October 19, 2018 (Think Pink)

THE APPALACHIAN Oct 19, 2018

HATE GRAFFITI IN FREE EXPRESSION TUNNEL RESPONSE PAGE 2

50 YEARS OF WOMEN'S SPORTS PAGE 8-9

PREVIEW: MIGOS' IMPACTS ON APPS PAGES 10-11

Mining for a Purpose at Doc’s Rocks raises $17, 500 for cancer patients Anna Muckenfuss ‫@ ׀‬noel1122 ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

Blowing Rock’s gem mining attraction, Doc’s Rocks. // Photo by Brendan Hoekstra

T

he seventh annual Mining for a Purpose event sponsored by Doc’s Rocks Gem Mine on Oct. 6 raised over $17,500, with more donations to come later in the month, the owner, Randy “Doc” McCoy, said.

The event was formerly known as Mining for a Cure. McCoy started raising funds because of his personal connections to cancer.

“When we started the business in 2007 I lost my youngest sister to breast cancer,” McCoy said. “Since her passing I’ve lost my oldest sister to breast and ovarian cancer, and my brother to lung cancer a month ago. My mother is a survivor, I’ve got one surviving sister and my father is a survivor. It hits close to

2

home.”

Not counting this year, McCoy said $73,769 has been raised and donated to date.

“Our goal this year is $12,000,” McCoy said. “Last year we raised $18,000, which is the record for the event. It gets bigger and bigger every year.

The money raised from the event goes to an emergency fund used by local cancer patients at the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center.

“One hundred percent of what we raise and donate goes to the fund. The money is used for medicine, treatments, gas or for patients to pay their bills with if they can’t work,” McCoy said. “It can pay for

anything a patient needs. ” Doc’s Rocks Gem Mine, Trina’s Java Rocks and the Appalachian Fossil Museum all participate in the event. Their profit for the day is donated to an emergency fund for local cancer patients. The funds are raised from a silent auction, dollar raffle and gemstone raffle.

“We open at 9:30 a.m., and for the past few years we have had a line at the door waiting to get in,” McCoy said. “It’s an all-day event, and it’s non-stop. It’s the busiest day of the year for us, and we don’t make a penny off of it.”

Local businesses donated items for the silent auction, including 421 Auto, Tweetsie Railroad, the Pet Place, Come Back Shack and many

Families of Blowing Rock enjoy interacting with Doc’s Rocks gem mining amusing attractions and activities. // Photo by Anna Muckenfuss

more, McCoy said.

“This event is not about us,” McCoy said. “But I’ve had people come over to us in a restaurant and thank us for what we do.”

For those who have come to the event for several years, Mining for a Purpose has become a tradition.

“This is an annual event for us,” April Uplinger, a fundraiser participant, said. “When people come to an event like this, they’re not only helping someone else, they are helping themselves.”

Rachel Bard-Nelson, sophomore at Watauga High School, has come to Doc’s Rocks since she was 4 years old and has volunteered with the business for two years.

“It’s a fun job for me. I’ve been

helping people with the flume and taking the dirt out of the water,” Bard-Nelson said. “The most important thing about this event is helping the cause.”

Erik Anderson, Doc’s Rocks employee, said McCoy’s ability to raise money has positively affected the community, even those not directly affected by the money raised.

“Everyone is treated with respect and kindness,” Anderson said.

“Half of the people who come here know Doc on a personal level, and they know his family. Doc treats everyone like they are family, even if he barely knows them.”

To learn more about Mining for a Purpose, visit Doc’s Rocks Facebook page.

Women’s Center volunteers knit cost-friendly breast implants for cancer patients Emily Broyles ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

A

bout one in eight U.S. women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, according to U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics. Eight of eight App State’s Women’s Center volunteers do their best to spread awareness of breast cancer dangers across campus.

The Women’s Center hosts “Knit Knockers” during October, an event where volunteers knit breast inserts and donate them to women affected by breast cancer in hopes of making them comfortable and confident during and after treatment. Traditional inserts are usually expensive, uncomfortable, and require a special bra or camisole.

Knit Knockers are made by volunteers across the country by following a pattern. They are also are adjustable and cheaper to the patient.

Hannah Lamb, senior public relations major and volunteer, said she enjoys knitting and helping to give others the same confidence she gained with the help of the Women’s Center.

“Over the course of my time at Appalachian, they’ve just given me awesome resources and really helped me develop confidence and acceptance as a woman,” Lamb said. “I thought it would be a cool chance to be involved with an organization that had already given me so much during my time as a student.”

Besides promoting the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation, the Women’s Center educates students about breast cancer year-round. Breast self-exam guides and other medical resources are available in the center for easy access. Earlier this month, there was a contact table for students to learn about self-detection of breast cancer.

“The chance to raise awareness and education about the subject is a great opportunity because it impacts so many people,” Lamb said. “ I think education is the most important thing.”

Katie Wynn, a junior public rela-

tions major, said letting people know the dangers of breast cancer is always necessary, especially during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“I know several people whose lives have been saved by being aware of the BRCA gene, self examination and mammograms,” Wynn said.

“Raising awareness and keeping it on people’s minds is really one of the best things you can do for yourself in terms of preventing breast cancer and catching it early.”

Besides helping students, detecting breast cancer and educating them on diseases and abuse, the Women’s Center hopes to be a welcoming community for all.

“I decided to volunteer for the Women’s Center because I was looking for a place where I could find a sense of community with people who shared the same values as me,” Wynn said. “Everything the Women’s Center stands for is so important to me as a college student and as a woman.”

(Bottom Left) Students and volunteers spend their free time between classes in the Women’s Center. The center is features artwork, resources, activities and free feminine products. (Bottom Right) The exterior of the Women’s Center in the International Hallway of the Student Union. (Top Right) Pictures of volunteers decorate the wall of the Women’s Center. // Photos by Paola Bula Blanco

3

High Country Breast Cancer Foundation donates all proceeds to support local families Laura Boaggio ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬A&E Reporter

H

igh Country Breast Cancer Foundation is a non profit created to support breast cancer patients, survivors and their families in the High Country of North Carolina.

In 2017, Irene Sawyer founded HCBCF because she felt the need to give back to breast cancer patients that came before her. Many of those individuals had undergone traumatic treatments such as unprofessional chemotherapy, Sawyer said.

“I felt a need to honor people who came before me but also to help future people,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer said another reason she started the foundation was to create an organization that gave all proceeds back to the community. All of the money raised by HCBCF goes directly to those affected by breast cancer, and Sawyer pays for additional event fees out of pocket.

Terry Brown, secretary of HCBCF, said there are around 10 members who all work on a volunteer basis.

When deciding how to support

someone with breast cancer, HCBCF speaks with individuals and their families instead of assuming what is best for them.

“We talk to the patients directly and we ask the patients, ‘What do you need?’” Sawyer said.

Sawyer said there was a family here in the High Country, that when asked what was important to them, said they wanted to spend time with their children. The family had fond memories of going to Tweetsie Railroad, so HCBCF supplied the family with season tickets to Tweetsie.

Another breast cancer patient who lost her battle recently was the mother of two girls. HCBCF provided the family with meals. The organization also raised money and donated to a college fund that the father had set up for the two girls, Sawyer said.

Sawyer is involved in the Ashe, Avery, Boone and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce. Those connections have helped her find sponsors since the inception of the organization. Yet, a lot of community outreach

12.4 percent of U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.

Source: American Cancer Society

4

has been the result of cold calling.

“Basically all of us just go out and we talk to people we know,” Brown said.

However, Sawyer said this year community members are reaching out to the organization, which is an accomplishment for the group.

“We’re growing like crazy,” Sawyer said.

Brown said members work with A Perfect Fit, which sells different supplies for breast cancer patients, such as wigs and clothing.

“If someone can’t afford a wig or anything, there are programs in the state where they can get funds, but we can back them up,” Brown said.

Since the beginning of HCBCF, Bee Natural Market has been one of its strongest sponsors, Sawyer said.

Several breast cancer patients who needed health-related items such as supplements, vitamins or even organic food, were provided items free of charge.

Bee Natural Market also runs a “round-up program” through which

Breast cancer in women in the U.S. Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

customers can round up their purchase to the nearest dollar to support a local cause. Bee Natural Market is donating money from the round-up program to HCBCF during October, a Bee Natural employee said.

Sawyer said the organization is planning activities with Horse Helpers of the High Country, a group that rescues and cares for abused and neglected horses.

The organization also intends to provide a fly-fishing course, which can help ease lymphedema, a swelling in the arms and upper body that can happen as a result of breast cancer.

A website format that will better direct patients to preferred providers is in the works. Sawyer said patients will be able to “go to the website and see what you need.”

HCBCF is also involved in the Kilograms for Mammograms Breast Cancer Event that took place Sunday.

This fitness-based event raised money to support individuals struggling with the cost barrier of mammograms. All of the proceeds went to the Wilma

Redmond Mammography Fund, according to the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System website.

The group also has a partnership with Zeta Tau Alpha, a sorority at App State that promotes breast cancer education and awareness.

“They come and help us at events, we sponsor different things, and we march in all the parades,” Brown said.

The organization’s biggest fundraiser is the 5K Walk/Run for Breast Cancer, which will be held Oct. 27 in Blowing Rock. This will be the second annual event.

“It’s really a festival,” Sawyer said. “We also have balloon animals, soda booths, free food and the App State women’s basketball team.”

Fees for the 5K, or fees for any HCBCF event, are paid for personally

by Sawyer, so she does not have to take money from the foundation.

85 percent of breast cancer occurs in women with no family history of breast cancer.

Zeta Tau Alpha events raise money for national, local breast cancer organizations Savannah Nguyen ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬A&E Reporter

Members of Zeta Tau Alpha selling tickets for its run to benefit the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer research on Monday in Plemmons Student Union. // Photo by Mickey Hutchings

A

Zeta Tau Alpha member knows that being an official sister goes beyond DNA. She knows a real sister helps other women understand the importance of breast cancer awareness. With October being the month to celebrate breast cancer survivors and to bring attention to the cause, ZTA reminds everyone to Think Pink every day.

The sorority has nationally supported the cause for over 25 years and the trademarked motto, “Think Pink,” has served as a pillar of example even before the inauguration of the phrase in 2004.

