in Como A 2020 report found GreatbatchGlobe Tool Inc.’s Como facility was emitting the chemical TCE above recommended levels. BY YVES DE JESUS yjesus@mndaily.com
After entering into an agreement 12 years ago, Como residents and a local manufacturing facility are still weighing how to eliminate toxic chemical emissions in the neighborhood. A 2020 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency report, which came out last month, found the site of Greatbatch-Globe Tool, Inc. in the Como neighborhood emitting trichloroethylene (TCE) above the state-recommended levels. Community members said the neighborhood has been working with the company for years, but the chemical, widely used in manufacturing as a degreaser, continues to pose a concern in the area. “I’m really concerned to hear about more TCE up there,” said Ward 2 City Council member Cam Gordon, who represents the
STATE GOVT. neighborhood. “This actually has been an ongoing problem, I would say, for decades up there.” Greatbatch-Globe Tool, Inc., a subsidiary of Integer Holdings Corporation, manufactures parts used in medical implantable devices such as stents and catheters. The affected site is located in the industrial area at 730 24th Ave, just south of Elm street. The company has said it plans to eliminate the use of TCE by December 2021 and has already made investments to make the change. Discussions with the neighborhood The Southeast Como Improvement Association entered into a non-binding “Good Neighbor u See CHEMICALS Page 3
CITY GOVT.
Dinkytown’s council member champions data privacy Ward 3 Council member Steve Fletcher’s data privacy principles will be voted on this month. BY J.D. DUGGAN jduggan@mndaily.com
When Steve Fletcher was elected to represent Ward 3 in Minneapolis, he was struck by an immediate problem. Seventeen cameras were left operational following heightened security from Super Bowl LII, alongside more than 200 existing cameras around the city. His prior background in technology consulting especially sensitized him to the issue of facial recognition and how Minneapolis uses, collects and stores resident data. This week, Fletcher championed a new set of data privacy principles for Minneapolis — the first of their kind in the city. The principles were proposed and unanimously approved at the Feb. 6 Minneapolis Enterprise Committee meeting. They will go to the full City Council for vote Feb. 14. Starting with broad strokes
As it stands, the City of Minneapolis collects a multitude of data from residents: everything from your water bill to your property taxes to notes from calls placed to your council member’s office. However, as Fletcher’s proposal acts as the first official steps in a conversation about data privacy expected to continue well into the future, the principles are broad strokes. “This is the first time that the City Council is ever saying data privacy is something that the city cares about,” Fletcher said. “What we’re saying is, [city employees] have to consider data privacy as one of the factors you think about when you think about whether this is a good technology to use.” The city also works with private companies that may collect data. For example, the city’s public works department has recently worked with electric scooter companies, which collect data on each rider. Fletcher said the city has made sure the data is anonymized and no personal information is tracked. He said other companies have approached the city with ideas like interactive kiosks and “smart parking” meters that can detect license
Minneapolis City Council Member Steve Fletcher poses for a portrait at City Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 5. On data privacy, Fletcher asserts “We’re becoming a smarter and more responsive city, and we’re using data to do it. Our residents and visitors deserve to know that we are responsible with their information and respect their privacy – while also keeping our government open and transparent.” (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)
plates, and he wanted to get ahead of the conversation. The principles are “aspirational” and “high level,” said Christian Rummelhoff, assistant city clerk in the clerk’s records and information management office, at the Enterprise Committee meet-
ALUMNI
u See DATA PRIVACY Page 3
The bill comes after a high-rise fire in CedarRiverside killed five residents in November. BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com
Local state lawmakers are looking to install sprinklers in high-rises statewide after a deadly fire in a public housing property in their district. Minneapolis DFL lawmakers Rep. Mohamud Noor and Sen. Kari Dziedzic introduced legislation late last month calling for residential high-rises 75 feet or more above a fire vehicle’s access to install automated sprinklers on every floor. Lawmakers hope the bill will prevent fires similar to the blaze in a Cedar-Riverside apartment building that killed five residents and injured four others, including a firefighter. “These are critical maintenance repairs and upgrades that are needed to keep the people in public housing and other buildings safe,” Dziedzic said at a press conference Wednesday. “We don’t need anybody else to die — we can do this.” The 14th floor of the Cedar High public housing building caught fire in late November. The 25-story building, owned and operated by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, only has automated sprinklers on its main floor and lower maintenance levels. Retired St. Paul Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard said most fire department ladders can only reach up to six or seven stories, making sprinklers even more important in high-rise buildings. “[Sprinklers] put water directly on the fire almost immediately — long before the fire department can even arrive,” Zaccard said at the press conference. “It only makes sense to sprinkle these high-rise buildings and protect the thousands of people that live in them.” Lawmakers say options for funding federal and state governmentowned properties include allocating money in the state’s bonding bill. The backlog in critical improvements in Minneapolis public housing currently sits at $152 million, with sprinklers and related plumbing between $30 and $60 million, Dziedzic said. Similar legislation was proposed and passed twice by the Legislature in the 1990s, but Gov. Arne Carlson vetoed both bills. Carlson has since come out and said failing to pass the bills was a mistake. St. Paul Public Housing Agency, u See SPRINKLERS Page 3
STUDENT LIFE
UMN creates first-ever group for Muslim alumni
Spaces for marginalized students essential to campus life, study says A new study says that designated spaces are key to engagement and inclusivity on campus.
The group held its first event last Friday in an effort to expand the U’s Muslim alumni network. BY FARRAH MINA fmina@mndaily.com
Shamaila Usmani graduated from the University of Minnesota 10 years ago, but never got involved as an alumna until Friday, when the Muslim Alumni Network hosted its first event. Though the University Alumni Association regularly hosts events, the kickoff was a first for not only Usmani, but several other Muslim alumni. Dozens of attendees filled the basement of Masjid Al-Iman in Northeast Minneapolis Friday evening to network over refreshments and celebrate the launch of the affinity group. The Muslim Alumni Network, the University’s first religious alumni affinity group, was founded
ing. While they are not a policy or ordinance, they will be used to guide decision making in future city endeavors. Fletcher echoed this and said the city must first set a foundation of underlying principles before stepping
After fire, sprinkler bill is proposed
Attendees greet each other at the Muslim Alumni Association kickoff event at Masjid Al-Iman on Friday, Feb. 7. (Nur B. Adam / Minnesota Daily)
in October by Rami Shaker, a 2017 graduate who saw a need for the resource in his community. At the alumni events he attended, Shaker said he noticed there were not many Muslim alumni present, so he created an avenue for Muslim alumni to come back and connect. Despite finding significant interest in maintaining ties with the University, Shaker said that many did not attend alumni events because they were not sure whether they would know people there.
