2.8.23

FEBRUARY 8, 2023

MSU language department sports a power couple

After 15 years of marriage, Keith and Kelly Moser continue to thrive together while both working in Mississippi State University’s Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures (CMLL).

The CMLL department is composed of seven different language sections: Asian Studies, Classics, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. Keith Moser works as the department head of the French section, while Kelly Moser serves as the

department’s graduate coordinator and an associate professor of Spanish. In 2002, the couple

met at a graduate orientation at the University of Tennessee on Keith Moser’s birthday.

Chicken Salad Chick closes its doors in Starkville

On Jan. 31, Chicken Salad Chick on Highway 12 permanently closed in Starkville.

Dianna and Cameron Parker, owners of the Chicken Salad Chick in Starkville, shared the reasoning behind their decision to close the restaurant.

“Our sales cut almost in half within the past two years,” Cameron Parker said.

The pair said they were using their personal money to keep the store afloat. In hopes of keeping the Starkville store open, they attempted to move it to a smaller location.

Dianna Parker said the size of the store needed to be cut in half. They had plans of moving it to the space in Midtown between Orange Theory and Strange Brew.

However, this plan was not approved by the corporate sector of Chicken Salad Chick. According to Cameron Parker, Chicken Salad Chick disapproved because the space lacked a private parking lot, and there was

no space for a drive thru. Without the cooperation from the Chicken Salad Chick corporation, the Parkers decided to close their store.

“Instead of continuing to pay out of pocket, we sold it,” Cameron Parker said.

According to the Parkers, the decision did not come without speculation from members of the community. The pair said they faced many accusations and dealt with rumors that were simply untrue.

“We love Starkville, and we tried. We really did try to

keep Chicken Salad Chick here,” Dianna Parker said. This decision shocked many Starkville residents, as there was only a short notice that the store would be closing.

Brayden Flanagan, a sophomore majoring in environmental engineering, was a frequent customer of Chicken Salad Chick. She found out about the news of its closing when a friend called her.

“I was leaving class when my friend called me. We were freaking out,” Flanagan said.

CHICKEN, 2

“I had just started my Ph.D, and she just started her master’s degree. Of course, she couldn’t resist my charisma,”

Keith Moser said. However, Kelly Moser said her initial interest was in the chocolate birthday cake he had

brought to the event.

As a couple, she said they got along beautifully and have always been best friends.

“Keith is very calm, will observe everything and will be the last one to speak. I am the opposite,” Kelly Moser said.

The couple agreed that their personality differences were complimentary to one another.

After graduating with his Ph.D in Modern Foreign Languages, Keith Moser was offered a job at MSU and the couple relocated to Starkville, Mississippi.

MSU faculty member writes book on diversity in communication

In 2022, Mississippi State University Associate Professor Melody Fisher published a book to provide a discussion on marginalized groups in the field of public relations.

Fisher said she was concerned by the lack of diversity and representation that she saw in textbooks used in communication departments — particularly in chapters covering the history of the field. She intended for her

book, “The Untold Power: Underrepresented Groups in Public Relations,” to be used as an introductory text for those interested in public relations. Her book is organized into three parts: past, present and future.

The idea for her book formed in 2018 after she presented research on the representation of ethnic minorities in textbooks.

Fisher's research showed that, in the previous 20 years, few advancements had been made in the areas of representation, diversity and equity for these texts.

Fisher spent the next three years conducting library research, speaking with practitioners of public relations and profiling scholars virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. With her research, Fisher gathered the content necessary to write a book responding to the lack of diversity she saw in communication and public relations texts.

“The purpose of my book is to fill that void that those chapters or even books about the history of public relations leave,” Fisher said.

From classrooms to City Hall: Students, professor ‘revive’ recycling momentum

Two weeks after the Board of Aldermen shot down Alderman Hamp Beatty’s curbside recycling proposal, Emma Van Epps stood at the podium in an Old Main Academic Center classroom to lead the weekly Students for a Sustainable Campus meeting.

After the club’s usual agenda and small groups, Van Epps introduced associate professor of architecture at Mississippi State University Alexis Gregory, who told members to continue pushing the City of Starkville toward curbside recycling.

