Hurricane Ida slams Louisiana coast
Spice up your life with these cooking shows
P 7
P 12
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
VOLUME 100 ISSUE 4
www.ulmhawkeyeonline.com
September 13, 2021
Critical race theory must be taught in schools P 4
ULM remembers 9/11 with faculty talks, ceremony P 6
Soccer buries Braves 7-0 P 14
Residence hall visitation suspended P 8
PAGE 2
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
BRIEFS d
CALENDAR Monday, September 13 Banking on the Brain, 7 p.m., Zoom
Tuesday, September 14 Burgers on the Bayou, 5:30 p.m., Quad
Wednesday, September 15 BCM lunch, 11:30 a.m., BCM building
Thursday, September 16 Journaling for Joy, 7 p.m., Zoom
Friday, September 17 No events planned
Saturday, September 18 CAB tailgate, 1:30 p.m., the Grove
Sunday, September 19 No events planned
Louisiana
North Carolina
North Korea
Ouachita Citizen- Ouachita Parish sheriff's deputies arrested a Monroe man on suspicion of aggravated assault with a firearm and false imprisonment last week after authorities conducted a welfare check for a woman on Burney Drive. Deputies were told the suspect, Kenneth Sisk, 56, of Monroe, threatened to kill the victim with a gun. The victim told deputies Sisk placed a gun inside his pants pocket and claimed he was taking the gun in case he needed to use it on her later. During questioning, Sisk claimed he and his wife calmly discussed text messages in which she said she wanted a divorce. Sisk had the gun on his person when he met with deputies. Sisk was booked at Ouachita Correctional Center.
MCT- A Louisiana man heading home after evacuating ahead of Hurricane Ida was killed in a fiery nine-car pileup that closed part of Interstate 10 on Thursday, according to local authorities. Timothy Achee, 29, of Metairie was returning from Houston, where he and his family fled to avoid the storm last month. While riding in a vehicle with his father and brother, a tractor-trailer failed to stop and slammed into a line of stalled traffic on the highway, Simmers said. Achee’s father and brother survived the crash with minor injuries, WAFB reported, citing authorities. The driver of the big rig, identified as Jack Duff III of Mobile, Alabama, was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide and reckless operation, Simmers said.
MCT- A defendant enraged by a guilty verdict was shot in the head Thursday after he rushed toward a Person County judge and tried to grab a deputy’s gun, officials said. Two deputies were reportedly injured. Sheriff Dewey Jones said the incident happened around noon at the courthouse in Roxboro and that one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition. “There is not a community threat,” Jones said in a statement. “The courthouse will remain closed throughout the remainder of the day.” Louisburg attorney Boyd Sturges said he had spoken to a judge and identified the man as Christopher Thomas Vaughn, who was charged with false imprisonment after being accused of trying to coerce a female from a Walmart.
MCT- North Korea appears to have resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor that produces plutonium, a key material used to make nuclear weapons, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a report by the U.N. atomic agency. The move would create an additional foreign policy challenge for the Biden administration, whose nuclear envoy visited Seoul last week amid threats of a “security crisis” from Pyongyang. The Yongbyon reactor appeared to have been inactive from December 2018 until the beginning of July this year, the Journal cited the report as saying. Last Sunday, Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, said the U.S. has no hostile intent toward North Korea, and the ongoing U.S.-South Korea military exercises are routine and defensive.
Man allegedly threatens to kill wife
Hurricane Ida evacuee Defendant shot after Production of nuclear reactor resumes dies in 9-car pileup attacking judge
d
QUOTE
Monroe
TODAY IN HISTORY
HONORING LIVES LOST
"History is entirely created by the person who tells the story."
September 13 1759: British forces defeat the French in the Battle of Quebec.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer and actor
1986: First recorded automobile fatality in the U.S. occurs when Henry H. Bliss is struck by a taxi cab while crossing the street in New York City. 1990: Law & Order premieres on NBC.
1996: Tupac dies after being shot four times in Las Vegas. Front page credits: Main photo: ULM photo services Top sidebar photo: ULM athletics Bottom sidebar photo courtesy: ULM photo services Top left graphic courtesy: Associated Press
2001: Osama bin Laden named as prime suspect after 9/11 attack.
photo courtesy ULM photo services
The City of Monroe hosted a remembrance ceremony at Bayou Pointe to honor the lives lost 20 years ago in the Sept. 11 terror attack.
2009: Kanye West interrups Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for the Best Female Video award at the VMAs to say Beyonce should have won.
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 3
BRIEFS
Academics
TRIO camp helps 1st generation freshmen transition into college The TRIO program’s Student Support Services hosted its sixth annual WINGS College Transition Camp in August. The camp is an opportunity for first generation freshmen to successfully transition into college. The 16 students who participated went to Wild Country Safari in Delhi as a STEM learning activity. The students learned about school, career and finances through workshops and activities. A session was also held for parents and family members to learn how to support the students during their
college years. Mystee Burrell, the co-associate director of the TRIO programs, said programs like this are important because while first-generation students are just as smart and as motivated as other students, they often lack the resources to succeed in school. “These obstacles directly affect retention and graduation rates amongst first-generation students and demonstrate why college transition programs like the TRIO-SSS WINGS Camp are vital to their success,” Burrell said.
photo courtesy ULM photo services
graphic courtesy ULM Career Center
School of Allied Health
Jessica Lasiter receives Spring 2021 Outstanding Faculty Award Jessica Lasiter was chosen last week for the Spring 2021 Outstanding Faculty Award by the School of Allied Health. Lasiter is an associate professor and the director of medical laboratory science. She came to ULM in 2010 after working at Rapides Regional Medical Center as a compliance coordinator. The factors taken into account when choosing Lasiter for the award included teaching effec-
tiveness, professional development and service to the community. Donald Simpson, dean of the College of Health Sciences, said Lasiter gives her students experiences that aren't available anywhere else. “She provides the comprehensive didactic and hands-on clinical practice that assures success for our graduates in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine," Simpson said. photo courtesy ULM photo services
PAGE 4
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
September 13, 2021
OPINION
Social Issues
Critical Race Theory stirs unneeded concern
Crystal Mathews Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past few months, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about Critical Race Theory, or CRT. A quick Google search shows parents flooding school board meetings with concerns over children being taught that they are inherently racist or devalued based on their skin color. Indeed, this would be cause for concern if it were being taught in schools. The thing is—it’s not even being taught in schools. And the anger and controversy surrounding the topic is unwarranted.
According to Kimberlé Crenshaw, one of the legal scholars that coined the term, there are no K-12 curriculums in the U.S. that include CRT. In fact, CRT only exists as a graduate level law school course. CRT is a collection of academic studies that allows legal scholars to evaluate the relationship between law and race. It’s mostly used as a tool to examine the way some laws have been created to benefit or hinder certain racial groups. Some well-known examples in American history include Jim Crow laws, and more recently, legislation that promote gentrification. So why do so many parents think their children are being taught CRT? Crenshaw believes that the theory, which originated in the 70s, is receiving attention now because of its name. “Critical Race Theory” sounds scary enough to stir people into a panic. Even though CRT is not taught in Louisiana schools, that didn’t stop Louisiana Rep. Ray Garofalo from proposing a bill that would ban it.
With a seat on the House Education Committee, he felt he should fight for Louisiana’s education system and said that children should be taught “…about everything dealing with slavery, the good, the bad and the ugly.” I’m sure you can imagine how that went over. The truth is CRT is not a dividing force in America. It’s not even in our school systems. If it were, it would only teach our children how to better identify when laws are being written with ulterior motives. Who would think that’s a bad thing? I know I would want my children to have the tools to recognize injustice in the legal system. If children receiving comprehensive education is scary, then we need to reevaluate what scares us. When people panic over an imaginary situation, we need to ask questions about who is spreading that information and what they might gain from it. contact Crystal Mathews at mathewca@warhawks.ulm.edu
photo courtesy Pixabay
COVID
Random testing keeps students, faculty safe
Sabina Dahal When you receive an email stating that you have been randomly picked to take a COVID test, it might seem like a waste of time. But getting tested is necessary to keep our university safe According to the CDC, institutions of higher education should have serial testing if they have the capacity to do so. This is why ULM began to randomly test students and employees on Sept. 7. Because the variant is spreading rapidly, ULM chose to test both those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated.
