09 16 15

Trash piles high in Fort Sanders >>See page 3

Knoxville debates policy shaping government transparency >>See page 4

UT athlete gains experience on global stage >>See page 10

Salvage Shop combines creativity with utility Megan Patterson Arts & Culture Editor Where can you find vintage post-office boxes, a cast-iron tub and a full hand-carved staircase in one building?

Beth Meadows has seen all of these items come and go throughout her time with Knox Heritage. What began as a collection of donated building materials stored in a garage has grown into a professional vintage and antique store known as the Salvage Shop.

Knox Heritage is an institution with an extensive history in Knoxville, but it’s community interaction was fairly limited until a few years ago, when the accumulation of donated historic building materials grew too large for their former storage space. It was then that Knox Heritage decided to give the old materials a space of their own.

Meadows began overseeing the salvage program in 2010 and was present for the move to a new location. Previously a studio manager for artists throughout Fort Sanders, Meadows was a fitting choice for the job of expanding the salvage program.

“When I first started we would take donations … we were pretty much just in a garage,”

Volume 130 Issue 20

Meadows reminisced. “So I would get the donations, dust them off a bit, get them organized and there really wasn’t anywhere to work.”

After the move to a new location, the Salvage Shop was able to expand its services significantly.

“We’ve gone from that little to no cleaning of items to slowly getting to the point where we are creating new things out of salvage,” Meadows said. “There are different people around Knoxville who have taken items and refurbished them for us.”

The collaboration with local artists doesn’t stop there. To help offset costs and to promote further community outreach, the Salvage Shop shares their new space with several local artists.

“It’s kind of a win-win situation for everybody,” Meadows said. “I’m an artist as well, so anything you can do to put your name out there. We’re trying to promote them while also promoting the Salvage Shop.”

Sarah McFall is one of the local artists currently occupying a studio in the Salvage Shop. She met Meadows previously when she worked in another studio in Fort Sanders under Meadow’s management.

See SALVAGE SHOP on Page 8

(Top) Many donated materials line the wall and rooms of The Salvage Shop.

(Bottom) The Salvage Shop is now a professional vintage and antique shop.

All photos by Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

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INSHORT

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Humans of Knoxville

DISPATCHES Hungary closes borders to refugees Hungary blocked one of the main routes migrants fleeing conflict in Syria in the Middle East are using to escape violence in their homeland. Hungary, which is a member of the European Union, used a railway carriage equipped with razor wire in order to stop the migrant flow from Serbia.

Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban stirred controversy earlier this month after writing in a German newspaper that it was important to “keep Europe Christian” in response to the rising tide of refugees.

Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War and the rise of ISIS, over 200,000 people have died as a result of the ensuing conflict. Migrants peril dangerous conditions, either by land or by sea, to escape these conditions. This past April, over 800 refugees of multiple nationalities died off the coast of Italy in an attempt to reach Europe.

Flash floods in Utah-Arizona region result in 12 dead A flash flood near the Utah-Arizona border caused two vehicles carrying women and children to barrel down a canyon, leaving 12 people dead and one person missing Tuesday. Among those killed are at least six children and three women, according to Utah officials in the city of Hildale and with Washington County Emergency Services.

Hildale Mayor Philip Barlow said three people survived Monday’s flash flood, including a boy who was found walking around a creek and two people who survived by escaping from their vehicle. The mayor also confirmed that the vehicle carried a total of 16 women and children.

The flooding, which was concentrated in the region from Hildale to Colorado City, Arizona, had mostly receded by late Monday.

However, as of Tuesday evening, storms threatened yet another round of floods.

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EDITORIAL

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“I just finished cleaning bones at the museum ... I might smell bad.”

Erin Scott, Junior in Anthropology Katherine Overton • The Daily Beacon

Haslam outsourcing may undermine graduation plan Associated Press

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Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Editor, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314.

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An internal report on the potential outsourcing of building management at public colleges and universities warns Gov. Bill Haslam that the changes could undermine his signature “Drive to 55” initiative to improve graduation rates in Tennessee.

The report titled “Strategies for Efficiency in Real Estate Management” was first obtained

by WTVF-TV in Nashville. Among a series of recommendations aimed at cutting $184 million in costs per year, the report proposes reducing office space in higher education through greater use of telecommuting and temporary offices.