“I really want to see a lot more Muslim alumni involvement in alumni affairs, both in attending events and in the chances where alumni can speak,” Shaker said. Alumni events feel big and less intimate, Usmani said, noting she received several invitations for them in the mail. For her, the Muslim Alumni Network provides a more personal environment to connect with other professionals. u See MUSLIM ALUMNI Page 3
BY JASMINE SNOW jsnow@mndaily.com On historically white campuses, spaces designated to minority students and their allies helps create a “sense of belonging and connection,” according to a study published last month. The University of Chicago study found that for Black, Latinx and other marginalized students, “counterspaces” can be essential in the transition to college life on these campuses. Many University of Minnesota students with marginalized identities say spaces like these have made a difference to their time on campus. The study began in 2013 and tracked over 500 Black and Latinx students who enrolled in historically white institutions in Illinois. Student experiences were documented over their first five years after enrolling in college. Black and Latinx students had
a harder time adjusting to life at historically white institutions, said Micere Keels, the University of Chicago associate professor who headed the study. “We did have probably about a third of the students in our sample that [went] to predominantly white high schools,” Keels said. “So for those students, it was not as much of an adjustment or culture shock, but for other students of the study, it was much more different than the communities that they knew.” Keels said that counterspaces help with that shock, and that concerns for these spaces adding to existing tensions is unfounded. “If they’re able to find those smaller group spaces of belonging on campus, they absolutely become more — not less — engaged with the rest of the campus life,” she said. “They have some spaces where some of the time there’s an easy cultural familiarity and they’re not always under cultural stress.” University of Minnesota sophomore Emma Vanhdy, ambassador u See COUNTERSPACES Page 3 VOLUME 120 ISSUE 37
Daily Review
2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
MN DAILY
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CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR MONDAY
Railroad Club Meeting
TUESDAY
Agni Auditions
6:30 p.m. in Magrath B50, weekly 6 - 8 p.m. at the RecWell Train afficionados of all kinds welcome! Try out for the Agni Indian Classical Construct models and learn wiring. Dance Team. Audition after training.
WEDNESDAY
Black History Trivia Night
6 - 9 p.m. at the Whole Music Club Celebrate black history, win prizes and eat food with BGAPSA. RSVP online.
SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
THURSDAY
Free Waffle Bar
8:30 - 10:30 am at 19 Scott Hall La Raza Latinx is showing appreciation for students who help the community.
Monday, February 10, 2020 Vol. 120 No. 37
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Gophers Junior Vlad Lobak competes in a doubles tennis match against Auburn University at Baseline Tennis Center on Friday, Jan. 31. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily) Gophers Junior River
Hart returns a volley at the Baseline Tennis Center on Friday, Feb. 7. (Kamaan Richards / Minnesota Daily) Gymnast Lexi Ramler poses on the beam in the Peik Gym on Thursday, Jan. 30. Ramler scored a perfect 10 in two consecutive weeks during meets against Rutgers and Illinois. (Liam Armstrong / Minnesota Daily)
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Gophers
Junior Shane Wiskus performs a routine on the still rings at Maturi Pavilion on Friday, Feb. 7. The Gophers went on to a 398-375.55 victory over the Washington Huskies. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)
Guard Marcus Carr looks to block a layup at Williams Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The Gophers beat the Badgers 70-52. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)
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Monday, February 10, 2020
UMN unveils master’s degree in robotics The three-semester master’s program will provide job opportunities.
Illustration by Sarah Mai
Chemicals u from Page 1
Agreement” with Greatbatch-Globe Tool Inc. 12 years ago, pledging to reduce TCE emissions. But after the recent report, SECIA members said the neighborhood needs to revisit the topic to find new solutions. “We still are honoring or believing that they should be honoring our Good Neighbor Agreement,” said SECIA board member Wendy Menken, who was on the board when the original agreement was signed. “But with this air quality issue we do need to reconnect and set up a time with them when we can explore what’s going on and find out more information.” TCE, which cleans oils off of metals, is harmless in low amounts, but sustained levels above two micrograms per cubic meters of air can affect the immune system and lead to cancer, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. “So they set a level in which if the quality is below that [TCE] level, generally there wouldn’t be concern about that,” said Todd Biewen, who heads the MPCA’s environmental analysis and outcomes division. Moving away from TCE in manufacturing Greatbatch-Globe Tool Inc. has taken some steps to bring TCE an acceptable level since MPCA first alerted the facility of its finding last May, said Kelsey Suddard of MPCA’s air-permitting unit, who has monitored the facility. An air permit issued by MPCA has already laid out guidelines for the facility to reduce TCE, Suddard said. Greatbatch-Globe Tool, Inc. has installed pollution control equipment to further reduce TCE emissions, Suddard said. While the facility has also swapped to alternative degreasing methods, TCE is still used in the manufacturing process. “Integer continues to operate within compliance of our MPCA-issued air permit, and we have voluntarily made a $3.5 million investment in new equipment at our Minneapolis facility to meet the new emission guidelines. We are committed to completely eliminat-
ing the use of TCE by December 2021,” according to a statement from Interger. Gordon said he would support the facility ceasing operation until TCE is fully eliminated, although that may not be viable from a business standpoint. “I suspect they don’t want to just stop their work,” Gordon said. “[But] if MPCA wants them to just stop using it altogether, to stop their business for a while, so they get these approval from the feds, I would be supportive of that.” Strict federal regulations for manufacturing solvents can make the process of transitioning away from TCE a lengthy one, said Laura Babcock, director of the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program at the University of Minnesota, which aims to assist local businesses in improving efficiency and reducing pollution. Addressing the larger issue The MPCA report was in response to pressure from the Minnesota Legislature last spring to investigate TCE more broadly. An investigation last winter found a White Bear Lake facility reported inaccurate TCE emissions data for more than a decade and exposed the surrounding community to dangerous levels of the chemical. “It became an issue at the Legislature, and they actually gave us money ... to spend time working and finding TCE and trying to reduce it at other facilities,” said Biewen from the MPCA. “And we actually did some monitoring around some of these facilities to see if we were detecting TCE in the air.” Eighty-six facilities have been accessed by the MPCA for TCE, according to the report. Of them, 26 were found to use the chemical in industrial processes. Going forward, MPCA will continue to closely monitor the TCE situation at Greatbatch-Globe Tool, Inc., with plans to create more transparency for the public about emissions, Biewen said. “We also want to get more of an online [dashboard] on these facilities,” Biewen said. “And as we continue to work with them, we can update that information, not only for the Legislature but for the public.”
BY ABBEY MACHTIG amachtig@mndaily.com A new master’s degree in robotics offered through the University of Minnesota will work to offer jobs and internships to current students and graduates. The three-semester program, which is currently accepting applications for this fall, is part of the Minnesota Robotics Institute. The degree will offer a holistic approach to the study of robotics, implementing a variety of disciplines such as computer science, mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering. Faculty and community partners also plan to help students find jobs and internships through companies like 3M and Honeywell, said Minnesota Robotics Institute Administrator Charlynn Psihos. “The new institute was established last year, so it is still in [its] growing stages,” said Rajesh Rajamani, associate director of research at the Minnesota Robotics Institute. “We are trying to promote cross collaboration between faculty from various departments who do robotics-related research and have one roof where many different faculty with different expertise can come together and
Data Privacy u from Page 1
into policymaking around issues like facial recognition. He’s waded deep into the facial recognition discussion and said the technology has its issues. For example, Fletcher said facial recognition software can “produce more false positives on people of color than it does on a white people,” which is especially problematic with an already over-policed community. A balancing act The principles also emphasize a desire for open and transparent government. Minneapolis officials said they hope to protect personal information, but city data is guided by state law and open government policies. Minneapolis leading the charge on data privacy could also spark broader change. “The state can learn, for instance,” said Matt Ehling, executive director of the open government advocacy organization Public Record Media. “If Minneapolis takes a stand on how they want to regulate their use of facial recognition technology, that can be an example for what the state could do.” In the business world,
Dr. Maria Gini, a professor of robotics, observes a robot in Shepherd Labs on Thursday, Feb. 6. Starting this fall, the University will be offering a Master’s program for robotics. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)
grow research in robotics.” The program was designed to offer a single degree that provides knowledge in many different areas of robotics, as many bachelor’s programs place emphasis on one particular field of study. The program’s creators looked at other universities with similar programs such as Northwestern University, said Maria Gini, a professor in the College of Science and Engineering. There has been an increase in robotics programs at universities nationwide, she said.