The COVID pandemic has spread across the world, infecting millions of people and causing illness and death. Nobody is safe from COVID unless the appropriate safeguards are taken and followed. That is why, at an educational institution where a vast number of individuals assemble on a daily basis, testing is a necessity. Even though the health and safety guidelines are followed by the university, we all come in contact with many different people every day. It would be impossible to know if any of those people are infected with COVID. The chances of a carrier being among the students and faculty is highly likely, and in the case of an outbreak at the university, the results would be disastrous. Since there have been cases where vaccinated individuals are the ones who cause virus transmission, it is important to test both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, faculty
and staff. However, testing unvaccinated individuals should be prioritized because the chance of them being a carrier is much more likely. Everyone wants to be safe from COVID. This is the main reason students and faculty should be tested. Random testing is beneficial because it can help remove students and faculty who have or carry the virus out of classrooms. Random testing gives a high likelihood of detecting an outbreak in its early stage. If a certain percentage of the people being tested are found to be infected, testing should be made a requirement for all students, faculty and staff. The health and safety of the ULM community should be of the utmost concern for ULM because the overall well-being of the university depends on it. contact Sabina Dahal at dahalsa@warhawks.ulm.edu
Stubbs 131 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209 Editor-in-Chief - Loryn Kykendall Co-managing Editor News - Chloe Chapel Opinion Editor - Carley Nail Freestyle Editor - Uchechi Owunna Sports Editor - Cameron Jett Multimedia Editor - Saugat Shrestha Co-managing Editor Art - Sunil Bishwokarma Photo Editor - Calli Sinclair
The opinions expressed in personal columns are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinions of the editors, staff, adviser or the university. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Hawkeye’s editorial board, but not necessarily the opinions of the adviser or the university. The Hawkeye (USPS #440-700) is published weekly except vacation, exam & holiday periods by The University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA 71209. Annual subscription price is $15.00. Periodicals Postage Paid at Monroe, LA 71203. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hawkeye, 700 University Ave., Stubbs 131, Monroe, LA 71209-8832.
318-342-5453 ulmhawkeyead@gmail.com Assistant Director: Courtney Collins 318 342 5450 ccollins@ulm.edu Feedback 318 342 5453 newsroom 318 342 5452 fax ulmhawkeye@gmail.com
Don’t agree? Let us know! Contact the writers or the editor at nailcn@warhawks.ulm.edu
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 5
OPINION
Public Health
Texas abortion law: helpful or harmful? FOR
AGAINST
Kassidy Taylor If my father’s biological mother had chosen abortion, I would not exist today. I am glad and very grateful that my father was given a chance at life and was put up for adoption rather than abortion. Many people today tend to choose abortion as a form of birth control. This is an immature way of thinking. Abortion is not a form of birth control and should not be treated as a way out for potential mothers. According to the CDC, in 2018 a total of 614,820 abortions were reported. That means 614,820 children’s lives were chosen to be ended. An unborn child can obtain a heartbeat as early as three weeks after conception. It is morally unjust to allow a child to be aborted when their life has already begun. Legislation is necessary to induce a decline in such alarming statistics as these. Texas is putting forth maximal effort to minimize abortion in their state. Despite the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade, which concluded that women should have the ability to have an abortion if they so choose, a Texas law was put into effect on Sept. 1 banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. This is usually at
the six-week mark. With more cases like this, Roe v. Wade may be in threat of being overturned. Louisiana currently has a 20-week limit on abortions, according to Lift Louisiana. This is about five months into a pregnancy. At this point, the fetus is fairly developed. Therefore, the Louisiana law is too negligent and legislators should strive to make an impact as Texas has. The Texas law is quite an unusual one. It is one of the most strict abortion bans currently. It is also not being enforced by the state, but by the people. They are authorized to sue anyone providing or aiding in illegal abortion services. With abortion becoming criminalized, fewer women and medical professionals will consider it as a feasible option. This decision has the potential to save the lives of many children. Lives should be cherished rather than aborted and this law might help people acknowledge this. This law could be very beneficial for women unable to have children as well. For instance, the decrease in abortions may cause an increase in children available for adoption. Families unable to conceive or who are looking to add to their family now have an increased chance of making their wishes come true. When considering an abortion, remember to also consider the more beneficial and viable alternatives for your unborn child. If wishing to abort a child, focus instead on what good could come from having the child rather than the negative effects it may cause you temporarily. Nothing is worth taking the life of an innocent and unaware child. Life is a precious gift and it should be treated as such. contact Kassidy Taylor at taylorkad@warhawks.ulm.edu
Calli Sinclair The Texas abortion ban is despicable and I am proud to stand against it. As a pro-choice individual, I believe every woman should have access to a safe and legal abortion. Roe v. Wade has been respected since 1973 and has helped many women across America safely receive abortions. Reasons why a woman may need an abortion include but aren’t limited to being a victim of rape or incest, being financially unstable, not being ready to raise a child or the child potentially being born into an abusive household or harmful environment. Despite this, Texas has blocked women from receiving abortions after six weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest. However, 85-90% of abortions in Texas happen after six weeks, according to Reuters. According to Planned Parenthood, many women aren’t aware of their pregnancy until a few months in. A pro-life stance on abortion claims a fetus’s heartbeat is detected at around six weeks of pregnancy. According to state representative and former critical care nurse Donna Howard, the “heartbeat” is an electrically induced flickering of fetal tissue and an embryo does not have a
heart at six weeks’ gestation. Having discussed reproductive rights with pro-life people, I’ve learned many pro-lifers’ beliefs are entirely faith-fueled. As someone who believes in the separation of church and state, I find this unsatisfactory. Religion should not influence laws. Some argue that adoption is an option. That is true, but we must examine the flaws within the foster care system. According to Focus for Health, children in foster care are four times more likely to be sexually abused. Children in group homes are 28 times more likely to be abused. Children in foster care are also often homeless by the time they’re 18 years old. Instead of vilifying women who receive abortions, why not blame rapists and advocate for preventive measures like accessible contraceptives and sex education? The $10,000 that will be rewarded to anyone who reports a woman for having an abortion after six weeks promotes a mob mentality and modern day witch hunt. This is extremely harmful to women and young girls. At times, minors even need abortions. Do you believe forcing a woman or child to give birth morally trumps the right to choose, especially when there are women and children whose bodies cannot handle the trauma of childbirth, resulting in death? Banning abortions will not stop them, similar to how banning guns will not stop crime. The abortion ban only makes women suffer more, forcing them to consider unsafe methods which could be fatal. This is a war on women, and we can’t stop fighting for our rights. contact Calli Sinclair at sinclac@warhawks.ulm.edu
Campus
ULM should better promote free speech corner Maggie Eubanks This is all that is known about the free speech corner at ULM: You can reserve time in room 258 at the
Student Center and you cannot have amplified sound. A sign marks the free speech corner’s spot on the side of the SUB and there is a box for students or faculty to stand on if they choose to use the free speech corner. But with so little information known about this corner, it is hard to tell if ULM is trying to promote free speech among students or limit it. Students shouldn’t have to ask to share their opinions and they shouldn’t be confined to one corner. According to ULM’s Freedom of Expression Policy, public forums are
any outdoor space at least 100 feet away from academic buildings. This policy gives the students and faculty the right to practice free speech in most campus locations. We are not limited to one corner. Also, the policy states that it is not necessary to schedule a time or clear anything with a member of the ULM faculty. Anyone can stand in one of ULM’s public forums and begin speaking about any topic they wish. Administration just asks that ULM police be contacted if a crowd of 20 or more gathers.
