Volume 54, Issue 18

SAVANNAH DUNN SAVANNAH.DUNN.21@CNU.EDU

On the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 21, 1,000 bright pink flags placed on the York Lawn by the CNU Students For Life (SFL) organization grabbed the attention of students passing by.

“Each one of the 1,000 flags represented 7,300 lives lost to abortion,” said club member Jenna Gibson, freshman.

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the U.S. has been divided into differing beliefs and opinions regarding abortion. This divide has been evident on college campuses across the country.

“The purpose of the display was to bring awareness to the atrocities of abortion and the number of innocent lives taken since the federal legalization of abortion in 1973,”

“...bring awareness to the atrocities of abortion and the number of innocent lives taken since the federal legalization of abortion in 1973,”

The Captain’s

The display quickly caught the attention of students passing by as well as members of CNU’s Planned Parenthood Generation Action (PPGen) club. PPGen organized an impromptu protest in response.

Sophomore member of PPGen Megan Munford said, “I am very passionate about reproductive justice and advocating for the basic human right to bodily autonomy, so I felt it was necessary to skip my last class and peacefully protest the display.”

Senior Megan Johnson brought signs for protesters to hold that said “I stand with Planned Parenthood,” or “Bans off our Bodies.”

Johnson said, “As the Vice President for PPGen, I wanted to support my club members and their wishes to do something about the matter and not stay silent.”

The display upset a lot of pro-choice students including Morgan Andrews, a junior and member of PPGen. Andrews did not participate in the protest of the display because she said, “I was very

Photo taken by Amanda Eacho, Staff Writer and Photgrapher

upset and I did not think it was best for me.”

“I think it is truly insensitive to display flags in a way to represent “lives lost” when these displays have genuinely been used to people that were killed,” Andrews said. “Seeing white students put out flags on our predominantly white university in an area that is majority people of color and in a world where people of color are being disproportionately killed, just goes to show the utter ignorance of ProLife people. Real lives are being lost.”

“Seeing white students put out flags on our predominantly white university in an area that is majority people of color and in a world where people of color are being disproportionately killed, just goes to show the utter ignorance of ProLife people. Real lives are being lost.”

(continued on page 6)

Gibson said. “This display was supposed to bring awareness to the pro-life cause and be a visual representation of the magnitude of destruction abortion has caused this country.”

Along with the pink flags, signs were put up with different statistics and messages. One said, “Each flag represents 7,300 lives lost to abortion,” and another said, “Cemetery of the innocence.” SFL claims, however, the signs were stolen shortly after being put up.

Photo courtesy of Planned Parenthood Generation Action

Students for Life and Planned Parenthood Generation Action Held Protests Regarding Abortion Laws

Editor and Clog Staff Contact Information

Editor in Chief

Grace Griles grace.griles.20@cnu.edu

News Editor

Evelyn Davidson evelyn.davidson.20@cnu.edu

A&E Editor

Fiona Sullivan fiona.sullivan.20@cnu.edu

Photography Editor

Savannah Dunn savannah.dunn.21@cnu.edu

Business Manager

Justin Heller justin.heller.21@cnu.edu

Sports Editor

Trey Greenwell trajan.greenwell.21@cnu.edu

Lifestyle Editor

Savannah Dunn savannah.dunn.21@cnu.edu

Head of CNUTV

Allison Silverman allison.silverman.21@cnu.edu

Editor of the Week

Trey Greenwell

Trey Greenwell started as a staff writer in fall of 2021, and he recently became our Sports Editor in spring of 2023. Every week Greenwell has ensured that his section is done on time and looks sharp. The Captain’s Log apprecaites all of Greenwell’s hardwork and dedication.

Staff Writer of the Week

Amanda Eacho

Amanda Eacho has been a Staff Writer of the Captain’s Log since the fall of 2022. This week Eacho is dubbed Staff Writer of the Week for keeping her ear to the ground. Eacho was the one who captured almost all of the photos for the front cover story, and if it was not for her vigilance we would have had almost no pictures of the protest. Keep up the good work Eacho!

Spring Themed Crossword

Answers will be posted on our Instagram @cnucaptainslog!

(all past crossword answers are in our Instagram highlights)

The Last of Us

GRACE GRILES GRACE.GRILES.20@CNU.EDU

An opinion on the first three episodes and Bella Ramsay’s performance

HBO has come out with another drama sweeping the nation except for this time the fan base is slightly different. The Last of Us is based off of a video game that was released in 2013. According to Wikipedia it is a third person game that is based in a post-apocalyptic world.

One qualm that fans have with the show is the change of the timeline. In the video game the year is 2013 while in the TV show the year is alluded to be 2023. However, this does not seem to interrupt the integrity of the plot. According to Wikipedia The Last of Us video game focused on the relationship between Joel and Ellie, and from what I have seen in the first three episodes that focus is rather prevalent.

The beginning of the first episode follows Joel’s daughter, Sarah Miller. She is depicted to be twelve years old in the show which is two years younger than Ellie. From Sarah’s point of view the audience learns about her and Joel’s sweet fatherdaughter relationship. The day that the virus spread was Joel’s birthday, and the first half of the first episode follows Sarah throughout her day getting Joel’s birthday present. This point of view made Sarah’s death even harder to watch as an audience member because I knew how deep their connection was. Due to this amount of background information on Joel when Ellie is introduced his protectiveness along with his apprehension is understood by the audience.

Another issue fans are rumored to have with the show is the casting choice. The actor, Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie identifies as nonbinary. While there is no hate from reputable sources there are apparently fans of the show who have an issue with Ramsey’s identity as well as the LGTBQ+ storyline that was introduced in episode three. According to Brut. America Ramsey made a statement to her haters saying that the upset fans are “Gonna have to get used to it.” I am unsure of what the direct quotes of the so-

called naysayers are regarding Ellie not being portrayed accurately due to the actor being a nonbinary individual; however, I have looked up clips from the actual video game to see if Ellie’s character was being accurately portrayed. Ramsay’s depiction of the character is almost identical to the character in the video game. Ramsay delivers Ellie’s lines with the perfect amount of innocence and snarkiness. Her character appears to be as equally loveable as well as wellrounded.

