The Lion's Roar 02/14/2017

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February 14, 2017 Volume 88, Issue 19

’ THE LION S ROAR S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y

A Student Publication

Campus Life Page 2

Opinions Page 3

Arts & Entertainment Page 4

Sports Page 6

News Page 8

LionsRoarNews.com

Softball opens season with 3 wins Two university students By Nikisun Shrestha Staff Reporter

The Lady Lions softball team began their season with three wins and a loss in the 2017 Lion Classic I tournament. The tournament held from Feb. 11 to Feb. 12 saw some impressive performance from the team in North Oak Park. The Lady Lions started their campaign against Army University with a 7-4 victory on day two of the tournament. They also played University of Nevada on the same day, where they lost the game 3-1. “Yesterday, I thought we had a good win over Army and played well for the opener,” said Head Coach Rick Fremin. “In the Nevada game, we ran up against a great pitcher. She stayed in there all seven innings, had a bunch of strike outs. We really couldn’t catch up with her.” On the final day of the tournament, the Lady Lions won both their games against Mississippi Valley State 11-5 and Coppin State 6-1. “Today, we did a good job of competing and being resilient against Valley to come back in that game,” said Fremin. “In the nightcap, I thought our pitching staff did well and kept the runs to a minimum for the other team, and we did what we needed to do in the late game with runners and scoring positions. So, to end the weekend 3-1, opening

weekend, I’m happy right now. We just gotta keep them healthy. We got to just look to the next one and keep working. I really like our team, so I’m impressed.” Junior outfield player Kinsey Nichols believes the team have jelled together and are playing well as a unit. “The chemistry is there this year,” said Nichols. “Everyone supports each other, there’s no selfishness. I think we’ll go far this year as well.” Fremin believes the team has improved since pre-season. “I think our pitching staff is really working together as a unit,” said Fremin. “We kinda have some starters, middle relievers and closers, and they’re doing a really good job. Offensively, our short game is our strength, how we kind of run the bases and our aggressiveness. That’s gonna be some things that will carry us along the way into the season.” Fremin and Nichols both feel there are still areas that the team can improve. “I would say maybe in our short game,” said Nichols. “Like I said, all around, I think we’re a pretty solid team. We have a good defense behind the pitchers, we have good pitching this year. The bats are hot. I think we could just work on our short game.” Fremin believes the team can improve on being consistent throughout the game.

impacted by Trump’s ban By Nikisun Shrestha Staff Reporter

United States President Donald Trump enforced a travel ban on travellers from seven Muslimmajority countries last month. The signing of the executive order spread chaos in most parts of America. Two of the university’s students have been affected by this action as well. “We currently only have two students who are from the countries listed in the executive order,” said Amber Silessi, Director of International Services. “So, that’s the only affect it’s had right now.” The university has advised the students to stay away from traveling in this uncertain environment. “Right now, we’re advising the students who are affected not to travel until everything’s run through the court system and a final decision is made so we know how to best advise them,” said Silessi. Trump’s decision has created an unpredictable environment for many international students who Nikisun Shrestha / The Lion’s Roar are in the United States, and it is Junior outfielder Maddie Edmonston, above, averaged .250 and had four hits also expected to affect the aspiring and three runs in the Lion Classic I tournament, which the Lady Lions finished students planning to continue their 3-1. higher education in the states. “We do not have any “Being plugged in for the momentum going throughout applications from students from seven innings, for the entire the entire game and there not any of those listed countries,” said game and just continuing to be lulls throughout the game.” Silessi. “As the applications are be aggressive,” said Fremin. The Lady Lions resume coming, that’s one of the things “When a run’s starting their season at home on Friday I’m checking to make sure, so I can advise them separately than to happen, we keep that Feb. 17 in Lion Classic II.

I would a student from any other country that is not affected.” The ban is implemented on people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. Travellers from those countries are at a risk of getting their visas cancelled. “The only detail right now is to inform students not to travel,” said Silessi. “That’s the only thing we can do. Beyond that, we advise them to seek professional immigration attorneys because they’re better able to advise beyond what we can.” The university has also tried communicating with the students affected. “We have reached out to them as resources, but they haven’t reached back out to us,” said Dr. Pam Rault, Director for Student Engagement. “For us, it’s to provide them with good advice and to also just be a support system for them during this time.” Rault’s advice to the students is to keep their traveling to a minimum. “Students are going to have to be more mindful,” said Rault. “For the individuals who are affected, whether or not, if they had any trips planned home, it’s probably in their best interest to stay here.” Trump’s administration believe the ban has been set to prevent the threat of potential terrorists from entering the United States. However, this “extreme vetting” has been challenged in courts and a decision is still to be made.