So why do students have to schedule a time to speak at the free speech corner? LSU has a similar area of their campus designated for free speech known as “Free Speech Plaza.” Anyone, even community members, can come and speak in this area without having to clear or schedule anything with anyone. LSU is genuinely trying to promote free speech on its campus. ULM is making it seem as though you must schedule a time to practice free speech. The administration gives the impression that free speech is
being limited or blocked, as if it’s something that must be asked for. If ULM wants to promote free speech on campus, then the administration should inform students of their rights and ways that they can share their opinions. We are all protected to practice our free speech in all public forums on campus anytime we wish. ULM needs to better promote an environment of free speech among students instead of trying to limit us to one small corner of campus. contact Maggie Eubanks at eubanksml@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 6
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
September 13, 2021
NEWS
Campus
9/11 Timeline 1988- Osama Bin Laden forms al-Qaida 1992- Aden, Yemen hotel bombing- Two terrorist bomb attacks carried out by al-Quida in an attempt to kill U.S. marines. It is consided the first terrorist attack on the U.S. by alQuida. 1993- The World Trade Center was bombed for the first time. Six people were killed and 1,500 were injured.
photo by Calli Sinclair
IN MEMORY OF: According to the New York Times, 2,977 individuals were killed in the attack and over 6,000 were injured. DNA testing is still underway to identify over a thousand individuals whose remains were never located after the attacks.
Faculty remember 9/11 attacks 20 years later by teaching history, rhetoric of fear Two-part talk remembers, honors 9/11 anniversary by Chloe Chapel September 11, 2001 was a day of fear, anger and confusion. It was a loss of nearly 3,000 lives felt by Americans all over the country. Twenty years later however, it is a day of remembrance. Whether you watch videos the attacks, listen to a speech or visit a memorial, taking a step back and honoring those who lost their lives and those who continue to suffer is most important. In remembrance of the attacks on 9/11, Yusaku Yajima, an assistant communication professor, and Ralph Brown, a history professor, gave a twopart talk titled “Twenty Years Later—September 11.” Yajima’s talk, “Beyond the Rhetoric of Fear: Othering, Belonging and Empowerment,” was about
the rhetoric of fear around 9/11 and how it can apply to other aspects of life. Throughout Yajima’s talk, he provided examples and personal experiences that explained how shared fear among a group of people can create division and hate. Yajima said he was inspired to discuss this topic because as a Japanese man during the pandemic, he has experienced something similar to the hatred Muslims felt after 9/11. “How were we all together on blaming people Brown for 9/11 like […] Muslims and people in the Middle East that had nothing to do with al-Qaida,” Yajima asked. “This is similar to what happened to Chinese people [during the pandemic]. Many people globally started targeting Chinese and Chinese-looking people. I myself got attacked and beaten in Minneapolis.” Brown’s talk gave a different point of view than
Yajima’s. His talk, “September 11, 2001: A Turning Point in Historical Context,” gave the history behind 9/11 and how it shaped the attacks. Brown went through the history of skyjacking, why al-Qaida was formed, the first terrorist attacks performed by al-Qaida and even discussed how the U.S. government failed to prevent the 9/11 attacks. Amelia Wilkes, a history major, said she enjoyed Brown’s talk because “It was really informative […] and gave a general but also very specific rendition of all terrorist attacks that have happened on U.S. soil.” Brown reminded students that being fearful in the time of a crisis is okay. However, he said it is important to not be misled by fear. “When it comes to public safety, hopefully we will learn to not surrender blindly to presidents, recognizing that the public’s anger and fear can all too easily be misdirected in time of crisis,” Brown said.
contact Chloe Chapel at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu
1998- Al-Quida bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people and injuring more than 5,000 others. 1999- Osama Bin Laden was added to the FBI's most-wanted list. Aug. 6, 2001- Bush receives a memo titled "Bin Laden determined to strike the U.S." Sept. 11, 2001- Multiple terrorist attacks on U.S governmental buildings including the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Around 3,000 were killed and over 6,000 were injured. Sept. 2001- the U.S. names Osama Bin Laden the prime suspect May 2,2011- Osama Bin Laden killed in a military raid.
graphic by Loryn Kykendall
September 13, 2021
PAGE 7
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
NEWS
Weather
graphic by Kassidy Stanford
photo courtesy Associated Press
LIFE AFTER THE STORM: The Federal Highway Administration announced the immediate availability of $5 million in “quick release” emergency relief funds to help the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development make repairs to roads and bridges damaged by Hurricane Ida.
Hurricane Ida makes landfall, relief begins Eight states between Louisiana and New Jersey impacted Loryn Kykendall
Exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Hurricane Ida did the same. Ida was a category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind gusts of 150 mph. The storm came ashore in Port Fourchon around noon on Aug. 29 and has now caused chaos all the way from New Orleans up to New Jersey. As of last Wednesday, 26 people in Louisiana died from Hurricane Ida and its aftermath, according to the Associated Press. As Ida travelled, it flooded homes and businesses and destroyed cities in eight states. Relief for those who were most affected by Ida began almost immediately in Louisiana. In a statement released the day before Ida made landfall, Gov. Edwards said there were pre-positioned search and rescue teams and
boats ready to start helping people as soon as it was safe to do so. “Hurricane Ida is one of the strongest storms to ever hit Louisiana,” Gov. Edwards said in a statement. “It is our goal to assist our local agencies and the citizens of the state as quickly as possible.” All of New Orleans lost power the day Ida hit and nearly one million lost power throughout the state. As of last Friday, power has been restored to 735,000 of the 902,000 customers who lost power because of the hurricane, according to Entergy. In Grand Isle, 100% of the buildings were damaged to some extent. Grand Isle is the last inhabited barrier island of Louisiana, with a population of 740 in 2019. In an interview with CNN, Bryan Adams, the director of Jefferson Parish Fire Services, said 40-50% of the houses are gone and it will take four or five years to get Grand Isle back to what it was. “A lot of people have lost their homes, talking about how they don’t know whether they’ll be able to go back or not, because they don’t have the money to go back, can’t afford to go back,” Adams said. While relief started almost immediately in Louisiana, it took longer in northern states im-
pacted by the hurricane because flooding was not expected to be as bad as it was. According to the New York Times, Hurricane Ida killed at least 43 people in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and more than 150,000 individuals were left without power. In Central Park in Manhattan, 3.1 inches of rain were recorded within one hour, according to NPR. Many individuals in the north did not have time to evacuate because they had no idea the hurricane would impact them as much as it did. However, residents in Louisiana’s coastal parishes evacuated to places all throughout the state, including Monroe. According to the News Star, Vorisek about 700 evacuees from Terrebonne, Lafourche and St, John the Baptist parishes came to Monroe and were housed in the Civic Center. As of last week there were only about 200 evacuees left in Monroe. The state moved many of them to shelters closer to their homes so they could assess the damage, according to KNOE. On-campus housing at ULM was provided for
Southeastern University students affected by the hurricane to stay in for a couple of weeks while power was restored and repairs were made to Southeastern. ULM students, faculty and staff helped out by volunteering after the evacuees arrived. United Way donation boxes were set up on campus and faculty members volunteered to take all donations to the Civic Center. Many nursing students went to the shelter right after the evacuees arrived and they helped distribute donations, took vitals of the people there and helped with other medical needs. Paula Garrison’s semester 5 clinical class raised $1,400 in donations to help those at the shelter. Semester 3 nursing students in the pediatric rotation also volunteered their time to play with the children at the shelter. Amber Vorisek, a semester 5 nursing student, said some of the students got prescriptions filled for evacuees. She said a lot of people have nothing left and the nursing students just wanted to help them however they could. “We played the role of a nurse and honestly tried to meet any need we could to help people that lost everything,” Vorisek said. contact Loryn Kykendall at kykendalllk@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 8
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
September 13, 2021
NEWS
Safety
Students fearful as mass shootings increase by Uchechi Owunna
As Morgan Andrews sat down for lunch at the cafeteria, she immediately looked around to see where the exits were, in case of emergency. Since the university started returning back to normal, this has become the reality for Andrews whenever she goes into a public place alone. According to Gun Violence Archive, 274 mass shooting incidents have occurred across the country in 2021. This is 40% higher than the same period last year. Andrews, a senior toxicology major, learned about the increase in the number of mass shooting cases, earlier this year. Now, she not only has to be worried about contracting COVID, but she also has to be scared for her own life. The Congressional Research Service defines mass shootings as multiple firearm and homicide incidents involving four or more victims, whether they die or not. “While we were quarantined, there was a lot of time and opportunity for mass shooting perpetrators to plan their attacks,” Andrews said. “A lot of these culprits suffer from mental and behavioral setbacks, which became a lot more severe since the pandemic lockdown.”
