2.23.22

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022

137TH YEAR | ISSUE 16

NorthStar projected to be Starkville’s next commercial hot spot after receiving $3.4 million grant hEAThER hARRISoN NEWS EdIToR

The state recently awarded Golden Triangle Development LINK a $3.4 million grant for site improvements at the NorthStar Industrial Park.

NorthStar Industrial Park is located near Starkville's northwest intersection of Highway 82 and 389. Though the park is mostly an undeveloped plot of land now, the grant will help create a foundation site that can hold a 100,000 squarefoot building. Ward 6 Alderman and Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins predicts that NorthStar will one day be a hot

spot for businesses like Highway 12 is now.

LINK is based out of Columbus, MS, and has transformed the Golden Triangle into its most successful times of economic development.

The organization has invested almost $6 billion dollars into the region and supplies over 6,000 jobs.

Earlier this month, Gov. Reeves said Mississippi is investing almost $25 million to develop and improve "shovel-ready sites" to boost economic growth in the state.

LINK submitted a project proposal application to further develop NorthStar Industrial Park to the Mississippi Site

Courtesy Photo | Macaulay Whitaker

LINK Chief Operating Officer Macaulay Whitaker.

Development Program that Gov. Tate Reeves and the Mississippi Development Authority sponsored.

"We're really excited to have the state's support here," LINK Chief Operating Officer Macaulay Whitaker said. "I think

Hannah Blankenship | The Reflector

LINK began developing NorthStar Industrial Park in 2017 after receiving $14 million from Starkville and Oktibbeha County.

it's very indicative of how marketable they think Oktibbeha County, Starkville and the Golden Triangle really are."

According to Perkins, $680,000 of

the grant LINK is receiving comes from the state and about $2.7 million comes from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The Mississippi D e v e l o p m e n t

Authority, Appalachian Regional Commission and the RESTORE Act are making the Site Development Fund grant available statewide.

LINK, 2

What's in a name? MSU historians tell the stories behind the names of buildings on campus EMMA NISBET STAFF WRITER

Mississippi State University was first founded and chartered as a land-grant school on Feb. 28, 1878. Each building that dots the 4,200-acre campus has a name attached, and behind every name is an individual and a story to tell.

"You go on around campus, and there are those sorts of ties, but it primarily fits three or four categories: former presidents, political or governmental figures, donors and, occasionally, a case such as Scott Field— which was named for Don Scott, who was killed in service and was honored that way," said Sid Salter, chief communications

Ashok Manick | The Reflector

George Hall has an eerie past connected to the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Rumors still swirl each year that the building is haunted.

officer at MSU. Starting at the beginning, Lee Hall was first constructed in 1909 and named after the

founding president of MSU, Stephen Dill Lee. A bust of his head can be found outside the building on the Drill Field. Lee

served as president for 19 years, the longest tenure of any MSU president.

George Hall was originally designated the

James Z. George Memorial Hospital. James Z. George was a Mississippi senator in the 1800s. The hall was built to serve as the university's infirmary in the early 1900s, offering treatments for various illnesses, including mumps, malaria and whooping-cough.

In 1918, an outbreak of Spanish Influenza spread across MSU's campus after students, all-male at the time, hiked to West Point, MS, to join the training efforts for World War I. Young potential cadets from across the country gathered at the military base in West Point, spreading the Spanish flu among themselves. Thus, once those from MSU returned, they brought back the illness.

George Hall, still a hospital at the time, was the obvious choice to become the epicenter of aid on campus. It was transformed into one huge ward, lined with dozens of beds. Sadly, the flu patients eventually passed away, and George Hall had to undergo yet another change: the basement was converted into a makeshift morgue.

A system was devised where wagons with wooden coffins would run from the Industrial Education Building, also known as the "Twin Towers Building," and make their way to the back of the infirmary, load the bodies inside with salt for embalming purposes, seal it and then send the coffin to the student's family.

NAMES, 2

New club highlights struggles MSU wildlife professor published drone of students with food allergies study that analyzes animals near airports hANNAh RAE kENNEdy

BRoNWEN MAddox

coNTRIBuTINg WRITER

STAFF WRITER

A club aimed at raising awareness and gathering support for those with food allergies is new to Mississippi State University's campus this semester.

Hail State Food Allergies (HSFA) founder Jordan Moore, a sophomore political science major, said the club initially began to bring awareness for students who suffer from gluten allergies. However, she said she realized that there are many students who struggle with other food-related allergies and these students needed community just as much as those with gluten allergies.

Moore said this community not only creates a safe

Ashok Manick | The Reflector

HSFA founder and president Jordan Moore.

space for students with food allergies but also serves as a form of advocacy.

"We could all talk about safe places to eat, advocate for one another and help educate people about it because a lot of people do not understand food allergies," Moore said.

