2.09.22

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

137TH YEAR | ISSUE 14

Gun violence is at peak levels in Starkville: Why? And what can we do to stop it? shows gun violence hit an all-time high in 2020.

Many news outlets, including Al Jazeera and The New York Times, correlate the rise of violent gun crime with the pandemic. They postulate that school and work closures, stayat-home orders and social unrest create a propensity for violence.

Captain Brett Watson of the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office disagrees.

"If you go back and look historically and just take the past five years' data here in Oktibbeha County, I think you'll see that the rise was beginning well before COVID ever came on the scene," Watson said.

HannaH BlankensHip editor-in-cHief

On Jan. 6, a 9-yearold child named Lasang Kemp Jr. was shot and killed in a car on Santa Anita Drive in Starkville.

In the words of Starkville Police Department Chief Mark Ballard, it was a tragedy the community felt.

Even more, it was a tragedy he felt.

"I have young children. Many of our officers here are parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and it hits home. That's one that follows you.

When you're in your yard, it follows you.

When you wake up at night, it follows you.

When you wake up in the day. What can you do

Hannah Blankenship| The Reflector

Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballad explains the network of security footage accessible by the police department. SPD can connect to private cameras using their Fusus registry program.

better? What can you do more of?" Ballard said.

The shooting of Kemp comes during a period of increased gun

violence not only in Starkville, but across the nation.

Ballard said he has not seen levels of gun

violence this high since he started working in the Starkville police force over two decades ago.

According to The

Trace, a nonpartisan online newsroom dedicated to covering gun violence in the U.S., recently released data

VIOLENCE, 2

Valentine’s Day Special

Starkville florists prepare for Valentine’s Day rush HannaH rae kennedY contriBUtinG Writer

As Valentine's Day quickly approaches, local florists are gearing up for their busiest season of the year.

Monti King, owner of Flowers By The Bunch, shed some light on what the holiday looks like for florists.

"The rush really begins the week before Valentine's Day … that's when we start to really prepare the flowers," King said.

Florists waste no time placing orders for Valentine's flowers, doing so months in advance.

"We start the day after Christmas," King said.

"We have the order for flowers placed the week after Christmas."

King explained how the shop employees know how much to order each year.

"For us, we look back and see the holiday's sales

for past years," King said.

Even more specifically, the day of the week that Valentine's Day falls on is crucial for florists when considering how many flowers and supplies to buy.

"You plan for a Saturday way differently than you plan for a Monday," King said.

Even though florists sell flowers, goods like vases, balloons and teddy bears are also important selling points for florists during this time of year.

Lynette McDougald, a Mississippi State University faculty member and manager of the University Florist, gave some insight about how different the season will look because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"What most consumers don't know," McDougald said, "is that the shortage started over a year ago as fresh flower farms closed due to COVID." FLORISTS, 2

Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for florists. Shop owners often begin ordering for Valentine’s Day the day after Christmas to prepare.

Two MSU researchers granted $597K for juvenile justice data project HeatHer Harrison neWs editor

Mississippi State University Social Science Research Center (SSRC) professors were granted $597K to conduct a study on the Mississippi juvenile justice system.

Angela Robertson is a research professor and director of the SSRC and has worked for agencies within the juvenile court system for 26 years. For the past few years, Assistant Research Professor Sheena Gardner has worked alongside Robertson to collect data.

Together, the two have collaborated with the agencies to get information from the juve-

nile justice system database to conduct research that will help the state.

The two are about to begin a study called “Research on Juvenile Court Intake Practices and Reoffending” that will take about three years to complete. Robertson and Gardner’s end goal is to automatically collect data from juvenile detainees that determines whether the Angela Robertson | Courtesy Photo youth is likely to re-ofSSRC researcher Angela Robertson. fend or not.

Mississippi has a court processing pro- Gardner and Robertson gram called Mississippi are conducting will Youth Court Informa- streamline the process tion Delivery System of reviewing data avail(MYCIDS), where offi- able in MYCIDS. “What we’re trying to cials document the arrested juvenile’s do is hopefully build a charges. The research screening tool, so to

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Sheena Gardner| Courtesy Photo

SSRC researcher Sheena Gardner.

speak,” Gardner said.

“So we can take information currently in MYCIDS that we know are good predictors of whether a kid will come back for subsequent issues.”

FORECAST: Bulldogs, this week we are walking on sunshine! Look forward to highs in the 60s and lows in the 30s and 40s. It will be a little windy this week, so temperatures may feel cooler than forecasted. There is little chance of rain this week, so get outside and enjoy the milder weather while you can.

Courtesy of The Weather Channel

Gardner said that since Mississippi typically has low resources and funding, it is hard to fix problems in the state. The juvenile justice system also feels a strain in how its resources are spent.