Overall, the manner in which the show switches in between flashbacks and the real time of the show is well paced and entertaining. I have a feeling that The Last of Us will be another well renowned hit by HBO, and will send overall American entertainment back into an obsession with zombies and a dystopian world.

“The Captain’s Log is free to write anything it pleases and CNU fully respects the Freedom of the Press.”

CNU Chancellor PAUL TRIBLE

Screenshot taken from IMDb

A Look Back on Jimmy Carter’s Life and Career

Carter struggled to respond to many challenges, including high inflation and unemployment, as well as a major energy crisis, according to The New York Times. He introduced many ambitious programs for social and economic reform, but had a difficult relationship with Congress and was unable to convert a lot of his plans into legislation. This caused a decrease in his approval ratings among the public, despite his initial popularity.

Former U.S. president in hospice care

ALYSSA TILLMAN ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU

Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.) served as the 39th President of the United States under the Democratic Party from 1977 to 1981. Prior to his Presidency, he served time in the Navy as a submariner in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, eventually working his way up to lieutenant. Carter received his Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. He resigned his naval commission shortly after the death of his father in 1953, and returned to Plains, Georgia, where he was born and raised.

According to the Jimmy Carter Library, Carter became a leader in his community after taking over Carter farms and his father’s supply company, Carter’s Warehouse. It was no shock to the community that he ran for and won the Georgia Senate race in 1962, as he had served on several county boards prior. He eventually served as Georgia’s 76th Governor in 1971. A year later, Carter was featured on the cover of Time magazine as one of “a new breed of young political leaders in the South,” and was recognized for his moderate racial views and progressive economic and social policies.

Carter announced his candidacy for president in 1974, just before his gubernatorial term was up. The Office Historian Archives reports that he traveled around the country for the next two years spreading his belief in honesty and calling for “the elimination of secrecy in government.” This was during a time when Americans had a distrust towards the executive branch due to the events of Watergate in 1972.

Carter won the Democratic nomination in 1976 and chose Walter F. Mondale as his running mate. He continued to market himself as an “outsider in Washington,” and won both the popular and electoral votes against incumbent Gerald R. Ford. According to the Academy of Achievement, Carter walked down Pennsylvania Avenue with First Lady Rosalynn Carter at his inauguration, instead of riding in a limousine, as his predecessors had done.

The Academy of Achievement reports that Carter’s most notable achievements were in the field of foreign affairs. He established full diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China and returned control of the Panama Canal to the Panamanians. Another one of Carter’s most notable achievements was the Camp David Accords, the peace settlement that ended a decades-long state of war between Israel and Egypt.

Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election, and went on to have an extremely active post-Presidential career. He founded the Carter Center at Emory University in 1982 to resolve conflicts, promote democracy, protect human rights, and prevent disease around the world. Carter also served on the board of Habitat for Humanities and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to diffuse international crises. Carter has also published more than two dozen books since leaving the White House, as well as teaching Sunday school in Plains, Georgia.

Jimmy Carter has survived metastatic brain cancer and is the longest living U.S President at 98 years old. On Feb. 18, The Carter Center released a statement on their website that said, “After a series of short hospital stays, former US President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention.”

Double Protest on York Lawn Story continued from cover

SAVANNAH DUNN SAVANNAH.DUNN.21@CNU.EDU

Andrews also said, “It seems so ignorant to fight for fetuses, yet to call yourself ProLife and turn a blind eye to people that already exist and are dying.”

When asked her thoughts on the counter-protest to the SFL display, Gibson said, “My thoughts were that protesting on public property is their first amendment right just as putting up the display was our first amendment right. However, those students who stole/vandalized the display were not only disrespectful but also committed a crime.”

“We expected that our display would be vandalized or stolen. CNU is not the

Regarding this statement, Katie Johnston from the Office of Orientation and Student Involvement said, “We don’t approve or disapprove of the content of something. We help organizations host events on campus and go through the proper processes to do that. Which we are happy to do with any of our registered organizations,” Johnston said. “The only reason we would deny an event is when the space isn’t available.”

SFL chose the location of the York Lawn specifically for its high-traffic environment. “It was a central location, being near the DSU, Trible Library, and within view of the Court Yard. It was also a proper size compared to the amount of space we needed for the display,” Gibson said. However, Andrews had concerns with the placement of the display. “This display was put in front of a freshman residence hall. Abortion is never an easy decision for people. The people who put up these flags have no idea how many residents of York were perhaps subjected to sexual violence and had to choose an abortion. I can not imagine what a slap in the face that would be as a freshman that is just trying to find their place on this campus, and seeing this mockery,” Andrews said.

first college at which this display has been set up, and, similarly, ours is not the first of this kind of display to be destroyed,” said freshman member of SFL Ryan Sweeney.

Sweeney said, “Students for Life at CNU will continue advocating on campus for an increase in respect for human life from fertilization until natural death.”

Some of the PPGen members that protested have expressed concern about being filmed by SFL who said they would be posting the video on Campus Reform, an American Conservative Website.

Their website says, “As a conservative watchdog to the nation’s higher education system, Campus Reform exposes liberal bias and abuse on the nation’s college campuses.” This made those members of PPGen feel unsafe.

PPGen was upset not only because of the message being put out by SFL but also because it was an ‘approved event’ by the university.

“I was even more angry and confused because our club has been told that we could not do public events like that because the university wants to stay neutral regarding those topics,” Johnson said.

Johnson and other members of PPGen have since had meetings with Dean of Student Affairs Kevin Hughes to clear up past conflicts. “Currently we are working with those old EBoard members to figure out exactly who it was denying us in the past to report back to Kevin Hughes,” Johnson said.

Olivia Fallen, a freshman member of PPGen said, “I believe Students for Life should be allowed to express their opinions, but we have the right to protest against them and share ours. I believed the protest would show that there are more opinions on the matter.”

Johnson said, “I think it’s very important to let the students at CNU know that there are many others that do not agree with the statements displayed on the lawn.”

