12/06/19

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019

CULTURE | PAGE 15

VOL. 110 NO. 25

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WINTER WEATHER ADDS FINAL TOUCH TO DOWNTOWN DECOR

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IUP FACULTY, STAFF SHARE TIPS FOR STUDENTS TO SUCCEED DURING FINALS WEEK

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STATIC’S SPA NIGHT/BRO OUT GAVE RELAXATION BEFORE FINALS

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HAWKS FEAST ON OPPONENTS DURING BREAK

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News Editor: Jake Slebodnick – J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu

Fitzsimons named vice president of administration and finance ANNA MECHLING Staff Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Dr. Debra Fitzsimons has been selected as IUP’s vice president for administration and finance, starting Dec. 16.

She has more than 25 years of experience in higher education business and has served as a finance executive officer (chief financial officer) in many colleges and universities.

Fitzsimons has worked on improving business and financial areas to support each school’s academic mission and has developed processes that help financial information be more accurate and timelier.

She has had leadership roles in the construction and renovations of many new campus buildings and has been active in accreditations and state funding allocations.

“It is my honor to join the IUP leadership team as the vice president for administration and finance during this exciting time,” Fitzsimons said. “IUP is an outstanding university with a very positive mission and vision for the future.

“I look forward to this opportunity to work with such high-quality, passionate and talented leadership, faculty, staff and students to ensure good financial health and provide exceptional business and financial operations in support of the academic, student, public service and research missions of the university.

“It’s truly wonderful to be back ‘home’ in western Pennsylvania, and I will enjoy getting to know everyone and being a committed part of the town of Indiana and the community.”

Susanna Sink will be retiring from her role as interim vice president for administration and finance this semester.

Fitzsimons was recently the vice chancellor of business services, chief financial officer and

News

“Dr. Fitzsimons brings an incredible depth and breadth of experience, working across many different sectors and aspects of higher education, including in university systems,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said.

“I am also impressed with her demonstrated ability and desire to work as a partner, not just with university leadership at the cabinet level, but in a broad, shared governance framework.

“This attitude and willingness to work in this way will be critical as we address difficult issues and make important decisions about IUP’s new reality.”

Fitzsimons was also the vice chancellor of administrative affairs and the chief financial of(IUP Website) ficers at the University of Hawaii Dr. Debra Fitzsimons was named the new at Hilo. vice president of administration and There, she had the responsifinance on Nov. 26. She has worked closely bility for all university business, with budgeting for multiple universities in her career. financial, human resources, risk management and compliance, information technology and adinterim chancellor and chief exministration affairs functions. ecutive officer at South Orange As vice chancellor of adminCounty Community College Disistrative affairs and chief finantrict, in Mission Viejo, California. cial officer, she developed and There she worked with its budget and planned the campus’ monitored campus budgets and other funds. facilities and improvements. She She started her professional also led negotiations, representcareer at Youngstown State Unied the district on city redevelopversity. There, she held the role ment authority boards and was of the executive director-busiresponsible for grant proposals ness and finanand public-pri“Dr. Fitzsimons brings an cial affairs where vate partnershe budged a ships, which incredible depth total of $196 led to major and breath of experience, million. awards and contracts. working across many different She graduated from Penn She has sectors and aspects of State University been honored with awards higher education, including in with a bachelor’s degree, graduand recogniuniversity systems.” ated from Sliptions for her pery Rock with a work at the - Dr. Michael Driscoll, master’s degree universities IUP President in science in where she has administration worked. and graduated with a doctorate She was honored with the in education in administrative 2013 District Administrator of policy studies at the University of the Year and was recognized in Pittsburgh. consecutive years for leadership She is originally from Hermitand commitment to faculty, staff age, Pennsylvania. and students.

December 6, 2019

Winter weather adds final touch to downtown decor

(Niza Harris/The Penn) It’s a wonderful time to live in Indiana. With hung decorations and snow covering everything in sight, the holiday season indicates its arrival soon.

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December 6, 2019

Police Blotter ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS

• Jonathan Silsley, 20, of Pittsburgh was charged with violating the borough code on open containers and underage drinking when borough police found Silsley carrying an open can of beer around 11:49 p.m. Nov. 9 in the 200 block of Rice Avenue, according to Indiana Borough Police.

• Katelynn Haines, 29, of Indiana was arrested for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after borough police investigated a disturbance at 12:20 a.m. Nov. 23 in the 700 block of Klondyke Avenue. Haines was highly intoxicated and was shouting and disturbing the neighborhood, according to borough police.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

• An unknown person driving a dark green or black Dodge Ram hit the mirror of a parked truck between 8:40 to 8:45 a.m. Nov. 27 in the 200 block of Philadelphia Street. The Dodge reportedly slowed down after the collision and then fled the scene eastbound on Philadelphia Street, according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police at (724) 349-2121.

• William Balint, 37, of Indiana was charged with damage to attended vehicles or property, driving under suspension and following too closely after borough police discovered Balint was involved in a collision and was operating on a suspended license.

Balint fled the scene shortly after the collision that occurred around 5:10 p.m. Nov. 25 in the 500 block of Philadelphia Street, according to borough police.

• An unknown person driving a white SUV struck an occupied Dodge Grand Caravan and fled the scene around 6:40 p.m. Nov. 22 in the 900 block of Chestnut Street, according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police.

• Kyjaun Shiverss, 22, of Indiana was charged with criminal mischief after borough police investigated a report of damaged property inside a business around 1:45 a.m. Nov. 7 in the 00 block of N. Seventh Street, according to borough police.

THEFT

• An unknown male stole loose change and a silver watch from a

known victim between 9:40 to 9:53 p.m. Nov. 25 and 9:40 to 9:48 p.m. Nov. 30 in the 1100 block of Grant Street. The victim described the suspect as being African-American with short, black hair. On Nov. 25, the suspect was wearing an all-black sweat suit with the hood up and red lettering on the front of the hoodie.

On Nov. 30, the suspect was wearing black sweatpants, a black hoodie with the hood up under a tan coat and black New Balance shoes with a white “N,” according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police.

TRESPASSING

• Borough Police responded to a report of trespassing at 8:24

p.m. Nov. 22 in the 500 block of Locust Street. Upon arrival, police discovered that an unknown person/people tried to enter a residence through a window between Nov. 23 and Nov. 30 in the 500 block of Locust Street. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police.

News

SLEB’S SELF-HELP COLUMN:

A GUIDE TO PROACTIVE

LIFE SOLUTIONS

How to prepare for finals week step by step JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

This article contains opinion.

Well, here we are.

Thirteen weeks have come and gone, and we are ready to tackle finals week.

One last scramble to complete projects that have haunted us for months but we instead chose to grind on “Call of Duty,” or to study for cumulative exams that we so desperately pray to avoid.

One thing that seems to go under the radar, however, is how one should prepare the week before.

1) Utilize planners or your phone’s calendar feature.

Time management is key in overcoming finals week whether you’re a freshman or a senior.

I’ve had my fair share of stressing over how much time I can allot for completing assignments, studying for exams and eating.

I started using my Reminders application to remind me each week which assignments are due.

This not only helped keep track of assignments, but it also increased my efficiency as I set a time to complete things.

If you prefer, or find it easier, to write assignments down, use a planner or calendar on your fridge.

I would say use Post-It notes, but those can be easily lost or thrown away.

This was something my mom told me before I moved to college, and needless to say, she was 110 percent correct on that.

2) Sleep. Please.

One thing that easily gets overlooked during finals week is students forgetting to take time to sleep and reenergize.

They’re so focused on studying and perfecting their work that they forget that sleep contributes to mental strength, and then when they go to take exams, they forget pertinent information because their brain wasn’t properly rested.

(The Penn Archives) On top of preparing for exams, one must prepare for handling the stress of finals week.

A good night’s sleep is defined as seven to eight hours of uninterrupted slumber.

If you feel that you don’t have time to sleep, trust me, you do.

You’ll be amazed at how much information you’ll remember with a good amount of sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping, ask your physician about using Melatonin tablets. I can say from personal experience that they are a major contributor to catching up on sleep.

Even sleeping a lot the week prior can benefit you come finals.

more bearable.

Even if they aren’t in your classes, just being around those you enjoy spending time with makes the stress easier to handle.

Additionally, if you find yourself enduring a motivation block, meaning you begin to lose focus, you can turn to your friends and discuss something unrelated to finals, or you could even ask them for help studying.

Just because they aren’t in your class doesn’t mean they can’t help!

3) Stock up on oranges, fluids

Your biggest supporters can give you the most motivation for finals week.

Even if you call just to tell them your finals week schedule, a massive weight will be lifted off your shoulders since expressing that will free your mind a bit.

On top of that, they will most likely give you tips on managing your stress throughout the week. I can provide only so much information, but parents know everything about this.

The best time to call them is this weekend. Spend as much time on the phone with either one or both of them and just talk.

Not every call home has to be because of a bad experience.

You may even come up with your own ways of preparing, and I strongly encourage you to follow those.

I only offer tips for those who are at square one and are overwhelmed. If you know someone who needs help, lend a hand.

Good luck on finals, everyone!

and vegetables.

Stress has a negative effect on our bodies, as it can cause hair loss, increases in irritability and, worst of all, a major hit on your immune system.

I’ve gotten sick during finals week due to the amount of stress I put myself under and it made taking my final exams extremely difficult.

Take my advice and stock up on everything you can possibly get ahold of that can help support your immune system.

My personal choices are oranges (you can also use clementines, tangerines, etc.), Propel (since it’s the closest to water) and baby carrots, but you can mix and match to your preferences.

4) Study with friends.

Studying alone is never fun, but studying with your friends makes the experience much

5) Call your parents.

December 6, 2019

News

5

Saturday switch receives acclamation from local hunters EMILY LOOSE

Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Hunting is a hugely popular sport in Pennsylvania.

With a large deer population, the first week of December sees a sizeable harvest of the animal every hunting season, but hunters saw a change in the sport this year.

Instead of starting on the first Monday after Thanksgiving, deer hunting season with a rifle began Nov. 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The reason behind this decision was made in order to give more time and opportunities to hunters who may not have as much time to hunt, according to Dan Murray, the game commission warden in Pennsylvania.

PGC executive director Bryan Burhans said that the commission believes that the buck harvest on opening day will be even greater than in previous years due to the change.

“Every deer hunter wants to be

deer season in their Thanksgiving break.

College was not the same.

In previous years, he would skip class in order to go to the first day of the hunting season, so the change was more helpful for him.

“I don’t have to skip any of my classes now that it started on a weekend,” Shindel said.

“Also, it gives me even more time to spend with my father because we go hunting together every year.”

Though he said he did not skip classes for hunting on that Monday, Shindel was sure others still would.

Liam Barnett (senior, safety sciences) was also on board with the date change. As someone who has hunted for more than 11 years, he did not find the change overwhelming either.

“It does not really matter to me either way,” Barnett said. “If

anything, it is just an extra day for me to go hunting.”

Although Gerald Bichel (graduate student, geography) does not usually deer hunt, he said that the change in date is perfect for hunters who work during the week.

“Some people do not like to skip work,” Bichel said.

“Besides, who doesn’t want more time to hunt? I think the only people who might get upset are high schoolers if their school has class that Monday now.”