ALLERGY, 2

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A Mississippi State University professor has contributed to a study with ground-breaking research that sets the standard for wildlife biologists in the U.S. Raymond Iglay is an assistant professor of wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture, specializing in human-wildlife interactions. He recently contributed to a study based on using drones to monitor and detect animals and make airports safer for both humans and wildlife.

"It's part of a bigger project where we're trying to use drones to basically count wildlife on airports," Iglay said. "So

we can fly overhead and, using either visual or thermal imagery, pick out all the animals and then if all goes well, identify them down to the species."

Iglay explained the process of classifying animals using aerial imagery.

"What we're doing here is kind of the initial steps and how long we can classify animals based off of that imagery," Iglay said. "And we were testing a few different of these deep learning networks and seeing which ones perform best."

Iglay referenced the movie "Sully" as an example of why the study is important. In the movie, which describes the Miracle on the

FORECAST: It is a gloomy week in Starkville, but do not let the weather bring you down! Get out your rain boots, umbrella and rain jacket as chances of rain are high on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday will be cloudy with some sun peaking through, so enjoy the break from the rain while you can.

Courtesy of The Weather Channel

Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector

A mockingbird perched on a tree branch outside of the Chapel of Memories.

Hudson, Captain Chester "Sully" Sullenberger had to make an emergency landing on the river after he flew through a flock of geese and damaged the plane's engines.

"So, the main charge

we have right now is that we're trying to make airports safer for flying in and in a way also safer for wildlife," Iglay said. "We find that airplanes and wildlife don't mix too well."

WILDLIFE, 2

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WILDLIFE Airports usually have a wildlife biologist working on the scene to assess and make arrangements for any animals that could pose a potential problem.

Still, with human error and other factors, wildlife can sneak through the precautions and cause dangerous situations to arise. The hope for this study is that in the future, drones can identify animals in a given area.

Other MSU faculty also completed the study with Iglay.

S a t h i s h k u m a r Samiappan and Meilun Zhou from the Geosystems Research Institute did a bulk of

CONTINUED FROM 1

the drone and analysis work.

Additionally, Jared Elmore and Kristine Evans from the wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture department helped with sampling schemes.

The researchers collected the study's data on MSU property, mainly around the South Farm Aquaculture Facility. In total, the drones took 1,288 pictures of horses, cattle, Canada geese and White-tailed deer.

The scientists chose the latter two species because they commonly have problems around airports, and the professors decided to photograph all of the

animals because they are easy to access.

This study was just the first step toward using drones around airports.

"This is a baby step," Iglay said. "So, this is kind of the first look into using aerial imagery and comparison deep learning networks.

But the impact we're trying to have is not to the inner port, but to have tools that anybody using drones can end up using and modifying and improving upon."

Having a professor who has real-life experience not only gives credibility to the lecture, it inspires and gives them something to

work toward, Iglay's students said.

Junior Megan Fowler and senior Katelyn Blayock are wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture majors, concentrating on human-wildlife interactions. Both have taken Iglay's Wildlife Techniques class.

"I think it exposes you to different management and practices," Fowler said.

"Instead of just one certain way that you have to do it … this shows you that's possible, and it gives the professor credibility. That way, they're not just sitting up there talking about

it; they're actually doing it."

Blaylock said she thinks using drones in the study is unique compared to typical wildlife research.

"I would've never thought of using drones," Blaylock said.

"It's a fascinating concept. So I'm old school; I like the paper and going out in person, but I think that could be really beneficial because you can have less human interactions that you might be able to get more data and more accurate data than just going out there."

Iglay said he recognizes the impact

LINK Mayor Lynn Spruill expressed her enthusiasm and gratitude toward the grant.

"The grant is a huge benefit to the industrial park and therefore to the city because it's going to allow us to make improvements and be ready for further development that we could not necessarily have done as quickly without that grant," Spruill said.

Giving his thanks to Gov. Reeves, Alderman Perkins said he thought allocating funds to NorthStar will encourage prosperity for Ward 6 and Starkville.

"This funding will have a very profound and major impact on my ward," Perkins said, "and this money is definitely needed for the NorthStar Industrial Park."

NorthStar's site improvement proposal

CONTINUED FROM 1

includes wetland and stream permitting and mitigation, clearing and grubbing the trees on the land, conducting earthwork at three sites inside the industrial park and building a site access road, COO Whitaker said.

After the project is complete, the industrial park's land will be clearer and have a cleaner foundation for businesses to move in. Additionally, it will be easier to access the western area of the industrial park because of the site access road being built for that area. The access road will extend from Rutherford Road to NorthStar's back western area.

"To the general public, it may not appear to be a tremendous amount because most of it is earthwork … (for) economic development,

having investments in the product you are marketing to a prospective company is extremely important," Whitaker said.

Whitaker said LINK is working with businesses that want to move into the NorthStar Industrial Park, and she said she thinks the park will be an opportune place for companies.

Garan Manufacturing was the first business to move to NorthStar in 2020.

"The additional work will only create more opportunities," Whitaker said.

