North Texas Daily 7/16/2018

Denton police chief resigns, becomes chief in Saginaw NEWS: PAGE 3

Serving the University of North Texas and Denton since 1916 VOL. 113 No. 6

Area close to Willis getting a makeover

By Rebecca Najera @RebeccaNajera42 The grassy area between the Hurley Administration Building and Willis Library is receiving a makeover for the upcoming semester.

The area is currently closed off to students, and construction is expected to be finished by Sept.

27, a month after classes begin.

“There’s not much there for [students] to take advantage of at this point, so that’s a space the university figured we could improve and make more comfortable for students to be able to have places to congregate,” said Chad Davenport, project manager for the site.

Because so many events are held in this area throughout the school year, the school sees the renovations as a smart choice.

“The sidewalk structure is going to change,” Davenport said.

“There’s a large throwaway — for lack of a better word — sidewalk going across the campus kind of in a diagonal path of the southwest or northeast corner.

This is a segment continuing to get that larger sidewalk in place for students to be able to traverse across the campus a little easier and safer.”

Other changes will include creating seating areas and more spaces for students to come together, along with a redesign of landscape.

“For everybody’s safety, we will be maintaining the construction fence [when classes begin],” Davenport said.

Willis Library and the library mall are high traffic areas for students. With construction still taking place at the start of the school year, students may need to plan alternative routes to class to avoid the construction site.

“It’s a project that’s been under design for a couple of years,” said David Reynolds, associate vice president for facilities. “We do big events out there like University Day, and so we’ll still be able to do those kind of things there, but it’ll now be a little bit more inviting.”

While the changes may be exciting to some, others feel the changes may not be necessary.

“For me personally, I don’t think [the construction] will be seen as a nuisance, but I’m sure for some students who go by that area often, it could be seen as a nuisance,” media arts senior Danny Palma said. “I don’t believe it is necessary, especially with all the construction around campus already, but it could be cool to see some new nice areas around campus.”

The beautification of this area will cost roughly $700,000.

SEE CONSTRUCTION ON PAGE 3

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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

Denton airport to add runway New runway will make room for smaller aircraft

By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin The Denton Enterprise Airport is getting a second, smaller runway to run parallel to the existing one for $8.3 million. The runway is expected to be finished

by July of next year.

The second runway is being built to meet increasing demand and separate larger aircrafts — used for corporate operations — from smaller ones, used for flight training.

The existing runway is 7,002 feet by 150 feet and the new runway will be 5,000 feet by 75 feet. This will provide a platform for smaller airplanes.

“It is moving forward to enhance safety, separate the faster airplanes from the slower airplanes and to meet our current demand,” airport manager Scott Gray said.

State and federal funds are covering $5.9 million of the total cost while city match funds will cover the rest.

Brian Walker, general manager of Jet Center which provides hangar and office space for private airplanes and their pilots, said the second runway provides faster, easier access for larger aircrafts.

“I definitely think it is worth the investment with the extra options[it provides] and the more airplanes

SEE AIRPORT ON PAGE 2 The Denton Enterprise Airport is constructing a second runway in response to cooperate operations and different flight accelerations. The runway is 7,002 feet long by 150 feet wide, and the new runway will be 5,000 feet long and 75 feet wide. Dillon Montes

Dessert truck allows locals to have their cake and eat it, too

By Nikki Johnson-Bolden @nikkinikxo

Twenty-year-old Alexandria Reid sells homemade cheesecake and creme brulee out of her bright red trailer. She sets up at the truck stop on East Oak Street. Josh Jamison

Twenty-year-old Alexandria Reid has combined food trucks, sweet treats and mason jars to create her own personal business: Cheat Day Cheesecakes.

Her cherry red food truck can often be found parked behind East Side bar or Backyard on Bell from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. Cheesecake and creme brulee may not be a usual choice for a late-night snack, but Reid makes it seem like the only logical one. The bottom of the menu reads “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.” This attitude of seizing the moment is one that Reid lives by.

“Anybody you ask that has known me since I was a kid would [say], ‘Yeah, she does what she wants,’” Reid said. “That is a big thing because I’ve worked with people who have [said], ‘I hate my job, I want to go back to school’ and it’s like, ‘Do it — why don’t you?’”

Her journey to the food truck was a fast one. After conceiving the idea, she immediately set out to make it a reality to get the truck in business. “[The] first cheesecake I made was on Valentine’s Day of this year,” Reid said. “On Feb. 19 I decided I was going to have a food truck, went to five different

SEE CHEESECAKE ON PAGE 4

Art Society of Texas makes appearance on Square

By Shane Monaco @ShaneMonaco1 Out of the warm summer air and into a building on the west side of the Square lies a collection of artworks by local artists. The exhibit packs most of the available gallery space and contains works of all different mediums, such as sculptures, paintings and photographs, as well as works made by artists with varying levels of experience.

The 29th Annual Visual Arts Society of Texas (VAST) Member’s Exhibition is once again hosted

this year by the UNT on the Square and sponsored by VAST. This year, as in previous years, the show was dedicated to the members who have passed away in the previous year: Andrea Albright and Susan Vaughan.

“This show is a really nice window into both professional and amateur visual artists and the kind of works they are doing,” said Herbert Holl, director of the UNT on the Square Gallery. “It is a really nice cross-section of our community artists. Chances are, you may see a friend or neighbor in the show.”

North Texas Daily @ntdaily @ntdaily

The organization behind the event, VAST, has been an active participant in the North Texas art scene since its founding in 1975 under its former name, the North Texas Area Arts League. Mindy Faubion, president of VAST, said that even through all the changes in the organization over the years, its goal to create and celebrate their art with the local community has not.

“It is really fun for this exhibit because it is our member’s exhibit, and we get to see the different kinds of medium that our members work in,” Faubion

NEWS

said. “We are not just a watercolor society or a pastel society. We are not specific in the medium, but rather we are an arts guild of sorts. We have members who work in all different mediums.

When we get together like this, it is fun to talk about the different techniques, especially if it is not one that you are familiar with.”

With the exhibition drawing from the talent of a wide variety of local artists, the show features an equally diverse range of art pieces with a variety of techniques and themes. And while there are

SEE ART ON PAGE 4

IN THIS ISSUE

Possible new ordinance could offer more student housing pg 2 The city of Denton is looking into creating an ordinance named the Granny House Ordinance, which would allow people to rent out small apartments on their property.

UNT on the Square hosts the 29th Annual Visual Arts Society of Texas Member’s Exhibition. The exhibition showcased local art, including sculptures, paintings and photographs. Dillon Montes

ARTS & LIFE

OPINION

Local barber shop on the go pg 5 The Bearded Lady barber shop offers a unique spin on traditional haircuts with a store location near the Square and mobile service at a truck.

Mocking unfamiliar names contributes to bullying pg 7 Making fun of uncommon names is unnecessary and problematic. Read about why your aversion to never-before-seen names may be rooted in ethnocentricity.

NEWS Page 2

North Texas Daily Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Alec Spicer @spicer_alec Alec.Spicer@unt.edu

THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

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City looking at housing alternatives

By DevinRardin @DevinRardin

Designer/Copy Editor Parisa Nasiripour @risanasiri ParisaNasiripour@my.unt.edu

The city of Denton is considering a new ordinance that could potentially minimize housing affordability issues and give students more housing options.

The ordinance under consideration will allow homeowners to rent out small dwellings on their land known as accessory dwelling units.

These accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, go by many names — granny flats, in-law units and laneway houses — and they serve to provide another housing option for renters as opposed to more traditional options like renting an apartment or home.

Council member Deb Armintor thinks ADUs are a great way to allow housing options that are more affordable.

“I believe we have a housing affordability crisis here in Denton,” Armintor said. “Rents are very high, and wages are relatively stagnant.”

