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THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

September 19, 2019

VOLUME 93 | ISSUE 3 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

Community reflects on The Falafel Joint’s unexpected closure Riley Randall Staff Writer

After less than a full year in business, The Falafel Joint has closed its doors. The restaurant was attached to and shared a kitchen with Sugar Shack on William Street. “Things are complicated at the moment,” said Azadeh Rahmani, co-owner of The Joint. “The best

reason we can give is that we ended our relationship with the independent owners of Sugar Shack Fredericksburg and are no longer affiliated with them personally or professionally.” Edwin Grimes, the current owner of Sugar Shack Fredericksburg, is also a majority co-owner of The Joint. “As a partnership, we wanted to move in different directions,” he said. “The ownership group decided

William Street business closes as owners move in different directions.

together that as a business we needed to close down.” Grimes also said that making a profit with the business was a growing issue as well. Some students around campus are disappointed with the closing. Austin Jones, a senior accounting major, visited The Falafel Joint several times before its closing and was unhappy when the news broke. “It was a bummer to hear that The Joint closed down.” said Jones. “I will miss it, mostly just because it was the only local place for falafel and shawarma. Jones said he enjoyed the combination of service and the ambiance. “The workers were extremely friendly,” said Jones. “The Joint had a chill and relaxed vibe to it which made it a fun place to go to. It was also very quick so you didn’t have to spend a lot of time there… the decor was very interesting to look at; they had tons of old pictures of Fredericksburg all over.” The restaurant, located in the rear of Sugar Shack,

Shelby Bell / The Blue & Gray Press

served authentic falafel and chicken shawarma. The recipes were crafted and perfected for months before opening, the owners said. “My husband and I, alongside our good friend, worked on recipes we gathered from their deployments and from our friends’ and family’s handed down recipes for months until we felt the falafel and chicken were perfected,” said Rahmani. “It took me three months to get the right bread and to convince the supplier to take a chance on us.” After a rocky start, Rahmani and Grimes both attribute their growth in customers to their social media presence. “Social media played a big role in initially attracting customers, and we also had a couple of articles about us that helped greatly,” said Rahmani. The official Facebook page, “The Joint FXBG,” has over 1,700 likes and is filled with positive reviews and an average rating of 4.9/5. A recent review from Barbara Grennen describes the food as “amazing.” If ever she was having a bad day, the reviewer continues, “everything just changed… smile on my face and belly full.” Rahmani said •Falafel | 2

New general education curriculum confirmed for fall of 2020 Ginny Bixby Associate Editor

The University Faculty Council approved the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the new general education requirements on Sept. 11. The new curriculum was approved on April 3. For this academic year, students currently enrolled at UMW have the option to choose between registering for the previous curriculum or the new curriculum. The new requirements, which take effect for students enrolling in fall of 2020, include the addition of digital intensive and “after Mary Washington” courses. The latter is satisfied by courses that relate to preparing for life after college. Among other changes, students will only have to take foreign language courses through a 201 level, a reduction from the previous requirement of competency through the 202 level. “...[The] faculty will be working on identifying the specific courses which will populate these categories over the next month. The goal is to have a complete list of courses to the University Faculty Council by its December meeting for a curriculum that will go into effect next September,” said Tim O’Donnell,

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associate provost for Academic for doing work in that discipline,” said Engagement and Student Success. Whalen. “By contrast, digital studies Zach Whalen, English and is a discipline unto itself where we communication professor and head of look at digital culture, different kinds the digital studies program, explained of digital creativity and specific digital that while many classes in the digital methodologies for asking questions studies program will satisfy the and solving problems that come up in digital intensive requirement, the digital contexts.” two programs are not necessarily The change to the foreign language synonymous. requirements will significantly affect “There isn’t really a relationship the Department of Modern Languages between digital studies as a program and Literature, said department head and digital intensive as a program, Elizabeth Lewis. except that I happen “Some students to be involved in both will be taking less “A lot of Americans and that many of the language classes, have this selfish idea that which means we courses that currently count for electives in everyone else in the world will be offering less the communication needs to learn English.” language classes in and digital studies the future, especially major and the digital at the 202 level,” -Claire Marsala studies minor will also Lewis said. be counting as digital Lewis said that intensive classes starting next year,” a lot of the department’s offerings for said Whalen. “There are also a great the next few years will be affected many more classes besides the current by the number of students who elect digital studies electives that will count to complete the previous general as digital intensive.” education curriculum. If enough “The way I think of it is that students still need 202 and 205 courses digital intensive courses should have to satisfy requirements, they will their core in a specific discipline— continue to be offered. art, history, philosophy, English, “We certainly don’t want to leave anything— and these are courses that those students out in the cold,” said teach students the digital tools, skills Lewis. and projects that are the state of the art Claire Marsala, a senior French

Pumpkin Patches

E-cigarette Bans

and linguistics double major in the education program said that she feels the language requirement should stay the same. “Almost every other country in the world has their students learn another language, or several, from a young age. A lot of Americans have this selfish idea that everyone else in the world needs to learn English,” said Marsala. As a foreign language student, Marsala is concerned for the future of the department. “A lot of people even quit before finishing the requirement and just take the rest at Germanna or NOVA,” said Marsala. “The real question is, will the language department wake up and do something about it, or will the language department slowly shrivel away? We’ve already gone from a language requirement of four semesters to three. If nothing changes, I would expect the requirement to get lowered until it’s gone.” Lewis said that the department is working on proposals to make foreign language classes fulfill other general education requirements, like the Diverse and Global Perspectives requirement, to incentivize students to take classes in a foreign language even after fulfilling the 201 requirements. “We’ve talked •Gen Ed | 7 with

Cross Country

Local pumpkin patches: a perfect fall adventure.