“Robotics is more than computer science, but some students may not have time to take robotics courses. The program really is interdisciplinary and gives an opportunity to be well rounded in all aspects of robotics,” Gini said. Students will also have the opportunity to present their research and capstone projects to potential employers. “There are a number of companies in the area, and faculty work with companies and know what kind of students they need. There is always an exchange of
information between faculty and companies, and many of these companies come to the [University] to find students,” Gini said. In the coming years, faculty members plan to further develop the degree and eventually expand to offer a Ph.D. program. “Long term, we’d like to do a Ph.D. in robotics. But the main reason we are starting to create this program is to slowly build our master’s degree,” Gini said. “It’s better for companies trying to serve the community and state, and we hope to get there eventually.”
it’s commonplace to sign non-disclosure agreements during negotiation. Fletcher said this can be problematic when a private company is working with a public government, which are supposed to be open and transparent. “We should have some guidelines about what we’ll protect and what we’ll be transparent about,” Fletcher said. But, he said, it can be a balancing act between privacy and effectiveness. “If we have video of someone committing a crime and we want to know who that person is, would we use facial recognition to identify that person?” Fletcher said. However, Fletcher said he opposes anything that tracks people walking down the street: “We shouldn’t be using it to locate people. We shouldn’t be using it to create a record of where people go.”
Sprinklers
Safety Act, which mandates public office and residential buildings built before the 1992 law be retrofitted with sprinkler systems. Noor and Dziedzic’s bill would require housing authorities and private building owners to send a letter of intent to the state fire marshal by August 2022 and have the equipment installed by August 2032. The timeline is designed to give owners sufficient time to comply and make implementation more feasible, Noor said. “We have to give people a sense of safety in their homes” Noor said. “This is working to make sure that every Minnesotan has got a safe and secure place to live so that they don’t have to worry about sprinklers.” The House public safety committee will hold a hearing on the bill Thursday.
“We should have some guidelines about what we’ll protect and what we’ll be transparent about.” STEVE FLETCHER Ward 3 city council member
Research looks to bolster mental health resources Professor Matthew Weber is working with a national group on a new tool. BY ERIN ROSE BAKER ebaker@mndaily.com
A University of Minnesota professor is working to help policymakers better understand mental illness. The project aims to create an information portal that centralizes research for policymakers to reference before making decisions on mental health screenings for adolescents. Currently, there is no standard mental health screening process at the state level, which means a significant amount of individuals are living with undiagnosed mental illness. Early detection can allow for treatment in a more manageable phase of the illness and prevent potentially fatal outcomes, experts say. Matthew Weber, an associate professor in the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, is partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey to
turn the project into reality. To create the portal, Weber has been working with NAMI New Jersey to apply data collected on how mental health is communicated at a state level. Afterwards, they will train volunteers selected by NAMI New Jersey on how to implement the information they have gathered. “We’ll be working with the National Alliance to develop a research portal where policy makers and advocates can access curated sets of research, curated research studies that outline a wide range of issues pertaining to the need for adolescent depression screening,” Weber said. “Policymakers are often looking for research and for evidence that helps them to develop the appropriate policy solutions.” Itzhak Yanovitzky, a professor of communication at Rutgers University, is working with Weber to create the portal. “The goal is not to change policy, I think it’s important to say that, it’s not what we do as researchers. Our goal is to figure out what it is that policymakers need to know,” he said.
u from Page 1 after 22 years and $8.3 million, was able to equip each of their 16 high-rises citywide with sprinklers in 2012. The Minneapolis 2020 city budget included money to MPHA that may go to building improvements. “[The fire] should not have occurred if we had taken care of this issue almost 25 years ago,” Noor said. “So we are correcting a wrong that was done a few years back.” The Cedar High apartments were built in 1970, decades before federal legislation required automated sprinkler installation in government-owned housing properties. Weeks after the fire, U.S. senators from Minnesota Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith introduced the Public Housing Fire
Muslim Alumni u from Page 1 “People want to connect in ways that are unique to them and of value to them,” said Steve Davis Jr., the University Alumni Association’s director of affinity engagement. “We think that it’s very important as well, so we’re trying to help to create those spaces so that communities can connect in the ways that they want to connect.” The network is planning to host social events, resume workshops and other networking opportunities to provide support for alumni.
Counterspaces
Minnesota Daily file illustration
Yanovitzky said that various influences, such as changing cultures and social media, contribute to depression, and that mental health gets worse with time. It is important to identify mental health issues at the early stage to prevent outcomes such as suicide, he said. Meredith Masin Blount, executive director of NAMI New Jersey, said the organization would be open to sharing the research portal design with other NAMI locations in the future. “Mental illness is not something that just happens in New Jersey or Minnesota, you know, this is
something that is important and definitely across the board, coast to coast,” she said. Blount emphasized that the research that comes from this partnership is significant to the entire community for progress in eliminating stigma surrounding mental health. “... We are very grateful for the opportunity to partner with [the] University of Minnesota and Rutgers because we are very excited about the prospect of this project and anything that we can be apart of that will bring attention to the needs of the community and help us advocate,” she said.
u from Page 1 for the Asian-American Student Union, joined ASU last year. She said her membership has helped her navigate her predominantly white fields of study — one of which is Forests and Natural Resource Management. “Being a part of ASU definitely gives me a space where I can feel more comfortable expressing my Asian-American identity, especially since both majors are in CFANS,” she said. “Having people understand that process of being an Asian-American definitely makes me feel more included.” Vanhdy said she sometimes feels “anxiety” in less diverse classrooms for her major. “But whenever I do go to the ASU room after [those classes],” she said, “that anxiety does go away because … they’re more understanding about my cultural identity, and I am able to have the space to express that.” Andrea Catarino, a third year representative from La Raza Latinx Student Cultural
There are also plans to collaborate with the Muslim Student Association in future events to help coordinate guest speakers. He said he hopes the network can advise alumni and help them navigate workplace difficulties that are unique to Muslims, such as prayer accommodations. He found that many alumni had questions about how to work prayer into their work schedules and how to request those accommodations from employers. “It’s hard to get real answers unless someone’s already done it,” Shaker said. The Muslim Alumni Network is one of ten alumni affinity groups.
Center, said La Raza is an inclusive space. She said that while La Raza is a place for Latinx students to “showcase their culture,” everyone is welcome. Joselin Navarro-Cano, who is also a member of La Raza, said the space made her feel more welcome on the entire Twin Cities campus. “Finding a space like that kind of really helped me find that ‘home away from home,’” she said. “It really is like a safe space and like a space where I can be my authentic self.” La Raza officers said the center has been used as a haven at times due to racial and political tensions, such as the numerous “Paint the Bridge” incidents. La Raza also became a healing space the day after the 2016 election when the room was opened and “packed with people grieving.” “It was really hard for us to be on campus when that kind of rhetoric was being displayed,” said Navarro-Cano. “La Raza became a space where we can come and be able to talk about it together and heal from it together.”
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MN DAILY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
MUSIC
Review: Lil Wayne’s “Funeral” A possible allusion to the death of a persona, fans hope “Funeral” doesn’t mark the death of a prolific career.