For some girls who plan to join Greek life during rush season, the reality of becoming an official member means having the college

experience of sorority sisterhood, or maybe it means late nights out after a frat party. However, for some girls, a sorority's philanthropy can be the make or break factor that solidifies their decision to accept a bid.

For senior political science major, Kate Fersinger, a current member of ZTA, the union of the motto Think Pink and ZTA’s founding expression “seek the noblest” in part inspired her decision to accept the bid for ZTA. Fersinger is also on the Board of Directors for the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation and a representative for the sorority. Fersinger said she was drawn to ZTA after one of her family members was affected by breast cancer.

“My grandmother passed away

from breast cancer,” Fersinger said.

“When I found out that breast cancer awareness was Zeta’s philanthropy it really hit home.”

Up until last year, ZTA’s Lambda Kappa chapter did not have a local philanthropy. When Irene Sawyer, founder of the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation, reached out to Fersinger last year to start a partnership, it presented firsts for both groups.

“When I worked with other non-profits they would usually have a home base where they would hold meetings. But all of the volunteers are adults who work full-time jobs so maybe we would meet on campus or at the founder’s house,” Fersinger said.

However, with Sawyer being a

breast cancer survivor herself, the passion behind her foundation goes beyond the confines of walls. The organization guarantees that 100 percent of the proceeds collected will stay in the community by providing monetary assistance to help pay for everything from transportation to the hospital, nutritional education, wigs or hats for survivors with hair loss and even for child care during chemotherapy sessions.

ZTA’s Lamba Kappa chapter initiated a 5K fundraiser for the emerging foundation last year and will keep the tradition going by helping to put on the second annual race on Oct. 27 at 9 a.m. starting at American Legion in Blowing Rock.

“We never had anything just for us so when Irene contacted us it just felt so perfect,” Fersinger said.

“When we participate in the 5K we interact with survivors and we’re able to see how excited Irene and other survivors are.”

Although some ZTA sisters may not have had breast cancer directly affect their lives, many can agree that the pink ribbons they wear are much more than just an accessory. Supporters of the cause can be seen sporting the eye-catching ribbons across campus and back in their hometowns. Athletes in the NFL from all 32 teams that are national partners with ZTA can be seen wearing bright pink socks on game days throughout October.

“To me it is a symbol of hope,” Allyson Medlin, sophomore nursing major, said.

Medlin is the ZTA Service Chairman and said that although she has not been affected by breast cancer, it holds a special place in her heart.

“As we see people walking around with the Think Pink ribbons it shows the spreading awareness for breast cancer, because I don’t think most people know that it does affect one in eight women,” Medlin said.

“It really shows how big the community is for those who are trying to fight against it.”

Director of Philanthropy Maddy Browning, junior exercise science major, personally has over 500 pink ribbons in her apartment and although she has also not been affected by the cancer directly, her participation with ZTA has opened her eyes to the reality of breast care and the need for awareness.

“It makes me happy seeing people I don’t even know wearing the ribbons across campus so it really presents a feeling that we’re making an impact and spreading awareness,” Browning said.

To raise money for their national philanthropy, the American Cancer Association, ZTA is rallying the High Country together for this year’s Pigskin Pink-Out on Oct. 21 from 4-7 p.m on Duck Pond Field.

The annual football tournament event promises jams, food and a free T-shirt for teams that register to take part in the event. Teams of 7-10 can register for $100 while spectators can watch the festivities for free with a $5 Woodlands BBQ plate.

To raise more money, the sorority is asking for sponsorship submissions. The sponsorships give the option for local businesses and campus organizations to display their names on everything from banners to T-shirts on game day for the event. One sponsorship level covers a team’s entry fee for the game.

5

The Language of Cancer W

Nora Smith ‫@ ׀‬noraagracee ‫ ׀‬Editor-in-Chief

hen we speak about cancer, it’s a war. When patients are diagnosed, they are placed in a battle. They are fighting for their lives.

In many ways, the process of treating many forms of cancer is like a battle. Chemotherapy and radiation invade a body to destroy cells, both cancerous and not. Patients’ bodies are damaged because there is not a better way to heal. Until it is time for healing, for remission, for being cancer-free, it is a time for fighting.

When I was in eighth grade, my aunt was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. As she endured chemo, radiation and countless surgeries, my family and I called her a fighter. Her body fought tirelessly against the cancer cells, but three years after her initial diagnosis, she died. What began as breast cancer metastasized until her body could not fight it anymore.

Although we speak about cancer as a war, there are no peace treaties. When the dust settles on the battlefield, there are only survivors and victims. I struggled for over three years with the fact that, based on all the language I was exposed to about

cancer, my aunt did not win her battle.

People told me my aunt was a fighter, but for a long time all I could think was that she had “lost” her fight.

I loved and admired my aunt for more than her fight, for more than what her cancer did to her. I separated her from her body because who she was didn’t change with her diagnosis or even when breast cancer changed her physical form. No title can change the essence of anyone, whether that title is survivor, victim, or patient.

Now I know that even though my aunt was not a “survivor,” she lived with cancer. I admire people who have been diagnosed with cancer and continue to live, no matter how long they continue to live for. The problem with calling people who are in remission from cancer, or even those who are cancer-free, “survivors” is that cancer is not cured.

Many forms of cancer are terminal and recurring, but it does not mean those diagnosed will not live a full life.

It certainly does not mean that those with terminal forms of cancer do not fight or battle as hard as any survivor.

Survival is a beautiful thing, and if cancer patients who continue living after their treatment ends

should decide how they want to talk about their experience. However, every cancer journey is different, and patients who know they will not only have to live with cancer, but will die from cancer, should not be excluded from the narrative of the disease.

The most important thing to remember when reading, speaking and writing about cancer and cancer patients is that cancer is a classification of disease, not a disease on its own. There are over 100 kinds of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Each one affects patients’ bodies and experiences with cancer differently. Not every form of cancer is a war, although all bodies fight.

Sometimes survival is not an option.

I urge anyone who writes about cancer to not only consider how they think we should speak about it, but to ask those diagnosed how they want to be spoken about. When we assign a metaphor to a disease, it defines people and their experiences, whether we intend that or not. We need to humanize the way we speak and think about cancer, because the experience of cancer may not always be a war or a battle, but it is always about the patients and those directly affected.

Breast Cancer Recurrence Local Recurrence

A return of cancer to the breast, chest wall or lymph nodes. Usually occurs within five years of treatment.

Distant Recurrence

Also known as metastasis, cancer spreads beyond the breast to other organs, such as brain, lungs, liver and bones.

Recurrence prevention tips 1. Diet. Eat 2.5 cups of vegetables and fruits each day. Limit processed meats.

2. Vitamins and supplements. Doctors may recommend supplements to raise levels of vitamins based on blood tests.

lymph nodes

3. Physical activity. Regular physical activity has not be shown to directly prevent or slow the spread of cancer, but can reduce depression and some symptoms includng fatigue, nausea, pain and diarrhea.

Source: Susan G. Komen and American Cancer Society

6

How has Breast Cancer affected you?

Moss Brennan ‫@ ׀‬mosbren‫ ׀‬News Editor

“It doesn’t seem like a very individual problem when you look at it but when you know someone, it becomes really telling to just how hard it can be.

I’m super fortunate. My mom has been a survivor for almost 9 years now and she’s an amazing woman. I joke about it all the time. I’m like ‘mom the only way you can have a breast job done is if it’s for cancer’ and she laughs because her breast are fake. My uncle also had breast cancer too which is not really talked about a lot. It’s not just a women’s disease and men can be affected just as well.”

Grayson Rice

“My grandma and my aunt both had it. I was younger so I don’t really really remember it but they have always been really adamant about getting checked. It’s made me be aware of my health.”

“I guess having an aunt that had breast cancer, I felt sad for her knowing that she had it and going through those struggles. She’s very strong and she made me strong watching her go through that so it’s just made me a stronger person overall.”

Ashley Halley

“I know Sydney Batch who is running for the North Carolina House in the Raleigh district and my mom is really good friends with her. I got to know her this past weekend t an event and despite having to go through surgery and knowing she has breast cancer she has continued to follow through with her commitment to running for office and it just shows, despite this barrier, she’s still continuing to be strong and I think it’s incredible.”

“I’m the oldest of three so it impacted me because I had to be the mom of the house. It was a lot of things I had to do like I had to cook when she first got her chemo treatments, you’re out for days. You’re tired and don’t really want to do anything. I had to really hold up that weight of being the mother of the house. When one person in the house goes through it, everyone in that house goes through it. She got through breast cancer that could have took her out, I can get through anything.”

Symone Perry

Camryn Allred

Brigitte Kelly

7

News

Oct 19, 2018

Small business owner Tim Hodges stresses business growth for county Connor Beatty ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

A

s a lifelong resident of Watauga County and graduate from App State, Tim Hodges said he aspires to promote economic growth and ensure well-paying jobs for all who reside in the county.

Hodges said he believes the county must be creative in developing a business environment that encourages existing businesses to expand, new businesses to relocate and start-ups to begin. One of his goals is to provide well-paying jobs to those students who want to continue living in Watauga County as well as provide better jobs for families in the county.

“We have unbelievably talented students with great ideas graduating from Caldwell Community College and Appalachian State,” Hodges said in an email.

Hodges said Watauga County is in the process of building a state-of-the-art community recreation center for residents and currently has $99.6 million in school infrastructure needs. He said funding these requests and other infrastructure, educational, employee and county services require serious stewardship of taxpayer funds in order to control taxes.

“I believe my business and life experiences, knowledge of the area, the ability to form relationships/partnerships (even with those that may see differently than me), and my deep affection for the county give me a unique ability to serve Watauga County well,” Hodges said in an email.

Tim Hodges lives on a small farm in the Vilas community with his wife.

They have three married children and five grandchildren who all live and work in Watauga County. Both he and his wife are graduates of App State as are their children and their spouses.

Hodges said in an email that he has been a small business owner in Watauga County for over 30 years. He is active in the community by serving on various boards, coaching youth sports teams and he is involved in local church mission efforts. Hodges currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, Watauga

8

Republican candidate for Watauga County Commissioner, Tim Hodges. // Courtesy of Tim Hodges

County Economic Development Commission and the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Advisory Board.