E-cigarette misuse does not warrant federal ban.

Teams only senior reflects on time at UMW.

LIFE | 5

VIEWPOINTS | 3

SPORTS | 8

NEWS

Editors: Kate Seltzer & Abigail Buchholz | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

Pipe leak displaces students from William Street Apartments

THE

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

Cameron Delean Senior Writer

A cracked pipe in the William Street apartments on Sept. 5 has displaced several residents. The nine students who were affected were told they would need to clear out of their apartments by Sept. 9 so the damage can be properly repaired. “The pipe had cracked and was leaking inside the wall,” said David Fleming, assistant dean of Residence Life and Housing. “Three apartments in Building 7 were affected.”

were feeling good about the apartment and being roommates,” Laclede said. “So being called and finding out we had to move out in like three days was a lot to handle – a lot of tears and screaming and ‘Siri call mom.’” Hannah Goad, a senior economics major, was another resident displaced due to the damage. “I can’t speak for my roommates, but it has been stressful. Hopefully, repairs are done quickly and we can move back in soon,” Goad said. Neither Laclede nor Goad reported having their personal items ruined from the cracked pipe leak.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lauren Closs

Associate Editors Grace Winfield Ginny Bixby

Buisness Manager Lucas Burkholder

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Kate Seltzer Abigail Buchholz

VIEWPOINTS Alicen Hackney

LIFE Cosima Pellis

SPORTS Jack Hagn

ONLINE Meaghan McIntyre Samuel Cobb

PHOTO Cayley McGuire Noah Strobel

Nine students were displaced after a pipe cracked in Building 7 of the William Street Apartments. Noah Strobel / Blue & Gray Press

Kiersten Laclede, a junior and historic preservation major, was one of the residents affected by the incident. ”We had just finished putting up our decorations a few days earlier and

“There was no external leak on our floor, so none of our belongings were damaged,” Goad said. The displaced residents were given a couple different choices for their

temporary relocation. “Students had options within our available inventory,” Fleming said. If students wanted to keep the members of their apartment together, they could take an unoccupied suite in a residence hall. “We were moved to Marshall and did stay together,” Goad said. The second option was to stay in the William Street apartments but be split from their roommates and randomly assigned to different rooms. “I had the option of staying with my two roommates and moving into Marshall, where we could all still room together, or split us up and move in with different roommates in the apartments,” Laclede said. “We had no interest in living in Marshall, so me and my roommate moved in to different buildings in the apartments, and my other roommate moved into Jefferson.” The affected residents were given differing time frames of when they could expect to return, which caused some initial confusion. “When they initially called us they said we would be displaced for 3-4 weeks, but then we got an email a couple hours later saying that we’ll be displaced for the remainder of the semester,” Laclede said. “We have been given multiple estimates of time, the most recent and shortest being three weeks,” Goad said. Fleming has been in communication with the University’s facilities department to understand the extent of the damage and in turn solidify a more accurate date of repair. “Facilities has indicated the contractor has made good progress and anticipate about two or three weeks before repairs are complete,” Fleming said. “Besides replacing the pipe, some wall and flooring will be repaired or replaced.”

Sugar Shack and The Falafel Joint partnership ends as owners go seperate ways that sometimes ideas and motivations of the owners of Sugar Shack and The Joint clashed, including the use of the limited parking in the area. “This was an understandable compromise [with Sugar Shack] and one we worked around as best as we could,” she said. Grimes said that the working relationship was fine throughout the life of the business and reiterated that the profitability of the business was the main point of contention. Though Grimes owns 51 percent of The Joint as a co-owner, he stressed that the one percent extra was for legal purposes

•Falafel| 1

and that decisions were always discussed and split 50-50. Grimes said he personally does not plan to open a new location, though he

“We look forward to more peace, more love and more falafel in the future.” -Azadeh Rahmani also said he couldn’t speak on behalf of the other partners. Rahmani is unsure of what the immediate future holds,

but said that “the outpouring of support and the constant messages has been overwhelming and is not something we can ignore.” She added, “We love Fredericksburg, and we especially love that more and more UMW students were discovering us. We look forward to more peace, more love and more falafel in the future.” Grimes does not have any immediate plans for filling the empty space. The kitchen equipment is owned by his other partners and will be removed soon, leaving the space for another business to potentially move in.

CORRECTIONS for THE Week An article from the Sept. 12 edition titled “Straight pride insults LGBTQ+ progress” contained a sentence implying that the issue of straight pride was a sudden realization to the author, when it actually was a growing point of frustration.

