The Appalachian September 25, 2020

The Appalachian

September 25, 2020

Jones House reopens back doors to bring bathrooms back to King Street

Theater department brings “COVID Chronicles” to Zoom

Thomas Hennigan leads App State football in senior year

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Campus Dining limits sustainable food service to accommodate budget, COVID-19 Jake Markland | Reporter

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Navigating COVID-19 and saving funds, Campus Dining is reducing its reusing and recycling in effort to limit the spread of the pandemic.

Disposable cutlery and individually packaged condiments are now offered so multiple individuals aren’t in contact with the same item. Plastic foam was also reintroduced after its elimination from campus in April 2016 after the UNC System instructed institutions to cut expenses.

In late July, UNC System Board of Governors Chair Randall Ramsey instructed universities to plan for several budget scenarios given the possibility of decreased student enrollment or new COVID-related costs. Jennifer Maxwell, program manager for the Office of Sustainability, said that all areas of campus were encouraged to be “careful with spending” this semester.

Chancellor Sheri Everts looked over the decision to bring back plastic foam to-go containers, said Chief Sustainability Officer Lee Ball. After deliberation, Campus Services and the Office of Sustainability chose the lower-priced option over compostable paper because of the many containers necessary to serve everything to-go this semester.

“We’re just being pragmatic,” Ball said. “It doesn’t make sense to potentially lose a couple of jobs over a short-term sustainability goal.”

Devin Mullins, SGA director of sustainable development, also believes this decision was warranted given the circumstances. Mullins said the possibility of people losing their jobs to make room in the budget isn’t sustainable.

Moreover, Mullins said the community must take personal responsibility during this time to ensure sustainability is not forgotten.

Maxwell said individual responsibility can help offset these changes.

“There’s still opportunities to make personal choices,” Maxwell said.

“Even though there is not a lot of control over what type of to-go container, you can still make more sustainable choices.”

Maxwell said students who want to limit their impact could use reusable bottles and containers when able, choose meatless options, and only take the amount of food, condiments and cutlery they need.

Continued on page 3 Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

News

Sept. 25, 2020

SGA establishes task force with Town of Boone, students get local government experience Gianna Holiday | Associate News Editor App State’s SGA will establish the Task Force on Intragovernmental Mountaineer Relations through a joint initiative with the Town of Boone.

Since July, Boone Town Council and SGA officials have actively discussed civic opportunities and representation of students in Boone’s local government.

This task force will serve as the first joint town council and SGA initiative to permanently involve students as a part of Boone politics. Its mission is to serve as a vehicle for communication of student perspectives and priorities to the Town Council.

The task force bridges the gap between students and the communi-

ty by allowing a collaborative effort to identify community-wide solutions to issues impacting Boone residents.

It will be chaired by Adam Zebzda, SGA’s director of external affairs, and consist of seven seats reserved for student representatives serving on town sanctioned advisory bodies, with the ability to add additional positions if needed.

“This initiative characterizes a commitment and ongoing relationship between the community and its students to pursue the common good, promote our general welfare, and make local government accessible to everyone,” Zebzda said in a press release.

Members will go through a town council appointment process before receiving an official invitation to join the task force.

“Through collaboration with town staff, the appointment process has been streamlined for students, allowing facilitated access to the local legislative process,” Zebzda said.

The group was designed to represent the entirety of the student body and must be open to non-SGA members. Any barriers that would limit membership will not be enforced.

“We cannot find community-wide solutions to pressing issues when only certain individuals are deemed eligible to participate in the process,” Ze-

bzda said.

Zebzda, who also serves on the town’s Planning Commission as a student representative, said taking the first step was the most intimidating part of the process but has been gratifying.

...At the end of the day, this initiative is not about any single person, but instead our greater community...

Zebzda said that those in leadership roles sometimes forget their duty of empowering others to also become leaders. He wants to use the task force as a vehicle to challenge this through systemic change.

“Time after time we’ve seen the same people pushing the same agenda continuously suppressing others. At the end of the day, this initiative is not about any single person, but instead our greater community,” Zebzda said.

“We’re bringing in new people, new perspectives, and a new way forward that works for all of us.”

Jones House reopens public restroom access as King Street sees increased weekend visitors Cole Elledge | Reporter On busy weekends and daily trips to King Street, Boone residents and visitors can rely on public bathroom access. Boone Town Council passed a motion to open the Jones House and conduct research on other options for public restrooms in a Sept. 15 virtual meeting.