Gardner said that often only one court employee has to keep track of each child who comes into the court system, which can be a daunting and overwhelming job.

Gardner and Robertson hope to create an automated statistics system to relieve court employees and counselors from doing extra work.

The National Institute of Justice is funding the research, and Gardner and Robertson

petitioned the institute for a grant to create a tool that helps intake officials make informed decisions about whether to petition the case forward, divert the case or handle the case informally.

“Part of this grant is to help courts make quicker decisions so that their efforts can be placed on those kids who need more help,” Gardner said.

Gardner and Robertson are examining data from 2016-2020 and analyzing each kid that entered the system and if they came back. The researchers are looking at similarities between repeat offenders to see if there is a pattern of repetition.

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GRANT “What we know from our research literature and our own work is that the vast majority of kids, even if they’re adjudicated and put on probation … the vast majority don’t get in trouble again,” Robertson said.

Using data the two researchers collect, they will determine what predicts if a child recidivates, or returns to the system. The tool for intake officials would be a 15-question assessment that asks which factors the child falls under. Questions are different for girls and boys because boys tend to commit more crimes than girls, Robertson said.

“The more serious an offense, the more likely they are to recidivate,” Robertson said.

After the researchers create the initial system, they will recruit six Mississippi courts, with the hopes of having a balance of rural and populated courts, to implement the tool. For a year, Robertson and Gardner will gather data from

CONTINUED FROM 1

the juvenile courts and follow the convicted kids to see if the tool’s predictions were accurate.

“The whole point is that we want it to be fair,” Robertson said.

“And ‘Is this instrument valid for both white kids and Black kids?’”

R o b e r t s o n continued, saying she does not want the tool to add disproportional numbers of minorities into the system.

Connie BairdThomas, the associate director of the Social Science Center for Policy Studies, has worked closely alongside Gardner and Robertson on projects for the SSRC in the past and is currently working on an evaluation with them.

She emphasized the streamlined efficiency the research will provide once it is completed.

Baird-Thomas said her co-workers’ study will help boost the SSRC’s capabilities and reputation.

“This will help build our relationships with

state agencies and show them that we are a source of objective information and that the research we do provide has practical implications and is something that can be used by agencies,” Baird-Thomas said.

Robertson said her goal for the research is that the state can form better predictors for who to divert or who to detain by using data and statistics she and Gardner collect.

A d d i t i o n a l l y , Robertson said she hopes the research study will provide resources for juvenile justice systems in other states to adopt, too.

After Gardner and Robertson finish their study, “Research on Juvenile Court Intake Practices and Reoffending,” other states will have access to the data and can use the information to improve their juvenile justice systems.

“That’s what excited me, is that we do have the potential to help other juvenile justice systems,” Robertson said.

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Thursday, February 4, 2022

Two students reported being shot with an airsoft BB gun while walking on Barr Ave.

A student reported that he was assaulted with an airsoft gun by an unknown person while walking to Nunnelee Hall.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022 An officer responded to the area of Dogwood and Deavenport Hall about an individual shooting an airsoft gun at people and vehicles.

Friday, February 4, 2022 A student was arrested on Bailey Howell Drive for providing false information to law enforcement.

FLORIST "Many South American farms, and that's where 70% of our flowers come from, were decimated by C O V I D - 1 9 , " McDougald said.

Flowers are not the only supplies florists are having difficulty obtaining. The floral supplies, or the "hard goods," frequently have supply shortages.

The University Florist has had to make some adjustments concerning their supplies for this Valentine's Day. "I drove to New Orleans to a wholesale I keep an active account

CONTINUED FROM 1

“The rush really begins the week before Valentine’s Day ... that’s when we really start to prepare the flowers.”

Monti King Owner Flowers by the Bunch

with just to get vases for this holiday," McDougald said.

The challenges do not lie only with the

floral supplies, though.

Ordering and receiving fresh flowers for a holiday comes with its own set of obstacles.

"Flowers are out there, but Federal Express— that is the major carrier of fresh flowers— does not guarantee priority delivery. Flower shops pay for 'Priority Overnight' despite the chance the flowers will not be received in that t i m e f r a m e , " McDougald said.

McDougald said there are shipment delays about 75% of the time. The delays not only affect the florists' ability to sell on time, but they also damage the flowers in harsh conditions.

"We have to be

weathermen too," McDougald said.

McDougald said she has had to schedule work shifts differently because of the pandemic. However, for Valentine's Day, she said more people are working.

"We have reduced shifts to keep less people together in close proximity, but next week and through Valentine's Day, we will be wide open," McDougald said.

Mimi McDowell, a junior horticulture major at MSU, is a student worker at University Florist.