Perkins said Garan's relocation from Highway 12 to NorthStar shows that the industrial park is "the place to be."

"The park is right off of a major highway corridor—no better place to be," the alderman said.

"It's a place that is prime

for growth."

Spruill agreed and said the grant allows more opportunities and available space in the city for new businesses to move in.

"I think there are lots of businesses that are looking to expand now that we're coming out of the pandemic," Spruill said, "and they're going to be ready to go, and we want to be ready to go with them."

In 2017, LINK began constructing NorthStar Industrial Park when Starkville and Oktibbeha County gave $14 million for the development.

Additionally, other corporations like 4County Electric Power Association, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, Tennessee Valley Authority and Atmos Energy Corporation

invested money into the project.

Perkins said the funds going into NorthStar show that the industrial park will impact the city's future and spark growth for new industries.

"This is where the demand is going to be," Perkins said. "We're going to, in my opinion, recruit some very great, high-level businesses to this site, and there's no reason not to."

Spruill and Perkins both expressed gratitude toward Gov. Reeves for allocating funds to LINK for this project.

"We're just very glad and very appreciative that the governor saw the value of enhancing the Starkville area, the Mississippi State (University) community and our ability to attract further industry," Spruill said.

NAMES "Every Halloween, some reporter will call and say, 'Is it true that George Hall is haunted?' and I'll go, 'Well, my office was there for a number of years, and I was in-andout of the building in the middle of the night and early morning, and I never saw anything amiss except there was a hole in the floor and skunks would get in," Salter said.

Allen Hall was named after Henry Edward Allen, a proud MSU alumnus, business major and subsequent successful business owner.

He donated a large sum to the construction of Allen Hall and had it dedicated to his daughter, Barbara Ann. While many buildings are named after men, there are a few buildings around campus that have been named after women who made a lasting impact on campus.

Courtesy Photo |City of Starkville

Alderman and Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins.

Mary Georgia Hamilton |The Reflector

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill at her desk.

CONTINUED FROM 1

DeeDee Baldwin is the History Research Librarian at Mitchell Memorial Library and previously taught a class centered on MSU history.

"One or two of the buildings on campus are named after women," Baldwin said. "Cresswell is named for a woman.

Rice Hall is named after a woman; she was actually a former librarian here."

Nannie Herndon Rice, librarian, and May Cresswell, home demonstration agent, had Rice Hall and Cresswell Hall dedicated to them respectively.

The Colvard Student Union was named after Dean W. Colvard, president of MSU from 1960 to 1966. Colvard is most noted for serving as president during the "Game of Change," a college basketball game between the MSU

Bulldogs and the Loyola University Ramblers in March 1963.

The Game of Change is considered a significant milestone toward the desegregation of college basketball during the height of the American civil rights movement. In Mississippi at the time, an "unwritten law" said that Mississippi teams could not compete against a team with African American athletes.

However, this game and the building pressure of the civil rights movement in the nation turned that rule upside down. Colvard made the final decision to allow the game to take place.

Most of the buildings on campus were dedicated to people from long ago.

However, that rule does not apply to every building. Roy Ruby served as vice president of

student affairs for over 17 years, dean of the College of Education for three years and worked both positions simultaneously for a year and a half.

Ruby Hall, part of Zacharias Village, which was named for former MSU president Don Zacharias, who served for 13 years, was built and dedicated to Roy Ruby in 2004. Ruby retired from the university the same year.

Ruby was retired for about four years before the university called him back to serve as interim president while the Board of Trustees chose a new president to fill the role permanently. In 2009, Mark E. Keenum assumed his role as MSU's president.

"I feel unworthy of having a building named after me. The university was just very good to do

that, but I certainly had no thought that I deserved that.

There's only longevity that I could point to," Ruby said with a chuckle. "I can only say that I was there for a long time."

Perry Cafeteria was named for George D. Perry, a dedicated 1919 alumnus. His wife, Jane Perry, wished for the university cafeteria to be named for her late husband after she donated $1.5 million to preserve and renovate the space in 1993.

McCain Engineering Building was dedicated to Professor Dewey M. McCain, head of the civil engineering department.

Dudy Noble Field is named after Clark Randolph "Dudy" Noble, an MSU baseball player who also coached the team for over 20 years.

According to the

ALLERGY

Even though HSFA is geared towards those with food allergies, Moore shared that it is for people without allergies as well.

"It does not hurt to be an ally to your friends with allergies and learn about it … it is for everybody," Moore said.

HSFA exists for those who want to open the conversation about the struggles of food allergies. According to Emily Sutherland, a junior secondary education major, having a community of people who relate to these struggles allows students to have a mental health release.

Having numerous food intolerances herself, Sutherland said food allergies are an underrepresented struggle of students around campus.

"It is such an underrepresented, but such an impactful part of all of our lives," Sutherland said.

Moore said the need for

his research has on the lessons.