Rifle season takes place Nov. 30 through Dec. 14, though antlered deer hunting is prohibited only for the first week.

The full list of different hunting seasons and protocol can be found on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website at pgc.pa.gov/HuntTrap/Law/Pages/ SeasonsandBagLimits.aspx.

“I think the only people who might get upset are high schoolers if their school has class that Monday now.”

- Gerald Bichel,

Graduate Student, Geography

(Pixabay) Rifle season began Saturday after Thanksgiving instead of that following Monday, and local hunters fully supported the switch.

afield for the opener,” he said to PennLive.

The first day of the season taking place Monday has been the standard in Pennsylvania since 1963. Now that it begins earlier, there are three Saturdays for the season instead of two.

IUP has its fair share of hunters at the school. A few of them had opinions about the new date.

Blaine Shindel (senior, psychology) has been an avid hunter since the age of 12. Growing up, his school was one of the many that included the Monday of

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December 6, 2019

News

Students prefer longer Thanksgiving than a fall break ANNA MECHLING Staff Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

College students often enjoy college for a variety of reasons, but for most, breaks are a definite must-have.

IUP had its first break during Labor Day weekend in September in which students had a three-day weekend.

IUP does not have a fall break and hasn’t had one in years.

Instead, IUP has a long Thanksgiving break, but students and staff must wait until the end of November for a long semester break.

This has many students divided because they want a fall break and enjoy a long Thanksgiving break, but they also don’t want to wait until the end of November for a break.

Some students use the long break to get caught up or work ahead by working on upcoming assignments or studying for finals. However, for some students, the transition from Thanksgiving break back to the grind of school can be difficult.

The way Thanksgiving break fell this year changed the number of weeks left until the end of the semester. Instead of having three weeks after break until the end of the semester like IUP had last

(The Penn Archives) With the transition from three weeks to two, students have mixed emotions toward the time change that separates this year’s Thanksgiving and winter breaks.

year, students and staff have only two weeks.

Many students enjoy the long Thanksgiving break spending time with family and using the time to recharge mentally, emotionally and physically.

“Personally, I went into break feeling very emotionally and mentally drained,” Chloe Tubbs (junior, music education) said, “and having a break right before the last week of class and finals gave me a chance to recharge and start out these last two weeks of the semester feeling refreshed and ready to finish strong. However, I wouldn’t mind having the break a little shorter if

that meant having a fall break because I think it would’ve helped with the burnout I’ve experienced for a lot of the semester.

“The transition from break to school was pretty easy for me because the break gave me a chance to do my assignments, which eased some of the stress that the finals break brings. I can understand how students might have a hard time getting motivated again after having that long of a time off.”

For those students who use the long Thanksgiving break to work on assignments and study for finals, it can be a great time spent to get caught up and

prepared for the end of the semester.

“I don’t think most students have to transition in the academic sense since many continue to work on classwork and assignments during the break, whether they catch up or try to get ahead,” Alex Robbins (junior, computer science) said. “I personally don’t like it and think most students would agree that having two weeks separating Thanksgiving and holiday breaks is not ideal.

“I think it would be better and prefer to have three weeks like last year left over after break rather than only have two because it felt like the semester was dragging on, and then when we came back, it felt rushed.”

Many students don’t like having to take that small break toward the end of the semester and then going back for a few weeks to finish off the semester.

“I think that after relaxing and spending time with your family, most students seldom want to go back to studying for finals,” Kamryn Kenner (junior, biology) said. “When we do go back, I think most students tend to be more stressed about school work and studying.

“I think a lot of students enjoy their break and don’t actually spend most of their break studying, and when it is time for them to study, most probably don’t have the same motivation they

did before Thanksgiving break, so they may get more stressed and tired out.

“I personally don’t like having to take a small break only to have to go back to more rigorous work later. I understand why it’s better to have a break like this to see family and then be back than to not have one at all.”

For a lot of students, it is a small transition going from having a week off school relaxing and taking their minds off school to going back to school and taking finals.

“I think students have a tough transition the first couple of days back because of the long break,” Stella Jarmulowicz (junior, criminology and psychology) said.

“Most students don’t want to be back for two weeks, especially once they’ve had 10 days off for the break.

“It’s also tough since there are so many final projects, exams, papers and work within the last two weeks, which sometimes feels like a cram session with everyone stressed and trying to get things done.

“I personally don’t mind having the last two weeks in between breaks because we get an entire week off for Thanksgiving and then five weeks off for winter break. The last two weeks are often in preparation for finals and last-minute lecture material, leading up to a nice long break until the next semester.”

Asking students: How do you feel about the two-week period between breaks?

“Personally, I went into break feeling very emotionally and mentally drained, and having a break right before the last week of class and finals gave me a chance to recharge and start out these last two weeks of the semester feeling refreshed and ready to finish strong.”

“I personally don’t like having to take a small break only to have to go back to more rigorous work later. I understand why it’s better to have a break like this to see family and then be back than to not have one at all.”

Chloe Tubbs

Kamryn Kenner Junior, Biology

Junior, Music Education

“I think it would be better and prefer to have three weeks like last year left over after break rather than only have two because it felt like the semester was dragging on and then when we came back, it felt rushed.”

Alex Robbins Junior, Computer Science

“I personally don’t mind having the last two weeks in between breaks because we get an entire week off for Thanksgiving and then five weeks off for winter break. The last two weeks are often in preparation for finals and last-minute lecture material, leading up to a nice long break until the next semester.”

*All photos are from Facebook*

Stella Jarmulowicz Junior, Criminology

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December 6, 2019

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December 6, 2019

News

IUP faculty, staff share tips for students to succeed during finals week LEVI DONALDSON

Staff Writer L.Donaldson@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Everyone knows how school breaks can be a great opportunity to catch your breath or work at a job or online class. Every student takes break in different ways and need different things out of that time.

Faculty members have seen countless breaks and semesters come and go and are more than knowledgeable about how to

maximize your time.

“I would always advise students to really focus on reconnecting with their families and friends from home,” said Dr. Chauna Craig, English professor and interim director of the Cook Honors College. “As well as all of the things that they love to do that college doesn’t give you enough time for.

“Besides an online course, that’s definitely what I’m going to do on my break. It’s important to get refreshed and happy.”

Some faculty members even offer advice at the beginning of the semester. One of whom is Dr. James Lenze, a professor in communications media.

“I always give the advice to take classes over break,” he said, “especially if you’re from town. But if you aren’t, then go to the closest community college and make a tightly knit plan with your adviser.”

Lenze counted up the credits that could be earned from using breaks as academic opportunities.

A person could do an extra full

Faculty and staff want YOU to succeed!

Photos By: Levi Donaldson

“Spend time with your friends and family.

Get some downtime, make money and have fun. After Thanksgiving break no one is rested, everyone is just hanging in.”

- Kevin berezansky, ASsociate Director, Cook Honors College “I would always advise students to really focus on reconnecting with their families and friends from home, As well as all of the things that they love to do that college doesn’t give you enough time for.”

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“I always give the advice to take classes over break, especially if you’re from town, But if you aren’t then go to the closest community college and make a tightly knit plan with your adviser.”

- Dr. James Lenze, Communications Media

- Dr. Rachel Fox, Communications Media

Fox concluded her advice with something simple and important.

“Practice some self care,” she said.

Some faculty members say working is the best way to succeed.

“I like to work. So that’s what I do,” said Dr. Jeremy Waltman, communications media. “The earlier you can start with clubs and internships, the better it’ll be for you.

Getting that experience and making work connections towards what you want to do is exactly what you want.”

“Honestly, winter break should be a break,” said Kevin Berezansky, associate director of the Cook Honors College. “Spend time with your friends and family. Get some downtime, make money, and have fun. After Thanksgiving break, no one is rested. Everyone is just hanging on.

The only other difference I notice in breaks is that everyone is in the gym right before spring break, working out for summer but when everyone comes back it's a lot less crowded, which is pretty nice,” he said.

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- Chauna Craig, Interim Director, Cook Honors College

“my advice is to relax, unless you’re taking a winter course. But take that time to recharge and regroup for spring.”

year by the time they are a junior and graduate.

“You still have to pay for classes, but the savings are astounding,” Lenze said. “You’re living for free with people that love you, and it’s a lot cheaper than renting and eating on campus.

“Furthermore, there are oneyear masters degrees, and with graduate assistantships, it can end up being free.” He said, explaining how utilizing break could allow someone to get a masters degree in the same time as a bachelors and with less loans and a higher entry level salary.

“This might come as a surprise,” said Dr. Rachel Fox, communications media. “But my advice is to relax, unless you’re taking a winter course.

“But take that time to recharge and regroup for spring. Everybody gets burned out, and you should take advantage of winter break to be ready for spring.

Spring is rougher than fall because students have a full summer before the fall semester. I know everybody works but try and relax and enjoy your time. It’s harder to come back as ready as in the fall.”

Are you interested in turning news stories into money?

If you answered yes to both of those questions, stop by our office on the second floor of the Hadley Union Building (above the food court) to get started.

Applicants do not need to be enlisted as a journalism major or minor in order to write for us.

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If you have any questions, please contact Jake Slebodnick J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu (News Editor) or the-penn@iup.edu.

December 6, 2019

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December 6, 2019

News

Inside finals week: How should you de-stress during that time?

Whatever you enjoy most, give it to yourself as a job well done.

ALEXIS LOYA

Staff Writer A.L.Loya@iup.edu @lexisloya

3. Visualize your work

With finals week right around the corner, tensions are high, and anxiety is at max capacity.

The worst week in college is a difficult time for all of us, but just like we need to prepare for our exams, we must also prepare to de-stress in order to perform our best. Here are some helpful tips to ease your clouded mind and conquer finals the right way.

1. Plan ahead You hear this all the time, but do not try and cram your studying in at the last minute.

By doing so, you are adding more stress on your plate by force-feeding yourself information. Cramming leads to confusion, which results in anger, anxiety and, you guessed it, a mental breakdown.

Despite thinking you’re the world’s best procrastinator, you are more likely to forget the in-

So, you’re looking at the pages upon pages of notes you have. All the words seem to be merging together, and it looks overwhelming. Get a highlighter, and color-code your notes. This helps the important information or topics to stick out and helps you visualize your notes in chunks as opposed to a whole.

(The Penn Archives) De-stressing during finals could be troublesome, especially for freshmen since this is their first finals week experience. One way to do so is studying often.

formation by studying all at once.

Write down in your planner, a sticky note or your notes when you are going to study. Give yourself enough time to tackle your studying into small, bitesized chunks. Also allow yourself time for breaks. Learning to step away from your work every so often helps your brain refresh itself and process the information you just learned.

2. Reward yourself There’s no one on this planet that truly enjoys studying. It’s an inevitable curse of college students. Give yourself some incentive to study by setting an endgame reward. For every so often you spent studying, treat yourself. Maybe it’s chocolate, some Mickey D’s, a bath, etc.

4. Create your own study guide Many teachers provide their own study guides, but they serve as an outline of important information. Creating your own study guide will help you to fully grasp the topic. You shouldn’t just memorize the information, but instead, you should be able to recite it in your own words.

This way, you are confident when it comes time for your exam.

5. Ask questions There’s no shame in asking

for help; in fact, that’s what professors are for. If you’re not 100 percent sure of something, email or stop by your professor’s office hours. There’s no point in leaving yourself in the dark about information and hoping that the answer will miraculously come to you during the exam.