“It’s clear there’s a need. We had 140 visitors over

The Jones House in dowtown Boone. The town council approved reopening the Jones House restrooms Sept. 15.

Jesse Barber

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the weekend coming to utilize the restroom facilities at the Jones House,” said Mark Freed, director of the Town of Boone Cultural Resources Department.

John Ward, town manager for the Town of Boone, said trends indicate a higher number of visitors on the weekends.

Ward said the Jones House reopened because it is familiar to frequent visitors. Returning visitors are the majority of Boone tourists. He also said the Jones House could fully reopen Sept. 23 with a layout ideal for safety.

Freed said the back room, which contains a waiting area and restrooms, is open to the public. The gallery and upstairs areas are still locked off.

Other safety precautions on the property include requiring face coverings and offering masks to everyone inside, touchfree hand sanitizer stands and periodic cleaning throughout the day.

Ward said the Watauga Health Department provides Cultural Resources with COVID-19 resources, such as training and physical items like masks and gloves.

While the Jones House has made its waiting room and restrooms available to the public and is preparing to reopen fully, some members of the town council are looking to other options.

Council member Sam Furgiuele suggested at the Sept. 15 meeting that the town should consider portable restroom trailers. He says trailers have greater ventilation, are easier to keep clean, and are more accessible than the Jones House.

“My first concern is public safety, because of the COVID pandemic,” Furgiuele said. “My second concern is accessibility, and although the Jones House is accessible to part of the downtown, I don’t know if that’s the most accessible place.”

Furgiuele said a trailer at street level on King Street is visible and more univer-

sally accessible.

Both Ward and Furgiuele noted the pandemic’s unknown future as a factor in their positions on public restrooms.

“It’s not saying we won’t further enhance the availability of public restrooms at some future date, but it was a much quicker answer to the problem,” Ward said.

The Jones House was built in 1908 as the family home of John Walter Jones, a local physician. The house was given to the town in 1980 and is currently maintained

by Boone Cultural Resources Department.

The facility is considered a historic building and hosts a gallery, concerts, and holiday events.

News

Sept. 25, 2020

Continued from page 1 Campus Dining is continuing composting efforts in kitchens and dishrooms, but public bins in dining halls are closed. However, the Office of Sustainability, Crossroads and Wired Scholar also have com-

post bins available for student use.

Additionally, students can put food scraps into compost bins on Howard Street and next to the LLC to be used in the gardens.

The food grown in campus

The coronavirus pandemic forced Campus Dining to rethink its sustainability practices as a means to limit the spread of the virus.

Kara Haselton

gardens, some of which goes to the Mountaineer Food Hub, is one example of Campus Dining sourcing local ingredients. In the 2019-20 academic year, 27% of dining hall ingredients were locally sourced, said Rachel Butts, assistant director of communications for Campus Services.

A portion of these ingredients comes from the university’s Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm in Ashe County. Dining partnered with the farm and gave it the financial resources to build a greenhouse, where more food can be grown year-round for dining halls. Thus, when students eat on campus they are supporting local businesses, an economic aspect of sustainability.

“We source local ingredients and all of our employees are from the local area,” Butts said. “By eat-

ing in the dining halls, you are supporting local - from the ingredients to partnerships with food trucks and other local businesses.”

Much of the food that isn’t used on campus is donated to the Hunger and Health Coalition, a local nonprofit. In the 2019-20 academic year, dining services donated 25,974 meals.

“This addresses a food waste issue as well as a local food insecurity issue,” Maxwell said.

Ball said none of the progress the Office of Sustainability has made so far would have been possible without the incredible partnership it has with Campus Dining.

“They are one of our best partners on campus,” Ball said.

He said Pam Cline, the director of Campus Dining, and her team share their sense of urgency on sustainability and bring ideas to the of-

fice frequently.

Ball and Maxwell emphasized that recent changes are temporary and necessary during a pandemic. The two shared confidence that dining and App State as a whole will come out of the pandemic as strong, or stronger, than before.

“This progress that we have made is a long-term commitment and something that we have been working on for many years,” Ball said. “We know we will go back to where we were.”

Boone Police Department addresses traffic congestion on Blowing Rock Road Ethan Hunt | Reporter The Boone Police Department is asking for the public’s help in eliminating traffic congestion on Blowing Rock Road, In a statement Sept. 21, Police said customers of several popular eating and coffee establishments attempting to enter the parking lots and the drive thrus are causing the traffic jams.