"It's kind of cool when what you're teaching about is also what you've done research on. I mean, you can pull that in and just address a knowledge gap," Iglay said. "So in my other course I teach, Wildlife Damage Management, a lot of what I do is directly related to some past work I've had. So there it's like, 'Well, hey, we did this, and it's what we found, and then it's similar to all these other readings you're seeing over there.' So that's the fun part with bringing it to the classroom."

Department of Chemistry website, Hand Laboratory was named for Dr. William Flowers Hand, who attended MSU at 15 years old, graduated before turning 20 and then served as the university's chemistry professor, state chemist, dean of science and vice president.

Depending on the time of attendance, each student who walks along the paths of MSU will develop a unique perception of the school, Salter said.

"You live here for four, five years. You get a good imprint of what the campus looks like, but, depending on when you were here, that's a different imprint … It's an exciting history to think about where we came from in 1878 when everything was around the Drill Field. Everything," Salter said.

CONTINUED FROM 1

community comes from the lack of support that students with food allergies have daily.

She spoke about the hardships that come with being a student and having a severe food allergy because there are numerous social events on campus that include food she and many others cannot eat.

"Why would I want to come and watch everyone eat something that I cannot have?" Moore said.

Difficulty navigating social events is not the only problem that these students face.

According to HSFA Vice President Alyssa Porazzo, a junior professional meteorology major, access to clean food on campus is a significant issue for those with severe food allergies. She shared that she recently had an incident with food from the Colvard Student Union being cross-contaminated, and she became extremely sick because of this mistake.

Even though there are few choices for students with food intolerances on campus, Porazzo said she was more

“Why would I want to come and watch everyone eat something that I cannot have?”

Jordan Moore President and Founder Hail State Food Allergies

disappointed that food establishments claim to have allergy-conscious options, yet they still fail to provide students with clean food.

"There are supposed to be places for a dietary restriction or for an allergy to food that is

supposed to be taken care of, and in my instance, it was not," Porazzo said.

The lack of options does not stop with MSU's campus, though. According to Porazzo, the food options around Starkville leave those with food allergies with nearly nothing to eat. It is not just a campus issue; it extends out into the community around the university. Porazzo is a New York native, and she said she is not used to the inadequate accommodations for people with severe food allergies.

"Just because we are in a small city does not mean that there should not be options for us," Porazzo said.

HSFA serves as a community for those with the same struggles to come together and advocate for one another. Moore said asking for accommodations in restaurants or dining halls can be quite daunting, so a community that normalizes

food allergies allows students to be more confident in speaking up for themselves.

The purpose of the club does not end there, though. In club meetings, students can share their experiences with dining halls and food services, and they teach other members where they can get food that is safe for them to eat. In the same way, members can also warn other students about food options that claim to be clean but are not.

Club meetings enable members to engage in a community with other students and share food options their peers might not have known about.

HSFA's goal is to bring awareness about the problems that students with food allergies face daily. There seems to be a great desire for change around MSU regarding food options, and the members of this club recognized the need for a

united front to make a change.

Porazzo said a group of 10 going to Dining Services would make a more significant impact than just the individual.

She emphasized the necessity of bringing about change with numerous people instead of just one person with an issue.

Although members of the HSFA emphasize the need for improvements in dining options, a few members of dining services are accommodating to students with these severe allergies.

According to Sutherland, communicating with kitchen staff and chefs is extremely beneficial for students with food allergies. She said the dining staff is cooperative and genuinely cares about the students they serve.

"That is the glimmer of hope in all of it … if you develop a relationship with them, then you will have a great experience," Sutherland said.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE

BULLETIN BOARD

An In-Class Distraction

SUDOKU

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February 16 Puzzle Solutions Monday, February 14, 2022

Friday, February 18, 2022

A student reported a possible Airtag device hidden on her car tracking her movement.

A former student reported a disturbance that happened on Bost/Stone Blvd with her husband.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Saturday, February 19, 2022

A student was issued a referral for having a Splat ball gun in Fresh Foods.

A student was arrested on Fraternity Row for obstructing traffic, DUI 1st and possession of a weapon on school property.

A resident of the city/county was arrested on Stone Blvd for no DL, possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana and expired tag.

A student was issued a referral for attempting to pull a “service parking” sign out of the ground on Hurst Lane.

The Reflector Staff Member of the Month : Payton Brown Payton Brown is a senior at Mississippi State University majoring in philosophy and French.

1.How long have you worked at The Reflector?

— “This is my third year working for The Reflector. I write for the Opinion and News sections.”

2. What is your favorite part of working at The Reflector?

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Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @reflectoronline

— “My favorite part about working for the Reflector are the connections I've made through the interviews I conduct. The Reflector has given me the chance to have many fulfilling conversations with others.”

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OPINION

Actions speak louder than words: the Olympic Committee is racially biased in illicit substance punishment KERRIgaN CLaRK STaFF WRITER

On June 15, 2021, Black U.S. track and field sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson was suspended from the U.S. Olympic Team after testing positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana.