“Funeral” by Lil Wayne This forgettable album lacks a central theme and plays more like a series of run-on studio sessions lazily thrown together. Rating: D
BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com
Lil Wayne made little mention of his 13th studio album “Funeral” until April of 2019 when the New Orleans MC posted a single coffin emoji to his Instagram story. Following a summer of promotional interviews, “Funeral” dropped Jan. 31, and proved to be a mixed bag of an album, featuring modern trap beats accompanied by a host of stream-of-consciousness flows. The entire project lacks a central theme, making it come off as chaotic, or at the very least, poorly constructed. “Funeral” is not an album for die-hard Weezy fans — people who fell in love with the artist because of mixtapes like “Dedication 3” and “Sorry 4 The Wait,” or albums like the “Tha Carter” series. Instead, “Funeral” comes off as an OG rap-star’s attempt to cozy up to a younger generation of hiphop fans, who came up on offerings from artists like Migos and Travis Scott, rather than 3 6 Mafia or Gucci Mane. Twenty-four tracks long (a marathon of an album by today’s standards), “Funeral” includes guest spots from artists like 2 Chainz,
The Dream, Adam Levine and Lil Twist. For most artists, a killer guest lineup can be a blessing for an album, but on “Funeral” the features prove to be a curse for Wayne, as his feature artists continually outshine him throughout the project. The production, a high point of an album full of lows, caters especially well to guest verses from artists like Lil Baby, Takeoff and Jay Rock, but proves to be a death sentence for Weezy as he tries, and fails, to reign in flows clearly out of his wheelhouse. On the track “Wild Dogs,” Wayne uses autotune-saturated and melodic vocal styles that fans are used to hearing from artists like Young Thug and Future, but sound unauthentic coming from the New Orleans MC, known best for his joyful, yet laid back, flow. Vocal style aside, “Funeral” is also rife with poor lyricism, absent of the clever one-liners that Wayne built his career on. “Mama Mia,” one of the album’s three singles, sounds like Wayne searched “movie” on RhymeZone and ran with the first ten words that popped up.
Illustration by Eva Berezovsky / Minnesota Daily
“This life is a movie, you died in the movie. I write and produce it. I cried as I view it. I’m lyin’, I’m goofin’, I’m tyin’ my nooses,” he raps on the second verse. One of the few examples of substantial lyricism is featured on the album’s seventeenth track, “Bastard (Satan’s Kid),” where Wayne gets reflective about his upbringing. “Daddy used to look at me like, ‘Who the f*** this baby is?’ Uncle used to say, ‘Your daddy just too young to raise a kid.’ Daddy used to treat my mama like they never made a kid. I’m Satan’s kid, I’m Satan’s kid, I’m Satan’s kid,” he raps on the chorus. Wayne followed “Bastard (Satan’s Kid)” with one of the worst tracks on the album, – and maybe his entire career – giving “Pussy Monster” from Tha Carter III a run for its money. On “Get Outta My Head,” featuring the late XXXTENTACION, Weezy rhymes the word “head” with the word “head” 20 times on the first verse alone, over a less-than-stellar, bare-bones beat, from producers PRXZ and Natra Average. The entire project reads like a series of run-on studio sessions lazily thrown together to create a truly forgettable album. This album aside, Lil Wayne is still one of the greatest rappers alive. Hopefully his next project will be a rebirth of the artist fans everywhere fell in love with and not another “Funeral.”
MUSIC
A first look at the new Fillmore Minneapolis concert venue opening in North Loop The newest addition to the Fillmore franchise will open its doors Feb. 12. BY ALEX STRANGMAN astrangman@mndaily.com
The lights dim. Iconic crystal chandeliers glow above the pit as a band on stage prepares for sound check. The new Fillmore Minneapolis is ready to rock and roll. The Live Nation-run Fillmore franchise is expanding its operations in the Midwest, opening a new 36,000-square-foot venue in Minneapolis’ North Loop. Conveniently located next to the Target Field light rail station, The Fillmore Minneapolis will officially open Feb. 12, with an already sold out three-day show series featuring singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. Inspired by the historic Fillmore concert venue in San Francisco, The Fillmore Minneapolis looks to mix local music culture with the Fillmore brand of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Complete with a largerthan-life Prince mural and posters of some of Minneapolis’ most prolific artists including Lizzo, Atmosphere, Bob Dylan and The Replacements, the venue is certainly geared toward a Minnesotan crowd. Felix Mussenden, executive vice president at House of Blues Entertainment, hopes the main room will provide a truly unique concert experience for patrons. “This is going to be a really cool venue from the standpoint of how intimate it’s going to be. Even though it’s 1,800 capacity, it’s going to be a really cool venue. Intimacy is going
Fillmore Minneapolis will officially open with a three-day show featuring Brandi Carlile. (Courtesy of Live Nation)
to be really important,” he said. “There’s not a bad viewing area, and the sound and lighting is going to be spectacular.” The main room also contains two fully operational bars that pay homage to the original Fillmore of the ‘60s and ‘70s complete with psychedelic artwork lining the walls behind them. The second level of the two-story venue is reserved for VIPs with a 500-capacity balcony for those looking for a more low-key
concert experience. The upstairs level also has a VIP lounge called BG’s Lounge, a tribute to legendary concert promoter Bill Graham, who worked with the San Francisco Fillmore at the height of its fame during the 1960s. The lounge has a great view of the Minneapolis skyline and is adorned with pictures of rock and roll legends like Mick Jagger, Carlos Santana and Janis Joplin.
Mussenden said BG’s Lounge will also act as a smaller venue for developing local talent complete with a small stage and a capacity to hold around 200 people. Likening the venue to a “single-A farm team” in baseball, Mussenden says he hopes the lounge can act as a stepping stone for local artists who then go on to do shows in the main room and from there move on to even bigger venues like The Armory or Target Center.
In addition to the concert venue itself, The Fillmore Minneapolis also features a new burgers and bar restaurant called Trax, which opened to the public Feb. 3. It is open seven days a week for lunch, dinner and late-night dining. The Fillmore Minneapolis has already booked shows into June, featuring a diverse lineup of artists including Three 6 Mafia (March 7), Thundercat (March 14) and Louis Tomlinson (June 9).
This is going to be a really cool venue from the standpoint of how intimate it’s going to be.” FELIX MUSSENDEN executive vice president at House of Blues Entertainment
5
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
MN DAILY
COLUMN
MNDAILY.COM
Editorials & Opinions
An ode to Wikipedia
We take for granted what Wikipedia does for us. What could happen next?
I
t’s 2087. The world is on the brink of annihilation. Climate change has treated us well in the Twin Cities and we no longer have to avoid ice cream in the winter. What we lost in lakes, we made up for in palm trees and outdoor weightNick Scheffler lifting gyms. It’s columnist beginning to feel overpopulated. Many have flocked here from the West Coast; it’s so hot that the only people who live there now are those immune to skin
cancer and people who go to Burning Man. Eventually, we are forced underground due to a culmination of rising temperatures, increasing geopolitical hostility and a ravenous colony of mutated meerkats who thrive in the sun. As the world above becomes a wasteland, you and your friend are arguing about who directed the movie Spaceballs, an ancient comedy. Was it Mel Gibson or Brooks Koepka? You can’t look it up, as every book or physical recording of our species’ history has caught on fire and IMDb is no longer a thing. You turn to the archives of information you and everybody else left in the world has: Wikipedia. But you can’t get into the website. You’re blocked by a paywall and the disaster has erased any need for currency. The Wikipedia engineers forgot to disable the paywall they created after Ethos Capital, the private equity firm which bought the .org domain from the Internet Society and Public Internet Registry in Nov. 2019, raised the domain’s registration fees to a point where Wikipedia could no longer rely on its free, collaborative approach to information that kept itself financially afloat.