Students have also noticed the congestion. Jessica Sedotto, a sophomore dietetics major, said it’s hard to leave her residence at the Appalachian Panhellenic Hall, located on the busy road.

“Turning left out of the parking lot is awful,” Sedotto said.“I’ve seen people turn left into the turning lane and then try to merge into the straight traffic.”

Boone Police warned drivers

that traffic can cause crashes and lead to road rage incidents. They urge drivers who notice traffic backing up to be aware of their fellow traveler and to either consider going to another business or park elsewhere and walk to their desired destination.

“Boone Police Department will be working together with these businesses to help keep traffic moving.

Officers will also be monitoring the flow of traffic,” according to a statement from the department.

The department also said it will place signs in various locations encouraging travelers not to impede the flow of traffic.

Town council chambers and the Boone Police Department are located on Blowing Rock Road. After increased congestion along the busy road, Boone PD released a statement encouraging drivers to remain aware if they notice popular spots backing up traffic along the road.

Becca Bridges

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News

Sept. 25, 2020

Watauga County seeks younger poll workers due to COVID-19 Abi Pepin | Senior Political Correspondent In Watauga County, the average age of poll workers is 70 years old. According to the CDC, adults 65 years and older are more likely to die from COVID-19, which has led the Watauga County BOE to search for younger poll workers this election season.

“We are looking to recruit nearly 200 people to work election day,” Snyder said. “We lost about 20% of our poll workers this year because of COVID-19 concerns.”

Snyder said the BOE is also looking for people to sanitize “hightouch areas” and people to help on election night to bring back sup-

plies. The workers will hand out individual pens, gloves and masks.

Hand sanitizer will be at the entrance and exit of all sites.

At the App State voting site specifically, Snyder said the board needs about 20 workers for early voting and 10 for Election Day. High school students who are at least 17 years old can apply to be a “student election assistant.” Roles of a student election assistant are similar to a general poll worker.

Another position is on the Multi-partisan Assistance Team.

The county board appoints this group to help with absentee voting

for voters in facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals.

Snyder said other than learning how elections work and meeting new people, workers get paid for their time worked and training.

“Working as an election official is a great way to serve your community,” Matt Snyder said. “You get to help your friends and neighbors in the most important aspect of our democracy, voting.”

The Watauga County BOE requires workers to be proficient at typing and have basic computer skills. Watauga County workers get paid $9 to $12 an hour.

Alejandro-Celeste Escareño, an App State alumna, worked during in the November 2018 election.

Escareño’s duties included registering voters on the computer, ensuring all their personal information was correct and passing out ballots.

Training consisted of three to five days of videos and demonstrations of how to work each area of the site, she said.

Escareño said the training also included demonstrations of how to use the systems, how to properly secure ballots and other protocols to ensure everything is done correctly.

“It was something I was always

interested in,” Escareño said. “It’s important to understand your county and local government and how these turnouts reflect on a national scale.”

With 15 electoral votes up for grabs, North Carolina is a huge battleground state in this upcoming election. In past presidential races, the difference between candidates was only a small percentage.

In 2016, President Trump beat Hillary Clinton by nearly 4%.

Early voting Watauga and surrounding counties Moss Brennan | Political Editor Leading up to Election Day, Watauga County and sites in surrounding counties will host one-stop early voting . The early voting sites will also offer voter registration.

Watauga County Director of Elections Matt Snyder said those who vote in person can expect to see a few differences this year at the polling sites.

“You will come in and you will see all of our election officials in protective gear,” Snyder said. “We will have shields up, sneeze guards, things to mitigate any COVID risk.”

Snyder also said staff will sanitize after every voter.

This year there are six one-stop early voting sites in Watauga County.

• App State - Plemmons Student Union Blue Ridge Ballroom • Blowing Rock Town Hall • Deep Gap Fire Department • High Country Vacation Homes (Foscoe) • Western Watauga Community Center • Watauga County Administration Building, Commissioners’ Board Room One-stop early voting will run Oct. 15 to Oct. 31.

Each voting site will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every weekday.

