4-10-18

The Pitt News The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | April 10, 2018 | Volume 108 | Issue 145

BAKLAVA AND BELLY DANCERS:

Students experience Beirut culture

SUGAR COATED: DONUTS OUT, INSOMNIA IN Salina Pressimone Assistant News Editor

Xinyu Li (left), a senior majoring in microbiology, Victoria Wright, a junior majoring in ecology and evolution, and Ying-Tung Chou (right), a junior majoring in applied developmental psychology, represent Panther Belly Dancers and perform a traditional belly dance at the A Night in Beirut event in the William Pitt Union Monday night.

Isabelle Glatts | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR

Remy Samuels Staff Writer The sweet smell of baklava wafted in the air as gentle Arabic music welcomed Pitt students of different ethnicities and cultures for a Middle Eastern experience.

Students wandered the room, chatting with their friends, dipping pita bread into hummus and getting henna tattoos.

According to Amani Attia — the coordinator of Arabic Language program — this evening replicates what Arabs do when they get together.

“It’s a very relaxed environment,” Attia said. “When Arabs get together, they relax, they listen to music. [This event] is a way for people to get to know one another.”

Pitt’s Arabic Language & Culture Club hosted A Night in Beirut in the William Pitt Union Kurtzman room Monday evening, inviting about 40 students and faculty members across all departments.

Since the club mainly focuses on teaching students the Arabic language and helping them with their Arabic classes, the event was intended to give people more of a sense of Arab culture, which is often underrepresented, according to Jamie Nassur — a junior political science major who is also one of the leaders of the Arabic club.

“We just want to bring awareness for the Arabic culture here because there isn’t really a big part of Pitt that’s dedicated to Arabic students,” Nassur said.

While students ate traditional Middle

Eastern foods, they explored different stations with activities like learning how to write their names in Arabic calligraphy and playing Arabic scrabble. After conversing and listening to music for about an hour, it was time for the Panther Belly Dancers to perform.

In blue, purple, pink and yellow flowing costumes, the four belly dancers moved their hips back and forth to three different Arabic songs. Silver coins and beads lined their hip skirts, jingling as the group spun and moved about the room. The dancers performed with colorful scarves draped around their shoulders, which they twirled in the air as they danced. They also wore small finger cymbals and clapped them together to create See Beirut on page 2

Meyran Avenue’s sweet spot is shutting down — but “donut” worry, something else is coming along to make that late night insomnia manageable.

Insomnia Cookies is set to replace Peace, Love and Little Donuts in the near future as Meyran’s newest eatery. The donut shop launched in the Strip District in 2009 and has since expanded across the country to states such as Oregon, West Virginia, Ohio and Texas, but most of its locations are in Pennsylvania.

Insomnia announced last June it was coming to Pittsburgh’s South Side, but the opening on Meyran is set to take a second location in the City. The popular college franchise specializes in baking customizable cookies daily until 3:00 a.m., and delivers to customers across the country beginning at 10:00 a.m. It has established offices in New York and Philadelphia, since a student from the University of Pennsylvania founded it in 2003, and it has spread to more than 100 locations.

The company released cookie options that will be available at the South Side location, which include Chocolate Chunk, Snickerdoodle, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup and the S’mores Deluxe. It will offer a free cookie to those with a coupon at its grand opening.

An opening date and menu of cookie offerings for the Oakland location is still to be determined — you’ll have to see how the cookie crumbles.

News

Panelists discuss intersectionality in sexual assault Zane Crowell Staff Writer

Students gathered Monday night to listen as six panelists discussed how intersectionality plays a role in sexual assault.

The panel consisted of Krithika Pennathur, president of Pitt Unmuted; Rose Barone — who prefers to go by Sawyer — executive assistant of Rainbow Alliance; Albert Tanjaya, advocacy chair of the Pitt Asian Students Alliance; Daniel Jacobson Lopez, a doctoral student in the School of Social Work; Ami Fall, a Student Government Board member and Kayla Williams, a rape survivor. Professor Gabby Yearwood, an associate professor of the department of anthropology, served as moderator for the panel.

The panelists responded to a series of questions, both curated and from the audience. Yearwood began the session by asking what was missing from current educational

models concerning marginalized groups.

“First of all, you need representation from the marginalized groups first,” Sawyer, a sophomore microbiology and philosophy of science major, said. “They’re missing words and experiences from the marginalized communities themselves.”

Lopez brought up studies related to education and reporting procedures. According to Lopez, research studies have determined that people feel most comfortable when talking to someone from the same marginalized community.

“There hasn’t yet, as far as I’ve seen, been one best practice used across the United States on college campuses when we talk about policies and educational programming,” Lopez said. “They have found that when peer educating on rape and sexual assault prevention ... it’s best when it’s the same gender.”