But the report acknowledges that the new approach would require a culture change within higher education, and adds that the reduced space “may be inconsistent” with Haslam’s effort to boost graduation rates and the Complete College Tennessee Act because “data indicates student success is correlated with level of student engagement with faculty and staff members.”

The report also calls for getting rid of what it calls obsolete and expensive-tomaintain buildings on campuses, but notes that “decommissioning historic buildings can

result in public pushback.”

Haslam spokesman Dave Smith would not answer specific questions about the report.

“You’re putting the cart way before the horse,” Smith said in an email. “No decisions have been made, and there’s no timeline from the governor’s office. We’re committed to working with higher education through a thoughtful and deliberate process to determine if any changes should be made.”

The governor told reporters last month that his “Drive to 55” proposal was part of his reasoning for considering more outsourcing at state colleges and universities because of efforts to expand the numbers of people earning degrees.

“There’s a huge pressure on everything from keeping tuition costs minimal to expanding the populations that we serve,” Haslam said.

“Colleges feel the pressure to do both of those things, and what we’re saying is the answer can’t always just be more money, more money, more money from the state.”

Haslam has insisted that it will be up to the state’s two higher education systems to decide whether they want to participate in the outsourcing program. But University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro has raised concerns that the state’s preferred procurement method would make opting out of the program problematic.

CAMPUSNEWS

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

Clean-up efforts underway in the Fort Liz Wood

Contributor In spite of clean-up assistance, Fort Sanders often resembles a landfill more than a neighborhood.

The .451 square mile neighborhood’s upkeep is monitored by four separate organizations: the Historic Fort Sanders Neighborhood Association, Keep Knoxville Beautiful, UT’s Office of Sustainability and Waste Connections.

However, with the Fort’s high concentration of college-age students, the area requires more attention to cleanliness than the average suburb.

In 2011, the population of the neighborhood had a median age of 22-year-old males and 21.8-year-old females compared to Knoxville’s averages of 31.6 and 34.3, respectively. In addition, the Fort’s population density is much higher than the city average.

Heather Brinton, senior in sustainability, and Virginia Reaves, senior in nutrition, picked up trash with Keep Knoxville Beautiful this April and noted large amounts of garbage and few trashcans.

“The Fort itself was filthy,” Brinton said.

“It’s incredible how much all those little bits of garbage we walk past every day accumulate.

There were entire yards that you could tell stayed trashed with no restrictions or punishment for it being that way.

“It was gross.”

Director of Communications for the city of Knoxville, Jesse Mayshark, said that Waste Connections, Knoxville’s private contractor, changed the scheduled day employees pick up trash to better suit Fort Sanders’s needs.

“Complaints were that people would have parties on weekends and all the trash from the weekend would sit in the garbage can all the next week, so we actually changed the day,” Mayshark said. “Every Monday, we’re getting

Trash lies in Fort Sanders. With a relatively high student population, the area has trouble keeping up with a consistent litter problem.

Taylor Gash • The Daily Beacon that weekend’s trash. That’s one thing we did to have things work better in Fort Sanders specifically.”

Mayshark also noted that most of the garbage collected in Fort Sanders ends up in a landfill.

However, the recycling center on campus created by UT’s Office of Sustainability offers an alternative method for waste disposal in UT’s closest neighborhood Preston Jacobsen, manager of Facilities Services, said the Office of Sustainability created the first public recycling drop-off on campus to allow students nearby to recycle.

“We tried to set up something as close as possible,” Jacobsen said. “The recycling centers available throughout Knoxville, particularly downtown, are somewhat lacking. We saw an opportunity, and that’s why we both created the public recycling center that is for students and filled in that void which was on the map.”

Though there is no data indicating the number of students that use the recycling center, Jacobsen said that from his experience, roughly

half of the people who visit are students.

In addition to Waste Connections trash pickup and the nearby recycling center, Fort Sanders receives aid through various group clean-ups throughout the year aside from the Office Sustainability and Keep Knoxville Beautiful periodic efforts.

The Historic Fort Sanders Neighborhood Association, a group of Fort Sanders residents committed to assisting in the improvements to Fort Sanders neighborhood was the most recent group to hold a clean-up Sunday following the UT-Oklahoma football game.

Keep Knoxville Beautiful Program Coordinator Alanna McKissack graduated from UT in the spring and has begun organizing a clean-up of the Fort following the UT-Georgia game next month with Gamma Sigma Sigma.