6. Stay well rested I know, we all tend to try pulling all-nighters during finals week. However, our brain needs time to rest in order to regurgitate the information back to our exam. Otherwise, you’re going to be walking into your exam room like a zombie with your brain at 10 percent power. Charge up.

7. Start right now If you’re reading this article, what are you waiting for? Get started on studying. Start those quizlets, study guides and plan out your finals week.

Remember, it’s not practice makes perfect, it’s perfect practice makes perfect.

Students share their finals week experiences, de-stressing tips ANNA MECHLING Staff Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

As the end of the semester comes near, that means that findals are almost here.

Finals can often make or break students’ grades as they can play a major role in courses’ overall grades.

Because of this, finals are often stressful and overwhelming to students.

During finals week, students tend to find themselves staying up late and in the library for hours upon end.

Many students in college plan out their week using a planner.

Finals week is no different, and students often organize their days to work on assignments

and study for exams.

“The one thing I do is I plan notoriously,” Dylan Barcus (senior, communications media) said. “I schedule everything I do from morning to night. It helps me keep track of everything I need to do, especially during or before finals week. One way it helps me overcome stress before finals is to plan and organize my schedule.

“I find ways to relieve my stress by eating a balanced breakfast.

You’ve to keep your sanity. Walk around, enjoy nature, see things that aren’t your computer screen.”

Hanging out with friends is often a go-to way to destress in college during any time of the semester.

“I sleep a lot, and I hang out with friends,” John Burwell (sophomore, nursing) said.

“Outside of academics, I like to relax and eat when I’m not focused on

“I enjoy focusing on my mind, body and spirit, which relaxes me and enables me to destress."

- Emelia Weinell, Senior, Early Childhood Education

(The Penn Archives) The best way to formulate a finals week strategy is to hear how other students tackle it. The biggest contributor is planning thoroughly.

school work.

“I think a great way for college students to relax and destress is by hanging out with friends. College is all about the social aspect, and hanging out with friends, especially since winter break is so long, is a great way to destress.”

Finding ways to exercise the mind and body is another example of how college students de-stress.

It allows relaxation, focus and mindfulness in a different way than studying does. When exercising, the body releases endorphins

which can regulate your mood and ultimately reduce stress.

“A great way I de-stress for finals is by meditating, doing yoga and watching TV,” Emelia Weinel (senior, early childhood/special education) said. “I enjoy focusing on my mind, body and spirit, which relaxes me and enables me to destress.

“I think a lot of people exercise in general, but especially when it comes to de-stressing for finals.

Exercising is a great way to stay healthy, but it also enables people

to feel great about themselves mentally as well as physically.”

By planning ahead and studying well before finals, it allows for a greater amount of downtime, which can be less stressful and worrying.

“I like to de-stress by planning ahead,” Stephan Wade (freshman, entrepreneurship) said. “I like to study way in advance so that I’m not overwhelmed and able to get done work that I need to.

“As a first-semester freshman, I have learned that if you want to get your work done without overwhelming yourself and having downtime to yourself as well, you have to plan ahead and be organized in order to be productive and not get super stressed out.”

Watching TV and taking time to enjoy a favorite comedy or drama is another way many college students take their minds off studying and preparing for finals.

“The way I de-stress is that I put down my homework and watch TV and hang out with friends to de-stress,” Allie Middleton (junior, criminology) said. “I like to take breaks, watch TV and socialize with friends because it calms me gets my mind off school work.”

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December 6, 2019

News

Sleeping on sidewalks: Is it acceptable in the Constitution?

DAVID SAVAGE

Los Angeles Times TNS

The Supreme Court meets Friday to consider for the first time whether the Constitution gives homeless people a right to sleep on the sidewalk.

The justices are weighing an appeal of a much-disputed ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that held last year that it was cruel and unusual punishment to enforce criminal laws against homeless people who are living on the street if a city doesn't offer enough shelters as an alternative.

The appeals court's opinion quoted Anatole France's famous comment that "the law, in all its majestic equality, forbids the rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges," and from there, it announced a principle of human rights to strike down city laws that "criminalize the simple act of sleeping outside on public property."

As precedent, Judge Marsha Berzon cited parts of a 1968 Supreme Court opinion in which several justices questioned whether "chronic alcoholics" may be punished for being drunk in public if they cannot control themselves.

"This principle compels the conclusion that the Eighth Amendment prohibits the imposition of criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter," she wrote for the three-judge panel. She described the ruling as "narrow ... That is, so long as there no option of sleeping indoors, the government cannot criminalize indigent, homeless people for sleeping outdoors on public property."

The dissenters – and officials in California and the other eight western states covered by the 9th Circuit's jurisdiction – said the ruling was anything but narrow.

The ruling "shackles the hands of public officials trying to redress the serious societal concern of homelessness," dissenting Judge Milan Smith wrote.

Unless they can provide shelter for all, "local governments are forbidden from enforcing laws restricting sleeping and camping," he said. "City officials will be powerless to assist residents lodging

(TNS) Due to overpopulation in homeless shelters, those living on the streets are forced to sleep on sidewalks. But the U.S. Supreme Court questions the constitutional legitmacy behind it.

valid complaints about the health and safety of their neighborhoods."

Los Angeles and many other cities have asked the court to take up the case. The 9th Circuit has jurisdiction in nine western states from Alaska to Arizona.

The appeals court's ruling struck down a city ordinance in Boise, Idaho, that made it a misdemeanor to camp or sleep on sidewalks, parks or other places without permission. Such ordinances are common in many other cities and towns. The case began a decade ago when Robert Martin and five other homeless individuals joined a suit after they were given fines of $25 to $75 for violating Boise's anti-camping ordinance.

Los Angeles lawyer Theane D. Evangelis, a partner at Gibson Dunn who represents Boise, called the 9th Circuit's decision "both nonsensical and unworkable" and said it handcuffs city officials and police who are trying to cope with the homeless crisis. She filed an appeal petition urging the high court to hear the case and to overturn the appeals court's decision.

"The creation of a de facto constitutional right to live on the sidewalks and in parks will cripple the ability of more than 1,600 municipalities in the 9th Circuit

to maintain the health and safety of their communities," she wrote in City of Boise v. Martin. "Public encampments ... have spawned crime and violence, incubated disease and created environmental hazards that threaten the lives and well-being both of those living on the streets and the public at large."

Since September, at least 20 friend-of-the-court briefs have been filed in support of Boise's appeal, including from the National League of Cities, the California State Association of Counties, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and seven cities in Orange County.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the homeless said the high court should turn away the appeal.

They argue the cities are giving a "distorted" and "dramatically overwrought" reading of the 9th Circuit's decision.

Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the National Law Center on Homeless & Poverty, said the ruling "rests on the fundamental principle that you can't criminalize people because of their status. In this case, it is the status of being human with no place to live." She said she hoped the ruling would prevent cities "from going down of path of criminalization" when dealing with homelessness.

The justices will consider the appeal behind closed doors. Although they could decide on Friday to consider the case, they're unlikely to announce a decision for at least another week. Four votes on the nine-member court are required to take up an appeal.

Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer said he urged the high court to take up the case because the city is "seeking clarity." The 9th Circuit's opinion was confusing and at times contradictory, he said, adding that it was unclear whether police could enforce any or some laws against people living on the street.

Los Angeles cannot promise it can provide shelter for all of 36,000 homeless people who are living on the streets, he said. But it can provide shelter for some of them, he said, and it is not clear whether officers may take "enforcement action" against those who refuse to go to a nearby shelter that has space for them.

He also said it was not clear how much authority the police have to enforce rules against blocking sidewalks, cooking food, spewing garbage or other quality-of-life issues.

The right to sleep on the sidewalk is not a new issue for Los Angeles officials. In 2006, the 9th Circuit handed down a similar

ruling in a case called Jones vs.

Los Angeles. The appeals court said then that the city could not enforce an ordinance against homeless individuals "for involuntarily sitting, lying and sleeping in public."

Rather than appeal in that case, the city reached a settlement with the lawyers who brought the suit and agreed to not enforce restrictions on sleeping or camping from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. That rule remains in force.

In their brief to the high court, the city's attorneys suggested the earlier ruling contributed to the current crisis in Los Angeles.

"As a result of the Jones litigation, Los Angeles has experienced, firsthand, 11 years of grappling with the delicate balance required when public sidewalks serve two essentially incompatible functions," they said. "The sidewalks are home to thousands of unsheltered residents and their belongings, while at the same time serving as the access way for wheel-chair bound pedestrians who need passable sidewalks, children who need safe passage to school, and business owners who require accessible store fronts."

The justices are likely to be skeptical about a ruling that relies on the Eighth Amendment to void a criminal law. In the past, the high court has invoked the ban on "cruel and unusual punishments" only to limit punishments for certain crimes. Rulings in 2002 and 2005, for example, relied on the Eighth Amendment to end the death penalty for defendants who had a mental disability or were under age 18 at the time of their crime.

However, the 9th Circuit pointed to a 1962 decision in Robinson vs. California that struck down part of a state law that "made the 'status' of narcotic addiction a criminal offense." The justices said then that people could be prosecuted for selling or using drugs, but they overturned the conviction of a Los Angeles man who had been convicted entirely on the basis that a police officer testified seeing needle marks in his arm.

But that decision stands alone, according to the appeal in the Boise case. No high court decision "has ever invalidated on Eighth Amendment grounds a generally applicable law regulating conduct," they said.

News

December 6, 2019

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Opinion

CARTOON

(Facebook) Michael Bloomberg announced he would run for president Nov. 24.

Bloomberg should not be taken seriously as candidate Let’s start by giving you the TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) of this editorial: It’s time to get big money out of politics.

Obviously, it takes big money to run a political campaign, especially on a national scale for a presidential election. That’s understood. But in a situation like this, the most influential group of people in an election isn’t likely to have a lot of money.

In the modern era of income and wealth inequality, which is undeniable at this point, the idea of letting the richest people hold a great deal of the political power just because of the influence of massive political donations through super political action committees is outdated and should no longer be the case.

This isn’t an attack on Donald Trump – far from it, actually. He may be rich, but not in the same sense as many others.

It’s the entrance of Michael Bloomberg – going by “Mike” in his TV ads to supposedly identify with the American people more casually and closely - into the race for the Democratic presidential nomination looking to

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defeat Trump that I have an issue with.

In a time when the field should be dwindling down, which included the departure of Kamala Harris from the race this week, the late entrances to the race since the first debates over the summer have arrived for entirely the wrong reasons.

Bloomberg is worth $54 billion, and Tom Steyer is worth $1.6 billion. Both men entered the race later than most everyone else and have used their money to fund TV ads and campaign in their best attempts to buy the election from the party and continue to use money to influence political decisions.

Both of their campaigns mainly focus on beating Trump rather than focusing on getting past their fellow Democratic nominees (even though Bloomberg was a longtime Republican).

Steyer, whose net worth seems like peanuts compared to “Mike,” seems to be focusing his energy on the right kinds of things, climate change being most important among those.

But Bloomberg jumping into the

race now has to be out of fear.

Many Democrats fear that no one currently in the race can defeat Trump, including the woman who lost to Trump in 2016, Hillary Clinton (to whom I say, quoting from Spongebob SquarePants, “how many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old (wo) man?”), which has prompted Bloomberg to enter the race.