The purpose of the display was to “Bring awareness to the pro-life cause and be a visual representation of the death abortion has brought our country. We wanted students to see the truth, to see the statistics, and to understand the inhumanity of abortion,” Gibson said.

Both organizations have demonstrated their first amendment right to public protest and have expressed that they will each continue to do so.

Jimmy Carter in office, photo from the Jimmy Carter Library

Jimmy Carter, photo from Flickr

“My thoughts were that protesting on public property is their first amendment right just as putting up the display was our first amendment right.”

“The people who put up these flags have no idea how many residents of York were perhaps subjected to sexual violence and had to choose an abortion.”

Local and International News Recaps Catch up on recent developments around the world

KATHERINE ZICKEL KATHERINE.ZICKEL.22@CNU.EDU

JARRETT CONNOLLY JARRETT.CONNOLLY.20@CNU.EDU

Update on Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

According to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), as of Feb. 23, more than 50,000 people have been killed due to the multiple earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria earlier this month. There have been no recent reports of survivors.

Around 240,000 rescue workers and volunteers continue to help the affected provinces in Turkey according to Al Jazeera, with over 1.9 million people taking refuge in temporary shelters, such as hotels.

Richneck Update

It’s been over a month since a first grader shot and wounded his teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News. The Associated Press reported that two Richneck families have been considering legal action against Newport News Public Schools, which comes after the lawsuit filed by the teacher’s attorney.

On Feb. 21, NNPD Chief Steve Drew said during a social media livestream that the investigation into January’s shooting at Richneck was complete and had been submitted to the office of Commonwealth Attorney Howard Gwynn, where it will be reviewed to determine if

There has been a uptick of threats at schools in the Hampton Roads area

According to earthquaketrack, Turkey has had 7 earthquakes in the past 24 hours (as of Feb. 25), and over 39 in the past week.

Turkey lies on the Anotolian plate, making it one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. The sedimentary deposits in Turkey make it incredibly prone to earthquake damage. North Carolina State professor Ashly Cabas told NC State University news, “if saturated, granular soils are subjected to strong ground shaking, they can lose all their shear strength and behave as a liquid… and can lead to large deformations in the ground that can result in damage to structures, including collapse.”

Many organizations, such as UNICEF, Syrian American Medical Society, and Doctors Without Borders are accepting donations to help. For more information, go to https://time. com/6253346/turkey-earthquake-syria-how-to-help/

Protests erupt in Israel

On Jan. 4, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced a series of judicial reforms, including limiting the power of the Israeli Supreme Court and that the ruling coalition, considered by political experts at the BBC to be the most right wing in Israeli history, would have a majority on the committee that appoints judges.

Protests began shortly after the reforms were announced, but intensified across Israel when the reforms were approved on Feb. 13. The Times of Is-

rael estimated that between 130,000 and 160,000 Israelis participated in the protests in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, chanting “No Constitution. No Democracy!” among other slogans while flying the Israeli flag.

According to the BBC, both Russia and Ukraine keep their casualty numbers under wraps, so it is difficult to determine an exact number of soldiers killed. However, General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has estimated that more than 200,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers combined have died.

CBS reported that this has been Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.

charges need to be filed.

Following the shooting at Richneck, there has been an uptick of threats at schools in the Hampton Roads area. On Feb. 17, a Norfolk mother was arrested after her 6 year old son brought a handgun to Little Creek Elementary School in the city.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak spoke at a protest in Tel Aviv saying that the reforms were “an assassination of the Declaration of Independence, which will turn Israel into a dictatorship.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu told a meeting of lawmakers within his Likud party that the protesters were at risk of causing civil war. The opposition within the Israeli parliament, led by Netenyahu’s predecessor, Yair Lapid, has supported the protests. The protests have been mostly peaceful but arrests have been made according to Israeli media.

One Year Since War in Ukraine Began

Feb. 24 marked one year since Russia launched their invasion of Ukraine. In what everyone thought was going to be an easy win for Russia, Ukraine has kept fighting for their freedom, holding their ground longer than anyone would have imagined.

Members from NATO have said they will send more ammunition to Ukraine, the US is contributing the largest amount of military aid currently, and Germany, the UK, and the US are all sending tanks, according to BBC.

Europe’s largest conflict since World War II

Anthony J Blinkin, Secretary of State, released a press statement saying, “The United States stands strongly with Ukraine as it defends itself, and we will continue to do so until Ukraine’s sovereignty is respected and the people of Ukraine can shape their chosen, democratic future in freedom and peace.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a statement on social media saying, “We endured. We were not defeated. And we will do everything to gain victory this year… Ukraine has united the world.”

On Feb. 20, a bomb threat was called in at B.M. Williams Primary School according to Chesapeake police.

The same day, a letter was sent to parents by school officials saying that a 5th grader at Richneck allegedly sent texts to friends expressing a desire to “pop some bullets” and “shoot up the class.

WTKR reported that the police are investigating all three incidents

Map, photo from Unsplash

Over 1.9 million people taking refuge in temporary shelters

between 130,000 and 160,000 Israelis participated in the protests in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

Globe, photo from Unsplash

Captains Finish Season Undefeated

TREY GREENWELL TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

Following their Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference victory over Mary Washington, the Christopher Newport University women’s basketball team completed an undefeated season, going 260. This gave them their fourth straight conference championship and an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

This accomplishment is huge as they should now be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and will be favored by many. Last season, they became the fourth team in CNU Athletics history to earn the top spot in a national poll. However, the end to that campaign is one the team will want to forget as they fell 76-71 to Trinity in the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

Throughout the 2022-2023 campaign, the Captains have been dominant. They have defeated opponents by an average

An Amazing Achievement

margin of 37 points and have attempted 15 more field goals than their opposition. Offensively, the Captains have averaged 87.7 points per game, shot 47% from the field, and 34% from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Captains average 17 steals and 4.5 blocks per game. The Captains have outrebounded their opponent by a margin of 6.8, averaged a 1.2 assist to turnover ratio, turned the ball over almost half as much as their opponent, and scored 35 points off of their opponent’s mistakes.