While they discussed education as the best form of sexual assault prevention, panelists also addressed what types of oppression — such as a fear of retaliation from the victims community, or fear of losing one’s job — can contribute to specific marginalized groups and how a member of the community could react to sexual assault and violence. Tanjaya, a sophomore computer science major, said his environment impacted his behavior. He grew up in a Southeast Asian community and said he was generally taught to hide emotions or problems that could be perceived as weak.

“I was raised on ‘Anything related to family matters is a private matter,’” Tanjaya said.

“So anything that happens in the house stays in the house.”

Yearwood asked the panel about barriers that could keep victims of sexual assault survivors from reporting what happened to them. Sawyer said sexual crimes against

Beirut, pg. 1 more noise.

Victoria Wright, a junior majoring in ecology and evolution, spoke on behalf of her fellow dancers when she shouted out to the person working the music.

“We love noise, so turn up the volume!” she said.

Wright said every week, the Panther Belly Dancers receive lessons from a local professional belly dancer who teaches the group basic steps and choreography.

Wright said one of the main goals of the club is to desexualize this form of dance and bring it back to its Middle Eastern roots.

“Belly dance originated as a social dance,” Wright said. “So men, women, children, people of all ages, all genders [and] all body types did it. When it came to America, it kind of became sexualized, but back in the Middle East where it originates it’s not like that.”

Wright said belly dancing shouldn’t have this stigma attached to it because it

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Anthony Verardi, a part-time Arabic instructor and Pitt alumnus, writes out people’s names in Arabic as part of the A Night in Beirut event hosted by the Pitt Arabic Language and Culture Club.

Isabelle Glatts | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR is meant to be a beautiful thing that incorporates “hundreds of different styles.”

“You can do a belly dance to hip-hop music, you can do it to Metallica ... you

can do it to anything and just have fun,” Wright said. “It’s also a great workout.”

Ying-Tung Chou, a junior majoring in applied developmental psychology, said

April 10, 2018

marginalized groups are sometimes underreported because survivors fear no one will believe them.

“When you’re marginalized, it sometimes seems like your word doesn’t matter as much as somebody else’s might,” Sawyer said.

Fall, a junior political science and psychology major, said people may be hesitant to report a crime, because of the social consequences. And in a small community, accusing someone of sexual assault could be divisive and cause conflict.

“By reporting them and bringing that to life, they’re [the perpetrator] going to be there if you don’t report it, and they will be there if you do,” Fall said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, we know that person, there’s no way.’”

Find the full story online at

pittnews.com she started off dancing hip-hop but recently discovered belly dancing and fell in love with it when her friend at Pitt told her to try out for the club.

“My favorite move would be the undulations,” Chou said. “It’s sort of like a body wave. In hip-hop you also have body waves but it’s all over the place and more aggressive. It’s more elegant and subtle in bellydance.”

After the performance, Wright led a belly dancing competition in which she invited students to learn how to do different moves with her fellow dancers.

The students gathered around in a circle and attempted hip swivels and undulations, laughing and enjoying themselves.

Junior psychology and linguistics major Sara Taha said she enjoyed watching the performance and participating in the event as a whole.

“I just hope more people learn to see Arab culture in a positive way because there’s so many misconceptions surrounding it, and I really hope people can see it and appreciate it for what it actually is,” Taha said.

2

The Pitt News Editor-in-Chief

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April 10, 2018

3

Opinions

column

from the editorial board

Erie diocese’s list of abusers demonstrates openness to change April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie has started the month off by releasing a list of 34 priests and 17 laypeople who it believes have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct over the past several decades.

The majority of the accused were never criminally charged but had allegations brought up against them that prohibited their involvement with the church. Of the accused priests, 21 are deceased, including Bishop Alfred M. Watson, who apparently failed to appropriately respond to allegations of sexual abuse in his parish.

The decision to list the names of former priests and where they live might come across as an unnecessary act of aggression toward people who have not been officially charged with anything. There will be repercussions for those named, whether they’re guilty or not, and the inclusion of deceased offenders on the list may seem counterproductive as well.

But it allows their survivors to legitimize their experiences of abuse and encourages current survivors of abuse to make their own cases by showing they are not alone in their abuse. And the fact that the diocese has essentially outed its own members suggests the legitimacy of the accusations and shows that serious actions need to be taken to fix the situation of unreported abuse within the church.

The Erie Diocese released its list three weeks after the Diocese of Buffalo published a list of 42 priests who have left, retired or been removed from the ministry due to allegations of

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sexual abuse. Erie’s list has drawn attention due to the decision to include laypeople in its accusations.

Erie’s release indicates the diocese’s seriousness in the face of rising scrutiny of its conduct and a sense of responsibility for sexual abuse in the Catholic church. This may prove to be the catalyst for internal changes in the way the church handles these cases.