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

An article from the Sept. 12 edition titled “FSEM Writing Cohort introduced to aid freshman writing skills” incorrectly attributed some information to April Wynn. It was Christine Henry who said the combination of many campus resources working together makes the FSEM Writing Cohort program unique to the First Year Experience this year. PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO Lauren Closs, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu

Thursday, September 19, 2019

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Alicen Hackney | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Federal ban is not the solution to e-cigarette misuse

ALICEN HACKNEY Viewpoints Editor

The rise of e-cigarette-related injury has given way to recent conversation and action aimed at pulling related products off the market. However, in the wake of newly discovered health risks, it’s important to remember this problem came from user-error, not just the product. E-cigarettes were designed as a quitting aid to provide smokers a more comfortable and familiar way to break their habit, not as a new source of addiction. Rather than banning the sale of e-cigarettes, these products should be made available by prescription only to restore their intended purpose. As of Sept. 11, 2019, the Trump administration began pulling heavy weights for the ban and restriction of e-cigarettes. Following that, individual states began to take action. Most recently, New York Gov. Cuomo banned the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. Between state and federal government, the flavored e-cigarette variety is being particularly targeted due to it’s appealing nature to younger audiences. There have been 380 reported cases of lung illnesses from use of e-cigarettes and 6 deaths, according to reports filed with the Center for Disease Control. These illnesses mimic pneumonia and bacterial lung infections causing inflammation and lung tissue damage.

As horrific as that is, it’s the exact reason e-cigarettes were never meant to be used in the way these young people have used them. Jordan Rothstein, who describes himself as “an ex-smoker who has been freed from the burden of tobacco,” quit smoking through pod-based vapes and e-juices. “The best way to use a Juul is as a stepping stone in the quitting process. Use Juul to transition from cigarettes, and then quit using the Juul as well, ending in zero use of nicotine and no inhalation of anything other than air,” he said. Inspired to make the task of quitting smoking ease-free as possible, Rothstein began his own blog, the Pod Professor, a site in which he guides his readers through honest reviews of vape products. While the particular ingredient in these vape products that is causing these issues has not been determined, the suspected culprit is vitamin E acetate, an additive in topical and consumable products that has been banned in many other countries. Vitamin E acetate is added to vape oils to thicken the liquid and make it easier to vaporize. It can stick like a coating to the inside of a vape-users lungs, and considering health concerns it isn’t necessary. Many companies producing e-cigarette or vape oils, including the Oregon-based vape cartridge additive

maker, Mr. Extractor, have either taken vitamin E acetate out of their products or pulled products containing the additive altogether upon learning of the health risks involved. However, even with the push to make a healthier product within the e-cigarette market itself, the government is continuing to pursue removing these products from the market. This is due in part to the fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet committed to regulating these products, making it difficult to trust the companies on the market. “We must not stand by while e-cigarettes continue to go unregulated. We urge the US Food and Drug Administration to speed up the regulation of e-cigarettes and remove all unregulated products from the market,” said Dr. Patrice Harris, the American Medical Association’s president. ”We also call on the FDA to immediately ban flavors, as well as marketing practices, that enhance the appeal of e-cigarette products to youth.” In response through the Trump administration, Alex Azar, secretary of Health and Human Services, said that the FDA will soon be coming out with a comprehensive plan to remove many of these questionable products from the market. While it’s exemplary that these companies and the FDA are beginning to

look into making their products healthier, there needs to be greater regulation on the strength--and length--at which these products can be used. Many products aimed at helping people quit smoking, including nicotine gum and lozenges, were at one time or another only available by prescription. To solve the issue of youth access to these harmful products, vape pens, e-cigarettes and vape oils should require a prescription to obtain. This would limit misuse of the products and set a wellregulated timeline for those using these products as a method to quit smoking. The government push to ban certain e-cigarette related products is merely a quick solution for a much larger problem, addiction. The ultimate fix would be to take these products from the over-thecounter market and put them behind the

Federal government works to ban flavored e-cigarettes

CBSNews.com

Antitrust investigations cannot stop Big Tech’s impact Big Oil. Big Pharma. Big Tobacco. America is no stranger to the perceived mistrust placed upon “big” industries. There’s a new group of top-competitors that regulators and lawmakers have initiated a litigation war with: Big Tech. Big Tech is comprised of the top-tech companies in the United States: Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google and occasionally, Microsoft. Regulators and lawmakers have launched antitrust investigations into whether the four technology companies have used their size and wealth to end competition and expand their dominance. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are leading the investigations into these companies. The FTC is focusing on Amazon and Facebook, while the DOJ is responsible for the Google and Apple probe. There was never any question as to if there would be a litigation war, but when. For a while now, these companies have faced public scrutiny as their influence--and business--grows. Now, they’re target practice for regulators. The antitrust arguments against the companies differ, just as their primary revenue sources vary. However, the major concern that still stands is whether too few companies possess too much power. Facebook. How could one forget the Cambridge Analytica scandal and Mark Zuckerburg’s brilliant idea to monetize his user’s data? Recently, Facebook was hit with a $5 billion fine from the FTC after releasing over 400 million phone numbers of its users. It is the largest penalty ever levied against a tech company. As part of the settlement, the company agreed to improve and evaluate its user data policies. Google makes the majority of its profit from its advertising network. In 2017, ads generated 86% of its revenues. Google is an advertising mastermind; it acquired Youtube, realizing its potential to generate ad revenue, while simultaneously tapping into a new market--video advertisement. However, Google has been accused of favoring its own services over other competitors, such as Yelp.. Additionally, Google-owned Youtube was charged $170 million for collecting children’s personal data and violating their privacy. Congress questioned whether Amazon abuses