The history of the human race, all of its culture, art and beauty, is stuck behind a window asking if you’d like to become a Wikipedian for only $4.99 a month. You reminisce about the website. At one point, it was the most popular reference in the World Wide Web. It had nearly 50 million pages in 309 languages. It even had a cookbook. As a student, you remembered reading the Wikipedia summary of nearly every book assigned in your classical literature class, rather than actually reading the work. You remember hearing teachers repeatedly say you can’t cite Wikipedia in your essays, but using the sources at the bottom of the page was “totally cool.” It was an amazing thing, Wikipedia. Unlimited knowledge at your fingertips, and you regret not donating a few bucks whenever they asked for money. You wish Wikipedia would go back to the way it was before the .org domain, the internet domain used primarily for non-profits, was purchased by a forprofit company. You knew it was a possibility that the private equity firm would raise the registration fee for .org websites, and that
third-parties would have higher capabilities of restricting these sites. But it didn’t matter, as we were consumed by non-stop news coverage of Donald J. Trump, the country’s first orange president. Not only was Wikipedia an indispensable source of information, but it was also a case study in the collaborative sourcing of history. People from all over the world with different ideologies and perspectives contributed or contested information on the website in order to successfully achieve accuracy. The encyclopedia which gave free access to everyone with an internet connection slowly had to restrict its user base to those who could afford it. If we had done something to raise awareness of this massive change affecting our online freedom, then maybe Wikipedia, the Bran Stark and Book of Eli of our world, could show me who directed Spaceballs.
Nick Scheffler welcomes comments at nscheffler@mndaily.com.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
What is fossil fuel divestment? How can we deem ourselves a champion of sustainability when we are contributing millions of dollars to the industry most responsible for the climate crisis?
“Institutions of higher education are charged with preparing their students for lifetimes of work and service. But if those institutions are invested in fossil fuel companies, then students’ educations are being subsidized by investments that guarantee they won’t have much of a planet on which to make use of their degrees. Colleges and universities rush to launch greening initiatives, sustainability offices, and environmental curricula, but it makes no sense to green the campus and not the portfolio. Fossil fuel divestment is a reasonable next step — and it’s the right thing to do.”
What is fossil fuel divestment? The fossil fuel divestment movement calls on University administrations to immediately freeze any new investments in the top 200 fossil fuel companies and to divest their endowment from these companies within five years. According to Fossil Free:
EDITORIAL
Why should the U divest? Fundamentally, the U’s investments reflect its values, speak volumes about its moral character, and model the world it wishes to see and have a hand in building. How can we deem ourselves a champion of sustainability when we are contributing millions of dollars to the industry most responsible for the climate crisis? It is wrong to profit from
the wreckage of the planet and the destruction of the communities most disproportionately impacted. We have a moral responsibility to divest. We’re also currently experiencing a “carbon bubble,” or an over-valuation of fossil fuel industry stocks in the world’s stock markets. The CEO of BlackRock, Larry Fink, himself has said in his letter to CEOs that climate risk is investment risk and that climate change will change modern finance. We might be profiting today from fossil fuels, but that won’t be the case in 10 or 15 years. We need to get out and reinvest while we can. Who has divested? According to Fossil Free, nearly 1,200 institutions and governmental bodies have taken a leadership role on this issue and protected their investments against the carbon bubble by divesting their portfolios, partially or fully, from fossil fuels. The total value of all divested portfolios exceeds $14 trillion. According to Fossil Free’s list of commitments, the University of Maryland,
the University of California, Georgetown University, Oregon State University, and Syracuse University have all committed to full divestment. What has happened to the per formance of schools who have divested? According to a study by CJ Ryan (Roger Williams University School of Law) and Christopher Marsicano (Vanderbilt University), divesting from fossil fuel stocks had no major impact on the values of university and college endowments that got rid of them. According to the authors, “divestment does not clearly harm a university’s endowment assets.” Divestment from fossil fuels is wholly possible without harm to financial returns and is only going to become simpler as more and more institutions join the growing list of divested funds and the effects of climate change become more pronounced. Written by UMN Climate Strike. This letter to the editor has been lightly edited for style and clarity.
Stop using racist language to describe Riverside Plaza
It’s common on campus to hear Riverside Plaza referred to by names like “Little Somalia.” It needs to stop.
C
edar-Riverside has always been home to a community of immigrants. The history dates back to the late 19th century when Swedish immigrants populated the area once called “Snoose Boulevard.” Now, Cedar-Riverside is home to a large
Dr. Date, Spring break is fast approaching and I’m pumped. A week off from school, no snow on the ground (knock on wood) and happy hour specials every day at campus bars? It’s the best time of the year. Or at least it was. My girlfriend just told me she’ll be going on a trip to Florida with some friends of hers to visit her grandparents. Sounds like a sweet thing to do, but I thought it was weird, so I pressed her friend for the name of the hotel they were staying at and looked it up. It’s a “nude hotel,” or as close to nude as you can get! It’s on a private nudist beach and promises no outside views. Everyone in the hotel is required to wear no more than a bikini or speedo when out and about, and sneakily taking pictures will get you thrown out on the street faster than you can say “but they’re just for Instagram!” I’m not really worried about some guy friend conveniently choosing the location, but I’m disappointed she lied to me. Now I’m worried she’s using this as an opportunity to hook up with other people. What do I do?
–The Naked Truth
The Naked Truth, And you’re sure her grandparents don’t
population of Somali and East African immigrants, who brought with them their own cultures, as the Swedish did before them. Since the 1970s, Riverside Plaza has been a neighborhood staple. Eleven modernist, brutalist-style buildings stand in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood’s Riverside Plaza, all designed by Ralph Rapson (yes, that Rapson). But the apartments aren’t known for their European-inspired designs or their subsidized housing options. Instead, they have been referred to by students on campus as ‘Ghetto in the Sky,’ ‘Little Somalia’ and, most infamously, the ‘Crack Stacks.’ Clearly, these nicknames are extremely problematic. Cedar-Riverside is well known for having a largely immigrant population, and Riverside Plaza is know to be associated with low-income housing. Students who can afford to attend the University of Minnesota calling Riverside Plaza the “Crack Stacks” exposes a power
dynamic and unquestionably showcases class and racial privilege and prejudice. It also implies that when communities of color do drugs it’s a “character flaw” while other groups of people aren’t viewed as harshly for recreational use. Calling the Riverside Plaza apartments anything but their actual name is racist. The act of associating people with lower-incomes with an illegal drug is incredibly classist. In the 1980s, crack cocaine was most prevalent in minority communities and was policed disproportionately. During Ronald Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign, the Anti Drug Abuse Act was passed, which allowed for a heftier penalty for crack cocaine than an equal amount of powder cocaine (called the 100-to-1 ratio). This led to heavier policing and targeting of people of color. Associating a community of immigrants from Somalia and other East African countries with the “ghetto” or crack is racist. It shouldn’t be thrown around in casual conversation,
or said, ever. Yet these names are still being thrown around carelessly by students at the University — about 60 percent of which identifies as white on the Twin Cities campus — and those outside of it. Students of color or those who come from low-income backgrounds should not have to feel like their safety and acceptance is jeopardized on campus. We as students should be conscious of the language we use while discussing the communities around our campus who are, quite frankly, a part of our student experience. We should be welcoming of all ideas and cultures as we thrive on opportunities for innovation and the embracing of new ideas. It is important for our campus and surrounding communities to be interconnected. Excusing the racist remarks and laughing them off lets people think that these comments are harmless when they only perpetuate hurtful ideals.
live there? Who knows, older people can be wild too! It’s a nude hotel, not a sex hotel, but considering the association I can’t blame you for being worried. Even more concerning is the fact that she’s lying — even if she just thought you wouldn’t understand, it was worth a discussion. While I would normally say have faith in your girlfriend, she’s already broken your trust. Talk to her as soon as possible before she leaves. You can’t stop her from going (Florida instead of Minnesota? Who wouldn’t?), but you need to straighten things out now — and maybe see if you two can get a private room for the week instead?
a partner is to practice your moves on each other. I have to pretend to beat her up! Dr. Date, this girl seems super cool and I’d love to hang out with her more. But I’m worried that when we spend time together, she’ll be bracing herself to get hit in the head. How can I disassociate those vibes and ask her out?
SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.
–Dr. Date
Dr. Date, Crime around campus has me scared AF. Stabbing with a screwdriver? Potential gunshots in Dinky? Uh, nope. I don’t think pepper spray can save me from everything, so I figured I’d enroll in a self-defense course and learn how to flip people over my shoulder or whatever. It’s once a week and easy, so why not? Well, we’re officially at the assigned partners part of the class and I got matched up with a super cute girl. I’ve definitely texted her outside of class and we both seem to be into each other, but then I realized — the whole part of having
–(Not) Kicking Ass
Dear (Not) Kicking Ass, Well, this is unique. If the class is once a week and you talk to her outside of that, you’re creating more memories that don’t include you trying out heel palm strikes. The environment also helps — a gym with fluorescent lighting is much different than a bar or your apartment. I think you’ll be all right, but it wouldn’t hurt to make a few comments about how the choke holds won’t apply outside of class (unless she’s into that kind of thing?)
letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.
–Dr. Date
THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM Dr. Date is a satirical advice column dissecting real-world situations. Want advice from the love doctor? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com
6
Sports
SCOREBOARD FEB 6
Women’s Basketball Minnesota: 73 Wisconsin: 64
FEB 7
Softball
Minnesota: 1 Missouri State: 0
Women’s Tennis Minnesota: 4 University of Iowa: 1
Men’s Tennis
Minnesota: 3 Dartmouth College: 4
Softball
Minnesota: 13 North Carolina State: 7
Women’s Hockey Minnesota: 4 Bemidji State: 1
Men’s Gymnastics Minnesota: 398.000 Washington: 375.550
Men’s Hockey Minnesota: 4 Michigan State: 1
FEB 8
Softball
Minnesota: 4 Missouri: 7
Softball
Minnesota: 10 South Alabama: 0
Men’s Basketball Minnesota: 77 Penn State: 83
Women’s Hockey Minnesota: 6 Bemidji State: 3
MNDAILY.COM
MN DAILY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
MEN’S GYMNASTICS
Gophers sweep every event title against Washington Freshman Donte McKinney took home first place in three events. BY AJ CONDON acondon@mndaily.com
Behind strong performances from the underclassmen, the No. 10-ranked Gopher men’s gymnastics team took care of No. 17 Washington Huskies 398.000-375.550 on Friday at Maturi Pavilion. “I was really happy to see the freshmen come through,” said head coach Mike Burns. “Donte [McKinney] and Crew [Bold] did a really nice job and to see the freshmen starting to step up and not just be a part of the supporting class, but pushing the upperclassmen.” Sophomore Tyler Davis helped the Gophers get their night off on the right foot by setting a new career-high on floor with a 13.150. However, it was sophomore Mike Moran who finished at the top of the podium with a 13.750. On the pommel horse, freshman Donte McKinney got his first event win with a 13.250 which was just the start to his impressive night. McKinney later found himself on the top of the podium following a 14.500 score on vault. “Honestly I was kind of nervous at first. On floor I was feeling a little dehydrated and tired, and I got to pommels and I wasn’t feeling all that up,” McKinney said. “[The fans] hyped me up and I was in the moment.”
Gophers Sophomore Garrett Kasiski celebrates after performing a routine on the still rings at Maturi Pavilion on Friday, Feb. 7. The Gophers went on to a 398-375.55 victory over the Washington Huskies. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)
The Gophers kept their event winning streak alive after freshman Crew Bold scored a 13.450 on the rings. Bold then set a career-high on vault with a 14.150. As a team, the Gophers matched their season-high in this event with a 70.200. Senior captain Timmy Kutyla, who had been a spectator all night until the parallel bars, showed no signs of rust. He won the event with a score
of 13.600, adding to Minnesota’s accolades. The Gophers wrapped up their night on the high bars and secured a full sweep of event titles. McKinney continued his dominance as he got another career-high with a 13.800 and won his third event of the night. McKinney now holds the team lead for highest score on the high bars this season. After a solid performance
on Friday, McKinney was already looking forward. “I’m looking forward to upgrading my routine,” McKinney said. “I think I proved I can hit my set, like these kind of watered-down sets, so I’m ready to upgrade and try something new.” Despite winning every event title Friday, the Gophers did not have a great all-around meet. They scored their third-lowest total this
season, but it came against the right opponent. The Gophers travel to Nebraska next week to face the No. 4 Huskers and No. 14 Army on Saturday, Feb. 15. “I know where we’re at and what we need to fix,” Burns said. “We’ll go out to Nebraska and hopefully we get a good, solid competition. Also get a chance to see some guys that normally don’t get a chance to compete.”
Men’s Hockey Minnesota: 2 Michigan State: 4
Women’s Gymnastics Minnesota: 196.825 Iowa: 196.175
WRESTLING
Gophers struggle against No.2 Penn State
Penn State jumped out to a 17-0 lead FEB 10 and remained ahead the entire time. Women’s Basketball
UPCOMING vs. Michigan 6 p.m.
Source: Gophers Athletics. Times and scores accurate as of time of publication.