Gregory, who also serves Ward 5 on the city’s planning and zoning

commission, worked with Ward 5 Alderman Beatty to outline the recycling presentation. The associate professor explained the board meeting’s results to SSC members.

She told the club to continue its momentum,

using students’ voices to encourage the aldermen to reconsider their doubts about curbside recycling.

“(Alderman Beatty) and I are hoping you’ll continue your pressure and try to make the city look bad,” Gregory said.

SSC had planned a

recycling protest for Earth Week, and Gregory suggested moving the rally up in the calendar.

“I love the idea of having a protest, maybe earlier than Earth Day,” Gregory said, “because (Alderman Beatty and I) were just talking about,

hopefully, if we can get things to work, maybe starting curbside recycling for Earth Week, something like that.”

Before that, though, the board will have to approve the motion to reinstate curbside recycling.

Alderman Beatty said Gregory’s assistance with the curbside recycling

proposal strengthened his research. He said she and SSC’s assistance transformed the potential of his proposal.

Alderman Beatty credited SSC with “reviving” the curbside recycling idea.

“They kind of put it back on us that we’re the only Southeastern Conference host town that did not have curbside recycling,” Beatty said in an interview with The Reflector. “They brought up some very pertinent, important facts, information that, you know, we needed to take a look at.”

Beatty said he had thought of reinstating the program beforehand, but SSC’s comments to the board urged him to work on an official proposal.

REVIVE, 2

COUPLE, 2

Keith and Kelly Moser have been working at Mississippi State University for almost 16 years. The couple works for the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures.

Courtesy Photo | Keith and Kelly Moser

Associate Professor Alexis Gregory spoke to SSC members last week, encouraging them to continue fighting for curbside recycling Heather Harrison | The Reflector

ANNE LOuISE PHILLIPS CONTRIBuTING WRITER

Courtesy Photo | City of Starkville Starkville Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty.

MSU Associate Professor Melody Fisher published a novel to discuss the lack of diversity and representation in communication.

Courtesy Photo | Melody Fisher

The Chicken Salad Chick location on Highway 12 in Starkville closed on Jan. 31.

Aubrey Carter | The Reflector

Her book covers strategies historically used in public relations and stories of those currently making strides toward diversity and equality in the field.

Fisher said she believes anyone can benefit from reading her book, and anyone who is interested in communicating effectively can be a scholar of the discipline.

“In all of our social movements, those groups practiced public relations: the civil rights movement, the farm workers’ movement, the American Indian movement. Even though it wasn’t termed ‘public relations,’ that is exactly what they were doing,” Fisher said.

Mary Michaela Parker, marketing and communication coordinator in the agricultural communications department,

“Well, when we first moved here, we started in the same department. I was hired as a lecturer of Spanish, and then I ended up getting my Ph.D. Now I have a different role in the department,” Kelly Moser said.

While the couple work in the same department, they remain distanced by their own fields of study.

“Even though we're one department, we have so many different languages that there's still, you know, separation. So, we don't,

Similarly, employees of the company received news of Chicken Salad Chick’s departure on the Saturday night before the store closed on Monday, Jan. 31.

However, the Parkers did not leave their employees to fend for themselves. While many of their employees were part-time workers, the store had a number of full-time employees who solely relied on their income from Chicken Salad Chick.

“We did go to the people who had kids and supported families and worked full time — they are still on our payroll,”

Van Epps has also worked alongside sanitation services director Christopher Smiley to guide SSC’s outreach. However, SSC works with a limited number of city employees, so Van Epps said clear explanations to the aldermen strengthen curbside recycling’s case. She noted Beatty’s proposal was not the program’s end goal but rather the stepping stones that lead to the bigger picture. “So, I think communicating to the board that this is a start-up — like this is not the great, long, decades-later — this is not the long-term plan for recycling,” Van Epps said. “This is just the preliminary ‘getting the process reinstated’ plan.