Thursday, September 19, 2019

GRACE WINFIELD Associate Editor data collected from other sellers, as a result killing companies with unfair practices by favoring its own products over third-party sellers. Congress has also accused Amazon whether the company’s own products get “preferential promotion on its site” in terms of advertisement, according to the New York Times. According to TJI research, Amazon has more than 140 private labels. While in actuality, private labels represent fewer than one percent of Amazon’s total sales. Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit for inflating

medium.com

prices in its App Store. With IOS, owners can only purchase or download apps through the App Store. Apple’s chief compliance officer Kyle Andeer discussed the company’s business ethics and competition at a judiciary committee hearing. “Our mission is to make the best products and services in the world in each of the markets where we compete — for us it’s never been about making the most, it’s always about making the best. We design our technology to be easy to use, and safe and secure for all our customers. We see our customers’ privacy as a fundamental human right, and we embed that value in everything we create.” Andeer went on to say that companies such as Lyft, Uber, Pinterest and Spotify have had success in the formation of their companies through the App Store. However, this isn’t Apple’s first probe. Just in 2018, the company was being investigated by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission over potential securities violations related to its disclosure of the software updates that slowed older iPhones. Big Tech, according to the bipartisan dispute, is just one big monopoly. The government wants to break up these companies and the resources they have rightfully acquired. Facebook would cut ties with Whatsapp and

Instagram. Google would let go of Youtube. Why would they do this? To create future competition. But what is the need for future competition if these companies are purely innovative and successful in what they do As these companies continue to prosper, the rest of corporate America continues to envy their power--I can’t help but admire their accelerated growth. First, we must recognize that Big Tech isn’t one large, demonizing monopoly the current rhetoric leads us to believe. Big Tech is five companies all in different businesses. So often now these companies are lumped together as Big Tech, though the view that they are one is false. They purely work well together and recognize each other’s success in their own respective fields. In a Bloomberg interview, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates expressed his distaste in the idea of breaking up Big Tech. “If there’s a way the company is behaving that you want to get rid of, then you should just say, ‘OK, that’s a banned behavior,’” Gates said. “Splitting the company in two and having two people doing the bad thing--that doesn’t seem like a solution.” The one thing all of the companies have in common is their collection, analysis and exploitation of data, whether it be from consumers, advertisers or wholesalers. One proposal I agree with would loosen the companies’ control of user data. Former senior antitrust official at the Justice Department, A. Douglas Melamed, supports the idea that Big Tech companies should give smaller companies access to user data. Melamed served as a member of the Stigler Center study team that cited several data moves in a list of potential regulations and enforcement actions. “Data is a real trump card these platforms have,” said Melamed. “You let competitors have access to their back rooms for a reasonable fee.” Essentially, if regulators want to give other companies a chance to compete with the tech giants, data ultimately can be accessed--at a price. Breaking up large, thriving American companies is not the solution. Rest assured, neither is the continuation of fines. The democrats and republicans are cheering for the Big Tech break up, and consumers should be skeptical before they join in, too.

LIFE

Editor: Cosima Pellis blueandgray.life@gmail.com

“It” sequel cast stays true to orginal character portrayals JULIA MAY Staff Writer

As a huge fan of both horror movies and Stephen King, it was no surprise that I immensely enjoyed the film adaptation of King’s novel “It,” directed by Andy Muschietti. Despite the original film setting high expectations, the sequel to “It,” which premiered on Sept. 6 was another worthy addition to the growing series. “It” (2017), the highest grossing

Bill Skarsgård was again an exceptionally scary Pennywise.

horror film of all time, told the story of the terrifying experiences of “The Losers Club,” a group of seven kids from Derry, Maine, who were being stalked by a sadistic killer clown named Pennywise. The sequel, “It Chapter Two,” is set 27 years after the events of the first film, when Pennywise has returned once again to terrorize the town of Derry. Picking up after the first film, “The Losers Club” reunites as they promised each other they would in order to defeat Pennywise once and for all. Although I found that some of the childhood charm from the first film was lost in the sequel, the actors who were cast to play “The Losers Club” as adults truly carried on the looks and behaviors of their child characters, and that was one of the best parts of the film. Bill Skarsgård was again an exceptionally scary Pennywise. The film itself had multiple unsettling scenes with great jumpscares, as well as an overwhelming amount of blood— lots and lots of blood. However, this film relied on the use of CGI much more than the first film. Due to this, I felt that the impact of certain horror scenes was lessened and it left me wishing for the bone-chilling scares that I had hoped to see on the big screen. Amazon King, the author of the 1986

novel, had a cameo in the film playing the proprietor of a secondhand store. This was his first onscreen role in years. Although King didn’t appear in the first movie, he is good friends with Muschietti, who directed both films. In his cameo, King adds some humor to the horror film with some self-referential jokes. Bill Hader, who plays Richie, also brought some much needed comic relief to the film. Underneath all the jokes, however, the film delved deep into a secret Richie has hidden from the rest of the characters. The film focused heavily on the past, switching from past to present to show childhood moments that coincide with the characters’ current situations. While this did extend the running time which totaled 169 minutes, and could also leave some TribLIVE Stephen King had a cameo in the film. viewers bored, for me, it worked due to the fact that the casts of movie. both films were so strong. Overall, I found this movie to be a I loved the nostalgic focus of this worthy sequel to the original, despite film, which was something that you receiving much harsher reviews from wouldn’t find much in the first one. critics than its predecessor. As with There was even one point when I was most sequels, it didn’t have quite the so touched by a scene that I actually had same strength as the first, yet the cast tears in my eyes, which is a reaction you is fantastic and makes the film a mustreally wouldn’t expect from a horror watch for those who loved the original.