In February 2018, the North Texas Daily found that rental rates for two-bedroom apartments rose 2.9 percent in 2017. Many UNT students look for housing off campus after their freshmen year, but often find it difficult due to affordability issues.

Students in Denton are more likely to rent apartments, but a lot of their money goes to other expenses such as paying for their college education.

A double occupancy room at Maple, Clark, Kerr, Crumley, McConnell or Bruce costs $5,830 per occupant for nine months, according to UNT housing rates, which have also risen by 27 percent in the last 4 years in some cases. The average two-bedroom apartment in Denton costs $1,154 per month.

Armintor said she lived in an ADU while she was a graduate student in Houston and found it to be small but cheap and perfect for her needs. She said her granny flat — a little shack converted from a maid’s quarters — was a lifesaver at that time.

Ron Menguita, the long-range planning administrator for Denton, said some ADU’s are already in practice in some zoning districts.

One aspect of the Denton 2030 plan is to look at how to expand ADUs and the best way to implement them.

“If there are more areas that are suitable for these, then we would encourage it,” Menguita said.

Armintor said there is a lot of community support

Senior Staff Illustrator Austin Banzon @Austinbanzon99 austintroybanzon@my.unt.edu

Denton resident proposes fair campaign code

News Editor Parker Ward @parkerdfw ParkerWard@my.unt.edu Arts & Life Editor Kaitlin Pennell @k_itlinn KaitlinPennell@my.unt.edu Opinion Editor Rachel Herzer @coolrachdoritos RachelHerzer@my.unt.edu Visuals Editor Kelsey Shoemaker @kelesmis KelseyShoemaker@my.unt.edu

Production Team Design Editor Kelly Fox @kellythefox1 KellyFox2@my.unt.edu Designer/Copy Editor Kiera Geils @KieraGeils KieraGeils@my.unt.edu

Business Director Adam Reese 940-565-4265 Adam.Reese@unt.edu

Faculty Adviser Randy Loftis 940-565-3495 Randy.Loftis@unt.edu

To pitch a story or contact the Editor-in-Chief, please email northtexasdaily@gmail.com

By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin After what many thought was a city election filled with distasteful rhetoric, a Denton resident is calling for the reinstatement of a code of fair campaign practices.

The code would be provided in a packet for prospective candidates who would have the choice to sign it.

Mike Cochran, Denton resident and retiree, witnessed the recent runoff election between Deb Armintor and Aaron “Fuzzy” Newquist and believes the city needs community standards for their city elections. He went to the popular “Denton Matters”

A new city ordinance would allow homeowners to rent out accessory dwelling units that could provide less expensive housing options for students. File and little opposition to ADU’s, which leads her to believe an ordinance is likely. Armintor does think there needs to to be clear guidelines between the homeowner and renter to avoid any conflicts if the ordinance is adopted.

Homeowners are in charge of setting the cost of rent and providing rules for renters.

“It takes a practice that has already been happening to a certain extent and recognizes it,” Armintor said. “It opens up the opportunity for renters to find affordable places to live and more ways for homeowners to get some extra income.”

The cost to build ADU’s ranges widely depending on the type of dwelling the homeowner wants. The size and usage are in question until the city council adopts the ordinance and makes decisions on those specifics.

The city of Dallas adopted the Granny Flat Ordinance on June 27, and the size of their secondary units can range from 200 square feet to 700 square feet or be 25 percent of the main residence building

Facebook page to share his proposal. “[I] would like to suggest [the code of fair campaign practice] be re-instituted as a practice to help re-establish a little civility in our local election,” Cochran said.

During the last city council runoff election — in which Deb Armintor beat Aaron “Fuzzy” Newquist with 54.12 percent of the vote — many saw Newquist’s rhetoric to be offensive and partisan.

As a part of Newquist’s campaign, he called Armintor “dangerous” and the “conservative choice” while criticizing sanctuary cities and dual language programs. Newquist made a written statement in defense

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Deb Armintor and Fuzzy Newquist speak at a candidate forum in March 2018. File

of his campaign, saying that Armintor’s clear alliance with liberal ideas brought about his campaign strategy.

“Rather than addressing the facts and acknowledging the true differences between the candidates, they are playing the race card and attempting to divide us as a city based on fear, emotion and intimidation,” Newquist said.

Cochran said the tone of the campaign fell along the lines of state and national politics, which should not be in local elections. “[Newquist] turned his 10 point lead into a 10 point loss,” Cochran said. “If he would have followed these ethical guidelines, he would have won.”

Cochran’s proposed code has seven statements of fair campaign practices for candidates to sign off on.

Cochran said the code is educational and proscriptive, establishing ideas of good behavior for candidates.

“These are the standards we have in Denton, and we value decency in campaigning,” Cochran said.

The code was the brainchild of Dorothy Damico, a civic leader in Denton who Cochran said was behind good citizen movements in Denton about 20 years ago.

When campaigning in the ‘90s turned uncivil, Damico pushed for this code of ethics.

The council, at that time, adopted the code, but it fizzled out over time. If the code gets reinstated, then Cochran said he would update it to add a clause about candidates

size.

The ordinance was adopted, in part, because of housing affordability issues in Dallas, which sparked Denton’s interest in a similar ordinance. According to D Magazine, Dallas’ wages are stagnant and inflation has caused costs to rise.

Menguita said ADUs could cause density issues, which could incite traffic and parking problems.

Mayor Chris Watts said ADU’s in residential areas could impact neighbors in a number of ways.

“They can have some unintended consequences that can be fairly severe if we don’t think through them comprehensively,” Watts said.

Watts said he won’t take a position on ADUs until he knows more about the specifics of implementation, which are still in question. Many people think ADUs could aide the affordable housing issue, but Watts said that depends on the cost to build them and if homeowners maximize the rent. “[My position] depends on how they are defined to meet the specific needs of Denton,” Watts said.

controlling their most zealous supporters. This is due to passionate supporters turning a campaign negative, especially through social media.

Cochran’s proposed code is identical in wording to the Texas Ethics Commission Election Code, which was instituted in 1997 and revised in 2017. Read King, who ran in the Texas District 64 against Lynn Stucky in 2014, took to Facebook to say Texas State representatives have the option to sign a similar document to the one Cochran is proposing.

“I declined signing it for multiple reasons,” King said.

“I believe that my actions during the campaign showed that I upheld the spirit of what was on that paper without signing it.”

He said documents like this code can be used as weapons against candidates which diverts from its original purpose. Cochran said those against the code are either paranoid or planning to campaign unethically.

“If somebody signs the pledge and doesn’t behave honorable in the campaign, then it absolutely should be used against them,” Cochran said. “That’s what it’s for, to modify behavior and cause candidates to think winning is important but winning honorable and ethically is more important.”

The civil cause of action on the Texas Ethics Commission Election Code states that, “this chapter does not create a civil cause of action for

recovery of damages or for enforcement of this chapter.”

Amy Morgan, a Denton resident and North Central Texas College student, took issue with the idea that the code has no enforcement backing. She does not know if the code can be enforced without regulating the philosophical attitude of people, which would bring more controversy.

She says the code would be used as political advertising and a tool against other candidates. Morgan understands the reasoning behind the code but thinks there are other ways to bring civility to campaigns.

“I understand the spirit and the intent to bring back some rules people can abide by,” Morgan said.

Morgan thinks the best way to fight negative campaigns is through community participation.

She said residents should get involved in campaigns sooner and call out negative campaigns when they see them.

“The best way to get in front of [negative campaigns] is not to sign a paper but get out and support the candidates who are ethical,” Morgan said.

Cochran said candidates should be pleased and proud to sign a pledge. He said public standards can remind candidates how to act.

“Establishing some sort of community standards and presenting them out front in public is not a bad idea,” Cochran said.

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Trump administration’s foreign policy under question

After several summits with foreign leaders, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo answered questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday regarding the Trump administration’s management of foreign policy. Lawmakers want to learn more about Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to NPR.

