April 2021

NO. 27 | APRIL 2021 | FREE

THE HISTORIC RESTORATION OF THE WEST THEATRE | PG. 04 MEET THE NEW STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT ANNA COUNIHAN | PG. 06 BULLDOG OF THE MONTH KARL BECKER | PG. 08 COVID THEN AND NOW | PG. 10 SCAN WITH YOUR CAMERA!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hey Bulldogs!

This last year has sure been something. As we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and face a time of great social reckoning, I wanted to write to you all, our readers, a thank you for following and trusting The Bark this past year.

Our communities need voices. We are the voice of UMD. We at The Bark strive to tell the stories of this campus while informing all of our readers. Our greatest honor is to uphold and use, to the greatest of our abilities, the First Amendment. We covered a wide variety of topics this year, and I hope you found them interesting as well as informative and helpful.

We are here to fairly report the truth. It is our duty to keep the public informed and record history as it happens.

I know of no one word or even phrase that would adequately sum up the past 13 months. However, I do know that serving as the editor-in-chief of The Bark these past 13 months has arguably been one of the most challenging, demanding and rewarding roles I’ve ever taken on.

It was an honor and a privilege to continuously try to support, educate and inform our campus

2

APRIL 2021

THEBARKUMD.COM

community and beyond.

I know there are things I could have done better, and whoever takes over as the next editor-in-chief will certainly have my blessing and my guidance.

This past year for The Bark was a tough one; our numbers are low, and we’re moving out of our office on the Kirby porch, the home of The Bark for decades. I wish I could write in this goodbye where our new office will be, but I can’t quite yet. Rest assured, The Bark as an organization and service, is not going anywhere. Follow us on social media, sign up for our newsletter or just check the website. We vow to keep you updated as soon as we know where our new office will be.

The Bark will always be here for the student body, for this campus community and for the greater community. I’ve said it before, but I want to say it again; everyone is welcome at The Bark.

All opinions, all walks of life, all types of people, all types of interest, The Bark needs you. No matter who you are. We follow all the rules of journalism and even uphold our own code of ethics. As editor-inchief, I hope I helped my team be the best media professionals they could

HEIDI STANG- THE BARK’S EDITOR IN CHIEF PHOTO COURTESY OF MADISON HUNTER

be. I hope we have served this school year well.

Thank you to The Bark team, you the readers and all those who have reached out to help The Bark this past year. As I am reflecting on the last year, we certainly could’ve done better, but we certainly would’ve been worse if it hadn’t been for all of you. Thank you.

I’ll still be on campus next fall, and The Bark will be here for years and years to come. If you ever have questions and/or story ideas, please reach out at @barkumd@d.umn.edu.

I’ve been with The Bark since my first week on campus. When I dreamed of being EIC one day, I had no clue it would be a year like this, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It has truly been a pleasure and an honor.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Heidi Stang The Bark Editor in Chief 2020-2021

08

The Historic Restoration of The West Theatre

Bulldog of The Month: Karl Becker

06

10

Meet The New Student Body President Anna Counihan

Covid Then and Now

April

04

07 The Bark’s Newsletter

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

REPORTER

PHOTOGRAPHER

Heidi Stang barkumd@d.umn.edu

Sara Guymon guymo002@d.umn.edu

Mark Stanton stant197@d.umn.edu

BUSINESS MANAGER

REPORTER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Grace Henriksen barkumdbiz@d.umn.edu

Izabella Zadra zadra012@d.umn.edu

Jaylynn Glaus glaus011@d.umn.edu

MANAGING EDITOR

REPORTER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Michael King king1072@d.umn.edu

Atticus Hodges hodge270@d.umn.edu

Chas Morgan morg0323@d.umn.edu

MANAGING EDITOR

REPORTER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Hunter Dunteman dunte009@d.umn.edu

Cory Knudsen knuds241@umn.edu

Karley Graves grave527@umn.edu

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

REPORTER

Bailey Misura misur009@d.umn.edu

Eliana Sonderup sonde040@d.umn.edu

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

REPORTER

Madison Hunter hunte557@d.umn.edu

TOP STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE SEXISM IN UMD DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS...

By Michael King

UMD STUDENTS TAKING ACTION...

By Eliana Sonderup

Anastasia Setter sette1250@d.umn.edu

MIKE MAYOU’S RUNNING POINTS...

By Michael King

UMD THREE-PEAT CHANCE ENDS

By Hunter Dunteman & Eliana Sonderup

COVER PHOTO: FROM KARL BECKER

THEBARKUMD.COM

APRIL 2021

3

THE HISTORIC RESTORATION OF THE WEST THEATRE

By Cory Knudsen

The movie theatre experience has been a part of Robert Boone’s life from a young age. As a 19-year-old, he worked at and managed a theatre in Superior, Wisconsin.

