10.20.21

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

137TH YEAR | ISSUE 6

Starkville sign ordinance stirs up controversy among local businesses and city officials

Annual climate march urges city to improve housing conditions, expand sidewalks

heather harriSon

contributing Writer

neWS editor

“The new sign ordinance would require us to kill our beloved Strange Brew sign. It’s an important part of our Strange Brew history, and I hope it’s been an important part of our local community by making people laugh and brighten days. How can we #SaveTheBrewSign?”

Strange Brew Coffeehouse tweeted at Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill last Tuesday afternoon.

According to a 2011 addition of the Starkville, Mississippi, Code of Ordinance regulations, pole signs, like Strange Brew’s Highway 12 location, will have a stricter set of guidelines to improve the look of signs across town.

SIGN, 2

Hailey Storey | The Reflector

Strange Brew’s Highway 12 location sign often displays witty messages and sarcasm.

m’rhea darden

At 2 p.m. last Friday, about 50 peaceful protesters gathered outside of Lee Hall at Mississippi State University to protest for climate-friendly changes. The protestors' route started at Lee Hall and ended at City Hall in Starkville.

President of the Climate Reality Club Josie Nasekos, a junior majoring in e n v i r o n m e n t a l economics and management, said the main goal she was trying to accomplish through the march was to hold the

Ashok Manick| The Reflector

Students marched from Lee Hall to City Hall last Friday to demand climate action now.

city more accountable in its climate change actions.

Nasekos explained that Climate Reality's goal has remained the same since its beginning

in 2012.

"The plan is the same as the original from 2012," Nasekos said.

"We have not had to update the plan since MARCH, 2 2012."

From mill housing to thriving nightlife: the boom of the Cotton District PaYton broWn StaFF Writer

The Cotton District is a popular sector in Starkville among students, locals and tourists due to its vibrant nightlife and inviting eateries. For such a sought-out area with consistent business, it may be surprising to discover that this quarter was once something entirely different.

According to the Cotton District website, in 1926, the Starkville gem was the home of a cotton mill owned by the Sanders family. Tenant housing for mill workers covered the District instead of the multitude of student housing currently present.

However, everything changed for this sector after the mill halted production in 1964 and

Starkville adopted the Urban Renewal Laws in 1967.

The definitive idea of the Cotton District was formed in 1969 when Dan Camp, who was an industrial arts professor at Mississippi State University at the time, began to invest in properties located on Lummus Street with the plan to transform them into student rental homes.

Robert Camp, the owner of Cotton District Rentals and son of the late Dan Camp, explained the incremental process involved in the development of the District.

“Most people that are (younger) think (the Cotton District) automatically and magically popped up. A lot of people come in today who have never been here before think

that one person came in and built this overnight when this has been a 50plus year project,” Camp said.

His father’s interest in the area and his later installments of timeless,

15,000 students. Now it is surpassing 22,000.

Even through the COVID19 pandemic, there has been a continuous increase in the number of incoming freshmen every semester.

As a recreational sport, racquetball first began gaining popularity in the 1970s, and it gradually lost its traction over the following decades. When the Sanderson Center first opened its doors, society anticipated racquetball to be the "sport of the future," according to Student Association President Garrett Smith.

As its popularity dwindled in the 2000s, MSU has managed to keep racquetball alive thanks to its operating sports club featuring drop-in plays.

Surprisingly, according to Townsend, the courts have seen more use in recent months than usual because of the need to spread students out due to COVID-19 social distancing regulations.

People still check out racquets and goggles to play; people reserve the courts for other activities, such as dodgeball games or dance practices. As a result, the courts have become another accommodation for students to use when the other studio spaces are in use.

Thus, the racquetball courts are still being used, just not for racquetball.

Then, why have them at all?

"Then comes the good problem of needing more space.

More space utilization for programs, whether that be something for fitness, competitive sports or intramurals, or outdoor adventure space," Townsend said.

It is difficult to simply let go of a dedicated studio space because of the needs of student groups and other reservations that can go towards University Recreation revenue streams. When expanding

described the area as undesirable and avoided by the community. The dilapidated state of the homes and dismal appearance of the environment caused residents to refrain from visiting.

According to Camp, the only commercial space available in the area during the 1980s was the District Cafe, now home to Uno Mas. However, this lack of business did not stop the once tightknit community from making the most out of their surroundings.

“It was a whole different kind of group of people whereas now it has become so large and almost uncontrollable.

Back then, everyone knew everyone, and everyone hung out together. It was a true neighborhood.

They would have parties,” Camp said.

John Lawrence | The Reflector

The Cotton District may now be filled with colorful housing and vivid nightlife, but a century ago, the District was the site of a cotton mill.

classical architecture were rooted in his exposure and love for Greek revival cities such as Alexandria, Virginia, Charleston, North Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana. He

wanted to transform a formerly bare Starkville into an area that thrived off embraced culturalism.