photo courtesy MCT Campus
INCREASED INCIDENTS: According to World Population Review, Louisiana ranks 12th for the state with the most school shootings with 44 between 1970 and 2021.
Jon Riley, a senior political science major, said one of the reasons the number of mass shootings increased as the lockdown subsided is because social distancing laws are
becoming more lax and people are now gathering at schools, churches and parties. “This makes me feel paranoid and anxious being in public now
especially because schools are usually the targets for these shootings,” Riley said. “A couple of years ago, a student threatened to bomb the university if he didn’t get the
grade he wanted. Even though the situation was handled well, it made me realize how easily these kind of crimes could occur on our campus.” Queen Bolden, a senior radiologic technology major, said gun safety laws are essential to reducing the cases of mass shootings nationally. “We cannot truly be safe from gun crimes until all states mandate gun carriers to have a license that allows them to own the gun,” Bolden said. “It is also important to check the mental, behavioral and emotional health of the person applying for the gun license before they are permitted to use the guns.” According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, more than 21 million people completed a background check to buy a gun last year, shattering all previous records. Their survey found that 40% identified as new gun owners. “ULM should enforce mental health checks like they do with the online trainings to see where the students are mentally,” Riley said. “They also need to improve the security on campus and increase the number of metal detectors in the buildings, just like the ones they have in the library.” contact Uchechi Owunna at owunnaud@warhawks.ulm.edu
Housing
Visitation suspended amid COVID surge by Chloe Chapel
guest in a residence hall could result in COVID being introduced to multiple individuals. Many students understand why the decision was made but feel it is affecting their social life. Ariana Brown, a graduate speech language pathology student, said she is glad ULM is protecting students’ health, but the suspension makes seeing family hard. “The visitation suspension limits the amount of people who are coming in and out of the dorms, decreasing the risk of exposure to COVID, which I appreciate,” Brown said. “But it sucks that my family can’t come and visit me in my dorm.” Walpole said the suspension will remain in place until further notice. “We monitor guidelines from the CDC and our UL System and work with our EHS Officer daily,” Walpole said. “When we see a decrease in cases both in the NELA area and on campus, we will review the visitation suspension.”
One of the best parts of living on campus is the connections you form. You can meet someone in class and ask if they want to study together in your dorm. You can even meet people in the lobby of your dorm and invite them to your room to get to know each other better. All of this used to be common before COVID. Once the pandemic started, many students did not feel comfortable having visitors in their dorm out of concern for their own safety. In dorms, COVID can spread very quickly because minimizing contact with other students is difficult due to close proximity. This is why ULM made the decision to suspend visitation to all residence halls. Tommy Walpole, the executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises, said the decision was made to maintain the health and safety of students in residence halls. “Each resident was required to provide either proof of a negative COVID test or take a rapid test prior to move in,” Walpole said. “Guests unfortunately are not required to contact Chloe Chapel at provide either, and one COVID positive
chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu
photo courtesy ULM photo services
KEEP OUT: According to Tommy Walpole, the executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises, if a report is received of a student having visitors, the camera system in that building will be used to confirm the report.
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 9 NEWS
Mental Health
graphic by Sunil Bishwokarma
KNOW THE SIGNS: According to the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, suicide takes the lives of over 48,500 Americans every year. However, around 285,000 individuals per year become suicide survivors.
Suicide awareness month: signs, prevention September dedicated to shining light on, destigmatizing suicide by Kassidy Taylor There is a boy in your organic chemistry class. He smiles through the lectures and aces all of the exams. You wonder how he stays so positive. On the inside, he is struggling with the intense pressure to be perfect. There is a girl sitting at the table next to you at Starbucks. She drinks her coffee while reading a book. Reading is her escape from the harshness of reality. You never know what someone else is going Hernandez through. How someone expresses their feelings on the outside may not be the way they feel on the inside. This is why September is recognized as suicide awareness month. Suicide awareness
month was created to raise awareness about suicide while also helping to destigmatize it. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34, and the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. according to the CDC. The majority of college students are in this age group. This means our classmates or even friends could be dealing with suicidalthoughts and need help. According to Bridges to Recovery, some of the signs someone is having suicidal thoughts are substance abuse, talking about emptiness, giving away personal items and socially
withdrawing. Knowing these signs and taking action could save someone’s life. David Hernandez, a sophomore biology premed major, said managing the stress of school and a demanding job caused his mental health to suffer, but a kind classmate gave him hope. “Like many students, I struggled with thoughts of depression and hopelessness […] I was *The HopeLine* questioning myself, introducing negative thoughts and bottling up my emotions,” Hernandez said. “The memory that turned it around, a memory I will never forget, was an instance where a peer of mine in a laboratory noticed me in a time of distress and asked me
Did you know?
Men commit suicide at nearly four times the rate of women and represent 77.9% of all suicides.
how I felt.” Many students have stories or know someone with similar stories to Hernandez's. Hanna Flynn, a sophomore business administration major, believes spreading awareness about suicide is crucial for college Flynn students. “My close friend committed suicide years ago. Before then I didn’t realize how important it was to look for the signs,” Flynn said. “You never know when someone may be feeling that way, but there are things you can do to help.” ULM’s Counseling Center has free resources that educate students, prevent suicide and help students with suicidal thoughts. Britannia Johnson, a licensed professional counselor, encourages students who need help to contact the Counseling Center. “If a student is struggling with suicidal thoughts, they are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a counselor as soon as possible,” Johnson said. “In the instance of an emergency, counselors can be reached through the ULM Police Department.” contact Kassidy Taylor at taylorkad@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 10
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
September 13, 2021
FREESTYLE
Album Review
'Donda' opens new dawn for Kanye West by Cameron Jett
Kanye West has always reaped the fruits of his labor. His music has won countless awards. His signature shoe line, Yeezy, is a status symbol. Any conversation about the best rap artists of the era is incomplete without mentioning West. However, his life has been littered with tragedy and controversy. He has dealt with divorce, a failed presidential bid and the loss of his mother, Donda West, all while his claims about his mental health have been downplayed by the masses. Some might wonder if an album is worth an extra year’s worth of setbacks, changes and additional production. In the case of Donda, the answer is a definitively, “Yes.” In Donda, West honors his mother who died in 2007 while giving the world a front row seat to his continued journey to find peace from all that plagues him. This album may not have the guaranteed chart toppers of his past albums but it continues a journey providing music for the soul.