“I have been blessed to develop lasting relationships with a broad spectrum of county citizens,” Hodges said in an email. “I have worked with contractors, farmers, business leaders, local and state government leaders, teachers, App State students, education leaders, law enforcement and area visitors to name a few.”

With his local real estate business Hodges & Co., life experiences, knowledge of the area, his ability to form relationships and his deep affection for Watauga County, Hodges said he believes he possesses a unique ability to serve the county well. Understanding the great responsibility that comes with serving as a County Commissioner, Tim Hodges said his mission is to serve the county to the best of his ability and carefully evaluate each decision made for its citizens with no personal agenda.

“I believe a plan for strong economic growth should be a priority,” Tim Hodges said in an email. “If we are unified and use common sense principles, I am convinced our county has a bright future ahead.”

Hodges is running as a Republican against Democrat Billy Kennedy.

Incumbent County Commissioner Billy Kennedy emphasizes importance of local voices Erin O’Neill ‫@ ׀‬erinnmoneill ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

B

illy Kennedy, current Watauga County Commissioner who represents District 3, is running for reelection after years of experience in public office.

Kennedy, who is also the App State liaison from the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, recalled that the first time he ran for County Commissioner, an opponent said they believed only people who grew up in Watauga County should be allowed to vote there.

“I believe that students should be able to vote, as the Supreme Court ruled in 1979, wherever they are, and anything that is against that is trying to disenfranchise students,” Kennedy said. “Students’ votes matter. Once you’re 18, you have the legal right and hopefully, motivation to vote.”

Kennedy has resided in Watauga County for 38 years and was first elected as County Commissioner in 2012 for a two-year term. He was reelected in 2014 for a four-year term.

He has served as vice chairman for the County Commission for two

years and ran for Congress against Virginia Foxx in 2010 and lost.

Kennedy has also been involved with the statewide Mental Health Board, a local hospital board, the Children’s Council of Watauga County and the Child Protective Services Council over the past six years.

Kennedy said being involved with these councils has helped him learn.

“There’s a lot of good programs in Watauga County and I want to make sure we keep them going,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy also said the County Commissioners have been working on school safety, as well as plans for a $38 million community recreation center, which Kennedy has been on the board for and heavily involved in for about three years.

“We’ve wanted (the recreation center) for 40 years and we finally made it happen, so I’d like to see that through,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy also said he feels it is important for all people in the county to have a voice when it comes to county decisions, regardless of their backgrounds.

“I don’t want to be part of anything that makes women second-class citizens,” Kennedy said. “I’m very much, even though I’m a white male, in-tune to not having women being made less in our society.”

Kennedy also emphasized the significance of the upcoming elections.

“These are really important elections because even though the county race is not going to affect state and federal policies, we are completely dependent on what happens at the federal and the state level because in North Carolina, counties and towns are just arms of the state,” Kennedy said.

Although Kennedy is passionate about improving the lives of current Watauga County residents, he said he realizes he is ultimately part of a bigger picture.

“One thing I’ve realized is that people came before me and people will be coming after me,” Kennedy said. “I’m just a cog in the wheel of Watauga County history, and I hope to be a positive part instead of a negative or divisive part.”

Billy Kennedy, candidate for County Commissioner, poses with a fellow democrat at the polls during last year’s municipal elections. // Courtesy of Billy Kennedy

News

Oct 19, 2018

Jordan seeks fifth NC House term App State professor seeks 93rd District seat to represent the 93rd District Brooke Bryant ‫@ ׀‬laurenbrooke_x3 ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

Cameron Stuart ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

Representative Jonathan Jordan, incumbent candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 93, poses with Yosef at the House chambers in Raleigh. // Courtesy of Jonathan Jordan

N

ov. 6 is election day, and in North Carolina, this will include local elections for the North Carolina House of Representatives, including one candidate, Jonathan Jordan.

Jordan has been the Republican representative for Ashe and Watauga counties since 2011. Jordan will run for his fifth term this year.

Jordan developed an interest in government after observing the process of politics while in college.

“I’ve just always been interested in government and how it affects our lives,” Jordan said. “I finally ran for office because I saw the condition of our state, and I have two children; I didn’t want them to inherit what I was seeing coming.”

The economy, specifically jobs and taxes, and children’s issues are important to Jordan.

Jordan also said he wants to focus on continually improving the state’s tax system to increase job availability.

“I think with a good consistent tax system, we will have lots of businesses and job creators come to our

state and provide jobs for our citizens,” Jordan said.

Jordan said children’s issues are important to him because as a practicing attorney, Jordan represented children in court who suffered alleged abuse or neglect.

“We’re improving the foster care system. We’ve had a big focus on that these past three years,” Jordan said.

Additionally, Jordan helped sponsor a campus free speech bill in 2017. Jordan said this bill prevents the administration from being able to take sides on free speech issues.

“Just a couple years ago, Appalachian had a policy where they had free speech zones, which were only a small portion of the campus,” Jordan said.

Jordan also said he has a focus on public schools and increasing funding for them.

“I think we need to continue funding like we have,” Jordan said.

“We’ve increased funding to education and we’ve increased teacher pay.

It’s not where it should be, but we are making steps that way.”

Although Jordan said he be-

lieves in the importance of public schooling, he also believes families should be able to access a variety of schools. Jordan said he also believes in improving access to schools including public schools, private schools, charter schools and homeschooling.

“Our children are not cogs in a machine. They learn differently,” Jordan said. “There are some children who are not getting the education they need in public schools.”

Jordan was also a primary sponsor for the disabilities scholarship, a scholarship that provided up to $4,200 a semester for students who were not receiving an adequate education in their current schools.

Jordan said he considers the environment as important as costs to North Carolina citizens.

“The environment is very important, but we also need to compare the cost that things impose upon individuals and businesses,” Jordan said.

“So I look at everything as a cost-benefit analysis.”

Jordan said he wants to protect the New River because it is a large tourist attraction.

Jordan said he believes in having a variety of healthcare providers for citizens and allowing insurers to cross state lines.

“We are working on a healthcare model now that is kind of a hybrid,” Jordan said. “It is a combination of vantage-chair organizations.”

Jordan also said he is not in favor of the Medicaid expansion and said the current system protects almost all of the vulnerable populations. Jordan said the new Medicaid expansion will add 500,000 able-bodied adults to the Medicaid role.

“I think the cost of that is too great for our system,” Jordan said.

Overall, Jordan said he places importance on education and children issues, in an attempt to continue improvements in all aspects of the state.

“When I went in, we were facing a lot of problems” Jordan said. “Since I’ve been in, we’ve accomplished a lot of things.”

Jordan is running as a Republican against Democrat Ray Russell.

A

man with a past full of different interests and careers, Ray Russell makes his way towards the next hopeful chapter of his life by running as a Democrat for the House of Representatives 93rd District seat.

“It will give me an opportunity to use the gift that I’ve been given and to give back to the community in ways that I never would have been able to otherwise,” Russell said. “That’s really the fundamentals. I’ve always believed ‘to whom much is given, much is required’ and I’ve been given much.”

Russell’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in Bible, a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science, and a doctorate in computer science from Georgia Tech, according to Russell’s website.

“I’m a computer scientist. Computer scientists are problem solvers,” Russell said. “We look at problems and figure out how to take existing resources to solve those problems. That’s what I’ve done for over 30 years. I think it’s a great skill set to bring to the political table, specifically with economic development.”

Russell has worked as a computer science professor at App State since 1991. Before teaching at App State, he taught at Virginia Commonwealth and Freed-Hardeman Universities. However, Russell is more commonly known as the founder and president of the small business Raysweather.com.

“I built a small business from scratch,” Russell said. “I know all the stresses of that and so much of our

Democratic candiate for North Carolina House of Representatives District 93, poses in front of Boone’s Blue Ridge Mountains. // Courtesy of Ray Russell

community is small business so I think I have a unique ability to represent small business owners as well.”

Ray’s Weather covers the weather in the Southern Appalachian region.

In 2016, the Boone Chamber of Commerce recognized it as the “Business of the Year,” according to Russell’s website.

In addition to being a professor and weatherman, Russell also said he has been a minister for churches in North Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee. Russell has served as a department chair at App State.

“It was clear to me that we needed candidates running for office that were connected in communities, that had a passion for the communities and we needed to change the very tone of elections and of being in office,” Russell said.

Russell said that he saw problems and wanted to fix them and knew his background from Ray’s Weather could possibly help lead him to winning the 93rd District seat.

When identifying problems Russell has seen and the solutions he would like to implement, he created the values for his campaign, which is named Ray For NC. The four main problems and values he hopes to tackle if elected are in education, healthcare, environmental issues and addressing economic development in rural districts.

Russell said he finds healthcare to be a huge issue, particularly Medicaid expansion. Russell said that he finds the failure to expand Medicaid to be the biggest mistake North Carolina has made in the last five years. He said that people should develop a better understanding of the impact it is having on the state and its people.

Russell’s wife, Rhonda, has served as an early-childhood educator and is now currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Family and Child Studies.

“My wife is passionate about early childhood so she rubs off on me a lot,” Russell said. “Early childhood education and issues related to it is a special skillset that maybe I don’t have specifically, but it does live with me in the house.”

The 93rd District seat Russell is seeking will cover both Watauga and Ashe counties. Russell’s opponent is Republican incumbent Jonathan Jordan.

9

News

Oct 19, 2018

Charlie Wallin urges allocation of resources in the proper way if elected Anna Dollar ‫@ ׀‬Anna_Carrr ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

Democratic candidate for Watauga County Commissioner, Charlie Wallin, smiles in front of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. // Courtesy of Charlie Wallin

C

harlie Wallin will run in the upcoming election as county commissioner on the Democratic ticket.

An App State alumnus, Wallin said he is invested in making sure Watauga County has the funds to make capital improvements.

“I want us to continue to move this county forward,” Wallin said.

Wallin is invested in making sure Watauga County is up-to-date on technology, which includes improving the internet.

“A lot of people just assume that we have great internet, but there are many pockets in this county where the internet is horrible to the point that realtors can’t even sell houses,” Wallin said. “There are pockets that we need to make and take a serious look at because it is affecting the economy, with the ability to sell homes.”

Along those lines, Wallin said he also wants to make sure first responders, such as police officers and ambulances, have state-of-the-art equipment.

Wallin said he also wants to continue to bring in sustainable jobs for the community.