Before the years of renovations and improvements made by his father, Robert Camp

DISTRICT, 2

Is racquetball a dying spor t? New increased Student Activity Fee is slated to replace and renovate cour ts emma niSbet

contributing Writer

"Things go in waves and trends. You see that in fitness; you see that in sports; you see that in fashion. And there's always a possibility that racquetball could be revitalized," said Jason Townsend, associate director of Mississippi State University's Joe Frank Sanderson Center.

The Sanderson Center houses a total of eight racquetball courts. With the pending approval on the student activity fee increase from $5 to $25, significant changes may be coming to the center, including the upheaval of many of these courts dedicated to a supposed "dying sport."

The desperate need for change, as well as space, is growing all too quickly.

MSU first built the Joe Frank Sanderson Center in 1998, when the university had a student body composed of about

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walls is not an option, people will use the courts for other purposes, leading to the lessened use of readily available studio space.

Out of the eight racquetball courts, the Sanderson only dedicates three for the sport. The center converted one of the ones on the lower level into The Box, a kickboxing studio.

Upstairs, another court has had its glass walls removed and workout equipment pushed into it.

Another two have had strength equipment placed inside. The fitness facility did not make any renovations or structural changes; the center just repurposed the space into private, personal workout rooms.

"They have a need for space. They have a need for general strength training space and cardio training space, but not for racquetball space," said SA President Smith.

Kathryn Beatty | The Reflector

RACQUETBALL, 2

The Sanderson Center is renovating some of the racquetball courts to be multi-purpose.

FORECAST: Sweatshirt season is upon us! It is mid-October and fall weather finally made its way to the Magnolia State. Wednesday will be another foggy but sunny day, then the rain returns on Thursday and the sun will rejoin us on Friday.

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RACQUETBALL

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To make this space, UREC has decided to replace the racquetball courts entirely with a brand new workout studio. The finished project would be about the size of the weight room on the first floor.

UREC would have to devote various resources to a project like this. The employees need to consider not just the demolition aspects but also the aesthetics and the structural theme of the Sanderson Center.

"That's kind of the blessing of a fee and getting that help and

support from the Student Association," Townsend said.

Additionally, UREC and SA do not want to take away racquetball entirely because a section of the campus plays the sport and frequently uses the courts. UREC intends to keep the option available for all students who may want to reserve the court space for recreational activities or to play racquetball.

At the Sanderson Center, students had a wide range of opinions on the issue. Most said they favor the removal, though

a few said they do not support it at all. Even some think that something new entirely should take the place of the racquetball courts, not another weight room.

Randy Flatness, a sophomore computer engineering major, reported that he rarely sees all the rooms in use.

"I only see three of them used at a time," Flatness said.

UREC has noticed this too and taken it into account for their renovation plans.

Based on the current plan, three racquetball

courts will remain after the center completes the changes. Many UREC employees said they hope to see the beginning and completion of this goal within a few semesters. SA President Smith shared his perspective on this matter.

"At the end of the day, if we're not using all eight, then we need to use that space more wisely," Smith said.

The racquetball court renovation is not the only project to look forward to in the future of the Sanderson Center and fitness on the MSU

campus. Some other changes that students might see in the future due to the raised student activity fee are a bouldering cave, a turf training area, a revamp to the old intramural fields, new walking, jogging and biking paths; formal markers for the 5K routes, a reinvestment into new intramural fields and beginning a projected 10-year plan of bringing recreation closer to residence halls.

The sole purpose of improving the fitness options is to keep both the physical and mental needs

CLIMATE "The plan is the same as the original from 2012," Nasekos said. "We have not had to update the plan since 2012."

One of the main demands of the climate march was for the city of Starkville to add more crosswalks, bike paths and sidewalks to create a more walkable town. Additionally, the protestors advocated for a trained Starkville Police Department officer to investigate and ensure the low-income housing in the city is safe to live in.

"Starkville decided to use the money from the COVID relief to hire two new PD officers," Nasekos said, "so someone should be trained to make sure landlords are

CONTINUED FROM 1

keeping the apartments up to date and in safe living conditions, so what happened during Hurricane Ida won't happen again, and if it does, the city should open up the hurricane shelters."

Once the protest began, the energy in the crowd was high. Everyone seemed enthusiastic to raise their voices for their beliefs. The crowd chanted, "Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Climate change has got to go!" When the protestors made it to City Hall, NAACP Environmental Justice Committee board chair Katherine Egland joined them to speak about the importance of environmental actions and keeping the sustainable

movements going.

Additionally, MSU students who were especially knowledgeable about climate action spoke about the need to keep urging the university and city to practice sustainable measures.