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADI) all natural and synthetic cannabinoids are prohibited which include: cannabis (hashish, marijuana), cannabis products, natural and synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols (THCs) and synthetic cannabinoids which mimic the effects of THC. Fast forward to Feb. 14, 2022 when white Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication, trimetazidine. After Valieva's test results went public, the Russian Anti–Doping Agency suspended her from the competition but a day later the Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee canceled the suspension. Tariq Panja with The New York Times reported the Russian Anti-Doping Agency officials received the sample from Valieva in December 2021 but only became aware of the results the week of Feb. 612, 2022.

Richardson took to Twitter on Feb. 14, claiming there was a double standard at work since Richardson is a Black woman

and Valieva is a white woman.

"Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines? My mother died and I can't run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I'm a black young lady," Richardson wrote.

Many others in the skating world have also voiced concern over Valieva being allowed to perform despite the positive test. Wajih AlBaroudi for CBS Sports reports that former team U.S. figure skater Kaitlyn Weaver, ex-Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon and twotime Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir all voiced their frustrations and condemned the decision to allow Valieva to continue in the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee's spokesperson Mark Adams responded to Richardson's allegations, as reported by Jack Rathborn for Yahoo Sports.

"You can't talk about double standards in relation to Russian and American athletes, each case is individual," Adams stated.

There are two important ways in which you can compare the situation. One comparison involves looking at the situation through the lens of basic governance and rules for the Olympics, not based on nationality as Adams discussed. The second comparison is what Richardson said, which is the only difference between her case and Valieva's

case is their race.

First, should an athlete's country make a difference in how doping violations are handled in the Olympics? Mark Adams alludes to an important question when he states that you cannot talk about double standards when comparing Russian and American athletes. When considering laws in Russia versus laws in America, it is clear drug allegations and laws are handled very differently since they are completely different countries. However, considering the Olympics is an international competition, the laws about drug usage should remain the same no matter which country you are from. If you agree to compete in an international competition, you have to agree to abide by the rules of the organization regardless of nationality.

According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), since March 2016, the IOC has delegated decisions surrounding alleged anti-doping violations to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) while simultaneously creating the International Testing Agency (ITA) to manage anti-doping programs. With such clear regulations regarding who creates the rules and who is to manage the programs, there should be no confusion surrounding drug usage and participation.

If Valieva had gone on to

Courtesy Photo | Library of Congress

U.S. Olympian Jesse Owens signs autographs before competition at the 1936 Olympics. Owens was instrumental in Black representation at the Olympics.

place in the top three of her event, there would not have been a medal ceremony held for her or any of the other competing skaters due to her case remaining under investigation.

This further solidifies the controversy of the situation. If you cannot follow the rules of the game, you should not be permitted to play and others should not be punished because of your inability to adhere to the rules.

The second distinction is

is a junior majoring in communication.

Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

This article speaks of walking and biking simultaneously, asserting that they are equally effective. The main argument in favor of using another form of transportation over walking to class that I have heard from fellow students is riding a bike, scooter or skateboard to class is much faster.

While this may be true for

race. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, communities of color have faced discriminatory enforcement of drug laws with many of the racial disparities being seen in communities of Black and Latinx people. The disparities of drug law enforcement can be seen as far back as Jim Crow and the 1973 Rockefeller Drug Laws which made possession or sale of small amounts of drugs highly punishable. These laws marginalized

communities of color but rarely affected the white population.

The effects of these events can be seen even today as in the case with Richardson and Valieva. As Richardson said, the only difference in their two cases is that she is a Black woman, and it puts her in a position to receive harsher punishment. Both used illegal substances but only one was punished for their usage, and that happens to be the Black woman.

the intense distance from one side of campus to another, most of the daily class buildings are not a far walk from one another.

Since the distances are not very long, the advantages of increased speed or heart rate with bicycling over walking are not necessarily relevant, seeing as there is not as much room to "pick up speed."

Other than the potential intentions of students to be able to arrive at their destination fractionally faster, it seems some students take this action just to look cool. From peers I have talked to, as well as my personal opinion, zooming past someone on a skateboard, scooter or bicycle draws more attention than the traditional walking to class, thus being slightly more embarrassing than cool.

According to Austin Carmody from Outscholar, college students, on average, walk over twice as many steps as adults.

This leads into the results of riding rather than walking.

For starters, I have always been curious as to where the scooters and skateboards go while their proud rider is in class. With bicycles, they have a temporary home being chained to the bike racks outside of campus buildings while their faithful rider is in a class, at lunch or in a meeting.

The first time I saw someone carrying a skateboard into class,

they leaned it up against the edge of their desk. No harm here, one would think, unless you have been in the situation yourself. The aisles between desks in most campus buildings are wide enough only for a human being to fit through, but not with skateboard wheels sticking out into the middle of the row.

In conclusion, while the intention of riding rather than walking is to get to class faster, the result is not getting to class much faster, as well as inconveniencing the students around you.

