03 09 15

KPD investigating reported shooting in Fort Sanders Hayley Brundige News Editor (@hayleybrundige)

Police have released the names of four individuals who were hospitalized for gunshot wounds after a shooting in the Fort Sanders neighborhood near 16th and Forest Avenue

Campus workers protest university wage policy >>See page 3

Lady Vols fall to South Carolina in SEC championship >>See page 10

Volume 128 Issue 40

Saturday night.

Two of the individuals are reportedly in serious condition, while the other males have sustained injuries that are not life-threatening.

Three victims — Blake Cue, Alexander Eberly and Jordan Rusinek—and one suspect — Jonathon Emert—have been identified in the incident.

KPD reports that upon arrival, Cue was found on the sidewalk “suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso.” Elberly sustained a gunshot wound to his hand and Rusinek was driven to Fort Sanders Hospital with gunshot wounds to both upper legs and crotch areas.

See FORT SANDERS on Page 2

A HOME AWAY FROM HOTSPOTS

Outdoor space offers natural respite from college town craze Jenna Butz Arts & Culture Editor (@butzjenna)

Take a hike—or maybe a run, walk or bike.

Whatever your vice, Knoxville Urban Wilderness offers an outdoor experience in a metropolitan setting.

A preservation initiative backed

by Legacy Parks Foundation, Knoxville Urban Wilderness includes recreational, historical and cultural sites within the 1,000 protected acres along Knoxville’s waterfront.

There are also over 40 miles worth of trails, 10 parks and four Civil War sites.

Julianna Burchett, -Julianna Burchett

“Whether you want to enjoy a quiet hike or spend time biking on the trails, it’s available and it’s close enough to where everyone can use it.”

senior in environmental science, takes advantage of these local trails about five times a month during the school year and multiple times a week over the summer for both hiking and mountain biking. While her favorite local spot is House Mountain, a 30 minute drive from downtown, “because it is so easily accessible and you can hike for as short or as long as you want to,” Burchett also enjoys biking the South Loop by Mead’s Quarry within Ijam’s Nature Center.

Regardless of where Burchett goes though, she appreciates Knoxville outdoor space.

“I think my favorite thing about Knoxville’s greenspace is that it offers something for everyone,” Burchett said.

“Whether you want to enjoy a quiet hike or spend time biking on the trails, it’s available and it’s close enough to where everyone can use it.”

Erica Davis, junior in sociology, also spends time at Ijam’s Nature Center, roughly a five minute drive from her apartment.

See URBAN WILDERNESS on Page 8

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Monday, March 9, 2015

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CAMPUSNEWS

The Daily Beacon • Monday, March 9, 2015

Women’s summit workshops, speakers inspire fresh definitions for female leaders Jennifer Webb Contributor

With Rosie on Rocky Top, women can’t lose.

Students, faculty and local female leaders gathered Saturday in the University Center to discuss the issues facing women today and inspire women in the audience to defy stereotypes and discrimination.

This inaugural Women’s Empowerment Summit was divided into five sections throughout the day, including the opening speaker, two educational blocks, a lunch panel and a keynote speaker.

Participants had the option of attending one of the three educational workshops offered during the first block. These included: The Legacy and Challenge of Suffrage, Defining the “F-word”: Overcoming Myths and Conceptualizing Contemporary Feminism and SPEAKologist Training.

During lunch, a panel of four women in male-dominated fields took the stage. Their fields ranged from law to science to police enforcement. They discussed the challenges they faced and the ways they overcame them.

Then, in the second educational block, participants were given the option to choose between three more educational workshops: Becoming a 360 Degree Leader, Empowering Women through Education Around the World and Getting Past Purity Politics: Thinking About a New Kind of Sexual Ethic.

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero closed the Summit by speaking on her journey to be Knoxville’s first female mayor and the importance of having women in politics.

“Vulnerability does not mean that you’re weak. Vulnerability is probably one of the most powerful ways you can live your life if done in a way that is appropriate for you and certainly “In order for those that are the recipients of who you are, those to win, we individuals who can appreciate it and value it.” -- Dean of Students Melissa Shivers

have to run. We are never going to have seats if we don’t run.”

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over achiever, but being an over achiever is not always healthy. I think you have to maintain balance. I’ve learned to kind of temper my over achievement because of all of these kind things happen to you as a as woman and as an African American woman.”

-- Professor Karla McKanders, Associate Professor, UT College of Law and Immigration Clinic

-- Mayor Madeline Rogero

FORT SANDERS

THE DAILY BEACON STAFF EDITORIAL

“To me, it has propelled me forward to be an

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continued from Page 1

Emert, a suspect in the case, was found at the base of the steps from Apartment C of the house with one gunshot wound to the chest.

KPD lists an unknown black male and an unknown white female as two other suspects in the case.

All identified individuals involved are between the ages of 21 and 24 and it has been confirmed that none are UT students.

KPD’s preliminary investigation reveals that all individuals were inside the Forest Avenue apartment during an illegal drug transaction. Officers saw marijuana, drug paraphernalia and shell casings in the apartment when they carried out the initial security sweep.

Charges have been filed against Anna Foster, a resident of the home, for possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.

On Saturday evening, Knoxville Police officers responded to “multiple reports of shots fired” at 1537 Forest Ave. at 6:25 p.m. No word yet on the location of the person with a firearm who was last seen heading east on Highland Avenue, according to UT Police.

A neighbor from across the street, Anton, said he heard shots Saturday eve-

“I’m not very often going to be the biggest and strongest person in a room, especially when dealing with subjects, so I kind of try to disarm them with my wit. I can be better at other things.”