One of the protest attendees was first-year student Mallory Smith, who said she appreciated that the protest's demands included both MSU and Starkville.

"I'm in favor for it. I really like the demands in general just because they did not just limit the problems to the school, but to all of Starkville," Smith said.

Agreeing with Smith, freshman psychology major Anna Delafield said she liked

that the university was devoting more funding to improve the community.

"I like the way that Mississippi State University is not just using the funds for the school, so the fact that we are trying to make changes around the city makes it better, too," Delafield said.

Smith also said she appreciated that another goal of the climate march was to demand changes for the homeless problem around town.

Overall, Naskeos deemed the protest a success, as about 50 marchers attended the event. Protestors left, saying they felt inspired by the messages Egland and the student speakers shared.

Ashok Manick | The Reflector

Climate Reality Project President Josie Nasekos speaks at the third annual climate march.

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Mayor Spruill and the aldermen of Starkville can help us come up with a way to preserve something that makes Starkville different and special,” the owners wrote.

The Reflector attempted to contact Strange Brew but did not receive a reply by publication time.

In an interview with the Reflector, Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said the changes would not affect the message on Strange Brew’s sign but said the owners just need to lower the sign’s height to be eight feet tall.

Additionally, it must have a monument base made from brick or similar materials and be at least five feet apart from any nearby road.

“The words on the sign itself can stay the same, but it must be lowered,” Spruill said.

Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk of Ward 2 agreed with Spruill and said the coffee shop has flexibility with the new guidelines.

“I think that (Strange Brew) can accomplish

everything that they are known for that sign in a way that is conforming with our sign ordinance,” Sistrunk said.

“The words on the sign itself can stay the same, but it must be lowered.”

Lynn Spruill Mayor Starkville, Mississippi

Tuesday, Mayor Spruill acknowledged Strange Brew in multiple tweets, defending the ordinance, which she did not write.

“There are old and unattractive signs all over town that need to be upgraded, and we can’t and won’t discriminate,” Spruill tweeted.

Dozens of people on

Twitter sided with Strange Brew and asked if the mayor could make an exception for the coffee shop.

“As a former Alderwoman for the (City of Starkville), I can say that this is a sign that is famous. I would attend a conference, and people would tell me about the (Strange Brew) sign,” Lisa Wynn tweeted.

However, Mayor Spruill said exceptions would probably not be allowed for the rule.

“Strange Brew may ask for an exemption or to be grandfathered in, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll get it,” Spruill said to the Reflector.

Additionally, Strange Brew tweeted that the city had not previously warned the coffee shop of the upcoming sign changes.

However, Spruill said that the 72 businesses affected by the ordinance were alerted of the upcoming due date via an official letter and an email from the mayor’s office in advance, allowing the businesses plenty of time

DISTRICT The focus on commercialism, according to Camp, began in 1999 when the blue building that currently holds Bin 612 was built.

Business began to pick up in 2005 after the development of former restaurants such as Tonic and Up Your Alley, but Starkville’s downtown area was still the star of the show at this time.

“Everybody in this community knew at the time that downtown was the hot spot as we only had three little places here. People would come through and say, ‘I don’t know what you guys are doing because this is never going to take off,’” Camp said.

Pat Bryan, the owner of Starkville Midtown Properties and former co-worker of Dan Camp, described his journey back to Starkville around 1980 and how his friendship with Dan Camp got him involved

to fix their signs.

Mayor Spruill owns Spruill Property Management in Starkville, which has a sign that will also need to be improved to fit the ordinance’s requests. Spruill said she is happy to comply with the law and will have her sign fixed before the May deadline.

Alderman Ben Carver, representing Ward 1, said he voted against the ordinance in 2011 and is still not in favor of it.

“I think it’s just a cumbersome overreach of government,” Carver said.

Accordingly, the alderman plans to motion a recall vote at the Oct. 18 board meeting. He said he hopes the new board members will agree with him to cancel the ordinance.

“Something that happened 11 years ago shouldn’t dictate the day now,” Carver said.

Alderwoman Sistrunk voted in favor of the sign ordinance in 2011. She said if Carver holds a recall motion, her vote will likely remain the same. The

alderwoman said she is a fan of Strange Brew but still believes all businesses should follow the new law.

“When we passed the ordinance, we were careful that we were treating everybody consistently,” Sistrunk said.

Sistrunk said the 2011 ordinance was just one of many aimed to improve the city’s visual look as it transforms into a more urban area. The strict eight-feet-tall sign guideline furthers those goals.

“I don’t think (the board’s) original idea was to give a height variance because our original idea was to reduce the visual clutter of those pole signs,” Sistrunk said.