VIOLENCE SPD Chief Ballard agreed, saying he has been seeing a steady increase in gun violence since 2014.

But what is contributing to this rash of shootings? If not the pandemic, then what?

The answer, at least in Starkville, is multifaceted.

Watson gave several reasons he has observed for the spike in gun violence.

First, he mentioned a nationwide push via criminal justice reform groups for no pretrial incarceration, low bonds and lighter sentences.

Basically, these are initiatives that work to keep low-level offenders out of jail, citing overall benefit to families and economic, social and mental wellbeing. However, Watson believes an unintended consequence of this effort is repeat criminals being released when they would not have been previously.

Watson likened criminal justice in the U.S. to a pendulum.

"What we're trying to hope for is getting to a happy medium, right?

We want to make sure everybody's treated right, fairly and according to the law, and at the same time we want to protect the citizens.

So as we try to get that, to hit that goal, I think sometimes we swing one way or swing the other, and it has unintended consequences," Watson said.

For Valentine's Day, McDowell said workers begin preparing for the rush weeks in advance so that the workload is not so overwhelming.

"We are not usually open on the weekends," McDowell said, "but this weekend, we will be open to prepare for Valentine's on Monday."

McDowell said the student workers collaborate, which she enjoys.

As the busiest day of the year approaches, local florists say they are prepared for the Valentine's Day rush.

CONTINUED FROM 1

Chief Ballard agreed, mentioning similar issues with the court system after an arrest is made.

"The apprehensions are there; the arrests are there. What we have to have at some stage of the game is accountability, and I know that's not necessarily popular, but it is crime, it has to be illegal," Ballard said.

Both Ballard and Watson noted that much of the recent gun violence is related to repeat offenders, stolen weapons and juveniles.

With gun ownership up and Mississippi being a state with a firm belief in personal gun rights, Ballard said it is of the utmost importance for citizens who legally own guns to be responsible in protecting their firearms. Most auto burglaries do not involve breaking windows, just checking handles for unlocked cars.

Ultimately, Ballard said, the violence comes down to "the gods of the street:" guns, drugs and cash. For instance, the case of 9-year-old Lasang Kemp Jr. involved elements of all three—and the collateral damage was the loss of a young, innocent life.

But local law enforcement is not sitting back on their heels. The sheriff's office has increased patrols in apartment and housing complexes where gun theft is occurring, hoping to

address one of the root issues. The city police department is embracing "21st century policing" with the implementation of their Fusus camera registry program. This new program encourages private citizens and business to register their cameras with the police department so officers can have instant access to footage and quickly investigate incidents, creating a comprehensive map of the city composed of many cameras.

"In 36 of our 39 crimes in the past several years of major crimes, those cameras have played an integral role in developing the leads, confirming alibis and providing extremely important information for our investigative teams," Ballard said.

SPD also installed cameras with blinking red and blue lights at several intersections across town, which are meant to be a visual preventative telling criminals "don't try it."

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill mentioned that many of these violent offenders are not from the city.

S t a r k v i l l e ' s entertainment district and other features attract people from surrounding areas. As the city continues to grow, this phenomenon will continue to grow as well. Ballard said the implementation of cameras is a way to

Haley Storey | The Reflector

Pictured is Starkville Police Department’s crime investigation equipment. SPD officers explained how they use technology to solve crimes.

anticipate that issue and stay ahead of it.

While the police department is doing all they can to protect their community and prevent further shootings, Ballard said there are root factors that have to be addressed by other parts of society.

"We're limited as just a profession in what we can do, because there's so many bigger issues that it can't fall just on the shoulders of law enforcement itself," Ballard said.

Education, especially on the dangers of drugs

and addiction, can go a long way in removing one of the factors that so often contributes to violence.

Spruill said through investment in the police force and cooperation with local businesses, Starkville is constantly working to minimize any threat to its citizens.

"We are doing everything we can to make sure that our citizens feel safe and that our presence is felt and that those who are coming into town to do things that are contrary to the best interest of

our citizens are going to be caught and dealt with and swiftly," Spruill said.

Ballard said even students can get involved in fostering a safer community.

"I think that there's a lot of opportunity, especially the resources and the talents that the students bring for mentorship, especially within our local school system, our local community, groups that are out there … Secure your weapons, get involved, be a part of the solution," Ballard said.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE

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MSU Organization of the Week: MSU Counseling Center January 26 Puzzle Solutions

1. What is the MSU Counseling Center?

— The MSU Counseling Center offers free services to MSU students. The services it offers are accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS).

2. How can students get involved?

— Students can come to Student Counseling Services located in Hathorn Hall during walk-in hours (Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.) for a consultation.