Individually, Sondra Fan is leading the Captains in scoring with an average of 14.5 points per game. She has also been shooting 49% from the field and 41% from three. She also leads the team in steals, averaging 2.3 per game. Another key contributor to the Captains is Anaya Simmons, who is averaging 14.1 points per game while also averaging a team-high 7.8 rebounds. She is also averaging 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Hannah Orloff is also having a solid season,

averaging 6.3 points per game to go along with 4.4 rebounds and a team-high 1.5 blocked shots per game.

As a team, the Captains have been stellar defensively, holding opponents to 51 points per game while allowing them to shoot 35% percent from the field and 25% from three. Only two of their games this season have been decided by ten points or fewer.

The NCAA tournament will be a test for the Captains as the competition will likely be tougher than the teams they have faced in the regular season. They will be hoping to advance further in the tournament this time around compared to how they did last season. The Captains will be putting their perfect season on the line in the NCAA Tournament this March and it will be very interesting to see how they fare on a national scale.

UEFA Champions League Recap

RJ JONES RAYMOND.JONES.22@CNU.EDU

This year’s UEFA Champions League has been entertaining as always and the round of 16 has been no exception this far. In this tournament, the best teams from the best European Leagues have assembled to bring us the best football in the world. Throughout the first leg of the round of 16, we have seen many evenly matched football clubs.

RB Leipzig and Manchester City put on quite the show for a 1-1 draw. Man City was able to dominate the game for the most part. They had 62% possession and conducted an astonishing 55 attacks in the match. Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez was able to net a goal in the 27th minute.

Although Leipzig was dominated in the match, they were able to match Man City with a goal from center back Joško Gvardiol in the 70th minute.

Next, two titans of football matched up. Real Madrid and Liverpool faced off and the result of the match was not as appealing as the names of the clubs.

Real Madrid beat Liverpool 5-2. Vinĺcius Junior scored two goals for Madrid

An Entertaining First Leg

as well as one from Karim Benzema. Éder Militão scored their other goal.

For Liverpool, this continues a disappointing season as they are currently 7th in the Premier League table. This means that they would not qualify for next year’s Champions League.

Forwards Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah scored the goals for Liverpool. The Reds will have a tough time on their hands in the second leg as they will attempt to make a comeback for the ages.

Napoli then faced Frankfurt. In this match, Napoli beat Frankfurt 2-0 and were dominant throughout. Napoli maintained 67% possession, went on 61 attacks to Frankfurt’s 27, and completed 646 passes to Frankfurt’s 243.

Napoli’s two goals were scored by Victor Osimhen in the 40th minute and Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the 65th minute. Frankfurt will have to adjust in the second leg to avoid being knocked out of the tournament.

FC Porto and Inter Milan played an interesting match. Porto had been on a hot streak prior to this match, winning four straight before losing to Milan.

Milan was able to win 1-0. Their lone goal was scored by Romelu Lukaku. The second leg of this match should be one to watch as these teams matched up very well.

The match between Club Brugge and Benfica wasn’t nearly as one-sided as the score would suggest. Benfica’s two goals were scored by João Mário and David Neres in the 51st and 88th minute respectively, with Mário’s Goal coming by a penalty.

The match was much closer than what the score perceives it to be. Outside of the 14 to 4 shots difference, the rest of the match was about even. With how statistically even this match was, Club Brugge should respond in the second leg.

AC Milan and Tottenham played a thrilling match. Despite the 1-0 Milan win, this game was the most competitive of them all.

With a near 50/50 ratio of

possession, both teams were able to establish their style of play. Tottenham was able to attack more than Milan but could not hit the back of the net. 4 blocks from AC Milan’s defenders allowed them to keep a clean sheet. Brahim Díaz netted the only goal of the day in the 7th minute.

Chelsea faced off against Borussia Dortmund in another competitive fixture. Dortmund was able to secure a win behind a 63rd-minute goal from Adeyemi. This was another match in which both teams had chances to win with a 49/51 split of possession. Dortmund’s Keeper Gregor Kobel notched 8 saves in the win.

Lastly, Paris SaintGermain played Bayern Munich. Although PSG is considered by many to be the most talented team in the world, they were beaten by Munich 1-0.

Munich was able to create more chances than PSG. Their lone goal was scored in the 53rd minute by Kingsley Coman. PSG will have to get more shots on target to win the second leg.

Christopher Newport University logo taken from Wikimedia Commons.

Image of UEFA Champions League logo taken from Vecteezy.

“The NCAA tournament will be a test for the Captains as the competition will likely be tougher than the teams they have faced in the regular season.”

“Throughout the first leg of the round of 16, we have seen many evenly matched football clubs.”

NCAA Releases Top 16 Teams

The Madness is Slowly Shaping up

RJ JONES RAYMOND.JONES.22@CNU.EDU

As we move past February into March, there is one thing on the mind of college basketball fans: will their team make the NCAA tournament and how will they stack up against the rest of the nation’s competition?

Every year, the NCAA’s tournament releases their top 16 teams right before we begin to get into conference championships. They separate them into the top four seeds within each respective region of the tournament (East, Midwest, South, and West).

The parody in college basketball is like never before as we’ve seen five different number one teams this year. This puts the committee in a very difficult place since they now have to decipher where these teams rank compared to the rest of the country.

This year the tournament committee has ranked the Alabama Crimson Tide as the number one seed in both the nation and the South region.

The Crimson Tide have a 25-4 record and are led by Freshman Forward Brandon Miller who is averaging 19.7 points per game on 46.8% shooting. They play an exciting brand of basketball led by Coach Nate Oats. With Guard Javon Quinerly and Forward Noah Clowney aiding Miller, the Tide will surely be tough to bring down.

The rest of the South region consists of the 7th overall seed Baylor Bears led by a guard tandem of Freshman Keyonte George and Adam Flagler. The 10th overall seed Virginia Cavaliers anchored by Senior Guard Kihei Clark. And finally, the 13th overall seed led by Super senior and John Wooden Player of the Year candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis. JacksonDavis is averaging 20.1

Coming soon in CNU

Sports:

Points and 11 rebounds per game this season on 57.4 percent shooting which is good for 3rd in the nation.