Boone enjoyed being in charge of a team and providing children, and all moviegoers alike, a joyful and happy experience.

Fast-forward to his adult years when Boone came upon a building located at 317 N. Central Ave. that once housed a movie theatre which opened in 1937. After the theatre closed in the mid ’50s, the building struggled to find an identity, until it was bought by Boone in 2016.

The building required much work, but he was passionate about restoring the theatre to what it had been before.

A new marquee, digital production booths, bathrooms and an extra lounge area were added to give the building an updated, yet classic feel.

WEST THEATRE HOPES TO OPEN THEIR DOORS AGAIN IN MID-APRIL

PHOTO BY CORY KNUDSEN

Boone said it was crucial to create the theatre as it appeared in 1937.

“Old fashioned movie theatres have a sense of downtown to them,” he said.

4

APRIL 2021

THEBARKUMD.COM

Boone thought the downtown feel was what West Duluth needed. He went to extreme lengths to recreate the feel of Art Deco Theatres from years past in order to provide a historically accurate experience for modern moviegoers.

Boone oversaw the process of repainting the building to its original color, and even bought antiques from countries all around the world to emulate the feel of old-school theatres.

“I do things I find interesting that no one else is stupid enough to do,” Boone said.

The renovation was, in Boone’s words, “a giant pain in the ass to pull off,” as it took a lot more time and money than initially anticipated. Boone said he spent countless hours putting substantial work into the theatre.

The saving grace was the hundreds of volunteers that dedicated their time to painting, as well as different aspects of construction within the building. After three years and $1.5 million in expenses, the West

Theatre had its grand opening on June 21, 2019.

“It felt like a miracle that it opened,” Boone said.

One of the most memorable moments for Boone was the first movie shown on opening night: the 1937 version of “A Star Is Born.”

Boone said bringing people together and receiving a standing ovation felt very rewarding.

bringing people together and recieving a standing ovation felt very rewarding ROBERT

BOONE

Some guests at the opening said their parents met each other at the original theatre, and it was special for them to experience films in the same location. Parents around the area also informed Boone that they were excited to have a location for their kids to go to that they were comfortable with.

Boone was even interviewed by “CBS This Morning” in their October 12, 2019 story about author Leif Enger.

Enger wrote a book called “Virgil Wander” about a man living on

Lake Superior that was dedicated to restoring an old movie theatre, but had his life changed after a car accident. The CBS crew described Boone as “a character seemingly plucked from the book,” and realized that, very similar to the main character in Enger’s novel, restoring the theatre “[was] far more than a business proposition.”

Boone hopes the comparisons stop at him restoring an old movie theatre, as he’s not interested in getting in an accident anytime soon.

MEMBERS OF THE TWIN CITIES CHAPTER OF PI DELTA PSI PHOTO COURTESY OF TYLER VONGPHACHANH

Boone’s dedication to restoring this theatre had its ups and downs, from the tedious process of the renovation, to the heartwarming reopening in 2019, and even the closure due to COVID-19.

Boone hopes to reopen the theatre sometime in April, as more high-profile films are scheduled to begin releasing again.

“Real movie theatres help keep a sense of community in small town America,” Boone said with excitement.

THEATRES NATIONWIDE WERE FORCED TO SHUT THEIR DOORS IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE VIRUS DIDN’T STOP WEST THEATRE FROM STAYING OPTIMISTIC

PHOTO BY CORY KNUDSEN

The West Theatre has set up a webpage dedicated to what to expect for COVID protocols once the theatre reopens.

THEBARKUMD.COM

APRIL 2021

5

By Anna Counihan

Hello, all! My name is Anna Counihan, and I have the privilege of serving as your Student Body President during the 2021-2022 academic year.

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you all on making it this far into the school year.

We’re almost there, Bulldogs! This past year has been everything but easy, so do not belittle your accomplishments.

With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, it is important to continue hoping for a more “normal” year next year.

However, this next year will not be a “back-tonormal” year, but rather more of a “transition” year. We will be coping with the collective trauma of this last year: the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health battles, political turmoil, rising domestic violence rates and the continued police brutality that we see on social media. A priority of mine coming into this next year is overall wellbeing — physical, mental, social, and emotional.

We plan on furthering our Band Together for Mental Health campaign in order to bolster our

6

APRIL 2021

THEBARKUMD.COM

MEET NEW STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT ANNA COUNIHAN student body’s overall well-being in light of the events of this past year.

Another priority of mine going forward is to advocate for equitable funding for UMD. UMD students have often had to carry the burden of the inequitable allocations of state funding: the merging of the College of Liberal Arts with the School of Fine Arts, our favorite faculty being laid off and the erasure of various minors and/or specializations are some general examples of how the funding disparities have impacted our UMD community. I plan on furthering our legislative advocacy work for our Duluth community, faculty, staff and students alike.