Dance Party Throwbacks

Do you remember the 21st night of September? National Dance Day is coming up on September 21. Our staff compiled a playlist to help you celebrate.

Billie Jean // Michael Jackson Dance With Me Tonight // Ollie Murs Dancing In The Moonlight // Toploader Don’t Stop Me Now // Queen Footloose // Kenny Loggins Girls Just Wanna Have Fun // Cindy Lauper Got To Give It Up // Marvin Gaye Hips Don’t Lie // Shakira Jump Around // House Of Pain Just Dance // Lady Gaga Loveshack // B-52s September // Earth, Wind & Fire Superstitous // Stevie Wonder Wake Me Up Before You Go Go // Wham! 1999 // Prince 4

Thursday, September 19, 2019

LIFE Hayrides, mazes and bonfires: a local pumpkin patch guide ALICEN HACKNEY Viewpoints Editor

Fall is here, as much as it doesn’t feel like it yet with the sheer humidity. The opening of the pumpkin patches this weekend signifies the return of cozy outings, changing leaves and all the apple cider you can drink. Luckily for UMW students, there are plenty of pumpkin patches right in our area to visit with friends and family. Between these you can find perfect pumpkins for carving, pig races, barn swings and hayrides.

in September, and rise to $16.95 in October during the season’s peak. It’s proximity to campus makes Belvedere Plantation a really great spot for fall adventure. Braehead Farms Another popular fall Fredericksburg destination, Braehead Farms is only a 9 minute drive from campus making it the closest place for students to get their pumpkin picking on. Braehead offers both paid and unpaid entry, so guests looking to come to pick their own pumpkin or produce and go can pay simply for what they pick. However, if you’re looking

Round Hill Farm offers old fashioned hayrides.

Round Hill Farm A little further out in Culpeper, Round Hill Farm will be open Oct. 5 through Oct. 31 for guests starting at $12.50 a day. Round Hill has everything you could want in a classic pumpkin patch experience including pumpkin picking, old-fashioned hayrides, a barnyard petting-zoo, corn maze, pony rides and so much more. Located among stretches of farmland, Round Hill offers guests a relaxed experience that everyone can enjoy.

Belvedere Plantation hosts bonfires at night for groups. Belvedere Plantation

Belvedere Plantation Located in Fredericksburg and only an 18 minute drive from campus, the Belvedere Plantation has something for everyone during their Fall Harvest Festival. The plantation will be open this coming weekend, Sept. 21, and stay through Nov. 3, for festivities including pumpkin picking, their Virginia famous Maize Maze, barn rope swings and piglet races. While many of the plantations activities are suitable for young children, they can be enjoyed by all ages. And, if cute baby pigs just aren’t your thing, or you’d rather not get lost among the corn, Belvedere Plantation also hosts bonfires at night for groups. Per day tickets are

Snead’s Farm has a 10-acre sunflower field.

$14.95

Cox Farms Farthest away, and possibly the most extravagant, is Cox Farms in Centreville open Sept. 21 through Nov. 5. Cox Farms is famous in Virginia for its huge themed slides, goat feeding area, unconventional “Cornundrum” maze and tricked out hayride. No detail is spared each fall when festivities begin, and there’s nothing particularly classic about the experience. During the hayride, you can highfive aliens and dance with ghouls. You can slide with the dinosaurs, and soar through the air on huge rope swings. During peak season tickets can reach $20, but keep an eye out for discount days where tickets can get as low as $7. Snead’s Farm

Snead’s is home to animals like chickens and llamas.

Snead’s Farm

to come to the Harvest Festival for hayrides, the corn maze, face painting and the sunflower walk, admission is $4. While Braehead is open almost year round, they will be opening their Fall Harvest Festival starting Sept. 28, and will stay open through Oct. 27.

Belvedere Plantation is only 18 minutes from campus.

Round Hill Farm

Snead’s Farm Also in Fredericksburg about 22 minutes from campus, Snead’s Farm will be opening their Fall Festival on Sept. 28 through Oct. 31. The festivities available for guests go beyond just pumpkin picking. You can spend time Belvedere Plantation with animals like chickens and llamas, explore the “Modest Museum” where all the Civil War memorabilia found on the farm is kept, a 10-acre sunflower field, and so much more. You can come enjoy all of what Sneads has to offer for weekday prices at $5 or weekends at $8.

Cox Farms offers a goat feeding area.

Belvedere Plantation offers the Maize Maze.

Belvedere Plantation

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Round Hill farm has a barnyard petting zoo.

