THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022
137TH YEAR | ISSUE 21
The Reflector goes for gold in recent journalism contests won first in Best General News Story and placed third in Best Feature Story and Best Graphic. The Reflector placed first and third in Best Front Page, both of which were designed by Harrison as news editor. Managing editor Joshua Stewart received first place in Best Series or Investigative Package for his series on teacher salaries in Mississippi. He also won third place in Best Spot News Photo. "To have that kind of statewide and regional recognition, that was a big deal for me," Stewart said.
HeatHer HarriSon editor-in-CHief
The Reflector recently collected 38 awards from four student journalism contests. In March, staff members attended the Mississippi Press Association O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference at the Mississippi Children's Museum in Jackson. At the conference, state journalists spoke to the students and offered advice for writing careers. The conference also hosted the Better Newspaper Contest Student Division, and
Mary Georgia Hamilton | File Photo
Former editor-in-chief Hannah Blankenship.
The Reflector swept the competition, winning 27 awards. 12 were firstplace awards. Former editor-inchief of The Reflector Hannah Blankenship
Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector
The Reflector staff traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, for the annual O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference hosted by MPA.
received first place in Best Feature Story and third place in Best General News Story.
"I'm so glad that I was able to kind of guide and steward such talent that we have," Blankenship
said about her year as editor-in-chief. Current editor-inchief Heather Harrison
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Powell discusses #FreeBritney and disability rights MSU professor presents the lizzie tomlin Staff Writer
Mississippi State University's gender studies program recently hosted an online discussion entitled "#FreeBritney: Achieving Reproductive Justice for all Disabled People." Stetson College of Law professor Robyn Powell was a guest speaker at the event. Powell, who has a concentration in disability law and policy, identifies as disabled and has served as an attorney advisor at the National Council on Disability.
Powell spoke to MSU students about working to end reproductive oppression of the disabled and drew examples from the recent movement, #FreeBritney. #FreeBritney is related to the case of Britney Spears, who was subjected to a legal conservatorship by her father, Jamie Spears. Her mental health and disability status allowed him to control her finances, reproductive rights and estate. The fight to break the conservatorship resulted in a movement of fans who
supported Spears' right to be free from her father's restrictions. The #FreeBritney movement gave exposure to many issues involving the reproductive rights of those with disabilities. As a result, the pop star's 13-year conservatorship came to an end in November 2021. Anastasia Tsioulcas, culture correspondent for NPR, explained those under conservatorships can be easily manipulated, and such flaws are highlighted in Spears' case. BRITNEY, 2
Courtesy Photo | Sam Lavy
Robyn Powell addressed the harmful effects of conservatorships on disability rights in cases similar to Britney Spears.
histor y of Ukraine and Russia Payton broWn neWS editor
On March 29, Stephen Brain, associate professor of history at Mississippi State University, hosted a discussion on the history between Ukraine and Russia to explain the motives behind the Ukrainian invasion. Brain, who has a specialization in Russian history, felt his objective in the talk was to explain Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine. "He has given two reasons: one based on current politics, and one based upon history," Brain said. According to Brain, Putin's political reason involves Russia attempting to liberate Ukraine from fascism. However, Brain did not find validity in this argument because of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Jewish ethnicity and his family's grievances from the Holocaust. "The second reason for
invading Ukraine is the assertion that Ukraine is not a real independent country with its own historical past but properly that it's part of Russia, and it should be reunited with Russia as soon as possible," Brain said. Brain said Putin had half of a point because of Russia and Ukraine's intertwined histories. "The word Ukraine itself means 'on the border,' as in 'on the border of Russia,'" Brain added.
Brain continued his speech by discussing the history shared by the two nations which began when the nation of Russia was created. Brain highlighted the importance of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, as it was the first capital of Russia. Brain expanded his presentation by showing how Russia's religious foundations were founded on Ukrainian soil. HISTORY, 2
The 30th Inter national Fiesta makes a colorful retur n Samuel HugHeS
Contributing Writer
The 30th annual International Fiesta made a triumphant return on April 2 to Mississippi State University's Drill Field after a two-year hiatus. Hosted by the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center and the World Neighbors Association, the International Fiesta is a celebration of Starkville's cultural diversity. The first International Fiesta was held in 1992 to promote c r o s s - c u l t u r a l interactions between community residents and international students beyond academics. This year, people
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Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector
Individuals representing four different countries wave their respective flags on stage at the 30th International Fiesta.
could tour booths that provided a glimpse into cultures from countries like Nepal, China, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. Attendees had the chance to enjoy crosscultural connection through the new spices of traditional food, the
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kaleidoscope of traditional clothing and displays of impassioned music and dance. Xue Xu, an assistant professor of chemistry, is involved in the Starkville Chinese School which recently began meeting again
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after the pandemic. At the event, the school had a booth that offered authentic Chinese food, and their students to performed violin recitals and Kung Fu on stage. The booth soon sold out of food.