Strange Brew remains adamant about keeping its sign as is. However, the city will enforce a maximum daily penalty for establishments that are non-compliant with the order. Spruill said she hopes the city will not have to penalize the businesses because the ordinance ultimately benefits the town’s appearance.

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in property investments in the Cotton District.

The atmosphere of the Cotton District when Bryan arrived differed vastly from today because of the petite size, but this small-scale community did not lack generosity and togetherness.

“Back in the early ’80s or all throughout the ’80s, it was like a family. If people didn’t have places to go for the holidays, then they would join others in the community,” Bryan said.

Bryan explained that Camp’s endeavors were rooted in his care for minority communities and his objective to provide a better environment for the individuals in this area.

“Dan was very forward-thinking and was thinking very clearly about things before people even thought about it. Not even just his building, but the way he treated

other people and less fortunate people. He cared about minorities and other people before it was the cool thing to do,” Bryan said.

The Cotton District’s advancement in connecting with MSU has taken part in its growth and allowed the continuation of area progression.

“It’s like living in a permanent construction zone,” Bryan said.

Barton Dinkins, the owner of Two Brother’s Smoked Meats, gave insight into how his thriving business developed due to the influence of Dan Camp.

His experience in the Cotton District’s food industry and long-time family intertwinement with the Camps helped him blossom his business into what it is today.

“I spent most of my time in college working for restaurants to pay for school, and I fell in love with it because of

the people and energy of it. It was high-paced, and you had to be on your feet all the time,” Dinkins said.

Dinkins developed a plan to attend culinary school after his time at MSU, but Camp convinced him to take a leap of faith and build a business in the Cotton District instead.

“He promised me if I kept my business open for five years, it would be a bigger restaurant.

Sure enough, on the dot, five years later, we opened our newest location,” Dinkins said.

The Cotton District is continuously evolving and upgrading to better serve Starkville’s students and residents.

Today, the area is home to more than six commercial businesses and includes many student housing options.

For more information regarding the Cotton District community, visit their website.

BULLETIN BOARD

John Lawrence| The Reflector

Cartoon-inspired murals decorate the sides of buildings and bars in the Cotton District.

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SIGN Section A of Article IX-Signage states that the goal of the law is for all signs in the city to have a more cohesive and appealing look and provide less visual clutter along the roads that could impair drivers’ visibility.

The ordinance will go into effect May 5, 2022, giving businesses a final few months to rebuild their signs. Initially, it was supposed to go into effect in 2021, but the Board of Aldermen lengthened the timeline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Tuesday, Strange Brew sent out multiple tweets and social media posts directed at Mayor Spruill to reconsider the ordinance. Later that afternoon, the coffee shop posted an official statement to its social media accounts that asked if the sign could be granted status as a piece of history and remain the same since the owners have used the message board for many momentous occasions over the years.

“My hopes are that

of the student body at the forefront, explained Townsend.

"I think that's a big thing right now: health and wellbeing. Mental health, physical health, that's key right now," Townsend said.

"Anything we can do as a department, and then in collaboration with other departments like Health Promotion and Wellness and the Student Association, to make things better with healthier opportunities; all those things are a plus.

So, we keep fighting for those things."

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE

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Friday, October 1, 2021

Monday, October 4, 2021

Student reported receiving threats via social media from two students in Cresswell Hall.

Two students were arrested on Bully Boulevard for public drunkenness.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Saturday, October 2, 2021 Student was arrested in the A11 parking lot for careless driving, driving without headlights, possession of a fake I.D., minor in possession of alchohol, possession of marijuana and DUI.

Student reported her bike stolen from the bike rack at Montgomery Hall.

Student issued a referral for possession of marijuana at College View Apartments.

Employee reported a person Sunday, October 3, 2021 attempting to remove a wheel lock from his vehicle in the C2 Two students were issued reparking lot. ferrals for smoking marijuana in the C1 parking lot.

Landscape employee witnessed a hit and run on PresVehicle was towed by Apex ident’s Circle involving a Towing from Oak Hall for student walking across the blocking roadway. crosswalk.

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Animal Fact of the Week Swifts spend most of their lives flying, and can fly for almost an entire year without landing. via factanimal.com

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OPINION

I n c re a s e d d ive rs i t y i n t h e S t a rk v i l l e food scene is necessary for inclusion Emma Dotson is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

If you are looking for something to eat in Starkville and you happen to be in the mood for Mexican food, then you are in luck since Starkville hosts a whopping 10 Mexican restaurants in its city limits. If none of those establishments pique your interest, we have five separate chicken places. However, if you want much more than that, your options tend to dwindle to a handful. It is great Starkville at least has some variety in its food scene, but it will not truly be booming until it is just as diverse as its inhabitants.

There are three types of restaurants which can help with this diversification: Indian, Italian and Mediterranean.