The release was accompanied by a statement from Bishop Lawrence Persico updating the diocesan policies regarding sexual abuse. New policies include clarified definitions of abuse and what is necessary for a case of abuse to be substantiated and a more extensive role for its Office for the Protection of Children and Youth, which has updated its website with the Diocese of Erie’s list.

The diocesan decision to out past offenders is a strong move that shows Erie takes responsibility for priests and laypeople who have previously served in its parishes, even if the accused offenders no longer live in the region.

Erie’s solution is new, but the problem is not unique to the diocese to our north. The Diocese of Pittsburgh has not released a similar list as of yet, but they might consider doing so as well to help move toward a more open culture. While these cases of abuse are old — Perisco acknowledges in his statement that one goes as far back as 1944 — Erie’s reaction is a step toward fixing current instances of abuse in the church by raising awareness of the abuse that has long gone unreported within its organization.

Remember Rana Plaza by shopping ethically

The Rana Plaza building was a five-story garment factory that collapsed in April 2013 after the building’s owners ignored warnings to avoid using the building the day before. Via Wikimedia Commons

Sandra Fairclough For The Pitt News At a textile factory in Dhaka District, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, workers were beginning to worry.

Increasing evidence warned them that the building was unsafe — such as cracks in the walls and structural shaking. Most were nervous to return to their jobs. But their employers told them they had no choice — get back to work, everything was fine.

April 24 marks the fifth anniversary of the tragedy of Rana Plaza. On that day in 2013, 1,127 employees died when the building collapsed. Searches went on until May 13,with firefighters, soldiers and police officers digging through the rubble trying to find more bodies beneath the debris.

By that point the number had risen to 1,134.

Rana Plaza was a building in Bangla-

April 10, 2018

desh that housed many clothing factories, where department stores such as JC Penny, the Children’s Place and Walmart held their production. The building’s collapse was one of the largest industrial accidents the world has ever seen, but isn’t the only one of its kind. Many clothing factories in the Global South are structurally unsafe, and unfortunately, these dangerous workplaces are the source of a majority of Western clothing companies’ merchandise.

These clothes start off in the hands of poor garment workers, who work long hours in terrible conditions for an average of $68 a month. The goods are then shipped to Western countries, where they appear in our favorite stores, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Forever 21, H&M, Walmart, Macy’s, Nordstrom — the list goes on. What these companies have in common is that See Fairclough on page 5

4

Fairclough, pg. 4 they all use sweatshop labor.

Simply put, companies outsource their clothing production to less developed countries, like Bangladesh, because it’s easy to exploit workers there. Most people in the Global South have no other choice but to work at a factory for minimal amounts of money. There just aren’t any other jobs — or if there are, they are potentially more dangerous than working in a factory. Companies use this as an opportunity to ignore workers’ rights, force laborers to work 14hour days and pay them meager salaries.

How does this translate to us as consumers in the West? The answer is complicated. Improving technology over the past 20 years or so has made quick and cheap outsourcing possible, and the extra items produced by workers in the developing world need to go somewhere. Thus, retailers introduced the phenomenon of fast fashion to Western consumer culture around the turn of the millenium. Instead of just two seasons of fashion per year, there are now about 52 seasons of fashion per year, with new, cheaply made clothes filling up stores every week or so.

As a result, I’ve noticed that every time I go into a store, the clothes are always different. There’s a rhetoric of “Need it now!” and “Buy it before it’s gone!” — before the next batch of fast fashion is shipped in.

Western consumers are only too eager to comply — fast fashion sales in the United Kingdom, for example, increased 21 percent from 2014 to 2017. After all, who can resist that $7 dress and mindless advertising?

One of the biggest issues is a lack of awareness. After watching the 2015 documentary “The True Cost,” directed by Andrew Morgan, I was horrified. I couldn’t believe people just sat back and let such clear violations of human rights continue.

Even walking past a Forever 21 on the street made me sick. But part of the issue is people don’t know about it. They see the label on their clothes and they don’t really think about what it means — which is exactly what these giant corporations need from us.

Next time you’re getting dressed or purchasing a new pair of jeans, look at the label inside. Does it say Made in China or Made in Bangladesh? India, Vietnam, In-

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donesia — these are just some of the more popular places companies will go to exploit extreme poverty.

It is as much our responsibility as it is the duty of the brands to support our fellow humans who live elsewhere. Part of that responsibility is awareness, both of the situation and of how our own actions can affect it. Any time we hand over our money to a company that uses sweatshop labor, we endorse it.

Of course, it isn’t an easy thing to shop ethically all the time — in fact, it’s quite difficult in a global world. But there are certainly ways that we can be aware as consumers and try to shop ethically as much as possible.

First, we can support ethical brands.

This means researching the brands you buy from. Just type “ethical brands for” whatever you want into Google. You can also look for companies that are fair trade — meaning the company pays fair prices to producers in developing countries. An example of one in Pittsburgh is the Culture Shop, with locations on East Carson Street in the South Side and on South Craig Street in Oakland.

