October 4, 2016

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

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WAR ON SEXUAL ASSAULT

NEWS in REVIEW By Madeline Purdue

INTERNATIONAL

VOLUME 123, ISSUE 5

Reporting system identifies repeat offenders on campuses

POLISH WOMEN PROTEST OVER ABORTION RIGHTS Women in Poland took to the streets Monday, Oct. 3, to protest a legislative proposal to completely ban abortions in the country. The protesters called it “Black Monday” as they wore all black and waved black flags as a symbol of mourning what could be their lost right. Women missed classes and jobs or left their domestic responsibilities in order to partake in the protest. Men also participated in the protest. Some women who couldn’t leave work showed up dressed in black. Other businesses closed their doors for the day in observance of the protest. Poland is a conservative, Catholic nation and already has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. There is little support behind the newer, even stricter law that could be implemented. If passed, women seeking abortions could serve up to five years in prison, even under circumstances of rape and loss of life. The legislation was supported by an initiative with 450,000 signatures from the country’s citizens and is backed by the church. There are 38 million citizens in Poland. People in other European countries also protested in their towns to show support for the women in Poland.

NATIONAL SUPERHERO FUNERAL PLANNED FOR STUDENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA A superhero-themed funeral for a 6-year-old boy will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 5, in South Carolina. Jacob Hall died Saturday after being shot at his elementary school Wednesday, Sept. 28. Hall’s uncle told WHNS-TV that Jacob will be buried as his favorite superhero, Batman. The family will be dressed up as other superheroes, and guests are encouraged to do the same. “I don’t want suits and ties and all that,” Renae Hall, Jacob’s mother, told WHNS-TV. “There will be a lot of children there, and I don’t want it to be scary for them.” A GoFundMe page has raised more than $126,500 for the family after the shooting. Jacob, another student and their teacher were shot while leaving their classroom for recess. The teacher and other student were treated for their injuries and released from the hospital shortly after.

LOCAL CASINO EMPLOYEE DIES AFTER ROBBERY An employee at the Eldorado, a Reno casino and hotel, died Saturday, Oct. 2, after being attacked by a robber trying to escape Friday. The robber has been identified as 63-year-old Frederick Douglas Borden. He was gambling at the casino and committed the robbery. He then struck the employee as he fled the area. He was apprehended by police Saturday afternoon. The employee was brought to Renown after collapsing on the floor during the attack. The employee has not been identified. It is unclear exactly what caused the employee’s death. An official autopsy will determine what Borden is charged with.

Madeline Purdue can be reached at mpurdue@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @madelinepurdue.

Infographic by Quinsey Sablan/Nevada Sagebrush

By Rachel Spacek Of all the frightening things about moving to college, one of the most terrifying parts is that one in five women and one in 13 men will be sexually assaulted during their college career in the United States. The number of reported sexual assault cases have increased at the University of Nevada, Reno, but there is a new tool appearing on campuses that aims to put an end to sexual assaults. Last year 120 students, faculty and staff reported some sort of sexual harassment, discrimination or assault at UNR. Sixteen of those were rape victims. The numbers of reported rape cases have increased from 2014, when there

were only six reported rape cases, and from only one in 2013. Sexual Health Innovations, a nonprofit software startup company based in San Francisco and dedicated to addressing increases in sexual assaults, launched Callisto last year. Callisto is an online reporting system for sexual violence on college campuses. It is spreading to several universities across the U.S. in an effort to help prevent the growing epidemic of sexual assault. Callisto is a tool utilized on participating college campuses for victims to report sexual assaults. In contrast to other reporting tools, Callisto offers a “matching option” that allows a victim to submit an anonymous record of their sexual assault and will receive a notification if another

victim submits a record citing the same perpetrator. “The matching system is very important,” said Tracey Vitchers, chief development officer for Sexual Health Innovations. “Ninety percent of sexual assaults are committed by repeat offenders and reporting rates are so low. If we are able to stop a perpetrator after their second assault, we are able to save 60 percent of assaults.” If a student experiences a case of sexual misconduct, they create a record in the system. The record asks when the case took place, where it occurred, what evidence the victim has, if they received medical support, the perpetrator’s name and any witnesses or friends the victim may have told about the incident. The victim can

then save the record in the system as confidential, or they can use the system to submit their record to the university’s Title IX officer so the university can take steps towards finding the perpetrator. “I think that every tool that assists in the reporting process of sexual assaults is important to have on campuses,” said Denise Cordova, UNR’s Title IX officer. UNR’s Title IX office has a reporting tool on its website that victims can use to either report anonymously or with their names and the name of the perpetrator. Callisto works with universities’ Title IX officers to look at trends and spikes in reports of sexual assault.

See ASSAULT page A2

Traffic problematic, road space limited By Madeline Purdue It’s Monday morning, your alarm didn’t go off and you have five minutes until class starts. You decide today is a great day to drive to campus, which is less than a mile away. You think you’re going to make it just in time when, bam, Evans Avenue is backed up all the way to McCarran and it’s going to take you 20 minutes to even roll into a parking lot, let alone find a parking space without risking a parking ticket. Zac Edelen, a sophomore finance major, says he’s been late to class multiple times due to traffic jams. Once he is finally on campus, he hasn’t been able to find parking. “I paid for a spot on campus in a silver parking lot, and I couldn’t find a place to park,” Edelen said. “By the time I got to class, my professor had locked the door

and I couldn’t attend class that day.” Jacey Gonzalez, a sophomore journalism major, drives to campus every day. As a resident of The Highlands student apartments, she has to take Evans Road on the west side of campus. “There are always cars backed up at the stop sign at Enterprise and Evans. It is impossible to turn left at the two-way stop. Between the light at Evans and McCarran, pedestrians and other students trying to get to class, it could take up to half an hour just to get off Enterprise,” Gonzalez said. The resolution might be simpler than building larger roads and more parking. Students suggest the university create a better transportation system for their students.

Photo courtsy of Our Town Reno

Corey McDowell, a UNR student perfoms street art in downtown Reno. Our Town Reno features McDowell in its upcoming documentary titled “Invisible Girl.”

Professor, student team WC-1 faces imminent hurdles fight local homelessness By Emily Fisher

By Rachel Spacek It’s election season in the Biggest Little City, and among the door-to-door campaign volunteers, campaign slogan bumper stickers and brightly colored yard signs is the message to “Vote Yes on WC-1.” Washoe County question one asks Reno voters to allow the Board of County Commissioners of Washoe County to increase sales tax by 0.54 percent in order to fund Washoe County School District projects. One in five Washoe County schools is severely overcrowded, according to Save Our Schools Washoe, a PAC dedicated to ensuring the passage of WC-1. “It’s time that northern Nevada comes together as a community and says that we value education and that it’s a priority,” said Kristie Sheltra, a parent advocate for WC-1. “It is the only way we’re going to have economic success, it’s the only way we’re going to keep our property values, it’s a matter of com-

IS HOLLYWOOD DYING?

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See TRAFFIC page A3

munity pride and most of all it touches all of the children in Washoe County.” SOS Washoe claims that students are packed into classrooms that have asbestos, failing ventilation and leaking roofs. The campaign also said a third of Washoe County Schools have not been renovated in over 30 years. “Sixty-five thousand children are sitting in classrooms that are overcrowded, that have leaky roofs, some have no safety fencing around their schools and it is just a matter of saying to these kids, ‘We value education, education is everything and it is what will propel you in life,’” Sheltra said. WC-1 proposes a sales and use tax increase from which revenue would go directly to the Washoe County School District to build and renovate schools. The sales tax would increase to 8.265 percent, a rate unseen by any county in

See WC-1 page A3

A BREAK FROM THE FAITH

Reno is changing. The Biggest Little City is growing exponentially every year. Nevada was the state with the fastest-growing private sector in 2015 with 4.5 percent job growth, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, a title the state hasn’t held since 2005. The growth rate is just as high in northern Nevada. DETR predicts northern Nevada can expect close to 10,000 new jobs per year, which means the region needs 5,000 new homes per year. The national moving company United Van Lines found in a survey that Nevada is the second most popular destination in the Western United States for people moving to a new area. As Reno welcomes the new, some people are wondering what will happen to the people and places that are already here. Our Town Reno is a collective multimedia street-reporting project

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dedicated to shedding light on this question and more specifically on issues of poverty, homelessness, blight, affordable housing, gentrification and displacement in the Biggest Little City. Nico Colombant, a full-time staff member and lecturer at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, got the idea for an online collection of stories about homelessness and other issues in Reno throughout his first years at UNR as an adjunct professor. “I noticed that with a lot of the students, some of their first stories often were about homeless people,” Colombant said. “The stories were really well-done, but I also noticed that as they went along in their classes that they stopped reporting about it.” Realizing a need for more coverage on these issues, Colombant reached out to one specific student, Jose Olivares.

See OUR TOWN page A2

PACK’S LOSS IS BENEFICIAL

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A2 | NEWS

NEVADA SAGEBRUSH

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Student voice of the University of Nevada, Reno, since 1893.

Volume 123 • Issue 06 Editor-in-Chief • Jacob Solis jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu

Managing Editor • Jordan Russell jrussell@sagebrush.unr.edu

News Editor • Rachel Spacek rspacek@sagebrush.unr.edu

Asst. News Editor • Madeline Purdue mpurdue@sagebrush.unr.edu

Sports Editor • Neil Patrick Healy neil@sagebrush.unr.edu

Asst. Sports Editor • Jack Rieger jrieger@sagebrush.unr.edu

Opinion Editor • Ali Schultz alexandraschultz@sagebrush.unr.edu

A&E Editor • Blake Nelson bnelson@sagebrush.unr.edu

Design Editor • Rebecca Day rday@sagebrush.unr.edu

Photo Editor • Quinsey Sablan quinsey@asun.unr.edu

Copy Editor • Dominique Kent dkent@sagebrush.unr.edu

Copy Editor • Daniel Putney dputney@sagebrush.unr.edu

Multimedia Editor • Bailey MeCey bmecey@sagebrush.unr.edu

Web Manager • Willis Allstead wallstead@asun.unr.edu

Illustrator • Zak Brady jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu

Social Media Manager • Alana Ridge aridge@sagebrush.unr.edu

Staff Writer • Emily Fisher efisher@sagebrush.unr.edu

Staff Writer • Brandon Cruz bcruz@sagebrush.unr.edu

Distribution • Michele Cardnuto jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu

Distribution • Natalie Delbecq jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu

Media Adviser • Blythe Steelman bsteelman@unr.edu

CONTRIBUTING STAFFERS Will Compton, Kirk Geller, Javier Hernandez, Garrett Hirschberg,

DISCLAIMER The Nevada Sagebrush is a newspaper operated by and for the students of the University of Nevada, Reno. The contents of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those opinions of the university or its students. It is published by the students of the University of Nevada, Reno, and printed by the Sierra Nevada Media Group.