FORECAST: It seems we have not made it in the clear, Bulldogs. The April showers and inconsistent weather continue to plague us this week with lows in the 30s and highs in the high 70s. Hopefully, the future will allow a sunny weekend and a vacation from gray skies.
Courtesy of The Weather Channel
Xu said the school's display of Chinese culture was a success and wished events like the International Fiesta were more common. "Based on the feedback we got from students, they didn't even know we had such a good, rich background in the university. I think this is the university showing students what we have," Xu said. The fiesta featured a competition where three teams of judges picked winners for the best main dish, dessert and booth display. The Sri Lankan Student Association won first in every category. The Sri Lankan booth displayed a large, flameorange Raksha demon mask, which depicts glory and prosperity. The main dish was
kottu, a stir fry with scrambled egg, onions, chilies, spices, vegetables and sometimes meat. The dessert was watalappan, a caramel pudding that used jaggery palm sugar as the sweetener, a flavor unique to Sri Lanka. A community of about 30 members of the Sri Lankan Association worked hard to balance their graduate studies and the production of their booth so that the attendees of the festival could get a taste of Sri Lanka. Samadhi Nawalage, a member of the association, said they are grateful for the opportunity to meet new people, experience other cultures and exhibit her culture. FIESTA, 2
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THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
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BRITNEY
"Spears' case has thrown a spotlight on thorny issues around conservatorship. Activists argue that such legal constrictions are ripe for abuse or that they limit conservatees' civil rights," Tsioulcas wrote. Powell educated students about c o n t e m p o r a r y reproductive oppression in the disabled community and how conservatorships, such as the case of Spears and her father, contribute to it. "We need to get rid of guardianships and conservatorships. It is an
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antiquated system that is not needed and really grossly oppresses people," Powell said. Powell listed many discriminatory attacks on disability reproductive rights, like restrictions on sexuality, threats to parenthood and denial of reproductive decisionmaking. These issues directly affected Spears during her conservatorship as well. Kimberly Kelly, MSU's director of gender studies, discussed disability reproductive injustice and showed her support for the movement.
"Reproductive freedom and reproductive justice require that we affirm and empower people— that we ensure they have the support they need to be a parent or to not be a parent," Kelly said. Powell emphasized inclusivity with reproductive rights, and she wished to achieve a more accepting environment for those with disabilities. "I believe that we can use a disability reproductive framework to expand reproductive freedom for all people. When we target those who
are the most vulnerable, everyone benefits," Powell said. Those in attendance had the opportunity to ask questions. Many students submitted questions that were answered after Powell's testimony. Rheagan Case, a senior English major, attended the discussion for her feminist theory class and explained her thoughts on what she learned. "Learning about how Britney Spears' case relates to those with disabilities and their rights for reproduction was very
interesting and enlightening," Case said. "Some of the facts stated in the talk were so surprising, and I truly learned a lot." Case said she was inspired after learning about the disregard for sexual and reproductive health rights of the disabled. Being a fan of Spears, Case watched as the movement unfolded but said she gained a new perspective after Powell's discussion. "It did not occur to me that the issues she faced are inflicted on many
HISTORY "Kherson is the first place where a Russian ruler adopted Christianity," Brain said. However, Brain explained the disconnect that occurred between Russia and Kiev once Russia began cooperating with the Mongols. "Kiev left the Russian sphere of influence for about 400 years after consequent to the Mongol invasion," Brain said. "When 400 years had passed, Kiev had been absorbed into the neighboring kingdom of Polis-Lithuania." Brain said Ukrainian territory again was seized by the Russian empire in the 16th
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century, and it was connected to the nation until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Brain explained why Ukrainian citizens have been resistant to Russian forces regardless of their past connections. "Russian political control and especially Soviet political control was often very harsh and centralized. The invasion has apparently convinced them or reminded them that Ukrainian independence would be preferable," Brain said. Julia Osman, director of the Institute for the Humanities, said she hoped students know everything has a historical context. "In order for them to
understand what's going on there, they really need to understand the history behind it," Osman said. Osman said Brain's talk provided an expert summary on the history of the two nations because he both explained and challenged Putin's motives. "He's also able to show what might be behind Ukraine's really fervent push against the Russian invasion. I think he outlines historical context of that relationship very well and helps us all kind of understand where this is coming from," Osman said. Osman said she hoped the event would also showcase the other
expertise programs and resources made available by the Institute for the Humanities. "If you look on our webpage, or if you just scroll on our Facebook page, you'll see a lot of videos where experts weigh in on all kinds of things that are going on," Osman said. Katie Hester, a Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science (MSMS) history teacher, attended the event with nine of her students. As an MSU alumni, Hester found the event from Osman and decided it would be beneficial for her curious students. "I knew from talking to students that they were asking a lot of questions about current
events going on in Eastern Europe and Ukraine. I knew there would be an interest in among the student body," Hester said. Hester said Brain's discussion gave her students of a new perspective of the conflict. "I think it did a lot to give them a more in depth, historical perspective on why these things are happening and the origins of some of these conflicts and ideas. I think they really benefited from it," Hester said. For more information on Brain's discussion, visit the recorded livestream on the Institute for Humanities' Facebook page.