Stores like these don’t come with a cheap price tag. One of the biggest issues with ethical and fair trade brands is that they can sometimes be very expensive.

If this is the case for you, another tactic to keep in mind is shopping vintage or thrifting when possible. By purchasing clothes from these locations, you aren’t endorsing companies that use sweatshop labor, and you are also most likely supporting a small business.

An integral part of fast fashion culture is consumers’ willingness to buy clothes they only somewhat like because they’re cheap. Next time you’re shopping, only go for clothes that are high quality or that you absolutely love. This wasteful, materialistic aspect of our culture is a large contributor to the existence of sweatshop labor. It’s also very important to love, value and take good care of the clothes that you already own. Make them last.

Keep in mind the victims of Rana Plaza on April 24. This tragedy may have happened five years ago, but the details behind it are more relevant than ever, and the decisions we make today can have a positive effect on preventing more tragedy from happening in the future.

Write to Sandy at smf109@pitt.edu.

The Pitt News SuDoku 4/10/18 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

April 10, 2018

5

Culture

Maxo Vanka’s legacy lives on in Millvale Murals

Neena Hagen Staff Writer

As a town known for its iron manufacturers and lumber mills, Millvale seems like an unlikely place to house a spectacular art collection.

The former industrial borough — located at the northernmost tip of the Allegheny river trail across the 40th Street bridge — doesn’t boast much in terms of outward appearance.

Mimicking its surroundings, neither does St. Nicholas Croatian Church — one of two Catholic churches in Millvale that belong to Pittsburgh’s diocese.

But looks are deceiving in this case. Little do most Pittsburghers know, tucked inside that rundown, banal exterior lies an art collection that lures art enthusiasts from all over the world — the murals of Maxo Vanka.

In his only major undertaking, Croatian artist Vanka painted an unparalleled masterpiece on the blank interior walls of the church — 25 murals created in two bursts in 1937 and 1941.

Vanka’s first painting — at the very front of the church — is somewhat traditional. He painted “Mary, Queen of Croatians” in regal Croatian garb, with Mary and Jesus both wearing crowns and surrounded by intricate, angelic imagery.

But viewing the collection of paintings as a whole reveals that Vanka’s masterpiece is far from traditional. While the church features ample imagery with larger-than-life stills of Mary and Jesus, just as many murals depict graphic violence and grinding poverty — and even overtly display anti-government sentiments.

Some picture Croatian peasants kneeling in morning prayer. Others show Christ on the battlefield — with Mary grabbing a soldier’s rifle in a fit of rage. Vanka’s “Justice/Injustice” is perhaps the most notable of his anti-war paintings.

While he represents “Justice” using an ordinary angel, “Injustice” transforms that angel into a Darth Vader-like figure donning a black mask and wielding a blood-drenched sword.

Vanka doesn’t stop at warmongers — he skewers greedy corporatists as well. Featured prominently on the Vanka murals Facebook page, “The Capitalist” depicts a dejected black servant serving a luxurious dinner to a wealthy

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The mural “Mary, Queen of Croatians” is one of many created by Croatian artist Maxo Vanka in the 19th century. Courtesy of Rob Long white business owner.

No one recognized these murals as special until the 1980s, when the church staged a play titled “Gift to America.” Theater lighting revealed the murals’ deteriorated condition and the potential of proper lighting. So in 1991, several church members — including lifelong St. Nicholas attendee Diane Novosel — helped develop the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka.

The society served a dual purpose — to protect the murals against weathering elements and to promote the murals to a wider audience outside the church.

Novosel — current docent and former president of the society — said Vanka, a self-described socialist, used his artwork to rail against social injustice.

“He tried to depict the struggles of the Croatian community — struggles he also faced as an immigrant,” Novosel said. “He wanted church members to be able to look up at the walls and see themselves embodied in every brushstroke.”

The society — a nonprofit organization separate from the Church — is taking steps to

preserve those brushstrokes.

According to Anna Doering — managing director of the society — the ultimate goal is to turn the church into a fully functioning museum and center for religious worship. The process for that includes fielding a team of conservators to repair the paintings from salt and heat damage and installing LED lighting to illuminate the paintings without harming them in the process.

“We have a core team of six conservators at the moment,” Doering said. “The entire process could take up to five years.”

But while the paintings are far from finished, tourists can rejoice in the fact that the church still offers tours every Saturday at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Andrew Stefanick — docent manager and Pitt alumnus — believes everyone will find something they’re looking for in these murals because they touch on such a wide range of topics, from art to religious history and politics.

“The great thing about these murals is that they interest such a wide range of people,” he said. “In our tour groups, we had people rang-

April 10, 2018

ing from Croatian tourists to students at local universities.”