BY NOLAN O’HARA nohara@mndaily.com
It’s always difficult facing top-ranked teams like the Gophers’ wrestling team did on Sunday against No. 2 Penn State. It’s even more difficult when you’re forced to compete without one of your top-10 wrestlers. Before anyone even stepped on the mat in Penn State’s 31-10 route of Minnesota, the Gophers were f i g h t i n g f ro m b e h i n d . With the dual starting at 125-pound weight class, Minnesota was quickly down 6-0, taking a forfeit with No. 10 Patrick McKee still recovering from an injury sustained in the dual against Purdue. After losing in a major decision at 133 pounds and a pin at 141 pounds, Minnesota found themselves in
a 17-0 hole against one of the best teams in the country. But, the Gophers fortunes turned around at 149 pounds. Trailing 3-0 with just over a minute left in the third, redshirt freshman Brayton Lee made a late rally, landing two takedowns and tying the match at five by the end of the period. In sudden victory, he quickly landed another, notching the 7-5 decision for the Gophers’ first win of the day. Minnesota was on the board, trailing 17-3. “You just tell yourself to keep scoring the next point, keep having fun and try to stay grateful,” Lee said. “I mean, there’s no reason to get down just because you’re down.” Lee’s match was reminiscent of his performance against Purdue where he also came on late in the third and won in sudden victory. “When you get in a hole sometimes you just got to find a way and it turns out to be pretty exciting,” he said,
Gophers Redshirt Freshman Brayton Lee shakes his opponent’s hand before the match at Maturi Pavilion on Sunday, Feb. 9. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)
adding coming from behind wasn’t part of the strategy. Following Lee’s victory, 157-pound redshirt freshman Ryan Thomas won another tightly contested match. Tied 3-3 in the third, Thomas landed his first takedown of the match, giving him a 5-3 advantage. He held on the rest of the way and secured the 5-4 decision. After back-to-back wins, the Gophers still trailed 17-6. Momentum was starting to build for Minnesota, but
the spark was quickly put out by the Nittany Lions. Penn State won the next four matches, clinching the dual after a victory at 184 pounds. At 197 pounds, redshirt freshman Garrett Joles nearly upset No. 16 Shakur Rasheed, but fell short 6-5. Minnesota finally saw another win when topranked heavyweight Gable Steveson took the mat. Steveson took down No. 16 Seth Nevills in the first, scored
on an escape in the second and landed four takedowns playing catch and release in the third to get the 13-5 major decision. “That’s kind of our overall feelings, a little too much respect I think in some of the weights, start earlier if you feel you got the guy on the run. If you want to win the match you have to get after those points earlier,” said head coach Brandon Eggum. The Gophers have another tough contest ahead on Saturday, Feb. 15 when they travel to Iowa City to take on the top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
“When you get in a hole sometimes you just got to find a way and it turns out to be pretty exciting.” BRAY TON LEE redshirt freshman
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Comeback effort falls short as Gophers drop road game to Penn State A career-high 32 points from Daniel Oturu was not enough for UMN. BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com
Fresh off of a dominant performance against Wisconsin on Wednesday, Minnesota had another chance to climb the standings in the Big Ten with a victory on Saturday. Although the final score would suggest the momentum carried over on offense, in reality the Gophers required a frantic second-half rally to avoid a blowout loss. After scoring 22 points in the first half, Minnesota (12-11, 6-7 Big Ten) received a career game from sophomore Daniel Oturu, but could not complete the comeback against No. 22 Penn State (185, 8-4 Big Ten). The Gophers fell 83-77 as a 19-point deficit proved too challenging to overcome. “Obviously, love the fight but hate the fact that we were down 19,” head coach Richard Pitino told the Gophers Radio Network. “Penn State is a good team, they were playing really well, but we have to be
better than that.” Heading into the Saturday afternoon showdown, Minnesota knew it would have to contend with a hostile environment. Penn State was playing in front of its first sold-out home crowd since 2011. The Nittany Lions fed off the enthusiasm of their fans early, jumping out to an 11-4 lead. Oturu scored six unanswered points to cut Penn State’s lead to 11-10 before the Gophers surrendered consecutive 3-point shots to the Nittany Lions. From there Penn State controlled the first half, getting 17 points from senior Lamar Stevens and ending the half on a 15-6 run to take a 36-22 lead at intermission. What limited offensive success Minnesota had early came from Oturu, who scored 14 points on 5-12 shooting in the first half. No other Gopher made more than one field goal before half time. The team particularly struggled from long range, missing all seven of their first-half 3-point shots. At the first media time out of the second half, Minnesota was facing long odds. Penn State opened the period with a 9-3 run to take a 4728 lead. The Nittany Lions
were quickly in the bonus and Gophers sophomore Gabe Kalscheur was on the bench with four fouls. Minnesota needed a spark, and got it from redshirt sophomore Marcus Carr. After scoring two points in the first half, Carr scored 18 in the first 10 minutes of the second half. He also spearheaded a resurgence from behind the arc, making three 3-point shots as Minnesota went 8-17 from behind the arc in the second half. “I just thought we stepped up,” Pitino told the Gophers Radio Network. “We said, ‘Now we have to go make some big plays.’ We’re not scared to attack.” Over an 11:04 stretch, Minnesota leaned on Carr and Oturu to outscore Penn State 40-24. With 4:48 remaining, Kalscheur rattled home a 3-point shot that brought the Gophers within one possession, making the score 71-68. “Marcus put us on his back briefly there and Daniel did some great things,” Pitino told the Gophers Radio Network. “But when we needed to make a play, whether is was making the front end of a one-and-one or getting a stop, we didn’t do it.”
Center Daniel Oturu looks to dunk at Williams Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The Gophers beat the Badgers 70-52. (Jasmin Kemp / Minnesota Daily)
With the game hanging in the balance, the teams both turned to their best players, Oturu and Stevens. The two big men were assessed offsetting technical fouls for a verbal confrontation in the teams’ first meeting of the season but on Saturday, they brought out the best in each other. Oturu finished with a career-high 32 points to go
along with 16 rebounds, but it was ultimately not enough. Stevens also posted a careerhigh with 33 points, scoring seven in the final 4:07 to lift Penn State to victory. “We tried to switch Dan [Oturu] on [Stevens] in the second half,” Pitino told the Gophers Radio Network. “I thought it worked early but he’s so talented, he’s so confident right now.”
Carr finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Kalscheur scored 11 points, making 3-8 shots from 3-point range. The Gophers now have eight days to regroup following the loss. They will return home on Sunday, Feb. 16 to face No. 17 Iowa. The Hawkeyes defeated Minnesota 72-52 earlier this season.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
MN DAILY
Sports
MNDAILY.COM
MEN’S HOCKEY
7
Men’s hockey splits weekend with Spartans Minnesota remains two points out of first place in the Big Ten Conference. BY JULIANNA LANDIS jlandis@mndaily.com
Minnesota headed into its weekend series against the Michigan State Spartans on the cusp of a remarkable climb in the standings. Several weeks ago it looked like the Gophers were destined to stay at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, but with a sweep of the Spartans, the Gophers were primed to rise into first place in the conference. Minnesota was unable to finish the task, splitting the series with Michigan State to stay two points off the Big Ten Conference lead. Gophers win sixth straight as Reedy scores twice Starting fast has been consistently at the top of the Gophers’ wish list. They were able to do so on Friday as Blake McLaughlin found the back of the net just one minute into the first period which propelled Minnesota’s night. “Once we get one, it gives us that confidence where [we’re like] ‘okay we can score, we’re not going to get shut out’, and just knowing that we can do it,” McLaughlin said. Goaltender Jared Moe allowed only one goal on the power play all night which came in the first period from Michigan State’s Mitchell Lewandowski. The Gophers continued to dominate the game, outshooting the Spartans 12-5 in the first period before scoring two more goals in the second period. First from Sampo Ranta, who found the back of the net by shoveling in a loose puck on the doorstep to regain the Gophers lead at 2-1. Then, from Scott Reedy who scored with just two seconds remaining in the period. “I think that buzzer-beater is just a huge feeling for us,” McLaughlin said. “Any goal under a minute is going to hurt the other team, and it gives us more insurance heading into the locker room
Above, Gophers Forward Jaxon Nelson follows the puck after a goal attempt at the 3M Arena at Marriucci on Friday, Feb. 7. The Gophers won against Michigan State 4-1. Below right, Gophers Forward Blake McLaughlin rushes to take the puck from a defender. (Emily Urfer / Minnesota Daily)
with a two-goal lead.” Reedy finished the game with two goals, adding an empty-netter to extend the lead to 4-1. Reedy leads the team with 13 goals on the season despite missing two games for injury. The win briefly elevated the Gophers into a tie for first place in the Big Ten standings. Minnesota fails to take lead in the Big Ten, falling 4-2 to the Spartans to snap winning streak Mistakes in the third period cost the Gophers their Saturday game against the Spartans as well as their win streak, which halted at six wins after Michigan State scored three unanswered goals to beat the Gophers 4-2. The third period got off to a rough start for the Gophers. They had two penalties
called in the first five minutes and Michigan State was able to convert on the second power play to tie the game 2-2. The goal gave the Spartans’ significant momentum through the rest of the period, and they went on to score two more unanswered goals to complete the comeback win. Defenseman Ryan Zuhlsdorf said there wasn’t one thing that stood out in the way that they lost but said the game was something to learn from. The loss is different than the losses in the first half of the season, Zuhlsdorf said. “We have a young group and this is definitely something they have to learn from. Those two games out there were a lot like playoff experience, just gritty games... every shift, every battle, you’ve gotta be working your
CROSSWORD
nuts off,” he said. Minnesota started the game off on the right foot, too, outshooting the Spartans 18-9 in the first period, and notching the first goal of the game with five minutes left in the opening frame. Reedy scored the goal, with assists from Walker and McLaughlin. The second period looked similar to the Friday game, with the Gophers scoring in the final minutes once again. McLaughlin scored with 1:30 left to regain the lead at 2-1 before heading to intermission. Unlike Friday, the momentum didn’t carry into the third period as unanswered goals by Dennis Cesana, Butrus Ghafari and Brody Stevens distanced the Spartans from Minnesota and dropped the Gophers into a tie for second place in the standings.