-- UTPD Corporal Kelly Mihalik

ning and came outside onto his porch to see what was happening.

“I saw a kid on the ground, bleeding, hunching forward and screaming,” he said.

Another Fort Sanders resident who requested not to be named also heard the shots and saw at least two ambulances helping injured individuals onto gurneys.

“I heard a shot,” she said. “Maybe 10 minutes later I heard sirens and I looked outside. A young man was on the ground in the parking lot ... A young woman was nearby, visibly upset, a cop escorted her to her car.”

UTPD encouraged residents to be cautious, and previously tweeted to “get to a safe location and barricade while police investigate.”

Students had not received a UT text alert as of 7:30 p.m. UTPD told The Daily Beacon they were having problems with the text alert system. In a safety notice sent out at about 10 p.m., UTPD apologized for the oversight.

“Upon receiving the report, UT Police Department sent a UT Alert message to an internal list of personnel, which was then shared on Twitter via @UT Police,” the email read. “It was then discovered that the UT Alert text and e-mail message did not reach the entire community.

By that time, police were on the scene.”

The investigation is ongoing, and KPD is continuing to gather evidence and statements from witnesses.

CAMPUSNEWS

Monday, March 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

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Campus workers protest unpaid leave during inclement weather Hannah Marley Staff Writer

What would you do if you had to choose between driving on ice and paying your bills?

Facilities Services workers are forced to make this decision whenever Knoxville’s weather gets dangerous.

Members of United Campus Workers stood outside Thompson Boling Arena Saturday urging students and audience members to sign a petition to change the university policy that prevents approximately 650 campus workers from using paid leave during inclement weather. Workers who are unable to make it to work because of unsafe weather conditions must take a day of leave without pay, forcing them to decide between physical safety and financial stability.

“A day’s wage is huge, especially when you’re a minimum wage worker.”

-Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson, a 14-year facilities services employee and member of the Employee Relations Council as well as President of the United Campus Workers, emphasized the repercussions that losing a day’s wages can have on minimum wage employees.

“A day’s wage is huge, especially when you’re a minimum wage worker,” Anderson said. “I work quite a bit more than most of those folks and I’m still going paycheck to paycheck.

“It’s not much in the scheme of things to the university, but to the individual, that’s groceries, the power bill, or part of the ability to make house payments and take care of your family.”

Aside from the financial stresses of missing a day of work, making the decision to come into work can have equally disastrous effects in dangerous weather conditions. Many of the workers present Saturday expressed concerns about their safety and the policy’s lack of understanding in emergencies.

Building aid in the Building Services Department Josh Smyser said several of his coworkers experienced some of these problems when trying to make it into work during the recent series of snow days.

“I know personally two people in my department who wrecked their vehicles coming in, and they are not going to be paid for the day that they missed,” Smyser said. “Those are two examples of people who felt like they needed to come in, tried to come in because of this policy and literally risked their lives while doing so, facing financial repercussions not only in the fact that they have to pay for the damages to their vehicles, but also for the lost pay.”

The policy the United Campus Workers referenced only applies to a minority of campus workers. The vast majority are allowed to take administrative leave in case of emergencies, meaning that they are automatically paid when the university is forced to close in cases of inclement weather.

While the reasoning behind the different treatment is attributed to the fact that these workers are essential for campus to continue operating, many see the inability to receive any compensation in extreme cases as wage theft.

“To deny workers the compensation that should be given to them for having an emergency snow day is wage theft,” Melanie Barron, a graduate student (AND?) teacher’s assistant who participated in the protest said.

“If other staff members on campus are eligible for getting paid for that day, then our custodial workers should too.”

Despite the consequences of the policy change, only a handful of workers were present at the protest, saying that their coworkers are afraid of the possible consequences of participating, which could include getting written up by management and risking their ability to receive merit pay raises in the future.

“There’s a sense of fear and intimidation, that if you speak up you’ll get intimidated or retaliated against, and it’s very subtle,” Anderson said. “There’s lots of little things that happen at work that are difficult to challenge.”

The workers present passed out flyers explaining the policy and its implications, asking people to sign a petition in the hopes that with increased awareness on campus and support from students, upper management might be persuaded to listen to the workers’ concerns and revise the policy.

“We hope that when people know what’s happening on campus the university will be moved to do the right thing, which is to allow people to use their leave,” Smyser said. “Safety and being able to provide for your family means much more than one more cup of salt thrown on some stairs.”

The Daily Beacon has reached out to administrators in Facilities Services for a response to these allegations.

Tom Anderson protests with many others about workers’ pay on Saturday afternoon.

He has worked for buildings services at UT for 14 years.

Hannah Marley • The Daily Beacon

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Monday, March 9, 2015

FRONT ROW REVIEW

FRONT ROW REVIEW

‘50 Shades’ parody puts Bijou in stitches Faith Schweikert

Copy Editor (@got_2haveFaith)

“Double holy crap.”

I interrupted mom’s night out.

“50 Shades! The Musical Parody” came to the Bijou Theatre Saturday night, attracting the likes of every single average-looking parent you’ve ever seen. Until the show began, that is.

After being warned to silence all “vibrating devices” during this 69-minute show, those seemingly complacent individuals were transformed. They were laughing and clapping along, screaming at the half-naked men on stage, literally begging for more as the “gentlemen dragged along by their lady” sat begrudgedly beside her.

Now we know what happens when you give a middle-aged woman a drink and ticket.