Donda provides relatable accounts of struggles and recovery that are absent in a lot of modern rap. The album shows the development of West when played from start to finish. The fast life of a celebrity shows through on the earlier tracks. As the issues pile up in the background, the struggles cumulate on “Jesus Lord.” This track has the heaviest material on the album. West brought on Jay Electronica who delivered the most impressive lyrical content of Donda. The emphasis on praising God increases after this track. The four final tracks on the album are repeats of earlier tracks with different features. Even with the heavy emphasis on the album’s topics, this album still has great music that stands well on its own. Both versions of “Jail” are uplifting and could help listeners out of their troubles. “Hurricane” was blessed with its production and an angelic chorus by the Weeknd. West and Lil Baby come in with much of the lyrical content.
For those wanting a high-tempo track, “Off the Grid” will satisfy those fans. West brings on Playboi Carti over a drill beat for the album’s best chance for an arena jam. Those who share any of the same pains of West now have the opportunity to connect with him. Donda, as an album, can be seen as a group therapy session with West and all the artists featured on it. Returning collaborations with artists like Playboi Carti and the Weeknd feel right at home. Even the controversial inclusion of Dababy and Marilyn Manson on an alternate take of “Jail” fits in place. Just like his previous release, Jesus is Lord, West’s Christian faith is front and center on every track. West, along with his numerous featured artists, give glory to God for their success and overcoming adversity. West kept his promise of writing nonexplicit music as there is no explicit release for an album already requiring minimal censors. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu
Recommendations
Disabled content creators to watch on YouTube
Molly Burke
Molly Burke is a blind Canadian YouTuber with nearly two million subscribers. Burke was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at age four which caused her to lose most of her vision as she became older. Retinitis Pigmentosa is a group of related eye disorders affecting the retina that cause progressive vision loss. Burke shows the negative and positive aspects of her life as she educates viewers about misconceptions people have about her condition. She also uses her channel to show that she still enjoys the activities and interests that most 27-year-olds do, like fashion and makeup.
MultiplicityAndMe
MultiplicityAndMe is a Dissociative Identity Disorder system with over 200,000 subscribers. The personalities may be called alters, alternatives or alter personalities, but together they are referred to as a system. They aim to educate and lessen the stigmas of someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Jessica, the host, talks to viewers about her life with DID and her four alters. The host is the alter who most commonly uses the body. Jessica shows that although living with DID is tough, she can still accomplish great things.
Squirmy and Grubs
Squirmy and Grubs are a married inter-abled couple with over 800,000 subscribers. Shane was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and is a wheelchair user and his wife Hannah is able-bodied. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a genetic condition that causes a person's muscles to weaken over time. The two vlog their life together and show that disabled people can have meaningful relationships. Shane and Hannah show the ups and downs of their relationship and give updates of Shane’s condition.
Sign Duo
Sign Duo is another inter-abled couple with over 800,000 subscribers. They are Ellen, who is hearing, and her boyfriend Ryan, who is deaf. The two show how a relationship with people who have different hearing abilities can work. Ellen and Ryan communicate to each other and viewers through sign language and have captions available for viewers who don’t understand sign language. Along with the vlogs, Ryan shows the difficulties of being a deaf man to help viewers realize the way deaf people are sometimes treated.
Special Books by Special Kids
Special Books by Special Kids is a nonprofit organization run by Chris Ulmer that has gained over three million subscribers. Ulmer’s goal is to normalize diversity in people regardless of abilities. Ulmer has conducted hundreds of interviews with people of all ages, backgrounds and disabilities. The interviews show a side to many disabilities that are often not shown as Ulmer often talks with the person and their family to truly understand and listen to them. Over $1 million has been raised in total through grants and fundraising.
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 11 FREESTYLE
Recommendations
Get competitive this fall with these games
It Takes Two
As the title implies, it takes two people to play this game. The game was created by Hazelight Studios and published by Electronic Arts. The backstory of the game is that Cody and May are about to get a divorce but their child doesn’t want that to happen. The child unintentionally curses them and traps their souls in dolls. Then Cody and May have to find a way to get out of the dolls, but they have to work together and get through different obstacles. Sounds interesting, right? What’s more fun is there is a new feature on the game where players can invite another friend who does not even have the game. You can play online, on the same couch or wherever you want.
Hitman 3
Hitman 3 is the final episode of World of Assassination, completing the trilogy that started in the 2016 Hitman. It is a stealth game. The developer of this game is IO Interactive and it has been on the market since January of this year. It has gotten excellent feedback from the players. There are not many new add-ups on the weapons and purchasable items, but what makes the game so cool is the levels. There are six levels in this game and each one is crazier and more exciting than the last. It’s hard to pick a favorite level after you play the game.
Knockout City
Knockout City is basically dodgeball but without the sadness of being picked last. The game follows the simple rules of dodgeball—you throw the ball, hit the opponent and break their defense, which earns your team a point. Velan Studios, the developer, has developed a really cool game. The interesting thing is not just that it brings back childhood memories, but the way the game is built is also fascinating. The cartoon animation characters and the environment add flavor to the game. Also, the different options of balls makes it more fun. If you haven’t played it, try it with your friends. I’m sure you will love this game because it’s both fun and competitive.
Resident Evil Village
Hats off to Capcom, the developer of the Resident Evil series. It has been 25 years since the making of Resident Evil 1, and despite many changes, the game gets better and more interesting each time. In this new update, the first-person perspective makes you wonder what’s behind you. It will surely give you a rush of adrenaline. Resident Evil Village 7 was released in May of this year. The game is also compatible with the PS5. Try it guys. You will love it. The graphics are amazing and the beautiful environment will mesmerize you.
Lifestyle
Discover unknown passions with these unique hobbies others develop deep connections and friendships with these animals.
by Abisha Dhakal
Have you ever wondered what strange and unique hobbies are out there? For many of us, hobbies are not just a way to fill time. They are passions and activities that make it seem like time stands still every time we lose ourselves in them. Here are examples of unusual hobbies in the world.
paint on river stones. Get creative and make some unique art with vibrant colors and odd shapes. Do not forget to put the rocks up as animals could mistake the paintings for food.
from the mouth. There are many popular beatboxers who are making their living through beatboxing. Kevin Olusola is one of the most popular beatboxers and has performed with the popular band Pentatonix. There are basic lessons on this income-earning hobby on YouTube and you can even enroll in online professional classes like School of Beatbox.
1) Rock-climbing Many of us may be familiar with rock climbing—an adventurous hobby commonly practiced by people around the world. In rock climbing, participants go up, down, or across a natural or artificial formation of rock. The goal of every participant is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route with or without falling. This activity focuses more on building resilience as they climb. As exciting as this sounds, a lot of safety measures should be applied. If you are interested in reaching greater heights, check out Risen Rock Climbing gym, an indoor rockclimbing center l in Bossier, Louisiana.