Wallin said looking at the budget for these sorts of things is very important.

“You have to see what available funds you’ve got and manage them in a smart way. And making sure you are allocating the resources a proper way and the revenue strings are there to cover that,” Wallin said.

Wallin said he also wants to use federal and state grants to make some of these changes.

“Free grant money is never a bad thing to have,” Wallin said.

“There are always plenty of avenues to find ways to find money there

without having to raise people’s property taxes or sales taxes” Wallin has served for eight years on the Watauga County Planning Board and spent five of those years as vice chair. He currently serves as chair of the Town of Boone’s ABC Board.

“Yes, you can be in business.

But being in business is one thing but being in business and being in a government setting are two different things,” Wallin said. “You’ve got to be able to take both of those and work through the system that is government. It’s not the same as running a private business. And I‘ve done both.”

Charlie Wallen is running against Republican Tommy Sofield for the District Five seat on the Board of Commissioners.

Tommy Sofield seeks to bring business experience to local government A Tommy Mozier ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

Watauga County republican candidate for County Commissioner, Tommy Sofield, stands along side his wife during a joyful event. // Courtesy of Tommy Sofield

10

career businessman now making the switch and trying his hand in politics, Tommy Sofield said he hopes to bring a collaborative attitude and an open mind to Watauga County if elected to the Board of Commissioners.

An App State alumnus and former football team captain in 1975, Sofield, 66, received the Outstanding Service award from the Appalachian Alumni Association in 2017.

“Appalachian meant a lot to me and gave me a chance to get started in life,” Sofield said. “Without the football scholarship, I would have never gone to college.”

Sofield turned that football scholarship into his career in the private sector. He is a real estate developer and the owner of Sofield Properties.

Sofield also owned Wilkesboro-based U.S. Chemical Storage, which he sold in 2013.

Sofield donated the Sofield Indoor Practice Facility, which opened

in 2006. As a real estate developer, Sofield handled the construction of the facility.

Sofield said he wants to provide more opportunities in Boone for graduating App State students. A Virginia Beach native, Sofield has stayed in Boone since graduating. He said he feels that App State, Boone and Watauga County, along with local business leaders, need to work together to make Boone a place of opportunity.

“I would like to challenge our business leaders to hire more interns (from App State),” Sofield said. “Instead of going to Raleigh, Research Triangle or somewhere else (students) can stay right here.”

In order to do that, Sofield said the Board of Commissioners’ focus needs to be on infrastructure, specifically parking, and affordable housing.

There is an opportunity to “integrate the growth” of Boone by making it easier to move around, Sofield said.

By switching from the private to the public sector, Sofield said he wants

to bring common sense and fresh ideas to local government. Sofield said he will approach government from a business standpoint, with a focus on being profitable.

“It’s not the County Commissioners’ money, it’s not the county’s money, it’s the residents who live in the community’s money,” Sofield said.

“We need to remember that and spend it wisely.”

Sofield said he will interact with the private sector to create public-private funds to improve government efficiency. He pointed to the current construction of the new “Village at the Rock,”which is funded by public-private money.

As a County Commissioner, Sofield will be tasked with levying taxes, developing the budget and directing the fiscal policy in Watauga County.

Sofield, a Republican, is running against Democrat Charlie Wallin for the District Five seat on the Board of Commissioners.

News

Oct 19, 2018

David Searcy looks to bring 27 years of law enforcement experience to the sheriff’s office Anna Dollar ‫@ ׀‬Anna_Carrr ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

D

avid Searcy will run on the Republican ticket for sheriff of Watauga County in the upcoming election.

Searcy has worked in law enforcement in Watauga County for 27 years. He has also worked as a general instructor, specialized instructor in officer survival, defensive tactics, gaining intelligence officer and field liaison officer. He also teaches Highway Patrol cadets in Raleigh along with teaching officer survival techniques across the state.

Searcy said he is interested in working hands-on with citizens in the community. He said he would like to start up programs that help with domestic violence, drug addiction and at-risk youth.

“The greatest thing we can take out of this is the children that grow up

in these families will see mom and dad, or their parents, interacting or solving conflict in a different manner than turning to drugs and alcohol and then violence,” Searcy said.

Searcy said he also wants to start programs within the prison, such as a ministry program, to help people transition after their time incarcerated to live free of drugs and violence. He said he would also like to have business owners come to the prison to teach interview skills.

“Law enforcement gets a call, law enforcement responds or we make an arrest, the person goes through the court system if they are convicted and they get jail time or prison sentence,” Searcy said. “Sometimes, within three or four months, we see the same people cycling back through.“ Searcy said the program will also

help at-risk youth by putting at least one resource officer at every school in Watauga County.

“We have had one resource officer that covers six schools that are out in the county,” Searcy said. “The response time to get to some of our outline schools, should a crisis emerge where law enforcement was needed, has not increased with technology but has decreased with the amount of traffic that we see on the roads out here.”

Searcy attends Laurel Fort Baptist Church, he volunteers at the Grandfather Home for Children, he is a foreign missionary to Haiti and a member of the masonic lodge in Watauga County. He was also president of the Appalachian Shrine Club.

Searcy said he would like to reach out to fraternities here on campus.

“Through that, we have the

Shriners Hospital, and I am currently trying to reach out to fraternities to help them raise funds, help the Shriners here raise funds,” Searcy said.

“Partnering together and getting the students more involved in our community also through several civic clubs we have here in the county also.”

“Law enforcement is not just about enforcing the laws. It’s helping and serving the community. If we can help bring the community and law enforcement together, then that’s how we build better programs,” Searcy said.

Searcy is running against incumbent Len Hagaman for Watauga County Sheriff.

David Searcy, Republican candiate for Watauga County Sheriff, poses in front of a flowing mountain river. // Courtesy of David Searcy

Len Hagaman runs for fourth term, aims to decrease substance abuse in Watauga County Jackie Park ‫@ ׀‬jackiempark ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

I

Incumbent candiate for Watauga County Sheriff, Len Hagaman. // Courtesy of Len Hagaman

ncumbent Sheriff Len Hagaman is running for his fourth consecutive term in Watauga County.

Hagaman has spent the last 12 years as sheriff in Watauga County. Hagaman is a graduate of Watauga High School and App State and served the Town of Boone as the town manager, Watauga Commissioner and other jobs at App State and the private sector.

Hagaman said that after his experience, nothing surprises him anymore.

Hagaman said Boone is diverse in wealth and race, which leads to many “big city issues.”

“We’ve got people with multi-million dollar homes and we’ve got people that are well below the poverty line,” Hagaman said. “We’ve got seasonal people, students and folks that have been here for generations.”

Hagaman said he recognizes many of the largest problems in the county, including substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health and recidivism.

Hagaman recently began work on a program led by an App State graduate who interned at the sheriff’s office.

“I’ve started several programs that I would like to see implemented,” Hagaman said. “We actually were successful in finding out that, statistically, the average inmate has been here 14.8 times.”

Hagaman and the student found that 90 percent of inmates were in jail on charges related to substance abuse.

Many inmates are also stuck in jail because they cannot afford to pay their bond.

“A lot of times, we find that they’ve been in jail awaiting trial lon-

ger than the sentence they would’ve received, and that’s not fair to them or their family or their kids,” Hagaman said.

The App State graduate Hagaman worked with is now an employee of the health department, and working on implementing a plan to combat recidivism.

Hagaman said he wants students to know that if someone they know is unresponsive due to alcohol or drugs, they need to call 911, and that the unresponsive person cannot be charged with underage drinking.

“We need to get there quick,” Hagaman said. “Our folks carry narcan, which is an antagonist that eliminates opiates or alcohol, and will reverse it almost immediately.”

The idea, Hagaman said, is to help people who are unresponsive, and to overcome the obstacle of peo-

ple being afraid to call for help.

“Really and truly, we rarely have issues with students,” Hagaman said. “Mostly it’s parking at a party or noise. When there is a large party, they disperse, they get it.”

Hagaman understands and remembers the life of an App State student, as he was one once. He said that he remembered the days as a student since he was one.

Hagaman said the job of sheriff is always changing.

“Are there bad days? Absolutely, but there’s good days too,” Hagaman said. “A lot of peaks and valleys.”

Hagaman is running against Republican David Searcy for Watauga County Sheriff.

11

News

Oct 19, 2018

HURRICANE MICHAEL DAMAGES OVERALL 3RD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE LANDFALL IN THE U.S. IN RECORDED HISTORY FIRST CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE TO MAKE LANDFALL IN FLORIDA’S PANHANDLE SINCE 1851 TOP WIND SPEEDS OF 155 MPH ESTIMATED PEAK STORM SURGE OF 14 FEET

Hunger and Health Coalition partnership helps App State reach sustainability goals

A

Rachel Greenland ‫@ ׀‬rach_greenland ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

t first mention of App State’s connection with the Hunger and Health Coalition, program coordinator Terri Niederhamer’s voice raised an octave and overflowed with excitement.

“In 2017, we received 43,916 meals in donations. Without our collaboration with ASU, that would be almost 13,000 meals a year we were without,” Niederhamer said.

App State has a long-standing connection with, and has become a major resource of food for, HHC. HHC is one of Boone’s first local food banks where clients pay nothing for the food and support they receive.

The university partners across several departments to provide food for the community outside of its student population. Niederhamer listed off university partnerships with Food Services, Appalachian Student Ambassadors, the athletic department and the nutrition and foods program.

“Food that we cannot reuse or repurpose for safety reasons, for sus-

tainability reasons, we give to HHC,” Stephanie Lee, the communication specialist for Food Services, said.

“They then take their own safety precautions and distribute the food in a to-go meal.”

This partnership works toward Food Services’ and HHC’s common goal of sustainability.

“It is diverting waste from our waste stream, and it is repurposing products that we have that we can no longer use in a way that is going to help other people,” Lee said.

According to Charlie Wallin, who worked for Food Services when the partnership began in March 2005, over 160,000 meals have been donated to HHC since its beginnings.

In addition to its partnerships with local grocery stores, restaurants and Food Services to reduce the amount of food in the landfill and to provide healthy, nutritious food to the High Country, HHC is App State athletics’ adopted charity, Niederhamer said.