The society boasts docents who cater to every perspective. While many tour guides only specialize in art history, some are actually active parishioners at the church — and can explain the religious significance behind every painting as well.

According to Stefanick, church attendees find the murals awe-inspiring. And with a 400 percent increase in tourism just last year, donations to the church have been trickling in — a community contribution most churchgoers certainly appreciate.

Novosel also values the society’s attempts to educate the church community — and Millvale more broadly — on the paintings.

“Before the society, when I was going to St. Nicholas as a kid, no one ever talked to us about the murals,” she said. “We knew they were unusual but knew nothing about their history or significance.”

Still, she admits the murals aren’t universally loved.

“Some people find the imagery too dark for church — an environment that’s supposed to be warm and inviting,” she said.

But even though some have scoffed at Vanka’s political message, Novosel believes the society’s concerted effort to promote Vanka’s artwork has raised an awareness and appreciation for the murals throughout Millvale’s Catholic community.

“To a certain extent, it’s bridged the divide between Catholics and non-Catholics, too,” she said. “Vanka wasn’t really pushing a political agenda — he was simply unapologetic about his socialist views and wanted to portray the authentic immigrant experience in America.”

Once viewers realize Vanka never intended to offend anyone, they can actually appreciate the murals’ historical significance — and, of course, soak in the spectacular imagery.

“There’s a real partnership [the society] has with the members of the church,” said Doering.

“It’s their congregation first and our museum second — but really it’s a community center, so we try to preserve it as best we can.”

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review

Out with the old, in with the Crave-A-bowl

Derek Wagner

For The Pitt News After Qdoba’s sudden and disappointing closing, a new restaurant quickly popped up in its place.

Crave-A-Bowl, the ambiguously named newcomer to the Oakland food scene, opened just over a week ago and has generated a fair amount of buzz due to it replacing the popular burritobased spot.

Owned by Pittsburgh native Christina Yannacci, Crave-A-Bowl is not a chain but rather the first of it’s franchise. Specializing in “fresher, quicker food,” Crave-A-Bowl is a much-needed reprieve from the generally unhealthy food peddled by most Oakland eateries. All of the “signature bowls” on the menu are loaded up with assorted veggies, including many niche options — such as capers, Kalamata olives and zucchini — that are hard to find in the fast-food world.

In addition to the aforementioned signature bowls, customers are free to pick and choose from the many options on the line.

The theme of healthy eating continues with vegan-friendly ingredients such as quinoa, kale and tofu. With the exception of protein add-ins

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and a few other toppings, all ingredients are unlimited — similar to Chipotle and the late Qdoba.

Following the distinctly millennial trend of customer-designed food creations, Crave-A-Bowl lives up to its slogan — “Build what you’re craving.”

The pricing at Crave-A-Bowl is comparable to many places along Forbes Avenue. With the standard 16-ounce bowl priced at $6.99 and a shareable 32-ounce bowl for $9.99, you get about as much food as you’d get with a normal portion at Qdoba or Noodles & Company, though the fresher ingredients prevent the leaden feeling that often accompanies eating at those places.

For the customers with more voracious appetites, though, a regular-sized bowl may be insufficient to fill you up — my stomach was grumbling again after only an hour. And for students used to paying with cash, be mindful — Crave-A-Bowl does not accept cash, so be sure to have your credit or debit card on you if you want to eat.

The food itself was more impressive on paper than in reality, but it was still on the right side of average. The fresh veggies added the expected boost in taste, and the sheer number of different ingredients in the signature bowls created unex-

pectedly complex flavors. It is clear that plenty of thought went into the design of each bowl – especially the Thai Bowl, which resembles a ricebased Pad Thai.

For Qdoba fans who mourn the loss of the restaurant and yet cannot bring themselves to desert to Chipotle, Crave-A-Bowl offers a burrito bowl, complete with queso. The only bowl that seems suspect is the Buffalo Bowl, which successfully brings the heat but uses unorthodox ingredients like jalapenos and a red hot barbecue sauce that detour from typical “Buffalo-style” offerings.

Although the restaurant’s food quality is about equal to that of Qdoba and its contemporaries, Crave-A-Bowl does not currently offer the kind of discounts that made Qdoba such a popular late-night destination. According to Yannacci, however,Crave-A-Bowl will likely accept Panther Funds in the near future. Yannacci also says that the eatery is working on a rewards program, which will help make Crave-A-Bowl a more economical place to frequent.

The new crew did little to change the layout of the former Qdoba, but the minor changes they did make helped to liven up the atmosphere. A new pastel blue paint job has transformed the

April 10, 2018

restaurant from the distinctly dark and somewhat dreary eatery that was Qdoba into a brighter, crisper environment.

The walls are mostly bare — an understandable detail given the speed with which it opened.

And in case you were worried, the customizable Coke machine has carried over to Crave-A-Bowl, lessening the blow of the lost Qdoba drink deal.