3. What resources does the MSU Counseling Center offer?

—The MSU Counseling Center offers self-help resources, support groups, workshops, therapy groups, individual therapy and more.

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OPINION

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Stop making fun of curling: It deserves its spot in the Olympics HANNAH RAE kENNEDY CONTRIbUTINg WRITER

The 2022 Winter Olympics have begun, and that means two things. First, clips of Olympic figure skating will be shared endlessly across social media as viewers watch in awe, and second, the relentless mocking of Olympic curling will begin.

When brought up in conversation regarding the Olympics, curling typically incites a scoff and the question, "why is that even a sport?" Not just that, but the fact that curling holds its place as a recurring Olympic sport is laughable to many. Even though curling bears a questionable reputation, it certainly

should be an Olympic sport.

Curling gets a bad rap because many people do not know what the sport actually entails. It is a game that requires incredible focus, an immense amount of skill and relies heavily on verbal and nonverbal communication during matches. Yes, the game sounds quite complicated, but the object of the game is much simpler. According to the World Curling Federation, curling involves two teams sliding 40-pound granite stones towards their respective targets, known as houses. To score a point, the stone must be inside or touching the house. The team with the stone closest to the center of its respective

house gets the point. Each game consists of 10 rounds, or in curling terms, "ends," which can last up to three hours.

The sweeping part occurs from teammates gliding down the lane between the two tee marks. Once past the second tee line, one designated opponent and one specific teammate are allowed to brush the ice in front of moving stones near the target. According to Eric Mullin of NBC Sports, the broom melts the ice in front of a moving stone so the stone's path is impacted.

Curling requires a special kind of ice rink containing pebbled ice for the sweeping element.

This specific kind of ice along with rapid sweeping causes the

ice to melt and makes for a more slippery surface for the stone to glide on. This aspect of the game allows the opposing team to impact how far their opponent's stones travel. Clearly, curling requires an immense amount of strategy which differs from those of other Olympic sports, but is just as difficult to master.

Even though the sport is not popularized in the U.S., curling holds its place as one of the 15 sports featured at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Curling's legitimacy as an Olympic sport comes from the amount of athletic ability, skill and focus which is required from players. According to Mar-

issa Payne of The Washington Post, curling demands a particular type of athleticism different from the athletes of many other sports. Did you know sweepers walk up to five miles a day during competition? On top of stamina, skills such as balance and coordination are very underrated and challenging aspects of the game which many fail to realize exist. Players must accurately send 40-pound stones while lunging down a sheet of ice.

That by itself is a feat. Successful curlers must be sharp in not only their sweeping, but also in their thinking when communicating with teammates. Players typically yell at one another to signal the other during gameplay. It re-

quires all of the energy a person can possibly muster to maintain physical coordination, think strategically and engage in teamwork for over two hours at a time.

The typical mocking of curling should end. The game takes intense practice and skill just like any other Olympic sport, so it deserves the respect which every other one receives.

Not to mention, the U.S. won the gold for its curling men's team in the 2018 Olympics, according to Bill Chappell for NPR. For that reason, we should all look forward to watching and cheering on curling at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Valentine’s Day Special

Broken hearts club or not, what are the best Valentine’s chocolates on the market?

Payton Brown is a senior majoring in philosophy and French. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

It is hard to imagine Valentine's Day without seeing the decorated chocolate heart boxes scattered across grocery stores and social media. Chocolate has become an emblem of love, and it certainly makes you feel it too.

Madi Johnson of Business Insider explains the indulgence of chocolate causes a release of dopamine within certain areas of the brain, which explains why we associate it with the same warm, fuzzy feelings of Valentine's Day. Chocolate is the old friend who soothes heartaches and signals fondness. According to the National Confectioners Association, 86% of Americans planned to purchase chocolate for Valentine's Day in 2021. The major-

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

Joshua Stewar t picks out his favorite chocolate with a strawberr y creme filling from a Russell Stover box.

ity of Americans seem to find chocolate a reliable means of communicating emotion to others.

Chocolate has brought joy to its consumers since as early as the Mesoamerican civiliza-

tions, however, according to Amy Henderson of Smithsonian Magazine it was not until 1861 when heart-shaped confectioneries began. Richard Cadbury, a British chocolatier, first produced the assorted

chocolates with excess pure cocoa butter produced in his family's chocolate factories. As a result of his creation, chocolates and hearts will always be united around February each year.

Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and Dollar General are recognized as go-to suppliers when searching for affordable chocolates for a loved one, or yourself. However, the variety of chocolate found on Valentine's Day in these stores makes the task of picking an option difficult. When choosing assorted chocolates on a budget, the goal is to simultaneously balance quality, to properly impress the recipient, and cost, so not to break the bank.