NORTH CAROLINA 20 PEOPLE RESCUED IN FLOODED NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTH CAROLINA $8 BILLION IN DAMAGES 50 MPH WINDS THROUGHOUT THE TRIANGLE 604,831 POWER OUTAGES

BY SYDNEY SPANN // SOURCES: PBS, CBS, ABCII

12

Volunteers assist in food recovery. // Courtesy of Stephanie Lee

During football games and other athletic events, HHC sets up boxes to collect non-perishable food items for its food bank.

Since last fall, nutrition and foods program students have come every week with their own items to cook meals from scratch, Niederhamer said.

They package the food in individual meals and give it to HHC’s clients “This gives our clients fresh, healthy food and helps the students learn to produce meals in large quantities,” Niederhamer said.

The Appalachian Student Ambassadors have collected food for HHC’s pantry as part of its 20th Annual Canned Food Drive since Oct. 15. Ambassadors will be stationed in the Plemmons Student Union and Trivette Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day until Oct. 21.

Niederhamer said HHC is always accepting student volunteers to help package meals and snack bags. HHC is located at 141 Health Center Drive, Suite C, Boone, NC 28607.

Arts and Entertainment

Oct 19, 2018

Boone Pumpkin Patches Mystery Tour H A boone gets spooky with the mountain

Nyctea Martell ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬A&E Reporter

urricane Florence and Hurricane Michael caused damage to Boone pumpkin patches. Hurricane Florence hit mid-September when the pumpkin season started and flooded fields. The rain from Hurricane Michael caused further flooding and problems for the farms.

“Michael was the worst. It flooded our fields and floated some pumpkins away and blew down some corn,” David Tucker, New River Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, said.

At Harvest Farm, the lower field flooded and the corn maze had to be fixed. However, the farms worked quickly to fix the problems and will run for the rest of the season.

Boone has three pumpkin patches that offer carving pumpkins: New River Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, Harvest Farm Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, and Booger Hollar Pumpkin Patch.

October is the busiest time of year for the pumpkin patches with Halloween at the end of the month.

Last year, North Carolina harvested 3,400 acres of pumpkins valued at over $13 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The pumpkin patches draw visitors of all ages who come from Florida to Tennessee, according to Harvest Farm.

“Feels a bit more like fall out here than it does in the Triangle,” Andrew Cousins said when he visited Harvest Farm from Durham.

The pumpkins are not just for jack-o’-lanterns. Each farm offers different varieties of pumpkins. Goblins are pumpkins with warts, turbans look

they are wearing a second pumpkin as a hat and polar bears are large and white. The Long Island cheese pumpkin is available and renowned for its

use in baking pumpkin pies. The pumpkin patches also sell ornamental squashes, gourds and maize.

A fall day at Harvest Farm’s pumpkin patch in Valle Crucis.

where to buy pumpkings in the High Country

Booger Hollar Pumpkin Patch Location: 1046 Deerfield Rd, Boone, NC 28607 Payment: Cash or check honor system Pre-picked pumpkins, a corn maze, hay ride around the farm, one attendant on duty New River Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch Location: 660 Laurel Gap Ridge Rd, Boone, NC 28607 Payment: Cash or check Pumpkins are picked off the vine, carts provided for transport to cars, tram ride around the farm, corn maze Harvest Farm Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch Location: 3287 NC 194, Valle Crucis, NC 28691 Payment: Cash or check Two corn mazes of varying difficulty, picked off the vine or chosen from pre-picked, hay ride around the farm Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

Macon Atkinson ‫@ ׀‬atkinson_macon ‫ ׀‬A&E Reporter

woman in a cloak and a bonnet makes her way down King Street, an antique lantern in her hand lighting the sidewalk. Her clothing and air of mystery contrast sharply with the boisterous atmosphere as laughing and shouting college students spill into the street from bars and a nearby art crawl. Some of them stop and stare— she looks like a lost time-traveler. In reality, she’s a guide on the Mountaineer Mystery Tour, a walking tour presented by Mysterium Escape Adventure in downtown Boone that explores local legends and spooky stories.

Shaun Cardwell, owner of Mysterium, started the tours in October 2017. They were so popular that he decided to do it again this year, and he now hosts walking tours every Friday and Saturday night until Halloween.

Cardwell said he’s always had a fascination with spooky things. A native of Wilkesboro, he said he loved Halloween as a kid and worked at haunted houses and trails before opening Mysterium in Boone.

“I enjoy the history and mystery, the creepy stuff, paranormal stuff,” Cardwell said. “I mean, why wouldn’t you love Halloween?”

The “creepy stuff” for the Mountaineer Mystery Tour took some digging: reading through old newspapers, chatting up locals and meeting with a local historian. Cardwell said some people weren’t eager to talk to him; they didn’t want to spoil the idyllic image of Boone. But he said nothing on the tour is made up.

After choosing the stories, Cardwell hired local storyteller Revonda Crowe to bring them to life. They fit-

ted her with a historical costume, petticoats and all, and gave her a lantern crowned with tiny plastic skulls.

The ghost tour begins near Cafe Portofino and winds through downtown, stopping at Proper—which used to be the old jail—and several old buildings on King Street. The stories are a mixture of history, mystery and tragedy: the Durham family murders, a headless ghost dog from Daniel Boone’s trailblazing days, mysterious sounds in an old blacksmith’s shop. The tour lasts about 40 minutes and ends in the cemetery next to App State’s campus, where it concludes with well-known stories about hauntings in East Hall.

A self-proclaimed history lover and graduate of App State, Crowe said she likes to bring historical context to the legends she shares.

“I like spooky things, the story behind the story,” Crowe said. “There’s so much more than meets the eye.”

Cardwell said the tours last year were mostly made up of locals who wanted to learn more about their town’s legends and history. The first tours of 2018 were a mix of tourists and students from App State. Reactions to the tour were positive; one woman, a third grade teacher from Lexington, North Carolina, said it inspired her to start celebrating Halloween and share some spooky stories with her class.

You can check out the Mountaineer Mystery Tour online on Mysterium’s website, or on their Facebook page. Tickets are $15.

13

Arts and Entertainment

Oct 19, 2018

Queer pedagogy talk sheds light on LGBTQ students in slideshow Laura Boaggio ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬A&E Reporter

M

atthew Thomas-Reid gave a lecture in Belk Library and Information Commons about queering educational institutions and the importance of speaking to marginalized groups in the classroom on Oct. 4 as part of the Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Lecture Series.

Thomas-Reid’s talk, “Sassy Gay Pedagogical Gifts: Applying Queer Epistemologies to Classroom Praxis,” was the first presentation of the lecture series.

Thomas-Reid was 13 years old when his mother asked him a question that would go on to haunt him.

“My mom turned to me and said, ‘You don’t like boys do you?’”

Thomas-Reid said.

She did not frame the question in a way that he was able to answer it, Thomas-Reid said, because the question was centered around an idea of shame.

In the past, part of the anti-queer liberation backlash focused on shaming and outlawing queer teachers to protect children. It’s important to think about this early nexus of queer liberation and education when considering the next step of the struggle, Thomas-Reid said.

“Having LGBTQIA representation in the hallowed halls of the Reich College of Education, this is really a significant and important next step,” Thomas-Reid said.

Thomas-Reid titled his talk because the words “sassy gay” made sense to him at the age of 13, when his mother first questioned his sexuality.

“At the time this word ‘gay’ worked for me,” Thomas-Reid said.

14

Thomas-Reid said it’s interesting to reflect back on that time and now, as there are numerous titles he now knows exist for identification.

“Words do matter and labels do matter and identifications do matter,” Thomas-Reid said.

Thomas-Reid said he has drawn ideas from a few different people, one of them being Jyl Felman and her book, “Never A Dull Moment: Teaching and the Art of Performance.” He was interested in her idea of performing a feminist pedagogy, which made him think of what it would be like to perform a queer pedagogy.

Thomas-Reid said he understood he was speaking from the perspective of a cisgender gay man and that he couldn’t speak for the entire queer spectrum.

T h o m as-Reid said he realizes he can speak in spaces without fear. “ I know there are others that face violence just because of their being,” Thomas-Reid said. “They can’t choose to come out or not to.”

Thomas-Reid said he is interested in approaching education in a pedagogy of coming out, of opening up to a classroom and being vulnerable.

“To think about the power of

having those conversations, the power of opening up a floodgate, ‘What happens if I share this?’” Thomas-Reid said.

Thomas-Reid said he believes coming out is not solely related to sexuality, but instead includes intellectual enthusiasm, moral imaginings amd political commentaries, many of which are queer to begin with.

Thomas-Reid showed photos on a slideshow of himself and former students at a “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which he performed in. He said one of the interesting privileges he has is his former students watching him perform in drag.

“My ability to do drag, my ability to queer ideas of gender performance are a privilege, but I think that it’s really powerful and important for me to be able to use those in meaningful and real ways,” Thomas-Reid said.

Academic drag is too often a performance that involves putting on a professional outfit, using the correct words and creating the correct amount of distance between teacher and student, Thomas-Reid said.

“I appreciate politeness and I appreciate respect,” Thomas-Reid said, but he believes that academic drag is a way in which people seek uniformity under the guise of what they think is professionalism.

“I’m also really interested in this idea of performance as a site of epist e m o l o g y, ” Thomas-Reid said.

Thomas-Reid said people in academia often think of epistemologies as how we know something based on rational thinking or empirical data.

However, lived experiences are also ways of knowing. The experiences he had concerning his sexuality, such as his mother first questioning if he liked men, are ex-

amples of epistemologies.

“These are experiences that inform how I see and understand the world and inform how I interact with other folks,” Thomas-Reid said.

Thomas-Reid said he supports a pedagogy that seeks to disrupt normative understandings which continue to marginalize particular individuals in the classroom. He said he wants to generate a sense of cultural relevance for LGBTQ students, creating a sense of safety that many of them might not have experienced.

There is an important difference between creating uncomfortability for straight individuals and creating a lack of safety for those on the LGBTQ spectrum, Thomas-Reid said.

“I think he spoke really well to the need of marginalized students on our campus, especially when he was talking about queer safety versus straight comfort,” Sarah McNeese, junior psychology major, said.

Thomas-Reid earned his doctorate in 2016 from UNC-Greensboro in educational studies with a concentration in cultural philosophical studies.

“Thomas-Reid teaches many different classes for us such as: foundations of education, philosophy and sociology of education and recently a class for our honors college titled: Queering Institutions,” Sushmita Chatterjee, Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Interim Director, said.

The Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Lecture Series has been going on for about 12 years and has been very popular for drawing in a diverse community. The lecture series is an excellent way for faculty, especially new professors, to showcase research, Chatterjee said.

Sports

Oct 19, 2018

Working Hard Clayton Howell’s journey to the starting job

H

Garrett Wold ‫@ ׀‬G_Dub1000 ‫ ׀‬Sports Reporter

ead football coach Scott Satterfield is a firm believer in competing for the starting job. Whoever plays the best gets the starting spot, it’s a simple and effective way to build a championship football team.

This past offseason was full of competition for the Mountaineers, including the job of starting punter. At the end of the summer, North Carolina native and redshirt freshman Clayton Howell fought and earned his spot as the punter for the App State football team.

“I just really needed to learn the speed of the game,” Howell said. “This is a different game from high school and it took some getting used to.”

Howell was raised in High Point, North Carolina, where he played football at High Point Central High School. He was also a starting member of the soccer team and an all conference tennis player.

During his high school career, Howell was named to the Winston-Salem Journal All-Northwest team as a senior in 2016. He was also a two time Piedmont Triad 4A Conference Punter of the Year while handling punts, placement kicks and kickoffs for the Bison.

His freshman year at App State, Howell took a redshirt year after an intense competition with two other punters for the starter’s spot.

Both Bentlee Critcher and

Xavier Subotsch saw time behind the long snapper during last season Since then, Howell has impressed coaching staff with consistent long yardage kicks and his ability to get the ball out of his hands quickly. Special teams coach Stu Holt has spoken many times about Clayton’s ability to get the team out of sticky situations with his impressive kicks.

“There were a couple times last year where I thought Clayton could have been our guy,” Holt said.

“Ultimately he wasn’t consistent enough, but he’s been working hard to fix that.”

Since taking over the starting job, Howell has appeared in every game for the Mountaineers this season. His first career start was against Penn State.

Howell has racked up 481 punting yards in 11 kicks this season so far, including a pair of 53-yard kicks in both the Penn State and South Alabama games.

“We’re a special group of guys this year,” redshirt sophomore running back Darrynton Evans said.

“We do our jobs well and we can score.”

Howell is one of the many young players starting for the first time this year as a Mountaineer. His consistency and talent has been a welcome addition to the team, and hopefully will give App State the opportunity to claim their first undisputed Sun Belt Championship.

15

Sports

Oct 19, 2018

Van Heertum

Williams leads field hockey into crucial part of season Silas Albright ‫@ ׀‬SilasAlbright ‫ ׀‬Sports Reporter

Members of the field hockey team huddle together before a game. // Photo

by Paola Bula Blanco

W

ith no professional league or national sports network, field hockey is less popular and harder to follow than other sports. It has a much bigger following in other parts of the United States and overseas, but in the High Country, most people don’t grow up loving field hockey. In fact, only four of the 27 field hockey players listed on App State’s roster are from North Carolina.

The program showed drastic improvement between the 2016 (1-15 overall) and 2017 (8-11 overall) seasons and looks to continue that trend again this year. After starting the season by winning four of their first five games, the team has struggled as of late, falling in their last seven.

In September they faced off against three top-10 ranked programs, including North Carolina who was No. 1 in the nation, Louisville who was No. 7 and Duke who was No. 4. Although App State fell in each contest, the experience from those games will help them down the stretch.

“The really positive note is that we are constantly engaged in every game, we’re constantly fighting and so our losses are getting smaller and

16

smaller, which I think is a sign of the program getting better,” head coach Megan Dawson said. “Playing a team like Louisville helps you for those conference games, it pushes the tempo, it really raises our level and I think that’s been really good for our program to see the growth in those games.”

Sophomore midfielder Veerle Van Heertum leads the team in total points with 19 and goals with eight.

Midfielders, junior Ali Williams and freshman Fredi Stegan are tied for second with five apiece. Van Heertum, the star out of Valkenswaard, Netherlands, has been impressive this year and only looks to get better.

“She is way more composed, she is way more steady, way more consistent and she has these moments of brilliance that are really helping our program,” Dawson said.

Her coaches aren’t the only ones praising her, as her teammates also recognize what she brings to the table.

“I think it’s her intensity that makes a difference in our team,” Williams said. “She is always fighting for the win. She never gives up.”

What makes Van Heertum’s success even more impressive is that this is only her second year in the United

States playing a different style of field hockey than is played back home in the Netherlands. She said the styles of play are different, and she had to get used to it.

“Back home everything is so different. Speed, ball speed, conditioning is really tough here, but my teammates are helping a lot,” Van Heertum said.

“Here it’s more physical, and back home it’s more skilled, so I’m pretty skilled, but on the physical part, I’m struggling. I think it’s a great contrast.”

Williams is third on the team with 11 total points, along with tying for second in goals with Stegan. Williams, a Myersville, MD product from Middletown High School and Van Heertum have a special chemistry that allows both to find the back of the net.

“I think right now we’re at a place where we know what works well,” Williams said. “We just use that to our advantage.”

The Brandon and Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex opened of an all-new fieldhouse at the start of this year. The turf at the complex is state-of-the-art and the addition of the fieldhouse illustrates how far the program has come in a short time.

“The good part is that we’re growing and you can see it in the facilities, you can see it in the field, you can see it with our student-athletes,” Dawson said. “You’re never satisfied with losing. It always stinks but happy with the progress we see, we just now have to expect more out of ourselves.”

Williams said the upgrade of facilities has helped the team’s attitude.

“It’s so awesome. We started out with literally nothing, so it’s really great to have a place we can put all of our stuff,” Williams said.

2018 marks the 50th year of women’s sports at App State, and there has been a campus-wide celebration going on throughout the year. Field hockey celebrated the 50th anniversary on Sept. 23 when they hosted Louisville, putting on a halftime ceremony

to honor former players.

“We’ve had a lot of great alumni now that have paved the way for these student-athletes to work harder and to give more and to have more, so I think that’s a really cool sign,” Dawson said.

The alumni from the very first women’s sports team at App State were also given the opportunity to come to a practice and share wisdom with current players.

“Everything has changed so much over the years so it’s cool seeing everybody else’s perspective on how it was,” Williams said.

“At practice we got to talk to some of the girls who were on the first team here ever and they were talking about how different it was and they told us how field hockey got established here.

It’s really cool seeing their perspective.”

The team currently sits at 4-8 overall and 0-3 in the MAC but the last leg of the season is the most important.

The Mountaineers have shown that they are able to get hot and rat-

tle off wins, so it will be interesting to see how the remainder of their season turns out.

App State is next in action on Oct. 20 when they will travel to face the Redhawks of Miami University.

Sports

Oct 19, 2018

Men’s Basketball

Begins Practice T

he kickoff of the college basketball season is right around the corner and the App State men’s basketball team has gotten straight to work, officially beginning practice on Sept. 26.

“I’m looking forward to continue what we did last year and continue to get better as a program,” head coach Jim Fox said. “I’m excited about the challenging schedule that we have.”

The team will look to continue to grow from their 15-18 record from last season, where they finished in a three-way tie for fifth in the Sun Belt and earned over twice the amount of conference wins they had in the 201617 season.

The team returns 13 players, including four out of five starters, losing only forwards Griffin Kinney and Craig Hinton to graduation.

Highlighting this lineup will be the return of the high scoring backcourt guards duo of senior Ronshad Shabazz and sophomore Justin Forrest.

Forrest, a Decatur, Georgia native hit the ground running with a 36-point game in his college debut and didn’t

Zack Antrum ‫@ ׀‬zantrum ‫ ׀‬Sports Reporter look back after that. He went on to lead all freshmen in scoring in the Sun Belt with 13.5 points per game and also lead the team in steals.

Shabazz finished the season ranked fifth in scoring in the Sun Belt after averaging a team high 18.5 points per game and led the team in assists. This impressive play didn’t go unnoticed and he was named second team All-Sun Belt.

The guard also had a very

active summer on the court, declaring for the NBA draft and attending several workouts. He didn’t sign with an agent which allowed him to return to school for his senior year.

“We’ve been practicing all offseason in the summer and coming into fall,” Shabazz said.

“We’ve been putting in a lot of work so hopefully we can string together some wins.”

He was also selected to attend the CP3 Elite Guard Camp. This event is hosted by NBA star and North Carolina native Chris Paul and hosts some of the best high school and college guards in the country.

“All of the little things matter.

It’s the things you do at home as far as eating right and taking care of your body,” Shabazz said. “As long as we’re winning games, I feel like all the individual accolades will take care of themselves.”

Returning on the front line for the Mountaineers are big men Tyrell Johnson and Isaac Johnson. Isaac Johnson, a junior forward led the team in rebounding and also ranked No. 4 in the Sun Belt with 8.4 points a game last season.

Tyrell Johnson led the team in blocks an averaged a career-high 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Last season was a transitional period for him as his role as a traditional post player changed to playing on the wing, which requires him to handle the ball more than he has in the past. He has taken a lot of strides in the offseason to continue to adjust to this change.

“I wanted to improve on my ball handling,” Tyrell Johnson said. “I think dribbling was my weakness this

year so I wanted to work on that so I stretch the floor and drive the lane if needed.”

Along with new freshmen Adrian Delph and Breki Gylfason are several transfers who will be able to see game time after having to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Redshirt sophomores Michael Bibby and Joseph Battle are two talented guards that the team will defi-

nitely benefit from them being eligible to play.

“I think I can make plays,” Bibby said. “I think I have really good IQ and my goal is to help get wins and to make the NCAA tournament.”

The Mountaineers will begin their season at home in an exhibition against Ferrum on Nov. 1 before kicking off the regular season when they host Mars Hill on Nov. 6.

Backcourt gaurd, Ronshad Shabazz, jumps to score points for the mountaineers. // Photo by Chris Deverell

17

Sports

Oct 19, 2018

GAME DAY

Saturday, October 20, 2018 / 3:30 PM / ESPN+ / Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, N.C.

Appalachian State (4-1, 2-0 Sun Belt)

VS

University of Louisiana (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt)

Game Notes: Both App State and Louisiana head into their third Sun Belt contest this week, with the Mountaineers coming off a road win against Arkansas State and the Ragin’ Cajuns defeating the Texas State Bobcats 42-27 in their last Sun Belt matchup several weeks ago. App State goes into the game unofficially ranked No. 29 in the nation after receiving 51 votes in the Associated Press poll, a school record.