But I think the true fear comes from the idea of a wealth tax, proposed by the party’s progressive end led by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, both of whom have largely run grassroots campaigns not accepting money from super PACs. It was reported that Bloomberg entered the race after talking with Jeff Bezos, another extremely rich man afraid of losing a little bit of his $110 billion.

The super-rich are worried, and they’re trying to fight back, but to that, we say “Go home, Mike.”

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Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

STATIC’s Spa Night/Bro Out gave relaxation before finals

(Ashley Lutz/ The Penn) STATIC’s “Spa Night/Bro Out” offered facials, manicures, pedicures, games, free food and more. Students could take a break from studying for finals to relax by making their own face masks, trying different ways of relaxation and ignoring the books for a while.

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20th anniversary of iconic, legendary musical does not disappoint fans HALEY BROWN Staff Writer H.Brown@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

IUP’s Lively Arts Program welcomed the production of the Broadway musical “RENT” on Nov. 21 to the stage of Fisher Auditorium in IUP’s Performing Arts Center for the show’s 20th anniversary tour.

“RENT” is a rock musical created by Jonathan Larson that is set in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s and, over the course of one year, follows a group of seven impoverished young artists who are struggling with finding their ways in life while attempting to live in Manhattan’s East Village.

Inspired by an opera by Giacomo Puccini, “RENT” emphasizes the issues in the gritty bohemian world of New York City such as the AIDS/HIV epidemic, the seemingly inescapable struggle with poverty and the temptation of turning to drug use in order to cope with life’s hardships.

The high-energy play revolves around Mark (Cody Jenkins), Roger (Coleman Cummings), Mimi (Aiyana Smash), Collins (Shafiq Hicks), Angel (Joshua Tavares), Maureen (Kelsee Sweigard) and Joanne (Samantha Mbolekwa).

Angel is most often seen dressed in drag and stirs up a play-

(Facebook) Mimi is portrayed by Alyana Smash in the “RENT” 20th anniversary tour.

ful love connection with the character Collins. The first introduction of Angel in drag is a high-energy song about her stroke of luck with her street-drumming “career.”

As she sings, she dances around Mark and Roger’s meager apartment, showering Mark, Roger and her love, Collins, with gifts like alcohol, cereal and cash. During Angel’s first number, titled “Today 4 U,” each vocalist had a vivacious energy, and the talent showcased throughout the course of the show was incredible.

The set was impressively built with a tall platform for the Life Support meeting scenes, a jumble of Christmas lights, a huge scrap metal windmill that seemed to smolder during Maureen’s protest

KNOW MORE TO NO MORE

and performance piece and other points in the show, and even sported a mannequin head for good measure.

Throughout the performance, cast members creatively utilized tables, costume pieces, chairs, free-standing microphones and whatever else was available onstage to evoke a sense of ever-shifting scenery in the show without making many or any changes to the actual set pieces themselves.

The character Mimi struggles with a drug addiction, is HIV positive, fails to eat due to poor allocation of the small amount of money she earns at her strip-club job and goes through withdrawal from heroin throughout the play.

(Facebook) The iconic poster for “RENT” (top) has become synonymous with the romantic story of Mimi and Roger as they navigate the trials of life and love.

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December 6, 2019

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Streaming services offer new shows, movies to watch during winter break MARAN DAVIS

Staff Writer M.Davis@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

As many online streamers are aware, each month brings new shows and movies to streaming platforms such as Hulu and Netflix.

Some months are better than others when it comes to new content; however, December is looking promising.

For December, there are some exciting movies and shows coming to viewers’ screens for the holiday season. Even though December is a busy month, and there is not much time for binge-watching, streamers should take some time to look at what’s new.

Although on Hulu there are not very many festive new Christmas movies coming out this month, there are some good blockbuster films that people can get excited about.

For Hulu, some new movies that are going to become available this month are multiple “Fast and Furious” movies, “Footloose,” “Kill Bill” volumes 1 and 2, “Road House” and “Bumblebee,” just to name a few.

The “Fast and Furious” movies might become the most-watched since they were a major movie franchise that includes several movies.

Some other movies worth streaming this month are “LOL,” “Some Kind of Wonderful” and “The Aviator.” Since so many films are being added to Hulu this month, it will be hard not to find a movie to watch.

As for shows, there are a few good ones being added to Hulu this month. Some festive shows that are being added are “The Great Christmas Light Fight” Season 7 premiere and “CMA Country Christmas,” which is an ABC special. These will be sure to get the household into the holiday spirit.

Some other series that are not quite on the festive side that are being added are Marvel’s “Runaways,” which is a Hulu original, and “Killing Eve,” which has been a talked-about TV show.

Netflix is also coming out with new movies and shows that people can add onto their watch list for December.

Some new movies that Netflix is coming out with are three of the four “Austin Powers” movies: “Goldmember,” “International Man of Mystery” and “The Spy Who Shagged Me.”

(Facebook) “Footloose” (top left) and “Fast & Furious” (top right) are new to Hulu, while Netflix is adding “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl” (bottom left) and “Burlesque” (bottom right).

Some more notable films coming to the streaming giant are “A Cinderella Story: A Christmas Wish,” “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl,” “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby,” “Burlesque,” “The Danish Girl” and “The Secret Life of Pets 2,” among others. Netflix is adding a variety of new movies to their streaming service which guarantees everyone can find something to enjoy.

In addition to movies, Netflix is also adding some TV shows this month. “Nightflyers” Season 1, “The Last O.G.” Season 2, “Fuller House” Season 5, “Outlander” Season 3 and “The Magicians” Season 4 are among the titles viewers can look forward to watching.

December is looking like a good month to watch a few new movies and shows while cuddled up with some hot chocolate next to the fire. Viewers can hope that all the most popular movies and shows have been covered. If not, there are articles that readers can view to see the full list of what will be coming out this month, as well as for upcoming months ahead.

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(Facebook) Tom Hanks stars as the kindest man in the neighborhood, Mr. Rogers, in the new movie “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” that premiered Thanksgiving Day.

Hanks channels his inner Mr. Rogers in 2019’s new adaptation JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

This article contains opinion and spoilers.

Hello, neighbor. I’m glad you could join me today.

Fred Rogers is one of television’s most influential icons in history. His lessons on basic human morals shaped generations for years and still do today.

And in a turn of resurrection, his legacy was recently taken from the small screen to the big screen in “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

The film stars Tom Hanks as Rogers and splits the plot between how Rogers taught on his public television program and inner turmoil experienced by Esquire magazine writer and investigative journalist Lloyd Vogel.

Vogel’s conflict comes from a dreary past in which his father left him and his sister at a young age and was absent for the majority of his life. However, he makes his presence once again after his sister invited him to her wedding.

Things get physical during the ceremony as Vogel’s father begins to brag about his mother. Then a fight breaks out, and a dark cloud is thrown onto Lloyd.

The following day, Vogel is assigned a profile piece on Mr. Rogers, which he reluctantly agrees to take.

When he first meets Rogers, Lloyd is disgusted at how kind-hearted he really is, thinking

(Facebook) Lloyd Vogel (right), played by Matthew Rhys, is the investigative journalist who reluctantly interviews Mr. Rogers for a profile piece for Esquire.

it’s a pseudo-personality since he’s a television star.

In a 20-minute interview at WQED studios, Rogers steers the conversation off-topic and attempts to get Lloyd to open up about not only the fight, but his rocky relationship with his father as well.

This left for an awkward exchange between the two, with few questions answered.

Rogers is then rushed off to film, which cuts the interview short.

Vogel gets a call the next day from Rogers saying he left without saying goodbye and that they should reconnect once again in the future.

This is where the bond between the two comes to fruition as Vogel goes back to see Rogers in hopes of getting more answers.

Fast-forward to the middle of the movie, Vogel and Rogers take a New York City subway to Rogers’

apartment and the entire car breaks out in the song “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

Vogel now starts to see that Rogers’ respect for everyone is genuine and wholehearted, rather than a façade like he thought.

Moving forward a little further, Vogel returns home to find his father and girlfriend at his home in an attempt to reconcile. During this, his father experiences a heart attack.

At the hospital, Vogel runs into turmoil as he leaves his father’s bedside to go back to work. But the fatigue catches up to him, and he sees what appears to be Rogers leaving the hospital.

This makes him take a bus to Pittsburgh and back to the Mr. Rogers’ set.

When he gets back, he experiences a panic attack, knocking him unconscious. He sees a mirage of his wife, Rogers and Rogers’

puppets in a life lesson of forgiving those who have wronged you.

This motivates Vogel to visit his father, who is now recovering at his home, and patch things over.

The conversation between the two leads to his father apologizing for wronging Vogel and his family, seeing that it was selfish to do so.

He then tells Vogel that he was a good son, and he was proud of the person he became.

The next day, a knock on the front door brings the interaction among the family to a halt.

It’s none other than Rogers coming to check on Vogel and his father. At the end of the gathering, Rogers whispers something in his father’s ears.

“Pray for me,” he said. “For you’re much closer to God than I am.”

These words solidify the humanitarian Rogers was in his life, putting others first and setting

faith ahead of any other moral.

The movie was a work of motion picture mastery. It combined a normal Mr. Rogers episode with a real conflict between family members, only for both to combine and restore love between them.

I was taken aback, at first, by the announcement of Tom Hanks portraying Mr. Rogers, but the seasoned actor blew the role right out of the water.

It brings to life the concept of “it takes one to know one,” as Hanks, a well-respected individual, channels his inner Mr. Rogers to really splash. At times, it felt like I wasn’t watching Tom Hanks, but rather being right beside Fred Rogers.

The plot was captivating in the sense that it combined two separate things, TV and family struggle, and put them together to teach viewers a lesson in simple human morals.

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(Facebook) Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven return in “Frozen 2” with new adventures.

‘Frozen 2’ warms hearts of viewers with snowy sequel MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

The long-awaited sequel to one of Disney’s most popular movies, “Frozen,” hit the box offices right before Thanksgiving break.

Many people had high expectations of the sequel because of the quality of the first movie. The first won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. The soundtrack won a Grammy and an American Music Award. The movie was also turned into a Broadway show because of its success.

While many reviews have said that the sequel does not compare to the original film, the sequel scored only a slightly lower score on Rotten Tomatoes than the original.

The sequel follows the story of Queen Elsa of Arendale, her sister Princess Anna and their friends Kristoff, Sven and Olaf as they set off on a quest to find the source of a magic that has taken Arendale hostage.

The plot of the movie was definitely its weakest point. The group of friends travel to the Enchanted Forest, where they find a tribe of people called the Northuldra as well as a group of Arendallian soldiers who have been trapped in the forest for years.

The girls learn in the forest that their mother was Northuldrian and that the forest rewarded their mother by giving Elsa her powers.

Elsa and Anna leave the forest to continue their quest to save Arendale and free the forest. Elsa travels alone to find the siren voice that she has been hearing, leaving Anna behind.

While these events are occurring, Krisoff and Sven remain in the

Enchanted forest with the Northuldra people and the Arendallian soldiers. Throughout the movie, Kristoff has been attempting to propose to Anna. He fails multiple times throughout the movie, and once Anna leaves him in the forest and goes with Elsa, he begins to rethink his plans.