Each Saturday, sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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EARLY VOTING SITES IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES: Avery County: Avery County Dive In Pool Complex

The site will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ashe County: Ashe County Agriculture Building The site will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Caldwell County: Shuford Recreation Center Caldwell County Resource Center The two sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. The first two Saturdays — Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 — site sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Oct. 31, the site will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wilkes County: McGee Natural Resource Center Wilkesboro Civic Center The two sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. The first two Saturdays — Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 — site sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Oct. 31, the site will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A&C

Sept. 25, 2020

NEXT GENERATION NOW Local game store pushes to provide for gaming community Tucker Wulff | Associate A&C Editor The release of the next generation of mainstream gaming consoles is just around the corner, and retro video game store The Gamefather is working to satisfy high demand in the wake of Gamestop’s recent closure in Boone.

Pre-orders for both the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X, along with each console’s cheaper variation, are open at major retailers like Gamestop, Walmart and Target. After the closure of Boone’s Gamestop, though, the High Country is facing a “hole in the local market,” said Amanda Ready, director of operations at The Gamefather.

While The Gamefather offers a variety of products, the store specializes in retro gaming, a far cry from Gamestop’s typical new release lineup.

“GameStop doesn’t really sell anything older than, say, an Xbox 360 or PS3,” consoles that released in 2005 and 2006, Ready said.

“They don’t carry PlayStation 2 games. They don’t carry cartridge games and things like that.”

Because the two retailers largely deal in products of different eras, Ready said the store previously relied on customers purchasing new items at Gamestop and later trading them in at The Gamefather.

“Everyone assumes that because we’re competitors that we were just totally psyched about them closing, but that’s actually not the case,” Ready said.

Ready said she feels The Gamefather has a hole a to fill for the Boone community and a duty

to provide an extensive selection of newly released products, including next-generation consoles and games.

Unfortunately, small businesses like The Gamefather don’t have all the necessary resources to guarantee Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X availability when both systems launch in November.

“We don’t really have access to the same type of suppliers that bigger corporations such as GameStop, Target and Walmart do,” Ready said.

Ready said it may be until 2021 before The Gamefather and other small retailers are able to get the new gaming systems on their shelves.

As of Sept. 22, other game stores in Boone, like Dragon’s Den and Ori’s Game Corner, will also not have the next-generation consoles available at launch.

The closing of Boone’s Gamestop and lack of availability

of new consoles in local stores leaves the High Country with few options: purchase a console from Walmart, travel off the mountain, order online or wait.

After the May closure, the nearest Gamestop to Boone is in Lenoir, around a 45-minute drive from App State’s campus.

Boone’s Gamestop is not the only location to close after the pandemic hit, however, with the company announcing that it will turn the lights off in upwards of 400 stores worldwide in 2020.

Lauren Rutledge, a junior graphic design major, was working at the Boone Gamestop when it permanently closed.

Rutledge said the Boone location closed because of complications with the store’s landlord and the broader closure of stores around the world.

She is worried that Boone will

The storefront of Gamefather. The Gamefather is working to satisfy high demand in the wake of Gamestop’s recent closure in Boone.

Samuel Cooke

Dumpsters extend into the parking lot of what once was the Boone Gamestop. After the May closure, the nearest Gamestop to Boone is in Lenoir, around a 45-minute drive from App State’s campus.

Ashley Foreman

lose a sense of community that Gamestop was able to provide.

“I feel that the Boone Gamestop served more of a purpose than just a game retailer, but also as a place for the community to gather,” Rutledge said. “There’s a big difference between reading reviews and ordering a game online, and hearing recommendations from the person in front of you and holding that game in your own two hands when going to buy it.”

The Gamefather staff wants to become more grounded in the community to try and supplement the loss of Gamestop.

Ready said The Gamefather is currently remodeling aspects of both the physical store and the company’s

goals to “get more involved in the community,” she said.

“We’re not a corporation, and we can’t fill all the needs that they can, but we’re gonna do whatever we can to make our local gaming community happy,” Ready said.

In regard to the release of next-generation consoles, Rutledge thinks the Boone Walmart and The Gamefather will have a daunting challenge to overcome when November rolls around.

“I suppose Walmart and The Gamefather better be prepared for a storm,” Rutledge said.

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A&C Drive-in thrives in a live entertainment-focused world A NEW KIND OF THEATER Sept. 25, 2020

Department of Theatre and Dance debuts

“The COVID Chronicles” Ansley Puckett | A&C Editor

The marquee of State Line drive-in theater in Elizabethon, Tennessee. Owner Andy Wetzel has not only managed to keep his business afloat during the pandemic, but also perform better than in less trying times.

Courtesy of State Line Drive-In

David Brashier | Reporter ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – Despite film studios delaying new releases and movie theaters closing their doors this year, moviegoers have turned to alternative forms of socially-distant entertainment.