By Devin Rardin

DCTA drivers postpone vote on strike Bus drivers for the Denton County Transportation Authority, DCTA, postponed a contract vote Wednesday.

More than 100 drivers have been working without a contract since April, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle.

The drivers are employees of Transit Management of Denton County, a DCTA contractor, and representatives from their union, Amalgamated Transit Union, suggested a “cooling off” period.

Evidence of liquid water found underground on Mars

Cruz proposes having 5 debates with O’Rourke

There is newly discovered evidence of a subsurface lake of liquid water on Mars. The discovery was made by a Italian team of scientists through an instrument called MARSIS, according to NPR. The instrument was onboard the European Space Agency’s Mars express, which orbits the planet. The lake looks to be 12 miles in diameter and is 1 mile underground below layers of ice and rock.

Incumbent Senator Ted Cruz (R) has proposed five debates with Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke before the election in November, according to the Texas Tribune. One of the debates will be held in Dallas and will discuss jobs, taxes, federal regulations and the national economy. The five debates would be the most ever conducted in a U.S. Senate race in Texas and would all take place on Friday nights.

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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

Denton police chief resigns after 37 years on the force, accepts same job in Saginaw

By Cory Allen @AlmightyCBoogie Denton Police Chief Lee Howell has resigned after leading the Denton Police Department for nearly seven years. He is leaving to be the police chief at the Saginaw Police Department, and his resignation is effective Aug. 6.

The Denton Police Department has not given any details on why Howell stepped down. The city of Denton said they are now conducting a nationwide search for the next police chief.

“Chief Howell has provided many years of outstanding service to the community,” said Sarah Kuechler, director of public affairs for the city of Denton. “The city has been fortunate to benefit from his experience, integrity, compassion and professionalism.”

The city of Denton will use the services of Ralph Anderson & Associates to help conduct this search.

The position has been posted and applications will be accepted through July 27. After reviewing all applications and selecting finalists, there will be a two-day interview process tentatively planned for Aug. 30 and 31.

In addition, candidate meet-andgreet receptions will be held with both the City Council and the public to gather input and provide feedback to the city manager who hires the police chief. They hope to find a candidate with a number of traits and experience that will translate to greater success in Denton.

“The goal of the nationwide search is to identify the absolute best person to fill the position, whether that person is an internal candidate or someone who can bring in expertise from elsewhere,” police spokesperson Bryan Cose said.

Chief Howell first began his career in law enforcement with the Denton Police Department in 1981. He previously served as a patrol officer, field training officer, sergeant, lieutenant and captain in various department divisions. Howell was also an original founding member of the Denton Police Tactical Unit, serving a total of 16 years on the team, including eight years as commander.

During his tenure, he oversaw a period of rapid growth in the department, the implementation of several technological advances and the creation of the Denton Basic Police Academy. In 2016, Chief Howell adopted the P.R.I.D.E. policy which stands for professionalism, respect, integrity, dedication and excellence. This became the guiding principle for all departmental activities after its implementation.

“Howell has a distinguished record of leading excellence in public safety,” Saginaw City Manager Gabe Reaume said. “He will bring a wealth of experience and a commitment to high professional standards, as well as the ability to mentor the next generation of leaders in our department. We are honored to work with him.”

After Saginaw’s previous Chief of Police retired earlier this year, they chose to advertise and accept over 80 applications throughout 14 states. Chief Howell’s credentials and experience made him a front runner from initial applicant review.

Doug Spears, interim Saginaw police and fire chief, said the community response has been positive regarding the selection process and decision of selecting Chief Howell as their next chief.

“His professional experience and demeanor will without question have

Top: Denton Police Chief Lee Howell has resigned effective Aug. 6. He will be leaving to work as police chief in the city of Saginaw. File Right: Howell has been with the Denton Police Department since 1981. Kara Dry a positive impact on our department,” Spears said. “His proven ability to lead others as opposed to simply managing and doing so with a high level of integrity, accountability and likability will not only impact our police department but the community as a whole.”

Neo-Nazi flier posted, removed from campus

By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin A sign urging individuals to report undocumented immigrants which is accredited to a neo-Nazi group was immediately taken down by a UNT student Saturday afternoon. It was found on the door of the UNT Child and Family Resources Center.

The sign claims it is a civic duty to report undocumented immigrants because they allegedly broke the law. The bottom of the poster indicates the sign came from the website of the Daily Stormer, which is a known neo-Nazi organization. “[The UNT police department] is aware of the flyer and its removal,” UNT spokesperson Leigh Anne Gullett said.

“They regularly monitor activity that may not rise to the criminal level.”

After the initial reports, city council member Deb Armintor addressed the poster on Facebook.

“This poster is morally abhorrent and false,” Armintor said. “The vigilante racial profiling it’s trying to incite has no place in the city of Denton.”

The placement of the poster also broke UNT’s signs, posters and advertisement policy, which states posters can only be hung in designated areas.

“While the university respects freedom of speech on our campus, a university policy governs the posting of signs, posters and advertisements,” Gullett said.

President Neal Smatresk, who is currently out of the country, responded to similar signs that were found on campus in March 2017. He said they were not reflective of

Empty area to become new outdoor space CHARGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

A sign credited to a Neo-Nazi group was posted on the door of the UNT Child Family Resources Center Saturday. The sign called for reporting undocumented immigrants. Courtesy UNT UNT values.

In a message sent to the UNT community in 2017, Smatresk stated if any behavior turns threatening or into vandalism, then appropriate action will be taken. “[We] will act quickly and decisively when confronted with such actions,” Smatresk said.

Skye, a drawing and painting senior who wanted her

last name to remain anonymous, did not agree with the poster. “[Undocumented Immigrants are] basically here trying to make a living,” Skye said. “If they are here with a green card, even if they are here without a green card, they are trying to make money and provide for their family. It’s not a civic duty to report them. It’s a civic duty to help them.”

“I think it will interfere with students’ commute to classes, especially if the student already has a long walk to get to their class,” Palma said. “Any time there’s some sort of construction on campus, it seems to interfere with students’ ability to get to class.”

Despite some students possibly having to take a little longer to get around campus, Reynolds believes the beautification efforts will be worth it in the end.

“We just ask for patience and understanding because it’s a little dusty and dirty,” Reynolds said. “People [are going to have to] walk a little further, but it’s going to be a great project when it wraps up.”

New runway will allow for more air traffic in Denton CHARGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that can get in here quickly and easily,” Walker said.

Gray originally proposed the second runway idea in 1994 when he was an airport consultant working on the airport master plan. Planning for the project has taken place over the past 20 years.

However, there was not a

demand for a second runway back then. Now the airport gets about 400 flights a day and 140,000 flights a year. There are also around 30 businesses doing aircraft sales and maintenance at the airport.

It was time for the Denton Enterprise Airport — which is home to over 300 private and business based aircraft – to

expand.

“It took a while to build the demand here at this airport, and now the demand is certainly here and it’s still going to be growing, so this second runway will help with that in the future,” Gray said.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved an environmental assessment for the parallel runway, and now the Texas

Department of Transportation put out a construction contract.

Construction is expected to start in October and be finished within nine months. Gray is confident the second runway will meet future demand and expects it will be the biggest and last major project for the airport.

It was revealed in April through an open records request

that Amazon Air inquired about Denton’s airport, which falls in line with Amazon’s search for a second headquarters location. “[The runway project] was well underway long before that,” Gray said. “Neither [HQ2 or Amazon Air] are playing a part in this particular operation, but in the future, if we can do something for them then we will certainly try to

Scott Gray, airport manager of Denton Enterprise Airport, discusses the plans for the development of the second runway at the airport. The additional runway is expected to open in 2019. Photos by Dillon Montes

see if we can facilitate that.”