The movie ends on a happy note, with everyone safe and freed from the forest. For a period of time during the movie, it is believed that Arendale would not be saved and that Elsa would not be returning.

The soundtrack for the movie was very good, encompassing folksy songs with ‘90s rock-type ballads. While it is not as memorable as the songs from the first movie’s soundtrack, these songs definitely don’t disappoint.

The most memorable song from the film is “Into the Unknown.”

Like “Let it Go” from the first “Frozen” movie, this is a dramatic song sung by Elsa. It has an extremely catchy tune that gets stuck on repeat in your head easily.

On the sequel’s soundtrack, there is another version of the song performed by Panic! At the Disco. This version is louder and more upbeat from the version sung by Idina Menzel (Elsa) ft.

Aurora.

A few of the songs on the soundtrack have multiple versions, one sung by the characters in the film and another by popular artists. Kristoff’s song, “Lost in the Woods” has a version sung by Weezer. There is also a version of the song “All is Found” sung by Kasey Musgraves.

The overall moral of the movie is that you need to be true to yourself and to find where you truly feel like yourself. It also teaches both kids and adults that it is OK to be alone sometimes and to keep moving forward.

(Facebook) “Knives Out” stars familiar faces such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer and Chris Evans.

A murder, colorful cast of characters makes a classic whodunit mystery ANNA MECHLING Staff Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

During Thanksgiving break, my family, but mostly my dad, wanted to see “Knives Out,” a modern take on the popular murder mystery movies or “whodunit.”

The film is focused on a wealthy family called the Thrombeys. Most of the film takes place at the house of the murder victim, Harlan Thrombey, a wealthy crime novelist and the person who owns the house.

The film opens with a scene of the victim dead in his study. In this scene, Harlan Thrombey has a knife in his throat and is lying on the nook in his study.

Throughout the movie, the detectives and Harlan Thrombey’s family members investigate the murder trying to figure out “whodunit.”

It is clear that it is a person in the family or who was at his 85th birthday party who murdered Harlan.

The film included an all-star cast, including popular actors like Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis and Don Johnson, just to name a few.

Harlan Thrombey, who is the father or grandfather to many of the characters in the movie, has a lot of wealth and status, which his children and grandchildren are

eager to inherit. His children and grandchildren are well-off already because of Harlan, but they were hungry for more of his wealth and status.

He was no dummy and knew that most of his family were using him to stay afloat in life.

Before his death, Harlan was celebrating his 85th birthday party with his family and close friends. The next morning, his housekeeper finds him dead with his throat slit, apparently having died by suicide.

Marta Cabrera, Harlan Thrombey’s personal house nurse, plays a major role in his life because she is an honest and caring person, unlike most of his family members who seem to only be interested in his wealth and status.

Detectives and a private detective, Benoit Blanc (Craig) gets hired anonymously to figure out what happened.

Things get really interesting when Harlan’s lawyer comes and reads off who gets what from his will.

As the movie progresses, you learn that Harlan alienated most of his family members because they were all hungry for something of his, which include things like his company, his house and his money.

I am not going to spoil who actually murdered Harlan Thrombey because that takes away the fun of the entire movie. Go out and

see the movie; it’s a great watch.

Throughout the movie, there was anticipation, great suspenseful music and background noise and a great murder mystery vibe.

I wouldn’t say it is on my favorite movies list because, like most murder mystery films, the beginning was a tad slow. Toward the middle to the end of the movie, that’s when it started to really pick up speed, but the beginning was slow in introducing all the family members and how they were connected to each other and Harlan Thrombey.

“Knives Out” is a good movie if you’re interested in a murder-mystery type of thriller.

The movie had a good amount of comedy and laughs. Craig’s character had a horrible accident throughout the movie, but once you got used to it, it worked for the character and the overall movie.

It was fun trying to figure out who murdered Harlan Thrombey from the clues the movie was giving the audience.

I tend to overthink things and thought it was the entire family who did it, and in a way, they did because they were all hungry for his wealth, status and everything else he had, but if you pay attention and enjoy the movie, it’s a great watch.

I think the average person can figure out “whodunit” and enjoy playing detective while watching this funny film.

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Kaluuya discusses police brutality, his role in new drama ‘Queen & Slim’ PETER SBLENDORIO TNS New York Daily News

(Facebook) “Ford vs. Ferrari” stars Christian Bale and Matt Damon as the main characters.

Automobile history’s best rivalry arrives in theaters MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

“Ford v. Ferrari” tells the story of one of the biggest rivalries in automobile history.

The movie stars Academy Award-winning actors Matt Damon and Christian Bale and shows the events that transpired between Carol Shelby, played by Damon, and car enthusiast and driver Ken Miles, played by Bale.

Shelby begins as a race car driver who competes in the 24 Le Mans, a racing event held in France, in 1966. After he wins at Le Mans, he retires from racing and begins selling cars and helping manage driver Miles, whose fiery personality causes many to be doubtful of his skill.

The movie switches in the beginning from showing Shelby and Miles to showing Henry Ford II and his executive marketing team. Ford is dissatisfied with his company and wants it to be better and more creative.

They try to buy Ferrari, which is out of money, from owner Enzo Ferrari. Ferrari is offended by the offer Ford makes and the marketing team, and Ford ends up back where it started. The rejection from Ferrari makes Ford more determined to create a race car that can compete in the 24 Le Mans.

This is when Ford enlists the help of Shelby, who was wellknown in America for winning the 24 Le Mans. They want his assistance to help them produce a race car that can beat Ferrari. Shelby agrees to help and brings on

Miles to help him test the cars and improve them.

Throughout the movie, Ford’s second-in-command, Leo Beebe, played by Josh Lucas, attempts to get Miles out of the picture. He believes that Miles’ image is not good for the company and thinks that they needed a driver with a cleaner background and more docile personality.

A lot of the movie focuses on Miles’ home life and his relationship between his wife and his son, played

by Noah Jupe. At the beginning of the film, the family was quickly running out of money after the bank took their auto body shop.

Miles contemplates taking the deal with Shelby and Ford because he knows his wife might not want him to. Once he informs her of the hefty paycheck he will receive by working with Ford, she is completely on board with the idea.

Miles’ son is a huge fan of racing and takes an interest in cars and his father’s racing career. After an accidental mechanical fire resulting from a faulty car part, Miles’ son becomes worried for his father’s safety.

The acting throughout all of the characters in the movie was outstanding. Both Damon and Bale played their roles with vigor and close attention to detail, which is to be expected from Academy Award winners. Supporting actors like Caitriona Balfe, who plays Miles’ wife, and Jon Bernthal, who plays a Ford executive, bring added depth to the movie.

Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a high score of 91 percent and viewers gave it a 98 percent. Even viewers who aren’t fans of racing will enjoy the storyline of the movie as well as the acting.

From the moment Daniel Kaluuya laid eyes on the “Queen & Slim” script, the award-winning actor knew he wanted to help tell the powerful story of police brutality and race.

Kaluuya first met the drama-thriller’s writer, Lena Waithe, at an advance screening of his hit 2017 film “Get Out.” A few months later, Kaluuya and Waithe spoke about her gripping story of a black man, Slim, and black woman, Queen, on a first date who are forced to go on the run after Slim fatally shoots a hostile white police officer in self-defense.

“She told me the story and I was just like, ‘This is amazing. Can I read it?’ “ Kaluuya, 30, recently recalled to the Daily News. “She sent me the first draft. I was like the first person to read it. I read it in an hour. Complete page-turner.

I said, ‘I want to play Slim.’”

Even “Queen & Slim” director Melina Matsoukas hadn’t read the script at that point. Kaluuya was cast after she did.

In the movie out Wednesday, the mayhem begins when the officer pulls over Slim and Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) in a routine traffic stop on a frigid night in Cleveland.

The tension quickly escalates when the confrontational cop asks to search the car and ultimately pulls his gun on them, leading to a fight that ends with Slim shooting the officer with his own firearm.

“They just got pulled over and Slim is realizing, ‘This is out of my control. And the only reason why this is out of my control is because I’m black,’ “ Kaluuya said. “It’s like, ‘I can’t even deescalate this situation.’ It’s a very difficult predicament to be in, and you can see that he’s just trying to not go there, and then it goes there, and it goes in a way that he didn’t expect.”

The film premieres amid an ongoing social discussion about police brutality in the real world, and focuses entirely on the titular duo’s point of view.

“Usually in these narratives, (it’s) kind of like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna track them.’ ... They’re like, ‘Where are they? They’re in Arizona.’ There was never that,” Kaluuya said.

“It’s about humanizing the

(Facebook) “Queen & Slim” tells the story of police brutaility and race in Cleveland, Ohio.

people that are criminalized,” he added.

Christian Bale tells Daily News how he learned to drive like a race car driver for “Ford v Ferrari” role.

To get a better idea of what his fictional character would be like, Kaluuya says he visited a Costco in Cleveland where Slim might have worked, and spoke to employees. On his off days, he went to neighborhoods where Slim could’ve lived to further understand the role.

Production in Cleveland involved filming during a polar vortex when temperatures dropped well below freezing - an experience unlike any Kaluuya had gone through for a movie.

“Queen & Slim” has been compared to “Bonnie and Clyde” because it features a couple on the run from the law, but Kaluuya sees a key difference.

“The inciting incident within the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ film ... would be, like, they robbed a bank. The inciting incident in ‘Queen & Slim’ is, not that they’re black, but how they’re perceived because they’re black. That’s the criminalization,” Kaluuya said.

Rather than setting out to commit a crime, Kaluuya says, Queen and Slim were just “trying to go home.” He believes his movie’s narrative aligns more closely with the 1991 drama “Thelma and Louise.”

“Queen & Slim” is the latest film for Kaluuya that has plunged deep into a social discussion.

“Get Out,” for which he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, garnered critical acclaim as a satire examining race, while last year’s “Black Panther,” in which Kaluuya played the warrior W’Kabi, is the most high-profile film to center on a black superhero.

“I think a premise (for a film) should be, like, ‘What?’ Like, oh, there’s a horror movie about an interracial couple. ‘What?’ “ Kaluuya told The News, referring to “Get Out.” “I know ‘Black Panther’ was in the Marvel space, but imagine colonization never happened and there’s this country that exists away from the world in secret. It’s like, ‘What?’

“These are big ideas,” Kaluuya said, “and I thought ‘Queen & Slim’ was a big idea.”

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December 6, 2019

Culture

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December 6, 2019

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(Facebook) Ethan Slater plays Spongebob Squarepants in the new musical airing at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 on Nickelodeon.

Theaters are thrilled the ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ musical is airing on TV ASHLEY LEE TNS Los Angeles Times On Sept. 16, 2018, Ethan Slater braced himself for the final performance of “SpongeBob SquarePants.” The Nickelodeon musical had been open on Broadway for nine months, and it received generally positive reviews and 12 Tony Award nominations. But the Palace Theatre was closing for multiyear renovations, forcing the undersea spectacle to shutter as well.

That last audience was filled with devout fans, some who had seen the show dozens of times.

Families had flown in from out of town, millennials came dressed in cartoon costumes. And before anything had really begun, they were all on their feet and cheering loudly at the entry of foley artist Mike Dobson, who performed hundreds of sound effects that animated the actors onstage.

Backstage, Slater -- who portrays the porous, persistently optimistic sponge -- was moved to tears.