Round Hill Farm

Tripadvisor

If this just isn’t enough to satisfy your pumpkin patch needs, some farther patches include Nall’s in Alexandria, the Westmoreland Berry Farm and Orchard in Colonial Beach, and Burnside Farms in Haymarket. These are a little more unconventional as far as pumpkin picking goes, but it’s still an available activity.

Weekend Events Thursday

Friday

Saturday

• Arab Culture Club Ice Cream Reception @ Ball Circle, 3:30 5 p.m. • Thanks in Advance: Jason Robinson @ duPont Gallery • Embodiment: Figurative Works from UMW’s Permanent Collection @ Ridderhof Martin Gallery • A Call to Civic Action: Making a Difference @ UC Chandler Ballroom C, 6 -8 p.m. • The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] @ Klein Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

• Thanks in Advance: Jason Robinson @ duPont Gallery • Embodiment: Figurative Works from UMW’s Permanent Collection @ Ridderhof Martin Gallery • The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] @ Klein Theatre, 7:30 p.m. • Latino Identities Month: Bailemos @ UC Chandler Ballroom C, 7 - 9 p.m. • District 88 Debate: Mark Cole (R) v. Jess Foster (D) @ Lee 411, 7 p.m.

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The Blue & Gray Press @theBlueandGray

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NEWS Reduced language requirement raises department concerns other departments about supporting each other where language has a natural fit, like international affairs and international business,” said Lewis. Lewis emphasized the importance of students studying a foreign language through the 202 level. “Studying 202 or beyond 202 helps you to be able to actually communicate and be able to travel and meet new friends and use your language in ways to help other people,” she said. While most upperclassmen have completed the previous requirements and don’t have an incentive to change to the new ones, this class of freshmen has to consider which curriculum is better for them going forward. Once students make the decision, they are not permitted to switch. Freshman Leeann Haywood said she plans to choose the new requirements. “My advisor made it seem like I should do the new requirements because of the credits I have coming in,” said Haywood. “I think I already have a lot of them out of the way with the credits I already have from high school.” Freshman Niki Altenberg has registered for the old curriculum. “I’m doing the old [requirements] because that’s what I based my schedule off of this semester during orientation,” said Altenberg. However, Altenberg said she hasn’t gotten a lot of information about the new requirements and what the curriculum entails, and that she wasn’t advised to choose one curriculum or the other. “Honestly I didn’t even know that there were new ones; they just handed me a sheet [about the old curriculum] during the scheduling process and told me that those were the requirements,” she said. Haywood agreed. “No one’s really talked to [the freshmen] about it,” she said.

•Gen Ed 1

Health risks discussed amid vaping epidemic Ravi Makam Staff Writer

There have been 380 cases of lungrelated illnesses and six deaths linked to the use of electronic cigarettes, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). This surge of illness has caused mass concern over the effect vaping products have on the body. Over the past week, President Donald Trump and his administration have suggested banning flavored e-cigarettes, a product consistently marketed toward a younger demographic. The rise in popularity of vaping products has been attributed to marketing strategies, especially by Juul Labs Inc, which advertise vaping products as a healthier alternative to cigarettes and also make them appealing to youth. These strategies have been widely criticized as the health risks of vaping are still unknown and e-cigarette products were originally made for people attempting to quit conventional cigarettes, not for young people who have never used cigarettes.

“I’ve had friends who have quit after finding out the impact it had on their lungs.” -Jason Gunitu Some UMW students feel that large companies are to blame for e-cigarette use among young people. “The vaping epidemic has gotten to a point that we cannot control anymore. It is a very messed up industry because of companies like Juul, who have targeted the youth audience with colorful packaging and fruity flavors,” said Alex Caldas, a senior communication major. “Another issue is that Juul claims that it is a safer alternative to cigarettes, which could be true, but they haven’t been around long enough to prove that as fact.” On Sept. 9 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to Juul Labs stating that Juul Labs had marketed it’s products as “modified

risk tobacco products” without approval from the FDA. The FDA then called for Juul Labs to correct this violation and modify their products to meet FDA regulation requirements. When asked about the investigation against Juul Labs, acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless responded, “Regardless of where products like e-cigarettes fall on the continuum of tobacco product risk, the law is clear that, before marketing tobacco products for reduced risk, companies must demonstrate with scientific evidence that their specific product does, in fact, pose less risk or is less harmful...Juul has ignored the law, and very concerningly, has made some of these statements in school to our nation’s youth.” Because of Juul’s advertisements claiming their product to be a “satisfying alternative to cigarettes” many users don’t comprehend the full scope of its effects. According to the Truth Initiative, an organization promoting a tobacco-free life, only 37 percent of people using Juuls and other related products knew that there was nicotine in them. However, the Juul website does feature a banner warning reading, “this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.” Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation into law this year combating teenage use of e-cigarettes by raising the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The law went into effect on July 1, 2019 and was followed by mixed reactions from students at UMW. “I do not agree with raising the age to 21, it is ridiculous that I could be drafted to go to war at 18, but I can’t make the personal choice to buy tobacco products until I am 21. It is the same argument I have with the drinking age, I could be forced into war and use deadly weapons, but cannot enjoy a beer legally until 21. It seems backward to me,” said a junior student who asked to remain anonymous. UMW has taken initiative in this push against the use of e-cigarettes by posting signs around campus reminding students that they have to be 21 or older to use tobacco products, and are prohibited to possess these devices in certain areas around campus, including

the residence halls. The efforts of the UMW campus and the CDC have not gone unnoticed. Jason Gunitu, a senior accounting major, said, “I have definitely noticed