This off-Broadway musical parody, based off of the bestselling novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James, is touring the country, making thousands laugh harder than ever at themselves and the people they know.

It’s funny and foul. It’s “why am I laughing?” and “how could someone not be?” at the same time. It’s “The Book of Mormon” meets your mom, and it’s fantastic.

The show begins with three middle-aged women in a book club, stuck as to what “literary masterpiece” to read next. Naturally, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is decided as that masterpiece. And so the audience then follows the journey of these women, chapter by chapter, as the book is performed before them.

Audience participation made the show. Without the brave front seat souls, who would’ve been there to high-five Elliot Grey (Matthew Alexander) as he had sex with Katherine (Alexis Field) in the aisle? Who would the three women have directed their sexual thrusts and jabs to? And, of course, who else would’ve gotten the whole crowd to cheer them on as they danced their way to their stardom/shame/hangover?

Writers Al Samuels, Amanda B. Davis, Emily Dorezas, Jody Shelton and Ashley Ward managed to make fun of every aspect of this novel in a way that made every woman there realize that they were laughing because the jokes about the people who read the books are true. And that they read them no matter “how uncomfortable it makes everyone else around you.”

As if the actions weren’t enough, songs such as “There’s a Hole Inside of Me” and “I Don’t Make Love” made sure everyone caught on to the very sexual innuendos the books wanted readers to. Often caught between bellyaching laughter and gasping in shock at the offensiveness, one couldn’t help but love it all. While it became rather obvious who the real “Fifty Shades” fans were as they eagerly giggled about when suchand-such scene was going to come up, novice fans relished in the musical all the same.

It’s just your typical Saturday night theater … with sex toys, mom jeans and overweight billionaires. So, as you sit there judging anyone who saw this play, remember: “Things aren’t always black and white, sometimes they’re grey … hahahaha.”

The king of the south Big K.R.I.T. performs Thursday at the International.

Sterling Martin • The Daily Beacon

Big K.R.I.T. offers refreshing take on hip hop Sterling Martin Contributor

Who would’ve thought that a premier hip-hop phenomenon of the century would be charged to a man that classifies himself as country?

The king of the south Big K.R.I.T. (aka King Remembered In Time) invaded Knoxville last Thursday night with unprecedented hype. The energy and enthusiasm from the crowd was remarkable from start to finish with the help of an opening set from PURPL MONK featuring artists Treekeeper and Pradda.

Together the three properly worked the crowd up until everyone was moving, swaying and groovin’.

K.R.I.T.’s performance was a success in part due to the amount of emotion and spirit he carried with him on stage.

His passion for his music and towards his fans was evident throughout the entire night, as he would take turns talking to the audience between jumping and dancing with each heartfelt song. Among those was the title track of his most recent album “Cadillactica,” the instant classic “My Sub Pt. 3,” and even his head banger “Talkin Bout Nothing.”

Especially today, hip-hop has been flooded with talentless artists whose only aim is to get famous or make money — they aren’t in it for the love of the music.

Big K.R.I.T., however, is a major exception to this trend.

His talent earned him a spot in XXL Mag’s class of Top Freshman in 2011, along with a star-studded cast that included Meek Mill, Yelawolf, Lil B and heavy-hitter himself Kendrick Lamar.

Eventually he signed with Def Jam

recordings, solidifying his title as one of the greatest in the game.

The success his one-of-a-kind southern-style rap has found can partly be credited to his abundance of released work. Big K.R.I.T. began recording in 2005 and ever since has consistently pushed a steady stream of new music that includes over 10 officially released mixtapes, EP’s and albums.

Most notably, all of his work up until 2013 was self-produced, meaning he made the beats as well as recorded the vocals himself. Because of this, it makes sense that Scarface and Outkast among others are some of his biggest influences.

For the rest of March, K.R.I.T. will continue on a string of tour dates around the south ending in his home state of Mississipi.

ARTS&CULTURE

Monday, March 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

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Spanish Immersion Day blurs ethnic boundaries, unlocks cultural identity

Emilee Lamb Copy Chief ¡Bienvenidos al día de inmersión en español!

The lively chatter of voices speaking Spanish greeted us as we approached the door to the little cottage tucked away on the campus of the Tennessee School for the Deaf. The warmth of Hispanic culture radiated through the door as we walked in and crossed our names off the Students hit a pinata during Spanish Immersion Day on March 7.

Spanish Immersion Day attendee list.

Each spring, the Spanish program in the Photo Courtesy of Annachiara Mariana Department of Modern Foreign Languages transport students to a Hispanic country for And, I would dare to say, when you immerse organizes a day of full immersion into the a day, and it’s amazing what a change in lan- yourself so completely in something unnatural Hispanic culture — language, food, games and guage can do to affect the sense of place. When and new, you unlock a piece of yourself you dancing all part of the agenda. Saturday’s fesauthentic Cuban food is served and you play never knew was there. tivities marked the second Spanish Immersion a little street “fútbol,” it’s easy to leave behind Day to date. the ethnically homogenous realm most of us Students from all Spanish education levels live in every day. gathered in a dining room of the cottage as I love Spanish, genuinely. I’ve been sucked professors from the Spanish program introin by the Latino culture and often find myself duced themselves and explained the rules of resenting the freckles that give away my very the day: there would be no talking in English Scotch-Irish ancestry. It was refreshing to be — period. A point system represented by glow able to release my inner Shakira and be comstick bracelets was a way to ensure compliance. pletely accepted.