SUDOKU
Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved
2/10/20
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk. © 2020 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
Last issue’s solution
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis. © 2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
8
Monday, February 10, 2020
ART
‘Loring Collective’ celebrates queer artistry The Loring Collective is in the process of becoming a certified, queer-led arts nonprofit. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com In a city brimming with talented queer artists, Loring Collective was created to bring them all together. An emerging non-profit named after the LGBTQ+ cultural hub Loring Park, the collective is aimed at celebrating queer artists of all mediums. The idea came to Tony Burton, a senior studying political science, and Melissa Riepe, a senior studying business operations, at the front desk of Keeler Apartments. Since its conception in August, the collective achieved fiscal sponsor status in January and are on their way to being a certified nonprofit. “There’s a huge queer creative scene,” Burton said. “We want to help facilitate and celebrate it to
make it even better and grow even more.” Burton and Riepe called on a few friends, Izzy Voigt, a senior studying horticulture, Enzo Mazumdar Stanger, a sophomore studying musical performance, and Brady Bunkelman to help lift it off the ground and spread the word. “I was interested in the nonprofit because there’s a lot of benefits that come with being one,” Burton said. “If we want to be taken seriously in the eyes of society, we should be a nonprofit.” There certainly is an abundance of art collectives in the Twin Cities (a simple Google search will tell you as much). However, you would be hardpressed to find a queerled collective focused on supporting local queer creatives.
From left, Loring Collective board members Melissa Riper, Tony Burton and Izzy Voigt pose for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 7. The group aims to empower queer creatives in the Twin Cities by creating platforms for authentic expression and facilitating collaboration. (Andy Kosier / Minnesota Daily)
And so began the process of organization, applications and grant writing. While Burton and Riepe are currently taking classes on nonprofit management, the rest of the collective has never had experience with this type of work before. “It’s kind of like, ‘So, what are we allowed to do? And what can’t we do?’” Riepe said. “It’s surprisingly independent and you can do things illegally by accident, so there’s a lot of worry on that end.”
One of their first meetings was spent teaching each other how to fundraise for the collective and develop a business plan to include i n t h e i r n o n p ro f i t a n d grant applications. “There’s been a really positive response,” Riepe said. “Even in our ideation phase way back in August, someone put a shout out on their personal social media and someone from Microsoft was like, ‘Oh, do you want to use our space?’” Through funding, they’ve started to work on
multiple projects. Loring Collective is building databases for collective members to access, curating a soundtrack of local music and hosting open mics. “We’re obviously trying to create ways that people and artists can communicate,” Bunkelman said. “If they want to do collaborations with each other or they need a bassist [or] a drummer, just having that space open for them to communicate with each other and create new things is our goal.”
Currently, the collective directors are in the process of awarding the first annual Loring Awards. The goal is to recognize local queer creatives for their “artistic excellence.” Public voting begins again on Feb. 14 and the winners will be announced on March 6 on the collective’s Instagram account (@loringcollective). “We just want to make [everyone involved] feel supported,” Burton said. “We want to encourage them to keep going.”
SELF-CARE
Creating to cope: University students uplifted by artistic hobbies Students and alumni use creativity to keep mental health struggles at bay. BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com Lady Midnight performs at The Southern Theater as part of “Work in Progress,” a show that showcases original music and written works about mental health and the creative process on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Andy Kosier / Minnesota Daily)
Too often, scheduling “me time” is a forgotten task on a student’s to-do list. It becomes less and less of a priority as work and school take over, and mental health is put on the back burner. But, a hobby can help. “Having something to do that isn’t going to cause me stress but still going to motivate me to get up out of bed and start my day has been so helpful,” said Emma Lenz, a junior studying aerospace engineering who recently started learning to play the harp. Lenz took her first lessons last fall and immediately fell in love. It was different from her last instrument, the cello, where she felt the pressure to play it perfectly. With the harp, she had more freedom to express herself. “It’s such a beautiful instrument. There’s no way to get it to sound bad,” Lenz said. “You do have to practice it and repeat the same phrase over and over again. So, if I was busy working on some physics problems and then I come to the harp and I’m playing the same phrase, it helps kind of relax me and put my mind in
a different place.” Like others, Lenz has found solace through her creativity. While her outlet is the harp, for Katy Briggs, it’s theater. Briggs, a junior studying theater with an emphasis on social justice and applied drama, wants to get people talking about mental health. As she found herself struggling with her own mental illness in high school, theater was something that she felt gave her a voice. “The ability to tell stories through theater has always been really empowering to me,” Briggs said. “In high school, my love and passion for theater and music is literally what kept me going to school some days.” During the spring semester of her freshman year at the University of Minnesota, Briggs moved back to her hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. She needed some time to get back in control of her depression and anxiety but still wanted to pursue theater. Then, she found UpStage Stigma. The project lets artists express their mental health struggles through performance art in order to break the stigma surrounding mental health, and Briggs hopes to expand its reach to the Twin Cities. “Addressing stigma and mental health through the arts is something that’s really important to me,” Briggs said. “There’s just
something about art that opens people’s minds up and draws out empathy. It’s really central to the mission of UpStage Stigma — fostering the sense of empathy and that we are all human.” Similar events in the Twin Cities echo this sentiment. On Feb. 8, The Southern Theater on West Bank hosted “Work In Progress,” an event where poets, literary writers and musicians shared about their mental health through art. When Lynette ReiniGrandell answered the event’s call for artists, she said the first question asked whether she’s had issues with depression and anxiety and if it has ever affected her writing. “I was like, I’ve never had to take medication for depression,” said Reini-Grandell, who graduated with a Ph.D. in English from the University of Minnesota. “But t h e n I t h o u g h t , ‘ Ye a h , this stuff really tremendously affects me, especially in terms of being afraid to write about certain kinds of things or procrastination.’” By performing these pieces at “Work In Progress,” it became obvious that art can help start the conversation. “Art can be a really powerful tool for engaging with the world around us and trying to affect change,” Briggs said.