FIESTA "It was just a glimpse of our culture. The fact it was appreciated like that meant a lot to me," Nawalage said. "On behalf of all the Sri Lankans, it meant a lot to us." Niki Ye, a sophomore chemical engineer major and secretary of the PanAsian Student Association, ran her organization's booth, which offered Asian food from various cultures. The organization was established this semester to create an inviting environment for ethnic minorities within MSU's Asian student population, Ye said. Ye said in predominantly white areas
Courtesy Photo | Mississippi State University
Institute of Humanities director Julia Osman.
Courtesy Photo | Mississippi State University
Associate Professor of History Stephen Brain.
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like Starkville, it is especially important for minorities to gather and celebrate their cultures. "Minorities work best when they work with each other, so events like these where we're all in the same place and have the same goal to feed people and make people happy," Ye said, "I feel like that's super important— sharing a part of ourselves that makes us unique." As a founder of a new organization, Ye understood the importance of events like the fiesta in increasing her organization's outreach. The Pan-Asian Student Association gained three
times in profit what it spent on materials while connecting with potential new members, Ye said. Mary Alexander, a sophomore communication major, operated the face painting booth. Alexander said the cross-cultural opportunities the International Fiesta offers are a gift everyone should experience. "I feel like it's very easy to just get caught up in Mississippi or just the United States, when really the world is so huge," Alexander said. "I think my favorite part was how receptive everybody was to all the different cultures." As the number of cases
caused by the Coronavirus Delta variant started declining, in February, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center decided to set the festival for April. Despite a short planning period and concerns over turnout, the number of attendees at this year's festival was as high as ever, HCDC members said. Kei Mamiya, interim director of the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, said the International Fiesta made a strong return from its two-year hiatus. "I think we made this event very special," Mamiya said.
Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector
A person of Native American culture does a traditional dance at the 30th International Fiesta.
AWARDS Sports writer and sophomore communication major Elizabeth Keen placed first and second in Best Sports News Story. Sports editor Tanner Marlar won first in Best Sports Column and Best Sports Feature; communication major Lydia Palmer placed third in Best Sports Feature. Tara Smith, a junior animal and dairy science major, placed second in Best Sports Column. "The staff is where it all starts … I'm so blessed to have a staff that not only cares about the sports world but the stories that lie within it," junior communication major Marlar said. "And for them to be recognized for that was huge." Opinion writer Aaron Waterson won first place in Best General Interest Column; opinion editor Luke Copley placed second in the same category and third in Best Editorials. Former graphics editor Savannah Bonds placed first and third in the Best Cartoon category; current graphics editor Dontae Ball won second place. John Griffin, a staff photographer, won first in Best Feature Photo; Adam Sullivan, former photography editor and
others with disabilities as well," Case said. "I was very inspired leaving the discussion and hope to be able to advocate for these rights." Powell said the highly publicized end to Spears' conservatorship was an effective step in the right direction, but the fight for disability reproductive freedom is far from over. "Above all, the future fights for reproductive freedom must be fully inclusive of all people with an intentional focus on historically marginalized populations," Powell said.