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With the data, universities can analyze spikes in the trends and connect them to campus and community events that may be places and times of repeated sexual assault. The university can then take steps toward better programming during spike times. “Having the ability to write down what happened to you is important when reporting sexual assaults and helps when talking to people,” Vitchers said. “We talk a lot about how important survivor support is and colleges are using great tools, but we’re still seeing the same amount of sexual assaults. The percentage is so similar across campuses despite the institution size and location. The numbers remained the same one in five statistics. We have not moved the need all.” Reports of sexual assault

Our town Continued from page A1

Olivares, a senior at UNR dual-majoring in journalism and sociology, said he had first become interested in the homeless population in Reno after talking with one of his friends. He decided to pursue the topic, eventually publishing multiple pieces detailing the situation in Reno, profiling affected individuals and exploring potential solutions. “I saw that really nothing was being done in Reno to help out homeless folks or to find a solution to homelessness, so I decided to write a piece kind of bringing attention to it,” Olivares said. “[The story] actually did pretty well. It got around … and it was interesting to see that our community had a need to get information on homelessness and homeless issues and gentrification and exactly what it is in Reno.” Together the two started brainstorming project ideas in the fall, and in January of 2016 they launched Our Town Reno, a name that Colombant’s wife, Kari Barber, came up with. The project, which chiefly operates on social media platforms, has gained a steady following of over 1,500 on

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

at UNR generally spike at the beginning of fall semester, Cordova said. The Title IX office has addressed this spike by targeting freshmen early in the fall semester by speaking at orientations, passing out postcards and handing out booklets. Cordova also goes into classrooms to talk to students about resources the office and university offer to students who have experienced sexual assault. “The information is getting out there,” Cordova said. “We’re doing everything possible for our faculty, students and staff to know who to report to if there is sexual assault or any interpersonal violence. We’ve been pushing this information out there since 2012 to get the information to everyone. The increase [in sexual assaults reported] is directly related to us getting all of this information out.” Last year, Callisto began its pilot year with the participa-

tion of Pomona College and the University of San Francisco. This year, five colleges have signed up for Callisto. Pomona College and USF saw 10 percent of students utilize Callisto last year. “We saw indicators that the system is useful,” Vitchers said. “Students are seeing it as a resource on college campuses. We had reports that have been facilitated through the schools. We took a survey of the student body and found that most students knew about Callisto and were more positive about their school’s approach to sexual assault. Hard numbers are having an impact, but we are also seeing culture shifts about feelings of sexual assault.” UNR’s Title IX office has seen a shift in the amount of reported sexual assaults, and is aiming to provide as many resources as possible for victims. Oftentimes students reach out to the Title IX office just to receive resources,

but not to file any reports or even give the name of their perpetrator. “I think bystander intervention is very important,” Cordova said. “I know that it is hard to get involved, but if you are a witness to something like this, then I believe that you should report it.” To learn more about Callisto and to get involved with the program, students should reach out to their Title IX coordinator. The Title IX coordinator can learn more at projectcallisto.org, where they can schedule a demo of the tool. UNR’s Title IX office encourages students to reach out for resources and reporting tools. The office also encourages students to make a plan before they go out and to never leave the group, no matter the circumstances.

Instagram and almost 1,200 on Facebook over the year. It is an open-community project, meaning anybody can contribute content. UNR students, professors and community members can all put together visual, audio and video stories about these issues affecting Reno, Colombant said. Our Town Reno, unlike traditional news media platforms, focuses on micro-storytelling. Instead of writing long-form news pieces with each side of the story and different opinions clearly mapped out, contributors focus on telling the stories of particular individuals in Reno and what is happening to them today, Colombant said. “The Our Town Reno approach is a very humanist approach while using a new technological platform,” Colombant said. Both Olivares and Colombant agree one of the most valuable things about Our Town Reno is the conversations that happen online because of this technological platform. The comments section under each post on Facebook is full of community members’ voices. There are suggestions about possible solutions and questions from concerned citizens. Occasional arguments happen, but they often self-mediate and reach a common ground,

Colombant said. There are even people who offer help to the people profiled by Our Town Reno. After Olivares profiled a 72-year-old homeless man named Doug living on the porch of a condemned house in downtown Reno, there was an outpouring of support. Just a few weeks later, Doug had been given the help he needed when the Reno Sparks Homeless Veterans group saw his story on Facebook and gave him a place to stay, complete with a real bed, Olivares and Colombant said. Our Town Reno not only sheds light on homelessness in Reno but also on issues surrounding displacement, old structures, gentrification, poverty and Reno’s rebrand. One of the most inspiring sections highlights local Reno heroes, people who are making a difference with their work in the local community, Colombant said. “Oftentimes these people will be quoted in [news] articles, but they won’t be the entire focus of an article” Colombant said. “We like to put the entire focus on a particular person. It’s a way to shine a light and show that their work is important.” Colombant, Olivares and other contributors are also doing important work. As Reno rebrands, the city seems to have forgotten the people and buildings that are already in Reno and need help, Colombant said. “Can’t the Biggest Little City be a caring Biggest Little City?”

Colombant said. Olivares first felt the impact of the work he has been doing after interviewing a 19-year-old homeless woman named Angela and her service dog. “It was really impactful to see someone younger than me in this situation” Olivares said. “It was very unjust and nobody, regardless of age, should be in that situation.” Our Town Reno is just getting started. Recently Our Town Reno paired with the newly formed Reynolds Media Lab, which is dedicated to creating meaningful media at the Reynolds School of Journalism. Our Town Reno also wants to continue focusing on bringing out content that keeps up with our technologically advanced society, Colombant said. “We’re doing this both as important reporting but also using new tools to tell these stories,” Colombant said. Our Town Reno is debuting one of its most recent projects, a short documentary about youth on the streets of Reno titled “Invisible Girl,” at a screening on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at The Potentialist Workshop downtown. Free events like this and also the production of more documentaries and larger projects are something the Our Town Reno team hopes to accomplish in the future, Colombant said.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Rachel Spacek can be reached at rspacek@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

Emily Fisher can be reached at efisher@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

Letters can be submitted via email at jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu

CORRECTIONS The Nevada Sagebrush fixes mistakes. If you find an error, email jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu

SOCIAL MEDIA The Nevada Sagebrush @TheSagebrush @SagebrushSports Nevada Sagebrush nvsagebrush Photo Courtsey of Our Town Reno

nevadasagebrush.com

(Left) An anonymous homeless teenager approaches Nico Colombant, one of the founders of Our Town Reno to tell her story for their upcoming documentary, “Invisible Girl.” (Right) Angela, a 19-year-old homeless woman, rests on a sidewalk in downtown Reno with her service dog. Our Town Reno is dedicated to telling the stories of homeless people in Reno.

SENATE RECAP SEPT. 28 By Rachel Spacek

APPOINTMENTS NEW POLICY DIRECTOR DEDICATED TO SPREADING AWARENESS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT The Associated Students of the University of Nevada heard yet another nomination for its open position of policy director in its meeting Wednesday, Sept. 28. Director of Legislative Affairs Veronica Charles nominated Curtis Hazlet to become the policy director for the Department of Legislative Affairs. In her introduction of the candidate, Charles said Hazlet exemplified leadership qualities and a strong understanding of university legislative affairs in his interview with her. Charles said for her interviews with the candidates she asked them to bring in a piece of legislation to discuss. Hazlet brought in Assembly Bill 579. AB 579 is an act addressing the registration of sex offenders on college campuses. Charles said Hazlet’s discussion of the bill was directly in line with the university’s goal to spread awareness of sexual assault. In his speech, Hazlet discussed how he plans to start working with Legislative Affairs on day one as policy director on several pieces of legislation he has been looking at. He said he plans to discuss AB 579 and House Resolution 2680, a resolution to require the Department of Education to list on its website institutions that are undergoing investigations of sexual misconduct. Hazlet said he plans to address sexual assault and misconduct legislation. The senate approved Hazlet to the position of policy director for legislative affairs.

APPOINTMENTS ASUN APPROVES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE RAPIDLY GROWING PACK INTERNSHIP GRANT PROGRAM To close the meeting, the senate unanimously approved legislation to increase funding for the Pack Internship Grant Program. The Pack Internship Grant Program provides funding for 52 student internships with northern Nevada businesses, nonprofits and public or government agencies. Fulltime Nevada undergraduates with a grade point average of at least a 2.75 are eligible to apply for the internships. Last year the Pack Internship Grant Program received 834 applications and won the “Workforce Catalyst of the Year” Award from the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada. The Pack Internship Grant Program won the award for being the best program in the Biggest Little City for getting people into the workforce. The program said it needs additional funding to maintain its growth. ASUN approved $25,760 to be added to the Work Grants line of the Milton D. Glick Academic Initiatives account for the Pack Internship Grant Program. Rachel Spacek can be reached at rspacek@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush

You’re invited to participate in a study evaluating the effect of Launch Your Global Career With the Peace Corps a medication, linagliptin, conducted by Dr. Kirkpatrick at UNSOM Who is Eligible?

Compensation

Healthy individuals without schizophrenia or mood disorders who are ages 18-55.

You will receive up to $110.00 for your participation in this study.

What will you be asked to do?

Contact

• Participate in 8 interviews over 13 weeks (for a total of 7 – 11 hours) at UNR • Take linagliptin for 12 weeks •Have blood drawn

If you have any questions or are interested in participating, please contact: Keely at (775) 682-8439

Career Fair Information Table University of Nevada - Reno Thursday, October 13 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Joe Crowley Student Union Ballrooms

Information Session University of Nevada - Reno Thursday, October 13 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Joe Crowley Student Union Room 323

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Lorry Marvin will discuss how you can make a difference overseas and return home with the experience and global perspective to stand out in a competitive job market.

Life is calling. How far will you go?