The second overall seed and first seed in the Midwest region so far is the Houston Cougars. They are led by Senior Marcus Sasser who leads the team in points with 17 a night and 1.1 steals per game. The Cougars are coached by college basketball legend Kelvin Sampson and have taken on the tough, rugged spirit of their coach. This has led to an aggressive, tenacious defense and fast-paced offense. Anyone who has to play the Cougars will have their hands full this March.

The remainder of the Midwest region sees the 5th overall seed Texas Longhorns who are spearheaded by a four-headed monster of Marcus Carr, Sir’Jabari Rice, Timmy Allen, and Tyrese Hunter, all averaging double figures this season.

They are followed by the 9th overall-seeded Tennesee Volunteers. The Vols’ scoring duties have been led by Uruguayan Senior Guard Santiago Vescovi. The playmaking and on-ball defense has been sparked by Sophomore Zakai Ziegler.

The last team included in the Midwest region is the 16th overall seed Xavier Musketeers. The Musketeers have an astounding 5 scorers above 10 points per game. They are an extremely wellrounded team that is seniorled. They will be a very dangerous team in this year’s tournament.

The 3rd overall seed and top seed in the east region is the Purdue Boilermakers. Their attack is conducted by 7’4” star big man Zach Edey who leads the team in points, rebounds, and blocks. Edey leads the nation in rebounding with 12.9 per game. The Boilermakers have surrounded their big man who can get him the ball at ease. They play a slower-paced style of

basketball which is a staple of Coach Matt Painter’s philosophy. This will make them a tough change of pace compared to the rest of the tournament competition.

The 2nd seed thus far in the East region is the UCLA Bruins. Seniors Jaime Jacquez and Tyger Campbell have been the main focus for the Bruins this season. They have been massively aided in their efforts by Junior Jaylen Clark, who is averaging 13 points per game.

The three seed in the East division as of now are the Iowa State Cyclones. They are led by the senior backcourt duo Jaren Holmes and Gabe Kalscheur. They are an incredibly savvy team that will be a tough out in March.

The final seed in the Eastern region is the 14th overall seeded Marquette Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagles are led by Sophomore Guard Kam Jones who averages 15.2 points per game. Marquette is coached by Shaka Smart whose teams always play a fast-paced defensive-centered style of basketball.

The final number 1 seed and leader of the West region is the Kansas Jayhawks. They are the fourth overall seed and are led by Junior Jalen Wilson who is averaging 19.6 points per game and 8.4 rebounds.

Freshman Gradey Dick has proven to be an elite shooter averaging 14.9 points per game on 41.8% shooting from three-point range. They are coached by Hall of Fame coach Bill Self. Self’s ability to adjust to his personnel and team strengths keeps the

Jayhawks a constant threat in college basketball.

The second seed in the West region and 6th overall seed currently is the Arizona Wildcats. They are spearheaded by Lithuanian big man Azuolas Tubelis. The European big man averages 19.6 points per game and just over 9 rebounds per game. He is accompanied by an astounding 4 other scorers in double figures. The Wildcats also possess another 7-footer in Oumar Ballo.

The next team in the West region is the 12th overallseeded Kansas State Wildcats. Their star player is Florida transfer Keyonte Johnson. Johnson averages 17.6 points per game and 7.1 rebounds a game. They also have another elite scorer in Markquis Nowell, who is putting up 17 points a game alongside Johnson. The scoring duo will be hard for any team to defend in this year’s tournament.

The final team in the West region is the Gonzaga Bulldogs. They are led by Senior big man Drew Timme. The team takes on his personality and play style as they are extremely fundamentally sound and aggressive. They will be hard to beat this year.

*Games listed are happening at CNU

March 1st

*Men’s Baseball

CNU v. Randolph-Macon College

Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 2:00 PM

*Men’s Lacrosse

CNU v. Randolph-Macon College

Location: Newport News, VA Time: 4:00 PM

March 4th

*Women’s Lacrosse

CNU v. Shenandoah University

Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 1:00 PM

March 7th

Here’s What You Missed!

Headlines from the Wacky World of Sports....

1) Tommy Fury Defeats Jake Paul by Split-Decision.

2) Timo Meier Traded to New Jersey Devils

*Men’s Baseball CNU v. University of Lynchburg

Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 2:00 PM

To look at events off campus and for future weeks, visit cnusports.com

NCAA logo taken from Wikimedia Commons.

Broadway’s Revival of ‘Parade’ Combats Hatred On and Off the Stage

In a disgusting turn of events, antisemetic protests occurred during Parade’s first preview

FIONA SULLIVAN FIONA.SULLIVAN.20@CNU.EDU

On February 21st, many theatergoers were eagerly waiting to enter the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater on Broadway to see the first preview of the highly anticipated revival of the musical Parade which first premiered in 1998.

However, the excitement of the night slowly turned to disgust and sadness as a group of neo-Nazi’s swarmed outside the theater, chanting anti semitic remarks and spreading false, cruel information.

Parade tells the true story of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank who was wrongly accused of murdering a 13 year old named Mary Phagan in 1913 in Macon, Georgia. After Frank was able to be commuted to a new prison, a mob abducted and lynched him.

The trial eventually led to the creation of the Anti-Defamation League and Frank was offered a posthumous pardon in 1986. The Georgia Historical Center also placed a marker for Frank in 2008 which eventually turned into the first national anti-lynching memo-

rial in 2018.

Obviously, this is an incredibly important story to share with the public and sadly, the anti semitic protests further prove how society must continue to condemn any forms of hateful rhetoric and Parade is a musical that fights back against all of that while raising awareness to people’s own prejudices.

The group of neo-Nazi’s were later revealed to be members of the National Socialist Movement which is the largest membership based neo-Nazi group in the U.S. and known for its racist views and violent beliefs.

Several audience members filmed the incident which showed the anti semitic protesters holding posters that said Frank was a pedophile while also criticizing the ADL.

“If there is any remaining doubt out there about the urgency of telling this story in this moment in history, the vileness on display

last night should put it to rest,” said the musical’s producers in a statement Wednesday. “We stand by the valiant Broadway cast that brings this vital story to life each night.”