Beatty said board members’ personal opinions might influence their disapproval of curbside recycling. He said he is presenting a new plan at the board's Feb. 7 meeting that readjusts sanitation fees. While aldermen raised concerns for the program at their last meeting, Van Epps said she is not losing hope. She said Alderman Beatty’s support of curbside recycling motivated SSC members.

“Being able to know that we had at least one alderman

said she agrees that knowledge of communication and public relations is useful to anyone in any field.

“I think people underestimate just how important communications efforts are,” Parker said.

“Whether you’re a math professor or someone who works in agriculture, you’re going to have to engage in some form of communication. We all communicate.”

Fisher spoke of the message she intends for readers to take from her book.

“I want people to get a full view of history. Not to say that we dwell in the past, but to say that we can move forward from it and advance,” Fisher said.

Angelina Leopard, a freshman majoring in communication, expressed a

you know, come home, and talk about work constantly, for example, but we enjoy working together,” Kelly Moser said.

The Mosers said there were other benefits of both working in the CMLL department. As an ensemble, the duo could present at interdisciplinary conferences and have the benefit of knowing the same colleagues.

“Both of us being in academia, I would say, is incredibly helpful because we understand the pressures of

Cameron Parker said. According to the Parkers, they are giving full-time employees opportunities to work at other businesses the Parkers own.

While Chicken Salad Chick has closed its doors, a new concept is entering Starkville in the coming months. The Parkers said they were excited to announce a new restaurant would soon take over the space that Chicken Salad Chick once occupied.

According to Cameron Parker, the business will be more locally focused, so the owners could adapt to

similar sentiment.

“We shouldn’t dwell in the past, but instead open a new pathway,” Leopard said.

Aspen Harris, a freshman communication major, said she has seen some of those new pathways beginning to open already.

“Clearly, there is massive growth and change occurring,” Harris said. “With these changes comes the ability for all minorities to eventually ‘break the glass ceiling’ and be more represented. It will take time, but I believe the field will continue to grow and become more diverse every year.”

Fisher’s book, “The Untold Power: Underrepresented Groups in Public Relations,” is available for purchase. For more information, readers can visit the Business Expert Press website.

academia. Being at Mississippi State now for as long as we have, we know, kind of, how Mississippi State works. So, we can address challenges together in that way,” Kelly Moser said.

After almost 16 years in the CMLL department, the Mosers said they felt like MSU veterans.

“Well, I think, Mississippi State … it's our home. Pretty much everything we do has some connection to Mississippi State,” Kelly Moser said. “We have a daughter, who, you

what the customers want. It will be a sit down style restaurant with servers and career chefs in the kitchen.

With the new restaurant opening in a few months, the Parkers said they will hire former Chicken Salad Chick employees to join their team.

While the closing of Chicken Salad Chick was difficult for the Parkers, they said they look forward to continuing to work for the Starkville community.

“That is the way we spread love to everybody, we feed people,” Dianna Parker said.

know, is very familiar with Mississippi State, and we hope someday she might be able to go there.” As the Valentine’s Day season approaches, the couple said they would likely spend the evening with their daughter and two dogs.

The Mosers agreed that Starkville’s college town atmosphere appealed to their love of cheap eats.

“I’m going to say we’ll be eating Buffalo Wild Wings, pizza, beer … you know, watch TV with the dogs,” Kelly Moser said.

working with us directly to … help influence some of the other aldermen and show them the kind of research that we’ve been doing and kind of present it in a more official way was very encouraging to us,” Van Epps said in an interview.

Alderman Beatty said he was also grateful to work alongside SSC because the city was growing and needed to evolve with its growth.

“I’m glad they are pushing us,” Beatty said. “because it … kind of pushes us out of our comfort zone, comfort level. We’ve gotten comfortable with this drop off thing, and I think we just kind of settled into it.”

Made up of students, SSC members are spread between classes, extracurriculars, jobs and social functions. Van Epps said working with professionals and community members helped magnify the club’s voice.

“So, that’s where a lot of our help, through professors like Alexis Gregory at the university, and just people in the community supporting our cause have been really critical,” Van Epps said.