“Even though he wasn’t visible on the Broadway stage, the foley was such a quintessential part of the show,” he recalled of Dobson, who was in the orchestra pit. “It was this perfect moment when I realized that even though we were closing, our audience had understood what we were doing.

It ended up being like that for the whole show, full of these beautiful little realizations that this was the last time we were gonna perform

this musical.”

Or so he thought. Last month, the cast and creative team reunited for “The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!” which will simulcast at 7 p.m. Saturday across Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nicktoons. The airing is part of the yearlong celebration of the 20th anniversary of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” created by the late Stephen Hillenburg.

“This is something that deserves a wider audience, so we absolutely wanted to film it in whatever way we could,” said Rob Bagshaw, Nickelodeon’s executive vice president of unscripted and live events. “’SpongeBob’ has always been at the forefront of many of our tentpole characters, and the fact that it’s an existing title made it obvious for our first project. We love the results, and we’d like to do more.”

Like the many entries into the “live musical event” space -- whether airing on network television or broadcast to movie theaters through National Theatre Live -- the upcoming “SpongeBob Musical” aims to make theater accessible to a new audience.

“Even though our show always had affordable options when it was on Broadway, if you live in Kansas, a $35 ticket to the show also comes with a round-trip plane ticket,” Slater said. “As a young person who didn’t grow up in New York, this would’ve meant a lot to me. I hope this will inspire a new generation of theatergoers, who aren’t close to Broadway, to check out regional productions or go on

the tours.”

Nickelodeon’s presentation less resembles the offerings from NBC, Fox and ABC than those from PBS, Netflix and BroadwayHD. “The SpongeBob Musical” will be captured and edited for an airing rather than broadcast live.

Most of these pretaped titles do not air -- or, sometimes, are not even announced -- until after the original stage show has closed, possibly as a cautionary move to not cannibalize ticket sales.

Recently, that unofficial rule was broken when Netflix announced that Mike Birbiglia’s one-man Broadway show “The New One” would premiere on the streaming platform in a month’s time. Netflix made the announcement just before the tour began its monthlong stop at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. CTG producing director Douglas C. Baker didn’t think the Netflix news negatively affected ticket sales.

“If anything, it raised the profile of the production and brought us the attention of a lot of people who wouldn’t have otherwise known about us,” he said in a statement. “We are working in a crowded entertainment market, so any opportunity to introduce new audiences to the theater is priceless. Hopefully we hooked them on the live theater experience and will be seeing them back at Center Theatre Group for future productions.”

Bagshaw said that Nickelodeon supports both endeavors equally and that the airing might encour-

age viewers to buy tickets to the “SpongeBob” tour. Tina Landau -who directed the show on Broadway, on tour and on-screen with seasoned awards show helmer Glenn Weiss -- is OK with the concurrency, as long as the show is being seen in some way.

“For me, this show was, and continues to be, a vessel of joy and hope and optimism,” Landau said. “It has been nothing but a gift that we all want to give and share with audiences, and however we do that works for me.”

What “The SpongeBob Musical” does have going for it over network television’s other live musical events is the luxury of time.

This is the taping of a production that was created over a decade, and it features most of the entire original cast, who spent years developing their characters and played them for Broadway audiences eight times a week for nine months. They bring the brand’s beloved cartoon characters to life without wearing the theme-park bodysuits.

Slater, who perfected his personification of SpongeBob over six years, spends the entire show dressed in a gingham yellow shirt, skinny red tie and brown plaid pants. He evokes SpongeBob through a high-pitched, nasal voice and a zippy head-to-toe physicality. He even added some new bits for the taping - an extra backflip here, a riskier trick fall there.

“Ethan had some incredible moves and facial expressions that we really took advantage of

with a close-up, to accentuate moments and really bring it home on TV,” said Weiss, who directed the telecast. “It’s like the cartoon, which you’re not watching from a faraway seat. It always zooms in on his eyes, so we wanted to do that too.”

During the two-day shoot at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in England, Weiss and Landau worked together to capture as many design elements as possible: the intricate ensemble formations in “(Just a) Simple Sponge.” The apocalyptic lighting design in “No Control.” The invaluable work of foley artist Dobson, now primely positioned in a visible corner of David Zinn’s vibrant, Tony-winning scenic design.

To make the show work for a television schedule, Landau and book writer Kyle Jarrow had to identify spots for commercial breaks and trim the script by about 15 minutes. The latter was a tougher task, because every song is composed by a different songwriter -- among them David Bowie, Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Yolanda Adams, and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

“I always felt like the Broadway version was too long, but I didn’t know how to get those minutes before we opened,” Landau said.

“I was so happy with how we ended up doing it because rather than cutting any whole songs, we did small nips and tucks and somehow got it down for the time.

Coming back to this with a little distance, it was like, ‘We don’t need that favorite joke of mine.’”

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December 6, 2019

Culture

Sports

Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

Hawks feast on opponents during break STEVEN LANGDON JR. Managing Editor S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The holiday season came and went as the IUP men’s basketball team continued its run, playing three games over break and surging up to sixth in the national rankings.

The games started Nov. 23 against Bloomsburg. It was an 88– 73 win, but the game also featured a big loss, as Tommy Demogerontas (senior, school of continuing education) went down for the season with an injury.

Leading the team was Malik Miller (senior, communications media) with a near triple-double. He had 22 points to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Armoni Foster (redshirt sophomore, criminal justice) was the second-leading scorer with 17 points

(IUP Athletics) Chucky Humphries (senior, communications media) averaged seven points per game in 2019.

and pickpocketed the Huskies three times. He added four assists.

Coach Joe Lombardi and his squad had a good start, which was different from the other games

this year, scoring 54 points in the first half. The team shot 52 percent from the field and 71 percent from the line.

The second game featured two

teams that played in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament last season. The Crimson Hawks hosted the East Stroudsburg Warriors.

It was the best overall performance of the season for the crimson and grey. They beat East Stroudsburg in just about every aspect of the game as the final was 80-56.

The Crimson Hawks had a productive day off the bench. Anthony White (junior, marketing) and Ethan Porterfield (freshman, kinesiology health and sport science) led the team in scoring with 16 and 14 points respectfully.

Shawndale Jones (junior, communications media) also had a good game scoring a double-double. He scored 13 points and grabbed 10 boards in the victory.

The final game was Saturday at the Kovalchick Convention and

Athletic Complex (KCAC). IUP took on the Felician University Golden Falcons. The Crimson Hawks came out firing in route to a victory of 91–70.

IUP scored a season-high in the game as well as having six players crack double digits. The team shot over 50 percent from the field and also hit 10 three-pointers.

The turnover battle played a big role as IUP caused 22. They only relinquished seven on the day.

Leading the scoring was Dave Morris (redshirt sophomore, kinesiology health and sport science) with 17 points. Miller added another 16 points and five assists to the column.

The Crimson Hawks will look to continue their win streak as they travel to Mansfield on Saturday at 3 p.m. It will be the third conference matchup of the season for the Crimson Hawks.

Women win lowest-scoring game in team history in D.C. JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Welcome back, Hawk Nation.

The end of the semester is near, the holidays are here, and there are plenty of reasons to be in the holiday spirit.

Your IUP women’s basketball team has been on a tear as of recent. Since their first loss of the season against Glenville State, the Crimson Hawks have gone undefeated, winning their last five straight.

Before the break, the Hawks took time to look within themselves and learn from their heartbreaking 79–86 loss against the Glenville State Pioneers.

“I think we learned from what we did wrong and made adjustments so that what happened against Glenville State doesn’t happen again,” junior forward Maura D’An-

Sports

na (physical education) said.

During Thanksgiving break, IUP dominated its opponents, outscoring them 322–224. IUP is currently ranked 13th in the national rankings and is sitting at a solid 7–1 record on the season.

IUP has been focused in and has put heavy emphasis on its defense over the past few games.

“We changed to a more pressure defense and working together to get stops,” senior forward Lexi Griggs (nursing) said. “We also have been focused more on ourselves and getting better at things they can control.”

This defense was put on full display in their latest game against the University of D.C. The Hawks limited the Firebirds to a measly 34 points in a low-scoring affair in which the both teams combined for 74 points.

This was the lowest-scoring game in IUP history. The Hawks

(IUP Athletics) Maria Cerro (freshman, education) played seven minutes in Washington, D.C.

limited UDC to an anemic 20.8 percent from the field, which was the lowest field goal percentage from an opponent since 2012.

Despite the Firebirds’ 3–5 record

December 6, 2019

before the game, the Hawks were dialed in.

“Our focus into this game was taking what we struggled with last game and being better at it,”

Griggs said. “Then, after this game, we will find something else to grow on. We are always focused on finding the open man and turning defense into offense.”

The Hawks seem to have hit their stride in the past five games and are playing a very clean brand of basketball. With a team that is averaging 13.3 assists per game, sharing the ball and chemistry has not been an issue for this squad.

“As every practice and game goes on, we see improvements all over in each other,” D’Anna said.

“We are starting to read each other’s tendencies more. We are able to when someone is hot and get them the ball.”

With their next matchup against a struggling 2–5 Mansfield squad, the Hawks will hope to continue their hot streak and continue to build upon the solid foundation of teamwork they have laid out to start the season.

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Sports

First-round loss to Shepherd eliminates Hawks from playoffs JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

That’s a wrap, Hawk Nation.

The Crimson Hawks’ football season has come to an end with their 31–27 loss against Shepherd in the playoffs.

The No. 18 Hawks played a tight game with the Rams that came down to the wire. Both squads put up prolific numbers on the offensive end, totaling 976 yards combined.

The IUP offense fought hard the entire game. Quinton Maxwell (senior, business) had a solid outing, throwing for 312 yards and two touchdown lobs to JoJo Gause (redshirt senior, communications media) and Jacob Watts (redshirt sophomore, finance).

Samir Bullock (senior, criminology) had a career day with a game high 137 yards against the Rams.

Sadly, IUP’s offensive efforts ultimately came up short.

After taking a three-point lead

(IUP & Shepherd Athletics) Shepherd’s last-minute touchdown spoiled Samir Bullock’s (senior, criminology) 137-yard rushing performance.

with 1:40 left in the game, Tyson Bagent led Shepherd’s offense to victory with a 23-yard touchdown pass. With only eight seconds left, there was nothing IUP could do to bridge the gap.

“They have a good offense.

You have to give them credit,” head coach Paul Tortorella said in his Nov. 25 edition of the “Coach Tortorella Show.” “We played good offensively, and our defense

didn’t complement our offense this game.”

Shepherd lost in the following game to Slippery Rock, who will face Notre Dame (Ohio) on Saturday for the Super Region One title.

As for IUP, the team led the PSAC in sacks but was unable to get to Shepherd’s quarterback all game. Overall, it was a tough game for the Crimson Hawks against a great opponent.

While they ultimately came up short in attaining a national title, the Hawks’ season was one full of other successes and historical moments.

IUP had one of the highest-scoring games in program history with a 77-point outing against Lock Haven. The Hawks saw major contributions from a variety of players who had historic seasons of their own.

Maxwell set the single season

record for passing yards with 3,129.

He also broke the touchdowns responsible for record with 38 touchdowns. Both records were previously held by Andrew Krewatch.