History/Details of the Game:

The Mountaineers have dominated this series, winning all four matchups including a 63-14 blowout victory on Senior Day last season when now sophomore receiver Thomas Hennigan caught four touchdown passes. The Ragin’ Cajuns started out the year 1-3 but have bounced back to win their last two games, including a shootout victory over former Sun Belt member, New Mexico State. This will be the third time in the last five seasons that Louisiana travels to Kidd Brewer Stadium.

PLAYER TO WATCH POINTS PER GAME

48.4 - 34.8

Darrynton Evans #3 Running Back/Wide Receiver

Penalty yards per game

68.0 - 43.5

Rushed for a season-high 115 yards and one touchdown against Arkansas State

Yards per kickoff return

31.71 - 23.56

Had a season-long 57-yard rush against Arkansas State App State’s second-leading rusher with 242 yards and an average of 6.9 yards per carry

Points allowed per game

15.4 - 37.33

3 KEY POINTS Prevent penalties: While the Mountaineers have steadily improved their penalty yards as the season has gone on, they still average over 20 more yards lost a game than Louisiana. The Ragin’ Cajuns play a highly disciplined brand of football, currently ranked no. 23 in the country in fewest yards lost per game.

For App State to win, they will have to play a clean game.

18

Don’t lose focus: App State’s Sun Belt record currently stands at a perfect 2-0. The Mountaineers have found themselves in this situation in previous seasons but have always been unable to emerge from Sun Belt play unscathed, losing at least one conference game a season. Many publications have been singing the praises of the Mountaineers, some even calling for them to be ranked among the top 25 teams in the country. For App State to live up to their fan base expectations, they will have to stay focused and avoid tripping up against Louisiana.

Run the Football: While App State’s loss of leading rusher Jalin Moore hurts, the Mountaineers still have a group of talented running backs waiting in the wings and the Ragin’ Cajuns allow over 200 rushing yards per game. Running the ball has always been App State’s bread and butter and a solid rushing attack will be key to victory against Louisiana.

Opinion

Oct 19, 2018

Letter to the Editor: Campus voter registration

Q’s C o r n er

by Joann Mitchell and Betty Howe

I

MEN GET BREAST CANCER TOO

n the last few weeks, we have spent a number of hours on the Appalachian campus registering students to vote in the midterm elections. As volunteers, we were given clipboards filled with forms and asked to approach students to verify their current voting status. As we concluded our assignment today, we marveled again that the students we encountered we exceptionally polite,

Q Russell । @Q_M_Russell । Opinion Editor

O

ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: a time to raise awareness and funds for the prevention and cure of breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 268,670 people will develop breast cancer, and 41,400 people will die from breast cancer in 2018. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, with 12.4 percent of women developing breast cancer in their lifetime.

Men, on the other hand, have an infinitesimally small chance of developing breast cancer. The chance of a man being diagnosed with breast cancer is only .001 percent.

It is important, however, to remember that although it is not a large number, it is not an inconsiderable population. The American Cancer Society estimates that 2,550 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2018.

That’s 2,550 men whose lives will be forever altered by this diagnosis. The treatment is expensive and hard on their bodies, which are also ravaged by the disease.

In all the advertisements and material for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s rare to find any that feature men. The lack of representation can lead to men with breast cancer feeling alone and as if no one cares about their struggle.

A large part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the sense of community, which helps instill in those with the disease a feeling that they’re not alone. It’s important to include men in this community so they don’t feel alone in their fight.

Watauga County has a male population of roughly 26,000, so statistically there will be 26 men in the community diagnosed this year. It could be any man you know: a classmate, a teacher or a coworker.

Including men in the narrative of breast cancer would help dramatically improve the mood and morale of the men afflicted.

friendly and receptive to two “little old ladies” asking them to vote!

While we know their parents would be proud of their responsiveness and courtesy, we are struck by their sincerity and commitment to the voting process. Many of them talked to us about their plans, their classes and their thoughts on the state of politics in our country. Millennials rock!

Not only do we want to compliment the App State students for their enthusiasm, but also want to say they have given us high hopes for the future. Thank you for the privilege of interacting with such a remarkable group. Now please go vote!

Joann Mitchell Betty Howe

EARLY VOTING DATES AND TIMES 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Oct. 17 - 19 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Oct. 22 - 26 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Oct. 29 - Nov. 2 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Nov. 3

EARLY VOTING SITES Watauga County Admin BUILDING, Commissioners' Board Room, Ground Floor - 814 W King St ASU Plemmons Student Union, Blue Ridge Ballroom - 263 Locust St. Blowing Rock Town Hall - 1036 Main St. Deep Gap Fire Department - 6583 Old 421 South Meat Camp Fire Department - 4797 NC HWY 194 N

IRA DAVID LEVY ADVISER

MANAGING EDITOR

JULES BLAYLOCK CHIEF COPY EDITOR

MOSS BRENNAN NEWS EDITOR

MARIAH RENEAU A&E EDITOR

BROOKS MAYNARD SPORTS EDITOR

Q RUSSELL OPINION EDITOR

PATRICK MCCABE IN-DEPTH EDITOR

SYDNEY SPANN

VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

MICKEY HUTCHINGS PHOTO EDITOR

EFRAIN ARIAS-MEDINA JR. GRAPHICS EDITOR

LOGAN BERG VIDEO EDITOR

BRAXTON COATS WEB EDITOR

BUSINESS

EDITOR IN CHIEF

VICTORIA HAYNES

MULTIMEDIA

NORA SMITH

EDITORIAL

Western Watauga Community Center - 1081 Old US 421

CRISTIAN MCLAUGHLIN BUSINESS MANAGER

STEVEN CAUGHRAN

ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER

MELISSA ALSUP MARKETING DIRECTOR

19

Opinion

Oct 19, 2018

Leaning on

party politics Tyler Brabandt । @The Appalachian । Opinion Writer

T A student registers to vote. // Photo by Mickey Hutchings

Why Voter

Registration is Important

V

Frank Batts । @TheAppalachian । Opinion Writer

oting is a basic civil duty of all citizens of the U.S.; it’s a right they were given so the people can change the governing party if they so choose. Many people throughout history fought and died for this right citizens are now given, so vote in this upcoming midterm election.

It’s important to vote because people should have proper representation on what they want, whether it be healthcare, education or legalizing marijuana.

“Many people vote because they are for or against an issue or candidate,” according to Nonprofit Vote, a nonprofit that works to promote active civic participation and democracy. “For others, voting is about ensuring high voter turnout in the community, which results in greater access to elected officials and more of a say in decisions affecting the community.”

During the 2016 presidential election, close to 58 percent of eligible voters in the U.S. voted, according to the North Carolina

20

State Board of Elections. There are 27,298 registered voters in Watauga County out of 47,388 total eligible residents.

In the upcoming election on Nov. 6, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, a third of all U.S. senators and many local seats in Watauga are up for grabs, such as the House of Representatives seat, the Board of Commissioners and the district attorney. A lot of change can take place if people get out and vote.

“Voting is how we participate in a civic society—be it for president, be it for a municipal election,” Loretta Lynch, the former U.S. attorney general said in an interview with NPR. “It’s the way we teach our children—in school elections—how to be citizens, and the importance of their voice.”

Zach Finley, sophomore political science major and voter registration volunteer, believes that it’s important for people to vote.

“Voting is one of our most basic duties we have as citizens of the United States,” Finley said. “The

easiest way to affect change and to influence what happens in Raleigh and Washington is to exercise your right to vote.”

Not everyone has the right to vote.

“Think about all the countries in the world that don’t have democratic political institutions—countries like Syria, the Congo, and Cuba,” Grace Masback, a Huffington Post contributor wrote in an article about why youth should vote. “In such countries, citizens are denied the right to vote and have their voice heard, and they don’t even have the option to shape their government and their future.”

While voter registration has ended for this election cycle, after this election, one is able to register to vote, either by mail or in person, up to 25 days before an election.

It is each citizen’s responsibility and civic duty to register to vote and vote regularly. If one wants the honorable right to complain with integrity, then one must at least make an effort towards voting regularly

exas Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s campaign for the Senate has been innovative and inspirational. His campaign strategy reinforces the importance of local elections.

O’Rourke, a Democrat, is running against current Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Though he is listed as a Democrat, O’Rourke has said in multiple interviews that he isn’t interested in party politics. He is willing to work with whoever he needs to in order to solve the issues happening in Texas, as well as the U.S. as a whole.

“I think at this moment it’s not about Democrats or Republicans or party politics or differences that have always seemed to divide us. It’s about this country coming together around the things we care most about in this moment of truth,” O’Rourke said in an interview with CBS news.

In today’s politics, people tend towards extreme ends of the political spectrum. This division of ideas makes it seem as if people only care about the competition of parties instead of working with people who may have different ideas to find a balanced solution to tough problems.

Even politicians have this problem. The rush to confirm a Republican as a Supreme Court justice, despite the allegations arrayed against him, shows that politicians are willing to push morals aside to hold political power.

If more politicians were open to working with one another regardless of political affiliation, it would be beneficial to the prosperity of our government.

The 5th District’s current Representative, Virginia Foxx, is up for reelection against Democratic candidate D.D. Adams. She is supposed to represent the people of Watauga County as well 10 other counties in Congress.

Foxx has spent almost 14 years in congress throughout her career. She has strong conservative values that favor the Republican party. Though Foxx supports certain reforms to

ObamaCare, she agrees with the decision her political party makes.

“With my Republican colleagues, I remain committed to replacing ObamaCare with patient-centered health care that works for the American people. That is why I supported the American Health Care Act,” according to Foxx’s campaign website.

Before D.D. Adams talks about the important issues in our district, she said it will take more than just her ideas to come up with solutions.

“While this document lays out ideas on many important topics, solving our complex issues requires integrated thinking,” according to Adam’s campaign website.

Adams’ ideas about current issues are clearly liberal, but she emphasized that people with contrasting ideas can and should work together to solve important issues.

It is not a bad thing to agree with and promote the party you affiliate with, but coming to a compromise to benefit a larger population of people is how democracy works. It’s what shows that everyone’s vote holds equal value.

