May 3, 2013
5B
The News
Features
Features Editor: Savannah Sawyer Assistant Features Editor: Shannon MacAllister Phone: 809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures
Faces&Places
Local drive-in offers unique experience Faces & Places is a weekly series that profiles the people and places of Murray and the surrounding areas. Every person and every place has a story. Let us tell it.
Anna Taylor || Staff writer ataylor2@murraystate.edu
Out of the eight drive-in theaters remaining in Kentucky, one of them is located in Marshall County’s own Calvert City, Ky, just a 40-minute drive from Murray. The Calvert Drive-In was built in 1953 by the grandparents of John Harrington, who is now the current manager of the drive-in.
“It has always been in the family,” Harrington said. “This is our 60th consecutive season. There have been several different family members manage the drive-in. I manage it now. We’ve got four generations of family involved in it.” Having an outdoor theater has not always been easy for the Harrington family, though. The family has seen the drive-in survive even the toughest of times for both Hollywood and movie theaters. “1958 was a hard year for drive-ins,” Harrington said. “There was a lot of politics in Hollywood and politics in general. Drive-ins had a really bad name for playing B-rate movies and
playing rough stuff. In the late ‘50s/early ‘60s when TVs really started becoming popular, people could stay at home and catch up on the news. Back in the ‘30s and ‘40s, people would go to the theaters to see what was going on in the war, and there were a lot of news-reels. TVs started to hurt (driveins and theaters).” Regardless of the changing times and technology, the Calvert Drive-In stuck around. “We just kept hanging in there,” he said. “We had a niche for good hamburgers, so that kind of helped. At some point in time, there were five drive-in theaters in Marshall County
alone. We’re the only one left in western Kentucky now. The next closest one is in Beaver Dam.” Harrington said the outdoor theater has gone through a variety of changes over the recent years. From building a new screen in 2003 to remodeling the concession area in 2007, the Harrington family have given their business an upgrade. This year, however, was perhaps their most important upgrade. “We upgraded to digital projection,” he said. “Instead of 8,000 or 12,000 feet of film, we’ve got a hard drive now.”
see DRIVE-IN, 6B
Graphic by Evan Watson
Murray area offers summer activites krandolph3@murraystate.edu
With Summer Break a week away, students who live nearby and students sticking around for summer courses are beginning to think about things to do in the area. With the right activities, a summer in Murray can be fun. Here are five of the many places that can keep students busy enjoying the summer.
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In June, the Murray-Calloway County fair comes to town. If you babysit over the summer months, this could be a great place to take the kids for the day, or even for just a fun family outing. The fair is scheduled for June 1014. The Murray-Calloway County Fair Association said the admission is $10, which will give patrons access to rides, parking, shows and events.
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For those looking to clean out their closets and boxes of junk, a 400-milelong yard sale will be hitting U.S. Highway 68 between June 6 and 9. Prior to the sale in Benton, Ky., there will be a drag boat race on Kentucky Lake. This is a four day event of antiques, yard sales, craft booths and other special events. Bring those oddities that have been sitting in the back of the car, and set up shop or drive through the
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sale and pick up some cheap items to spruce up the apartment or dorm. Since Murray is so close to surrounding lakes, a trip to Land Between the Lakes or Kentucky Lake to spend the day would be great for those looking to get some sun. Several campsites and fishing areas are easily accessible. Not far from the lake, Belew’s Dairy Bar is a good place to stop, eat and grab some good ice cream. Belew’s is a drive-in restaurant that someone could easily eat at for under $10. It is right off Kentucky Lake in the town of Aurora, Ky. “Belew’s is a fun atmosphere where everyone coming off the lake after a long day can enjoy some ice cream,” said Amanda Harrell, sophomore from Benton, Ky., “It’s a great place to go in the summer and sit outside to hang out with friends. It’s always busy but always worth the wait.”
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Later, from June 28-29, Freedom Fest arrives in Murray. Freedom Fest has been a long-standing traditional celebration with concerts and a giant fireworks display. The Cruisers of Paducah will be at the Murray Bank Family Night this year, as well as Clarence Dobbins, who will be
see SUMMER, 6B
What You Need: ❖ Old pair of jeans ❖ Sharp scissors ❖ Pen ❖ Needle ❖ Blue-jean thread
Photo courtesy of tumblr.com
Kelsey Randolph || Staff writer
7 steps to create custom cut-offs Shannon MacAllister
Steps:
Assistant Features Editor
1. Identify the pair of jeans to be remade, put them on. 2. Using a pen, mark about two inches below the desired end length to allow excess to straighten the cuts and cuff if desired. 3. Remove the now-marked jeans and place them on a flat surface. Remove all creases in the fabric and be sure it is laying flat on the surface. 4. Using the scissors, cut through only the top of the jeans, creating a straight, smooth cut. Now repeat on the back of the same leg of the jeans, lining up the cut with the front.
smacallister@murraystate.edu
With summer’s arrival and the days of freedom on the forefront of every student’s mind, many find themselves searching for the perfect pair of shorts for the summer. Some are too long, others too short, some cost too much, while others aren’t sold in the right size; the tortures of unsuccessful shopping are endless. So avoid the malls this summer, give the wallet a break, embrace the DIY trend and make a custom pair of cut-off shorts.
5. Fold the evenly cut shorts leg over the still uncut leg of jeans. Line the shorts up, using them as a guide for the other leg’s length. Cut each layer at a time until all of the excess jeans have been cut. 6. Straighten out edges and cut off excess fabric. 7. If a cuff is desired, fold the bottom of the jeans up to desired cuff width and press with an iron. Then, using a needle and thread, sew the cuff into place using small stitches in the front and larger stitches on the inside, where they will be concealed. Tie off the thread, and the cuff has been secured.
Students, professors offer study tips, tricks Hunter Harrell || Staff writer hharrell@murraystate.edu
It’s that time of the year again when students stock up on latenight snacks and spend countless hours in the library preparing for their multiple exams. There are many tips and tricks to aid students in the process of cramming for the tests, such as receiving a good night’s rest and making flash cards. However, using the resources available to students is oftentimes the most effective way to ace that
final exam. Of course, notes and textbooks are the primary studying materials. Using the professor’s notes ensures the right material is being studied. Also, by reading through the textbook chapters, students learn to think critically and apply the lessons to everyday life. “Don’t highlight the bold words because they are already highlighted,” said Jana Hackathorn, psychology professor. “Highlight the key concepts attached to the bold word.” She also explained notes taken should not be rewritten, but reor-
ganized instead. “Reorganize your notes,” Hackathorn said. “Mindless rewriting is bad, but reorganizing your notes is good. It forces you to think about the topic.” In addition to notes taken during the class, utilize the presentations, handouts and other materials many professors post on Blackboard. Questions from exams often come from the materials presented in class and later posted on Blackboard. Many professors also present students with the opportunity to attend a review either in class or in
the evenings before finals week in order to prepare. Attending these reviews could be the difference in a student’s confidence to pass or fail. While the raw materials used all semester are great tools for studying, it always helps to have an extra brain or two. Find out about the study groups available on campus and attend. Sometimes what one student comprehends well is what another student may struggle with. Studying with others aids in avoiding distractions and guarantees sharing
knowledge. Hackathorn, however, said study groups can be a waste of time if not run properly. “Study groups are waste of time if you don’t run them like a business,” she said. “They are not a gossip fest or a catch-up-with-friends meeting.” Hackathorn said she recommends each member of the group be responsible for a part or chapter and teach the concept to the rest of the group. Some students agree two is al-
see FINALS, 6B