Juul Labs has been accused of false advertising by the FDA. Noah Strobel / Blue & Gray Press

more people getting more and more concerned over the long-term effects of vaping… I’ve had friends who have quit after finding out the impact it had on their lungs.” The CDC reported that some of the illnesses linked to e-cigarettes, which include infections similar to pneumonia and symptoms such as trouble breathing, coughing and sudden loss of breath, were not only from nicotine-related products but also from illegally counterfeited THC products. These counterfeit products contain contaminants that researchers are trying to identify in order to determine their impact on the body and the best way to regulate them.

Hate group leaves sticker propaganda on campus

kate seltzer News Editor

On Sept. 15, stickers from a white supremacist group were found on campus. UMW has seen this before. Approximately five stickers with slogans such as “better dead than red” and “reject poison” were found at the bell tower, near Jefferson Square and at the intersection of William Street and College Avenue, according to Michael Hall, chief of UMW Police. The propaganda, from a white nationalist group known as Patriot Front, was likely distributed sometime after 3 p.m. on Sunday, according to UMW Police. Distribution of white supremacist literature on college campuses is part of a growing national trend. A total of 313 cases of white supremacist propaganda were documented in the 2018-2019 academic year, according to a report from the Anti-Defamation League.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

“White supremacists have been playbook.” actively targeting U.S. college campuses “I want to be supportive to those since January 2016, a practice that had individuals, but I don’t want to give the failed to gain any real traction until the knuckleheads a platform,” he said. fall semester of that year,” the report He also cautioned against using the read. “More than three years later, these label white supremacy. propaganda efforts – including fliers, “White supremacy is a drop word. stickers and posters – What are we talking continue to increase.” about? They could come “It occurs a couple “It occurs a couple of back to you and say ‘I'm not white supremacist, I times a year on campuses of times a year on nationwide. University capuses nationwide.” have this different view.’ of Richmond, just two We have to be careful what we label when we weeks ago, had a similar -Michael Hall use labels,” said Hall. thing happen there,” said Patriot Front is Hall. “Two weeks ago, I classified as a white nationalist hate told [Juliette Landphair, vice president group by the Southern Poverty Law for student affairs], I said 'get ready, Center. UMW is next.' It runs in a cycle. It Police are unsure of whether the basically prepares us for it.” stickers were placed by a group or Hall said he wanted to be mindful of an individual, student or otherwise. students for whom incidents like these According to Hall, one of the more could be triggering, while at the same recent incidents of sticker propaganda time not “playing into [Patriot Front’s]

was conducted by one individual, who appeared on security footage. UMW Police communicates and shares information with other universities and law enforcement agencies. “We've got a couple of leads, we're still looking into those, but once those are exhausted, then that’s data that we have,” Hall said. “By sharing all this information, if something catastrophic happens, god forbid it does, we can link any of this information to support the crime that occurred.” It is unclear what legal consequences a perpetrator, if caught, would face. “People will say to me, ‘why don’t you charge them, Chief?’ What am I going to charge them with? It’s not a hate crime, it’s perceived as hate speech which is not illegal,” said Hall. “It's counterproductive to what ASPIRE is at University of Mary Washington, but it doesn’t negate the First Amendment.”

SPORTS

Editor: Jack Hagn | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Cross country senior reflects on UMW running career ABIGAIL WEBER Staff Writer

As she began her freshman year of high school, Hannah Huggins decided to try a fall sport to complement soccer. Despite her friend urging her to try field hockey, she settled on cross country. Since then, she’s never looked back. Huggins quit soccer when the two sports’ seasons began to conflict. Now, eight years later, Huggins is still doing cross country. This is her first year as the only senior on the women’s cross country team. “There were only four people who came in my freshman year. One of them still goes here, another one transferred and another girl is in the nursing program, so she’s working this year,” Huggins said. Still, Huggins is quick to say there’s a benefit to the team being comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores. “It’s great to see a lot of young people because you want the team to stay improving even after you’re gone.” The program has rapidly developed since Huggins’ freshman year. With 21 rostered players, the women’s cross country team has nearly doubled in size. Another area of change for the cross country team is the staffing. Over Huggins’ career on the team, she’s appreciated the tutelage of the same coach, Kunle Lawson, with a changing roster of assistant coaches.

Last year’s distance coach graduated and left, replaced by former assistant coach Stephen Harrison. “He’s mixing it up, which I think is good,” Huggins said. “We’re doing things a little bit differently.” Despite being, in her own words, a “track person,” Huggins appreciates the comradery of cross country. “The team aspect of cross country is so great because you’re all running the same race and since you’re doing the same thing, you’re all training together,” Huggins said. “I love just being with the team.” Official and unofficial get-togethers help strengthen the bond between teammates. “Running as a sport is really cool because while you’re running you can talk to people, so you can get to know them through that,” Huggins said. The team also gets together for dinners, baking and movie nights. One new bonding activity is “Secret Sisters,” set up by junior Ashley Applegate. Similar to Secret Santa, each team member picks a name and gives little gifts to them without revealing their identity. This past Friday, the team members dropped the secret from the title and revealed their identities to each other. Even though Huggins is the only senior on the team, the team’s chemistry never leaves her feeling alone. “I love being on the team,” Huggins said. “It’s

nice to have the extra group of people who you know you can always go to and will always be there when you need them. I’ve met some of my best friends through running at Mary Washington, so I’m so glad I did.” The UMW women’s cross country team placed first this Saturday at the Catholic University Invitational. The team scored 51 points on the 6 kilometer (3.73 mile) and got a total time of 2:21:39.