Caught speaking your native tongue? Hand On the drive home with my roommate, there over a bracelet. Grand “premios” were promwere no rules dictating the use of Spanish, and ised to those attentive students with the most yet, the “palabras” kept coming. Later that bracelets at the conclusion of festivities. night, questions in English were still unconI lost a bracelet to my very competitive sciously met with answers in Spanish. I could roommate while trying to get my initial 10 feel myself desperately clinging to the excitebracelets on my wrist, barely five minutes into ment of Spanish Immersion Day. the nine-hour day.

Why do I look forward all year to this one As professor after professor addressed us day when I’m forced to spend all day speaking warmly during introductions and announcea language in which I am by no means fluent? ments for the day’s proceedings, I appreciated Because on that one day, my fear of speakwhat I believe to be one of the best features ing Spanish incorrectly goes away, and I try of Spanish Immersion Day, and I must say things I might not otherwise. Because on that the Spanish program in general: the genuine day, I’m forced out of my comfort zone to give care and interest of the professors in the a dramatic recitation in Spanish in front of 20 lives of their students. When you’re speaking or so strangers. Because on that one day, I get a language with very specific formalities for to dance salsa and bachata with people who addressing superiors and peers, distinctions aren’t worried in the least about what others and separations are easily established. But think of them or their dancing ability. Because on Saturday, professors and students alike sat on that one day, I’m encouraged to push myself together and chatted, played musical chairs, as far away from my roots as possible and pushed and shoved in a game of soccer and become a part of something foreign, literally acted ridiculously in an intense game of chaand figuratively. rades. Everyone was equalized by one thing: I get to be someone that I definitely am not appreciation for Spanish culture and language. every other day of my life.

The event’s advertisements promised to

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The Daily Beacon • Monday, March 9, 2015

ARTS&CULTURE

Annual fashion show attracts diverse crowd for emerging designers Malak Al Duraidi Contributor

Ready, set, strut.

Knoxville Fashion Week, an annual event held to showcase fashion and style within the Knoxville area, wrapped its 2015 season Saturday night.

Events included an emerging model show, fashion in film exhibition, emerging designer show and a men’s show among others.

In 2012, Gage Talent Agency representatives found a need for an annual fashion-forward event that would bring designers, models, glitz and glam into one room. Each day of the fashion week is strategically themed to familiarize Knoxville with the different genres of fashion and designers.

Jaime Hensley, owner of Gage Talent Agency, traveled to fashion weeks around the world to learn the small details necessary to make a fashion week successful. The fashion-focused event takes over a year to plan but almost all of the final touches to the runway and designers are submitted within the last two weeks.

“It was Jamie Hensley’s dream to place all of this awesome talent on the runway, and she really did and it’s the only event of its kind,” said Kathleen Duff, Gage Talent booking assistant and runway coordinator. “We bring in all different kinds of talent each year. It is all about bringing arts, fashion and culture to the area.”

The Thursday show drew the largest crowd due to its diversity, showcasing emerging designers, fashion and film and couture hair.

The Emerging Designers show featured designers such as Saveen, Lisha Charmane, The Charming Housewife, The Brat Rack, Vintage Valencia and DJ Kandyann. During the show, designers had to choose items that would showcase the overall theme of their brand.

Fashion designer, model and cosplayer Alexis Montclaire has her DJ Kandyann line based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Cosplayers wear or design costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character or idea. She hopes that by participating in Knoxville Fashion Week she can combat any negative stereotypes on cosplayers in fashion.

“A lot of people look at cosplayers and think that we are just a bunch of make believing dweebs, but it actually takes a lot of technical skill to be able to do what we do,” Montclaire said. “By translating that into artistic fashion, it makes us straddle the line between our nerd craft and fashion forward items.”

The year’s Knoxville Fashion Week had more models, designers and audience attendance than in years past. Model Brianna Salisbury has modeled in the event for two years and has seen the event grow.

“Knoxville Fashion Week is consistently getting bigger and better each year,” Salisberry said. “We have more variety of designers, and we get more support each year. It is refreshing to know that A model wears an outfit by designer Splash’d by DKG during Knoxville’s Fashion Week. fashion in this area is continuously growing.”

Mark Bender • The Daily Beacon

VIEWPOINTS

Monday, March 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

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A culture of secrecy

Thomas Carpenter The Workshop

In May of 2013, then Vice Chancellor of Student Life Tim Rogers, a UT employee of 38 years, sent an email to Chancellor Jimmy Cheek including his intention to retire. In his email, Rogers wrote, “I do not believe it to be in the best interest of the university, my health or my self-esteem to attempt to continue my employment as vice chancellor for student life.”

He also described the situation within the administration at UT as “intolerable.” The university released a large number of emails between the two in response to his resignation, but little light was shed on the specifics of why he chose to retire.

But the story does not end here. A Tennessean article critical of both athletic department officials and UT administrators and their attitude towards the discipline of athletes. Rogers said that he was pressured to be more lenient towards athletes when determining appropriate punishments. Rogers made his concerns known to UT president Joe DiPietro in a meeting shortly before he retired.

These accusations come on the heels of several investigations of sexual assault by UT student athletes. Five athletes on the 2014 roster have been accused of sexual assault so far. They also come at

a time when President Obama has publicly comeout against the rising number of sexual assaults on campuses across our country, and the federal government is investigating UT Chattanooga and Vanderbilt University for their handling of sexual assault cases.

Tim Rogers’ successor and current Vice Chancellor of Student Life Vincent Carilli has been in the news recently for a strangely similar situation. His and Student Life’s handling of a rape case has come under fire recently, where the victim was a UT freshman and the perpetrator was a football player. The investigation found no wrongdoing on the part of the football player, surprisingly, and he remains in good standing with the football team. Both the victim and the perpetrator are still unnamed.

