NEW U SOFTBALL COACH READIES FOR YEAR PAGE 4 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2018
LATE WEEK
TRACHSEL IS IN HER FIRST SEASON WITH THE GOPHERS.
MNDAILY.COM
OLYMPICS
A technical performance
CAMPUS
Ben Shapiro venue raises controversy University administrators said the St. Paul campus spot doesn’t harm his right to free speech. BY MADELINE DENINGER mdeninger@mndaily.com
ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY
Adam Stirn, lead ice maker for University Facilities Management, poses for a portrait on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Stirn has made ice for the past four years at the University to keep up with the needs of ice hockey practices, games and events that take place in the arenas.
This University ice technician is in South Korea to take on Olympic duties in Pyeongchang.
not really one for month-long trips.”
BY RILYN EISCHENS reischens@mndaily.com
will spend February making and maintaining the world’s high-
Stirn is one of just 16 ice-makers worldwide selected to work for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He est-quality hockey ice for the world’s best athletes. Those who
The ice at Ridder Arena was dull and dirty the morning of
know Stirn say they are not surprised he was picked for the job.
Jan. 31. Adam Stirn, the University of Minnesota’s lead ice mak-
To them, his attention to detail and years of experience have pre-
er, doesn’t like dirt; not in hallways, not on rink boards and espe-
pared him for nearly a month of intensive work.
cially not on ice. Dirty ice not only looks bad, but makes for rough skating and dull hockey skates and Zamboni blades.
Paying dues over a career on the ice But before he could go, Stirn had more immediate concerns
Stirn was preparing to take out the Zamboni – which he calls
than his upcoming trip across the globe — the ice at Ridder was
a “zam” – before the women’s hockey practice, when his cowork-
still dirty and it was getting dehydrated. Stirn hopped into the
er stepped off the ice and asked if he was ready for his trip to the
Zamboni driver’s seat, and the machine rumbled to life.
Winter Olympics.
“I fell in love with working at the ice arena,” Stirn said. “The
“I’m a little nervous,” Stirn said. “I mean, I’m super confident in my ability. It’s just the whole being-away-from-here thing. I’m
u See OLYMPIC ICE Page 3
The University of Minnesota’s decision over what venue to host conservative commentator Ben Shapiro’s Feb. 26 visit has drawn criticism from the event’s sponsor. The event, hosted by student groups Students for a Conservative Voice, Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow and Minnesota Students for Liberty, will take place at the North Star Ballroom on the University’s St. Paul Campus. Young America’s Foundation, the sponsor of Shapiro’s 2018-2019 campus lecture tour, published an article on its website Wednesday claiming the University was hosting the event in a “small, remote venue” to deter more students from attending. “Young America’s Foundation’s campus lecture with Ben Shapiro has been sequestered to a desolate venue, miles from the main campus, as the University of Minnesota shows its anti-conservative bias,” the statement read. In response, University President Eric Kaler issued a statement Wednesday saying the decision to host Shapiro in St. Paul was not politically motivated. “Student leaders with Students for a Conservative Voice and Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow worked with Student Activities staff and UMPD to determine a space that would accommodate the 400-500 attendance the group was planning for, and that would allow for the appropriate security for the event,” Kaler’s statement read. The Daily Wire, the conservative news site of which Shapiro is Editor in Chief, tweeted out Young America’s Foundation’s statement Wednesday, encouraging followers to encourage administration to change the venue. In October, right-wing commentator Lauren Southern spoke at Anderson Hall on the University’s West Bank campus. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., also spoke in October at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs on West Bank. Members of Students for a Conservative Voice could not be reached for comment.
COPS
Stolen vehicles affect neighborhoods around UMN campus Super Bowl week showed a rise in crime, according to UMN and Minneapolis police departments. BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com
Three University of Minnesota students had their vehicles stolen in the past week, contributing to a spike in thefts on and around campus. The Minneapolis Police Department were called to the following incidents.
A University student was robbed at gunpoint at around 10 p.m. on Sunday. The crime occurred on the 600 block of 13th Avenue Southeast near Target Express in Dinkytown. The suspect demanded valuables from the student, and struck her with the butt of the gun until she surrendered her belongings. The suspect fled eastbound before entering a waiting vehicle parked on the corner of 6th Street Southeast and 13th Avenue Southeast. The victim required no medical attention, according to a University of Minnesota
Police Department neighborhood safety notice. A student’s parked vehicle was stolen on 7th Avenue Southeast near the Elysian Apartments at around 9 a.m. Sunday. Minneapolis police responded to the theft around 6 p.m. The doors of the vehicle were locked when it was stolen, and no broken glass was found around the scene. The vehicle has not been found. Another University student had her vehicle stolen at on 8th Street Southeast near Marcy Park Apartments at 7 p.m.
Saturday. MPD responded around 9:58 a.m. Sunday. The student legally parked in her assigned slot when the vehicle was taken. No one had permission to take or use the vehicle. On Thursday at 12:40 a.m., a woman reportedly had her car stolen behind the Hampton Inn & Suites in Prospect Park. The car had been running with keys left in the ignition. The crime is being investigated as the hotel has video footage of the suspects. u See ROBBERIES Page 2
BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
Varsity Theater in Dinkytown returns with new shows
U’s Rochester campus finds a new chancellor
Local business managers said the closure had caused fewer visits from late night patrons.
The newest administrative hire has worked on the Rochester campus for four years.
BY KASSIDY TARALA ktarala@mndaily.com
Varsity Theater will reopen its doors in Dinkytown on Friday for its first public concert since December 2016. The venue has undergone improvements in the past year in anticipation of the reopening. Businesses neighboring the theater saw a drop in traffic following its closure more than a year ago and are now welcoming the venue’s return. “In a nutshell, when the Varsity had large events, we had a huge increase in instore traffic,” said Nato Coles, manager of Mesa Pizza in Dinkytown. The longtime theater will again see long lines and heavy concert-goer traffic with a reopening party featuring DJ Jake Rudh, Kiss the Tiger, Chris Koza and Dirt Train. “We wanted to feature local bands, acts and DJs because we really wanted friends, family and neighbors to feel welcome here,” said Varsity Theater General u See VARSIT Y Page 3
BY MAX CHAO mchao@mndaily.com
MEAGAN LYNCH, DAILY FILE PHOTO
EASTON GREEN, DAILY FILE PHOTO
ABOVE: The exterior of Varsity Theater in Dinkytown on Wednesday, April 26. The theater was sold for over $2 million by former owner Jason McLean following four lawsuits alleging child sex abuse. LEFT: General B and the Wiz perform during a private event at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown on April 7.
The University of Minnesota Rochester named Lori Carrell as its new chancellor Wednesday. Carrell, who has served as the campus’s interim chancellor since August, will officially take office on Feb. 12. “I am confident that Dr. Carrell will provide strong leadership for UMR,” said University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler in an email statement. Carrell has been working at UMR since 2014. She took over as interim chancellor when previous chancellor Stephen Lehmkuhle retired. “I’m delighted and honored to serve this innovative campus community,” Carrell said in an email statement. Carrell holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology/education from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Denver.
VOLUME 118 ISSUE 37