Interested in science from a young age, Van Epps said her love and devotion to

caring for the environment formed from when she was Girl Scout who spent time outdoors with her family and friends.

“I’m not motivated to, like, recycle and, like, have a better environment for myself … I think of it more like planting a seed that I might not get to see sprout,” the senior biomedical engineering major said, “but it is fulfilling to be part of the process that would provide better opportunities and a more sustainable environment for future generations.”

Beatty agreed, saying his five-year-old grandson’s future motivated him to take a vested interest in the environment.

Throughout the many meetings and discussions of recycling, Van Epps, Gregory and Aldermen Beatty all voiced the same message: citizens of Starkville need to express support for curbside recycling to the Board of Aldermen.

“Unless enough people put enough pressure on other board members to do it, it’s going to be hard to get done,” Beatty said.

Beatty presented a new curbside recycling proposal to the board Tuesday. Read about it in the next issue of The Reflector.

One of SSC’s small groups worked together

Aubrey Carter | The Reflector

The Parkers said a new, locally focused restaurant would be taking the place of Chicken Salad Chick in the near future.

Anne Louise Phillips | The Reflector

Mary Michaela Parker is a marketing and communication coordinator in the agricultural communications department.

Courtesy Photo | MSU

Keith and Kelly Moser met in 2002 at an orientation at the University of Tennessee.

BULLETIN BOARD 3

An In-Class Distraction

The Star Scoops

Pisces- While at a fraternity formal in New Orleans, you probably did body shots off of a street vendor. Get tested, play it safe.

Leo - The ghost of your father will appear to three of your closest friends while they stand guard one cold night. He will accuse his brother of regicide.

Cancer - Upon our weekly consultaion with the star gods, X’anthrai expressed concern for your behavior at 3-4-1’s this past week and has decided to redact your horoscope. The bartender did not, in fact, speak fluent Mandarin, and for what it’s worth, neither did you despite your best efforts.

Aquarius - This week holds opportunities for personal growth, but only physically. Eat high in protein and carbohydrates. Don’t bother self-reflecting. This is not about emotions, it’s about gains.

Scorpio - Spontaneity is the theme this week. If you want to go for a drive, do it. If your boss calls, don’t answer. If you’re offered foreign substances, accept. If you’re offered delicate cuisine, eat that junt. Remember your own mortality, and that your chiefest function is to love.

Taurus - Consider spontaenous combustion. Don’t try it, just think on it. The rest will take care of itself.

Gemini - Your long anticipated evil twin will finally appear. Turns out “evil” just means they chew gum really loudly, but that’s still something.

Capricorn - Jbu’anthan reverts to his mother tongue after about four tequila shots, so this is all we got: “Veh’asthetck, ibn aij. LOL” (He still says lol in English). Your guess is as good as ours for the rest of it, though.

Dates to Remember

February 27 - First progress reporting deadline

March 6 - The midpoint of the semester

March 13-17 - Spring break window

A bumpy ride

January 30 - A student reported her car tire was damaged while parked in the Deavenport parking lot.

January 31 - A parking services attendant reported damages to a wheel lock he placed on a vehicle due to the subject driving off with the lock attached.

January 31 - A student was issued a post arrest citation and referral for possession of marijuana in the Deavenport Hall parking lot. Referrals were also issued to three other students.

February 2 - Officers responded to a two-car accident in the Moseley Lane parking lot.

February 3 - A student reported his handheld gaming device was stolen on 1/25/23 from the common area of Magnolia Hall.

February 4 - A non-resident/visitor was issued an arrest citation on Hardy Road for the defacing of a tag and possession of marijuana. The subject had warrants with OCSO.

A full Bad Dawgs report can be found on www.reflector-online.com

There are few experiences on Earth that can be described as both magical and nauseating at the same time.

I am referring to, of course, the art of the first date. Last Thursday, I embarked on this venture with fellow Reflector writer John Baladi. But please, allow me to start at the beginning.

In my humble opinion, the hour or so leading up to a first date are some of the worst moments of one’s life. The nervousness is at a peak, and all there is to do is prepare yourself and wait. Will this person be a psycho with whom you will have to eventually involve law enforcement, or will you spend the rest of your life with them? Or worse, both?