What is happening at UT? The fact that multiple incidents of this sort have come out over the span of two years is more than enough to warrant a feeling of suspicion by any observer of this situation. Every student and faculty member should be deeply concerned about this, but so much is being kept in the dark by the athletic department and the UT administration, and that alone should be enough cause for criticism.

I have come to the conclusion that nothing will be

done about this by the current UT administration.

Tim Rogers’ words have made it clear that university officials have no desire to hold student athletes accountable for their actions. It is on students and faculty members to bring this issue out into the open.

The situation at UT reflects a much larger issue that is present at major universities across the country where athletic departments have been allowed to act outside the scope of university policies and even the law.

There is a culture of clemency towards inexcusable actions of student athletes at UT, that much is clear. I call on Butch Jones, Josh Dobbs, Donnie Tyndall and every student and faculty member at UT to come out in support of increased transparency of the disciplinary processes relating to student athletes.

At the University of Tennessee, we are supposed to be Volunteers. We are supposed to shed light on issues we believe to be wrong. Instead, those who do are shamed and pushed out of the conversation by those with more power.

Thomas Carpenter is a junior in classics. He can be reached at ThomasCarpenter@utk.edu.

A purpose for the frigid winter

Kenna Rewcastle Life Under the Microscope

In Knoxville, we’ve had two back to back years of rather harsh winters complete with several weeks of significant snow fall and temperatures that fell well below freezing. Having seemingly made it through these dark times, it’s now relevant to assess the impact of an all too real winter. The benefits of these cold winters stems beyond snow days, this time reaching up to the highest peaks in the Smoky Mountains. With longer periods of below-freezing temperatures, the hemlock trees of the National Park’s highest peaks have been given a second chance.

Many of you may have heard of the hemlock woolly adelgid, *Adelges tsugae*, an invasive insect that bores into the base of the needles on hemlock trees and sucks out the sap. When infested, these adult trees cannot produce enough sap to acquire enough nutrients to satisfy their own needs. The result is hemlock forests filled with the skeletons of old growth trees with a scattering of younger trees that will soon meet the same fate.

While the insect reached Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2002, the park’s forest health monitors and visitors can already see the decimation of hemlock forests at the top of Clingmans Dome

and other high elevation peaks in the park. The park rangers are employing biological and chemical strategies to improve tree defenses and fight the

“The hemlock trees of the National Park’s highest peaks have been given a second chance.”

presence of the insect, but ultimately, Mother Nature has the most effective tool in this effort.

The population size of the woolly adelgid goes through distinct boom and bust cycles typical of most insect species. During the warmer spring and

summer, the insects pillage the hemlock trees for nutrients and then reproduce, releasing large pulses of offspring, before dying. As cold winter temperatures arrive, the insect populations take a huge hit, meaning that the population must grow from nearly nothing again each spring. This yearly culling of the adelgid populations is the most effective check on the growth and spread of the insect’s impact on hemlock forests.

These past two winters have been abnormal, though. When compared to the warming trend clearly seen in the last decade of winters as a whole, these winters have been unique in that we have experienced sustained periods of below-freezing temperatures, especially in the high-elevations of the park. While previous warmer winters have simply caused a small dip in the size of adelgid populations, this past winter and the one before that dealt a hefty blow to the invasive pest that’s sucking the life out of our hemlock forests. More snow days, a bigger appreciation for the spring that’s slowly arriving and healthier forests: I’d say that’s a win for everyone.

Kenna Rewcastle is a senior in College Scholars.

She can be reached at kenerewc@vols.utk.edu.

ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Monday, March 9, 2015

URBAN WILDERNESS continued from Page 1 “There are so many trails to explore, and I love finding a quiet place to study or read there,� Davis said. “There are also a couple spots with huge rocks that are fun to climb around on.

And the river boardwalk is lovely.�

A hotspot for Knoxvillians, Ijam’s Nature Center is one of the more popular Knoxville Urban Wilderness because of its accessibility and views. According to Outdoor Knoxville’s website, “there are hiking only trails that take you past the historic Stanton Cemetery to the top of the ridge for an overlook of the turquoise Mead’s Quarry Lake. More wandering around the old quarry will take you past gated caves and uniquely carved marble shelves; over the rock bridge and underneath the ‘keyhole’ before looping back to the main trail.�

Like Burchett, Davis admires the city’s efforts to preserve and care for Knoxville’s greenspace, an escape from city life and a peek into time’s past.

TUTORING

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Read the Beacon Classifieds!

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ijamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is such a wonderful place, and it amazes me that in the midst of a city as huge and bustling as Knoxville, there are beautiful places where you can go and feel completely relaxed and alone in nature,â&#x20AC;? Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Ś Ijamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a place to step back from the fast pace of college and city life, which is so necessary sometimes. I think Knoxville benefits so much by having a space where people can go and reconnect with what really matters.â&#x20AC;?

If your spring break means staying in Knoxville, Burchett encouraged students to take the time off to explore more of what the Scruffy City has to offer, sweat it off and reset. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being that Knoxville is largely a college town, having the Urban Wilderness so close by is a great resource for students to use to balance out their lives,â&#x20AC;? Burchett said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know the first thing I want to do after spending a few hours in the library is go ride my bike for a while or spend some time hiking. I think the Urban Wilderness is a major gem of Knoxville, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad the city has spent so much time developing and maintaining it for the public.â&#x20AC;?