2) Unusual pets Some people have the hobby of keeping unusual pets —not dogs, cats or household birds, but larger animals possessing deadly abilities. Rabin Bhattarai, a freshman computer science major, has an uncle in Nepal who has a hobby of keeping snakes. It may look terrifying to most people, but he is in love with them. “It is normal for people to walk into our compound and see my uncle playing with his snakes,” Rabin says. To some people, keeping pets like snakes, tigers and even alligators may seem like a suicide mission,
3) Rock Painting During the pandemic lockdown, a lot of people took up various kinds of hobbies. The most common was painting. Unlike traditional painting that is done on a conventional canvas, rock painting involves showing off your artistic flair on rocks. To take on this hobby, you must research and try different rocks to see which ones have paintable surfaces and if the paints will stay on the rocks. One of the best paints and rocks to develop this hobby with is acrylic
4) Beat-boxing Some people have remarkably simple hobbies that they hone in their spare time, whereas others earn money by making their hobbies professional. We all know how fascinating beatboxing is. It seems impossible to make all those different bold sounds
contact Abisha Dhakal at dhakalab@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 12
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
September 13, 2021
FREESTYLE
Student Short Story
Finance
by Samir Gurung
I can successfully convince the worst skeptics that angels exist because I met her. Those glowing eyes and shy cheeks revealed both cuteness and innocence. It felt like God was sending me a hint of something—something romantic. Like a free flowing waterfall, compliments that I didn’t even know I could give flowed from my mouth. The series of compliments topped with the question was “Will you go on a date with me?” “I would love to,” she said. It was like a dream. “Hey kid...!” The next day, I went to pick her up and took her to a fine cafe. It was also my first time in this cafe, but I recommended dishes and talked as if I was a local. We had a seat and ordered some appetizers. Everything was going well except for my left hand, it suddenly felt very numb. But who cares when you are accompanied by a beautiful lady and conversation so smooth, it felt like a baby’s bottom. She was leaning in so closely she stole my breath almost as soon as I let it out. I told my life story—only the highlights obviously, cracked up some dumb jokes, which she loved. She also talked about her-
Why is investing better than saving? Saving is not a bad thing. But investing can help you retire early and be financially independent.
graphic by Sunil Bishwokarma
self, a sure sign, according to my dad, that a girl is into you. “Hey...!” Ten years later, we have our baby boy who is now studying in grade five. He turns out to be as lazy as I was with studying. School starts at 9, my little boy wakes up at 8:30. His angelic mom dresses him up and makes him a tiffin box every day. One day, I got a call from my sons’ school. They said he sleeps in every class. At that moment, I
broke out into the biggest smile. I realized he was really my son. The teacher said that they tried their best to wake him up. “But this kid won’t wake up. Hey kid, WAKE UP!!!” “Was I asleep this whole time?” “Hell yeah, you’re late for school,” my dad yelled. “It’s already 9? Hell no!!!” I ran to school with my left hand hanging like a dead weight. contact Samir Gurung at gurungsa@warhawks.ulm.edu
If you had saved $50 every month from January 2011 to January 2021, you’d have around $6050. But if you had invested the same amount every month in a *S&P 500 index fund, you’d have $11,578 after tax which is almost double.
Can you explain with some examples?
Investing does sound too good to be true, but there are many risks involved in investing. One has to be able to take that risk to start investing. If you have money that you don’t need for at least five years then you can invest that money.
graphic by Sunil Bishwokarma
Note:
S&P 500 index fund is a market-capitalization-weighted index of the 500 largest publicly-traded companies in the U.S. Disclaimer: This is not financial advice.
Recommendations
Feast your eyes on these delicious cooking shows
1) Great British Baking Show
This show features 12 passionate home bakers from all over Britain that come together to compete for the title of “Best Amateur Baker.” Even though the hosts have changed throughout the seasons, the talented bakers have consistently been challenged every season, and they have delivered. The judges, Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith judge the bakers’ dishes based on the taste of their food and technique of their cooking. If you want to learn baking skills and dessert recipes from all over the world, this show was made or you. You can watch it on Netflix.
2) Chopped
In this mystery cooking show, four chefs compete against one another to prepare a three course meal featuring an appetizer, entrée and a dessert. At the end of each course, one chef is “chopped.” The last chef standing wins $10,000 and of course, publicity. This intense competition is heightened by the fact that the contestants do not know what ingredients they are working with until right before the cooking starts. With a mysterious basket of ingredients, the chefs are challenged to make food from the most absurd ingredients. Dive into the pot of mystery with this show on Hulu.
3) Hell’s Kitchen
This brutal cooking show is hosted and judged by Gordan Ramsay. Twenty experienced chefs compete against each other for a chance to work with Ramsay on his team as a head chef and win $250,000. In the beginning of the season the competitors are divided into two teams where they compete within their teams in two different challenges. The first challenge is a mini challenge with different themes, and the chefs cook for a reward. In the second challenge the teams work in Ramsay’s Vegas restaurant, and whichever team fails to deliver loses a team member. This savage show is available on Hulu.
4) Sugar Rush
Sugar Rush is another show where “Time is the most essential ingredient.” In this show, four pairs of contestants compete in three different challenges to win $10,000. Every episode has a different theme that the contestants have to work with throughout the challenges. Most of the contestants in Sugar Rush have various levels of experience in baking. The host, Hunter March, together with the two judges, Candace Nelson and Adriano Zumbo, try the desserts of the contestants. The contestants are judged based on both the taste and appearance of their food. Get your “sugar rush” from Netflix.
5) Nailed It!
This hilarious show is hosted by comic Nicole Byer and renowned chef Jacques Torres. In this show, three contestants with disastrous baking track records come together to compete for $10,000 in two rounds of competition. If you love looking at food and are after a good laugh, watching these wannabe bakers attempt to make something that is both edible and easy on the eyes will crack your ribs. Go to Netflix for your dose of laughter.
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 13 FREESTYLE FREESTYLE
Crossword
Horoscope Aries Pursue reliable professional opportunities. Work closely with your partner. Collaboration gets more.
Taurus Work faster and produce more results (including money). Prioritize health, fitness and vitality.
Gemini Collaborate for shared financial growth. Advance romance and have fun with the ones you love.
Across
1 Sarah __, first woman governor of Alaska 6 Academic acronym 10 Chem class rooms 14 Therapy prefix 15 Cardamom-infused tea 16 Tierra en el mar 17 Blue Ribbon beer 18 Heavenly bear 19 Small bottle 20 2002 Hugh Grant film based on a Nick Hornby novel 22 Ogre, for one 23 Post-injury regimen 24 Delicate 25 Strong, as a storm 28 Reunion attendee 29 Signal from the wings 30 Gobbledygook 36 Symbol on several PC keys 39 Long-handled tool 40 Puccini specialty 41 Three-time All-Star
outfielder whose son was a seventime N.L. MVP 44 Title for Richard Starkey 45 RPM indicator 46 Drum kit cymbals 49 Put under 52 Shrek’s love 54 Blond hair, e.g. 55 Birds with short finch-like bills ... or, what the sets of circled letters literally are? 59 Come by honestly 60 First name in desserts 61 Bull-riding venue 62 “__ sow ... “ 63 A bit open 64 Wastes time 65 Canasta combination 66 Foots the bill 67 Parcels (out)
Down
1 Fairy tale bear 2 Part of UAE 3 ESPN basketball analyst Rebecca 4 “There’s no doubt!” 5 Talk aimlessly 6 Diving acronym 7 Pulsate 8 “Settle down!” 9 Soccer great Hamm 10 Have a ball 11 Lao or Thai 12 __ from the past: nostalgic event 13 Like pretzels 21 “May I speak?” 22 Bluegrass band staple 24 Hall & Oates, e.g. 25 Nature’s bandage 26 Costa del Sol coin 27 Trick or treat 28 Under the covers 31 “This isn’t good” 32 Part of “MNF,” an in-season wkly. sports broadcast
33 Spanish for “table” 34 One with a tyre in his boot, perhaps 35 Scull crew 37 Managed to get 38 Tombstone first name 42 Letters in early dates 43 Chase away 47 Like mosaic tiles 48 Salon creation 49 Teakettle output 50 Backspace over 51 Hannah of “Splash” 52 New venture 53 Structural beams 55 Gulf of California peninsula 56 1994 Jodie Foster title role 57 “Trick” joint 58 Disrespectful talk 60 Botanical fluid with gummy worms
Cancer Work together in partnership. Renovation demands physical effort. Put your energy into improving your home situation.
Courtesy of MCT Campus
Libra Focus on personal development. Energize and empower passion projects. Advance by providing leadership and contribution.
Scorpio Creativity sparks. Enjoy private tranquility. Clean closets, garages and attics. Clear space for the next chapter.
Sagittarius Maintain positive cash flow. Share and connect with kindred spirits. Team and community projects gain momentum.