Ben Platt who plays Leo Frank also released a video statement where he praised the cast and crew for being so vigilant and hopeful during such a distressing time.

“It was definitely very ugly and scary but a wonderful reminder of why we’re telling this particular story and how special and powerful art, and particularly theater, can be. And just made me feel extra, extra grateful to be the one who gets to tell this particular story and to carry on the legacy of Leo.”

Anti Semitism has been on the rise for several years and this is just another incident out of dozens that target the Jewish community while still forcing hatred and threats towards people in

general. This type of destructive narrative must be stopped and there is always something that can be done to combat racism, prejudice, and antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League’s website, adl.org, has many resources and events that help combat antisemitism and extremism.

This current production of Parade originally ran at New York City Center and will be running for a limited engagement. The musical stars Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond as Leo and Lucille Frank.

How A Crazy Bear Became High on Cocaine

This year’s most insane movie, Cocaine Bear, is a must-watch

JARRETT CONNELLY JARRETT.CONNELLY.20@CNU.EDU

“The bear did cocaine!”. A bear going on a cocaine fueled rampage is one of the strangest premises for a movie in recent years. The film Cocaine Bear, directed by Pitch Perfect 2 director and acclaimed actress Elizabeth Banks, hit theaters on February 24th. For 95 minutes, the audience is put through a gory, funny, and insane ride that you can’t take your eyes off of.

The movie is fictionalized but partially based on the real story of a black bear (posthumously named Pablo Escobear) who died of a cocaine overdose after consuming a shipment that was accidentally airdropped into the Georgia wilderness. In the

film, the bear consumes the abandoned cocaine and goes completely berzerk onto unsuspecting people. There’s a variety of human characters within the park, from a mom searching for her runaway daughter to a duo of gangsters looking to retrieve the coke.

The characters are played by a variety of talented actors including Jesse Tyler Ferguson, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Keri Russell, Isaiah Whitlock, and the late great Ray Liotta (who the film is dedicated to).

The film does a great job of making this drugged up bear a force to be reckoned with. It moved at incredible speeds

and had unbridled rage. The CGI to create the bear was so well done and you can see the rage in its eyes. The film has plenty of blood and gore to mix in with the true chaos of the cocaine bear’s rampage.

Cocaine Bear also doesn’t take itself too seriously with plenty of funny dialogue and moments to mix in with the carnage. Even if you’re going in expecting to be shocked or to laugh, the film finds a way to surprise you. It’ll give you more than what you ask for (though to be fair, I’m

not sure who asked for this movie but good on you).

If films like Sharknado and Killer Klowns from Outer Space taught us anything, it’s that it’s fun to just sit back and enjoy a crazy movie. Seeing this movie in theaters is an incredible experience to have. There is never a dull moment and its nonstop insanity and the story is enjoyable.

One twitter user accurately described it as “If the Coen brothers made Sharknado”. I guess the only thing to ask is what’s next? Heroin Beaver? Meth Pug? Ecstasy Alligator? Benadryl Moose? The possi-

bilities are truly endless. Cocaine Bear is in theaters now to be enjoyed by whoever wishes to have 95 minutes of their life blessed by the lunacy.

Poster of Cocaine Bear from IMDb

Poster of Parade from Deadline

Bruce Willis Diagnosed with Dementia

The debilitating disease reveals the difficult truth

TREY GREENWELL TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

Last week, it was announced by Bruce Willis’ family that he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. One year ago, he was first discovered with aphasia, a condition that revolves around difficulty with language and speech. This led to an announcement from his family that he was retiring from acting. While someone can be diagnosed with aphasia for a number of reasons, it has become apparent that the symptoms of aphasia were the early signs of frontotemporal dementia.

Frontotemporal dementia is a term used for any disease that causes loss of brain tissue in the front and back of the brain. This disease affects how a person behaves in certain social situations.

The scarier news about this rare disease is that people live for 8-10 years after being diagnosed with this disease. While some live longer, this is a worrying sign as there is no cure or way of slowing down frontotemporal dementia which means that this disease will only get worse.

In a statement his family made last week, it read “Since we announced Bruce had aphasia in 2022, his condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Sadly, difficulty communicating is one of the symptoms of this disease he is facing. Although this is very painful, it is a relief to have a clear diagnosis.

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Juliet’s Justin David Sullivan Turned Down Tony Award Eligibility

Nonbinary performer criticizes gendered performance categories

FIONA SULLIVAN FIONA.SULLIVAN.20@CNU.EDU

“It is a cruel disease that many of us never hear about and it can strike anyone.” Bruce Willis’ mother is also afraid that he won’t recognize her anymore, stated a relative. “His behavior is very slow, there is always a slight agressiveness and it is no longer possible to have a normal conversation with him. Although this behavior is usual in his condition.”

Willis’ family want to become more transparent, saying, “Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that – if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”

Willis starred in over a hundred films. His most notable films include Pulp Fiction, Armageddon, Red, the Die Hard film series, and The Sixth Sense. He established himself as one of the great action heroes of recent memory and also tapped into comedic roles throughout his career.

Over the last decade, Willis has taken roles that are less publicized, starring in more direct-to-video films. His final film, Assassin, releases on March 31. Despite the lack of attention Willis has received recently, he will still be remembered as a talented actor who gave fans many memorable performances throughout his career.

Earlier this month, The Broadway League and The American Theatre Wing who present The Tony Awards every year discussed what cast members and shows should be nominated in each category.

Broadway performer Justin David Sullivan who plays one of the principal characters in the new musical & Juliet on Broadway, withdrew themselves from Tony eligibility instead of competing in the gendered awards category.

Sullivan, who identifies as nonbinary, chose to step away from awards altogether after being asked if they would like to be considered for the actor or actress category for a potential nomination at the Tony Awards in June. Sullivan spoke to Playbill about their decision and was not afraid to speak out on what they believe in and are advocating for.

“I was told that I had to choose [the category in which] I felt comfortable, and in that process, I struggled a lot,” the performer told the news outlet in a statement.