Caroline Booth, director of economic development for the city of Denton, said the city having a municipal airport makes Denton different from several cities in the metroplex and the state. She continued to say it was helpful to include that the city has a growing airport in the metroplex proposal package sent to Amazon for its new headquarters location.

The second airport impacts Denton in other ways than Amazon possibilities. Booth said Denton has received an uptake on inquiries from aviation and aerospace businesses.

“Anything that is beneficial for the airport, ultimately, is beneficial for Denton,” Booth said.

Denton can gain capital investment from businesses located at the airport, and the city can sell fuel for aircrafts based at the airport. Booth could not see any downsides to the project and said it will impact Denton positively and make the airport safer.

“The Denton Enterprise Airport is a very safe airport already, but [the second runway] is just going to make it even better for people who are doing flight operations there,” Booth said.

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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

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Cheat Day Cheesecake joins food truck clique CHEESECAKE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 trailer stores [and] looked at all the products, went to the health department and got a checklist. [I] had a food truck by April 7 and opened up.”

The opening of Cheat Day Cheesecake signaled a change in career for Reid, who formerly worked in sales at places like Zales and a car dealership. Her first day with the truck was not under ideal circumstances, but her unwavering positivity allowed her to appreciate the success of the day.

“It was freezing rain — that day was super cold,” Reid said. “I was at Backyard on Bell, and they were having a big political event, so there were lots of people there. But I was outside the front door and not plugged in, and I didn’t have a heater. I was working out of coolers still.

A lot of [the people who showed up were] friends and people I had sold cars to. It was super exciting because I got like 10 reviews that day.”

In the three months the truck has been open, Reid said things have only gotten better. Reid credits this to her thorough preparation during the planning stages of the business.

“I can’t say I have hit a big roadblock because I try to be super positive about everything,” Reid said. “I had a 30-point checklist, so I knew exactly what I was getting into. The last week is when I did everything, so I built up and focused on my flavors. A lot of it was, ‘How am I going to brand myself?’”

Reid operates her food truck alone, but she has a support system in her family, who have been involved in the process from the moment she got the idea. Her sister came up with the name “Cheat Day Cheesecake,” and her dad helps her back up the trailer when she needs to park. Her mother even works for her.

“I employ my mom to help me out, and she loves it,” Reid said. “She just cleans up after me [in the kitchen] because I’m a complete mess. I’ll be making cheesecake

and it’s going everywhere — milk spilling — and she comes in behind me and wipes everything down and washes the dishes.”

Reid’s long-time friend and neighbor Michael Laris is another one of her supporters. She and Laris met when she was 8 years old, and they bonded over his St. Bernard puppy. When Reid’s family moved in next door, they invited Laris over for dinner often.

“We started forming a friendship surrounding various foods,” Laris said.

Noticing Reid’s affinity for baking, he gave her appliances to use to hone her passion.

“She was always into baking — she loved to bake,” Laris said. “The first present I ever gave her was a set of measuring cups. I [also] had a set of cheesecake tins I had not used in years, [so] I gave it to her.”

Laris also gifted her a dessert cookbook years ago and was able to watch her test out different recipes.

“Even some of the more challenging recipes in there, she’d go in and give it a try,” Laris said. “They may not have always come out picture perfect, but they were always really good.”

Cheesecake has had a prominent spot in Reid’s life since she made her first one in February.

“Every day is busy, and every day is cheesecake day,” Reid said. “I’m sick of my cheesecake — I don’t eat it anymore, but I taste all the batters.”

Sticking to a strict schedule of cooking, grocery excursions and sale days is what helps Reid keep her dessert truck business running smoothly.

“Sundays are my off days unless I decide to sell,” Reid said. “Monday and Tuesday are the days that I crank out 600 cheesecakes. I go to Aldi and buy 200 bars of cream cheese — they love me. I have to go to three grocery stores to get everything because I’m a bargain shopper. Usually it’s in the evening [that] I cook because it’s not so hot.”

Top: Alexandria Reid’s Cheat Day Cheesecake truck’s unique flavors of the month are usually relevant to the season or month. She is planning to make a pumpkin spice flavor when fall comes around.

Bottom: Reid gives samples for each of her flavors. She tries them each herself to ensure they are perfect.

Being parked among other food trucks has allowed Reid to make friends with fellow vendors, like Hector Zamora. She and Zamora opened at around the same time and have been supporting each other’s business.

“She is an amazing person — bubbly personality,” Zamora said. “She is very trustworthy. I see her as one of my children because she is half my age — she is only 20 and look at what she is doing. I think she is doing phenomenal.”

Zamora finds Reid’s concept to be special and thinks it is a large part of her success.

“She is very unique in that aspect,” Zamora said. “Other than the regular snow cone truck or ice cream pushcart, there’s really not somebody there that does cheesecake and creme brulee, and

now she has teamed up with Skylight coffee, there is nobody else in town that I am aware of that is doing that in a food truck.”

Though she is still relatively new to making cheesecake, consistency is a value that Reid has always observed and relied on. Her consistent business regime paired with her consistent inspired view on life has led her to consider trying out

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for the hit ABC show “Shark Tank.”

“I’ve baked my whole life,” Reid said.

“This cheesecake, the way it’s made is, it’s cooked underwater so it’s never burnt — it’s never overcooked. It is going to be the same every time. That’s why I [thought], ‘This would be perfect for a food truck’ because quality is so important. I’ve worked really hard on it.”

UNT on the Square hosts annual VAST art show, competition ART CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 many types of pieces, the show has been judged as a whole with no categories for different types of artworks. Faubion said one of the harder aspects of picking a piece for a show is how much to play to the judge and how much an artist wants to remain true to their personal interests. Faubion participated in previous years but took this year off to help the competition’s juror.

“Our group is open to everybody,” Faubion said. “We have a student membership and a professional membership.

Some of the artists in here are professional artists, but a good many of them are more than student artists and under professional artists. Some are working artists and some of them are just hobbyists.”

Unlike most gallery openings, the one for the member’s exhibition had money on the line in the form of cash prizes for the pieces rated highly by the juror.

With money ranging from $100 to $500 in prizes, deciding which two pieces to submit, along with the juror’s selections, was a key decision.

While VAST is open to any artist who wishes to join its ranks, the exhibit currently being displayed focuses on its members, with the funding for the prizes and the cost of putting on the show coming from member dues and donations.

The organization hosts many meetings and events throughout the year and has grown to be a close-knit community. Because of how closely linked members are, this event required the services of an outside juror to judge the pieces impartially.

The juror chosen for this show was Lynné Cravens, the gallery manager at Texas Christian University and UNT alumn who is also a contemporary self-portrait photographer. While she has some experience judging and approving

art from her time working with 500x, a Dallas based artist owned co-op, Cravens said this was the first art show she has ever had the opportunity to judge officially.

“I think that it is a way for me to tell people there is really good art,” Cravens said. “As the juror, it is nice to have that freedom to say, ‘I am going to choose what I like.’ And while everyone may not like those things, I get to decide for a show like this that, ‘This is the best piece, it should win something.’ Actually having money to give people was such a great change of pace from thinking something is the best thing in the show but not being able to do anything about it.”

The judging process took roughly four hours and involved many passes by Cravens in order to ensure all of the pieces that were awarded prizes were truly the best the show had to offer.

Cravens also explained that the judging of the show also challenged her to fairly judge works, even if they were not her personal favorite or if they were not what she would have done with the same medium.

The awards for the best pieces in the show were announced near the end of the public reception for the event, with awards for first through fourth place announced, as well as honorable mentions.

The show also featured the “Pride of Denton Award,” which was given to Lin Hampton, who also won Best in Show. “The Pride of Denton” award was announced by Chris Watts, mayor of Denton.

“I was really concerned with picking the best work, in my opinion, even if they were all paintings,” Cravens said. “I do think it ended up being a good mixture of things, but I do like a lot of different types of art, so I am not too surprised that it was a mixture.”