While most gatherings for live entertainment are currently prohibited, drive-in movie theaters are one of the few venues that have continued operateing. Drive-in owner Andy Wetzel has not only managed to keep his business afloat during the pandemic, but also perform better than in less trying times.

Wetzel owns and operates State Line, a drive-in movie theater in Elizabethton, Tennessee, about an hour’s drive from Boone. His business is up 20% compared to previous years.

“We’ve always had good business here, but I think the reason for that is because I’m the only game in town,” Wetzel said. “People can come for entertainment, but also be socially distant.”

The beauty of State Line is the freedom patrons have, Wetzel said. The drive-in is a clean, safe and affordable atmosphere where people can enjoy films or live entertainment without being in close quarters like in an indoor theater. Patrons also have the choice to bring their own food and sit inside or outside their vehicles.

Because film studios delayed most 2020 re-

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leases, Wetzel is featuring a mix of nostalgic films and pre-filmed concerts for this year’s operating season. The experience of showing classic films on his screen is exhilarating, Wetzel said.

Wetzel’s rentals for the drive-in have skyrocketed: State Line is one of the only large outdoor venues in northeast Tennessee outside of Johnson City which remains open. State Line has hosted baby showers, gender reveal parties, graduations and church services. In late March and early April when restrictions were more severe, Wetzel’s space hosted four church services every Sunday.

“We’ve been giving people the ability to get things done that they need done and still be safe doing it,” Wetzel said.

Moviegoers have traveled far to watch films at State Line, with patrons journeying from western North Carolina, east Tennessee and southern Virginia. Some App State students have even made the trip, including Ellie Valois and Elizabeth Walton.

“It was my first time at a drive-in, and it was really fun to watch a movie and have social distancing,” Walton said. “I also loved the popcorn.

I would definitely go back.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

Watching theater through a Zoom screen is not a normal way to see a performance, but App State’s Department of Theatre and Dance is bringing Boone a Zoom meeting unlike any other.

This fall, the department will begin its season with “The COVID Chronicles: Monologues Created During the Pandemic.”

The production, spanning from Sept. 18 to Oct. 23, will feature four acts of original monologues written and performed over Zoom by App State students.

The New York production “The Line” inspired the creators of “The COVID Chronicles” to make an original production.

According to theater professor Derek Davidson, the department sent out a call for student-written monologues last semester and was overwhelmed by the response, with some students submitting up to five monologues.

“It’s really just a testament to the students here. I just love the ASU students, they’re great,” Davidson said. “It’s just so cool to see, we give them this opportunity, and they always, always rise up to the occasion here.”

Although students all wrote the monologues during their time at home during the pandemic, they feature a diverse range of topics.

“My monologue is given from the perspective of a Miami spring breaker, and other monologues are given in the perspective of themselves or the character they thought up so it doesn’t have to be specifically about COVID, but these were just written during COVID,” actor Mack DeBernardo said.

The production will feature four groups of actors, four groups of writers and seven directors, some of whom are students.

“I love that this is inimitably uniquely our students’ work,” Davidson said. “They’ve written it, they’re performing it, and in some occasions, they’ve even directed it. Each of the acts will be very different, and I’m excited to see what those differences will be.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

Production members of “The COVID Chronicles” pose on Zoom. The production will feature four acts of original monologues written and performed over Zoom by App State students.

Courtesy of The Department of Theatre and Dance

A&C

Sept. 25, 2020

Watauga County Farmers’ Market cultivates community around local goods

PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK Ansley Puckett A&C Editor

Graphic by Camryn Collier Melanie Vause and Teagan Compton pose at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market, which brings farmers and artists alike to Boone from May through November.

Savannah Brewer

Savannah Brewer | Reporter Saturday mornings in the High Country boast an outdoor, locally sourced experience for tourists and locals alike.

Not far off the beaten path, winding up Horn of the West Drive, lies the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. Open from May through November, the market has been operating since 1974.

This time of year, pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers and the last of the summer’s peach harvest can be found coloring the crowded booths. Fiddle music and the smell of soup from Caldwell Community College’s culinary program permeate the air.

Susan Denny, of Denny Nursery in Ashe County, has been bringing her produce to the farmer’s market for over 10 years and grows everything she sells.

Her tent is lined with herbs, such as catnip, basil and lavender, as well as vegetables, cucumbers and peppers.

“We’ve got a farm where we grow the garden stuff, and we also have two big greenhouses at our house that we grow all the small plants (in),” Denny said.