Department of Psychiatry

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

NEWS | A3

@TheSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com

Negative ads mar NV Senate race By Jacob Solis With time running out before voters hit the polls, the race for Sen. Harry Reid’s soon-to-bevacant seat in the club of 100 has been heating up. Speaking to a crowd of about two dozen inside the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto hit a number of talking points last Wednesday, Sept. 28, calling for an increased minimum wage, equal pay for equal work and a more affordable higher-education experience. “I don’t think that, if you want to be a student, you should have to mortgage your future to get an education,” Cortez Masto said. “I’ve talked to students from across this state who’ve told me that you decide on what degree you’re going to get by how much college debt you’re going to accumulate. I think it’s backwards.” The former Nevada attorney general is running against Republican Joe Heck, representative for Nevada’s 3rd congressional district. Both candidates launched their campaigns relatively early last year, but in the months leading up to Election Day the campaign has turned increasingly negative. Cortez Masto has been the subject of a barrage of attack ads this summer that allege all sorts of malfeasance during her tenure as attorney general. One super PAC ad, which was found to be half-true by PolitiFact, claims that Cortez Masto allowed a backlog of thousands of rape kits to remain untested between 2006 and 2014. When asked after the event about the allegations, Cortez Masto was quick to defend herself and point a finger back at her Republican opponent. “It is a distortion of my record,” Cortez Masto said. “They want to deflect from Congressman Heck’s record, which, as you see in Congress, voted against more funding for rape kits and more funding for victims of sexual assault. Things haven’t been rosy for Heck on the other

side of the aisle either. A slate of union-backed ads, which PolitiFact found to be mostly false, accused the congressman of supporting the privatization of Social Security, calling him a “threat” to the future of entitlement programs. He’s also faced criticism over his ties to the Republican mega-donor Koch brothers, who have poured millions into Senate races nationwide. All in all, millions were spent over the summer by a host of different PACs, super PACs and other organizations in a negative ad blitz on both sides. It’s left a sour taste in voters’ mouths, as both candidates’ unfavorable numbers had almost doubled by mid-September, according to a poll from Monmouth University. For her part, Cortez Masto called the negative ads a deflection from Heck’s record and remained

Medical

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College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources

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College of Education

•NevadaTeach Minor •Secondary Education Major •Business Education Major •NevadaTeach Secondary Education Major with a. Math b. Physics c. Chemistry d. Biology e. Agricultural Science

*This information is from NevadaToday

Nevada. Throughout the nation, only 10 states charge more than 8.265 percent sales tax, according to Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group. Washoe County’s current rate is 7.725 percent. The increased tax rate would be permanent if the question passes. “You have to pay for the services in your community; you pay taxes so that we can have a police department, you pay taxes so that we can have libraries, a fire department, roads, all those services are paid for through taxes,” Sheltra said. “The schools need to be a priority and part of those taxes.” SOS Washoe has partnered with Educators for Washoe Schools to raise over $886,000 to help convince voters the increase in sales tax is necessary to ensure the success of Washoe County students. “It isn’t right that we’ve ignored our schools for so long that they’ve gotten to this breaking point. It’s embarrassing, it’s shameful. Our community needs to stop overlooking this and settle it once and for all and create this tax that doesn’t have a sunset, so it’s a forever tax, but it will forever fix our problem,” Sheltra said. “We’ll be able to build new schools when we’re at the maximum capacity. When we have an upgrade that we need, we’ll be able to do it.” The hike in sales tax is not the only battle WC-1 has had to face this election season. A lawsuit in the Washoe County District Court will decide whether the ballot question is allowed to be a part of the upcoming election. Reno resident Jeff Church filed a lawsuit against the county to strike the question from the ballot. Church claims the county broke the law regarding how committees in charge of writing the arguments in favor and against the tax increase were organized. The county appointed four members to the committee in charge of writing the argument in support of the tax increase in WC-1. The country also appointed two members to the committee to write the opposition to the tax increase, Church being one of the individuals. State law says each committee in charge of writing the rebuttal and in-favor statements must be composed of three individuals. The law also states that if the county commission is unable to appoint three members to each committee, it may appoint less than three people to the committee but not more than three. Tracy Figler, the other member of the com-

Jacob Solis can be reached at jsolis@sagebrush.unr. edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

Jacob Solis/Nevada Sagebrush

Nevada now offers 160 total programs after adding 15 new programs in 2016

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with 54 members. According to FiveThirtyEight’s Senate election forecast, Democrats stand to win four of those seats back in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, but could lose Nevada, leaving the Senate locked in a 50-50 tie. If that were to happen, the vice president steps in to be the tie-breaker. With Democrat Hillary Clinton holding a slight advantage after rival Donald Trump’s poor week in the news, odds are Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine will end up the 101st vote. But with five weeks left before Election Day, there’s still room enough for the dreaded “October surprise,” and only time will tell who will come out on top on Nov. 8.

Democratic Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto addresses a crowd inside the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Current polls place Cortez Masto and opponent Joe Heck in a dead heat.

UNR to add majors

WC-1

confident that her unfavorables wouldn’t have that large an effect on her campaign. “He’s been there six years; he’s part of the mess in Washington,” Cortez Masto said. “At the end of the day, I think voters will see through it all and they’ll vote for the candidate that’s gonna fight for them.” More than that though, the polling shows what is essentially a toss-up. A poll of likely voters last week from the Las Vegas Review-Journal found the two statistically tied, as Heck’s two-point lead falls within the 3.5 point margin of error. It’s been a common theme in this race, as Heck just barely edges out Cortez Masto, but he never holds a definitive lead. Democrats could possibly win back control of the Senate this year, but if they do, it’ll be by a slim margin. Right now, Republicans hold the chamber

mittee, and Church could not come to an agreement on their rebuttal against the tax increase even after the county commission said it extended the deadline several times. The result of the committee’s inability to come to a conclusion is the county’s decision not to include a rebuttal for WC-1 on the ballot. The committees were formed and began writing their separate arguments in April, yet Church’s lawsuit was filed months later. There is no information on how long it will take for a decision on the lawsuit to be made. Despite the lawsuit, SOS Washoe and the Educators for Washoe Schools are not halting their race to stop overcrowding in local schools — the campaign has set a goal to raise $1.4 million by Nov. 8. The continuing efforts and large financial goal are a result of previously failed ballot questions relating to the funding of Washoe County schools. In 2004, Washoe voters rejected several ballot questions asking them to vote on funding for Washoe County schools. One of the ballot questions was an amendment to the Nevada Constitution that would have required the Nevada Legislature to fund the operation of public schools before funding other parts of the state budget. Even without the proposed tax increase, voters shot down the question. “If people are voting no, it is a shortsighted vision for our community,” Sheltra said. “They’re not looking at the fact that their property values will never increase, they’re not having any pride in their community and this will lessen the economic growth of Reno because we are not valuing education. People are not going to want to move here; businesses are not going to want to move here if we have schools that are in shambles.” With the lawsuit and rocky past, WC-1 is still showing favorable signs in a new poll released Sept. 19 from The Tarrance Group. The poll found 55 percent of voters in favor of the tax increase. The same poll conducted in March found only 45 percent of voters in favor of the ballot question. The polls have a 4.9 percent margin of error. The outcome of WC-1 may currently be in the hands of a judge, but supporters of the question and the SOS Washoe campaign remain strong in their hopes that their citizens will vote to fund Washoe County schools despite the largest sales tax increase seen in all Nevada counties. Rachel Spacek can be reached at rspacek@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

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“What the campus needs is a bus system larger than two lines,” said Edelen. “The buses are overcrowded because they are so small and can’t hold as many students that are trying to use it.” Edelen suggested that a better bus system could encourage students that live near campus not to use their cars and clear up some of the traffic. UNR Police Services received grants worth over $60,000 combined in November 2015, according to Nevada Today. The grants aim to create programs that will keep students safe while navigating the university. One of the programs funded by the grants is the Joining Forces Program. It combines the power of UNR Police Services and other local safety agencies to ensure safety for pedestrians and other drivers by setting up checkpoints. The goal is to lock down on

impaired driving, speeding and seatbelt violations. The Pedestrian Safety Project creates public service announcements and other advertisements to make students more cautious about their surroundings. It provides tips on how to be safe while walking around campus, such as using crosswalks, abiding by traffic laws and avoiding distracted driving. UNR Police Services teamed up with the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety to ensure these programs are carried out in the most effective way possible. “The university community is growing at a steady pace, and that means we deal with a number of traffic problems on a daily basis,” University Police Services Chief Adam Garcia said in an interview with Nevada Today. “Near misses between vehicles and pedestrians is one of the most common complaints.” Madeline Purdue can be reached at mpurdue@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @madelinepurdue.

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A4

PACK N THE EVENTS THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS WEEK By Blake Nelson

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

RACE RACE TO TO COLOR COLOR 1 UNR partakes in 5K, exploding in a plethora of color

COFFEE HOUSE SERIES: PAGES MATAM DATE: Tuesday TIME: 6 p.m.

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LOCATION: Joe Crowley

Student Union, Food Court INFO: What's more college than nighttime coffee and muffins at the student union? How about some slam poetry to go along with your food? Catch social activist and slam poet Pages Matam at the Joe for free.

By Blake Nelson This year marked the fifth annual Color Me Rad 5K, and this year it was held here on our very own campus. This 5K is unlike other 5K races in that its purpose is to cover participants in colored powders, paints and gels. Once the race is underway, participants either run or walk to the color checkpoints throughout the track. In addition to being a fun time for 5K runners and families alike, the proceeds from this years race go to the Special Olympics. Although we'd love to go into detail about the race, we here at The Nevada Sagebrush think that photographs would do the event better justice.

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PIZZA WITH THE PRESIDENT DATE: Wednesday TIME: 1:30 p.m.

Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@sagebruhs.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

LOCATION: Joe Crowley

Student Union, Blind Onion INFO: Voice your disgust for campus construction directly to President Marc Johnson while getting some free pizza. You can eat for free, scream at the president and hell, maybe he'll even listen.

MORE ONLINE u More photos from Color Me Rad can be found on nevadasagebrush.com.

THE BIGGEST LITTLE STARTUP FAIR DATE: Thursday TIME: 5 p.m. LOCATION: Aces Stadium INFO: If you're planning

or settling on staying local after graduating from college, then hop on a free shuttle down to Aces Stadium for the startup fair. All the tech startups and new-to-town businessmen will be there for your networking fancies. Maybe you'll even land a job that pays more than 30K a year.

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JOE'S FALL MOVIE SERIES: 'THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS' DATE: Friday TIME: 6 p.m. LOCATION: Joe Crowley

Student Union, Theater INFO: Rather than coughing up the $8.75 for a movie ticket, why not see one for free here at your very own U of N? This week's is "The Secret Life of Pets," a movie about what your pets do when you leave the house.

THE GARDEN CONCERT DATE: Saturday TIME: 8:30 p.m. LOCATION: The Holland

Project INFO: My oh my, what do we have here? One of the most interesting and captivating bands to come out of Orange County since The Vandals is all. The Garden is so much fun to see live that you must be there. Playing alongside them is So Pitted, Heyrocco and Arizona Young. Tickets are only $10.

Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@nevadasagebrush. unr.edu or on Twitter @b_e_nelson.

Blake Nelson/Nevada Sagebrush

1) A participant throws a color pack on Saturday, Oct. 1. Color packs were tossed into the crowd and then exploded by the racers. 2) Racers run in a line for a chance to be splashed with pink powder. 3) Racers spread and mix colors against the blue sky. 4) A pack of racers traverses the racetrack after passing one of the color stations. 5) A racer gets a face full of color while passing one of the checkpoints. 6) A volunteer sprays a racer with dye. 7) After the finish line the racers gather around the stage for a merch toss.