The least ideal options at these locations would be Elmer and Whitman's chocolates which hold allure due to their 1-3$ price and the colorful graphics they display. These candies hold a waxy and artificial taste to them which makes them less desirable and disappointing. The quirky box designs of dinosaurs and cheesy puns may be cute, but do not expect the chocolates to taste better than their worth.

Two options which bring satisfaction at the fair price of $10 are the Lindt's Lindor Truffles and Hershey's Pot of Gold chocolate hearts. The Lindor Truffles are some of the

smoothest and silkiest low-cost chocolates certain to appease anyone. The Hershey's Pot of Gold chocolates gives the classic variety of chocolates in each box while satisfying cravings with its sugary taste and caramel surprise. An honorable mention must also go to Ghirardelli's Duet Hearts as they are delectable, and the chocolate itself is in a heart shape.

This recommendation goes out to those who prefer a lot of caramel and extremely rich chocolate.

For those looking to slightly surpass the college student budget, anything of the Godiva brand is a pristine choice with its sweet, roasted and luxurious taste. You can never go wrong with this brand when intending to impress. Sadly, this brand's hearts will fall between the price ranges of $20 to $50.

Use chocolate as a way to extend love, friendship and stress-relief in February and take advantage of the heartshaped boxes on shelves this time of year. Regardless of which chocolates you prefer or intend to buy, the sentiment shall be "wholeheartedly" received.

STREAMING NOW: “ROMAN HOLIDAY” Tu n e i n e v e r y w e e k fo r a n e w re v i e w fo r w h a t i s t re n d i n g o n yo u r s e r v i c e s.

EMMA DOTSON

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OPINION EDITOR

The Golden Age of cinema is known for many things, but above all its popularity is due to one common theme: love. This Valentine’s Day viewers participating in the endless streaming services scroll will be met with a number of romantic comedies, particularly those of the 1990s and early 2000s genre. I encourage you take a step back, look beyond the countless cheesy but beloved depictions and instead

ROMAN HOLIDAY

travel back to the Golden Age of melodrama and slow burns with "Roman Holiday" (1953) starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.

Gregory Peck portrays Joe Bradley, a journalist down on his luck who is presented with a career changing story after taking in a mystery "drunk" woman overnight. The following day he discovers the mysterious woman in his apartment is actually a princess (Audrey

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Hepburn) who has gone missing during her European tour. Once he comes to this realization, he learns a story like this could be big enough to get him out of Rome and finally back to New York City. The only problem? Princess Ann tells him she is someone else and leaves to see Rome and enjoy the simplicities of life as a normal person would with a drastic haircut as her cover.

Bradley, in a panic, scrambles

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to follow her and ends up being her tour guide after some "lucky" timing which sends the pair on a holiday neither will ever forget.

This is not the first film of Peck’s, or Hepburn’s, that I have seen, nor will it be the last.

I watched Gregory Peck’s phenomenal performance as Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) and saw Audrey Hepburn do her best with the script that is "Break-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor can be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. They can also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu and have a maximum wordcount of 350 words.

Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

fast at Tiffany’s" (1961) as Holly Golightly. Regardless of the quality of script, Peck and Hepburn have gravitational pulls as actors like no other which draws you in and leaves you wanting more by Roman Holiday’s conclusion. They are true class acts and even

EDITORIAL POLICY The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff.

The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

classier actors.

This Valentine’s Day and every other day, cherish the ones close to you, but remember you do not need a holiday to partake and enjoy in life’s greatest pleasures. Each day is a gift, so savor it.

Rating: 9/10

CORRECTIONS The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error, we will correct it. To report an error, email editor@reflector.msstate.edu or call 325-7905.

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THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT Valentine’s Day Special

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At the Chapel of Memories, love rings across campus

Lydia PaLMer

Staff writer

Located in the center of Mississippi State University's Starkville campus, the dark brick, neo-Gothic style Chapel of Memories has held many meetngs, quiet moments, weddings and more.

When the Old Main Dormitory burned down in 1959, the chapel was constructed from the salvaged bricks and was finished n 1965.

Students across campus can hear the bells ringing from the chapel's carillon at the beginning of each hour. The beauty of the chapel is undeniable, which s likely why the wait list for weddings there can be notoriously ong.

According to wedding director Debbie Hinshaw, who has directed two weddings there and attended others, the chapel s such a desirable venue because of its beauty and location.

"It's a very special place,"

Hinshaw said. "It's kind of a cozy, intimate feeling within the chapel, but one thing that I think makes the chapel so special is that it's in the middle of the campus."

She continued this thought by describing the setting that the newlyweds would see as they come out of the chapel: the Colvard Student Union, Old Main Academic Center, peaks of the Drill Field and the edge of Davis Wade Stadium.