Artists seeking more information about VAST or how to become a member can visit their website, www.VASTarts.org.

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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

Bearded Lady barbershop offers a unique experience

By Diego Chavez Contributing Writer The soft patter of rain hitting the pavement can be heard from inside The Bearded Lady, where Gary Barnhart, 31, measures and cuts a customer’s hair.

“I come here because I like the consistency,” said Eric, one of Barnhart’s regular customers.

“Everything is just really chill — I really enjoy coming to get my haircut.”

Barnhart goes to his classic wooden cabinet to change guards on his trimmer before heading back to work on Eric’s hair. The walls are covered in neon green paint, and a painted mural of a mermaid watches over the barber chairs. The inside of the barber shop on the Square feels incredibly similar to the inside of the traveling barber truck where The Bearded Lady began in 2011 prior to the opening of the permanent store location.

Barnhart appears confident in his appearance with a large, well groomed beard. He said being a barber is an incredibly fulfilling profession because it gives him the freedom he desires. Up until recently, he had long dreads that were usually tied up in the back, giving him a unique look.

“Being a barber is everything I never knew I wanted,” Barnhart said. “I really just fell into it without realizing it was my dream job.”

He has become a proficient barber, even dedicating his own body to his work.

“I have rulers tattooed on my index fingers so that when customers ask for a few inches off, I can just measure it really quick,” said Barnhart, revealing the black lines tattooed at precise intervals along the insides of both his index fingers.

Barnhart has worked the night shift, sometimes cutting hair past midnight, for the past three years.

Although he no longer works inside the Traveling Parlor, the original barber shop is still open in Denton, parked outside of East Side Denton, a rustic bar where multiple food trucks have also made their home.

The inside lighting of the truck is warm and inviting, offering cigars and liquor for those getting their haircut.

“You also see some funny things working so late,” Barnhart said, while fellow barber Joey Medina nodded in agreement.

Barnhart recalled how less-than-sober individuals would stumble into the truck asking what food was being served. The permanent location has also seen some interesting late-night antics.

“Even after the store opened — which is on the Square away from the bars — we’ve had people stumble into the store not really knowing what’s going on,” Barnhart said. “This one time, we had someone walk in through the back door. He was clearly drunk and had no idea what was going on.

He looked like he had just stumbled into something crazy. His wife had to come get him, it was really funny.”

Barnhart grew up in Mineola, a small

conservative town east of Dallas. He was 8 years old when his father died, and he was often left alone because his mother worked hard, long hours to support their family. In 2005, Barnhart decided to move to Mesquite.

“I was glad to get out of there,” Barnhart said. “It was good to have a change of location.”

Shortly after moving, Barnhart hung out and had a few drinks with a friend who lived at the nowclosed Ramsgate apartment complex in Denton.

Barnhart explained that he really wanted a job where he could be in control and do what he wants.

“Why not try being a barber?” he said his friend asked him.

Within a week, Barnhart was enrolled in the Texas Barber College. After going through the process he graduated with a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, or TDLR, allowing him to professionally cut hair in the state of Texas.

Luckily, being a barber is everything that Barnhart could ever want. It allows him to have time for himself, his wife and his son. Barnhart and his wife will often take their son to shopping malls, where he can interact and play with other kids.

It also gives him time to enjoy some of his other hobbies, one of which is playing guitar and singing with some of his friends in a band called Starparty. They’ve been around for about five years and mostly play live electronic music, similar to the band MGMT. “We have even been able to play in The House of Blues in Dallas, which was super cool,” he said.

“The room was packed.”

Barnhart’s first live show with Starparty was where he met his wife.

“She came with a friend and we hit it off,” Barnhart said. “I actually hung out with her at the afterparty.”

A few years in, Barnhart decided to take a break, but it wasn’t long before he returned.

“I disagreed on some things, and I felt it was best to put it aside at the time,” he said. “I just recently rejoined, which feels really good.”

This was a good turn of events, especially for his business with The Bearded Lady. He ended up gaining a lot of regulars among the band’s audience who enjoy going to the shop for their haircuts.

Donald D’Amico, a UNT student and regular customer, believes that The Bearded Lady is a completely unique experience, especially when getting his hair cut by Barnhart.

“Gary is one of the best barbers at The Bearded Lady,” D’Amico said. “He’s the philosophical haircutting Jesus you get to talk to while getting a clean cut. I highly recommend it because it is such a unique experience.”

As for Barnhart’s future, as well as the future of The Bearded Lady, there isn’t going to be much that is changing — except that he has recently changed his shifts to mornings, freeing up more time in the afternoon to spend at his leisure or with his family.

“I can’t wait to do this job ‘til I die,” Barnhart said.

He wouldn’t want it any other way.

Bearded Lady barber Gary Barnhart, 31, cuts a regular’s hair. Diego Chavez

Left: Barnhart displays his ruler tattoos on the insides of his pointer fingers. Barnhart said he uses the markings to measure out his customers’ hair.

Right: Barnhart cuts hair inside of The Bearded Lady store off the Denton Square. Photos by Diego Chavez

Mayborn literary conference brings together writers, students, educators

By Bria Graves @callmeBREE_ Writers, journalists, students and educators gathered this past weekend for the 14th annual Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. The theme for this years’ conference was “Are You Not Entertained? Real People, Real Stories, Real Storytelling” and featured panels from well-respected industry professionals in the journalism and writing industry.

The three-day Friday through Sunday conference was held at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine.

For Friday’s kickoff, the conference held writing workshops in the morning and concluded the day with a soiree featuring keynote speaker Diana B. Henriques, financial journalist and New York Times bestselling author of “The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust.” Henriques opened up to the audience about her experiences after writing the book that eventually turned into a film. The author and journalist gave advice on the inclusion of business news, investigative journalism and the storytelling process.

The second day of the conference was packed with eight sessions from some of the nation’s top storytellers across all mediums. Each session included a moderator and panelists sharing experiences, stories and tips to future and current industry storytellers.

Jelani Gibson, a conference attendee, said she took

away important lessons and learned more about the many organizations in attendance.

“It’s very refreshing to see organizations wanting to go digital first,” Gibson said.

The planning committee of the conference made efforts to not only diversify the types of industry professionals present, but also made efforts to ensure the panels were diverse as well. No two panels were the same, which allowed attendees to hear a wide range of advice they could apply to their craft in the future.

One of the most anticipated sessions on the second day featured Jemele Hill, the current chief correspondent and senior columnist for ESPN’s The Undefeated.

Moderated by Kevin Merida, senior vice president at ESPN and editor-in-chief of The Undefeated, Hill’s session focused on the topics of sports, the creative transition from TV sports reporting to online writing and race and culture in America. To some people, Hill is now being considered an activist, which Hill disagrees with.

“To be considered an activist is a little weird to me,” Hill said. “Interest and passion lead me. ... In order to have a hot take, there has to be a fire.”

Hill said she uses her platform the way a columnist should, which is giving a voice for the voiceless and speaking up for what she believes in.

After initially entering her career as a journalist through writing, Hill got in front of the camera

appearing in multiple ESPN shows, including “His & Hers” with co-host Michael Smith. That eventually led to her to co-anchoring SportsCenter with Smith. After one year into her role on SportsCenter, Hill decided to leave SportsCenter and devote her time to writing for The Undefeated.

“The type of writing I would like to do now deals with race and culture,” Hill said.

With sports reporting being a primarily maledominated industry, Hill gave some advice for the young women who aspire to follow her footsteps in the world of sports.

“Come into the business like you belong,” Hill said.

“Don’t have the mindset that you have to be perfect.”

Saturday evening concluded with the Literary Lights Dinner, which was moderated by WFAA’s John McCaa. Keynote speaker Lindy West, contributing writer for The New York Times and author of “Shrill: Notes From a Loud Woman,” spoke about the importance of having hard conversations and tackling social issues through her columns. West showed conference attendees that she is not afraid to have uncomfortable, but necessary conversations about racism, abortion and the #MeToo

movement. “#MeToo is a storytelling moment,” West said. “You can’t fight oppression in a culture where these stories are repressed.”