“I pulled on the handle until he unlocked the passenger side. Strike one, some would say.”

John and I began our night running to his car in the pelting rain. He immediately opened the car door, and I pulled on the handle until he unlocked the passenger’s side. Strike one, some would say.

I did eventually get into the car, and we began our trek to our predetermined location. Tonight, we would be dining at the nicest place in Starkville, the pinnacle of upscale dining, and America’s drive in. Yes, dear reader, we ate at Sonic. This was a joint decision based on both John’s love of all things Sonic and my intense craving for their sauced popcorn chicken.

It is now that I bring up music. One bonus of our restaurant choice was that we got to pick our own background music. John, being in the driver’s seat, was con-

nected to the ever-important aux. He held that position with both tact and grace, picking music that could easily be talked over, while also showing me quite a bit about himself. You can, of course, tell an enormous amount about a person based on their music taste.

I have no idea how or why, but eventually our topic of conversation became house music and its merits at a party. So, for purposes of honesty, I will admit we listened to a bit of house music at that point. Our food came and was devoured with efficiency. I learned that John is not a fan of spicy food. Strike two. A recurring midnight snack for me is hot sauce on saltine crackers. Judge me, I dare you.

One of the more common worries when it comes to first dates is that the conversation will be subpar. I will absolutely say that awkward silence on a first date is one of the most awful but common things to happen. We did not have that issue. A particular quality of being a writer for the Opinion section is that you find it pretty easy to elaborate on a simple idea for around a thousand words.

Our conversation included the typical “gettingto-know-you” spiel, but it was promising in that we found ourselves discussing everything else under the sun. Forget the weather, our classes or the random going-ons of our day, we discussed our most specific hyper-fixations.

This is not to say we agreed on everything. I attempted to convert John to an Ethel Cain super fan like I, a woman of culture, am. It was unsuccessful. He attempted to get me to laugh at a Babylon Bee headline. It was unsuccessful. But we found ourselves in total agreement on more than a few topics, which I would say is essential.

Looking back on the date with a few days of hindsight, I ask myself, will there be a second date? Well, that is for me to know and for The Reflector readers to speculate about.

They say you should not date your coworkers, yet when Opinion Editor Luke Copley found out two of his workers, Lucy Hallmark (of bathroom reviews fame) and I planned a first date, instead of telling us not to go, he thought we should review the matter. The Reflector did not pay for this endeavor, but we are paid from the articles. I wanted to buy the food, so I took the financial responsibility.

We were asked to go to a formal dinner but then were not given any help besides the article pay. So, with a want for a net positive bank account, we went to the greatest fine dining

establishment we could think of: the local Sonic Drive-In. Hallmark may attempt to claim that it was a joint idea, but the parameters I got were between “not too expensive” and “I do not care; I will let you know if I am in the mood for what you are thinking.” So, to Sonic we went. It was Sonic. It was delicious, and afterwards, the feeling of doom in my arteries reminded me of my mortality. I will say no more about the food. In terms of the conversation, we rarely had a dull point. We talked of our days, the new semester, movies, music and, believe it or not, a few articles we had in the works. I spoke about my thoughts on "Dead Space"; she talked about movies she had

watched recently, and then talked about how much she has listened to Ethel Cain lately. I pretended not to find this at least a little unsettling.

In her defense, I was on aux the entire night and defending certain kinds of party music that probably could (should) have waited for another date, but I can only be myself, even if that means EDC highlights. In fact, this was not the only flaw I laid bare. Hallmark looked past my aversion to spicy foods, the lack of ice in the Powerade I ordered and the overabundance of Greta Van Fleet in my playlist curation.

Beside the music and generic small talk, we did get into some interesting conversations about our perspective obsessions

throughout this time. I spoke about my unhealthy obsession with "Game of Thrones"; she talked about her extreme disappointment at the ending. She spoke about how much she enjoys the show "Fleabag", and as the devout Catholic I am, I pretended to not know about the priest storyline in season two. Overall, I had a great time. While it may have been made easier by the shared frustration that our boss would assign us this story then not offer to pay, I say it would have been a pleasure either way. I think it was a great time sharing opinions about all things we are interested in, and it was fun fending off listening to Ethel Cain. I hope to save depressing music for future dates, if she lets me.