Amy Fiedler’s booth is flushed with bright pinks, yellows, and oranges as she stands with her flower arrangements, bouquets and wreaths.

Fiedler, of Springhouse Farms in Vilas, has been farming for 12 years. She has been coming to the Watauga County Farmers’

Market for around 11 years.

Fiedler said the market is an all-year event for her business.

She comes “every single Saturday, from the first Saturday in May, until the last Saturday in October.”

“It’s really cold at the beginning, and really cold at the end,” Fiedler said.

A booth from Brushy Mountain Farm and Orchard of Wilkes County hosts a supply of peaches and other produce. Standing at the booth is Tom Lowe, who is a fifth-generation farmer.

“I’m 56 years old, so I guess I started when I was six years old, so about 50 years.” Lowe said.

The Watauga County Farmers’ Market offers farmers and vendors, such as Lowes, a regional environment in which to sell their produce and products while also providing an authentic Blue Ridge atmosphere for locals and tourists alike.

The mission of The Watauga County Farmers’ Market is to “encourage and promote local agriculture, horticulture, value added, and craft industries in Watauga County and the adjacent area.”

The farmers’ market will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, and every Saturday through November.

As temperatures begin dropping, the leaves falling and coffee shops introduce their pumpkin-flavored drinks, it feels more and more like fall.

With the first official day of autumn upon us and the start to a new season, bust out your sweaters, boots and fall candles and turn on this week’s playlist: Happy Fall.

Enjoy tunes that remind you of all things cozy and warm. Here are 12 songs to get your fall started and get you in the autumn mood.

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Sports Gov. Roy Cooper announces new openings that could bring fans to Kidd Brewer

Sept. 25, 2020

“I’m going to do whatever I got to do”

Cameron Burnett | Reporter Kidd Brewer Stadium could see fans as soon as October, after Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday outdoor venues that can seat more than 10,000 people can open at 7% capacity.

The new guidelines would allow approximately 2,100 fans in attendance for football games, 7% of the stadium’s typical 21,650 patron capacity.

App State Athletics said it is working on planss for hosting fans starting with the Oct. 7 home Sun Belt opener against Louisiana.

“Priority for this limited number of spectators will be given to football student-athlete families, App State students and season ticket holders,” the release said. “Further details will be communicated to those priority groups in the coming days.”

Parents of junior and senior players were allowed at the Charlotte game while maintaining social distancing guidelines, Chancellor Sheri Everts wrote in an email Sept. 12.

The stands will be empty again for App State’s week three home game against Campbell Sept. 26 at noon.

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Senior wide receiver Thomas Hennigan has started every game for the Mountaineers since he stepped foot on campus. Hennigan was voted one of six App State captains in 2020 by his teammates.

Courtesy of App State Athletics

Hennigan leads Mountaineers by example Connor Davidson | Reporter When senior wide receiver Thomas Hennigan first came to App State, he was a quiet yet determined player. Now, he serves as one of the team’s six captains after spending the last three seasons becoming a stronger player and a more determined leader.

“This program, there’s just so much tradition, so many great men have been captains here and it’s an honor to even be recognized as one at such an elite program,” Hennigan said. “But with that there comes responsibility to call out things that I see that need to be called out on.”

During his first year at App State, Hennigan kept his head down for the most part, and his main focus was improving his abilities as a player. In the years that followed, he quickly became more reliable as a teammate.

“When he came in, he was a bit

quieter,” senior quarterback Jacob Huesman said. “He knew his role, but he came in and he did it well … I think his biggest point of emphasis through his growth specifically was being a captain and helping out the younger guys.”

Hennigan has started every game since his freshman year, and his stats accumulated since then compare to some of the best receivers to ever play for the Mountaineers. Heading into this year, the senior is tied for seventh in App State history with 14 career touchdown receptions, and ninth in receptions with 135.

Hennigan’s season looks different for a more personal reason, too. He’s playing without star wide receiver Corey Sutton, who opted out of the season in August. This shake up among the receivers has not-made Hennigan

lose sight of the team’s bigger goals.

“With Corey not here, it takes away a big threat on the outside,” Hennigan said. “I’m going to miss Corey, and I wish him all the best, but at the same time, we have a championship to go win.”

Because Sutton is out for the year, Hennigan is now the first option on passing plays and gets more attention from the defense which would have had their eyes geared toward Sutton. In the season opener against Charlotte, Hennigan recorded one of his best games as a Mountaineer with a 120-yard, one-touchdown performance. Although he is capable of strong performances, Hennigan is aware that he may not have the same performance every week.