A federal lawsuit was filed against the New England Patriots’ wide receiver Antonio Brown on Tuesday, Sept. 10 in the Southern District of Florida. This federal suit accused him of raping Britney Taylor, who Brown met during their time as students at Central Michigan University. Prior to the filing of the lawsuit, Brown was released from the Oakland Raiders following fines totalling $215,000 for conduct detrimental to the team and failure to attend mandatory practice camps. Brown also got into an altercation with the Oakland Raiders’ general manager, Mike Maycock. Merely hours after his release, Brown signed an alleged one-year deal with the New England Patriots. The federal lawsuit, filed three days after Brown became a Patriot, states that in three separate instances he sexually assaulted Taylor. Two of these three incidents occurred in June 2017 and the

third in May 2018. The lawsuit provides extremely detailed accounts of each instance of alleged assault. A statement released by Brown’s lawyer claimed that at least one instance of consensual sex was acknowledged between Brown and Taylor. This statement also claims that “any sexual interaction with Mr. Brown was entirely consensual.” On Sept. 15, it was released that Brown refused to sign a $2 million dollar settlement between himself and Taylor. This monetary agreement would end the sexual assault allegations against him. Brown and Taylor began settlement discussions as early as April and underwent a mediation in May. But Brown did not sign the settlement agreement by the deadline of Sept. 8. This led to the official filing of the lawsuit. UMW students have reacted to the controversy surrounding Brown’s predicament. “I don’t think he should play,” said

Antonio Brown, now a New England Patriot, has been accused of raping Britney Taylor.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

sportingnews.com

Fall Sports Schedule

Women’s Soccer (2-4)

Sep. 11 vs. Randolph-Macon (postponed) Sep. 14 L @ Va. Wesleyan (2-1) Sep. 18 W vs. N.C. Wesleyan (3-0) Sep. 21 vs. Catholic Sep. 25 @ Shenandoah

Men’s Soccer (4-2-1)

Sep. 11 W @ Lynchburg (2-0) Sep. 14 T @ Roanoke (0-0) Sep. 18 T @ Catholic (0-0) 2OT Sep. 21 vs. Widener Sep. 28 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.)

Hannah Huggins is the only senior on womens cross country.

UMW Athletics

New England Patriots star Antonio Brown accused of rape HANNAH GALEONE Senior Writer

University of Mary Washington

sophomore geography major Lindsay Cooper. “It’s kind of discouraging because it prevents other people from sharing their stories.” “I do believe it [happened] onehundred percent,” said undeclared sophomore Jenica Garnett. “It’s scary because you don’t know who you can and cannot believe.” Students have expressed concerns regarding the portrayal of sports stars in the media and their influence on the public. “He should not be playing until everything is situated, at least,” said freshman environmental science and geology major, Claire Bradley. “But with the way society puts sports on a pedestal, nothing will happen. He’s a role model for young boys.” “Other people in the NFL have been accused and they still let it happen,” said Cooper. During Brown’s debut game with the Patriots against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 15, he scored a touchdown and earned 56 yards on four receptions -- all occurring in the first half of the game. The final score was 43-0, Patriots. But post-game, Brown was nowhere to be found. After each game, there is a 10-12 minute grace period before members of the media are allowed to enter the locker rooms for interviews, photos and videos. These short few minutes are when Brown had the chance to disappear. “[He was] out of the locker room, his locker cleared out, and the nameplate [had been] taken down,” said Boston Globe reporter Ben Volin in a post-game Tweet. Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he does not know when Brown will speak to the media.

Field Hockey (2-3)

Sep. 10 W vs. Bridgewater (Va.) (3-2) Sep. 14 L @ Franklin & Marshall (5-0) Sep. 18 L @ Shenandoah (3-2) Sep. 21 @ Lynchburg Sep. 24 vs. Catholic

Volleyball (4-5)

Sep. 14 L vs. Johns Hopkins (3-1) Sep. 14 W vs. Va. Weslyan (3-0) Sep. 17 W vs. Catholic (3-0) Sep. 20 @ Ithaca Sep. 20 @ DeSales

Men’s Rugby (0-1)

Sep. 7 L vs. Kutztown University (36-8) Sep. 21 @ Penn State University Oct. 12 @ Wheeling Jesuit University Oct. 26 @ Army Nov. 2 vs. St. Bonaventure Nov. 9 vs. Notre Dame College

Women’s Rugby (0-0)

Sep. 14 vs. Virginia Commonwealth Sep. 21 vs. Old Dominion Sep. 28 vs. Maryland Oct. 5 vs. Longwood Oct. 19 vs. Alumni Oct. 26 @ William & Mary

Full Schedule not listed above. Most recent games included. Bold indicates home game.