For a full list of sites and downloadable trail maps, visit outdoorknoxville.com/urban-wilderness.

HOURS: DAWN TILL DUSK

PARKING & TRAILHEADS

8

IJAMS NATURE CENTER Main entrance: 2915 Island Home Avenue Meads Quarry entrance: 3518 Island Home Pike

WM HASTIE NATURAL AREA Entrance: End of Margaret Road

ANDERSON SCHOOL

Entrance: 4808 Prospect Lane

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McClure Lane entrance: 3140 McClure Lane Burnett Creek entrance: 5907 Burnett Creek Road

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PUZZLES&GAMES

Monday, March 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

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NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz

Adam Hatch • dadoodlydude

Cartoons of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

ACROSS 1 Egg size larger than large 6 Remove, as a potato peel 10 Big inits. in financial news 13 French ___ soup 14 Prime draft classification 15 Inflict upon 16 “Some Like It Hot” actor 18 The Parthenon or Machu Picchu 19 “I must do this” 21 “How adorable!”

24 Key for exiting fullscreen mode 25 Item on a birthday cake 26 Wool variety 29 Permitted 30 What a baker gets a rise out of?

31 Indonesian tourist destination 33 Notable time 34 Empire State Building locale … or a hint to three letters in 16-, 19-, 52- and 57-Across 38 Existed

40 Thick Japanese noodle 41 Get tangled up 44 Marzipan nuts 47 Aioli, mostly 48 Bit of sports equipment with a reel 49 King or queen beater 51 Clear (of ) 52 Indictment for a serious offense 56 “This skull has ___ in the earth …”: “Hamlet” 57 Executive’s free “wheels” 61 Rubik who invented Rubik’s Cube 62 Margarine 63 Enticing smell 64 NNW’s opposite 65 Bottoms of paws 66 Given to crying

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William who played Hopalong Cassidy in old westerns

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6 Places with wharves 7 Bit of tomfoolery 8 Bridle strap 9 Unhurried pace 10 Eager reply to “You guys want to come?”

11 Meara’s partner in comedy 12 Actor on “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Chicago P.D.” 15 Brand for clearing a clogged pipe 17 Druggie 20 Home to L.A. and S.F. 21 Tan who wrote “The Joy Luck Club” 22 “___ is me!”

23 TV show that popularized the phrase “Is it bigger than a breadbox?”

27 Cigar residue 28 Suffix with Manhattan 29 Turing who was portrayed in “The Imitation Game” 31 “Two no-trump” and others 32 In the past 35 Kind of film exemplified by “Lethal Weapon” 36 Expert 37 Statute 38 Dimpled breakfast items 39 Hanging on every word 42 QB Manning 43 “Turn on, tune in, drop out” drug

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SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Monday, March 9, 2015

MEN’S BASKETBALL

South Carolina spoils Senior Day as Vols fall, 60-49 Troy Provost-Heron

Staff Writer (@Troy_Provost) The applause that showered the court before Saturday’s contest against South Carolina left Josh Richardson smiling from ear to ear.

The ovation that preceded the final buzzer, however, flooded the senior with a very different emotion.

With 23.5 seconds remaining, Richardson began his final walk to Tennessee’s bench, and those who remained rose to their feet and cheered as he neared the sideline with tears in his eyes and his face buried in his jersey.

Moments later, Richardson’s final regular season home game came to end with South Carolina celebrating a 60-49 victory that snapped the Volunteers’ 15-game winning streak against the Gamecocks, as well as their three-game winning streak on Senior Day. “My mind just started racing and I was just thinking that it would be the last time I’d ever step off the court here,” Richardson said, “It just sucks to leave with my last game here being a loss.”

The glee surrounding the pre-tip festivities began fading shortly after Tennessee (1515, 7-11 SEC) jumped out to an early 10-5 lead in the first 4:34 of the game. From there, South Carolina (15-15, 6-12) proceeded to reel off a 21-4 run over the next 7:22 to give itself a 12-point lead.

Over the next 4:02, the Vols put together a 7-0 run to draw within five, but watched as the Gamecocks used a 10-0 run to close out the half and halt any momentum UT had nearing the intermission.

“We started the game pretty well,” Tennessee head coach Donnie Tyndall said.

“We drove it well against their man-to-man, but when they went to the zone, we did not drive the basketball enough.

“We settled for jump shots that didn’t go in at a high enough percentage, and you are not going to beat quality teams when you settle for jump shots.”

After shooting just 35 percent from the floor in the first half, things did not get any better for the Vols in the second half, where they made just nine of their 20 shot attempts (.360).

Nonetheless, Tennessee had a chance to crawl back into the game.

With the Vols in the midst of an 11-0 run that turned an 18-point deficit into a 47-38 ballgame, Devon Baulkman stepped to the free throw with a chance to make it a twopossession game after being fouled while attempting a 3-pointer.

Coach Donnie Tyndall comforts senior Josh Richardson during his final walk to the bench at the game against South Carolina’s Gamecocks. Esther Choo • The Daily Beacon The junior guard only sank one. Several possessions later, junior guard Kevin Punter took a trip to the charity strip in a similar situation, only to have the same result: 1-for-3.

The four misses at the line all but sealed Tennessee’s loss, spoiling Richardson’s Senior Day. Yet, his final memory at Thompson-Boling Arena is not one he will easily cast aside.

“It’s something players never forget,” Richardson said. “I don’t think it’s completely sunk in yet, but I know I definitely won’t forget it.”

