The University of the Cumberlands Student Newspaper
And the winner is...
JORDAN!
Spring Issue 9 April 20, 2018
Friday April 20, 2018
Editor-In-Chief Eric Ford Edwards Managing Editor Megan Willoughby Faculty Adviser Jeremiah Massengale
Patriots, I hope everyone is getting excited for the end of the semester! Although Spotlight is over, we still have so much to look forward to! For the final three contestants: Clara, your voice was so powerful all season! Brandon, you are incredible and the way you sang to your girl was breathtaking! I enjoyed watching you perform every time you took the stage. Finally, Jordan, congratulations on your win and I hope you get that new keyboard you’ve been wanting! You definitely deserve it. Like most seniors, I’m refraining from getting emotional because I only have two short weeks left until graduation. Looking back on my time here at UC, Williamsburg is truly a diamond in disguise. For freshman that are unsure if they should come back, you should really consider giving this small town a chance. I’m forever grateful that I stayed after my initial thoughts as a freshman. This community is unique and unlike most big cities, we are a family. The school theme “#OneBigTeam” doesn’t just mean the uniting of athletes, it’s everyone. OneBigTeam is being a Patriot. This place is rare. Take pride in being a student. Here at The Patriot, we are working diligently on creating content for the student body. I’d like to thank the entire staff, especially our editor-in-chief, Ford Edwards, who puts his heart and soul into each issue. We hope that this week’s issue informs, entertains, and highlights events occurring on and off campus. Like always, everyone is welcome into our newspaper family. We are always looking for new members to add to the staff whether it be for writing, photography, or graphic design. Ask Mike Krzyston! He joined two weeks ago and has done an incredible job with photography. If you would like to join or have any questions about our content email thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu. Sincerely,
Staff Emilee Agee Taylor Duke Leanne Gregory Tyler Kohn Mike Krzyston Megan Muggridge Nichole Sharp Zane Ross Editorial Review Board Lisa Bartram Marianne Worthington
Email comments, concerns or tips to: thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu or call us at 606-539-4172 7000 College Station Drive Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769 The Patriot is the weekly student publication of the University of the Cumberlands. Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views. Award-winning member of the Associated Collegiate Press and Kentucky Press Association.
Megan Willoughby
Page 3 News
Fires started in Williamsburg and Corbin
BY TAYLOR DUKE Staff Writer
Tractor Supply in Williamsburg and W.D. Bryant in Corbin, Kentucky were both hit with small fires on April 13. According to WKYT, police found a device on the scene of Tractor Supply that looked to be an incendiary device. Initially investigators thought the device was explosive but after examination, it only gave off the appearances of being one. WKYT also reported that authorities believed that the device was meant to burn the entire building but was caught early and had only burned a few pallets. Police think someone planned to burn the Williamsburg store. When talking about the fire, Williamsburg’s fire chief Larry Todd stated, “The fire was out when we arrived on scene but when we got there my department as well as the Williamsburg Police Department set up a perimeter. The police department took it upon themself to contact the Kentucky State Police Bomb Squad and ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, FIrearms, and Explosives) officers and they took over the investigation.” Later that same Friday, W.D. Bryant’s Corbin location was also set ablaze. This fire was the second fire that federal agents had responded to in Whitley County.
Photo by Emily Adams/ The Times Tribune. Used with permission.
The Times Tribune reported that there were explosion noises in the back room, where the fire was thought to originate. The explosions noises were thought to be the noise of paint cans bursting from the heat of the fire. Customers and employees were in the Corbin store at the time the fire began but got out safely with no injuries reported. Many residents have wondered if the two fires were related. University of the Cumberlands sophomore Kayla Skaggs commented, “I find that interesting that they were both set in the same day and I would like to know more about that.“ Additionally, WYMT’s reports continued by saying that the Corbin Police department may have a person of interest for the homeimprovement store fires. However, Todd added, “As of now, there are no connections between the two fires.”
Page 4 News
Brandon Hurst sings “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Franki Valli. Clara A rnold sings “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley.
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Photos by Mike Krzyston
Ben Call announcing the winner of Spotlight season 6.
Page 5 News
s Jordan Yaden is declared Spotlight season 6 winner Jordan Yaden sings “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac.
BY EMILEE AGEE AND MEGAN WILLOUGBY Staff Writer and Managing Editor
The final night of Spotlight, UC’s annual singing competition, was held on April 17 in Gatliff Chapel at 8 p.m. and Jordan Yaden was announced as the first place winner, with Clara Arnold in second and Brandon Hurst in third. First prize was awarded $1,500, second was given $500 and third with $300. Each of the three remaining contestants sang two songs, the first was the judges pick and the second was their own, with previous Spotlight contestants performing in between. Guest singers included Dalton Hutton and host Ben Call, who opened the show, singing “Say Something” by Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton, last year’s winner Anne Russell singing “Human” by Christina Perry, and season 4 winner Nikki Marietta singing “Tell Me You Love Me” by Demi Lovato. Hurst sang “Walking After Midnight” by Patsy Cline and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli for which he earned a standing ovation and judge Victor Andzulis said, “You made me feel something I wasn’t expecting to feel.” Clara Arnold first sang the judges pick “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley and her choice of “River” by Bishop Briggs, where judge Mike Dickman complemented the strength in her voice and said, “You always take the house down.”