“There’s nothing more that I want than to empower than nonbinary people, to show that it’s possible to be nonbinary on Broadway, play a non-binary character on Broadway and be nominated, and possibly potentially awarded,” Sullivan said. “I felt like I couldn’t choose. I didn’t feel right being in either category because it didn’t resonate with me.” “I decided the only thing that felt right to me would be to abstain from nomination consideration,” Sullivan concluded. “So I will not be considered for a Tony nomination.”

Many Broadway performers and other creatives have supported them throughout this process and also believe that something needs to change when it comes to gendered awards shows, not just with The Tonys but with every competition. In addition, there have been nonbinary performers in the past who have denied eligibility as well.

The Tony Awards also released a statement about how they are currently in the process of making changes to promote inclusivity and talent. “Unfortunately, we are still in process on this and our rules do not allow us to make changes once a season has begun,” the awards wrote in a statement, per The New York Times.

“We are working thoughtfully to ensure that no member of our community feels excluded on the basis of gender identity in future seasons.” Hopefully, The Broadway League and The American Theatre Wing will follow through on their statement and make permanent changes that address the concerns of others.

“Things are shifting,” Sullivan stated. “There are so many gender-queer and gender-expansive artists in our community, and they bring so much to the table. So it hurts, and it was a really hard decision to make. I hope that this inspires a conversation to be had and an important one that needs to happen, to make sure that moving forward, there is more inclusivity in the nomination categories,” the performer added.

The Tony Awards will air live on June 11 on CBS.

Photo of Justin Dacvid Sullivan from Yahoo. Poster of & Juliet from IMDb

Left picture of Bruce Willis from Encyclopedia Britannica. Right picture of the Willis family from Yahoo

“It is a cruel disease that many of us never hear about and it can strike anyone”

“There’s nothing more that I want than to empower nonbinary people, to show that it’s possible to be nonbinary on Broadway”

LIFESTYLE All Writers Welcome!

CNU’s Her Campus Club is a supportive and open space for all writers

EVELYN DAVIDSON EVELYN.DAVIDSON.20@CNU.EDU

“We’re open to not just women… There [are] no rules or limits on who you are or what you’re doing, like majors, age, year, any of it. We’re open to everybody joining, and we just try to be a supportive and fun place for people to go,” says Allison Bryan, Senior Editor of Her Campus at CNU, an online magazine with chapters at colleges and universities around the world.

Despite what many people may assume based on the club’s name, Bryan emphasizes that Her Campus truly is a welcoming place where college students from all different backgrounds can share their unique perspectives.

Bryan, a sophomore double majoring in psychology and leadership studies, first became involved with Her Campus when she visited their booth at an involvement fair her freshman year. She became Senior Editor in the Fall 2022 semester. As Senior Editor, Bryan leads the Writing Team, of which they currently have nine members.

Bryan develops content ideas, edits all of her writers’ work and manages the article posting schedule for their website. She also hosts a weekly Writers Lounge at Einstein’s where her writing team can brainstorm ideas and work on their articles. While they have collaborative stories and theme weeks, like their recent collection of Valentine’s Day articles, writers always have creative freedom.

Sophomore communication major Brooke Martin says, “I love creative writing and HerCampus was a great opportunity to get nationally

published while writing about the topics I’m actually interested in. We can discuss important shared issues that college women across the country are experiencing and not be censored.”

From articles like “Kiss, Marry, Kill: CNU Edition,” “How to Take Yourself on a

Date (And Love Every Minute of it),” and “Spooky Movies for Horror Haters,” Bryan says, “It’s completely open to whatever our writers want to write. We really don’t have many limits or parameters around it.” Students don’t need any previous writing experience

to join Her Campus. Although it can be quite daunting to write for an audience, she encourages anyone who is interested to give it a try. When she first joined, Bryan felt insecure about her writing skills; now, as Senior Editor, she hopes to help her writers gain confidence in their writing. She says, “[S]o many people’s writing skills only fall within the academic range. Just like a teacher or a peer reading it, instead of it being published for a lot of people to be able to access it. So that scares a lot of people.”

“We’re doing a lot of helping people feel comfortable in their own writing skills right now, and also just slowly improving them… another thing I’m trying to teach people is they’re not writing something that has to be like the essays they’re turning in for class. It can be in their voice and it can be casual,” says Bryan. Students can also be involved

in other parts of the club. Her Campus at CNU has four different teams: Writing Team, Member Wellness Team, Social Media Team and Events Team. Members can join one team or work with multiple different teams.

Bryan says, “We’re a very supportive group in general, all of Her Campus. Our whole thing is empowering each other and supporting each other and helping everyone improve within their own creative realms and everything.”

“Our whole thing is empowering each other and supporting each other and helping everyone improve within their own creative realms and everything.”

She continued, “So you’re not going to be judged or find a group of people that you don’t want to be around. We’re all so excited when we have new people on our team and so excited to share what we’re doing. So I think it’s really just about taking that step and then you’ll have the support you need after that.”

Bryan’s fellow Her Campus members agree that their club cultivates a sense of belonging and genuine friendship for its members.

“As president, I love being able to foster a little safe space for everyone to meet new friends, branch out, and also develop their writing and creative hobbies,” says senior psychology major, Sierra Palian.

Shaundrea Miles, a junior psychology major and Eboard member, says, “One of the best things Her Campus has to offer is the opportunity to meet new people and form bonds through bonding events. As the Member Wellness Chair, I’ve also found it very rewarding to be able to uplift others.”

Her Campus meets once a

week on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. To find out more visit their instagram: @ hercampuscnu

Both photos courtesy of Her Campus

“Her Campus truly is a welcoming place where college students from all different backgrounds can share their unique perspectives.”

Scared Shipless!

CNU’s new improv club

Alpha Phi Alpha’s 8th Annual B.L.A.C.K. Performing Arts Showcase

President speaks on how this event is for everyone

GRACE GRILES GRACE.GRILES.20@CNU.EDU

The Improv club is a new club at CNU this semester. The leader of the club, Tristan Fishel, as well as Adam Tamrjan and Sammi Saba, are the founders.