Hinshaw shared how special a wedding would be there for couples where one or both people attended MSU, because of how many memories can be tied to walking past the chapel and those areas of campus that are visible from the surrounding area.

Abigail Musser is a recent MSU graduate who is currently planning a wedding at the chapel with her fiance Slater Richardson, who is still attending the university.

Musser shared a bit of her and

Richardson's love story, as well as the decision to have their ceremony on campus at the Chapel of Memories. The couple both grew up in Starkville and attended different churches.

Since they did not want to decide between whose church to have the important ceremony at, they decided on the Chapel.

Musser took action far in advance, beginning to plan her wedding a year prior to the wedding date. She shares that she was very "gung-ho" about booking the Chapel early and was even ahead of the maximum booking for MSU venues of no more than one year in advance of the event.

Musser touched on the reasonability of the pricing of using the Chapel as a wedding venue.

"I feel like places will just tack the word 'wedding' on the front of anything and triple the price," Musser said.

Musser and her fiance are two of the many students who have dated through college at MSU

and ended up having either their engagement, wedding or both at the Chapel of Memories.

Students are not the only lovebirds enchanted by the idea of a ceremony in the gorgeous chapel, with its large arched interior details and stained-glass frocked walls. Many faculty members have had weddings there as well.

Alyssa and Peter McKinley, two MSU staff members, had their quaint wedding at the Chapel of Memories last July.

Alyssa McKinley, a staff member working with the Office of Research Compliance and Security, shared about her and her husband's relationship which budded when she was in graduate school.

From their first date a couple years ago on Valentine's Day, to their engagement before flying over a home game at Dudy Noble Field in an aircraft through RASPET, where Peter McKinley works, and their wedding at the Chapel, the McKin-

Isaiah Young | Courtesy Photo

Alyssa and Peter McKinley held their wedding at the Chapel of Memories last July.

ley's love story is endearing for anyone to hear, especially any Bulldog.

"The Chapel will be there probably until the end of time," Alyssa McKinley said. "So, if my great great grandchildren in the future wanted to visit it, it would still be there."

These are just two of many, many Bulldog love stories that

have come and are still to come full-circle to an intimate wedding at MSU's Chapel of Memories.

When walking around campus this Valentine's Day, stop by the historic chapel and flip through the log book of visitors, lovebirds and newlyweds to get a feel for just how much love is held inside those old brick walls.

Album review: Black Country, New Road cement themselves as standard bearers

JoShua Stewart

Life & entertainMent editor

What occurs when a band oses a lead vocalist, frontman or principal songwriter? Britsh post-punk phenoms Black Country, New Road (BC,NR) will be searching for the answer, as they have lost all three with the departure of one man.

Days before the release of heir sophomore album "Ants rom Up There," lead singer saac Wood announced his surprise exit from one of the hottest acts in indie music.

Wood put BC,NR on the map with his Slint-esque talkng, almost conversational vocal style and his bizarre yrics ranging from the mundane aspects of the modern human condition to the philosophical and political.

The band's debut album, "For the first time," set the world of indie music ablaze in he early months of 2021. On "Ants," the now-former sepet showcases their evolution rom post-rock wunderkinds o bona fide indie stars.

"Ants from Up There" is a

masterclass of jazzy, freeform and experimental yet accessible modern rock. The band has broken the mold set by their debut, abandoning (for the most part) the post-punk elements and setting a new benchmark for indie music in the 2020s.

No discussion of this album can be had without recognizing the consistent theme throughout much of the track list: love. Unrequited, real, crumbling love and imaginary love. Various tracks are centered around this idea of love in the modern age.

Take "Concorde" as an example. Wood sings about a breakup and compares this relationship to a Concorde jet, a discontinued supersonic aircraft that was costly to maintain and had several faults. At times, he is optimistic, saying that he "was breathless upon every mountain, just to look for your light," but realizes the inherent absurdity in remaining with this person who clearly cannot stand him. Still, he remains entranced. "I was made to love you, can't you tell?" Wood croons in a des-

perate voice.

The narrator of "Bread Song" wrestles with a similar issue. "Okay, well I just woke up," Wood sings in a hushed voice, barely a whisper, "and you already don't care." The narrator takes us through instances of attempted vulnerability with his partner, to no avail.

All this is not to say that there exist no moments of genuine happiness. "Good Will Hunting" is an upbeat,

almost joyful track, featuring hard to pin down lyrics about starships, "traversing the Milky Way" and imagining an idyllic future with a new person. "Chaos Space Marine" may allude to a failing relationship, but remains a high energy, violin laden track about Warhammer 40k.