Tim Burton bottoms out stylistically By Blake Nelson Tim Burton has always been one of those directors who is known for his distinctive style, but his style has always seemed a little less fully formed than others. Outside of hits such as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Batman," Burton has directed a variety of films with less-than-stellar characters and little direction. Think "Alice in Wonderland," "Dark Shadows" and "Big Eyes" if you saw these box office flops at all. Burton's newest film, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," is a similar example of one of his less-accomplished films. "Peculiar Children" suffers from a lot of what his other films have suffered from — Burton's choice to favor aesthetic design over story. What does aesthetic over story mean? It means that

instead of having interesting, fully formed characters, Burton favors characters that are interesting to look at. Or, instead of having interesting dialogue, Burton employs cliches and traditional tropes that were worn-out before I was born. "Peculiar Children" suffers from all these woes, with the addition of some stilted acting on the part of Asa Butterfield and Samuel L. Jackson thrown in. The story, although not the most interesting, moves along steadily enough. But beyond just the story, which was taken from a series of books by the same name, the movie falls flat. Although Burton's aesthetic is apparent throughout the film, the style feels like a dim shadow of Burton's darker and arguably better work. Instead of having the gothic allure of films like "Batman," this one seems like a children's

film trying to be edgy. It's a little overlit, a little too glossy and above all just too boring to enjoy. Nothing is captivating in this movie; all of Burton's halfhearted aesthetic could't save it from being a watered-down version of Burton's brand of filmmaking. Even the peculiar children are boring. Their peculiarities may be strange but are pointless. A boy with bees inside of him? A girl with a mouth on the back of her head? Why? The kids' powers in the movie are about as inconsequential as their characters — not only are they basically stand-in characters, they contribute nothing to the film's plot. The film has all these flaws and they still decided to bring time travel into the story. Time travel in film is always a bad bet; not only is it confusing for the average viewer, but closer inspection usually just reveals

larger plot holes. The film's lead, Jake, travels back and forth through time through peculiar homes that are "stuck in time." I was only left with questions afterward ... so many questions. Why was Jake not stuck in time, but his grandfather was, even though in the future he wasn't? Why was Jake able to go from one stuck day to another? How did the stuck days not stop all time? I'm no astrophysicist, but I doubt the average viewer is either. The film is purposeless besides an attempt to start another franchise, and it possesses very

‘MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN‘ Release Date: Sept. 30 Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

little form or style worth noting. This movie is bland, confusing and lazy. Let this one fade like many of Burton's other films. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @b_e_nelson.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

A&E | A5

@TheSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com

Hollywood’s demise is upon us By Blake Nelson It’s been over three years since Steven Spielberg and George Lucas made the provocative prediction that Hollywood is heading toward an implosion. Now after a string of flops this year it’s about time to look closely at what’s going on in Hollywood. They were specifically referring to the ways in which Hollywood is almost strictly funding large-budget action flicks, some of which have a budget over a quarter of a billion dollars. Think hits like “Avengers: Age of Ultron” or “Tangled,” each earning $1.5 billion and half a billion, respectively. But what happens when the movies like “John Carter” are a flop? Spielberg and Lucas may have made an accurate prediction, but they didn’t touch on the reason why the studios are doing this. The reasons for this new era in Hollywood stretch well back into the previous century with the rise of television. As television sets became cheaper in the 1950s, families were more liable to stay in rather than pay to watch a feature film — all of which was accurately reflected in a massive drop in ticket sales around this time, never to rise to such heights again. A massive shift like this made Hollywood change the entire filmmaking paradigm, becoming edgier and bigger than TV could be. Flash forward to today and the same thing is happening — television has once again risen to a new height, albeit with a new model as well. Also with the rise of TV streaming like Netflix and Hulu, TV has begun to make people want to stay in again. The second coming of TV mixed with the crash of DVD sales, which represented around 50 percent of the profits for films, is now leading Hollywood into a new direction. In the days of yore, Hollywood would have a range of films in production — the blockbusters whose budgets are dwarfed by today’s big films, the middle budget films that were a little riskier but had the potential to be hits and the independent films that were usually cheaply produced. Blockbusters came to prominence because of directors like Spielberg and Lucas, with “Jaws” being credited as the film that sparked the blockbuster revolution. These films receive big budgets because they will hopefully have large payoffs. Although Hollywood is terrible at predicting whether a film will be profitable, they still chose this model

because, if all goes well, it will pay off. So ironically Spielberg and Lucas are partly the reason for Hollywood being this way. Once TV stepped its game up and streaming services were more profitable for independent films, Hollywood opted for the blockbuster model. This switch to the current model has led to hits like the Marvel cinematic universe and Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight Trilogy.” It has also had its hiccups with “The Lone Ranger” and the remake of “Ben Hur,” a terrible flop. Flops can be a detriment to a studio, causing them to either restructure or be

absorbed by another studio. It’s harder to make a non-flop movie in today’s market for two reasons: movies are more expensive to make than ever and it’s incredibly hard to make a profit on a movie. Flops are even more dangerous today because studios are pouring so much money into them. With very little cushion from DVD sales, indie films and other smaller films, companies are at higher and higher risk of creating a flop. To combat this, Hollywood is raising the price of movie tickets higher than they’ve ever been and trying to appeal to international markets for the added

profit bump. So what does this mean for Spielberg and Lucas’ prediction? Is Hollywood going to crash? Well, probably not. Their prediction was that an implosion would occur due to multiple big-budget flops in a row. Flops are bound to happen, and maybe in a row, but an implosion would just cause the studios to restructure their techniques. Hollywood is already doing this to some extent by having studio executives and producers take a larger role in the filmmaking process and removing the director from a lot of filmmaking activities. By doing this, the studio makes a safer

film, but safe is the exact opposite of what people will eventually want. It happened with Spielberg and Lucas’s generation — people liked that these new directors were doing something different. It isn’t worth speculating more than a decade into the future, but for right now we can expect more homogeneity in films. More of the same franchises, more of the same three-act action movies and above all, less than classic big-budget films. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @b_e_nelson.

Illustration by Zak Brady/Nevada Sagebrush

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

STAFF EDITORIAL

Reno is still dehumanizing homeless L ast fall, we wrote a staff editorial about the problem of homelessness in this community. We decried the marginalization of Reno’s most vulnerable residents. We condemned the “out of sight, out of mind” attitude that the city’s influential residents displayed toward the homeless population — the attitude that led to the heartless destruction of encampments and gentrification. We called for city and state officials to stop treating the homeless as a nuisance to be hidden away and start addressing the root causes of homelessness. A year later, nothing has changed. Another October has come, and with it another instance of Reno’s continued mistreatment of the homeless community. This is Reno, a local news and events site, reported on Sept. 30 that 68 benches were removed from

downtown. The reason for this seemingly innocuous act was to prevent homeless residents from resting and sleeping on the benches, as well as to prevent them from “panhandling.” The decision to remove the benches was spurred by what This is Reno called “a deluge of complaints” from residents, tourists and business owners. And as we would by now expect, city leaders bought into these complaints and the insidious rhetoric that comes with them. Complaints about having to walk past a sleeping homeless person, or being asked for spare change do not stem from a legitimate fear of harm. Being bothered by the mere presence of the homeless stems instead from the tendency to otherize and dehumanize those who are caught in unfortunate circumstances. Rather than humanly addressing

the complaints in a way that would not adversely affect the individuals who rely on public structures for shelter, city officials chose to remove those structures and pander to the prejudice of those who feel that the homeless are beneath them. In This is Reno’s coverage of the bench removal, city spokesperson Matt Brown stated the remodeling was done because ‘The city at large had complained enough that it became a nuisance.’ It’s worth noting that Section 8.22.035 of Reno’s Municipal Code defines “nuisance” as “That which is injurious to health, or injurious, indecent and offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, or is against the interest of public morals, decency, safety, peace and order.”

This is how Brown, whose job is to speak on behalf of the city’s government, has effectively described a segment of the population. Let that sink in for a moment. Human beings are categorized as “indecent” and “offensive to the senses.” According to analysis by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the overall homeless population in Nevada has increased by 1.9 percent between 2014 and 2015, while the number of homeless residents without shelter has increased by 11.4 percent in the same amount of time. Clearly, homelessness is a problem that is not going away. Even though Reno represents only a portion of these statistics, and even though it has dedicated some resources to combatting the problem, more must still be done. The fact remains that the homeless population in this city is shamefully

underserved, and it does not look to be improving. The city’s budget brief for the 2016 fiscal year provides an overview of what money is going to be spent on. “Homelessness” is not mentioned in the document a single time. Much is said about better serving the community, of making the community more safe and livable. What city officials have neglected to do is include the homeless as members of the community. To allow this behavior to continue is unacceptable. We have said all this before, and we will continue to speak out against the dehumanization of this city’s most vulnerable population until it is no longer a problem that plagues our community.

The Sagebrush Editorial Baord can be reached at jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

Please quit bullying pits 1 T

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Two Model S Teslas rip around a bend in Norway, during a test run. The Model S is the most reputable of Tesla’s first cars.

Tesla cars electrify

the competition

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esla motor company is now selling double the amount of cars it sold last year, as of October 5, 2016. The Reno/Sparks community was first introduced Tesla in 2014 when the company agreed to build a massive battery factory after receiving 1.3 billion in tax breaks. With Tesla’s sales doubling, this could be some of the best news for the Reno area. According to CNN Money’s Brandon article Tesla selling Cruz twice as many cars as it was in 2015, “As of October 5, Tesla’s stock rose 5% to $213 a share.” Now if you know nothing about stocks, you always want to buy low and sell high. Paying $213 for one share is extremely expensive, but that also means the company is profiting tremendously. Let’s take a look at a few other motor companies to see just how amazing Tesla is actually doing in comparison. Ford Motor Company’s current price a share is at $12.10, General Motors Company is selling their shares at $32.04 a share and lastly, Toyota Motor Corporation’s current stock is at $115.26. Toyota is Tesla’s closest competitor and their stock per share is $97 less! So what does this have to do with Reno? Since Reno, NV, is home to one of the largest battery factories in the world for Tesla Motors, business at the plant is booming. With as fast as Tesla’s company is growing, the Reno/Sparks area’s economy is on the up and up. At some point the demand for Tesla cars will get so out of hand, Tesla won’t be able to supply their customers. Now this is where Reno comes into play. Maybe Nevada could lobby for another battery factory to be built, or even an entire factory to build Tesla cars in Reno. Either which way, if Tesla’s stock continues to rise and they build more factories in the Reno/Sparks area the Northern Nevada economy will skyrocket! The installation of these new factories will open up a plethora of

job opportunities for Reno locals. The building of the factories alone will produce thousands of jobs in the construction field. After the factories are created, they’ll need another few thousand employees to run the day-to-day operations. Not only would these new buildings create job opportunities for the working class, but also a great deal of job possibilities for current and graduated University of Nevada, Reno students. Business, Journalism and engineering students would now have amazing internship opportunities, along with possible job offers, from one of the most acclaimed motor companies in the country. While Tesla has visited the campus before, in search of students willing to start working for their company. The demand for skilled, hard working and organized students would go through the roof, if Tesla expanded its operations in the Northern Nevada area. The only possible foreseeable problem is Tesla is hesitant on expansion, due to other competition. First off they have to deal with companies already in the business of making electric cars, Toyota, BMW, Nissan, Chevrolet and Ford. These companies pose imminent threats to Tesla’s business. But Tesla has the most tantalizing electric car on the market. While this may be the case, General Motors has announced that their all new electric car, the Chevrolet Bolt, will go on sale later this year for a fraction of what a Tesla costs, at $37,495. Not only does Tesla have to anticipate General Motor’s Chevy Bolt, but they also have to plan for Volkswagen attempting to break into the electric car industry come 2020. Their electric car is expected to cost less than $30,000! Even with all of these factors to consider, it is safe to say Tesla Motors currently has the best electric car on the market. As long as customers think about quality, I could see Tesla expanding further into Northern Nevada, within the next two years. Brandon Cruz studies journalism. He can be reached at bcruz@ sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @Brandon_Cruz23.