As a current resident of Fort Sanders, McKissack said she understands how much the Fort needs clean-up efforts.

“I like to do work in Fort Sanders,” McKissack said. “I know it can get bad. I live there.”

Archivists, curators offer panel for exploratory students Hannah Moulton Copy Chief

Libraries and museums are shrouded in daily silence, but that doesn’t mean the people who run them have to be.

The Center for Career Development will host a variety of career discussions that will give students an opportunity to meet and talk to experts in various career fields. The series is presented as part of the Career Conversations for Arts and Sciences series.

Although the series is set up to cater to arts and sciences majors, Mary Browder, career consultant at the Center for Career Development, stated that all students are welcome to attend.

The first event of the series, “A Night at

the Museum: Careers in Museums, Archives and Libraries,” will host a panel of librarians, museum curators and archivists.

The panelists will share information that can be beneficial to students looking to pursue a career in one of those fields. They will also talk about what they do on a daily basis, how their career actually works, how they got there and what kind of experiences they needed to reach their current position in their field of work.

“They’ll also share information about how their degree in arts and sciences, if that’s what they did graduate in, kind of help them in their position,” Browder said.

A Q&A session will follow the discussion where students will get the chance to ask the panelists about their chosen professions.

For Sydney Moore, an undecided sophomore,

programs like the Career Conversations can be highly beneficial.

“It’d be helpful if the University of Tennessee did more to help exploratory students,” Moore said. “I didn’t feel my advisor had enough knowledge of every field to put me on the right track.”

The series sets out to help students of all years and majors find a career path while providing networking opportunities, Browder said.

“I would say there’s lots of benefits that you could derive from the event depending on where you are in school,” Browder said.

“A Night at the Museum” is one of seven events that the Center of Career Development will host this semester.

The event will be held on the second level of the Student Union and will run from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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CAMPUSNEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2015

HIV/AIDS activist inspires through storytelling Grant Currin

Contributor

I am an endangered species!

But I sing no victim’s song!

I am a woman I am an artist!

And I know where my voice belongs!

Several silent seconds after her introduction Monday evening, Sheryl Lee Ralph surprised and silenced Cox Auditorium with two booming choruses of Dianne Reeves’ “Endangered Species.”

But the audience couldn’t stay quiet for long.

As the evening wore on, the actress, HIV/ AIDS activist and philanthropist, drew from the crowd a mixture of laughter, applause and a verse of “This Little Light of Mine.”

The Black Cultural Programming Committee (BCPC) hosted Ralph as part of its annual Legends Lecture Series, which seeks to commend and highlight African-Americans who have positively contributed to African-American culture.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, BCPC Parliamentarian Gareth Butler stated, “Our

Legends Lectures Series celebrates success in the African-American community, and we’re doing that tonight by honoring Ms. Sheryl Lee Ralph.”

The dramatic opening was an apt start to what would be a high-energy evening of life advice and spirited motivation. “My name is Sheryl Lee Ralph,” were her first spoken words, “and I love you just the way you are.

You are perfect just because you’re here, and God does not make mistakes.”

Judy Carpenter and Debora Leon, community members and sisters of Delta Sigma Theta, arrived early, excited to watch an honorary member of their sorority speak.

Carpenter described Ralph’s character as down-to-earth in addition to her skills as a “dynamic motivator” and her relatable demeanor as a wife and mother.

As she shifted from humor to gentle scolding via storytelling, Ralph wove anecdote, cultural commentary and metaphor into a polished, 90-minute performance. From the audience’s standing ovation, it was clear such commentary took root among listeners like Geoffrey Hervey, sophomore in psychology, who praised Ralph’s career and endeavors as an activist.

“I came here today because Sheryl Lee

“

Ralph is an actress I’ve grown up seeing,” Hervey said. “ I wanted to support the Black Cultural Programming Committee and celebrate a black female actress who’s spoken up for the HIV/AIDS community.”

For Hervey, Ralph’s performance also recalled memories of her films and being with family.

“It reminded me so much of home,” he said. “I felt like I was talking to a family member.”

At her talk’s conclusion, Ralph recalled entering Rutgers University at 16-yearsold during the first year it accepted female students — and as one of two African-American women. She recounted her journey from aspiring physician to aspiring lawyer to accomplished

actress and activist, peppering the narrative with short bursts of motivation and humor.