Much of the acclaim for "Ants" has come from the final three songs in its 10track, 58-minute run. "The Place Where He Inserted the

Blade" is a complex track.

Piano, saxophone and flute are featured prominently while Wood sings of making a meal, perhaps following along with a video. He messes it up severely, and implores his significant other to help out.

Read between the lines, however, and you find a more depressing ballad about becoming dependent on a relationship. "Good morning," Wood sings, "where is your light? Am I home?"

Throughout the length of the second-to-last track, "Snow Globes," Wood employs a heavy use of metaphorical thinking, possibly about another relationship. While the lyrics are confusing and up to interpretation, drummer Charlie Wayne shines, independent and free from the rest of the track.

There are simply not enough words for "Basketball Shoes," the album's closer.

This sprawling, multi-genre and multi-part track runs for nearly 13 minutes, and yet feels far too short. "Basketball Shoes" is BC,NR at their absolute finest, and represents

an apotheosis, a pinnacle for modern indie music. It is masterful and all-encompassing of the band's talent both musically and lyrically. The instrumental sections are epic and sweeping, and the lyrics wrap up the whole album with a crushing, heart-wrenching bow. Combine those elements with a tearful and caterwauling performance by Isaac Wood, especially in the track's closing minutes, and you have not only an impeccable send off for this era in the band's history, but one of the finest songs in recent indie music history.

"Ants from Up There" is genius in its instrumentation and lyrics. It is a singular album, even in an era of indie music dominated by postpunk revivalism. Many bands will release albums similar in genre, but few, if any, will reach the peaks set by this current incarnation of Black Country, New Road. Their style may not be universal in its appeal, but for fans of the experimental, "Ants" will go down in history as an instant classic.

Valentine’s Day Special

MSU clubs host a wide variety of student-focused Valentine’s events

Bronwen Maddox

Staff writer

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and the clubs and organizations of Mississippi State University are ready as ever. Marketplace at Perry is having a Valentine's Dinner, the Society of Women Engineers s celebrating with a Gaentine's Day Event and the Panhellenic Council s hosting a flower sale.

The pre-vet club is putting on Puppy Loves and Kitten Kisses, a undraiser that benefits both the club and the Oktibbeha County Humane Society Animal Shelter. This will include a competition between dogs and cats, and there will be "energetic and adorable fur babies" on the Drill Field to draw people's attention.

The Digital Media Center in Mitchell Memorial Library got started early. On Feb. 4, they hosted a Valentine Beaded Garland Workshop. Stephanie Agnew, assistant coordinator in the Digital Media Center, put together the workshop. All attendees created a garland from red and white wooden beads, a fringed tassel and a "Be Mine" heart that was printed on vinyl rom the Cricut in the Maker Space.

Agnew is also helping the Financial Literacy

Group with their event, Cute as a Button.

"We created some buttons, different Valentine themed buttons and they'll be able to come in and make those, and I know for a fact that the Financial Literacy Group is trying to show them how they can do a gift that's $5 or under.

So this was something that we worked together with to see what they could do in here, where it would be an open space where they could come and do that type of

thing," Agnew said.

Even the Swim Club is showing out for Valentine's Day. Swimming at MSU is having a bake sale on Feb. 14 on the Drill Field to raise money. The Swim Club President, Georgia Starr, is a junior majoring in psychology.

"We wanted to do a bake sale for funding and I think we chose Valentine's day because a lot of people are going to be out around campus and on the Drill Field and we like the idea of having

themes. Our cookies are going to be little conversation hearts, like they sell around Valentine's day. We wanted to kind of do it with a holiday and also we knew people would be like 'Oh crap, I forgot to get my boyfriend or girlfriend something' so they can grab some cookies," Starr said.

The money will be used to fund the club as they travel to meets throughout the semester. Due to the Sanderson Center's pool

being ".5 yards too small" according to Starr, the club can not host meets, but they are able to compete in them.

Another event happening on campus is Love on the Brain, which is being hosted by Housing and Residence Life, specifically the Residence Halls of the north zone, which includes Griffis, Nunnelee, Hurst, Ruby, Dogwood and Deavenport.

Zach Agee, the community director of Griffis, is involved with the planning and execution of

this event.

"That event is gonna be an educational event that is structured around body positivity, self-love and just kind of boosting your self-esteem. And so we just wanna educate our students on the importance of those three attributes. We were hoping to do something that doesn't just go for our standard couples but more so just that body positivity image," Agee said.

The event took place on Feb. 7, and was the first event of the year for Housing and Residence Life.

"Yeah, so we actually have a lot of different events that we're hoping to have," Agee said.

"And so one is gonna be like an affirmation station and so students are gonna be able to write affirmations about themselves. Also leave one, take one for other students.