According to information obtained from Lauren Wright, the deputy director of international services at MSU, MSU currently has 69 enrolled students from India. MSU also has several Indian faculty/staff members, second generation

Indian immigrants and their families living in Starkville.These individuals deserve to have a spot where they can feel at home in a community of people who share similar culture and values. After all, if you were living over 8,000 miles from home would not you want something which helps it feel not so far away? There is one Indian restaurant currently in Starkville called Flavors Cuisine of India, but the more variations you have of the same cuisine the better the level of inclusion. This, of course, is something which is good in moderation, not like the double digits of Mexican restaurants.

A large portion of Indian cuisine is its social aspect. CulinarySchools.org explains the courses are served all at once in groups for everyone to eat until they are satisfied. Like most restaurants, there is immense care put into the preparation of the food, no matter how simple or complex it may be. Indian food also has many different layers to it since it has Mongolian, Persian and Chinese influences in the cuisine. This component allows Indian cuisine to appeal to many types of eaters no matter how picky because of its vast array of dishes and spices. Not to mention the introduction of new foods into your routine will help you maintain a well-balanced and

nutrient-dense diet, as stated by a registered dietician of A Healthier Michigan. Plus, who knows, you might just find your new favorite food!

As far as the Italian food scene, Starkville had two restaurants to fill this need: Gondolier Italian Restaurant, which, according to Mary Pollitz of The Starkville Dispatch, closed its doors for good in 2020, and Stromboli's Italian Eatery. Gondolier had a very short run just short of two years with a basket of mixed reviews.

Some claimed it to be "a touch of Italy" while others criticized it for its "Chef Boyardee" canned tomato sauce taste pervading many of its dishes.

Stromboli's has been a staple for college students for the past 20 years since its opening in 2001. Although it does serve some Italian style dishes, none of them are truly authentic Italian-style.

Stromboli's pizza, according to Daniella DiRienzo of Only in Your State, is a combination style of Colorado and Iowa-style pizza, which are obviously not original Italian pizza styles. Most styles of pizza in the U.S. are offshoots of traditional Italian pizza. Traditionally, Italian pizza has thincrisp crust, pureed tomato sauce with seasonings and usually only one topping, as defined by the Tuscan Pizza

Team. It is simplistic but divine. American pizza has the mind-set of more is better, which is not inherently a bad thing, but it would be nice to have an alternative if you are not into American style. Personally, I have never tried Stromboli's pasta but in my mind, there is always room for more pasta, so an authentic Italian restaurant would add another place you can satisfy this demand.

Next up on the need-tohave restaurant list is a Mediterranean style restaurant. Greek food is my favorite of this category but there are many other delicious foods under this umbrella. As of right now, Starkville has a couple restaurants

which offer Ameri-Greek versions of traditional dishes such as Dave's Dark Horse Tavern's gyros along with Boardtown Pizza & Pints which serves hummus, falafel, pita mozzarella and gyros. I will not even begin to mention Pita Pit as a contender. However, the obstacle which these restaurants run into again is the issue of authenticity.

Sure, these dishes share the same name as their Mediterranean counterparts, but it is all Americanized. I am not asking for restaurants to completely dox the Americanized parts of their menu but to have options for those who are in search of the authentic cuisine missing in our city. One of my personal fa-

vorites in Mississippi which fulfills this need is Aladdin Mediterranean Grill in Jackson.

This traditional restaurant serves lamb chops, baklava, kababs, hummus and yes, gyros. I am not saying Aladdin is the one and only right way to do Mediterranean food, but if they ever want to expand to Starkville then I would not be disappointed.

Starkville has come a long way over the past decade with its development and is still rapidly growing, but there is always room for diversity in any aspect of life. The introduction of these three restaurants will not solve all the city's problems but any step towards inclusion is a good one.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021 | @SPORTSREFLECTOR

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SPORTS

Tide rolls over the Bulldogs, again Tanner marlar sporTs ediTor

For the 14th straight time, the Alabama Crimson Tide got the best of the Mississippi State University Bulldogs when the two teams met on the gridiron this past weekend in Davis Wade Stadium.

The last time MSU was able to best the Tide was in 2007 via a score of 17-12. This year, however, was quite a bit more disappointing for Bulldog fans.

The Tide steamrolled MSU by a whopping total of 49-9, handing the Bulldogs what is easily their

biggest margin of loss on the season. Alabama played extremely well, but the Bulldogs did themselves no favors in the game.

S o p h o m o r e quarterback Will Rogers came into this game with only two interceptions on the season. He walked off the field with a total of three in this game alone.

On MSU’s first drive, the Bulldogs moved the ball well, all the way up until Rogers threw his first interception of the half, under throwing his receiver by a wide margin.

At halftime, the score sat at 21-6.