The restaurant also seems to be committed to keeping itself clean, learning the lesson of its predecessor. By bringing in experienced general managers, Crave-A-Bowl is clearly setting out to do things right. While just sitting around for an hour, I saw employees sweeping or wiping tables multiple times, which was refreshing given the admitted dirtiness of Qdoba.

Crave-A-Bowl is understandably rough around the edges, as most newly opened restaurants are. The impressive variety of options, combined with reasonable prices, makes CraveA-Bowl a worthy addition to the Forbes Avenue food gauntlet.

Many of us are still upset at the departure of Qdoba, especially myself, but in light of this loss I advise everyone to give Crave-A-Bowl a shot and support a locally owned business.

7

Sports Pitt gymnastics sets the bar with record-breaking season

Jon Shaiken Staff Writer

Looking back on Pitt’s season, it is hard not to be impressed with the progress the gymnastics team has made under first-year head coach Samantha Snider.

Despite finishing at a meager 7-18, new program records and history-making performances defined the Panthers’ season.

The Panthers closed out their 2018 season April 7 at the NCAA Regional Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Seeded fifth in the competition, they performed to expectations, finishing in fifth place with a score of 195.125. UCLA won the event with a score of 197.650. This was Pitt’s first trip to Regionals since 2013.

During the meet, Pitt put up a 49.125 on bars, which falls in the top 10 in program history. Individually, five Panthers had top-10 finishes, including first year Haley Brechwald, who tied for eighth on the floor after posting a 9.875.

Brechwald has been the catalyst for the team, earning EAGL Rookie of the Year honors. She collected 12 individual titles in 11 meets this season and now holds three of the top-10 all-around scores in program history.

The team has also found leadership in its seniors, as Catie Conrad was the second-winningest gymnast on the team with four individual event wins this season. Two of her four came on bars early in the season at Jan. 13 and Jan. 20 meets.

Conrad tied with multiple other gymnasts for first at both events.

The 2018 squad now owns six of the top-10 program scores, including the event record 49.275 — which was set twice this season, on Jan. 20 and March 24.

Snider also coached the team to the second best overall score in team history March 4 with a 196.475 mark. On beam, Snider got the best out of her squad, tying the program record with a 49.125 Jan. 20.

Overall, the team has posted at least one

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top-10 score in program history in every event this year.

It was during that Jan. 20 meet against New Hampshire that individuals shined, with Pitt bringing home seven individual titles that day, including a three-way tie for first on bars between Brechwald, Conrad and junior Lucy Brett. Sophomore Alecia Petrikis took home her only individual title of the year during that meet, winning vault. Brechwald won three of her 12 titles that day, and Conrad won two of her four.

It was a rocky year in terms of wins and losses. Aside from the New Hampshire meet, Pitt did not win a single meet outright. The team came in second at two quad meets, falling short to Auburn Feb. 11 and finishing behind Penn State March 4.

Pitt was able to hold its own at home, going 4-4 during meets at the Fitzgerald Field House. It was when the Panthers traveled that they struggled, going 1-6 away and 2-8 at neutral locations.

There is plenty of room for improveCatie Conrad, a senior, was the leading gymnast on bars for Pitt’s gymnastics team this year. John Hamilton | MANAGING EDITOR ment for next year, as the Panthers failed to beat a ranked opponent. The closest they came to this mark was at the Feb. 11 meet, when they edged out conference opponent NC State, who had been previously ranked No. 25 earlier in the season.

Looking toward next year, Pitt is only losing three seniors, and Brechwald will be bolstered by a group that has another year of experience under its belt. The loss of Conrad will be a difficult one to compensate for, but the team seems ready to step up. In fact, 11 gymnasts set career highs this season.

While the record might not reflect it, Pitt has plenty to be pleased about this season. The Panthers hope to get better in 2019, both as a team and as individual performers. If Coach Snider is able to cultivate a culture of consistency, look for an The Pitt gymnastics team placed fifth at the NCAA Regional Champion- improved record and more history to be ships in Columbus, Ohio, this past Saturday. Courtesy of Pitt Athletics made next year.

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PANTHER SPOTLIGHT: Liam Sabino, Kayla Harris, Claudia Bartoleme Alex Lehmbeck Staff Writer Conference play is well underway for spring sports, with some Pitt teams performing much better than others. As regular seasons come to a close, here are some standout athletes of the last few weeks.

Liam Sabino After dropping its first three series in ACC play against Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Duke, the Pitt men’s baseball team pulled off a surprising 2-1 series win over the Virginia Cavaliers this weekend. The Panthers won the last two games after dropping the first, and with the 4-1 victory Sunday, the Panthers had their first series win over Virginia in program history.

Redshirt junior Liam Sabino gave the Panthers the early momentum with a home run in the first inning to put them ahead 1-0. His offensive spark that game was representative of his importance to the team.