Alex Hughes, senior in supply chain management, appreciated Ralph’s candor as well as her ability to inform and entertain the audience.

“I thought it was a phenomenal event — not the typical ‘stay in school, get good grades’ speech,” Hughes said.

Near the end of Q&A, Ralph adopted a somber tone to recount her early HIV/AIDS activism. A Broadway performer in the 1980s, Ralph lost several friends to AIDS, but said she was spurred to action by a silent encounter with a frail patient who was ignored in his last days.

“I remember that little church girl in me saying, ‘we can do better than this,’” Ralph said, “And that’s how I got involved.”

My name is Sheryl Lee Ralph ... and I love you just the way you are.

You are perfect just because you’re here, and God does not make mistakes. ”

Counsel proposes fees for public records Alahnah Grace Contributor

Tennessee’s Office of Open Records Counsel held a discussion Tuesday regarding a new policy that will grant local government offices the right to charge taxpayers a fee to inspect public records.

Local government and citizen representatives from all over Tennessee flooded Tuesday’s meeting to voice their opinions on the policy proposal.

Those who supported the policy change communicated the frequent misunderstandings between record custodians and citizens requesting records, which include requests with the intent to harass, ambiguous or investigative requests, unnecessary costs for records and the intentional omission of records.

Sally Oglesby, a 30-year city clerk for Crossville, Tennessee, spoke as a representative for the new policy change.

Oglesby said it is less often the content of records citizens are interested in that proves problematic, but more often the intention to view records that

causes problems, with many individuals requesting records merely for harassment purposes.

“The requests can be very generic and not about a particular subject,” Oglesby stated. “We also have problems with requests that are investigative in nature and don’t let us know what particular questions they are trying to answer so that we can advise them what records may be helpful.”

Oglesby said she and other local government entities often feel they are in a “no-win” situation when it comes to records requests, as clerks are often accused of either withholding information or providing too much in the hopes of running up costs.

Most who were unsure of the policy agreed that the fees against citizens requesting records are unnecessary for “reasonable requests.” However, when a request is overly extensive, the record custodian may be justified in charging a “reasonable fee.”

Janet Jennings, the City Finance Reporter for Johnson City, offered several suggestions for reasonable charges, including free records requests that fall

under one free hour of labor, as well as up front cost estimates for records request that may prove more intensive for clerks.

Many had contentions with the change, saying their rights to freedom of speech against the government will likely be abridged by the policy change to charge fees.

One attendee equated the fee on record requests to the poll tax fee, abolished in 1964 for discriminating against specific citizen groups. Others quoted articles from both the United States Constitution and the Tennessee Constitution to support their claims.

On the whole, the presiding opinion of those against the policy was that the government intends to use these fees to discourage the pursuit of public records.

Although citizens recognized some record requests may be inconvenient, they affirmed that there is still a responsibility of the government to maintain a degree of transparency — free of charge.

The OORC is conducting addional open record policy meetings across Tennessee later this week.

ARTS&CULTURE

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 • The Daily

Bands, barbeque: Restaurant to host free concert series Marina Waters Staff Writer

You can hear a boot-stomping band, indulge in smoked barbecue and enjoy the smoky aroma of a bonfire — all while sitting on a Harley.

The tin-roofed structure known as The Shed Smokehouse & Juke Joint is about a minute from downtown Maryville. Though it’s next to the Smoky Mountain HarleyDavidson dealership, the music venue and eatery is an entity all its own.

“At first it was just something to supplement the Harley-Davidson dealership,” said Josh Formont, the venue’s artist and entertainment events coordinator. “It was something that was going to add to this being a way to get people in to buy motorcycles.

Now this stands completely on its own as a full-on concert venue that happens to be on the same site.”

Although the motorcyclist style is represented, there’s a different style present as well. The Shed is adorned with massive custom-made chandeliers, barn wood facings and stone fire pits surrounding the open-air concert venue — all to create their desired rustic atmosphere.

“This literally was a wood shed,” Formont explained. “It’s kinda come from the ground up. It’s a very home-feeling kind of place … it compliments the groups that we have in here.”

These groups range from legends like Leon Russell and Marty Stuart to country and Southern rockers such as Blackberry Smoke and The Kentucky Headhunters.

And in the band lounge area, tucked away on the side of the tin-roofed structure, the history of the The Shed is on display — on the walls and even the ceiling.