Fourteen of those points came after Rogers’ two first half interceptions.

Head Coach Mike Leach attributed these passing woes to some on-field communication issues after the game.

“It was horrible communication ... that’s a nice way to put it,” Leach said.

When asked in particular about Rogers’ play, Leach offered his insight as well.

“He tried extremely hard, to the point where he threw some balls out of character and forced things, you know (Rogers was) trying to make too much happen,” Leach said.

The second half was even less comforting for Bulldog fans, as the Tide really opened up the scoring after half time, totaling 14 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarter. Several of these were simply due to the athleticism of the Alabama players, but some were also due to defensive miscues and the Alabama coaching staff picking up the third down blitzes Bulldog fans have grown so accustomed to under Zach Arnett’s defense.

Those blitzes just were not enough in the end, though, as the Bulldog defense simply struggled to get off the field on third downs against the Tide in the

second half.

All of this ultimately culminated in a crushing defeat for the Bulldogs, leaving fans with more questions than answers going forward.

Was Rogers playing through injury? Will Arnett still be the defensive coordinator next year? Will the offense work against the best of the best? At this point in the season, teams like to have more of those questions answered than MSU does.

Either way, this game slid MSU to a 3-3 record, meaning a bowl bid is still very much possible.

The Bulldogs will

travel to Nashville this weekend to face the V a n d e r b i l t Commodores, the only team in the SEC with less wins.

After the game, redshirt junior linebacker Jett Johnson shared his thoughts on what this team can do going into Vanderbilt week.

“We’re going to keep our heads down, keep pushing and play every game like it’s our last,” Johnson said.

The betting lines for this week have MSU as a 23-point favorite on the road, according to Circa Sports on Twitter, so there are at least some experts that believe in the Bulldogs this week.

MSU's MAFES store needs to add a new cheese to their inventory AARON WATERsON CONTRibuTiNg WRiTER

Cheese. Delicious, delicious cheese. Melt it, shred it, munch it or slice it, cheese is a staple of most forms of cuisine. Mississippi State University's agriculture department clearly recognizes this and has stepped into the ring with the various cheeses of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) store.

Yet, the stock falls short, with a scant four cheeses and two spreads.

Of those cheeses, only one is truly remarkable.

The other cheeses they offer— cheddar, jalapeño pepper and Vallagret, do not stand out quite as much as MSU's famous Edam cheese. The MAFES shop website describes Vallagret to be a Norwegian style of Swiss cheese. Cheddar and jalapeño pepper cheeses are everywhere from dips to sandwich slices. Cheddar is quite literally so common in

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

The MAFES Sales Store carries a variety of cheeses produced by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

America the Department of Agriculture uses it to track the overall health of the dairy market week by week, with the most recent report revealing there to be 12.7 million sales of cheddar cheese in 40 pound blocks on the week of Oct. 9. Ac-

cording to Erica Chayes Wida of Today.com, cheddar is the most popular cheese for the survey group.

The Edam cheese ball is something very much different. While it draws inspiration from Holland's

cheeses, it is a unique representation of MSU, with the MAFES entry even calling it "a Mississippi State tradition." Even above that, it is good. My family has bought a ball for the holidays every year for the last three years and it is a strug-

gle to even make it last until Christmas Day since it is just too delicious to resist.

It works well with crackers, and cubing it and sticking it on toothpicks makes you feel fancy while you chow down. Even something as simple as putting it between two slices of bread like a medieval peasant ends in good flavor. The taste does not blend with thousands of similar forms of cheese; it is something indelibly associated with MSU. Unfortunately, it is not enough. The scales are tipped far too much toward bland commonality than toward memorable uniqueness, even if you count the exceptional chocolate milk.

Making new cheeses with a flavor that does not make someone want to sand their taste buds off is probably pretty difficult, there is no discounting that, but Edam cheese became a thing for the Dairy Science Department in 1938. The time has come for a new, unique cheese which can begin to

balance things out a little more in the favor of originality.

Adding a new cheese to the store would have the benefit of enticing people to come in or order the new item online. It would also give MAFES a way to attract new customers with a fresh inventory, since it is easier to advertise something new than to put out flyers for the same stock year after year.

A new cheese could also provide a little bit more variety in the dining halls, something everyone could benefit from.

Perhaps the biggest reason of all to add a new cheese to the MAFES shelves is to call back to the history of the university at large. MSU started off as the agricultural and mechanical college of the state of Mississippi and having the agricultural and forestry groups behind the MAFES store come up with something new would help connect the university as a whole to its past.

and after it. The players are forced to endure six deadly games which eliminate approximately half the player roster, but the plot lines going game to game are loosely flowing and downright confusing, taking away from the importance of games in the context of the larger storyline. After watching the nine episodes

of the series, several glaring plot holes and unanswered questions persist, leaving the viewer frustrated and unsatisfied. For gory, psychological and dramatic manipulation of the human experience, several better options should be higher on the must watch list than "Squid Game."