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senior communication major, placed second in Best Sports Photo. " … That's something that I think is really awesome about the sphere of photojournalism is that you're not a one-trick pony; you have to have so many tools in your bag," Sullivan said. Former marketing manager Brennan Weaver placed third in Best Advertisement. The Reflector won first place in Best Website, which online editor Joshua Britt worked toward, and second place in Best Use of Social Media. "I designed the website to feel natural and very understandable for all users," the sophomore internet technology major said. "So, to hear the feedback back from them that says 'Hey, yeah, you're doing the right thing; you're working toward the right goals' … that's great." Lastly, from MPA, The Reflector won the General Excellence Category, beating student newspapers from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi. The Reflector was also a national finalist in the Best Website category at the
National Undergraduate Student Electronic Media Competition. Blankenship was crowned the College Journalist of the Year at the Southeastern Journalism Conference Best of the South contest, an honor that comes with a $1,500 prize. "After four years of pretty dedicated service to The Reflector, it's just a great culmination of the hard work that I've done," Blankenship said. The former editor-inchief said she has aspired to win College Journalist of the Year since she was a freshman because, in 2019, The Reflector's editor-inchief Emmalyne Kwasny received the same honor. "It just really kind of lit a fire in me. I was like, 'I want that to be me one day,'" Blankenship said. "It's just very gratifying, very fullcircle that we're here now." Blankenship also placed second in Best News Writer and third in Best Magazine Writer. Marlar was awarded fourth place in College Journalist of the year, also winning a cash prize. "If it wasn't for the people who allow me to tell their stories and share their experiences, I couldn't do it," Marlar said.
Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector
The Reflector’s Heather Harrison and Hannah Blankenship won awards at the annual O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference.
Managing editor Stewart won second place in Best Special Event Reporter; Sullivan placed seventh in Best Photographer. "It helps to build confidence as well and motivate me on projects in my own career," Sullivan said of his SEJC award. Harrison, along with life & entertainment editor Kerrigan Clark, received first place in Public Service Journalism. Lastly, at SEJC, The Reflector won third place in Best Website.
"To know that we're keeping up among current trends," website designer Britt said, "and we're staying relevant among current web design, that's great." Sullivan, Blankenship and Harrison, along with Reflector faculty adviser Josh Foreman, attended the Society of Professional Journalists Adventures in Journalism Conference at DeGray Lake Resort in Arkansas last weekend. At the conference, students roasted hot dogs— regular and vegetarian—
listened to travel journalists, podcast experts and investigative journalists, kayaked on DeGray Lake and attended the Region 12 Mark of Excellence awards ceremony. Blankenship was a finalist in Best General News Reporting for large colleges of over 10,000 students. Sullivan was a second-place finalist in Feature Photography. "To be recognized for something I only considered as a hobby a few years ago is very, very fulfilling," Sullivan said.
THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE
BULLETIN BOARD
An In-Class Distraction
SUDOKU
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March 30 Puzzle Solutions
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Row for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
A student reported buying a concert ticket from someone on social media but never received the ticket.
An MSU police officer injured their arm while chasing a male who was being arrested on campus.
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Saturday, April 2, 2022
An officer responded to a A student was arrested in dumpster fire near Lee Starkville for public drunk- Hall. enness and disorderly conduct. A resident of the county was arrested on Bost An officer responded to Drive for DUI. an altercation in the parking lot behind Perry Cafe- Sunday, April 3, teria. 2022
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Friday, April 1, 2022 A resident of the county was arrested on Fraternity
A non-resident/visitor was issued a citation on Stone Blvd for speeding and marijuana possession.
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OPINION
THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE
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Urban hiking could offer Starkville activity and a renewed sense of self-appreciation Aaron Waterson is a junior majoring in English. Contact them at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
Traditionally, hiking is about going out into the wilderness, walking a trail and appreciating natural scenery. For cities like Starkville, where hiking isn't always convenient, it can
be challenging to find the time to hike and monotonous to walk the same familiar trails. Starkville has the Lynn Lane Multi-Purpose Path, along with easy access to several Noxubee refuge paths. The Multi-Purpose is the only hike in Starkville itself and tops out at 1.7 miles. That kind of length goes by fast, especially if you walk it often and get used to the scenery. With so many things to see in Starkville, and so many people in need of convenient intown exercise, why
should there only be one sightseeing path? Urban hiking has been getting a lot of attention in recent years in various cities around the country. The name sums it up fairly well, actually: hiking but in an urban environment. Take a look at Los Angeles. People do not walk in Los Angeles. It has a reputation for being unfriendly to pedestrians. Casey Schreiner mentions REI, an outdoor activity coop, feature LA's "Big Parade" annual urban hiking event, in an article about urban hiking.