Capricorn Take charge. Advance professionally. Move forward boldly. Grab passing opportunities. Energize your career.
Leo
Aquarius
Energize your work. Creativity electrifies communications. You’re intent on getting the whole story. Express your views.
Plan your moves. Travels, education and exploration inspire. Investigate and research. Discover new frontiers from home.
Virgo Passion fuels your actions. Energize money making efforts. Develop lucrative opportunities. Rake in a healthy harvest.
Pisces Teamwork pays. Make financial plans and moves. Raise shared funds, collaborate to grow family accounts and assets.
graphic by Sunil Bishwokarma
PAGE 14
September 13, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
SPORTS
BRIEFS
Soccer
Womens golf places 11th in Mobile ULM junior Chantal Dueringer placed 11th and the Warhawk women’s golf team finished 11th after Monday’s final round of the USA Intercollegiate at the Robert Trent Jones’ Magnolia Grove Crossings Course. The Warhawks had their best round of the tournament with a four-over-par 292 on Monday to finish in 11th at 25-over-par 889 (297-300-292). Sam Houston ran away with the team title at 31-under-par 833 (285-274274), topping second place South Florida by a whopping 19 strokes. Sam Houston’s Zulaikah Nasser took the individual title at 15-under-par 201 (68-66-67), beating her teammate Jennifer Herbst by two strokes. Dueringer moved up to 11th on Monday after firing her best round, a 2-under-par 70, to finish at 1-under-par 215. She birdied the par-4 11th, par-4 15th and par-4 first to
go with 14 pars. Senior Jahaanvie Walia and sophomore Charlotte Fourdraine tied for second on the team with 7-over-par 223. Walia’s final round was her best, shooting a 1-under-par 71 to follow a first round 74 and second round 78. She birdied the 11th, par-5 13th and par-4 ninth and had 13 pars. Fourdraine finished with a 1-over-par 73 to go with her first round 74 and second round 76. She birdied the par-4 12th, first, par-5 fourth and par-4 seventh while picking up nine pars. Sophomore Maria Garcia wrapped up her first tournament as a Warhawk with a 6-over-par 78 to close at 230 (76-76-78). She birdied the par-5 16th and had 11 pars. The ULM women’s golf team is off until Sept. 20 when they compete at UAB’s Hoover Invitational in Hoover, Alabama.
HC Federico extended three years
photo courtesy ULM athletics
EARNED SUCCESS: A duo of Warhawks join up to celebrate after one of their seven goals.
Warhawks light up Braves ULM on pace for record-setting season by Maggie Eubanks
ULM soccer (4-0) tied the record for the best start in school history with a 7-0 victory over Alcorn State (0-5) Friday. The Warhawks came out fast and never took their foot off the gas. ULM scored four goals in the first half and three in the second. ULM’s offense scored the most goals in a single game since 2014. These goals came from a team effort with four Warhawks getting the ball past the Braves’ goalie. The defense also looked great for ULM with Alcorn State only able to get two shots on goal. The scoring frenzy started early in the first half when sophomore Janet Stopka scored in the 13th minute off an assist from freshman Inge Konst and junior Lucia Lobato. This goal was followed by an unassisted goal from senior Theoni Zerva ten minutes later. With the Warhawks keeping the pressure on, they scored two more goals in the final minutes of the
first half off the feet of Konst and junior Courtney Marten. Marten scored off assists from Zerva and Lobato. The second half started with a bang as Zerva scored another unassisted goal for ULM in the 48th minute. Marten finished out the last of the scoring for the Warhawks as she made one goal in the 68th minute and another in the 70th minute off an assist from midfielder Aysha Bentick. With three goals on the night, Marten achieved ULM’s seventh ever hat trick. This game also marked head coach Sean Fraser’s 100th career win as a head coach. This early success is setting the Warhawks up for a highly successful season. Fraser and his squad seem to be continuing the success they had in the second half of the season last year. ULM returns home this Wednesday where they will take on Mississippi Valley State at 7 p.m. in Brown Stadium. contact Maggie Eubanks at eubanksml@warhawks.ulm.edu
ULM announced Wednesday that baseball head coach Michael Federico has been given a three year extension that will keep him under contract through 2024. This annoucment comes after a 26-26 campaign in 2021. This is the best finish in a complete season for ULM since 2012. The Warhawks upset four top 10 nationally ranked opponents last season. Federico has guided the Warhawks to steady improvement ever since he accepted his position four seasons ago. In his debut the Warhawks doubled their wins from the season before his arrival. ULM posted wins against SEC schools such as Mississippi and Alabama in the 2021 season. ULM finished in third place within the Sun Belt Conference.
The Louisiana native will receive an increase in salary. His new extension increases his base pay from $120,000 to $126,000 with the addition of competitionbased incentives. In 2020 the Warhawks finished 12-5 before their season was cancelled due to the rise of COVID. This team was in the top 10 nationally across multiple statistics. These stats include fourth in on-base percentage, fifth in scoring and 10th in stolen bases. In his first year as head coach, Federico’s Warhawks reached the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference tournament after winning three straight games. Three Warhawks were drafted into the MLB in 2019 who played under Federico, and another team member was signed as an undrafted free agent.
Softball coach reaches extension ULM athletics director Scott McDonald announced Thursday that softball head coach Molly Fletcher has signed a threeyear contract extension. Fletcher is now tenured through the 2024 season. Fichtner’s third season at ULM in 2021 saw the Warhawks pick up 17 wins, the most in her tenure, including a win over their heated-rival and 14th ranked Ragin’ Cajuns to conclude the regular season. It marked ULM’s first win over the Cajuns since 2012. The Warhawks also picked up a pair of wins over I-20 rival Louisiana Tech. ULM also posted a win at the Sun Belt Conference Championship for the second consecutive tournament. In the COVID pandemic-shortened 2020
season, Fichtner’s Warhawks built off the success established late in the 2019 season by going 10-14. As a team, ULM was hitting .295 and had posted a team ERA of 4.30 before the season was shut down. The Warhawk pitching staff threw three shutouts and allowed just one run twice. 2021 senior Jayden Mount earned first team all Sun Belt Conference honors and her teammate Korie Kreps was named to the Sun Belt second team. This extension give Fletcher a base salary of $65,000 with an annual compositional increase. The contract also includes competitive incentives.
September 13, 2021
PAGE 15
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
SPORTS
Recap
Wildcats wreck Warhawks by Jonah Bostick
ULM met a brick wall by the name of the University of Kentucky in their season opener. The Kentucky Wildcats dominated the game and held ULM to under 90 yards of offense on their way to a 4510 win. But the Warhawks showed their full potential to open the game. ULM safety Jabari Johnson picked off a Kentucky pass on their opening drive. The offense made quick work of the good field position with running back Kayden Roach punching in for a 3-yard touchdown. ULM took their first lead in 11 games off of their first of three takeaways in the game. “You can’t script a better start than what we had,” ULM quarterback Rhett Rodriguez said, who was making his first start for the Warhawks after transferring from Arizona.
After the opening drive touchdown, the Warhawks offense couldn’t find their rhythm. They were unable to move the ball and would constantly find themselves going three and out. The Kentucky offense, however, answered quickly and would respond with three straight touchdown drives. One drive included a 58-yard touchdown pass to receiver Josh Ali from quarterback Will Levis. The Wildcats would never look back, as they dominated the rest of the way outscoring the Warhawks 45-3 after the first ULM touchdown. Things don’t get any better for the Warhawks on the stat sheet, as they were out-gained 564 yards to 87. ULM had a measly 17 rushing yards. Rodriguez went just 9-17 passing. “Offensively, we’ve got to find some spark,” head coach Terry Bowden said. “When their personnel is better than we are, there are a lot of things we can’t do that I think against other
people we’ll be able to do.” One standout performance for the Warhawks came from wide receiver Boogie Knight, who lead the team in receiving with six receptions for 58 yards, and was able to make some key third down catches on the touchdown drive. Knight joined the Warhawks as transfer from Akron. Another standout from the loss on Saturday was defensive end Ty Shelby, who recorded five tackles, with two sacks and a fumble recovery. Kentucky quarterback Will Levis had a standout performance against the Warhawks, with 18 completions on 26 attempts, for 367 passing yards with four touchdown passes and one interception. Saturday, ULM plays in their home opener against the 2-0 Jackson State Tigers. contact Jonah Bostick at bostickjm@warhawks.ulm.edu
Volleyball
photo courtesy ULM athletics
UNDER PRESSURE: QB Rhett Rodriguez takes off as the pocket breaks down.