STREAMING NOW: “SQUID GAME” 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.

MiCHAEL bOuRgEOis

sERViCE: NETFLiX

sHOW TiTLE: “sQuiD gAME”

NOTE: th revew  aed off the Enlh dn

Just in time for Halloween, Netflix recently released its terrifyingly gory depiction of schoolyard playtime, "Squid Game," to an audience of 111 million viewers, making it the biggest series ever for the company. The show features the classic premise of desperate people risking life and limb to have the opportunity to win an enormous amount of money at the end of the series.

United in a common state of financial ruin, the 456 players compete against

each other in a deadly spin on childhood favorite games testing the limits of personal endurance and human decency. However, this dramatic storyline and commentary on the human condition is so poorly packaged that the message fails to resonate with the audience.

The show was clearly produced for a South Korean audience, so the nuanced moments of personal trial and complexity is lost due to the cultural barrier from an American

perspective. As a result, it becomes difficult to identify with the character on a deeper level than the archetype the producers assigned to them; the characters are quite literally reduced to numbers.

Number 456, Seong GiHun, is the main character with a daughter he wants to provide for, but he has found himself desperately in debt due to a gambling addiction. Throughout the series he grapples with his moral conscience as he is forced to do terrible things

to survive. Gi-Hun is the character who the audience is supposed to root for, but his poorly developed characterization and the ridiculous plot carrying the narrative along deflates all dramatic tension and the character becomes annoying as opposed to the sympathetic figure the producers intended.

The narrative is the weakest aspect of the series. The story is nonexistent, and each event seems to exist independently of the events before

sTAFF WRiTER

CONTACT INFORMATION

Editor-in-Chief | Hannah Blankenship editor@reflector.msstate.edu

Managing Editor | Daniel Dye managing@reflector.msstate.edu

News Editor | Heather Harrison news@reflector.msstate.edu

Opinion Editor | Emma Dotson opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

Sports Editor | Tanner Marlar sports@reflector.msstate.edu

Life Editor | Sarah Morgan Johnson life@reflector.msstate.edu

Photography Editor | Adam Sullivan Online Editor | Joshua Britt multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu

Advertising sales | Brennan Weaver advertising@reflector.msstate.edu

Graphics Illustrator | Dontae Ball Circulation | Amiyah Brown circulation@reflector.msstate.edu

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.

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.

Landon Scheel | The Reflector

Sophomore wide receiver Tulu Griffin awaits a kick during the LSU game earlier this season. Fans have argued that Griffin should receive more touches, only totaling two receptions for 15 yards against the Tide.

Diamond dawgs show youth in fall scrimmage Tara smiTh

conTribuTing wriTer

The fall Diamond Dawgs were in full swing at Dudy Noble field and reigned victorious against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

In true Diamond Dawg fashion, the first out of the game was a strikeout by sophomore pitcher and national champion Jackson Fristoe. Then, unfortunately for MSU, the second batter homered to right field to give Alabama an early 1-0 lead. However, Bulldog pitching remained strong despite losing their Friday and Saturday starters along with multiple relievers to the big leagues, as this was the only run Alabama could

manage until the 14th inning.

The Bulldog batting isn't all that bad either.

With many familiar names and faces, it is easy to gloss over the new Diamond Dawgs, but leadoff batter Jess Davis refuses to be overlooked. Davis led off with a deep ball to left that many fans initially believed would leave the field, but it missed by a hair. While this didn't tie the game, Davis came out swinging and proved that moonshots are not impossible for the University of Alabama at Birmingham grad transfer.

According to Head Coach Chris Lemonis not only is Davis a hard hitter, he excels in defense as well.

"Jess Davis can really defend," Lemonis said in a

recent press appearance.

Another grad transfer, RJ Yeager from Mercer, also stood out by being the first Bulldog to make it on base in the second inning. Granted, he was hit by the pitch thrown by Ben Hess, but a base is a base.

Unfortunately, this freebie was unable to turn into a run as freshman Hunter Hines and senior Brad Cumbest both flew out to center field.

The good news: the Dawgs were making contact.

Contact is a great place to start and the nation has seen what happens when the Bulldogs and their bats get hot. In addition to contact, MSU is already off to a better start when it comes to leaving batters on base.

MSU left four fewer batters on than their opponent. This

is something our beloved championship team seemed to struggle with throughout the season, and it's a problem that if resolved, can mean an extremely dangerous offensive team.

To add to the possibility of an offensive powerhouse coming out of Starkville, the batters were doing a phenomenal job at watching the ball.