Prior to West’s keynote speech, awards were handed out for writers, including high school students, professionals and college students for their original pieces.

The final day of the conference featured two sessions, and the final keynote speech was led by author and Los Angeles Times writer Christopher Goffard.

Goffard wrapped up the Mayborn Nonfiction Literary Conference by leading a discussion on the things he learned making his podcast “Dirty John” and giving the audience words to live by: “Your comfort zone will kill you,” Goffard said.

The conference showed the importance of having uncomfortable conversations, gave students and writers new tips and served as a reunion for many professionals who have known each other for years.

“It is important during times when journalism is under attack,” Hill said. “Journalists have a place where they can commune together.”

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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

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‘Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!’ has no right to be any good, but it is

By Spencer Kain @spencer_kain “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is a quasi-prequel/sequel to the 2008 smash hit “Mamma Mia!” Ten years may seem like quite a bit of time for a continuation of an original musical, but hey, crazier things have happened haven’t they?

“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” interweaves two stories. Sophie, played

by Amanda Seyfried, learns about her

Spencer’s rating: ¾ “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” mother’s mysterious past, which is explored in flashback segments with the expertly cast Lily James, who takes the

role of young Donna, who was played by Meryl Streep in the original film.

But really, I have to just say it. What I am about to confess is truly a bold statement coming from me, someone who did not necessarily enjoy the original film by any means, but this film surprised me a lot. The absolutely craziest thing about this whole thing, however, is the movie is actually quite good? Like, more than just quite, really. It is one of the biggest surprises in all of 2018. Seriously. If you would have told me a second “Mamma Mia!” would come even close to being as good as it actually is, I would have laughed directly in your face. Not only is it one of the greatest surprises of the year, it is also leagues above than the original film.

What this film needed was a sense of energy and unabashed fun while not being too extreme with everything and thankfully, this movie does just the appropriate amount of all this stuff. The directing by Ol Parker thankfully breathes a much-needed sense of grounded flow into a very hectic, all-over-the-place type of film. I understand this is pretty much a standard for musicals, but this one certainly felt a little too hectic way too often. Thankfully, Parker established a

good sense of grounded broadness while not delving into extreme grandiosity the film really did not need.

It is all very well made and the cast just matches this energy to a well-established tee. Lead star James commands the screen in the role of young Donna as we see her past unfold right in front of our eyes. After 2015’s live-action “Cinderella,” I knew James had some serious talent, but here she fully commits into her own and delivers one of the most endearingly energetic performances in all of 2018.

All other members of the cast turn in equally endearing performances with Seyfried, Christine Baranski and Cher all absolutely stealing the show when they are present onscreen. Thankfully, the fantastic cast only elevated the already well-made production of this film.

Sure, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” has some minor tonal issues, but its vibrant energy and seemingly unmatched sense of pure entertainment and fun helps elevate this movie not only way above its predecessor but also helps to establish its own self as one of the most surprising and most charming films in all of 2018. And that’s all we really need nowadays.

Image Courtesy “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” Facebook

‘Unfriended: Dark Web’ is too disturbing for its own good

By Zach Helms @ntdailyZach I spent the entire drive home from the theater trying to figure out what exactly my stance is on “Unfriended: Dark Web.” A suspense/thriller that takes place entirely via a Skype call about dark web dealings is an incredibly interesting premise in my opinion.

A world where people can manipulate and ruin your life from behind a computer screen at an undisclosed location seems like a gold nugget in a genre that’s been stale and predictable for some time.

Zach’s rating:  “Unfriended: Dark Web”

Image Courtesy “Unfriended: Dark Web” Facebook

The movie plays on legitimate fears and concerns about privacy and safety in today’s internet age, and some of the content shown is scarily accurate. It often comes off as a tonedeaf and exploitative project, reflecting the real victims of what goes on at these real-life troublesome illegal sites.

Mattias (Colin Woodell) steals a laptop that

has been sitting in lost and found from a café he works at. He takes it home, and while on a Skype call with his friends, he discovers vague files about crypto transactions, abduction, torture and other disturbing things that you can actually stumble into on the dark web.

Without spoiling anything, there are several twists that left me just as dumbfounded as the protagonists as they watch their lives tampered with to stomach-churning degrees.

Let me get to the point: For the most part, the film captures what I think a lot of us fear in today’s world. Our lives can crumble in one night at the hands of a nebulous, faceless enemy. Hacking is the main culprit, but what all the antagonists manage to do with a computer in this movie is sobering, to say the least. To what extent these bizarre and clever tricks are actually possible to a tech layman like me, I’m not sure. Either way, what is shown is disturbing because when they stumble onto videos of people being tortured and abducted, I was simply reminded of the fact that there is no suspense of disbelief here. What happens in the movie depressingly occurs in real life.

The moment-to-moment drama is cleverly paced and fascinating in a morbid way, but every 10 minutes my excitement or suspense was sullied by the harrowing true stories of the dark web. I know people who have turned away from religion because of the things this movie cheaply uses for entertainment.

The format left me feeling both entertained and simultaneously frustrated as well. The concept of watching all these things that are out of your control occur on your laptop screen (your money is messed with, you’re framed for unspeakable deeds, you’re witnessing someone

exhibit total control over you) is extremely fascinating from a suspense point of view.

By that same token, though, I was essentially watching Skype calls, Spotify clicks and Facebook messenger notifications the whole time, which made me feel weirdly powerless that I was watching something I normally interface with. It was frustrating to watch every character make a decision that could have been easily fixed if I could just click on something on the screen. In the same way, I found myself thinking about what I would do to fix the situation, leaving me dissatisfied with the film’s conclusion. Perhaps a feeling of helplessness was the goal, but I found myself feeling frustrated with this trick.

I think the best thing here is the uncanny realization of the unpredictability of the faceless people of the dark web. However, by that same token, its unpredictability and premise hit too close to home to be considered a “good watch” to me. But if you like the show “Black Mirror,” there is a specific episode that is deeply similar to this film. I felt dirty and disturbed the whole time, and did not enjoy that lingering feeling sticking around throughout my day. There is no escapism to be had in this film. It’s even more frustrating, then, that it is a well-constructed movie with solid twists. It’s comparably acted and deceptively creepy.

Oh, and it’s a sequel. The first had a demonic slant, but that is pretty much non-existent for the most part aside from one, extremely cheesy and unexplained death in “Dark Web.” While writing this review, my screen and toolbar glitched, and I got two calls from private numbers. Guess I’m just paranoid.

Mason Ramsey’s ‘Famous’ EP is proof his stardom is no accident

By Kaitlin Pennell @k_itlinnn You might know the name “Mason Ramsey” from scrolling through Facebook and stumbling across a viral video of a kid singing “Lovesick Blues”

by Hank Williams Sr. at a Walmart.

Well, after f lying out to Los Angeles for an Ellen DeGeneres interview, signing a record deal and growing in popularity online, Ramsey has finally done it, y’all: the 11-year-old country singer dropped his first EP “Famous” on July 20.

Kaitlin’s rating: ¼ “Famous” “Famous” is a six-track, no-features EP that is the perfect clapback for all of his haters that screams, “Ramsey is here to stay.” Many keyboard critics

say Ramsey is nothing but a kid with no talent who got lucky. But I strongly disagree, and this EP is proof.

The EP opens with “Famous,” a heartfelt ode to Ramsey’s rise to fame and his new life in the spotlight. This slowerpaced, bluegrass song is laced with lyrics that describe Ramsey’s gratitude for being able to pursue his dreams at such a young age, but also alludes us to a lucky girl he’s missing back home.