Tennis
Warhawks find misery ULM serves opponents in again at Missouri State Warhawk Invitational by Cameron Jett
ULM volleyball (3-8) continues to struggle after having some initial success this season. Since starting the season 3-1, they have now lost their past seven games. The Warhawks faced off with three teams in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational and all three results were 3-0 losses. ULM met with Tulane (6-3), tournament host Missouri State (6-2) and the University of Saint Louis (5-4). Despite their losses, junior setter Darby Fisher earned all-tournament honors. She averaged 5.2 assists per set over three games. Against Tulane, the Warhawks couldn’t match up with the Green Wave. Senior Cali Assaley led the Warhawks with 10 kills but she missed the next two games with injury. Tulane’s Taylor Henigsman had a career night with 30 assists dished out against ULM. Junior libero Madeline Hogan recorded 22 digs for the Warhawks. Although the Warhawks have strugged through their past few contests, none have been worse than their matchup with Missouri State. In the second set against the Bears, ULM was limited to just seven points. Meanwhile the Bears were able to string together 13 straight points against a ULM team struggling without its veteran leader.
The Warhawks played respectable in the first set. They were within three points late in the matchup, but Missouri State closed out before they could catch up. The Bears carried the momentum over from the second set and ended the match quickly. ULM showed minor improvements against the Saint Louis Billikens. Two players from Saint Louis posted double-digit kills while no Warhawk had more than eight. ULM came closest to victory in their first set. The Warhawks had the chance to rally late while down 21-19. The Billikens didn’t let up and they extended their lead to the final set score of 25-21. Saint Louis closed out the game with two sets Junior setter Mariana Volponi e Giordan impressed her peers with three straight aces in the second set against the Billikens. Fisher once again showed up and recorded 15 assists through three sets. So far ULM has played all of their regular season games on the road. Only two of these games were in Louisiana. ULM ends their grueling road stretch Tuesday when they return home to host Louisiana Tech. This will be the only home game before conference play begins. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu
by Maggie Eubanks
The Warhawks hosted players from Arkansas State, Samford, Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern Louisiana for the Warhawks Invitational at home this past weekend. ULM was able to put out a great showing to start the season as senior Madalina Grigoriu and the duo of junior Jimena Garbino and senior Brianna Gomez won their respective bracket championships. Grigoriu continues with the success she had last season as she went undefeated during the weekend tournament. Grigoriu reached the Gold Bracket Championship by defeating Stephen F. Austin’s Nyah Kauders, 6-3, 6-2, in the opening round before topping Southeastern’s Putri Insani, 7-6 (5), 6-1. These wins set her up to finish strong as she bested Southeastern’s Hunter Roper 6-4, 6-1 in the Gold Bracket Championship. The Garbino and Gomez duo was the strongest team for the Warhawks this weekend as they claimed first place in the Hawks bracket. On Friday they opened with a win over SFA’s Kouchnareva and Bleicher, 6-2. On Saturday the pair finished the job by defeating Arkansas State’s Rebecca Brody and Sofia Vdovychenko, 6-1, in the semifinals before besting Southeastern’s Kanarskaya and Oborina in the finals, 6-4.
ULM also had a couple of players place second and third in their brackets. In the White Bracket, sophomore Giovanna Pereira placed second after having a great opening weekend. Pereira won both of her matches on Friday, beating A-State’s Yasmine Humbert in the first round, 6-3, 6-3, and SFA’s Ai Noa Fabre in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-4. On Saturday she lost a close match to Stephen F. Austin’s Elena Bleicher, 6-3, 3-6 (10-6). In the Gold Bracket, sophomore Hala Badwy placed third. She bested Samford’s Alyssa Hayduk in the opening round, 7-5, 6-0, but lost the semifinal to Roper, 0-6, 6-2 (10-7). The other third-place finisher for the Warhawks was Garbino who played in the Burgundy bracket. She won the first-round match over Southeastern’s Ekaterina Oborina, 6-4, 2-6 (11-9). She placed third after winning her first match of the day on Saturday 2-6, 7-5 (106) against Stephen F. Austin’s Lucy Furness, but she dropped her second match to Southeastern’s Ekaterina Oborina, 6-1, 6-0. Warhawks tennis returns to action on Sept. 24-25 for the Northwestern State Invitational in Natchitoches, LA. contact Maggie Eubanks at eubanksml@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 16
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
September 13, 2021
SPORTS
Football Preview
photo courtesy ULM athletics
PLANS INTO ACTION: Coach Bowden and his staff watch along the sidelines as a play unfolds.
“Prime Time” home opener ULM hosts Deion Sanders’ Jackson State by Cameron Jett
The Warhawks faced baptism by fire in week one against Kentucky. After a week off to study film from their matchup against one of the premier teams in the SEC, head coach Terry Bowden can get his team ready for Jackson State. Saturday’s 6 p.m. matchup in Malone Stadium is the first ever meeting between these two programs. Jackson State is led by NFL hall-offamer Deion Sanders. The legendary defensive-back-turned-coach has led his team to a 2-0 start. After a defensive showcase earned his Tigers a 7-6 win against Florida A&M, his offense showed out versus Tennessee State in a 38-16 win. In contrast to the flashy image of Sanders is Bowden. Hidden behind the appearance of a coach of years gone by is a man who embraces the
opportunity to innovate. Bowden took years away from the game to learn before returning as an assistant to Clemson and their national champion head coach Dabo Swinney. Sanders has the not so unfamilar task of coaching his sons. One son, Shedeur Sanders is the freshman quarterback and the highest ranked recruit in school history. He has four total touchdowns through his first two games along with 583 passing yards. His other son, Shilo Sanders is a sophomore safety. The Warhawks look to match with their own father-son duo of offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez and quarterback Rhett Rodriguez. Rhett Rodriguez has a limited body of work but has soundly earned the trust of his teammates, his father and Bowden. Bowden made note of the team’s need for offensive playmakers. After being held to less than 100 yards of offense, it’s an obvious call. The Warhawks might already have their answer in wide receiver Boogie Knight. Knight led the Warhawks in receiving yards against Kentucky and he has earned praise from his coaches and teammates all throughout the
offseason. A player to watch is Tigers linebacker James Houston. Houston leads his team with 5.5 sacks through their first two contests. The Warhawks offensive linemen were pushed to their limits with their run game eliminated. They gave up six sacks. Conversely, ULM found their way to the quarterback against Kentucky. Even against one of the SEC’s most respected offensive line, ULM still brought the quarterback down four times. Despite playing just one game, ULM has more turnovers than the Tigers. ULM forced an interception on the opening drive against Kentucky and later recovered two fumbles. The Tigers have two fumbles recovered but have yet to pick the ball off. Both teams have struggled on the ground. A dominant Kentucky front held the Warhawks to just 17 rushing yards. Jackson State has a much more respectable 70 yards per game on the ground, but they have yet to establish a lead rusher. contact Cameron Jett jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu
photo courtesy ULM athletics
BOOGIE FEVER: WR Boogie Knight led ULM with 58 receiving yards.