here is a special affinity shared between animal lovers. Those who have been touched by the unconditional love animals are willing to provide us with understand that the bond we share is significant. Animals are willing to give that unconditional love asking nothing in return. Many feel this model example of love through the bonds they share with their dogs. On Oct. 3 a Montreal law will come into full effect that outlaws the new ownership of pitbulls. The law was proposed after a woman was fatally attacked. This controversial law will mean that as of Oct. 3, thousands of pit bulls in Montreal will be euthanized. As for the pre-existing pit owners, they will be asked to Ali register their pets Schultz for a fee of $125, Schultz Happens kept on a regulated short leash as well as required to muzzle their pets in public. Upon hearing of this law I was completely devastated. The thought that thousands of dogs are going to be senselessly put down is shameful to say the least. When looking at the law it left me thinking ‘What the hell does this even mean?’ The law is so vague that it leaves room for so many questions. The law states that not only pure bred pit bulls, but in fact any dog that has similar physical characteristics of a pitbull is up for euthanization. This means any dogs that have muscular bodies, broad faces and/or blocky jaws are subject to euthanasia. This on going vilification of pitbulls needs to come to an end. More often than not, pit bulls are loyal, family oriented dogs that aim to please their owners. Maybe we should stop criminalizing an entire group of dogs and look at the real issues at hand here. During an interview conducted with NPR, journalist Bronwen Dickey shed light on where the negative stereotypes may come from. In the 1980s, America was waging a rapid war on drugs. Dickey comments, “I think part of what the media did during the 1980s for various reasons was to link the pit bull, in particular, to the urban underclass and make it this proxy for the, quote, “drug dealer” or thug or gang member.” Pit Bulls should not be classified as inherently bad dogs. When it is more often than not

the owners fault for their negligent treatment of their animal. There was an article I read by Stanley Coren in the Canadian publication, The Globe and Mail that said it best. There are only 2-3 deaths per year in the entire country of Canada by dog bite. Now there are 55 deaths a year in the country attributed to bicycle injuries. The mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre has ignorantly responded to criticism of the ban by saying I was deeply shocked at the recent events involving dog attacks,” he added. “As a responsible administration, it was our duty to examine this issue closely and make the appropriate decisions. Coren, then posed the brilliant question that if this was really a matter of safety for the people of Montreal than why are bikes not outlawed? I guess the counter argument would be that bicycles are good for the heart. But what about what animals do for the heart? According to the American Heart Association, “owning a pet is associated with greatly reducing your risk of heart disease.” There is no other rationalization for this law other than that it was a knee jerk decision. Another important thing to keep in mind is, “A survey of 26 Canadian municipalities showed that there was no difference in the rate of dog bites between those cities which had breed-specific legislation and those which did not” (The Globe and Mail). These aren’t pieces of furniture we can just carelessly dispose of. This isn’t okay. This law is permitted the murder of thousands of dogs that have committed no wrong doings. These are living things capable of providing you with that special unconditional love. Stop demonizing pits and understand this is unacceptable.

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Ali Schultz studies journalism. She can be reached at alexandraschultz@unr. Photos courtesy of Jacob Jacoby, David Rabenold, Kaila Briggs, Estie Parica, RJ Hearts and Daniel Villegas

UNR students pridefully display their beloved pitbull companions. 1. Estie’s peaceful pup, Robin, passes out after a long day. 2. Smiley pitbull, Cast, flashes a grin as he patiently awaits belly rubs. 3. No pitbull in town sports a bandana better than Lucky. 4. Wesley, sure does love nothing more than a long car ride with his mom, Kaila. 5. Chachi loves nothing more than playing fetch with his roommates. 6. Rambo loves nothing more than to please his owner by dressing up for the holidays.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

@TheSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com

OPINION | A7

Illustration by Zak Brady/Nevada Sagebrush

Church alienates younger members G rowing up Catholic is a unique thing. I still have flashbacks of overwhelming guilt, and the urge to repent often comes upon me during the most inconvenient moments. I left the church years ago, yet I still glance at the sky nervously when I let an F-bomb or two drop in casual conversation. I suppose many people who grew up in a religious household had that defining moment as a teenager when havDominique ing a crucifix in every Kent room (including the bathroom) went from normal to creepy. There must be others out there who suddenly realized

the promise of donuts wasn’t actually worth the grueling hour of sitting, standing, kneeling, singing, repeat that accompanied the onset of each Sunday. Nowadays, I like to take a moment every Sunday to snuggle further into my bed and relish the sweet relief of not having to pray. There’s something absolutely delightful about, after so many years of guilt, going on a creative cursing spree every so often (just not around my mom). Leaving religion felt the way I imagine it once felt to take off a corset and never put it back on — freeing, full of relief and a little bit scandalous. But why have so many of my peers done as I have and abandoned their parents’ faith? Why has Sunday gone from “day of worship” to “day of worship my bed”? For me, the break from the faith

didn’t start with the desire to sleep in or to finally quit those dreaded catechism classes; the break started the first time I saw a sign that said, “God hates gays.” I’m not saying I was 100 percent on board with the whole heaven-and-hell thing before this event, but it seemed like overnight God had changed from “love thy neighbor” to “whoever makes the most homosexuals cry will be welcome in the kingdom of the Lord.” As a kid, this was a little bit confusing. Having been raised Catholic, I never really thought to question it before. The shift in mindset from “this is normal” to “WTF is going on?” provided the catalyst I needed to look at religion objectively and run screaming in the other direction. There’s a reason so many people my age start to withdraw from their parents’ religion the closer they get

to adulthood. Realistically, it isn’t the early Sundays or the creepy Jesus in their bathroom; people are leaving religion because individuals are making it unwelcoming, intimidating and downright scary. Practicing religion has begun to resemble being in an abusive relationship. One partner spends all of their time trying to adhere to a strict set of rules in order to avoid the harsh consequences set by the other partner. In this kind of situation, it becomes safest and healthiest to walk away. Maybe it’s me, but it seems like the majority of people I encounter talking about God in casual conversation tend to have an ever-growing list of people they think should go to hell. Given the number of people I know, including myself, who have appeared on lists such as these, it’s hard to feel entirely

comfortable referencing the big man upstairs. At some point during my ascension to adulthood, the church and religion changed from something warm and comforting to something cold and unforgiving. I began to feel threatened by all of the people who felt their hate was justified because they did it for their lord. Why do so many young people leave their parents’ religion as they age? Because religion left us. To the people with the signs and the Facebook accounts and the slogans of religious hate, I have only one thing to say: If religion is dying, I didn’t kill it. You did. Dominique Kent studies english. She can be reached at dkent@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrushand on Twitter @TheSagebrush.

Debate is the essence of American politics

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onald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off for the first time last Monday night, participating in the first general election debate in what has been an unusual, yet entertaining, election season. Debates truly represent the fabric of America’s core better than any flag, song or pledge ever could. There’s just a stage, two microphones (apparently one functioning microphone), and the freedom to express your opinions and beliefs in front of the entire country, mostly uninterrupted. Confrontation, disagreement and passion are welcome with open arms, and both candidates Jack understand that Rieger every word spoken will be dissected and analyzed through a microscope of criticism and hysteria. At least 84 million people tuned in Tuesday to compare the two candidates that will fight for the next three months to become the 45th president of the United States. But here’s an interesting question: Do debates actually matter? The average person in America, who doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about politics, would assume general election debates have an enormous role in determining the president of the United States because of the massive audience. According to University of Nevada, Reno political science professor Kevin Banda, who earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina, that’s not the case.

“For the most part, general election debates don’t matter,” Banda said. Nevada’s political science department chair, Professor Eric Herzik, who is and also has a Ph.D., agrees with Banda’s claim. “The theoretical civics book answer is that the debate allows people to see candidates and compare them side by side, but the political science data is pretty clear that debates really don’t change people’s minds,” Herzik said. To the average political observer like myself, this doesn’t make a ton of sense. I assumed the debate stage is where one candidate proves their value to the audience over the other candidate. According to political experts, that couldn’t be further from the truth. “There are a number of reasons for that,” Banda said. “First, by the time the debates happen, almost everybody has made up their mind anyway. It’s hard to shift attitudes when the people that are watching aren’t persuadable. The other thing to keep in mind is who is watching, and it’s not undecided voters. It’s mostly partisans who have very strong partisan dispositions and very extreme preferences. Those are the least likely people to change their minds.” Herzik offered a similar reason for debates having minimal significance in determining the president. “The people who watch debates tend to be far more interested in politics than the average voter, and most of them are coming in already knowing which candidate they’re going to vote for,” Herzik said. According to both Herzik and Banda, debates are not nearly as important as one would think based on the media coverage. There is a group of undecided

Breanna Denney/Nevada Sagebrush

In this Oct. 29, 2015 file photo, Republican presidential candidate sits during a campaign rally at The Nugget in Sparks. Pundits have roundly criticized Trump’s first debate performance, but many expect the real-estate mogul to benefit from the town hall style of the next debate.