When it comes to on-campus walking, if you are able, get to campus a couple of minutes early and enjoy the walk to class.

Pop in an earphone with your favorite music or podcast and stroll through MSU's rural campus on your own feet. All in all, walking to class is more respectful to your fellow student.

Maybe I am just old fashioned, but the transportation I was born with, my feet, is the one I prefer to use.

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SPORTS EDITOR

"Drive to Survive" is a yearly show which airs on Netflix. Each season is 10 episodes long, and takes an indepth look at the previous Formula 1 racing season, taking viewers behind the scenes of the world's largest racing entity.

The whole point of the show is and has always been to give fans a look beyond the surface-level bi-weekly races, and to say it has done that to its extreme is an understatement.

Chiefly produced by James Gay-Reese, the same man that produced the hit film "Senna"

NETFLIX

— another F1 based film, the show offers viewers the nitty gritty aspects that occur between races and teammates.

When it was released, the original season immediately sunk its teeth into the American market, which was the initial goal. It is a goal that the producers and the F1 fandom has always sought to achieve.

So much in fact, this past year, F1's yearly race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, was sold out, prompting F1 to announce another race in the U.S. in Miami, Florida.

What sets the show apart,

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that aired on "Drive to Survive."

McClaren Racing Team president Zak Brown, who stars on the show, offered his thoughts on exactly how the show has impacted the fan base in an interview with Luke Smith for the New York Times.

"I think it's going to be the single most important impact for Formula 1 in North America," Brown said. "Almost every comment you get from someone out of the U.S., they reference 'Drive to Survive' … People are going from 'I've

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.

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DRIVE TO SURVIVE

though, is the raw, visceral emotion that it portrays from the sport's biggest names.

Lewis Hamilton is a fan favorite on the circuit. He has won more races than any other driver in F1 history. He also has a few more years ahead of him.

The thing fans have missed from Hamilton, until "Drive to Survive" released, is his human aspect. Hamilton is not this robot that is programmed to win races. He is human, just like the rest of us, and nothing showcased that better than his struggles within his own team

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Lydia Palmer

well. With this increase, there are two categories of discussion with the issue: intentions vs. results.

It is important to look at the intentions of the "wild wheelers" first. Why do they prefer riding to walking? Mana Medical Associates published an article about the advantages of walking and biking to school.

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Lose the wheels and use what you were born with to get to class

As the weather brightens up moving into spring, hasty walks with chattering teeth are turning to casual strolls with sunshine pouring onto campus.

Nothing ruins an afternoon stroll like someone whizzing past on a scooter, skateboard or bicycle.

In a statement made by Mississippi State University, the university faculty recognized that more and more wheeled means of transportation are making an appearance on campus. Their statement focused on the presence of bicycles, but the rules generally apply to scooters and skateboards as

T

never watched a Formula 1 race in my life' to 'I'll never miss a Formula 1 race again.'"

Currently, "Drive to Survive" has three seasons on Netflix, with the fourth coming out later this year documenting one of the most controversial endings to a season in recent memory. The season premiere drops on March 11, and can be found across the

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.

U.S. on Netflix.

Overall, I love "Drive to Survive." It takes athletes that are viewed as almost robotic in their habits and practices and shows the raw, uncut emotion and drama that can only be found at the pinnacle of motorsport. I give "Drive to Survive" a 9/10 rating, only because a 10/10 is too good to be true.

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 23, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

5

Magnolia Independent Film Festival prepares for 25th year

als and work with advertisers."

Before taking on the role of festival director, The Magnolia Inde- Misun served as a filmpendent Film Festival screener and judge in s set to return Feb. past years. Alongside 24-26 at Malco Theater these responsibilities, n Columbus Thursday he makes sure the run night and Hollywood screenings Premier Cinemas in smoothly with the help Starkville Friday and of eight other board members.

Saturday.

Ania Debicka-Dyer The festival, commonly referred to as previously served on "The Mag," is cele- the Board of Directors brating 25 years of for three years. This being Mississippi's year, she looks forward first and longest-run- to returning to The ning film festival. The Mag as an audience Mag has given small- member. She spoke town storytellers a highly of the filmchance to showcase makers and the sense of their talents since its duty they feel towards founding in 1997. Both the state.

"I enjoy watching amateur and professional filmmakers are films made by people from Mississippi benvited to participate.

Chris Misun, a broad- cause they are always cast and digital journal- able to show the things sm professor at Missis- that make this state sippi State University, unique," Debicka-Dyer "These films serving as The Mag's said. festival director. He makers know the state described the commit- well and can always present it in ments of his a new and role and the thoughtmany hands provoking t takes to “I enjoy watchway, rather put the festi- ing films made than the val together. commercial "This job by people from ized view we requires me often get in to oversee Mississippi.” movies." the different As far as committees film genres that serve to Ania Debicka-Dyer r e p r e s e n t e d make the MSU Professor at The Mag, festival posClassical & Modern Languages there is s i b l e , " something Misun said. for everyone "I work with our programming di- to enjoy. A variety of rector to select films, I documentaries, short screen films, I organize films, animated films, meetings and prepare music videos, internaour marketing materi- tional films and fea-

kaTie rainWaTer

sTaFF WriTer

Courtesy Photo | Magnolia Independent Film Festival

The Magnolia Independent Film Festival has been a Mississippi fixture for 25 years.