Duane Brown (sophomore, sport administration) had 19 total touchdowns this year which tied for third most in school history.

Damon Lloyd (senior, exercise science) was a monster defensively, finishing with 384 total tackles which is sixth most in school history and was nominated as the PSAC West defensive athlete of the year.

The Crimson Hawks had recovered from their struggles of the year prior where they had missed the playoffs and dominated their competition.

Sometimes, the final box score doesn’t do justice for those involved in a season of highs and lows. This team had plenty of positive takeaways from this season and will hold on to them.

The 2019 season has now officially ended, and the new challenges are just beginning.

‘Duck,’ Steelers earn revenge on Browns, hold playoff spot JAKE TAYLOR

Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726

This article contains opinion.

Is anyone surprised?

The Cleveland Browns’ season has come to an end at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Honestly, I am happy Browns fans thought they were going to win for once. Year after year, it is an automatic victory, but for some reason, Cleveland thought this year would be a different outcome.

They were too busy making light of the crime committed that Thursday night to understand how bad their organization is. Could you imagine having the most talented wide receiver duo in the league, leading rusher in the NFL and No. 1 overall draft pick at quarterback and still stink?

I can only imagine winning with a fourth-string practice squad QB and without the team’s Pro Bowl wide receiver, running back and center.

Some 11-year-old kids can man-

(TNS) Undrafted Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges defeated former No. 1-overall selection Baker Mayfield Sunday.

age and coach their Madden ultimate team better than Freddie Kitchens and John Dorsey do a professional football team.

Going into Week 14, Mayfield stands as the worst statistical starting QB in the league. Enough talk about the Browns, though; I’m getting nauseated.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now sitting in a playoff spot. Their efforts this season have been unparalleled

across the NFL. No other team has battled through this much adversity and injury, let alone succeeded amongst it.

The Steelers have lost five games this year. Excluding the short week loss to the Browns, Pittsburgh’s other four L’s have been at the hands of New England, Seattle, San Francisco and Baltimore.

Notice how the four of those teams are the top two seeds in their

respective divisions, not to mention how competitive Pittsburgh was in most of those games, losing by no more than four points to Seattle, San Francisco and Baltimore.

The team seems to have a new spark on offense with starting quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges.

The fans and team are both visibly excited about what he brings to the table. With healthy players returning shortly and the schedule

remaining ranking fourth-easiest in the league, there shouldn’t be much to worry about for Pittsburgh.

They are in control of their destiny now.

I never thought I would say this, but if the Pittsburgh Steelers make it to the postseason, Mike Tomlin needs to be a coach of the year finalist. Through all the offseason shenanigans, a year full of injuries and no HOF quarterback, it is safe to say Tomlin has handled it successfully.

After a 1–5 start, not one person said with confidence the Steelers would be playing in January. Coming into the year, I had Mike Tomlin on the hot seat, and after Ben went down, I was worried it would give him an excuse to have a bad year.

However, he has proven the opposite. Mike Tomlin can coach a winning team without Ben, and that says a lot. Let’s hope for the best closing out the season but specifically in Arizona this weekend.

I predict a 28–17 final, TJ Watt 2.5 sacks, Devin Bush and Steven Nelson with INT. As for the offense, Hodges 250+ and two TD’s.

Sports

December 6, 2019

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30

December 6, 2019

Sports

Start, Sit & A Campus Newspaper SETH WOOLCOCK

pass-catching back James White, who is coming off a 37.7 fantasy point performance.

This article contains opinion.

Running Back I’d Sit This Week: Chiefs’ Running Backs (Kansas City): Darrel Williams is now on IR. Damien Williams is still banged up. And LeSean McCoy, RB35, has been serviceable at best this season.

With the Patriots the No. 1-ranked team against the ground game, it’s not worth risking your season on a Kansas City running back.

Instead, maybe check out some potential streaming candidates at the position like Miami’s Patrick Laird or Minnesota’s Alexander Mattison.

Sponsorship Coordinator S.M.Woolcock@iup.edu @DFF_SethW

You know, when I first walked into The Penn it was Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016.

I was barely 18, no more than a buck-thirty.

I thought I knew a lot about the world then.

I didn’t.

No, I was just a kid who dreamt big and knew writing was at the core of those dreams.

I had never written a true journalistic story.

I had never used AP Style or conducted an interview.

But strangely enough, for some reason when I walked through that door, the one that you can still hear opening from a mile away, I knew I was home.

Little did I know, that not only were two of my future best friends there as members of the editorial staff, but the girl I would fall in love with over the next three and a half years was also there, sitting at the writers’ table – probably as anxious as I was about the whole thing.

I wanted to take a story that day.

I wanted to try and show that I was legit.

I wasn’t.

But by the time I had finally dug up the courage to take one, there was only a single story remaining – one about a jazz-funk band coming to play a show at a local dive.

Fast forward three and a half years.

I sit here on the brink of my college graduation, still writing for The Penn.

It feels as if I have come full circle in just a short time.

Following my first semester writing for The Penn, I was promoted to lead culture writer. And at the end of the spring semester, it turned into the position of culture editor.

Less than a year later, I was the paper’s editor-in-chief (EIC), leading the transformation of The Penn

The Penn has been an award-winning newspaper in recent years.

from its historic print version to an all-digital format.

With the help of some amazingly talented individuals, we were able to completely redesign The Penn.

Now fully equipped with a digital issue, podcasts, news and comedic videos, all compiled into a newsletter and a website, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that The Penn is now the gold standard for collegiate media as a whole in Pennsylvania.

Following my time as EIC, I took a summer internship with the IUP Student Co-Op, the nonprofit of which The Penn is an entity.

By the time this fall, my final semester at IUP, rolled around, I was back again at The Penn. This time, I was working on the advertising side of things as the sponsorship coordinator in addition to writing this weekly column and producing a podcast.

Overall, some people might say that I wasted valuable time of my college experience by spending so much of it at a newspaper that in a week I’ll leave behind.

But I can whole-heartedly say those people would be wrong.

Because of The Penn not only do I feel like I can do anything I set my mind too. But The Penn has also given me friends and a love that will last a lifetime.

It has allowed me to become

one with both the IUP and Indiana communities. And isn’t that what college is really all about?

Whether it likes it or not, The Penn will always be a part of me now as it truly has been one of the most influential components of my life.

Thank you to all those who came before me, helped me along my journey and those who in the future will work hard to maintain not just The Penn itself, but the spirit and love within it.

Now, let’s get to it.

Quarterback I’d Start This Week: Carson Wentz (Philadelphia): There you go, Philadelphia fans, are you finally happy? After a trio of spots on my sit list this season, I’m finally saying go ahead and start Carson Wentz this week.

Look, it hasn’t been a great season for both Wentz, QB12 on the season, and the struggling 5–7 Eagles.

However, he has most of his weapons back healthy, and he’s facing the New York Giants on Monday Night Football at Lincoln Financial Field. The Giants’ defense continues to struggle, allowing an average quarterback rating of 101.70, and you have to think the Eagles will show up in a primetime game following an embarrassing

(The Penn archives)

loss to the Dolphins in Week 13.

Quarterback I’d Sit This Week: Sam Darnold (New York Jets): On the surface, the overall numbers tell you that Sam Darnold should be a smash play against the Miami Dolphins who allow the second-most points allowed to opposing quarterbacks.

But Darnold wasn’t great in Week 9 when he faced Miami, producing only 12.5 fantasy points.

With the fantasy football playoffs upon us and so much on the line, I would advise playing Darnold only if you truly are desperate at the position.

Running Back I’d Start This Week: James White & Sony Michel (New England): Well, it doesn’t get any easier than this one. Kansas City, the Patriots Week 14 opponent allows more fantasy points to opposing running backs than any other team.

The Patriots, who have struggled on offense as of late, will probably come out with a run-heavy game plan to keep the ball out of Patrick Mahomes’ hands and to combat the weather in Fox Borough – Favoring Michel.

And if the Patriots do find themselves trailing to the Chiefs, this should also be favorable to

Wide Receiver I’d Start This Week: Alshon Jeffrey (Philadelphia): Wow, two Eagles on my start list.

This better get me some brownie points with not just Philadelphia fans, but the in-laws, too.

But in all seriousness, Jeffrey has been great when out there this season – averaging 13.6 fantasy points per game.

Also averaging nearly nine targets per contest and probably going to be covered by Janoris Jenkins who’s been constantly burned this season, I like Jeffrey a lot in this one.

Wide Receiver I’d Sit This Week: Mohamed Sanu Sr. (New England): Hopes were high that Sanu Sr. was going to be great in this New England offense following his 24.1 fantasy point performance in Week 9.

However, he’s accumulated a total of only 18 yards on five receptions since then.

Because the Chiefs have been so fair at covering receivers so far this season (tied for fourth), hopes are not high for the former-Falcon this week.

Mix in the possible run-heavy game plan and he’s all but unplayable this week.

Sports

December 6, 2019

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December 6, 2019

Sports

(Facebook) Derek Shelton (left) and Ben Cherington (right) were hired this offseason as the new manager and general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bucs’ future looks bright after Cherington, Shelton hires JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

This article contains opinion.

It’s the dawn of a new era, Pirates fans.

While many Major League Baseball franchises are hard at work signing free agents in the early stages of the offseason, the Bucs took an alternative route as they began building from the ground up.

To most, these changes are long overdue and come as no surprise.

Let’s take a look at these offseason moves and see how they affect the Pirates in the long run.

Strolling down Cherington Lane: Rejoice, Pirates fans!

After a recent downward spiral in player transactions and organizational turmoil, the Pirates relieved general manager Neal Huntington of his duties in hopes of bringing in someone with a modern approach to baseball.

That man was Ben Cherington.

Yes, I can hear the angelic choir now.

Cherington found success as

general manager with the Boston Red Sox through their 2013 and 2018 championship teams and his contributions to those teams.

He brought in notable names and key players that filled gaps and solidified Boston as a perennial contender in the MLB. Some of those names were Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Stephen Drew and David Ross.

One major theme sticks out to fans when they see these names: the vast majority of catchers.

Why this sticks out is that Pittsburgh has not had a solidified catcher since Russell Martin from 2013 - 2015, and they are in desperate need of a leading backstop.

Cherington also fits the role of a quick-transitioning leader for an organization.

For years Bucs’ fans witnessed the resurrection of “old school” style baseball, which means spend low and win big. Long story short, it hasn’t panned out for them, and a breath of modernized strategy and key transactions could revive this organization.

Underrated hirings: This move took place a few weeks ago, but assisting Cher-

ington will be the (now former) director of amateur scouting of the Toronto Blue Jays, Steve Sanders.

Sanders brings a keen eye for young talent and player development, as he helped bring the Jays’ farm system from 26th to fourth in the MLB in a four-year span.

Moreover, he worked alongside Cherington as a scouting assistant in the Boston Red Sox front office in 2012.

While Cherington can sign notable talent, Sanders can eye out which breakout talent will have the most impact in the future.

It’s Shelton season: After a prolific tenure and two playoff appearances, the Pirates and manager Clint Hurdle have gone their separate ways following an abysmal 2019 campaign.

While it was time for Hurdle to walk the line, it was also time for a new leader in the clubhouse.

That person is former Minnesota Twins bench coach Derek Shelton.

Shelton was hired as the team’s 41st manager in history Nov. 28 and was formally introduced to the public Wednesday.