Participants follow a 35 mile trail through the city, and the parade is designed to bring them to new neighborhoods. Starkville is far from being Los Angeles, but there is not a shortage of things to see in town. After all, urban hiking is about showing people things they normally would pass right by. There is more to it than just designating a series of stops along a path through the sites of Starkville. Logistics must be handled, like trail upkeep, but even that is not as daunting as
it might seem. According to Tim Beatley for The Nature of Cities, Anchorage, Alaska's extensive urban hiking system is partially supported and maintained by volunteers from the people who use the trail system recreationally To me, this sounds feasible. Set up an email address or a social media account where people can volunteer to help tend trails and clean up the area along the path. The same avenues can be used to report issues like storm blockages, which could be respond-
ed to by volunteers, encouraging positive action within the community. Starkville is a prime candidate for urban hiking. With the extra chances for people to get their steps in on a dayto-day basis and the ability to promote Starkville's unique culture, it comes off as a little bit of a surprise that there are not any official urban trails already. Better late than never, though, and someone has to give the Starkville Walk Reader new places to go eventually.
Starkville’s S.M.A.R.T buses are a valuable service for students but need improvements
Hannah Blankenship is a senior majoring in communication and Spanish. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
It is approaching lunchtime on a Tuesday. You are waiting for the bus. It does not come. You check the interactive map and notice that both of the buses that run your route are stopped— next to each other. You sigh. You recently learned the two drivers on your route eat together everyday. You know that it will be a while before you make it to campus. Mississippi State Univers i t y ' s S.M.A.R.T bus route is a great service to the MSU commu-
nity. It is especially remarkable for such a small town, but several key improvements could reduce frustration for riders and help the bus system better accomplish its goals. While no definitive ranking exists, according to James Williamson with Philadelphia Magazine, when a software company called TransitScreen, now known as Actionfigure, ranked the 10 best colleges for public transit, all were in major cities like Boston, New York and Philadelphia. I am grateful that, as a small town, we have the robust bus system that we do. There are so many benefits to public transportation. First of all, it is remarkably favorable to the environment. According to the American Public Transportation Association, if a person used public transportation in lieu of a personal vehicle, they could prevent up to 30%
of their carbon dioxide emissions. It also reduces traffic, saves on gas money and is community-minded. Discussions with your driver, like Courtney and Gloria, friends of mine, over the cacophonous rattle of the bus are often a highlight of any day. However, to make the bus system less exasperating and accomplish its goal of getting people where they need to be on time, there are several changes that need to be made. Recently, I compared the posted stop schedule of the bus with when it actually arrived. At 9:21, the bus was supposed to arrive at my stop. At 9:20, I checked the map and the nearest bus on my route
was half the route away from me—and headed in the opposite direction. I officially confirmed for myself what I already knew from personal experience: the posted bus stop schedule is utterly useless. There are precautionary measures to help. DoubleMap, for instance, is an interactive app that shows you where the bus is in real time. While this is helpful, it makes it hard to plan more than 15 minutes ahead. Without a structured schedule, it is easy to miss an earlier bus and then get stuck with the next bus unexplainably not coming for a long period of time, causing you to be significantly late for class. This is unacceptable and frustrating, especially
for conscientious students who would never be late of their own accord. As a university bus system, the goal should be to support students academically. Making them late to class, or causing them to constantly stress that they will be late, is a detriment to their learning experience. First, a simple solution to this issue could be having bus drivers take a staggered lunch break, rather than creating a 30-45 minute gap with no bus service in the middle of the day. Second, and while I do not possess the technical knowledge to know if this is a feasible option, I propose a feature be added to the app where students can "check in" at stops. That
way, the bus driver knows someone is waiting on them and does not randomly stop for a long period of time. According to Jeremiah Dumas, MSU's executive director of transportation, COVID created a serious shortage of bus drivers. Because there were barely enough drivers to go around, routes had to be changed. And if a driver got sick, the route was majorly disrupted because there were no extra drivers to go around. Hopefully, that will even out, and I do not fault the bus system for what they cannot control. I am so grateful for the S.M.A.R.T. bus system and the wonderful, kind individuals who drive the buses. But with some simple fixes and ingenuity, the frustration of many students who do not have any other transportation options would be abated and their educational experience would be elevated.
HOT TAKE: DITCH THE PL AYLIST You are not a DJ. Quit the queue and fall in love with albums.