Courtesy Photo | Chris Misun

Mississippi State University professor Chris Misun is the director of the festival.

ture-length films will be shown.

Most films are made entirely in Mississippi.

Both music videos included were produced

by MSU students and one documentary is from the newly-opened MSU Speaking Center.

There are 13 award categories for the films, including one to commemorate The Mag's creator, Ron Tibbett.

He gave a voice and creative outlet to local artists from the festival's birth in 1997 until his death in 2004.

The Mag is continuously working to encourage young people

to attend the festival.

For the Friday night screening, it will be a drive-in-style show. To make it more affordable for college kids, student tickets are 50% off the standard ticket price. This allows students to get a glimpse of local filmmaking without breaking the bank.

The Mag has sparked the creation of other film festivals in Mississippi, including the Oxford Film Festival, Crossroads Film Festival and most notably, the Tupelo Film Festival.

Canaan May is a local

film-lover from McComb looking forward to attending The Mag for his second time. He is coming from Flowood to experience films of all types at the festival.

"I'm not aware of what's being shown, but I'm excited to see what's in store," May said.

May is an advocate of bringing exposure to Mississippi artists and ideas, and enjoys conversations with the filmmakers after the curtains close.

"I think local filmmaking is very important and I try to support independent films whenever I can," May said.

"The more exposure, especially in a place like Mississippi, the better."

Festival Director Misun realizes the importance of local artistry in Mississippi, much like May. He ex-

pressed the board's enthusiasm for The Mag's 25th birthday and the future of the festival.

"We are so excited to continue this tradition of bringing local, national and international film to Mississippi and plan to do so for many more years to come," Misun said.

The Mag has served as a step in the right direction when it comes to encouraging creativity in the state. The people behind The Mag hope to inspire many Mississippians to explore their artistic side in the years to come.

The festival runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the two theaters. Start and end times vary depending on the day. Tickets can be purchased on The Magnolia Independent Film Festival's website. Individual night and festival-wide passes are available.

Upcoming MSU Theatre production explores race, police brutality

Mary Blake Brashier

sTaFF WriTer

On Feb. 23, 24 and 26, Mississippi State University's theatre department s putting on a production of "All American Boys."

"All American Boys" is based on a novel by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely and adapted for the stage by Jody Drezner Alperin and Vicky Finney Crouch.

The play is centered around a young man named Rashad, who is framed for a robbery he did not commit and becomes a victim of police brutality. The play discusses how the incident mpacts everyone around Rashad, not just himself.

Rashad's family and his best friend play a big part n the play.

Vernell Allen, a senior theatre major at MSU, is the director of the play.

"I want people to see both sides of the story," Allen said, "or better yet, see that there are no 'both sides' but that we are all together."

This is the first play Allen has directed, but he has been involved in other plays as well.

"My favorite part of theatre is directing— the process of taking something from my mind," Allen said, "and putting it out on stage not only with my vision, but others' vision and coming together to make it happen. It is a stressful, fun and rewardng process."

Rodney Saulsberry II, a senior finance major at MSU, plays Rashad Buter, the young man this play is centered around.

This is Saulsberry's third production that he has been involved in at MSU. The cast and crew have been working hard to get the play on its feet since ast semester.

Courtesy Photo | MSU Theatre

“All American Boys” is MSU Theatre’s first production of 2022. The play, adapted from a 2015 novel by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, deals with themes of racism, police brutality and modern society.

"January, we hit the ground running," Saulsberry said. "It has been a little more than a month, so everybody has been working at a good pace and it is fun to see it all come together."

Since this play deals with such a relevant issue, it really hits home with many of the cast members, and they hope it will hit home for the audience as well.

"It is a very important message that a lot of people get desensitized to," Saulsberry said. "It just hits home for me because it literally could have been me. It could have been my friends. It was simply a wrong place, wrong time situation."

The play not only talks about Rashad and his family's point of view, but also incorporates everyone else's points of view.

"I think seeing this play will help start a conversation," Saulsberry said, "and the conversation will hopefully continue even after the play."

Kelan Traylor, a junior communication major at MSU, plays Spoony, Rashad's brother.

"This play builds a lot of awareness," Traylor said.

"It is a really big eye opener for a lot of people who may not know what is happening in the world."

This play has been in the works since March of last year, and auditions were

“It is a very important message that a lot of people get desensitized to. It just hits home for me.”

Rodney Saulsberry II Senior Finance

held in the fall of 2021.