There's also going to be a student showcase that we're hoping to have. So students have signed up to perform their own interpretation of love. It could be through spoken words, that can be through dance, singing, all those different aspects of what love looks like for them."

Agee said they hope to use this event as a springboard for further programming.

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Love abounds in maroon and white Valentine’s Day Special: Interviews with the matriarchs and patriarchs of MSU fandom Tanner marlar sporTs ediTor

For decades, Mississippi State University athletics have been at the forefront of the lives of Bulldog couples everywhere. Recently, The Reflector got to sit down with some of those couples and hear their stories about what makes MSU's athletics so much more than just a weekend activity.

Flashback to the year 1976 in Jackson, Mississippi, where the MSU Bulldogs met the Auburn Tigers on a warm fall evening. Amongst the crowd, one might find a young Ron and Jan Black on their first date as a young couple.

"Everyone wanted to have a date with a girl that lived in Jackson," Jan Black said, "because you didn't want to have to worry about driving back to Starkville or finding a place to stay. So our roommates just kind of threw us together, and that was back in 1976."

For her husband Ron, the former president of the MSU Alumni Association, Bulldog blood has run through his veins ever since his family member made their mark on MSU. "My brother played basketball at (Mississippi) State from '67-'71," Ron Black said, "so all those years that he played basketball, needless to say, we came up to every home game. That's how I became a fan."

According to the

couple, there was never any question that MSU was home for them.

"I never thought about it," Ron Black said, "Once I started coming up here and going to ball games it was like, 'That's where I'm going to school.' I never thought anything about going anywhere else."

Despite living in Starkville now, the Blacks haven't always called the Magnolia state home. The couple lived in Austin, Texas for a brief stint, but still kept their ties to MSU as strong as ever. In fact, Ron was kind enough to share a story of just how the MSU alumni living in Texas got to listen to games before they moved back home.

Each Saturday, the couple would get up and make the two hour drive to Houston, Texas, where one of the largest MSU alumni chapters resides, and crowdfund a long distance phone call to Mississippi, just so they could get the radio call feed of the late Jack Cristil giving his famed play-byplay commentary.

"You would have anywhere from 50-75 people sitting around listening to Jack Cristil on Saturday, because we had no internet," Ron Black said.

When asked what MSU means to them, Ron had only one thing to say.

"Thank you. Thank you for my life, because basically, if it wasn't for Mississippi State, I wouldn't have her, and if it wasn't for Mississippi

State preparing me to be successful, we wouldn't have this house or my career, so thank you," Ron Black said.

While the Blacks have witnessed plenty of great moments in their days of fandom, there is one couple who have been Bulldogs for just a little bit longer.

John and Jennie Fraiser are Starkville residents and have made the road trip to Omaha, Nebraska each time the Diamond Dawgs have stepped foot in the championship. John, a 96year-old World War II veteran and former member of the Mississippi legislature, shared that some of his fondest memories are from his time in Starkville.

"I graduated high school in 1942 and immediately enrolled a week later in the summer studies at Mississippi State when I was 16 years old," John Fraiser said, "and I took extra hours around the clock until I was 17 years old. Then I packed my bags and went home and got my mother and dad to sign my petition to go into the Air Force cadet program."

John returned home after the war and earned a law degree before he was elected to the Mississippi senate. During that time, Jennie was working as a high school librarian in Greenwood, Mississippi.

The two were still as passionate as ever about Bulldog sports, though, so every weekend they would meet at a house they had

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purchased in Starkville for some time together at the field or stadium.

The Fraisers have never let distance get in the way of their love for the team in maroon and white, and that paid off in the best way possible this past year, when MSU won the first national title in the school's history during the college world series.

John and Jennie Fraiser stay at the same hotel each time they make the trip, and by now, the staff expects them, so when the Diamond Dawgs brought home the gold this year, the Fraisers returned to a room decorated by the hotel staff in maroon and white.

The Fraisers can be found in their seats at just about every MSU athletic event, especially basketball games, and are a living testament to the fact that MSU sports are not just something to do if you want to kill time on the weekends - they're so much more. Sports make us sad, they make us happy and they give us moments and memories with each other like nothing else can.

All across the country there are couples like the Fraisers and the Blacks, but here in Starkville, at Dudy Noble Field, Humphrey Coliseum, Davis-Wade Stadium or any of the numerous athletic facilities on campus, love abounds in ways that can hardly be put into words. Love abounds in maroon and white, ladies and gentlemen, and it always will.

Courtesy Photo | Ron and Jan Black

Ron and Jan Black were both present for the 2021 World Series victory in Omaha, Nebraska.

Courtesy Photo | John and Jennie Fraiser

John and Jennie Fraiser pose for a photo wearing their beloved maroon and white.