His main goal at the moment is to build player development and

chemistry, following multiple incidents in the clubhouse last season, and get them back to prominence as early as possible, despite having a lengthy journey ahead.

“The timetable is something as we build our roster and work through we are going to have a better idea of,” he told TribLive.

“Answering that Dec. 4 is going to be a little tougher than when we get to Bradenton (in Spring Training) and start to move forward.”

Skeptical or fully-confident in the hire, it will be interesting to see where Shelton leads the Pirates for the next few years. If he leads them to prominence, expect a long-term deal in the future.

If no improvement is shown the next two years, you may see another offseason hire.

Cutting dead weight: In the midst of the front office/ staff hirings, the Pirates have snuck in a few transactions that may benefit both the players and the organization as a whole.

Beginning with mandatory 40man roster adjustments, they designated four players who saw significant time in the Majors during the 2019 season.

Those players are Montana DuRapau (RP), Luis Escobar (RP), Williams Jerez (RP) and Dario Agrazal (SP).

While the first three passed waivers, Agrazal was traded to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations, giving him an opportunity at becoming an ace while the Pirates bring in more money for free agency.

In exchange, the Pirates added notable prospects in Blake Cederlind (RP), Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B) and Will Craig (1B/3B) to the 40-man roster.

In addition, they opted to not tender the contract of catcher Elias Diaz, who started the majority of the season after Francisco Cervelli was injured and later traded.

Diaz, 29, hit just .241 and two home runs on the season and led all catchers in errors.

Fans speculate that Cherington and Shelton did not re-sign Diaz to work together in signing a notable catcher this offseason. The last notable free-agent catcher signed

by Pittsburgh was Russell Martin in 2013.

Could these moves mean a contending Pirates team? Or more of the same?

Sports

December 6, 2019

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December 6, 2019

Sports

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December 6, 2019

Sports

35

Oilers dominating score sheet after first month TYLER COMO

Staff Writer T.D.Como@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

One month down, and another month closer to playoffs.

Even though the playoff picture is constantly changing, it’s still the endgame for each of the 31 teams.

There are always the few teams that lead the pack late into the season, but this year seems a little different.

Of the top three teams in each division, there are five teams that didn’t make it to the playoffs last year. These teams have proven they’re ready to compete, and it has shown from the start.

Similarly to what the Tampa Bay Lightning did last year, the Boston Bruins are blowing away the Atlantic Division. Boston currently sits in first place with a record of 20–3–5.

On Tuesday night, the Boston Bruins shutout the Carolina Hurricanes 2–0 and extended their winning streak to eight games.

It also marked Bruins’ backup goaltender, Jaroslav Halak’s, 500th game in the NHL. Boston is one of two teams that have two players ranked within the top five point-getters.

Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak’s stats are virtual opposites.

Marchand has tallied 18 goals and 26 assists, while Pastrnak has 25 goals and 18 assists. They’re at pace to break 130 points by the end of the season.

The next Boston player isn’t ranked till the 42nd spot in points: Patrice Bergeron. Considering they are still ranked first in the league, I doubt Patrice minds giving the spotlight to his teammates.

Even though they’ve been tallying points like snowflakes on the ground, both Bruins are only ranked third and fourth. They fall at a close pace behind two other commanding point leaders for the Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

All four players are ranked in the top five for goals scored, in addition to Washington’s captain,

(TNS) Leon Draisaitl (No. 29) is one of the top scorers in the NHL.

Alexander Ovechkin. McDavid and Draisaitl both have 32 assists, but McDavid has one more goal (19) than Draisaitl (18), which places him first in overall points. The Oilers rank first for the Pacific Division with 37 points.

The Oilers missed the playoffs last year by a narrow margin. But they’re sitting pretty on top of their division this season.

The same can be said for the team ranked in first place in the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues. After losing double header games against the Nashville Predators, St. Louis pushed through the competition over the past week to remain undefeated in the past four games.

The Blues’ win streak was snapped by their second game against Pittsburgh. In Wednesday’s matchup, the Blues were shutout 3–0. The Penguins kept a consistent barrier with their defense and goaltending. Despite injury affecting both of these teams, it doesn’t seem to be slowing either one of them down.

Through November, the Blues won only when they tallied three

goals or more, excluding one game against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 5, in which they scored only two goals but beat the Canucks in OT. Jordan Binnington currently ranks within the top five goaltenders for wins but is tied with Tuukka Rask and Frederik Andersen with 13 wins. Binnington even has himself an assist.

How could we mention first place teams, or Stanley Cup champs for that matter, without bringing up the Washington Capitals?

The Caps seem to have the same comfortable ranking season after season. With the talent they have on their team, it’s hard not to. Star goaltender Braden Holtby ranks second in wins among goalies, trailing behind Winnipeg Jets netminder, Connor Hellebuyck.

To be fair, they both have 14 wins.

Hellebuyck sits in first only due to a better save percentage and one more game played compared to Holtby.

Alexander Ovechkin is a force on his own. He sits in second, behind David Pastrnak, in goals scored, with 20 making it behind the net-

minder. But Ovi isn’t the only star for the Capitals. Defenseman John Carlson ranks sixth with 40 points, behind Colorado Avalanche center, Nathan MacKinnon, with 42 points.

Where most teams are starting to find their stride, some are having a little harder time, like a baby deer just born trying to find its footing.

One of the most surprising teams that have had more trouble than expected is the New Jersey Devils. Despite its pickups of P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds and Jack Hughes over the offseason, it seemed the team brought in more players and ae looking like what the Vegas Golden Knights were supposed to look like their inaugural year.

By the end of November, the Devils were looking for a new head coach. John Hynes spent five years with the Devils after being hired after a stint with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but did not succeed as well as intended. Though going through injury and some adversaries within the goaltending, New Jersey just wasn’t meant to be for Haynes.

Alain Nasreddine was named the Devils interim coach until they

find a suitable replacement. With their head coach being fired and ranking 30th out of 31 teams, there is some talk of Taylor Hall possibly being traded. But for now, they are just rumors.

But the Devils aren’t the worst team in the league, which is relatively good news. The Detroit Red Wings are ranked in last place, and with a record of 7–20–3, it’s hard to see the positives, but teammates try to remain optimistic.

They’re going into one of the longer breaks before they play their next game. It’s good news to them because they can try to work out the kinks after going 0–8–2 in the past 10 games. Detroit is tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for games played (30), which means less time practicing.

Through their extended off time, coach Bashill stated they’ll take time to practicing the basics, as well as learning to just enjoy the game they’re playing. But like many teams, they’re going through some significant injuries.

All in all, Detroit is hoping to get back into Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at home.

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December 6, 2019

Sports

Flyers melting ice as hottest team in NHL AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

The Broad Street Bullies were the hottest team in the month of November in the NHL. The Flyers had a good start at the very beginning of their season.

Shortly after, they did take a little slide and in November have turned it around greatly.

I still think that the turning point of the season was that 7–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. No one likes to get embarrassed like that, especially when it’s a big rival.

That game was back on Oct. 29, and that was right before the Flyers showed that they’re a team to be reckoned with, not only in the Metropolitan Division, not only the Eastern Conference, but the whole league.

There were many reasons why the Flyers were so successful. I’ll start with the goaltending duo in Philadelphia.

Both Carter Hart and Brian El-

(TNS) The Flyers won 10 games in the month of November.

liott put up some amazing wins in November. I think the Flyers have at least a top 10 best goalie duo in the NHL with Hart representing the younger talent and Elliott representing the veteran talent.

Elliott let in four goals in one game against Toronto earlier in November, which was a shootout

loss. The Flyers blew out the struggling Detroit Red Wings and the talented Maple Leafs for their last Toronto date of the season. These were both 6–1 home victories for the Flyers. The stellar defense and goaltending have complimented the Flyers victories in these games.

The adding of Matt Niskanen

and Justin Braun was a great addition for the Flyers. It’s not that the Flyers never had talent on the blue line; it’s just that it was younger talent. Shayne Gostisbehere had a little bit of a rough start to the season and was a healthy scratch by Alain Vigneault but has improved in the last few games.

Gostisbehere got himself back in the goal column by winding a missile past Frederick Andersen late in the demolishing win against the new coach Sheldon Keefe and his Maple Leafs.

Many people must also know that some of these opponents that the Flyers have beaten were not easy. They tallied wins against Boston, Montreal and Carolina twice both on the road and at home, and still got points during losses to Washington and tough a New York Islanders team.

This shows right here that the Flyers can compete with the best and do it in tight games.

The scoring for the Flyers has been very good, getting third-and fourth-line players involved, such as Scott Laughton and Tyler Pitlick,

who have been doing a great job getting in the opponents’ end of the ice, making plays and scoring opportunities happen and showing they are more than just third and fourth line players. To be an all-around offensive and defensive team, you need every line to play every night to stay at the top.

Travis Konecny leads the team in assists and points and pretty much put up one point per game, which is very good in this league nowadays and tougher than you’d think.

Of course, we cannot forget about Oscar Lindblom, who is having a great season and leads the team in goals.

Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek, Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov and Matt Niskanen are also some of the top players and veterans who are big contributers to this success.

The Flyers will hope to have the same success in December and the rest of the season, including tough matchups against the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres, all of whom are in the top half of their divisions.

Weak NFC East keeps woeful Eagles in postseason hunt AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

The Philadelphia Eagles are holding on for any chance to make the playoffs this NFL season.

The only way this year to enter the NFC playoff picture is for the Birds to win the NFC East. The only other team competing for that top division spot with the Eagles is their rival, the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys have the bigger edge right now with a slightly better record, and they have the upper hand with more division wins.

Dallas sits at a 6–6 record, and the Birds are at a 5–7 record. The Eagles have also played only two division games so far this season, and they finish their season off with all divisional opponents, which should be an easier task as they have one of the easiest schedules to close off the season.

The word “easy” doesn’t come

(TNS) The Eagles lost to the 2–9 Miami Dolphins, but are just a game behind Dallas in the NFC East.

nicely all the time as the Eagles blew a win they should have had against the Miami Dolphins last week.

Looking at this Eagles team, it’s not looking good. At the very least, they have been maddeningly inconsistent thus far.

We knew the offense was struggling all year, and Philly’s best offensive games were against Washington, Green Bay, Buffalo, and we can’t forget the weak Jets.

The defense was a different story throughout this season for sure.

They’ve been dealing with multiple

injuries earlier on in the season and still played the best they could. The last three games aside, that Miami bash had the Birds stopping their opponents and giving their offense a chance to win games that they need to if they want to see football after New Year’s.

Now the Birds are facing a tough situation: win all or go home.

Luckily, the Dallas Cowboys still have a few tougher opponents like the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams, so I hope one of these opponents can beat Dallas.

Dallas has been the same way as Philly this season: inconsistent. So, we will have to see what happens.

That Miami loss for the Eagles had me mind-boggled. The Eagles were up in the game by a couple of scores. The Dolphins had nothing to lose, so they did what they did to a couple of opponents already and went out and played the best they could.

So really to sum up everything, the Birds need to accomplish a few things. Play defense the way they did against the Bills, Bears, Patriots and Seahawks. And they have to get their offense going, whether it’s Carson Wentz stepping up in the passing game or letting his running backs step up the running game to get the job done and to get some scores up.