Read more online at www.theappalachian.com

Sports

Sept. 25, 2020

App State baseball looks to carry on momentum after COVID interrupted strong start Jayson James | Reporter

The App State baseball team sat at 11-6 and had won six straight games before COVID-19 caused spring sports to get cut short. Coming into a new season, head coach Kermit Smith and his team are looking to continue the momentum they had before things came to a halt.

The Mountaineers return a solid starting pitching rotation, as well as a solid bullpen led by redshirt senior Andrew Papp.

“The biggest thing for me is that I have always been competitive. In the offseason, I have worked on making my arm as strong and as healthy as possible. I’m excited for a new year and excited for the opportunity to be a leader on this pitching staff and this team,” Papp said.

Last year, Papp posted a 2.53 earned run average out of the bullpen over 10.2 innings pitched and racked up 9 strikeouts.

Along with strong leadership in the bullpen, the Mountaineers also return fifth-year senior first baseman Robbie Young. Young has a career .988 fielding percentage, as well

as a .298 slugging percentage, and a .328 onbase percentage. Last year, Young started at first base in all 17 games for App State.

“I have always been good defensively.

My goal this year is to be able to get the ball off the ground a lot more and give my team the best effort I can both offensively and defensively,” Young said. “I want to make sure the players know they are all here for a reason, and they are all good baseball players, and to buy into the system coach Smith has set for us.”

Smith noted that while the 11-6 overall record was something to be proud of, the team still didn’t play as well as they could’ve, losing three close games in walk-off fashion.

“There were three pitches that caused us to have three fewer wins and three more losses than what we could have had,” Smith said. “We know not to be satisfied, and to go out this season and prepare and continue that momentum.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

Gameday Preview App State vs. Campbell Alberto Daniel | Reporter

App State football is looking to get back in the win column after a tough loss against the Thundering Herd of Marshall last weekend.

The week three matchup against Campbell is App State’s final non-conference game of the season. The most recent meeting between App State and Campbell was in 2014, when the Mountaineers won 66-0.

In App State’s 17-7 loss at Marshall, the Mountaineers racked up 364 total offensive yards, including 268 passing yards and one touchdown from senior quarterback Zac Thomas, but struggled to establish the run.

As the Mountaineers are recovering from a loss, Campbell is looking to pick up its first win of the season. Campbell most recently fell to Coastal Carolina 43-21 on Sept. 18. The Camels nearly pulled off an upset against short-handed Georgia Southern in week one, ultimately falling 27-26. Georgia Southern was missing 33 players due to suspensions, COVID and injuries.

The game between the Mountaineers and the Camels gives App State an opportunity to correct mistakes from the Marshall game.

“We gotta go back, look at tape, do better next week, and fix what we messed up on,” senior center Noah Hannon said.

The Mountaineers and Camels kick off Sept. 26 at noon at The Rock. The game will air on ESPN+.

Player to Watch

After going 11-6 to start the 2020 season, the pandemic ended App State baseball’s season early. Now, the team’s sights are set on preparing for the 2021 season.

Courtesy of App State Athletics

This week’s player to watch is senior defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor. Taylor had a successful year in 2019, and the pressure he put on quarterbacks proved to be beneficial to the App State defense. After Marshall threw for 345 passing yards in its last game, getting after the quarterback early and often will help limit the impact felt through the passing game.

Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

9

Opinion

Sept. 25, 2020

App State Should Not

Suppress

Student Votes

10

CONCEPTS Start looking ahead for the future Caleb Garbuio | Opinion Editor

Ella Adams | Opinion Writer Campus political organizations rarely agree on anything. But, the Student Government Association, College Democrats, College Republicans and Turning Point USA all agree: Plemmons Student Union should be used as an early voting site. On Aug. 31, the North Carolina State Board of Elections declared the union an early voting site. Two Republican members of the Watauga County Board of Elections, Eric Eller and Nancy Owen, filed a lawsuit arguing the legality of the decision.

Students and faculty across campus raised concerns about losing the union as an early voting site. Over 1,300 students signed a petition to keep the polling place and Faculty Senate Chair Michael Behrent, expressed his support in a letter to Chancellor Sheri Everts.