Sabino — a transfer from Vanderbilt University — has been the Panthers’ best batter this season. He leads the team in home runs with seven, hits with 31, total bases with 61 and stolen bases with 14.

He’s tied for third most stolen bases in the ACC, and he’s only been caught stealing once.

Sabino has continued to put up big numbers. In the Panthers’ 8-7 win over Duke last Saturday, Sabino stole three bases. He followed that up with three hits against the Blue Devils the next day.

The Panthers play host to Kent State Tuesday, April 10, before travelling to Morgantown for the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia April 11.

Kayla Harris Pitt softball, unlike the baseball team, has risen since conference play began.

The Panthers are 9-5 in the ACC and have won four of their five series against

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ACC opponents. They have received a great boost from senior starting pitcher Kayla Harris.

Harris leads Pitt’s pitching staff this season in ERA with 1.94, shutouts with five, and win-loss percentage with 88.9.

She posts an 8-1 record this year, and her walks allowed per seven innings — 1.16 — is the 39th best in the country and second in the ACC. Since ACC play started, Harris has stepped up even more, going 4-0. Her ERA in conference games is 1.24, and ACC opponents have only managed one home run against her in six appearances.

She earned possibly her most impressive start of the season against Virginia Tech March 23, posting a complete game shutout with only four hits and one walk given up.

The Panthers will look to bounce back from their first ACC lost series when they host Georgia Tech this weekend.

Claudia Bartolome The Pitt women’s tennis team is still looking for its first win in conference play. The Panthers, who went 6-1 out of conference, are 0-10 in the ACC. The team only has eight players on its roster, with one senior — Callie Frey.

First year Claudia Bartolome has been Pitt’s only consistent performer this year.

Playing at the third and fourth spots in the lineup, Bartolome has the best singles record on the team this year at 17-8 and is the only Panther with a winning record in conference play at 5-3. She has won 11 of her last 14 matches overall. In Pitt’s 6-1 loss to Virginia Tech March 23, she earned the team’s only win of the day.

Pitt has four more opportunities to win an ACC match in the regular season, with two home matches against Georgia Tech and Duke, before traveling to NC State and UNC to end the season. The ACC tournament will take place in Cary, North Carolina, from April 25-29.

April 10, 2018

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• NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

For Rent North Oakland 3 BR Apartment on 732 S. Millvale Ave. Available August 1, 2018. $1320-$1620 +gas & electric.

412-441-1211. info@ forbesmanagement. net. www.forbesmanagement.net.

South Oakland 2 Bedroom Apartment. Rent: $1599 + electric. Available August 1, 2018 on Louisa St. 412-441-1211. info@ forbesmanagement. net. www.forbesmanagement.net.

2 BR apartment, newly painted, hardwood floors, appliances. Private home - 2 & 3rd floor. 2,000 sq. ft. Rent includes all utilities. $850/mo.

412-498-7355.

Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

Mckee Place. Newly remodeled. Some have laundry on site.

Minutes from the University. For more info please call Mike at 412-849-8694 Available May 2018: House for rent in South Oakland. Large 4 bedroom, 2-story house with basement. 2 bathrooms, fully equipped eat-in kitchen, living room, dining room, front and back porches, full basement w/free washer and dryer.

Near universities, hospitals, and public transportation. Contact: 412-337-3151 Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unrelated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Permits, Licensing & Inspections.

412-255-2175.

House for rent. South Oakland. $2100.

412-337-9916

3BR house on Niagara Street $1000/mo +all utilities. Recently renovated with new windows, wiring, cable installed in all rooms. No pets. On Pitt shuttle route. Near Pittsburgh Playhouse.

Call 412-303-4716.

M.J. Kelly Realty.

Studio, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes and Houses.

N. & S. Oakland from $750-$2500. mjkellyrealty@gmail. com. 412-271-5550. www.mjkellyrealty. com

Apartments for rent.

2, 3, and 4 bedroom apartments available. Some available on Dawson street, Atwood street, and

STUDENT HOUSING. Updated 4, 5 & 6 Bedroom Houses w/ multiple baths. Dishwasher, laundry, some w/ air conditioning

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Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

and/or parking.

August availability.

412-445-6117.

Studio & 1 Bedrooms Available Fall 2018. Heat included.

412-261-4620.

Various size apartments available in South Oakland.

Newly listed for fall 2018. Call John CR Kelly Realty for details: 412-683-7300 or visit: www.jcrkelly. com

Shadyside 1 bedroom luxury apartment. 2 apartments available in a beautiful brick home with private entry, private laundry, off-street parking or garage, newly remodeled throughout. Kitchen w/ Dishwasher, Granite countertop & more!

Located on Morewood Avenue, 15 minute walk to Pitt/ CMU, Walnut Street.

5 minutes to UPMC Shadyside, West Penn Hospital. One block to Busses, hospital/ Pitt/CMU shuttles and many restaurants.