voters tuning in who haven’t made up their minds yet on which candidate to vote for, but how big is that group of undecided voters this year? “Polls are not consistent on this, but I would say there are more [undecided voters] than in the past, primarily because both candidates have such high negatives,” Herzik said. Banda reiterated Herzik’s opinion, but he was a little more skeptical about how undecided those voters truly are. “There are more people who are saying they are undecided than is typical at this point,” Banda said. “I don’t know if I believe them, but that’s what they say. A big chunk of those people are younger people. Young people don’t think about politics as much as other people, so I just think they’re less engaged.” All major news networks have been grading Trump’s debate performance since last Monday, handing out mostly negative marks. I wanted to understand how Trump’s performance was seen by voters and specifically voters who haven’t decided which candidate to vote for. Herzik was unimpressed with Trump’s performance and specifically his lack of preparation. “Undecided voters get to see these two candidates side by side for the first time, and Donald Trump did not look good,” Herzik said. “He couldn’t answer specific questions, he interrupted and by the end of this debate it was like, ‘What is this guy talking about?’” Professor Banda was a little harsher with his criticism of Trump. “I thought it was the single worst debate performance I’ve ever seen by a candidate,” Banda said. “Policy-wise it was just horrible. Perception-wise, he looked like he was bullying a woman on national TV, which most people are not going to like.” You don’t need a Ph.D. in political science to realize that Trump failed to prepare for the debate. But here’s the thing: Trump’s conscious decision to not prepare for the debate and to instead rely on his ability to improvise and jab with Hillary is exactly what Trump’s supporters love about him. He isn’t interested in detailing his economic policies; he wants the CNN headline the next morning. “There is a certain group of people that likes [Trump’s refusal to stay on script],” Banda said. “He looks bad by the standards of political norms, but his supporters are not very happy with political norms right now.” The problem with Trump’s strategy is that he doesn’t have enough base supporters to win this election. He has to convince undecided voters to vote for him, and according to political experts, there isn’t any evidence he has done that. “He needs more than his voters to win,” Banda said. “His supporters are

going to like him no matter what, just like Clinton’s core supporters are going to like her no matter what. You have to convince other people that they should vote for you as well, and that seems to be a problem for him.” Herzik agreed that Trump’s best chance of winning this election will come down to his ability to swing undecided voters, many of whom are Republicans. “He needs to convince Republicans to turn out to vote for him, and there are lots of Republicans who don’t like him,” Herzik said. “And he needs to convince at least some independents to support him.” While most news stations and editorials had negative marks for Trump’s performance (with the exception of Fox News), Clinton’s debate grade wasn’t quite as obvious. Clinton’s strategy last Tuesday was to bait — or rather allow — Trump to go on his trademark tangents, and she would deliver a more substantial response. Herzik wasn’t overly impressed with Clinton’s performance but recognized her willingness to let Trump rant. “When your opponent is cutting themselves with a knife, let them keep cutting,” Herzik joked. Banda had a similar indifference regarding Clinton’s performance. “It was fine,” Banda said. “She did what she had to do, which was bait him into making himself look bad, which he did a pretty good job of.” Let’s recap the expert’s opinions. Although Trump performed poorly and failed to provide substantial answers to policy questions, the debate shouldn’t have a significant impact on voters because the audience that watches debates has, for the most part, made up its mind. Also, there is some evidence that suggests there are more undecided voters this year than in previous elections, which is a good sign for Trump, who is desperate for voters outside of his base.

THE NEXT DEBATE The next presidential debate will be in St. Louis on Sunday, Oct. 9, and the format will be much different than last Tuesday. The debate will be in the form of a “town meeting,” with half of the questions coming from popular social media topics and the other half coming directly from audience participants, who are supposedly uncommitted voters. I think this debate format favors Trump for several reasons. First, Trump plays the crowd better and more frequently than any politician would dare to try. He feeds off the crowd’s reaction and uses that momentum to plug hasty one-liners that are replayed on the internet for weeks. This actually hurt him in the previous debate because when he would spew a Trumpism like “that makes me smart” after being accused of paying as little

taxes as possible, the audience’s reaction was limited. Someone watching at home may see the audience’s negligible response to Trump’s jab and come to a negative conclusion. On Oct. 9, the audience will be more engaged and vocalized. This debate will look more like a middle-school recess fight than a presidential debate, and Trump is the school’s most notorious bully. If Trump really wants to get an edge, he needs to find a way to smuggle alcohol into the debate so the audience is even more rowdy (St. Louis is home to Anheuser-Busch, the leading brewer in the United States). Herzik agrees that Trump has an opportunity to do well in the next debate based on the “town meeting” setting. “The next format is actually better for him,” Herzik said. “The audience will participate more, and Trump works an audience better than Hillary Clinton. Also, the citizen asking the question is not going to ask Trump follow-up questions.” Given what we’ve learned about debates not having a significant effect on voters, what would be considered a success for Trump in Sunday’s debate? Is it simply about avoiding the massive headline, appearing more presidential or exposing Clinton’s flaws more effectively? “If the next day people aren’t making jokes about him, that’s a success,” Herzik said. “You don’t want to be the headline the next day.” But is Trump really capable of avoiding the headline? In other words, does he have the ability to review his prior debate performance and make adjustments to his strategy in an effort to attract more voters? “I think he’s just going to keep doing what he’s done,” Banda said. “If you read the reports coming out of his camp, it’s that he doesn’t listen to anybody and that he is incapable of staying on script. To a certain extent I feel like if he does any better at all, he will get positive media coverage because then they’ll talk about the big improvement.” While both Banda and Herzik claim that general election debates don’t have a significant impact on voters, the idealistic part of me wants to believe that they still matter. The brilliance of America is the First Amendment: no matter your personal values, beliefs or background, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are going to stand on an enormous stage on Sunday night and exercise their right to free speech. Confrontation, disagreement and debate are healthy American traditions that force people to witness opinions other than their own. That is the essence of American politics. Jack Rieger is a finance and economics student. You can follow him on Twitter @JackRieger.

Sports

@SagebrushSports | nevadasagebrush.com

A8

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

Anderson follows family’s footsteps By Will Compton For her, this isn’t just another season. This isn’t just another game. This isn’t just another play. This is something more, something bigger than herself. It’s all of her hard work. All of the sweat and tears and hours and pain she’s pushed in between the floorboards of the Virginia Street Gym. Her knee pads are weathered and seasoned from diving play after play. Her forearms look burned from rally after rally, and her eyes focus straight ahead between two loose strands of blonde hair falling from her ponytail. The ball slowly rises into the air, and everyone leans in, preparing for yet another rally. Lyndsey Anderson is one of the best volleyball players at the University of Nevada, Reno, and arguably one of the best to ever step onto the court at Nevada. Yet as she heads into her senior season as a setter and 10th all-time in career assists, she can still remember the first time she ever threw on the Wolf Pack jersey, and looking back at it all, what it truly meant to her to be a part of the Nevada women’s volleyball team. Born and raised in the city of Sparks, Nevada, with her mom, dad and little brother, Ryan, Anderson was surrounded by the Pack her whole life. “The university was always a part of my life, even from a very young age,” Anderson said. “We have always been a family that is Nevada strong, and we’ve always been big supporters to this school. I love it.” Anderson attended Spanish Springs High School and is the most decorated athlete from the 2013 graduating class. She played softball, track, basketball and of course volleyball. The Sparks native lettered four times in varsity basketball at SSHS. On top of that, she is the reigning 4A Nevada Player of the Year, is the Spanish Springs record holder in assists and serving percentage, led SSHS to a Nevada 4A State Championship, and was a 4.0 student. “I’ve played basketball since I can remember, and I started volleyball

in middle school, and It was so different,” Anderson said. “It was how it made me feel. Once I started playing volleyball, I realized this is the sport I love the most.” Anderson graduated from SSHS in 2013 with her heart invested in volleyball. The varsity setter received D-I offers from the University of Idaho, University Pacific, New Mexico State University and the University of Nevada, Reno. Yet as soon as she got an offer from the silver and blue, Anderson committed early. “It felt right. I wanted to get that off my shoulders,” Anderson said. “I’m so glad I got the opportunity.” The Sparks native arrived at Nevada with high hopes and ambition to be a great volleyball player, and she was. Anderson ranked second on the squad in assists (389) and assists per set (6.27) in her rookie season, recorded 20 or more assists eight times, recorded 40 or more assists twice, and was named to the 2013 AllMW Academic team. As for her team, it struggled immensely, as Nevada went 4-28 on the season and 2-18 in its conference. “When I got to Nevada, I wondered if I could compete with these girls, but it only took me a couple of weeks for me to feel like I fit in with them,” Anderson said. “But as the season went on and we kept losing matches, it was hard to remain positive during the season, no question.” Anderson decided to come back and make the change toward a new season with her team. Yet the results stayed the same. Anderson led Nevada with 801 assists and 8.09 assists per set, tallied 40 or more assists in six matches, ranked ninth in the Mountain West in assists and aces per set with .24, and ranked sixth in the conference in double-doubles. However, Nevada as a whole struggled yet again and went 8-20 on the season and 5-13 in conference. As the season ended, staying positive became more and more of a challenge for the Nevada setter. “It was hard to keep my head up sometimes because we just weren’t

winning enough,” Anderson said. “In the back of my mind, I was constantly second-guessing myself and having doubts, and I wasn’t happy about it. I knew I wanted to be here though, so commitment pushed me through.” Anderson began her junior year dedicated to a new start. The ambitious junior was ready to make a statement, and she planned to do so with her new coach. Lee Nelson left the University of Miami to come to Nevada in January of 2015, where he led the team to three NCAA tournament appearances. Nelson saw massive potential in Anderson. “My first impression of Lyndsey was that she was a worker who didn’t take plays off,” Nelson said. “Over time that impression has only been reinforced. She really does play hard all the time.” Nevada went on to show notable improvement in the 2015 season under Nelson’s leadership. The Pack went 13-17 on the season and 7-11 in its conference, the team’s best record since 2010. Anderson ranked second on the team with 232 assists and 8.92 assists per set, grabbed 20 or more assists in seven matches, and turned in one of the best performances of the season after grabbing 57 assists, 16 digs, three aces and three blocks in the massive 3-2 upset of the No. 25 ranked Wyoming Cowgirls, one of the biggest upsets in program history. “That game was my favorite game I’ve ever played in,” Anderson said. “We came together so perfectly that day, we could do no wrong. It really took off from there.” From then on it was all smooth sailing. Anderson and the Pack are currently on their best start for the first time in 14 years with a 9-4 record. The potential is through the roof for this Nevada team, and expectations are high, especially for the decorated setter. “If we come together the way I know we can, we can really make a difference this season,” Anderson said. “I would hate to leave with a sour taste in my mouth.”

Anderson came to Nevada with the purpose to be a great volleyball player, just like her mother. Lisa Anderson played volleyball for Nevada from 1987-1988, making Lyndsey a legacy to the game. Her father, Scott Anderson, played Nevada baseball from 1986-1988, and now her little brother, Ryan, is currently holding down a spot as pitcher on the Nevada baseball team. From watching her as a baby to seeing her finish her college years, Lyndsey’s family always sends her its support. “We are so proud of how Lyndsey has handled herself as a studentathlete during her career at Nevada. It takes a special drive to compete daily at this level, and she has faced adversity,” Lisa Anderson said. “I believe she has been a wonderful role model, and I think she will be remembered as a player who helped kick-start a new winning chapter for Nevada volleyball.” Nevada volleyball is coming up on playing Boise State, San Jose State and Fresno State University. This will be Anderson’s last season on the

court and last time as a setter for Nevada. An environmental science major, the Nevada legacy is still figuring out what the plan is next. “If Lyndsey can take the hard work that she puts in with volleyball and apply it to her next undertaking, there is no doubt in my mind that she will be a great success,” Nelson said. The ball hits Anderson’s palm, flying directly into the hardwood. The whistle blows, and the crowd erupts. That’s game over. She did it again, and she is swarmed by her teammates. She looks around her and notices the way the lights flicker in the Virginia Street Gym. She acknowledges the floor streaks. She sees the rickety layered bleachers and the fans shaking them in a way like they might collapse. Yet all she can do is smile. This isn’t just a game. This isn’t just another season. This is her home. This is Lyndsey Anderson. Will Compton can be reached at neil@ sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @ SagebrushSports.