John baladi Staff writer

Lucy Hallmark of Bathroom Reviews fame The Reflector

LIFE &

For some people, a thoughtful gift or an act of service is a perfect display of love. For others, their love language is a big plate of bread and a tall glass of wine.

No matter one’s preference, these restaurants offer a perfect array of options to celebrate Valentine's Day locally with your significant other, your best friend or yourself.

Known for its mouthwatering steaks, juicy shrimp and a variety of phenomenal appetizers, Anthony’s Good Food Market has served the West Point community and beyond for over 50 years in its easygoing, casual attire atmosphere. The restaurant is more pricey, but it is nice for a special occasion.

Along with its selfproclaimed good food, Anthony’s also allows its guests to brown bag the wine and spirits of their choosing for $5 a bottle. The restaurant will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, and we advise making a reservation beforehand to ensure a

successful experience.

TASTE Italian Kitchen, located at 208 Lincoln Green in Starkville, is perfect for an upscale, classy dinner. It offers an exceptional wine selection, pasta menu and outstanding customer service for a more expensive choice.

For something romantic and fun, Arepas Coffee & Bar offers great drinks and a cute location perfect for pictures. The menu features a wide variety of authentic Venezuelan cuisine that is very customizable.

Marina Fable, a server at Arepas, said the best thing about Arepas was the community built around it.

“My favorite thing about Arepas is that all the staff are super close with each other and that we have so many regulars that come in just to sit and talk for hours,” Fable said. “If you go this Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend the passionfruit mojito.”

In a new location in the Cotton District, Arepas features a $3 daily mimosa deal that includes four different flavors to try. It is a smaller, intimate place sure to light a spark on Valentine’s Day. No reservations needed.

bag, and it can fail quite easily. This, for me, fails.

“Dead Space” (2023) is a great example of a game that felt dated the day it came out.

The original came out in October 2008, almost 15 years ago. At the time, critics and players alike raved over its horror elements, enemies and gameplay.

Now, I found it quite underwhelming.

The game plays well. The enemies are quite interesting, and the environments are all right. But after about two hours, the game just lost me.

Enemies are painfully predictable. They are only scary due to their jump-scares, which got old very quickly and are seen as a cop-out for good horror in my eyes.

The game does seem like a good time, and people are enjoying it. But for me, it is just dark chocolate — something I can tell is good, just not for me.

Horror movies are some of my favorites. Horror games, on the other hand, I find a more interesting topic. For whatever reason, the horror genre in games is such a mixed

Harveys, serving the Starkville community since 1982 on Highway 12, is the perfect way to encapsulate the Starkville experience for outof-towners. The restaurant offers multiple award nominated items such as an array of fish, steaks, sandwiches and amazing cocktails.

Tuesday nights at Commodore Bob’s Yacht Club are always reserved for its famous $20 steak and fries deal, and this Valentine’s Day is no exception.

At Commodore Bob’s, $20 provides a great cut of steak, laid delicately on their rosemary garlic fries, topped with a phenomenal peppercorn sauce. Along with a glass of wine or a bottle of beer, Commodore Bob’s offers a great deal for a classy meal that won’t break the bank.

NutriGoove opened its storefront to the Starkville community in 2022, after moving to the Cotton District and expanding from its food truck. In the first few weeks of 2023, the restaurant began offering an extended list of hand-crafted cocktails.

The emerging “Starkville staple,” known for its fresh food and drinks, is the perfect

spot for a laid-back Valentine’s evening. For those looking to stay in, Boardtown Pizza and Pints offers creative and fun pizza kits to satisfy holiday needs.

your choice of two toppings and a container of pizza sauce,” said Griffin Bramer, a Boardtown employee. “This is a great Valentine’s Day idea because you can get creative with the pizzas and make them into shapes rather than MOLLIe BrOtHerS & SADIe OgLetree cONtrIButINg WrIterS

ENTERTAINMENT 5 THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2023 | @REFLECTORONLINE JOHN BALADI StAff WrIter ‘Dead

Environments can make horror games work.