Overall, there are many initiatives to look forward to next academic year.

Although there are many goals and campaigns to prioritize, my highest priority is being accessible to hear my peers’ feedback and critiques.

Alongside Vice President Daksha Gummadi, we plan on having weekly public office hours every Tuesday from 12-1 in the Student Association office in the Kirby Student

PHOTO FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH STUDENT ASSOCIATION WEBSITE

Center. Please feel free to stop by and chat! I am also accessible via email at couni017@umn.edu.

I encourage those who feel comfortable to introduce themselves; I would love to hear from you!

THE BARK’S NEWSLETTER HOW-TO When you visit thebarkumd. com there will be a pop-up, or an image similar to this that you can sign up on!

Then, every Wednesday we will send you a newsletter, similar to this one, that has all of our important content that we think you should read!

If you do not see it make sure you check your promotional or spam folders in your email!

THEBARKUMD.COM

APRIL 2021

7

By Anastasia Setter

BULLDOG OF THE MONTH: KARL BECKER Karl Becker puts fresh food on wheels with the mobile market.

For too many people in the area, the thought process behind obtaining healthy food extends beyond a quick, mindless trip to the grocery store.

In fact, out of the entire University of Minnesota system, 9,000 students experience food insecurity in some way every day, the equivalent of nearly the entire population of UMD. For some, finding healthy, sustainable groceries means miles of driving and dollar upon dollar of gas money spent only to arrive uncertain that vegetables will be fresh at all. In many situations, convenience stores are the only realistic option for miles around.This is a catalyst for food insecurity that seems to leave nutrition out of the question.

Food deserts are a problem that plague so many communities around the Duluth area. UMD social work graduate student and Bulldog of the Month Karl Becker did not let that problem go unnoticed. Becker saw this issue of food insecurity and used his internship with the UMD social work department as a platform to propose

8

APRIL 2021

THEBARKUMD.COM

solutions that would lead to the Mobile Market.

Becker was first inspired to take action after having been made aware of the pressing food insecurity issues woven through Minnesota at the Food Justice Summit in 2019.

“I couldn’t believe this conversation was happening and I haven’t been part of it,” Becker said.

Becker began his internship observing how the seasonal Seeds of Success market worked.

After becoming the production field crew lead, Becker spent the next summer evolving the market into a yearround project.

Once the pandemic hit, concern loomed for those experiencing food insecurity. Becker and others involved with Seeds of Success faced problems as to how they would make a market like this work in the midst of a pandemic, and so the Mobile Market came to be.

BECKER POSING IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY MOBILE MARKET VAN.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARL BECKER

Becker took to UMD greenhouses, growing fresh food in its wellventilated greenhouse and putting its yields on wheels. He drove the food to densely populated areas and in Becker’s words, “setting up shop” in a refrigerated van.

This four-wheeled grocery hub also gives benefits to those who need it. For example, the Pop Club, or the benefit for kids, allows that “anyone under 18 gets $4 worth of free food each market… free fruits and vegetables to try and encourage them to eat well,” Becker said.

For families who are in need of an equitable solution to food insecurity, this truly does add up.

The Mobile Market has also included other departments in the initiative. Engineering students worked hard to repair the ventilation system in the greenhouse, enabling the Mobile Market to produce over 120 pounds of greens.

Without the ventilation improvements, the Mobile Market would produce about 40 pounds of greens, according to Becker.

“My favorite part is giving food to people who need it” KARL

BECKER

“My favorite part is giving food to the people who need it,” Becker said.

Food can be taken for granted by those who have immediate access to healthy and sustainable food sources, but the ripple of good that can be done by providing this to people who don’t have it is immeasurable.

Becker said that awareness of the issue is the first step toward taking action.

“It may not be visible all of the time, but there’s a lot of students who go home to nothing, no food,” Becker said.

Setting this mindfulness into motion is the next step. Becker advises that the Bulldog community shop at the Mobile Market and support Champ’s Cupboard.

THEBARKUMD.COM

APRIL 2021

9

COVID THEN AND NOW

Feb. 3, 2020

March 16, 2020

First correspondence from Chancellor Black related to “2019 Novel Coronavirus.”

Gabel announces alternative instruction for the remainder of the semester; stay at home if possible.

March 13, 2020 President Gabel extends spring break to March 18 — no in-person classes until April 1.

10

APRIL 2021

THEBARKUMD.COM

A YEAR IN REVIEW

July 1, 2020 Face coverings required for anyone on campus.

May 5, 2020

March 12, 2021

UMD extends reduced operations; Gabel announces Sunrise Plan.

Chancellor Black announces plans for “a fall semseter that includes many more in-person class experiences and campus activities.”

THEBARKUMD.COM

APRIL 2021

11