Explore diversities in agriculture by visiting the HRS Camellia Garden Stroll By Regina Pergola Staff Reporter

Over 500 types of camellia flowers will be available for guests to view at the Camellia Garden’s Stroll through the W.F. “Hody” Wilson Garden. The stroll has been an annual event since the early 2000s, because of the efforts of W. F. “Hody” Wilson Jr., who was superintendent of the Hammond Research Center from the mid1930s until 1975. Wilson was known for his breeding of camellias internationally. The Garden Stroll will take place on Feb. 19 from 1-4 p.m. Assistant Extension Agent Whitney Wallace extended the invitations to the general public and asks that only service animals be brought to the garden. “Please enjoy the rare beauty of this garden,” said Wallace. “If you want to bring the beauty of a camellia home, there are many plants of different colors and varieties that will be for sale in the lab building We welcome the public to walk the forest path, view glorious blooms, one-of-a-kind varieties of camellias and speak with experts and enthusiast from all over the region.” The W.F. “ Hody” Wilson Garden is now listed as one of the Founding Gardens by the American Camellia Society as part of their American Camellia Trail, which lists all the camellia collections of interest.

The physics of video games

Yan Chen/LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station

The general public is invited by the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and the Hammond Research Station to visit the W. F. “Hody” Wilson Garden and view their collection of camellias. There will be a Camellia Garden’s Stroll held on Feb.19 from 1-4 p.m. for patrons to view over 500 different varieties of camellias planted by the now deceased Wilson. The Camellia Garden will now continue at the Hammond Research Station because of an effort to provide educational and research support for the growing commercial landscape industry in Florida Parish. The LSU AgCenter and the Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardener Association teamed up to take care of the Camellias that faced several struggles, such as neglect, snow and hurricanes, which resulted in the loss of entire Camellia breeds. “Damage from hurricanes Katrina and Gustav as well as

an unexpected 8-10 inches of snow broke the branches and even the trunks of many of these exceptional plants, but many are coming back while others will not,” said Wallace. The Hammond Research Center, and the LSU AgCenter support the agricultural industries, improve the environment and the community by engaging community members to be a part of their 4-H youth programs as well as their family and consumer sciences. The Camellia Stroll is one of their community development

By Nathaniel Callaway Staff Reporter

Science on Tap was an event started a few years ago as a way for members of both the student body of the university and the surrounding community to come, eat some food, have some drinks and learn about science. The session was

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programs. Students and other guests can donate their time to the Camellia Gardens to help prevent the loss of more specific breeds. Wallace expanded on what the gardens need help with the most. “Volunteer time to help with parking, load vehicles with camellias and clean up and take down,” said Wallace. “Our Master Gardeners could use the help of community volunteers such as Boys Scouts, non-profit organizations or anyone willing to donate their time.” Wilson bred several selections of camellias, in

different environments to produce more tolerant varieties from the 1930s to the 1950s. “Hody loved camellias and was interested in improving camellias that could be grown and sold by LA nurseries,” said Wallace. “In fact, he donated 4000 of his own seedlings to get the project started.” The hybrids were diverse enough that not all were named. This resulted in some of the tags on the camellias being labeled “XX.” However, due to a lack of financial aid and labor in the 1990s, the garden was left neglected.

originally inspired by the Roman Catholic Church group “Theology on Tap,” which was the same thing except about theology instead of science. Dr. Brian Crother, a biology professor on campus, was invited to one and decided to do something similar but with different kinds of sciences, with each week having a different kind of topic. Held on the first Tuesday of every month, this month’s

Weather Tuesday H 77 L 50

The HRS was focused more on produce than the flowers Wilson dedicated his career to. In 1999, the Tangipahoa Master Gardeners began cleaning and maintaining the garden. Experts named the surviving plants, but some were not named and others were unable to be salvaged. There were a couple varieties lost which were later found in Alabama, with the option that they might be able to be returned to the Camellia Gardens lost were found in a garden in AL and can be propagated and returned to their birthplace.

Science on Tap was held on Feb. 7 at Tope lá restaurant in downtown Hammond at 7 p.m. Its topic of discussion was “The Science of Video Games,” where a physics professor, Rhett Allain, dissected different games and explained how one would go about understanding the physics used in these see

SCIENCE ON TAP pg. 4

Reminders Wednesday H 61 L 37

No graduation applications will be accepted after Feb. 15, 2017.


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The Lion's Roar 02/14/2017 by The Lion's Roar // Le Souvenir - Issuu