Adam Sullivan is a senior majoring in communication. Contact them at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
Before we get this snowball rolling, open your music streaming service of choice, scroll through your playlists
and count up how many are doomed to be incomplete, forever left by the wayside. I know the 15-minutelong, "Chill afternoon study vibes" meant a lot to you when you compiled those six Bon Iver songs three years ago, but there comes a time to let an old dog die. I will not claim innocence either. My "panic at the trap house" playlist features equal parts Twenty One Pilots and A$AP Rocky. It haunts my
phone to this day. The opposite is also common. For the indecisive, a "Driving Playlist" clocking in over 24 hours of literally any song that comes to mind is fairly ubiquitous. The hot-faced shame after hitting skip again, again and again while chauffeuring your friends around cannot be understated. All of this to say: playlists are predestined to be inconsistent and, eventually, abandoned.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Editor-in-Chief | Heather Harrison editor@reflector.msstate.edu
Managing Editor | Joshua Stewart managing@reflector.msstate.edu
News Editor | Payton Brown news@reflector.msstate.edu
Opinion Editor | Luke Copley opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
Sports Editor | Tanner Marlar sports@reflector.msstate.edu
Life Editor |Kerrigan Clark life@reflector.msstate.edu
Photography Editor | Landon Scheel photo@reflector.msstate.edu
Online Editor | Joshua Britt multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu
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Graphics Illustrator | Dontae Ball Circulation | Amiyah Brown
Our moods and tastes can change drastically by the year, season or immediate moment. I believe there is a better option. Transitioning from playlist listening to album listening is a blissful journey. Albums are intentional and, for the most part, cohesive. Instead of dedicating yourself to a hodgepodge of semi-similar songs that roughly fit the same vibe, the artists themselves craft the mood of their album. Not to say all al-
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.
bums are perfect in their own right; there is more filler than killer. However, this allows you critique music itself rather than your own taste. On the whole, listening to albums is an engaging experience that allows us to hear music as
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.
our favorite artists intend them. Playlists have their place at parties, but beyond that, they cause more trouble than they are worth. Take some time today to explore your favorite artist's discography. Who knows? You might find something you missed.
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, APRIL 6, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE
LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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Take a stroll with the 'Starkville Walk Reader': Will Malone
HannaH BlankensHip
staff writer
Plenty of people choose to liven up their campus walks by listening to music or an audiobook, but it is not every day you see someone walking while reading their favorite hardback. However, for Mississippi State University students, it is something they see every day. Will Malone, a library associate who works in access services at MSU's Mitchell Memorial Library, is known fondly around campus and town as "The Starkville Walk Reader." If you find that hard to believe, just go to @starkvillewalkreader on Instagram and peruse the many communitysubmitted photos of the walk reader. The account, started and managed by the walk reader's wife and MSU admissions counselor Casey Malone, features photos of Will Malone walk reading all over the town and campus, and even includes pictures of him walk reading up and down stairs. "He thinks it's completely normal. I would disagree," Casey Malone said, laughing. "It's not normal." Will Malone said he began walk reading in 2013 after a near miss with a car while he was walking with earbuds in, listening to music. "I had a close call with a car one time that just sort of almost grazed me. And
it was kind of a step back realization that hearing all around you is at least as important as seeing what's in front of you," Will Malone said. He started practicing walk reading around his apartment complex then slowly expanded to longer distances, until COVID came and took his game to the next level. "Early COVID lockdowns I was trying to get out of the house and I basically ended up walking like Forrest Gump or something all over town trying to distract myself," Will Malone said. Now, Malone takes a four-mile walk in a loop around town every weekend, weather-permitting. He also walk reads across campus during the week during his lunch time and other breaks. While Malone does not spurn podcasts or digital media, he is dedicated to the concept of the classic paper-and-print book. "I guess I'm kind an old man when it comes to the book as an object, you know. We have enough screens as it is, and I don't want to substitute reading for another screen," Will Malone said. Malone's reverence for books and readings comes from his mother and grandmother and was instilled in him from the earliest of ages. "I remember my grandmother—up until she passed at 80—she would read novels with a magnifying glass. So seeing one of the elder fig-
ures in my life that I looked up to and respected doing all that she was able to be able to read was something that stuck with me," Will Malone said. While the walk reader is aware of the Instagram account started in his honor, he has not seen a single post from it, nor does he want to. "He doesn't really like attention," Casey Malone said. "So I think that he can pretend to ignore it if he doesn't look at it, which is pretty funny because he sometimes will notice people taking pictures of him, but most of the time he doesn't even notice— because he is legit reading." Casey Malone recounted one of her favorite submissions to the account. "I had a student send me a picture of him walking past her reading towards the Union, and then he walked away with some Chick-fil-A. So I sent him a message and said, 'How is your Chick-fil-A?' And he said, 'Wow, I haven't even opened the bag yet.' But then that gave me the opportunity to poke fun at him for not eating what I had cooked for him to eat," Casey Malone said. Vyusti Yadav, a sophomore business administration major, works for Will Malone in access services at the library and is a frequent contributor to the walk reader Instagram account. "I'd see him walk out of the library with a book
Hannah Blankenship | The Reflector
Walk-reader Will Malone strolls around the Drill Field as he devours his latest novel. He has been walk-reading since the beginning of COVID.