“Bioshock” (2007) is a horror game that does well due to certain environments.

The environments of "Dead Space" are also very interesting, but they are painfully repetitive. This is the drawback of every single feature in the game.

The story is the only aspect that is not repetitive, but it is predictable and boring. And to be frank, nobody buys “Dead Space” for the story.

Standard horror tropes are throughout the game, the story is told to you through audio logs and the true ending is not even shown in the first play through.

The gunplay is quite nice, however. It was one of the more highly anticipated aspect of this release, and I honestly like the variety and possibilities of combat because of the guns. While enjoyable and interesting, once again, the combat stays repetitive somehow.

“Ratchet and Clank” is a series known for its

Not

“Dead Space”

just the usual circles.” There are endless possibilities for a sentimental and fun Valentine’s Day. From upscale dining to fun and casual hang-out spots, Starkville has something perfect for everyone this holiday.

could still use these principles.

Some guns do have proximity mine and trip wire capabilities, but these are the only ways that combat varies besides cutting off the limbs of enemies in different ways. Yes, getting a new gun is fun, but using a saw to eliminate enemies over and over again gets quite annoying.

At the end of the day, I do not think this is a bad game. I simply believe that it is a good game that was not optimized outside of graphics for a 2023 release.

None of these make the game bad, but nothing will bring me to this game that is not done better in another title, making this game simply dull.

"Dead Space" was an iconic release in 2008 and helped to shape the landscape of horror games today. For a 2023 release, though, this reboot does the worst thing any reboot can do — it falls flat. You never feel the punches like you did in '08, and you are reminded why you should never meet your heroes.

fun gunplay. The way it succeeds in doing this is by making each gun have different goals.

every gun kills enemies: some stun,

some

alter

and some do

indeed

eliminate

enemies. While this is an absurdist universe that has guns do this in fun ways,

“Dead Space,” developed by Motive Studios and published by Electronic Arts, is a remake of the 2008 survival horror of the same name.

Courtesy Photo | Electronic Arts

Located in The Vista, Boardtown Pizza and Pints features creative pizza making kits for patrons looking to stay in for the Valentine’s season.

Jacob Mitchell | The Reflector

Jacob Mitchell | The Reflector

Arepas Coffee & Bar, located at

102 Rue Du Grande Fromage, offers authentic Venezuelan cuisine in Starkville’s Cotton District. The restaurant features an abundant menu of alcoholic beverages and a cute location, perfect for the Valentine’s Day holiday.

Former Bulldogs look to wrap Super Bowl LVII in Maroon,White

The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs face off in Super Bowl LVII Sunday, and Mississippi State University will be well-represented in the biggest sporting event of the year. The Super Bowl is the most-watched sporting event on the calendar, and the two weeks leading up to the game are home to great storylines getting remarkable coverage. This year, a storyline that may not get the national attention it deserves is the former Mississippi State Bulldogs playing in the big game. Defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Willie Gay Jr., cornerback Darius Slay and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox are all headed to Glendale,

Arizona, for Super Bowl LVII.

Four of the game’s biggest defensive stars once called Starkville, Mississippi, home. Of the four players, Slay is the only one who has not played in a Super Bowl before. Slay was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft and spent seven years playing for the Detroit Lions before joining the Eagles.

Slay has been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl five times and has been a First Team AllPro once in his career. Slay is regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and was voted by his peers to the inaugural Players’ All-Pro Team. Slay has had a long road to finally reach a Super Bowl and will have a chance to cement his legacy on Sunday.

Defensive tackle Cox will join Slay in trying to slow down Kansas City Chiefs quarterback

Patrick Mahomes. Cox is not a stranger to the Super Bowl stage, as he won the 2017 Super Bowl with the Eagles.

Cox has started every game for the Eagles this year in his 11th season. The former first-round pick has eight sacks in those games, including one in the Eagles' playoff matchup against the New York Giants.