It is the job of the individuals that make up a community to vote for the person they feel represents their views in the House. While local politicians push the agenda of a particular political party to gain votes, they are also in support of other ideas and bills that they will try to pass through Congress.

That is why it is also crucial to stay informed about what issues our local political candidates want to solve in order to make an educated vote. Most importantly, everyone who is eligible to vote in local elections should do so.

Even if your candidate of choice is not likely to be elected, you should still vote. It can show local politicians that there is a significant part of the community who have different ideas, and they should want to listen to them to do what’s best for the people they represent.

Oct 19, 2018

Opinion

Letter to the Editor:

Fighting ALS at App State with your help

by Dane Ward, Dean of University Libraries

I

am the Dean of University Libraries, and I have ALS. You may have seen me in Belk Library walking slowly with the assistance of a rolling walker, or more recently driving a scooter around campus.

My wife and I came to Appa-

lachian State about a year ago. We immediately fell in love with this university, the community and these beautiful mountains.

Except for a small catch in my step, I was walking normally when we first arrived and looking forward to running in the High Country. A

The new Dean of the Library, Dane Ward, poses with Yosef. // Courtesy of Dane Ward

long-time runner, I have competed in marathons, half marathons and innumerable 5K and 10K races.

On Oct. 13, 2017, I was told I had a probable diagnosis of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. In January, all other possibilities were ruled out. An incurable disease, ALS is characterized by the progressive loss of muscle strength. In my case, the symptoms first appeared in my legs and gradually spread to my arms.

Most patients die within five years, but an increasing number live more than 10 or 15 years. I intend to be one of these. In the absence of a cure, many patients pursue alternative treatments that hopefully slow the disease’s progression.

ALS remains an inscrutable disease that can affect anyone. Medical researchers still do not know what causes it. Each year, about 6,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with this disease. In general, veterans, athletes, and middle-aged men are somewhat more likely to contract ALS. Well-known people affected

by ALS include physicist Stephen Hawking, playwright and actor Sam Shepard, educator Morrie Schwartz (of Tuesdays with Morrie fame), bassist Charles Mingus, football player Steve Gleason, and baseball player Jim “Catfish” Hunter from Hertford, North Carolina. Locally, I have been surprised by the number of people with poignant personal stories of someone who has suffered from ALS. I welcome the opportunity to hear these stories.

Since Lou Gehrig died of the disease in 1941, the development of effective treatments has progressed very little. In 2009, Dr. Stan Apple told a Congressional committee

“ALS is not an incurable disease. It is an underfunded disease.” And the funding to support critical research results in part from a lack of awareness.

I live two lives. As the Dean of Libraries, I am committed to, and excited about, supporting learning and research on this amazing campus. I enjoy having the opportunity to talk with students and faculty about their lives, studies and future.

As a person with ALS, I am actively looking for ways to slow the progression while at the same time, doing all that I can to make a difference in the fight against this terrible disease. I am an advocate for ALS patients and for fundraising to support research that will eventually find a cure. I was recently selected to serve as an ALS Research Ambassador by the Northeast ALS Consortium, a program out of which the well-known ALS Ice Bucket Challenge emerged.

Ten years after Dr. Apple’s testimony, ALS remains an underfunded disease, both in terms of research, and in terms of patient care. In 2014, the ice bucket challenge jump started funding for research. But we have a long way to go. Research is expensive.

In addition, the cost of caring for someone with ALS is extraordinary. As the disease progresses, patients require electric scooters and wheelchairs, handicapped accessible vans, chairlifts in their homes, and endless adaptive equipment. Medical care includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutritional counseling, and frequently includes such surgeries as tracheostomy and gastrostomy. Most people require additional medical care in their homes.

Some require around the clock care.

Most people are challenged to make ends meet.

Fundraising to support research and patient care will remain an important issue for the foreseeable future. Here in the High Country, we have several opportunities to make a difference. Each April, six regional ALS walks take place around the state with the help of the North Carolina Chapter of the ALS Association (they have a great website). I would love to see Appalachian State University, Boone, Watauga County and the High Country organize a seventh regional walk for ALS. The Joe Martin ALS Foundation, based in Charlotte, raises money to provide free home care services to ALS patients and their families.

While the foundation has historically focused on Charlotte, they told me that they would be very interested in expanding their services to the High Country. We have discussed the possibility of holding a musical event here to raise money in support of the foundation’s efforts.

On a daily basis I experience amazing generosity from Appalachian State students, faculty, and staff who help me physically navigate our hilly campus. I am so grateful to all of you who open doors and help me get back and forth to my car, and who go out of your way to make a difference in my life. My wife, Jenny, and I are so appreciative for all the meals made, as she takes on the many tasks that we used to share. We are blessed to know what it means to be a Mountaineer. Appalachian State University is really special place, and a very special community. Thank you for your continuing care and support.

21

Et cetera

THINK PINK

BY NEIL AGNEW

Oct 19, 2018 Down 1. Greek life brotherhood, shortly 2. Met her in “North Soho” in a titular Kinks song 3. Stench 4. “___ Blues” (Beatles song) 5. Two, in Madrid 6. Antioxidant-rich berry whose name has a cedilla 7. What a pinky may do?

8. Ending for one with a million dollars?

9. TV channel for Tim McGraw or Carrie Underwood 10. Tree-hugger’s agcy.

16. It’s symbol is Sn 17. Honest president?

18. Ringwald of Pretty in Pink 19. Hackneyed party at a 1 down house 20. Maruchan low-cost Chinese-style noodle brand 21. 2011 hurricane whose name paradoxically means “peace” in Greek 22. Like one with a red mosquito mark 24. Tickled ___ (very happy) 25. Star Trek follower, in brief?

27. Send, as payment

Across 1. Pink psychedelic rock band?

6. Rapidly 11. “This ain’t my first ____” (statement from a pro) 12. Adversely affect 13. “___ On Danse” (hit song by Belgian musician Stromae) 14. Main artery of the human body 15. ___ and feather (inhumane form of public humiliation) 16. Tune by 1 across from their seminal 1973 album 17. Friend, in Nice 20. With 24 down, symbol of breast cancer awareness month 23. Espy 26. Winter of “Modern Family” 27. Sovereignty 28. With “the,” 5th Avenue art museum in NYC 29. Alkaline substance used in making soap 30. Hound 31. Throat doctor, briefly 32. Civil rights leader inits.

33. Born as 34. Nintendo sys.

35. Public co. debut

8 AM in Boone, 10/15/18

1 PM in Boone, 10/15/18

4 PM in Boone, 10/15/18

PHOTO OF THE WEEK App Alumni│︱ @actasu on Instagram

7 PM in Boone, 10/15/18

Due to Hurricane Michael the ASE originally going to Nags Head, NC had a rapid change of plans! They went to Knoxville to work at KARM thrift stores, Century Harvest Farm and Beardsley Community Garden!! We applaud you for being so flexible!

T H E C OV E R : Members of Zeta Tau Alpha exhibiting their philanthropic goal of benefitting breast cancer research at a contact table in the Student Union on Monday. // Photo by Mickey Hutchings

22

Comic by Morgan Kilby

App News

Oct 19, 2018

WHAT TO DO Paid Advertisement

Submit Announcements

App News is a service of the Division of Student Affairs. Email editor@theappalachianonline.com for submissions with subject line: APP NEWS PAGE. Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference is given for events that are free or have a nominal cost.

calling all creators!

The Peel Literature and Arts Review is App State’s student-run literary arts publication. We are seeking students to submit their creative works for review and possible publication. Submit your art, music, design, poetry, prose, fashion and more at thepeelreview. submittable.com. Find more information by visiting thepeelreview. com or following us on social media @thepeelreview.

needed! political cartoonists

The Appalachian student newspaper is looking for students interested in getting their political cartoons and illustrations published. Use your illustration talents to express your opinions and commentary on current events. Email editor@theappalachianonline. com for questions or interest.

design the appalachian

Want to lay out this paper? Have a flair for graphic design?

Email editor@theappalachianonline.com to express interest! Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) preferred but not required. Opportunities available for student designers of all skill sets.

Friday, Oct. 19

Saturday, Oct. 20

Sunday, Oct. 21

Monday, Oct. 22

AppalFest 2-6 p.m.

Sanford Mall

Family Weekend All day Boone/Campus

Afternoon Tea 3-5 p.m.

Parkway Ballroom

Mathematical Sciences Colloquia: Robert Erhardt 3-4 p.m.

Walker Hall Room 103A

Football vs. Louisiana 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Kidd Brewer Stadium

Watauga Community Band 4-5:30 p.m.

Rosen Concert Hall

Bike App! 1-4:30 p.m.

Solar powered trailer that will be parked next to the bridge crossing Rivers Street

Jurassic World 7-9 p.m.

IG Greer

Family Weekend Day Hike 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Student Recreation Center (Grandfather Mountain)

Tuesday, Oct. 23

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Thursday, Oct. 25

Friday, Oct. 26

Global Film Series: Good Manners 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Greenbriar Theater, PSU

Biology Seminar Series 4-5 p.m.

Rankin West 183

Mathematical Sciences Colloquia 3-4 p.m.

Walker Hall 103A

Culture, Not Costume 7-9 p.m.

Parkway Ballroom, PSU

Push/Pull - 10th year Anniversary 5-9 p.m.

Quinn Recreation Center

Sustainability Awareness Composting Fun Event 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

College of Education Building

An Appalachian Handmade Market 4-6:30 p.m.

PSU International Hallway

Octubafest 8-9:30 p.m.

Rosen Concert Hall Let’s Talk College Student Mental Health 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Three Top Mountain Room, PSU

Volleyball vs Coastal Carolina 5-7 p.m.

Holmes Convocation Center “Frankenstein” (1931) 7-9 p.m.

Greenbriar Theater, PSU

Jesse McCartney 8-11 p.m.

Schaefer Center

DIY Mysticism 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Counseling & Psychological Services Center Rival Game Watching Party 6:30-10 p.m.

Legends

“The Wolves” 7-9 p.m.

I.G. Greer Studio Theatre Pick up your latest issue of The Appalachian at your nearest newsstand on campus.

23

An Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Radio Station of the Year Finalist

Your college Your station Your music

Join The Appalachian!

Meetings are in Plemmons 217 Sundays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.