Next on the lineup is the song that started it all: “Lovesick Blues.” This is one of three Hank Williams Sr. covers Ramesy has on “Famous,” but this was a no-brainer to include. I mean, what’s a “yodeling kid from Walmart” album without his viral cover? Even with the studio quality, Ramsey’s talent still shines and ref lects the true voice we all heard in his inaugural video to fame (which now has more than 54 million views on YouTube).

If there’s one song to skip on this EP, it’s “Jambalaya (On the Bayou).” The second of three covers, this song falls f lat and is a little too country for my liking. But to be fair, I’m not a fan of the Hank Williams Sr. original either.

Ramsey has two meant-to-be summer country hits right in the middle of the EP: “The Way I See It” and “Yo Da Lady Who.” Both of these take up an up-beat, country-pop tone and were

surprisingly mature in technique for someone so young. These songs were crafted to be hits, and I could imagine present-day country kings Luke Bryan or Blake Shelton producing something similar if Ramsey hadn’t beat them to the punch. The fact that these two songs are originals makes it all the much sweeter.

“Yo Da Lady Who” is my favorite song on the EP, thanks to its catchy, ZZ Topesque main riff and memorable hook.

The more pop-y of the two summer hit-hopefuls, “Yo Da Lady Who” is yet another example of Ramsey’s songwriting talent and ability to capture his audience’s attention. If I don’t hear this song being played the next time I go to my favorite country bar, I will genuinely be upset.

“Famous” ends with yet another tribute to his hero and idol, Hank Williams Sr.: “I Saw The Light.” Both the original and the Ramsey remake sound so similar, it’s no wonder why Ramsey calls himself “Hank Williams Jr.” Some people say Ramsey is “good for an 11-year-old kid.” But “Famous” proves that Ramsey is good, period. If another famous, older country singer released the same album, it would probably earn more respect and praise from social media critics. Unfortunately it seems like some people are taking this

Image Courtesy Mason Ramsey Facebook as an opportunity to be overtly critical of content that, in reality, is good.

Although for his next album I would like to see more original content, I was overall impressed with Ramsey.

The fact that he is only 11 years old shows to me that the only way from here for Ramsey is up, and we will hopefully continue to see him climb his way to be alongside country music’s best.

OPINION Page 7

THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

NTDAILY.COM

We must be aware of the costly impacts of the Zebra mussel

By Nicholas Stiltner @N30Nick Zebra mussels are an invasive species that have been traveling throughout Texas lakes, establishing themselves in around 23 lakes from San Antonio to Dallas — and now in Grapevine Lake, 18 miles from Denton. This is important to be aware of due to the proximity of the spread to Denton’s primary water source, Lewisville Lake.

You may be thinking, “It’s just some mussels in a lake, what’s wrong with that?” Well there are two specific effects of this type of invasive species. The first is its impact on the native species already in the lake. The mussels will either vastly outcompete the natives for resources such as food and space or hybridize with them, diluting the existing gene pool

with an invasive mix, according to a study by Gary Huxel.

This can be disastrous to local food webs, hindering the flow of energy from one species to the next and causing unwelcoming population and nutrient shifts. It’s like throwing a wrench in a gear system and trying to keep turning it like before. It just won’t work unless something is done.

The second effect of Zebra mussels is they completely clog the pipes that carry our drinking and showering water. If I had to specify a worst-case scenario of these pipes being clogged, I would point to the water situation in Flint, Michigan. I’m not saying the outcome would be this drastic, it is just to point out the importance of proper water transportation systems and access to clean drinking water, and how these pesky mussels can interfere with both of those needs.

Like many invasive species, these mussels reproduce rapidly once they find a new habitat. They cover the bottoms of rivers and can depopulate whole areas, and the further they spread, the higher the chance of them finding a home in our water pipes. A 1993 report from the Office of Technological Assessment estimated that over a

10-year period, it would cost close to $3.1 billion to clear the blocked pipes affected by a prior outbreak of these same Zebra mussels.

The best solution is a preventative one — identifying and confronting the problem before it can spread further — but that isn’t how these things usually work.

As for preventing the spread of mussels, boat owners, specifically ones that use Grapevine Lake and Lewisville Lake, should pay close attention to their hulls and clean them after each use. Traveling on the bottom of boats is how this species initially got to North America and is still the main method of spread from water system to water system.

Removal efforts have been conducted using various chemicals such as chlorine and metal-based solutions, but those efforts never work because there needs to be focus on alleviating the rapidly reproducing mussels as well.

There is hope in a bacterium called Zequanox created by research scientist Daniel Molloy.

This bacterium has been proven to eradicate Zebra mussels specifically, but the problem is the EPA has banned its use in commercial lakes. It’s the same

concept as a pesticide — but for Zebra mussels. Except with pesticides and the volumes they are used in, the unintended effects could be disastrous to a drinking water supply or a recreational lake.

There are other similar microorganisms and viable

chemical solutions that could work in theory, but they are still in development.

Zebra mussels are a fastspreading, hyper-competitive invasive species that are spreading throughout the U.S., not just Texas. One of the first outbreaks was in the Great Lakes

near Michigan in the ‘90s, and now there are literally millions of them lining the bottoms of the Great Lakes. We must stop the spread of these mussels and other invasive species, or pay the hefty price later.

Illustration by Allison Shuckman

Practice some patience before posting spoilers online

By Spencer Kain @spencer_kain There is an epidemic in this day and age, and a bad one.

You have seen them, I am sure of it. I know I have encountered them far too much. It is a pestilence that needs to be stopped before something drastic is ruined by someone’s negligence. This column doesn’t even need a title because I’m sure you have already guessed the horrific epidemic I’m talking about.

Spoilers.

Yep, you guessed right. I bet you are as uncomfortably familiar with them as I am, so I’ll spare you the explanation.

The number of times people have spoiled some piece of entertainment for me is downright disrespectful. “Game Of Thrones,” “American Horror Story,” the film “Logan” and most recently “The Incredibles 2” have all been spoiled for me by some person on social media who decided to ruin a surprise for many people who have not experienced it for themselves yet.

These examples are just a few of the many things I’ve seen spoilers about. In reality, I see spoilers on social media multiple times every day. Movies, books and shows I don’t even keep up with and am not remotely interested in have been spoiled for me. Thankfully, I wasn’t invested in those specific things so I didn’t care, but there are thousands of other people who are and people spoiled them without a second thought.

It is time to stop spreading spoilers, especially if the thing just came out and even after its been out for a month or two. Not everyone can go watch, play or read the newest releases as soon as they are

out. People are busy and have lives, so we have to allow them some time before we start carelessly talking about vital plot information or

reality show elimination outcomes.

If people really want to experience something, they are going to do it. Why not let them enjoy it when

they have the time?

Delete that tweet, Instagram caption or Facebook status you typed up exposing whatever secret lies hiding in the movie, TV show, video game or book you just consumed, because there are thousands of other people out there who have not yet experienced it themselves. It baffles me how spoilers are such an issue when respecting this practice of waiting a while is not at all difficult.

I understand the concept of staying off social media until you have experienced the media for yourself, but the whole point is that we should not have to do that.

I want to be able to scroll through Twitter or Instagram safely without the risk of having something I haven’t experienced ruined.

Twitter has a mute option which lets users mute certain words or phrases so they will not show up on their timeline, but sometimes it is still not enough. Even if the Twitter mute feature works for you, it still leaves Facebook, Instagram and other platforms wide open for spoiler territory.

We should not have to intentionally fend off these bits of information, we should agree to just not publicly speak on them for a solid amount of time.

Appropriate wait times for speaking on new releases differs depending on the medium. For films, wait until they get released on DVD before you start dropping major spoiler bombs. On average it takes about three months for movies to be released onto DVD from theaters. So for TV shows, video games and books, I suggest waiting three months or so before divulging spoilers from those mediums.

I really don’t think this is too much to ask, especially considering how great it is to experience the surprises present in all forms of entertainment on your own terms.