Available August 1st, 2018. No Pets. $1095+ g/e. Call Jason at 412-922-2141.

Pics/info: tinyurl.com/ morewood1br

notices

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

R A T E S

Insertions

1X

2X

3X

4X

5X

6X

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1-15 Words

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$27.00

$30.20

+ $5.00

16-30 Words

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+ $5.40

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Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

Shadyside Shadyside: STUDIO($750), 1 BEDROOM-($850), 2 BEDROOM-($1140).

Excellent location.

Fully-equipped kitchenette, A/C, wall-to-wall carpeting, Near Pitt shuttle bus stop. Between Walnut Street and Ellsworth shopping districts. No pets. Includes heat.

412-628-1686.

Southside SOUTHSIDE FLATS 1, 2,and 3 BR houses and apartments, some with AC. Call Mike 412-708-1695.

Rental Other 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 houses available. August 2018. South Oakland: Bouquet St, Lawn St, Ward St. North Oakland: Bigelow, & Craig St. Call 412-287-5712.

The Pitt news crossword 4/10/18

I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet

Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2018 & sooner. Oakland, Shadyside, Friendship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availability online, check out www.forbesmanagement.net, or call 412.441.1211

April 10, 2018

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Employment

ble. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Distribut-

Volunteering

ing mail, answering

PLEASE CALL TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE POSITION: 412-469-3100

the door and phone, Looking for volunteers to coach basketball at Sacred Heart Elementary School in Shadyside for 2018-2019 school year. Girls/boys teams grades 5-8.

Clearances required.

Contact Jennifer McPeak at jlmcpeak@ burnswhite.com, 412-310-3816.

Employment Other Comfort Keepers,

minor lifting of supply boxes, campus deliveries and general office duties as requested. We are looking for an individual

caring individuals.

Caregivers work

SUMMER WORK

MUST HAVE LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION

Shadyside Management Company needs full-time dependable landscapers, painters, and assistant roofers for the summer. Must be at least 18 years old. No experience necessary. $10/hour plus additional attendance bonuses are available, if earned.

Work involves landscaping, painting, roofing, and general labor. Perfect summer job for college students!

FULL OR PART TIME WORK DEPENDING ON YOUR NEEDS

Mozart Management phone: 412-682-7003 email: thane@ mozartrents.com

WORKING DAYS ARE MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY (WEDNESDAYS THE POOL IS CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE)

The Financial Information Systems department at the University of Pittsburgh is seeking a part-time student employee for an Assistant Support Assistant position.

This position will assist with the triage of tickets received by the help desk. Additional duties will include assisting with the inventory, installation, and troubleshooting of computers, mobile devices, and printers.

Daily tasks will also include general office duties, such as picking up and delivering campus mail, ensuring printer consumables are in stock, stocking the breakroom supplies, etc. This is a

who is reliable, well organized, and able to multitask. Fluent in Word & Excel. Please send resumes to: coreadmi@pitt.edu

SUMMER LIFEGUARD NEEDED FOR RENTAL OFFICE

a Post-Gazette Top Workplace, is seeking

Employment Other

alongside seniors to provide companionship, light housekeeping, personal care services. Flexible hours available. If interested call 412-363-5500 Join KEYS Service Corps, AmeriCorps.

Mentor, tutor, and inspire Pittsburgh area youth. Summer and fall positions with bi-weekly stipend and education award. Full and part-time. Possible internship credit.

Call 412-350-2739. www.keysservicecorps.org

Our department is seeking a student worker for a year-round position

MUST BE ABLE TO CLEAN THE POOL WHEN NECCESSARY TO BE FREE OF LEAVES OR DEBRIS, MUST PUT IN DAILY CHEMICALS AS REQUIRED FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE POOL

with an 8:30 am start time 4 days per week.

Schedule can be flexi-

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PAY IS $11 AN HOUR (PAY IS TWICE A MONTH)

great opportunity to learn about computers, mobile devices, printers, and software!

Pay rate of $12/hour.

Anticipated 20-37.5 hours/week. To apply visit www.pittsource. com and search posting # S-06376-P.

Wanted: Part Time, Weekend, & Seasonal Servers & Lifeguards Private country club looking for part time lifeguards and servers.

Food and beverage product knowledge and experience is required for server position. Weekend, evening and holiday availability is very important.

Please apply in person at:The Pittsburgh Golf Club 5280 Northumberland Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Or contact Chris McVay for server position.

And Don Weiss for Lifeguard position at 412.621.4530

Services Health Medical and Heart Care, Students Welcome, 155 N. Craig Street, Dean Kross, MD, 412-687-7666

Services Other Phlebotomy Training Centerwww. justphlebotomy.org 2 evening classes weekly, 5 weeks + excellent Clinicals.

Call 412-521-7334.

April 10, 2018

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April 10, 2018

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