Custom-made, vintage concert posters created by the venue’s in-house graphic designer hang from wall-to-wall, along with random décor, a set of tables and chairs hanging from the ceiling and a place for artists to take a break backstage in the living room setup complete with a couch and two plush recliners.

“This is the room that all the artists really like,” Formont said. “Sometimes people will just sit and stare at all the posters and everything on the wall. It’s just really cool to see.

The history of this place is on the walls.”

Though the walls of the band lounge are adorned with concert memorabilia from some of their biggest acts, the lesser-known music venue takes pride in shining a light on those artists who don’t receive as much

attention.

“My main thing is, like a lot of college radio does, you try and find what’s up and coming,” Formont explained. “We pride ourselves on having booked artists and bands before they were ever big.

“We try to find those niches. And then we try to honor the legends that don’t seem to get any recognition elsewhere.”

Though artists like this weekend’s headliner, underground country star Sturgill Simpson bring in sold-out crowds of 2,000 people, the music makes up only half of The Shed.

The Smokehouse portion of the venue is located at the rear of the rustic building and offers barbecue, brisket, burgers and other down-home foods.

“I stand by it being the best barbeque in East Tennessee,” Formont said. “The Smokehouse is the underground secret. We have a brand new menu and the food is absolutely spectacular.”

The wooden walls are decorated with specialty-made art and more proof of the legends who have played at The Shed. And of course more wood, steel and tin.

Though the restaurant and music venue has been operating for 11 years, The Shed Smokehouse & Juke Joint plans to offer a new concert series starting this October inside the memorabilia/artist hangout room.

But before The Shed’s outdoor concert season ends, the venue will offer one last night of live outdoor music, free of charge.

To kick off the night, local Americana band Handsome and The Humbles will open for Kelsey’s Woods on The Shed’s main stage.

“We are very excited about it,” Josh Smith, lead singer of Handsome and The Humbles said. “There’s something special about being in an outdoor venue with motorcycles around, the smell of barbecue and live music. There’s really nothing else like it in the area.”

Whether it’s an outdoor concert with motorcycles parked alongside the stage or an acoustic show inside lounge, the venue aims to accomplish one thing — to fill a niche.

“There’s definitely a niche that hasn’t been filled in this area,” Formont explained.

“You can come here and hear a stone-cold country artist one week and hear full blown Rock ‘n’ Roll the next week. And then hear something in between the week after.

“There’s something new and different here every Saturday night.”

The Shed will host their free outdoor concert series farewell on Saturday, Sept.

26. The event begins at 6 p.m.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Black Student Union back from 35 year hiatus

Maria Smith Bleeding Orange, Being Different

The first general body meeting of the Black campus and become that larger umbrella for everyStudent Union on UT’s campus since 1980 was body,” Evans said. “We want the Black Student Monday Sept. 15, 2015.

Union to create visibility for UT, and to create a After a 35-year leave of absence, the Black better place for black students on campus and even Student Union is back on campus and ready to for people of color in general.” make moves by education on and advocating for Their values include unity, beneficial change and black students. true volunteer spirit, and the Black Student Union The Black Student Union first arrived at UT intends on impacting UT in a big way. in the fall of 1967. In 1979, the organization “We want it to enrich all black organizations,” changed its name to the Afro-American Liberation Tisdale said. “We definitely have long term initiaForce, but ended its presence on campus in 1980. tives as far as realizing that the percentages of It’s unknown if the organization was forced out black students right now are about the same as or if the choice to leave was it was in the ‘70s, and its been voluntary. dropping. So long term, we want to possibly see increases in black Regardless of the history student enrollment on campus.” behind the organization’s rise and fall, it has now been The BSU also wants to educate revamped with intentions to others to create a comfortable stay prominent and become environment for those not of the inclusive, while still keeping majority. the core objectives of the “We want the black students to black campus community in feel comfortable here, and feel like the forefront. they have a space here,” Evans said. “We want to educate the Although the revamp of larger majority of white students an organization sounds like on black struggles and the strugthe tedious work conducted gles of people of color. We want by grad students, the Black UTK to feel like a safer, more Student Union was actually inclusive place for black students brought back by a group of and people of color in general.” six actively dedicated underThe founders both agreed the graduate students, includBlack Student Union shows its ing President Ashley Evans Tennessee pride through embodyand Vice President Regina ing the true volunteer spirit.

Tisdale.