Slay and Cox might be two of the most important players on the Eagles' defense. However, the Chiefs have two superstar Bulldogs of their own. Gay and Jones have both played in a Super Bowl before. Gay suffered a loss in his only appearance with the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Jones also lost in that game, but he won a Super Bowl the previous year when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers.

Gay has been a stable piece for the Chiefs' defense since he

was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Gay has been an impact player every time he sets foot on the gridiron, ever since his days in the Maroon and White. Gay will be looking to win his first Super Bowl just like his opponent and former Bulldog Slay.

Perhaps the most important player on the Chiefs, outside of Mahomes, is Jones. Jones was a second-round draft pick when he left Mississippi State and has been one of the league's best ever since. Jones has been selected to four Pro Bowls and was a First Team All-Pro in 2022. Jones is a defensive player of the year candidate and can wreak havoc on any game he plays in.

Regardless of which side wins the game, four former Bulldogs will be able to celebrate achieving the ultimate goal in the sport.

Defense reigns supreme for MSU men’s hoops

Mississippi State University men’s basketball held the ninthranked scoring offense below 60 points for the first time this season as the Bulldogs defeated the University of Missouri 6352 in an electric Humphrey Coliseum Saturday.

Going into Saturday’s game, Missouri’s offense averaged 83.3 points per game with wins over the University of Kentucky and the University of Arkansas. MSU forced Missouri into taking bad shots from

beyond the arc, which led the Tigers to shoot 1-11 (9%) from three in the first half.

Junior forward Cameron Matthews discussed how MSU head coach Chris Jans prepped the Bulldogs before the matchup against Mizzou.

“In our game prep, (coach Jans), was talking about how (Missouri) is really good when they are feeling good, so our main objective was to get to the ball and make them as uncomfortable as we could,” Matthews said after the win.

Once again, the Bulldogs’ defense stepped up in a big-time game.

However, redshirt senior Tolu Smith fueled the MSU offense in one of Smith’s best performances of the season.

In the win over Missouri, Smith recorded 25 points and 12 rebounds, claiming his fifth double-double over the last seven games. Smith also shot a much-improved 9-12 at the charity stripe in the win while he recorded 1,000 career points at MSU, making him the 42nd player in program history to reach that mark.

Smith was not the only Bulldog who had an impressive night offensively, however, as multiple MSU players

made some electric posters and alley-oops to get the fans on their feet in the Hump. Two of the most memorable plays of the night came from forward Tyler Stevenson and guard Shakeel Moore as they soared through the air to create highlight alley-oop dunks.

Stevenson discussed the feeling of getting the Bulldog faithful excited and energized after the big play against the Tigers.

“I just like bringing the excitement to it because when the fans do it, I know it helps us out. So when the crowd gets like that, I know that’s going to give us a little bit of juice to go out

and play for them,”

Stevenson said.

The Bulldogs showed the toughness and grit against Mizzou that was displayed earlier in the season when MSU won 11 games in a row. Coach Jans’ squad is now on a three-game winning streak with important SEC games on the horizon.

During the postgame presser, coach Jans discussed his team’s resilience and how they handled the tough stretch.

“They kept working,” Jans said. “They didn’t start pointing fingers. They didn’t listen to any noise when things weren’t going well. I think it’s a

testament to who these guys are, how they feel about one another and hopefully, a little bit of belief in what we’re trying to do, not only with this team, but in our program for the long term.”

The season is far from over for the Bulldogs, and the NCAA Tournament hopes are still alive, but MSU has to play consistently as a team if they want to enter the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs' next game is against Louisiana State University Wednesday 8 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum. That game will be streamed live on the SEC Network.

Willie Gay Jr. played at Starkville High School before his time at MSU.

In the win against Missouri, Shakeel Moore recorded his 100th steal in 55 games played. Moore is only the 28th player at MSU to accomplish that feat.

MohaMMeD

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Georgia and Florida are the only teams in the Southeastern Conference with four players competing in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona. MSU is only two behind Oklahoma, who leads the country in players competing.

Courtesy Photo | MSU Athletics