Photo courtesy of Nevada Athletics

Lyndsey Anderson (2) celebrates after Nevada scores a point in a game last year at Virginia Street Gym. Anderson currently ranks ninth all-time in career assists at Nevada.

Pack volleyball keeps rolling, wins two MWC games By Brandon Cruz The Wolf Pack women’s volleyball team became road warriors this weekend, as the team defeated both the Air Force Falcons and Boise State Broncos in just four sets. After suffering a devastating loss to Mountain West foe Utah State last weekend, Nevada rallied to get two conference victories.

NEVADA VS AIR FORCE Nevada found its way to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to take on the Air Force Falcons on Sept. 29. The plane ride home was full of contentment and elation after the Pack defeated the Falcons, notching its first Mountain West Conference win of the year. In terms of kills, only Madison Morell and Kathryn Groenweghe broke the double-digit barrier for the team, with the majority of assists coming from Lyndsey Anderson. The first set of the series started off strong for the Falcons, as they put up three unanswered points in quick succession. Just when it seemed as if Air Force would take the lead and run with it, Nevada switched into its highest gear. The Pack took the lead from Air Force at 11-10 and would proceed to keep it until winning the set 25-21. Set two began with Nevada coming out swinging. The Pack received two quick kills at the hands of Shayla Hoeft and Groenweghe. Air Force quickly responded with two kills of their own and another point coming off a Nevada error. The set would then begin to emulate tug-of-war as the two teams continued to trade the lead. The Falcons would eventually secure a sizable lead at 15-12. The set ended at 25-21, Air Force. With the two teams locked in a stalemate, the third set looked to be a turning point. Air Force would receive the first point of the set, a lucky point thanks to a service error from Nevada. After a series of kills from the Falcons, the Pack found itself in a 5-2 deficit. Just when everyone thought the Falcons were going to soar to victory, the Wolf Pack surrounded its prey and went in for the kill. Nevada rattled off a six-point run, taking the lead from Air Force for the remainder of the set. After facing adversity with an iron fist, the Wolf Pack won the set 25-18. Now that the Pack was in the lead once again, the team looked to put its foe out of its misery in set four. The Wolf Pack began the set as if the team caught a whiff of raw meat, going up 8-2 on the Falcons. Although Air Force tried its hardest to fight back, Nevada

kept a luxurious eight-point lead for the majority of the set, finishing off the Falcons 25-17.

NEVADA VS BOISE STATE Just one day after its trip to Colorado, the Nevada women’s volleyball team made its way to Boise, Idaho, to take on the Boise State Broncos. After four hardfought sets, the Wolf Pack would add yet another conference win to the books, defeating the Boise State Broncos 4-1. Set one would be the closest set of the match, as it featured a whopping 12 ties and five lead changes. The

Wolf Pack found itself in the hot seat early, as the home team opened up a 5-2 gap. Nevada quickly climbed out of its early hole, tying the set at 6-6. After a series of ties, the Pack held the lead until Boise State knotted it up at 14 apiece. The set continued to be a back-and-forth affair, with Nevada narrowly edging out Boise State 25-23. Set two started off strong for the Wolf Pack, as the team took an early 3-0 lead over the Broncos. Nevada would hold the lead for a great deal of time until the team finally faltered, allowing Boise State to take the lead at 11-10. The Pack would have a late-set

surge to put the team over the Broncos, winning 25-19. With a 2-0 lead over the Broncos, Nevada looked to finish off its Mountain West rival and take home a sweep. Pack fans would have loved to see such a sight, but Boise State had different plans. The Pack would again take an early lead over the Broncos. Nevada held the lead for the majority of the set, until the Broncos dug deep within themselves to take the lead at 21-20. The Broncos would then go on a four-point run, defeating Nevada 25-20. What was once almost a sweep had

just become a possible comeback scenario for the Boise State Broncos. The fourth set featured a dominating performance from the Broncos as they led the Pack by nine points in the later stages. But the Broncos got too confident and blew their sizable lead and the Wolf Pack eventually tied it up at 24-24. The match went a bit farther than expected until Nevada finally put the nail in Boise State’s coffin, defeating them 28-26. Brandon Cruz can be reached at bcruz@ sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @Brandon_Cruz23.

Garrett Hirsehberg/Nevada Sagebrush

Nevada assistant Tyson Norton instructs his team during its match against Utah State at Virginia Sreet Gym on Sept. 22. Nevada took two games over the week against Boise State and Air Force.

SPORTS | A9

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

@TheSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

AccordingtoNeiL

TENNIS Julien Evrard, freshman at the University of Nevada, Reno, lost to Portland’s Mathieu Garcia in the semifinals of the A bracket on Oct. 1. Fellow freshman Kostya Nesterenko surpassed Gonzaga’s Kyle Everly 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 to advance to the finals of the singles consolation B bracket. Robert Margitfalvi and Nesterenko are playing on Sunday in the finals of their A consolation bracket doubles. Peter O’Donovan and Alex Turc will face Gonzaga’s Emilio Moreno and Ruadhan O’Sullivan in the semifinals of the B consolation bracket doubles. Their next tournament will take place in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 7.

WOMEN’S SOCCER After scoring two goals within six minutes of kickoff, the Wyoming Cowgirls were able to defeat the Nevada Wolf Pack 2-0. The match included 22 fouls and even a ejection after Wyoming’s Shaina Ashouri received a red card. Alisha Bass and Michaela Stark each scored in the game to move the Wolf Pack to a 4-7-0 record. Nevada gets to return home to face New Mexico on Friday, Oct.7, in Mackay Stadium.

The

Nevada’s embarrassing loss to Hawaii may prove beneficial

By Neil Patrick Healy Nevada limped off the field last Saturday after taking a thorough beating at the hands of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, one of the worst programs in college football. The 38-17 loss gave Hawaii its first Mountain West win since Nov. 22, 2014, and its fifth in the program’s five seasons in the conference. Nevada was dominated in almost every way as Hawaii held a 38-3 lead through three quarters. That empty feeling at the pit of your stomach is what rock bottom feels like, Nevada fans. The loss is certainly one of the low points in the program’s recent history, but what if I told you that this loss is the best thing to happen to Nevada’s football program in almost four years? I know, I know. A loss can’t be a good thing. Just hear me out first, OK? You know the cliche about learning more from failure than from success? Well, it rings true in almost every aspect of life. Before you break up with the person you’re dating that your friends and family hate, you always have an incident or a fight that tips you over the edge. In school you have

that big final you bomb and you have to retake the class the following semester. Any time there is severe failure it usually has a thundering, climactic moment that puts everything into focus. That’s what the loss to Hawaii was for Nevada — a moment of clarity. What also comes from failure is the re-evaluation of your actions that led to the climactic low point in the first place. Maybe dating someone just because they’re hot isn’t a recipe for a healthy relationship, or skipping lecture half the time to sleep in because you drank six gin and tonics the night before may lead to you missing some information on the test. It’s the same with Nevada football. Programs don’t just fall into disarray overnight. It starts with a line of questionable decisions and gradually leads to epic failure. Former Nevada coach Chris Ault was by no means perfect. Longtime fans will tell you he had his flaws with time management, defenses and questionable play-calling in big moments, but with Ault you always knew what you were going to get. When Nevada was at its most

RIFLE In a Patriot Rifle Conference match on Saturday, No. 18 UTEP fell to the ninth-ranked Wolf Pack 4656-4577 after the Pack defeated the Miners in both smallbore and air rifle competitions. Junior Justin Nissen as well as Sarah Jameson and Mitchell Van Patten stood out with great performances in the victory. Nevada was able to move to 1-1 in conference play on the season while the Miners fell to 0-1. Nevada’s next contest will take place in El Paso, Texas, on Oct. 8. Kirk Geller can be reached at neil@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @SagebrushSports.

Quinsey Sablan/Nevada Sagebrush

Nevada head football coach Brian Polian (left) feverishly points out an error on the game clock during Nevada’s close encounter with Cal Poly at Mackay Stadium on Sept. 2.

successful and relevant in its Division I history, the team had the same game plan for almost eight years: NFL caliber quarterback, a plethora of capable running backs, a steady offensive line and being one of the nation’s leaders in total offense. From 2005-2012, Nevada failed to finish in the top 15 in total offense just once and placed in the top 10 five years in a row from 2008-2012. Since Ault left Nevada after the 2012 season, the program has fallen into disarray. The easy punching bag here is the hiring of current head coach Brian Polian. Since his first season in 2013, the Wolf Pack’s record is a dismal 20-23 with a slew of head-scratching losses littered across the schedule, including two home losses to UNLV and the letdowns at Wyoming last season and against Utah State when Nevada choked away a 27-7 lead at the beginning of the third quarter. The program’s total offense ranking hasn’t crawled above No. 66 in the last three seasons and shows no signs of improvement now (Nevada currently ranks No. 82 in total offense in 2016). Good things in life usually just don’t blow up in your face. It takes time to deteriorate, and you usually don’t see it as it happens in real time. It takes a singular, sometimes dramatic, incident to recognize a failed relationship. College football is no different. Nevada’s embarrassing loss was the sobering moment where the program’s fans and administrators knew that the Polian experiment was coming to an end. Sure, the Pack may pick up wins against other ailing programs like Wyoming and Fresno State, but the Nevada fan base is just waiting for that first Monday after the UNLV game before Polian gets his pink slip. So to all the Nevada fans who are hiding in shame, don’t despair! In the long run, the loss to Hawaii will be a good thing. You needed this. The program needed this. The buildup to a breakup is never fun, but you and the program will be better off in due time. In order for the program to move forward, it needed to fail in spectacular fashion first, and that’s exactly what the loss to Hawaii is. Neil Patrick Healy can be reached at neil@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @NP_Healy.