One of the first things one might note about the club is the name of its Instagram. @cnuscaredshipless came as a suggestion from Fishel’s mom.

Fishel defines improv as, “Any type of performance that has no script or preparation. So it’s all off the top of your head”

Saba’s definition of improv is that it’s “Silly, it’s thinking of things off the top of your head and literally saying whatever is in your brain, anything that you can’t say in a normal setting and in a fun way”

Although the idea of improv can be scary, it becomes easier to do over time. Fishel and Saba were nervous when they were new to the art, but now it has become a passion.

Saba said, “[It’s] less nervewracking now and I think that just comes from practice and time”

As for the long term of the club, Fishel said “I think long term, we’d love it if we’re gonna have weekly open practices, which means anyone can come in. It would be nice if we could get the ball rolling on that kind of get some more people interested in improv. In kind

of a low pressure, you know, we’re gonna have to perform in a show environment. And it would be nice to grow the team a little bit.”

Another goal for the club is to put on a show. According to Fishel, they’d love to have at least a show a semester.

Although there may not be a show this semester, Fishel does know what he wants it to look like. He said that it would “probably be in one of the smaller auditoriums, anyone’s welcome to come. And it’s just maybe like an hour of taking audience suggestions for different games, and they kind of influence how the show goes.”

The club will have its first open practice this week where they practice on Thursday, Mar. 2 from 8:00 pm-9:00 pm in Luter 221.

The best part of improv in Fishel’s mind is “Getting to spend time with people that I probably wouldn’t otherwise and you get to see them when they have to think on their feet and you get to see the sense of humor that they can’t really demonstrate most of the time. But everyone gets better at that and you can see it affect other things they do.”

As for Saba, her favorite part is “When people are funny,... and they make jokes. And then everybody laughs”

On Sunday night at 6:06pm Alpha Phi Alpha hosted their 8th Annual B.L.A.C.K Performing Arts Show in the David Student Union Ballroom . The time 6:06pm is not a typo, but instead is completely intentional. “‘06 actually Represents our fraternity we were founded on December 4, 1906,” Mark Jessup, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha explained. The Acronym B.L.A.C.K stands for Beauty, Love, Achievement, Culture, and Knowledge. This acronym represents the type of community Alpha Phi Alpha strives to create with this event. The show included art presented by black artists who currently attend Christopher Newport University (CNU), live in the Newport News area, and one highschool student. “ We try to reach out to the community. We try to start first at CNU. We encourage students who do have talents to reach out to us.

We sent out emails through specialty student art departments, but we also reached out to the community. We have a community outreach with a bunch of different brothers,” Elias Mattar the president of Alpha Phi Alpha said.

The first performer was Travis Bartee, a 2020 graduate of CNU, who sang “Make You Mine” and engaged with the audience well. The audience welcomed his engagement and met Bartee with warm applause. The next performer was Sanai Williams. She presented her variety of art that she has been working on since high school. A piece that stood out to the audience was called “Keep Quiet.” Williams described the piece of art as a self portrait of her and her friend with some magazine scraps. Williams also displayed some digital art that she likes to do in her free time.

There were also members of the Newport News community performing and vending. One performer was K. Russ, a saxophone player, who is currently in “Vibrations the Band.” Another member of the Newport News community was Zamar Steward. Steward was showcasing his upcoming art studio that will be in Newport News called “Black Sovereign.”

A quote from his mission statement that describes the

studio is, “New world that does not follow the norm.” The studio is meant to be a place where people can create lite animations, music and visuals, feature art, original merchandise, and digital products for content creators. His website that has information about him, his studio, and his merchandise is blacksovereign. co.

O’Brain Holloway is a high school junior from Bethel High School. Holloway received a $100 scholarship from Alpha Phi Alpha as he continues to prepare for college. He gave a marvelous rendition of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Majority of the crowd stood after his passionate presentation. After Holloway’s performance was Derrick Pough Junior singing “Song for You” by Donny Hathaway. Once again the majority of the crowd stood and gave an emphatic round of applause.

Showcasing his new clothing brand was current CNU student Joshua Stokes who was also acting as a vendor at the event. On his website jsblock.com his mission statement says, “J’s Block designs universal garments, promotes positivity and peace, supports community development and inclusion, while connecting people with non profits across the globe.” One of his most recognizable shirts has a print of a picture he took in Cape Town, Africa while studying abroad. The final performance was Elias Mattar. He staged a spoken word poem that was inspired by a YouTube video he saw of the spoken word poem “To the Girl I Met at Starbucks.” A line that got the crowd excited was, “Like the dance we can both come in the middle because my side of the story is just as important as your side.” “I write a little bit on the side, and when I was inspired by it (“To the Girl I Met at Starbucks”) I started figuring out how it could apply to my life, and because we had this event coming up I thought it was perfect to personify black woman as one being,” Mattar said. At the end of the event there were multiple vendors to buy an assortment of hoodies, shirts, and shoes. One was Jamal Madison, a Newport News local. His brand is False Fantasies which contains hoodies and shirts with original designs. His website is falsefantasies.com. Shai Franklin was selling shoes and a PS5 that she earned from raffle ticket sales. Her Instagram for her shop is @ sshai_store.

When asked about the last remarks of the event Jessup said, “It’s open to the community, especially if you guys have talents. Entrepreneurship, singing, dancing, jokes, whatever your talent is you are more than welcome to come here, especially for young black businesses and young black entrepreneurs to come here and voice their opinions and really show what they have to offer the community so they can continue to grow.”

Mattar added, “This is not a black exclusive event. We get that a lot. It’s for Black History Month, and we do have only black performers. But in terms of the audience it is definitely open to the community, and more people need to know that.”

Alpha Phi Alpha plans on having this event again around the same time next year.

ALEXANDER NOTH ALEXANDER.NOTH.22@CNU.EDU

Photo from Science.org

Photo of crowd cheering taken by Briahna Switzer

Photo of Derrick Pough Jr taken by Briahna Switzer

Soaking in the Sun

All photos taken by Savannah Dunn

grace.griles.20@cnu.edu