Saturday’s loss to South Carolina solidifies Tennessee as the No. 10 seed in the SEC tournament, where they will face Vanderbilt, who will be the No. 7 seed based off tiebreakers, in Nashville on Thursday at 7 p.m.

During the regular season, the Vols and Commodores split their series, with each team winning on the road.

“I’m just happy to get another opportunity to play,” Richardson said. “Playing a team like Vanderbilt, we should all be able to wake up for that. They are a good team and we’ve had two good games against them this year.

“The third one should be fun.”

SPORTS

Monday, March 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Lady Vols drop rematch with Gamecocks 62-46 Taylor White

Assistant Sports Editor (@T_Dub98) LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas— There was no sharing this trophy.

After being named co-champions of the SEC in the regular season, No. 1 seeded South Carolina met the No. 2 Lady Vols for a much anticipated rematch, this time in the SEC Tournament Championship Game held at Verizon Arena.

While the atmosphere may have been different, the result was the same as South Carolina took advantage of Tennessee’s offensive struggles to beat the Lady Vols 62-46, and secure their first SEC Tournament Championship.

“South Carolina was tough, they played hard,” head coach Holly Warlick said. “They’re very deserving of the game. I thought our kids battled, it just wasn’t our night.”

Tennessee (27-5) trailed 41-38 with 11:33 left in the game, but went cold from the field over the last nine minutes. The Lady Vols shot just 2-of-14 over that stretch and just 4-of-10 from the free throw line.

The Gamecocks (30-2) took advantage of that dry spell, closing out the game on a 21-8 run, and ending Tennessee’s hopes for a second consecutive tournament title.

“We missed easy shots,” Warlick said. “We missed layups. We missed free throws. Our margin for error against South Carolina is very small. You got to make shots that are around the basket and layups, and we didn’t.”

Tennessee took a five point lead with 3:59 left in the first half when Cierra Burdick followed an Alexa Middleton three, with an easy back-door layup, but the Gamecocks quickly answered.

Four straight points from Freshman of the Year A’ja Wilson capped an 8-0 run for South Carolina and put the Lady Vols in a three point hole they would not be able to overcome.

“I commend them for the run that they made,” senior forward Cierra Burdick said. “Once they made it, we couldn’t really get it back and that’s what hurt us.

Offensively, Tennessee looked to sophomore guard Jordan Reynolds for production when shots weren’t falling. Reynolds followed up her 13 point

11

performance in Saturday’s semifinals by setting a new career high on Sunday.

The Portland, Oregon native scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and added a pair of first half threes to help give the Lady Vols an early lead.

After averaging just 6.5 points per game in the regular season, Reynolds has expanded her game in the postseason, averaging over 11 points in three tournament games.

“I tried to stay in attack mode for my teammates,” Reynolds said. “I just tried to take some of the pressure off of them because I know the teams are gonna come after them so harshly, so I thought it would be an awesome time to step up.”

It wasn’t the play of SEC Player of the Year Tiffany Mitchell that led South Carolina, Mitchell had 17 points and seven rebounds, but it was a familiar face in Aleighsa Welch who took home the Tournament MVP award.

In the first meeting between the two teams, Welch had 19 points and 14 rebounds, nine of which were on the offensive end. In the rematch she continued her domination of the post, scoring, 14 points and grabbing five more offensive rebounds.

Welch opened the second half with four consecutive points as she grabbed two misses on the offensive end and was able to finish at the rim, adding to the Gamecock’s 19 second chance points on the game.

“They’re blue collar work horses,” Burdick said of South Carolina’s post players. “So it’s physical down there, and then the fact that they can continue to just sub in and out and have a revolving door.

That hurts.”

Outside of Reynolds, no Lady Vols reached double figures as Bashaara Graves and Andraya Carter both had seven, while Burdick and Jaime Nared added six each.

With the completion of the conference tournament, all eyes turn to the NCAA Tournament that will be held in a couple weeks, and while Tennessee didn’t get the result it wanted in Little Rock, Warlick doesn’t think that will affect her team going forward.

“We’re stepping up to the plate, we got something to say,” Warlick said. “I don’t know what we’re gonna get seeded. We’re gonna take whatever they give us.”

Notebook: Jordan Reynolds shines in SEC championship despite loss Patrick MaCoon Staff Writer

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — As the game turned: South Carolina turned the tables on Tennessee in the SEC championship game, as they won the battle of the boards (38-32) and points in the paint (19-9).

Despite a career-high 17 points from Jordan Reynolds, the No. 3 Gamecocks had four players finish in double figures and Dawn Staley’s squad ran away late with the program’0s first SEC championship in the final minutes.

Looking for one last run to try and mount a comeback, Reynolds put a jumper that went off the front of the rim and off the backboard and dropped in. Her fifth field goal cut the Lady Vol deficit to 49-41 with 5:36 left to play.

However, Khadijah Sessions answered right after to extend the lead back to double digits and her 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:06 left to play sealed the game with the first-seeded Gamecocks ahead 58-42.

“Teams really don’t focus on her much of the time,” SEC Player of the Year Tiffany Mitchell said, who scored 17 points in the 62-46 win Sunday. “She’s been taking those shots in practice and had the confidence to shoot them today.”

Ariel Massengale missed an opportunity to cut a deficit down with two errant shots at the free-throw line late.

Massengale finished with only 19 points (4-of-25 FG) in three games in the SEC

tournament and zero in the finale, but will be looked upon to return and make an impact in the NCAA Tournament.