In 14 innings against a SEC opponent, only one batter struck out looking and six earned a walk.

But the glory does not go solely to MSU's offensive success. Pitching played a crucial part in this win as well. After all, defense wins championships.

Again, it was comforting to see national champion Preston Johnson own the

bump and strike out two guys each inning he pitched, but some of the new Dawgs have quite the arm on them as well.

True freshman Cole Cheatham only pitched one inning like most of the staff, but he made it count. He started the inning by allowing a base hit to Alabama junior Owen Diodati, but quickly recovered by forcing Zane Denton to line out to sophomore shortstop Lane Forsythe.

Cheatham followed this up by striking out William Hamiter, but then walked the following batter. Cheatham ended his outing with a three pitch strikeout, but the third strike was dropped and sophomore batter Bryce Eblin was out before he

could reach first.

The Diamond Dawgs proved to have a solid foundation with this 3-2 victory over Alabama. With this foundation and the multitude of experienced leaders the new Dawgs can follow, this team is bound for success come spring.

"Just try to give them as much advice as I can. Just show them the ropes. All of us old guys try to tell them from our experience what we expect — not just as players, but what the coaches expect, what the fans expect from us," Luke Hancock said in the same press release.

Apparently, note taken.

MSU baseball will resume its fall World Series this week as they look to keep preparing for the spring.

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.

Landon Scheel | The Reflector

Landon Scheel | The Reflector

Sophomore outfielder Kellum Clark looks to be a huge part of this MSU baseball team’s success this year.

Freshman and Oxford (AL.) high school graduate Revy Higgins III readies himself to run the basepath against Alabama.

6

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

The secret life of professors: MSU faculty rocks out on the weekends LYDIA PALMER StAff WRItER

Many Mississippi State University students would never guess the professor grading their assignments is a local rockstar on the weekends.

Mississippi State University has a faculty-tostudent ratio of 17:1.

With this large number of students, it can often be difficult to get to know faculty members on a personal level. Even for students who do get to know their professors in an academic setting, their personal lives remain a mystery.

The Reflector spoke

with three instructors about their lives beyond the classroom. Jeffrey Rupp, Philip Poe and Jamie Dyer all participate in different music groups that play at local bars in Starkville and surrounding areas.

Jeffrey Rupp, former mayor of Columbus, Mississippi, serves as the director of outreach for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach at MSU. He has been playing music for a long time and was a drummer all through high school.

He shared that he feels letting students see him in a fun, creative role makes him more approachable.

"I think in some ways it breaks down some barriers to be able to talk to them not as a professor, but just as another geek out there playing guitar," Rupp said.

Rupp has played with many different people throughout his time being involved with music. Since coming to MSU, he has played with other faculty members as well.

When asked about how students felt about him being involved in music, Rupp shared that his daughter is now a student at MSU, and she is not embarrassed about it.

"We're in the transi-

HEY, LET’S GET

VACCINATED

tion phase," Rupp said.

"It used to be really uncool that her dad did all this, and now she's seeing that her friends think it's cool, so now we're transitioning back to cool."

Philip Poe, an associate professor in the communication department at MSU, plays music around town as well. He primarily plays at Dave's Dark Horse Tavern, which is owned by a friend of his. He shared that he wants to make sure he does not use his platform as a professor to encourage students to go out to bars to see him play, but does not shy away from introducing himself if he sees them out.

"I really do enjoy doing it, but I feel that I'm a little torn because I don't want to use my position as a faculty member to promote people going to bars," Poe said.

He has been involved with music for a while, and got out of performing for a bit after transitioning into the marriage and family phase of life, but his wife encouraged him to get back into it.

"A year or so ago, I think after our daughter was born, my wife was like, 'You should get back into it. You should start playing around town again, that would be fun,'" Poe said.

Jamie Dyer, a professor of meteorology and climatology, has been at MSU since 2005, and has been involved with music much longer than

Philip Poe | Courtesy Photo

In addition to being a comunication professor at MSU, Philip Poe plays music around Starkville.

that. He believes that after moving here, being involved with music helped him and his wife build community in Starkville.

"I would say between the music — and I did some of the community theatre stuff — and did a few plays here on campus with MSU theatre, that actually hooked me up with a lot of musicians as well," Dyer said.

Dyer's band is an Irish band called "The Bold O'Donaghue's" that plays primarily during St. Patrick's Day, but they also played a "Halfway to St. Patty's Day"

event last year, among other appearances.

It could be surprising who you see out performing at local college town bars, and even more surprising to find out that MSU faculty are human and have their own hobbies.

"The students keep a pretty respectful distance in class or in the department, but when I see them out at one of these gigs, it's nice to just talk to them," Dyer said. "They get to know me a little better and I get to know them, so having that outside interaction, I think, is really important."

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