The Eller-Owen lawsuit is a petty, partisan attempt to suppress App State student voters. In July, Eller sent a letter to the Chief of App State Police, Andy Stephenson, expressing concerns about voter safety due to “escalating protests designed to disrupt such activities.” He cited the letter from the Black at App State Collective addressed to university administration regarding the treatment of Black students. Eller’s letter to Stephenson is a clear attempt to cause unwarranted panic surrounding Black at App State demonstrations. Stephenson himself tells Eller “we had no information to indicate there would be any attempt to disrupt the election process at polling sites on campus.” Eller’s letter and his involvement in the lawsuit is no coincidence. The lawsuit is an attempt to suppress voters.

App State administration’s dismissal of the voting site is disappointing. Matthew Dockham, director of external affairs and commu-

caleb’s

nity relations, says early voting in the PSU Blue Ridge Ballroom “will displace classes for hundreds of students.” Only eight classes will be disrupted and at least three of those classes are hybrid. Classes held in the ballroom could easily be moved online or moved to another location in the union for the early voting period from Oct. 15 to Oct. 31. If the administration is concerned about COVID-19, it is safer to have online classes anyway. It would not be outrageous to accommodate classes held in the Blue Ridge Ballroom elsewhere if it meant students had an accessible place to vote.

Additionally, Dockham states, “the university (supports) the voting plan that named Holmes as the on-campus voting site.” Holmes Convocation Center as an early voting site is not a reasonable alternative. During the period of early voting, 5 volleyball games will also be taking place in the Convocation Center.

The games will disrupt voting and vice versa. Moving the voting location will only make casting a ballot more difficult.

The university should support and encourage students to vote and not support a lawsuit intended to suppress student votes. In his statement, Dockham says, “Appalachian State University is non-partisan and unequivocally supports on-campus voting.” If this is true, the administration will file an amicus brief that opposes the Eller-Owen complaint and keep the student union as an early voting site. With various campus political organizations, 1,300 petitioners and the faculty senate united, App State administration should act in the interests of the students and do what is necessary to keep the union site.

In case you have missed it, we are living in the midst of a global pandemic. Businesses have shut down and people are unemployed without a reliable vaccine. This pandemic will impact recent college graduates because many lack professional experience, and most entry-level positions require one to two years of experience to qualify. Never fear, there is a way to get around these qualifications. Here are a few ways to beat the bell curve.

Start going to career fairs. On Sep. 24, App State hosted a virtual Internship and Career Expo via Handshake. Your school login allows you to access your Handshake account.

The rest is up to you: fill it with relevant information, upload a resume and register for the event. Upon registering, you have the opportunity to select which employers are offering positions for you to gain valuable experience.

However, experience is key to landing interviews with potential employers. If you’re an underclassman, don’t be alarmed if you do not have the same professional acumen as juniors or seniors. Rather, use this opportunity to investigate the skills that intriguing careers require. For example, if you are interested in working as a journalist, join The Appalachian and gain valuable experience! No, in all seriousness, use this opportunity to gain information about careers you may be interested in pursuing so you can find positions on campus to learn resume-worthy skills. Are you a psychology major? Email a professor and ask if you can research with them. How about computer science? Apply for a paid position at the Center for Analytic Research and Education.

Many students must work part time jobs to pay for college. The good news is that those experiences are transferable to full time employment. Think of it this way: a resume is a highlight of your college experience. Working a part-time job and managing a full course load boosts student productivity, and employers take that into consideration. Don’t believe me?

Take it up with the American Enterprise Institute, which found that wages increase as workers become more productive. How do you become more productive? Working and gaining experience.

At the end of the day, extracurricular activities and work experience should be geared toward gaining valuable experience outside the classroom. Employers are looking for transferable skills that their company will benefit from.

That means that as a freshman, you have four years to gain the experience needed for a fulltime job after college. Don’t procrastinate, four years passes by in the blink of an eye. Get started now.

Need more evidence? The Brookings Institute found three things middle-class people had in common: not getting married or having kids before 21, graduating high school or receiving a GED and holding your first full-time job for over a year. They found that only 2% of people in the bottom fifth of earners did all those things. Landing a full-time job is tough, especially now. Yet, it is vital towards financial success. Don’t waste your time. Try to land a part-time job, get involved on campus, network with employers and work hard academically.

Et Cetera

Sept. 25, 2020

@Biosteampunk Alex, What the くそ!?

Isn’t it obvious?

Submit

letters to the editor to editor@theappalachianonline.com

I got it So that I can stay a “Bear’s Length” away from people

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