Jordan Yaden sang the judges choice of “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac and his pick, “Attention” by Charlie Puth. Andzulis said Yaden had the “whole package” which proved true when on his second song he played bass and then moved to the keyboard while singing, something judge Jordyne Carmack said she believed to be a first. Carmack said, “You know what you’re capable of and you proved it.” When Yaden was declared the season 6 Spotlight winner, he thanked the crowd. When asked how he felt he said, “It feels amazing. From last year, just seeing my growth and where I came from, I’m just honored to have this opportunity.” UC student Trenton Wheeler said he had no idea who was going to win. Wheeler said, “It was pretty evenly matched. They all did really good, so either way, I’m not surprised, but I was kind of leaning toward Jordan winning.” When Yaden was asked what he will do with the prize money he said, “Well, for starters, I’m going to get a keyboard with the money because I’ve never had one.”
Page 6 Features
Let’s taco ‘bout it A quest to find the best taco in Williamsburg Torres AtmosphereTasteTimePrice-
BY MIKE KR Z YSTON Sta ff Writer
Photos by Taylor Duke
Mexican food is loved by many, mainly due to the simplicity of the dishes and the zesty, spicy, and exotic flavors that come with them. Williamsburg is home to three different Mexican restaurants: Torres Mexican Steakhouse, El Dorados Mexican Restaurant and Taco Bell. All three options offer a variety of different styles and authenticity of Mexican food, but which one offers the best tacos? This week, I set out to order tacos from all three places to find out, in my opinion, which taco reigns supreme. Torres Mexican Steakhouse does not offer a basic “taco dinner,” as its focus is primarily on steak and burritos, but it does offer a combination meal where one can order two ala carte options with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans for a fairly cheap price of $7.99. Ordering two tacos will get you two choices of meat in two hard-shell tortillas, topped with lettuce and shredded cheese. On a fairly busy day, the meal will take a little over 15 minutes to get to your table. The atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxed, with a full bar buzzing with customers, making your eating experience enjoyable, which may make up for the lack of sustenance from the meal. The hard-shell was a poor choice by the chef, as the small amount of un-seasoned meat that was offered in the taco fell out upon the first bite. Overall, Torres is a friendly establishment that seems to promise great tasting food, but, to me, there was a lack there of. Rather than focusing on authenticity and quality, the establishment caters to a more Americanized version of the classic Mexican dish. If you are looking for a super quick and super cheap option to satisfy your taco needs, look no further than Taco Bell. The fast food restaurant offers a multitude of quick and easy to eat Mexican options, such as nachos, burritos, and tacos. At only a little over $1 a taco and a serving time of only a minute, Taco Bell appeals to those on a budget or in a hurry. Be mindful, though, as you get what you pay for. Ordering a taco that comes to you with that price and speed of cooking, it is hard to expect it to be anywhere near authentic or high quality. El Dorados may offer the best taco eating experience within the city limits of Williamsburg, Kentucky. The establishment is adorned with bright colors, and the tables and chairs feature a traditional style of Mexican art. It is sometimes less busy than its competitor Torres, but offers a more relaxed, family-oriented atmosphere. It offers multiple different authentic Mexican dishes, including a few different taco dinners. The best choice may be the “Trio Tacos”, which offers three tacos (one chicken, one pork, and one chorizo), adorned with cilantro, onion and lime, all for $11.99. El Dorados does not skimp out when it comes to the meat, as the tacos may be challenging to close as you eat them. For some, it may be hard to finish the entire dish because of the size of the portions. Whether it’s for a mid-day lunch, or a weekend family get together, the Williamsburg Mexican restaurant scene offers quite the variety, and when it comes to tacos, El Dorados is leading the pack with its dedication to authenticity and quality of their dishes.
Taco Bell AtmosphereTasteTimePrice-
El Dorado AtmosphereTasteTimePrice-
Page 7 Entertainment
Quietly terrifying
Image source Everett
BY T YLER KOHN AND MEGAN WILLOUGHY Staff Writer and Managing Editor
“A Quiet Place” starring John Krasinski and his wife, Emily Blunt, was a unique approach to the average scary movie. While writing and directing it, Krasinski went to great lengths to fully present the concept of having the characters remain quiet for their safety and the theme of protecting the ones you love. This story includes Krasinski’s character Lee Abbott, his wife Evenlyn, their two children and eventually a baby, fighting to stay alive in silence and hiding from creatures that are drawn by noise. This movie utilizes the absence of sound, rather than the presence of overbearing “scary” music, to inspire fear. A crucial aspect to this movie is Krasinski’s casting of Millicent Simmonds as daughter Regan Abbott, who is actually deaf and who struggles to find her worth throughout the film. Regan also has to fight her guilt she feels due to a tragic event that occurs in the family, damaging their happiness and hope toward the future by the cruelty of the creatures around them.
“A Quiet Place” provided something integral to any really great horror movie that many of this genre on which others simply miss the mark: a truly terrifying concept. There is no magic. No voodoo. It is only a family utilizing their ingenuity to survive in a terrifying, yet somehow plausible situation of raising children in a future where making noise spells almost-certain death. Beyond this, there is sense that you can relate to the characters which not only draws you into the world, but makes you root for the characters in a way that is hard to do in many horror movies today, where there tends to be an overabundance of stock characters performing various lewd acts as they wait to be disemboweled. “A Quiet Place,” provided a refreshing new look at the horror movie genre, and a wonderfully terrifying viewing experience. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It’s worth the popcorn you’ll accidentally throw across the theatre.