NATIONAL PREDICTIONS SAN DIEGO STATE VS. UNLV The Aztecs struggled last week in a loss against South Alabama, who just seemed to have its number, beating them for the second consecutive year. Running back Donnel Pumphrey turned in another great performance (151 yards, 1 TD). Look for Pumphrey and the Aztecs to bounce back next week against UNLV to kick off conference play. UNLV comes into this game snapping a three game losing streak, beating a terrible Fresno State team. OREGON VS. WASHINGTON In the words of Famous Jameis: “They some ‘dawgs, man. They ain’t no puppies.” Chris Peterson has the Huskies looking like his Boise State teams of the past, embarrassing seventh ranked Stanford in their match up last Friday. Their defense held Heisman candidate Running back Christian McCaffrey to 49 rushing yards and the Cardinal to 213 total yards of offense. This week they face a beat-up Oregon team whose defense is nonexistent. Look for quarterback Jake Browning to torch this depleted defense that will have no answer for wide receiver John Ross. Washington should handle its business its weekend and continue to solidify their resume for the CFP. OHIO STATE VS. INDIANA The Ohio State Buckeyes started off slow against a Rutgers team coached by their former offensive coordinator, Chris Ash. However, Ohio State’s roster was too deep and talented. Quarterback J.T. Barrett set the school TD record this game on his third-of-four on the day. Ohio State is rolling so far this season, and although the Hoosiers kept it close against Sparty last week, look for the Buckeyes to turn in another great performance. Javier Hernandez can be reached at neil@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @SagebrushSports.

Oliver, Fenner named to preseason All-MWC team Get Involved with Your Student Government

Senator Positions:

College of Engineering Breanna Denney/Nevada Sagebrush

File photo: Nevada’s Cam Oliver (0) lines up to take a jump shot against UNLV at Lawlor Events Center last season. Oliver was named to the first team All-Mountain west team by College Sports Madness.

To apply, visit UNRSearch.com Job posting will remain open until filled

Job Requirements: Applicants must be enrolled in 7 credits Must have a minimum cumulative of a 2.75 GPA All positions will remain open until filled

By Brandon Cruz After an impressive ’15-’16 season, sophomore Cameron Oliver and senior D.J. Fenner were named to the Mountain West preseason AllConference teams by College Sports Madness this weekend. If anyone deserves this honor, it is undoubtedly these two Pack basketball players. Once overshadowed by teammate Marqueze Coleman, Fenner has finally received the credit he deserves. While many applauded Coleman for his contributions to the team, Fenner was putting up similar numbers his junior season. Fenner put up 519 points in comparison to Coleman’s 513. Fenner also contributed to the defensive side of the ball more often, averaging 1.5 steals a game, compared to Coleman’s 1.2 a game. It’s not that Coleman is a bad player by any standard — he carried the team on numerous occasions. It’s just time for Fenner to step into the spotlight and show Nevada what he’s been doing all along. It seems as if College Sports Madness saved him the trouble by throwing his name into the preseason Mountain West All-Conference teams bucket. Cameron Oliver also collected a first-team preseason nod from College Sports Madness. Oliver was a force to be reckoned with last year, tearing up the defensive side of the ball. In his ’15-’16 season, he ranked 13th in the nation in blocks per game with 2.61 and 17th in the

nation regarding rebounds. As a rookie, Oliver also led the conference in double-doubles with 12. Oliver was named to the 2016 All-Mountain West Tournament team, the coaches’ All-MW Defensive team and garnered the title of Freshman of the Year from conference media. With all this hardware over the course of one season, you would think he would have an inflated ego right? It is actually quite the contrary. “I was just humbled to be honored. I mean, I didn’t really expect it,” Oliver said when asked about his feelings regarding the nod from College Sports Madness. Oliver was probably the only one caught by surprise by this recognition. He played an incredible rookie season and deserved nothing less than first team honors. There is a common saying when you begin gaining favor and popularity within your respective career field: “Don’t believe your own press.” When asked about the hype surrounding his game, Oliver seemed to be a firm believer in not trusting his own press. “To be honest, I don’t see that much hype. I’m just worried about playing my game,” Oliver said. In this instance the media and Oliver will just have to agree to disagree, because he possesses all the attributes and skills to take the conference by storm this season. Brandon Cruz can be reached at bcruz@sagebrush. unr.edu and on Twitter @Brandon_Cruz23.

Gameday

@SagebrushSports | nevadasagebrush.com

A10

vs. Cal Poly at Notre Dame vs. Buffalo W 30-27 (OT)

Saturday, Oct. 8, at 4:00 p.m.

L 39-10

MEET THE TEAM

W 38-14

at Purdue

at Hawaii

vs. Fresno

L 24-14

L 17-38

4 p.m. 10/08

at San Jose vs. Wyoming 7:30 p.m. 10/15

TBA 10/22

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

at New Mexico TBA 11/05

Hono-no-no

vs. San Diego 7:30 p.m. 11/12

Utah State

at UNLV

TBA 11/19

TBA 11/26

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Hawaii dominates Nevada in every phase Screenshot via Twitter

By Jack Rieger

Quinsey Sablan/Nevada Sagebrush

Nevada starting safety Dameon Baber looks into the backfield to read the Cal Poly QB, Friday, Sept. 2. Baber and the defense allowed Cal Poly to put up 27 points, in a close win at Mackay stadium.

WEEKLY TOP 5 American sports towns

1

BOSTON Bostonians have nothing to complain about when it comes to sports, yet they find a way to do it anyway. The Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics have all had championship runs in the past 10 years, and the Boston fans have been a critical reason why. PITTSBURGH PNC Park is one of the loudest stadiums in baseball come October, and Pittsburgh fans fill that place to the brim. The Steelers are one of the most historic franchises in sports history, and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup this past season. Besides the weather, Pittsburgh sports fans have it pretty good.

2

3

CHICAGO There is no better place in the entire world to watch a baseball game than Wrigley Field, and for the first time in a century, the Cubs are the best team in baseball. Jordan’s Bulls gave the city new life in the late ‘80s and the Blackhawks have been the best hockey team in the NHL for the past 10 years. Pizza, beer, and wind; nothing better.

4

SAN FRANCISCO

Although they might be the whiniest and most obnoxious fan base in America, San Franciscans show up in huge numbers to Giants, Warriors and Sharks games. The Giants and Warriors have arguably the best home-field advantage in their respective sports, all of which is due to fans’ passion. Where did the Niners’ fans go? NEW YORK The city that never sleeps hasn’t had the sports success that many would assume. The Yankees have one championship in the last 16 years, the Knicks haven’t won since the ‘70s, and the Mets, Rangers and Islanders haven’t claimed a title in two decades. The football Giants are the city’s breadwinner, taking two rings from Boston.

Nevada football suffered the most atrocious loss of the Brian Polian era on Saturday night, at the hands of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. The final count was 38-17, but that score doesn’t quite do the loss justice, as Hawaii dominated the game in all phases. With 6:10 left in the third quarter, Hawaii (2-3, 1-0 MW) had complete control of the game, leading 31-3. The Rainbow Warriors were the more aggressive team from the opening whistle, frequently blitzing Tyler Stewart and playing a physical brand of football. On the Wolf Pack’s opening drive, Nevada (2-3, 0-1 MW) had a fourth down at Hawaii’s 5-yard line and Polian decided to go for a fake field goal that resulted in loss of yards. Despite occurring on the opening drive, failing to get points on a promising drive swung momentum in Hawaii’s direction. The Rainbow Warriors scored on five of their next six drives, putting the game out of contention early. This was Polian’s seventh loss of at least 20 points early on in his fourth season. Hawaii head coach Nick Rolovich was an offensive coordinator at Nevada from 2012 to 2015. This was the first game against his former team, and he clearly had an educated strategy for attacking the Wolf Pack’s weaknesses. Rolovich gashed the Wolf Pack defensive line all night with running attempts up the middle of the field. Hawaii rushed the ball 40 times for 344 yards, with 12 of those carries going for at least 10-yards. The young Nevada front seven continues to struggle stopping the run, and Mountain West opponents – many of whom depend heavily on the run – will exploit that weakness all season. Hawaii’s defense blitzed Tyler Stewart seemingly every other play, as Nevada’s discombobulated offensive line was overwhelmed by the Rainbow Warriors’ constant pressure. Rolovich clearly saw an opportunity to exploit a shaky offensive line and did so unapologetically. “We got our tails handed to us tonight and I’m disappointed,” Polian said after the game. Criticism of quarterback Tyler Stewart is probably unfair and misguided because he didn’t have an opportunity to be successful given his line’s inability to protect him. Stewart finished 19-for-33 for 203 yards and a touchdown, and he was sacked four times. “The passing game wasn’t good,” Stewart said. “The running game wasn’t good. The offense wasn’t good. It was pretty simple.” In five games this season, Stewart has completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing just one interception, but he’s only thrown six touchdowns. In other words, he has been efficient but has failed to create explosive plays. Stewart doesn’t deserve much blame for the Wolf Pack’s offensive woes. Success on that side of the ball begins with the offensive line, and Nevada is struggling mightily to protect its quarterback right now. Player of the game: Diocemy Saint Juste – 19 carries, 205 yards. Play of the game: Saint Juste opened the second half with a 59-yard rush. Hawaii scored three plays later, giving them a 24-3 lead. Quote of the game: “Right now, there’s enough blame to go around. It starts with me, then the coaches and the players. Ultimately, whose fault it is doesn’t matter. What matters is we have to get it fixed, and we have to get it fixed in a hurry. That has to be the focus.” – Polian. Jack Rieger can be reached on Twitter @ JackRieger or by email at Jrieger@Sagebrush.unr.edu.

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Quinsey Sablan/Nevada Sagebrush

Nevada’s Jerico Richardson (84) corrals a touchdown pass against Cal Poly on Friday, Sept. 2. Since the Wolf Pack beat Cal Poly in week one, Nevada is 1-3 against Buffalo, Purdue and Hawaii.

GAME PREDICTION: NEVADA VS. FRESNO STATE

Neil Patrick Healy

Nevada football is officially a dumpster fire, but there’s good news! Fresno State is even worse. The Bulldogs are tied for No. 114 in points allowed and are No. 100 in scoring, which bodes well for Nevada’s offense that needs a tune-up after falling short against Purdue and Hawaii. I am not confident about any Nevada pick at this point, but I can’t pick Fresno State to win due to the program being in total tank mode. If Nevada loses, the season is officially a wash.

Jack Rieger

As bad as Nevada football has been this year, Fresno State might actually be worse. The Bulldogs are 1-3, with losses to Nebraska, Toledo, Tulsa and most recently UNLV. They have an above average Mountain West passing game and their running game has struggled to establish a threat, which is a huge Nevada weakness. James Butler could run for 200 yards, as the Bulldog defense gives up 281 yards per game. Maybe I’m too optimistic. Nevada 24, Fresno State 20.

Brandon Cruz

With Nevada’s recent loss to the Rainbow Warriors, I am very hesitant to say that the Pack will take a win against Fresno State. Even though Fresno State is probably one of the worst teams in the MWC, we also thought the same about Hawaii and look how that game turned out. I mean, the last time we lost to Hawaii was in 2010! Reluctantly, I’m going to give the game to Nevada, because a lot like the political election we have found ourselves in, the Wolf Pack seems to be the best of the worst.