and think 'Oh OK he's probably going to go sit down outside,' but then over the months you just see him walking (with a book). He doesn't look up," Yadav said. Do not be fooled by the post on April 1 that said the walk reader fell while walking. In fact, Will Malone said he has never once tripped, fallen or run into somebody while walk reading, a skill he attributes at least partly to being so familiar with the local terrain. "I'm a Starkville native. So I think that's part of what allows me to walk around and read
without falling on my face ... I know where all the cracks in the pavement and the wonky sidewalks are," Will Malone said. So, on any given day when you walk past the now-famous walk reader, what might he be reading? Malone's current read is "White Noise" by Don DeLillo, and the most "satisfying" book he has ever read is "Suttree" by Cormac McCarthy, a book he described as a rare treasure. His favorite genre is '60s and '70s-era crime fiction. Malone's wife, Casey, also loves reading, but
she likes doing it while stationary. "I love to read, but I have a Kindle and I like to read on my couch or in the bed. I like to be in one spot moving at zero miles per hour," Casey Malone said, laughing. The walk reader's love for books extends to his job, where he finds satisfaction in helping others obtain access to research materials they need. "I mean, I think libraries in general are sort of synonymous with an eccentric character here and there, and if I'm associated with that, that's fine." Will Malone said.
DelFest will feature local artists and art
trey Barrett
contriButing editor
DelFest, one of the largest locally produced musical festivals in the Golden Triangle area, will be held at Dave's Dark Horse Tavern on April 16. The event will feature 28 local and regional musicians, bands and art vendors. Art vendors will set up outside of the pub at 3 p.m. Live music will begin at 5 p.m. The festival began as a celebration of the life and legacy of Del Rendon, a Starkville native whose rock and blues music echoed throughout the southeastern U.S. Family and friends of Rendon formed the Del Rendon Foundation in 2006 after his sudden death on Sept. 4, 2005. The foundation maintains Rendon's love for the arts and his community by supporting and raising awareness for local and regional artists. "They have created a wonderful scholarship for art students at Mississippi State University," said Joe MacGown, a local artist and part-time entomologist at Mississippi State University. "Almost every art and music event in Starkville is supported by the foundation in some way." Over the years, the foundation has sponsored the Cotton District Art Festival Songwriter Showcase and regularly supports the Children's Art in the Park event. The foundation has given over $100,000
for its art scholarship and continues supporting Starkville by raising money for these events with Delfest. Dave Hood, owner of Dave's Dark Horse Tavern, said he is a prominent supporter of the music scene in Starkville. He shares the same love for music Rendon had by allowing local bands and musicians to perform on the Del Rendon Stage every night. He also shares this same love by supporting Delfest every year, he said. "Del was a cornerstone of a strong Starkville music scene," Hood said. "With that in mind, we try and showcase local veterans as well as get some newer acts in front of a bigger crowd at Delfest." At this year's Delfest, an artist village, featuring artists selling their unique works, will set up outside at the tavern's picnic table area. It will be the first big showcasing of local artists directly before the event. MacGowan, who selected many of the artists featured in the village, shared why he chose many of the artists. "Del was an interesting artist, so we try having some fun stuff going on that's a little different," MacGowan said. "We are not going to have like paintings of flowers necessarily ... it will be a little weird. But that's on purpose." The festival also provides an opportunity for Starkville residents to witness the growing music scene
Courtesy Photo | The Del Rendon Foundation
The spirit of Del Rendon lives on through the DelFest. The Del Rendon Foundation, founded by family and friends of Rendon, sponsors the event to support local and regional artists.
in the area. Joe Evans, the percussionist of the acoustic cover duo Sugar High, is performing at the festival. He explained how the music scene in the area has changed over the last few years. "There used to be a huge music scene here, and I think that's resurging right now," Evans said.