“Ariel has been a major factor in our success this season,” third-year head coach Holly Warlick said. “We aren’t going to give up on her. She is a great leader on the court and the bench. I would never tell her to quit shooting.”

Warlick gave her opposition credit following the defeat, as South Carolina was a force in the SEC and a serious national title contender.

“The success speaks for itself,” Warlick said on the job Staley has done with the Gamecocks. “She has come in and turned that program around and worked really hard. They have strong girls that play basketball in their area and she has kept those girls at home.”

Hot topic: The SEC Tournament has been a setting that Jordan Reynolds has thrived in since her first season as a Lady Vol. The trend continued this weekend in Little Rock, as the sophomore guard scored a team-high 11.3 points per game and was 5-of-10 from 3-point range.

“My job was to keep the pressure off some of our other girls that do so much for this team,” Reynolds said. “I thought it would be an awesome time to step up in the tournament.”

UTDAILYBEACON.COM

See the full story online at utdailybeacon.com.

12

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Monday, March 9, 2015

SOFTBALL

Sophomore Megan Geer hits the balls during the game against Northern Iowa on March 7. Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon

Lady L d Vols V l undefeated df d at T Tennessee IInvitational

Trenton Duffer

Staff Writer (@trenton_duffer)

The Lady Vols continued their weekend of run-ruling teams by crushing Purdue and Indiana State in the final day of the Tennessee Invitational and improve to 16-3 on the year.

The Lady Vols started off their day with a matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers.

Purdue couldn’t get their bats going throughout the game, and they fell to the Lady Vols 8-0 in five innings. This marked the third straight run-rule victory for the Lady Vols — the first time that has happened since February 6th-8th.

After both teams went three-up and threedown in the first inning, the Lady Vols earned their first hit of the game with a double by Annie Aldrete in the second inning. The sophomore later scored on an RBI single by Megan Geer.

The Lady Vols scored two runs in the bottom of the third — a sac fly by Meghan Gregg and an RBI single by Rainey Gaffin.

Tennessee had a 3-0 lead after three innings.

After starting pitcher Gretchen Aucoin walked two of the first three batters of the fourth inning, Rainey Gaffin came in to relieve her. Aucoin finished the day with no hits, no runs, six strikeouts and two walks in

3.1 innings.

Co-head coach Karen Weekly was pleased with how Aucoin pitched in this game, yet mentioned that none of the Lady Vols pitchers have reached “ace” status yet.

“That’s really not what we’re looking for,” Weekly said. “We want them all to carry their weight when they get in there, and that’s what we’re going to keep working for.”

The Lady Vols’ bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Gaffin and Taylor Koenig were hit by pitches, Megan Geer smashed a three-run homer to dead center field to give the Lady Vols a 6-0 lead.

The next three batters all reached base, and, with the bases jammed, freshman Meghan Gregg crushed a two-RBI double into center field. The score reached 8-0, and the Lady Vols were rewarded with the run-rule victory against Purdue (12-8).

As Gretchen Aucoin picked up the win, Rainey Gaffin was rewarded with the save — the team’s first save since April 22, 2014 against Furman. Gaffin pitched 1.2 innings and allowed only one hit with no runs and one strikeout.

The Lady Vols got off to a hot start against the Sycamores in their second game of the day. Tennessee would score seven runs in the first inning to go on to run-rule Indiana State 12-0.

Tennessee was on fire from the beginning. With the bases loaded, Annie Aldrete smacked an RBI single to give UT its first run of the game. Megan Geer received a bases loaded walk, and Lexi Overstreet crushed a double that plated two. Meghan Gregg and Shaliyah Geathers both hit RBI singles.

Gregg’s drove in two runs while Geathers’ brought home Scarlet McSwain. The Lady Vols ended the inning on a line-out to the shortstop, but not after they had a 7-0 cushion.

Cheyanne Tarango would come in to pitch for Gretchen Aucoin in the top of the second.

Aucoin struck out the side in the top of the first and didn’t allow a hit or a run in her one inning.

The Lady Vols continued scoring into the second and third innings. In the second, Megan Geer and Meghan Gregg would each hit an RBI single to give the Lady Vols a 9-0 lead. After a ground out by Rainey Gaffin in the third, Taylor Koenig and Annie Aldrete would hit back-to-back solo home runs give the Lady Vols an 11-0 lead. Later in the third, Erin Gabriel would step up to the plate and smack her first career hit—an RBI double to right-center field. The Lady Vols had a 12-0 lead after three innings of play.

The Lady Vols would close out their opponent in the fourth and fifth innings. Erin

Gabriel would come in at the top of the fourth inning and shutout the Sycamores to help secure the Lady Vols’ 12-0 victory.

Tarango was rewarded the win after the game. The senior pitched two innings and gave up only two hits while fanning two batters.

Coach Weekly praised her pitching staff after the game.

“Today really was a pitch-by-committee effort,” Weekly said. “I think today that they really complimented each other.”

The Lady Vols finish tournament play with a 5-0 record with four of those wins being run-ruled victories. Tennessee will have a matchup at home on Tuesday against Illinois State at 6 p.m. before opening up SEC play next Thursday at South Carolina. The Lady Vols will play a three game series with the Gamecocks—Thursday at 6 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m., and Saturday at 1 p.m. All of those games will be available on the SEC Network +.

Weekly discussed the matchup next week against their first SEC opponent of the year.

“The SEC has just gotten stronger and stronger,” Weekly said. “They’ve (South Carolina) got a lot of good young players and a lot of experienced players…The SEC is dog-eat-dog, and it’s gonna be that way every week.