This is Traylor's first play to be involved in at MSU. It took him a while to get involved, but when he did, he went big.

"I told myself it is time to stop being scared and it is time to start taking risks," Traylor said. "This is something I have always wanted to do. At the end of the day my dream has been acting."

The cast and crew hope that this play will have an impact on MSU, especially during Black History Month.

"I hope people really sit and take it in," Saulsberry said. "I hope people really let the message linger with them and even weeks later they think about the play" "When the final curtain closes, I want people to walk away with a better sense and a better understanding of the people around them," Allen said,

Courtesy Photo | Dayo Kosoko

Jason Reynolds is one of the authors of “All American Boys.” Reynolds and Kiely began writing the book after meeting on a book tour.

"Not just the minorities, but everyone around them. I believe that everyone should be treated how we, ourselves, want and need to be treated. That takes patience, under-

standing and taking a moment to breathe and think about how we act. It is complicated, but complicated does not mean impossible."

"All American Boys"

will be running on the McComas Hall main stage Feb. 23, 24 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the university ticketing website.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022 | @SPORTSREFLECTOR

6

SPORTS

Bulldog bats woke up slowly on opening weekend Cora yielding

Contributing writer

The Mississippi State University Bulldogs kicked off opening weekend with a threegame series versus the Long Beach State (CA) Dirtbags. The defending national champions and No. 3 ranked Bulldogs faced the No. 24 ranked Dirtbags on Dudy Noble Field in PolkDement Stadium on Friday for their season opener.

In the first game, returning Bulldog Landon Sims started off hot, striking out the first two batters of the season. Sims allowed the third man to reach base on a hit before striking out the rest of the side.

The rest of the innings in game one were quick. The third,

fourth, fifth and sixth innings were scoreless for both teams.

Long Beach and MSU both played defensive games with the Dirtbags getting the upper hand in the top of the seventh with a home run, while the Bulldogs remained run-less.

Long Beach had two more runs in the top of the eighth inning, putting the Dirtbags at 3-0 over the Bulldogs. In the ninth, MSU changed pitchers, swapping out Sims for junior right-hander Stone Simmons.

The Bulldogs finished the ninth scoreless, dropping the season opener 3-0 after an impressive pitching performance from Sims, but he wasn’t exactly thrilled.

“I think I pitched well,” said Sims postgame. “But at the end of the day the biggest stat of the

day is if we win or lose, and we didn’t win. I think pretty much everything else doesn’t matter.”

The Bulldogs started game two with a sloppy first inning, quickly finding themselves down 1-0 by the end of the top frame.

MSU answered, though, as they managed to take the lead 2-1 in the bottom side.

In the second, Long Beach sent three more across the plate, which set the score 4-2 in their favor. Mississippi State had a stagnant inning with two being struck out and a ground out. The Bulldogs held Long Beach in the third, while adding one more run to the board with Kamren James crossing the plate after a RBI from Tanner. The score sat at 43.

In the fourth, the Dirtbags had four more runs, more than

doubling the Bulldogs. Three pop-flys in the bottom of the inning left the end of the fourth with a score of 8-3 in the Dirtbags’ favor. The fifth, sixth and seventh innings all looked similar with no runs from either team, ending the bottom of the seventh with a score of 8-3.

Long Beach showed no signs of slowing down for the rest of game two, adding a few more runs to set the final at 13-3.

On Sunday, MSU came to the ballpark with nothing on their mind except avoiding a sweep, and it showed.

Despite a slow start, the Bulldogs rallied in the second inning with three quick outs in the top half of the frame. The bats finally woke up in the bottom half of the second, giving MSU a 2-0 lead.

The defense came to play, too, forcing another quick three outs in the top of the third. The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the bottom half, and all of a sudden had a fairly commanding lead at 3-0.

The defense stayed hot, and the offense was right there with them. So much so that by the bottom of the fifth inning, the score was a whopping 10-0, Bulldogs' lead after a thunderous home run shot from junior ju-co transfer Matt Corder.

Junior right-hander Brandon Smith was brought in for mop-up duty in the sixth, and allowed a pair of earned runs, setting the score at 10-2 before MSU answered the bell yet again in the bottom half of the inning, matching the Dirtbags’ effort for

a 12-2 lead.

The top of the ninth saw the Dirtbags with a single RBI, but nothing else, ending the game 12-4 in the Bulldogs' favor.

After the game, head coach Chris Lemonis said he was glad to finally breathe a little after a rough start to opening weekend.

“I was (able to breathe) a little bit,” Lemonis said. “Just being able to get some other guys out there too, I think was huge. Being able to just have some gap in the game to let some new guys get out there was huge.”

MSU will play Northern Kentucky this weekend, but must first handle the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff in some mid-week action on Tuesday.

All games will be aired on ESPN+.

Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector

K.C. Hunt took the mound on Saturday for game two, pitching 3.0 innings and allowing six runs. MSU set an opening weekend attendance record in their series against Long Beach State of 34,325.

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