"There was a little while where there wasn't as much going on, but it seems like the pandemic was a little incubator." Evans, who is a Starkville native, has been in the music scene in Starkville since he joined his first band at age 15. He said the music scene in Starkville is
full of camaraderie that one cannot find anywhere else. "The musicians around here know and respect each other for the most part," Evans said. "It's a real 'we all have to stick together' sort of attitude, and I think that's great." New and old musicians and artists will
have the opportunity to grow in the area during Delfest, Hood said. "Delfest always brings a fun and diverse crowd including families with youngsters to old folks like me," Hood said. "There's something for everyone with each act featuring one of Del's original songs."
THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | @SPORTSREFLECTOR
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SPORTS
Ashok Manick | The Reflector
Mia Davidson (pictured above) has been on an absolute tear in her final season in the maroon and white. She’s totaled 36 hits on the season so far on 91 plate appearances, with 15 of those hits being home runs.
Softball holding heads high after dropping the series to Tennessee
TANNER MARLAR SPORTS EDITOR
On a day where the entire country's softball community rallied around the memory of the late MSU softball player Alex Wilcox, the Bulldogs tied up the series against the No. 13 ranked Tennessee Volunteers. They lost the previous game 9-1 in just five innings of play, and on a day where Wilcox's memory was surely a rally cry, bounced back to stun the Vols 8-3. MSU
might have dropped the series the next day, but a hard-fought series loss on the road isn't always a bad thing. "It reminded us to be selfless," said senior Mia Davidson about the impact All for Alex Day had on the team. "We were playing for everybody, and knowing that if (Alex) can do it while going through chemo, a bad knee or something is nothing compared to what she went through." The ladies' RPI jumped up to 28th overall, placing them in what is essentially one
good weekend away from being a top 25 team. In the rubber match, all of Tennessee's 10 RBIs came off of home runs, despite Annie Willis striking out four of the first five batters she faced. MSU struggled to maintain their momentum from the previous day's win, and head coach Samantha Ricketts knew it. "I thought we started off the game strong, but we weren't able to hang on to the energy or momentum from Saturday," Ricketts said after Sunday's loss. "We need to work to be
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consistent in all three phases in order to bounce back this week." The Bulldogs will have the chance to do just that, as they look to make the trip south to Hattiesburg for a midweek game against the University of Southern Mississippi on Tuesday before returning home with a chance at a muchneeded SEC series win against the Missouri Tigers' highly touted pitching staff. Game one of that series begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and will be aired on SEC Network Plus.
Ashok Manick | The Reflector
RHP Kenley Hawk winds up to deliver the pitch in earlier action this season.
Marlar: When is it not “Too Soon?”
At what point do fans have to swallow the pill about this baseball team, and is it now? TANNER MARLAR | SPORTS EDITOR
STARKVILLE—We hear it all the time. “It’s too soon to make those claims,” and “that’s just baseball,” but when is it not too soon? We’re exactly one month removed from Landon Sims' Friday night outing against Tulane when he suffered a horrendous injury, ending his season. Fast forward to now, after dropping the Arkansas series 2-1, and the people who said this team won’t host this year are looking more and more credible. However, they’re still combated with the age old saying: it’s “too soon” to say that this team won’t do miraculous things down the road this year, and that may be true to an extent— after all, we’ve seen plenty of magic happen when it
comes to Mississippi State University baseball. For now, though, the Bulldogs sit at 17-12 following their lone Arkansas win, after three series of SEC play. The pitching has looked quite suspect at times, and the hitting comes and goes. When the hitting is there, though, oh boy, is it there. The Bulldogs have rattled off 10 or more runs in 12 games, showing that this team most definitely can hit when it finds its groove. Pitching has been the problem for MSU this season and is the main reason people are saying that this team may not host. My question, though, is when do those claims start to become a reality? Is it here, at the 4-5 mark in SEC play, or is it
further down the line? At what point do the naysayers become right, or will they be? Either way, if this team wants a chance at hosting postseason play, which is a huge upper hand when it comes to a postseason Dudy Noble Field, they’ll have to figure out the pitching. We’ve known that, though. The question now is, can they figure it out? Head coach Chris Lemonis has exhausted almost every plausible option at this point, and the same problems keep arising. Is it time to give the naysayers their credit? That’s for the fans to decide, but if MSU wants to get hot at the right time, they’ll have to start showing signs sooner rather than later.
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Logan Tanner takes a swing during previous action this season against the University of Alabama.