Let’s end the spoiler epidemic.

I think we can all agree on how much better it would be if we got to experience all entertainment mediums in full and never saw another spoiler again.

Illustration by Allison Shuckman

Mocking unfamiliar names contributes to bullying, ethnocentrism

By Patrick Cleath @oldshorts If you ask a person whether or not they want to be treated differently because of their inherited name, their answer would likely be “no.” Yet when a celebrity is about to have a child, many people are at the edge of their seat in anticipation to see if the name is unusual enough to warrant mass ridicule.

Unfortunately, “unusual” is but a seldom-used term with no connotation of judgment and only implies statistics. In reality, people tend to use adjectives like “weird,” “dumb” or “unfortunate,” which imply cultural preference.

Ethnocentrism is defined

by Google as “evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture.” The term is not meant to convey any racial implications, rather, it refers to a composite of opinions gleaned from the surrounding culture that influence the individual’s idea of what other cultures should be like. On the other hand, culture

often goes hand in hand with race, as it is a deeply embedded institution in America.

Let’s not play coy. Anyone who has lived in a predominantly white area has heard someone overreact and talk down on a black person pronouncing “ask” as “axe” even though they fully understand what they mean. There have been studies proving that humans can read entire paragraphs with various letters either taken out or switched inside every word, yet people act as if society cannot function with different dialects.

At the end of the day, people who comprehend a word or phrase, but deem it as “wrong” or “unintelligent” are stooping to a petty level of ethnocentrism.

“Kulture: Is Cardi B’s name for baby worse than Stormi?” reads a headline for a story on The Mercury News. Now, “Kulture” is not a name common to any race, so I won’t act like this is a white-people-deriding-peopleof-color type of situation. What I will say though is this type of judgment stems from the same human impulse that leads us to be unaccepting of things that are “unusual.” The mentality that drives grown adults to criticize something as simple as an assortment of sounds used to identify a person will trickle down into the classrooms and playgrounds where these children are bullied.

The effects of these petty

Illustration by Allison Shuckman

impulses stemming from ethnocentricity range from a child having a bad day at school to psychological trauma that impacts long term self confidence. Making people feel like they are fundamentally different because of their name or the way they pronounce words only discourages them from participating in the “ideal” and dominant culture.

There is nothing wrong with traditions. If anything, it is a respectable act to name a child something that is special to the culture that helped shape you and your persona.

Remember there was a first for names like Jessica, Joe and Nick.

You can say anything 20 times in a row and it will sound weird because there is no meaning in the sounds themselves, only in the

identity association we experience when hearing them. Those who truly appreciate life as it is see value in learning why things came to be, and encourage pushing boundaries. It is only those who value their own standards over others’ who will gladly sacrifice societal enrichment in order to feel superior in a world where all life is productive, destructive, and eventually dies.

THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018

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NTDAILY.COM

Public libraries are an essential common good

By The Editorial Board @ntdaily

On Saturday, Forbes published an opinion piece titled “Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money,” and it went over about as poorly as one could expect.

Forbes, a publication known for its wealthy story subjects and expansive lists of the richest people in the world, allowed the Chair of the Department of Economics at an expensive, Long Island private college to write this article about how we should dismantle the free, public library and instead rely on the billiondollar, e-commerce corporation Amazon for our book needs.

That’s not a good look.

The magazine has since deleted the column following an enormous wave of understandable backlash from readers, librarygoers and regular citizens.

The public benefits of a library are indispensable. In addition to free book rental, libraries

provide free internet access and computers to those that need them, services for the elderly like free tax aid, software training, resumé workshops, special interest seminars, English and language classes and so much more. We would certainly be worse off without programs like these — programs Amazon could never replicate.

How can one consider the valuable, life-changing services and opportunities the library provides and come to the conclusion that they aren’t worth the couple dozen tax dollars?

In libraries, people can apply for jobs, sign leasing agreements, explore new hobbies, start businesses and acquire specialized knowledge.

When considering the return of investment libraries supply, it seems foolish for an economist to claim we’d save a proportionally significant amount of money eradicating them.

Of course closing libraries would save taxpayers some money

— so would forgoing paying taxes on road maintenance, healthcare or education. But no one is advocating for the end of these programs because we do not need to be reminded of how vital they are to the healthy functioning and progression of our society.

If we were really committed to paying less taxes, we might start by looking at where $605 billion of our tax dollars went in 2016: defense and international security assistance. Imagine the billions we could save on taxes if we stopped invading and bombing countries with questionable justification.

Eliminating libraries would inordinately affect lower income families the most. The library is the last public place left people can spend time without spending money. Discontinuing libraries in favor of purchasing books sounds like a blatant step towards the commodification of information.

The author of the column argued libraries aren’t as useful thanks to the internet, streaming services

and Starbucks. It is true libraries are used more infrequently these days, but what they need is a reinvigoration of support and traffic, not a phaseout.

In a society that seems to

be regressing to an “every man for himself” mentality and abandoning all semblance of community and empathy, doing away with libraries might be the final nail in the coffin. Set aside

time to visit the local library.

Rediscover some of that old magic that once intoxicated us all — before Amazon has its way with it.

All illustrations by Elizabeth Rhoden

Stop using arbitrary phrases to dismiss sexual assault victims

By Brianna Adams @bribriixo Sexual assault has become as common a practice on college campuses today as rushing.

The definition of rape is often subjective to the speaker of the word. Some say rape is simply defined as forcible sexual contact that includes penetration. Some believe coercion can also be involved.

College sexual assault can take many heinous forms: a late-night attack on campus by a stranger in the shadows, a relationship

that has turned sour, a common stalker going rogue, etc. These are all cases where average people make conscious decisions to hurt somebody else. They may or may not have been in a good emotional or mental state at the time, but their judgment was still their own without any significant mitigating factors.

However, many do not take reports of assault seriously and impart harmful projections onto survivors. Assaults involving drugs or alcohol are even more quickly dismissed despite being just as emotionally and physically damaging for victims.

Survivors are often bombarded with questions and asked many qualifiers to determine their worthiness as a victim.

In today’s society where cheeky shorts and crop tops are common choices for everyday wear, “Well, what were you wearing?” should not be the first question a survivor hears. Yet

everyday victims are asked about their choice of clothing and the time of day they were wearing it.

Let’s get one thing straight: clothes do not incite rape.

CLOTHES DO NOT INCITE RAPE!

“Well, were you drinking?” is another common question survivors get. This is where the lines get a little blurry because alcohol and other drugs can skew the memory of the victim and the perpetrator. When alcohol

comes into the mix, it is difficult to determine the mindset of the offending party. Maybe there were no malicious intentions.

Maybe the perp was more drunk than the victim. Maybe one party seemed into it and didn’t voice any audible objections … Maybe.

No one really knows what goes on behind the closed doors of a rape, sometimes not even the involved parties themselves.

But that shouldn’t matter when a survivor is seeking help. Victims are not going to fit one certain description or situation.

Rape victims are survivors who want to make it through to the other side. They want justice for themselves and perhaps others. They want a chance to recover and move on from a horrible experience.

This is not too much to ask for, but victims are often disbelieved, disregarded and blamed by those they seek help from. Over and over we use the same stinging

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phrases to undermine victims.

Boys will be boys.

Were you flirting with him?

That’s ridiculous, men can’t be raped by women.

Are you sure it happened?

Were they drunk? Were you?

Did you try to stop him?

That’s just sex.

It could’ve been worse.

We have to do better as a society in making sure survivors know there are support systems in place for people like them to share their stories, seek retribution and heal.

If you are a victim of sexual assault please reach out to someone who can help. At UNT, Renee LeClaire McNamara is the Assistant Director for Student Advocacy, Crisis Intervention and Violence Prevention. She can be reached at SurvivorAdvocate@unt.edu by email and by phone at 940565-2648.

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