When asked why the group “The true volunteer spirit for decided to specifically bring me is about service,” Evans said. back the Black Student Union, “We’re here to serve the comboth officials discussed the munity. Even if you’re not for the void they felt on campus BSU, the BSU will always be for when it came to acknowledgyou.” ing both campus life and conOn top of being open to everyRegina Tisdale, Vice Presidentof the one, Tisdale made sure to stress cerns of black individuals.

Black Student Union the emphasis of the organization’s “Coming in as (a) freshbase: service. man last year, even from first semester, we felt like there “The BSU is designed with you wasn’t an organization where in mind,” Tisdale said. “We have we could come and express servant hearts. That’s our main our concerns as black stugoal aside from all our initiatives, dents on campus,” Tisdale said. “Yes, there are our committees and campaigns; we’re here to serve organizations that we got involved in, but it was our community.” not on a collective front.”

I personally am very excited to see what they Using their eager push toward change, both have in store. It is important to note that the orgaorganization officials admitted that the idea to cre- nization is based around, but not limited to, black ate a black student union was originally influenced students. The goal of the Black Student Union is to by what they had seen on other campuses. It was show the human needs, wants and characteristics only after an investigation into UT’s yearbooks of black students that sometimes go unacknowlthat Evans discovered the forefathers of their idea. edged.

While still embodying the history of the orgaMaria Smith is a sophomore in journalism nization as the platform for a comeback, the BSU plans to move forward and bring all of campus and electronic media. She can be reached at msmit304@vols.utk.edu. with them.

“My goal for the organization is to help unify

“

Coming in as a freshman last year, even from first semester, we felt like there wasn’t an organization where we could come and express our concerns as black students on campus.”

VIEWPOINTS

Trying to slow down after a long day? This playlist is sure to help you catch some Zs. “Scientist” Coldplay

“Slow And Steady” Of Monsters and Men

“To Whom It May Concern” The Civil Wars

“Work Song” Hozier

“Making Love on the Mountain” The Woodlands

“Don’t Get Too Close” Nathaniel Rateliff

“Fingers to The Bone” Brown Bird

“Almost Lover” A Fine Frenzy

“Hush”

Automatic Loveletter

“Roses and Violets” Alexander Jean

Columns 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.

VIEWPOINTS

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

To the child in all of us Elle Johnson I Learned Something Today

I’m just a kid.

No, I’m not a Doogie Howser or a Sheldon Cooper type, attending college full-time in the early preteen years, but the daunting title “adult” just doesn’t seem to fit me.

Truthfully, I’ve been thinking about this classification for a while now. Two years ago at this time, my mind would occasionally wander to the thought of my steadily approaching 18th birthday as I contemplated what would happen when I woke up that morning.

Would I wake up and immediately feel more uptight, with aches in my back and worries of taxes, rent and what the young people were up to nowadays?

Luckily, none of these terribly stereotypical things happened. Actually, I think I felt a little bit younger that morning, overwhelmed with joy that I may have been spared by adulthood for a little bit longer.

Over the years, I’ve continued to dodge adulthood’s bullets. Since my 18th birthday, seasons have passed and leaves have changed, but somehow I haven’t. My responsibilities over the years have grown to reflect my age, but I never have felt that the person within me has truly changed. Now, approaching the conclusion of my second decade on Earth in a mere month, I’ve given up on the possibility that I will wake up that morning feeling substantially different than I do any other morning.

It’s almost as if I’m stuck in childhood. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.

Around Oscar season every year, I watch most of the nominations for Best Film, to make my own prediction. This past ceremony, all the movie buzz was ablaze with talk of “Boyhood,” which walked away with the top prize. For those not familiar, “Boyhood” is a coming-of-age drama, filmed over the course of 12 years using the same cast and focusing on the growth of a young boy.

In eager anticipation, I watched the film and, to be honest, was not that impressed. I could list all my reasons here, but that’s a different column for a different time. One thing that bothered me about the film was the concrete structure on establishing what boyhood is. Based on the film, childhood commences promptly at age 6 and concludes at age eighteen or just shortly after. That can’t be right, though. If I had my own movie, “Girlhood,” the cameras would still be rolling today.

Hoping for a more reliable answer, I turned to the dictionary to find that Merriam-Webster defines childhood as “the state or period of being a child,” and realized that vague definitions weren’t going to get me anywhere.

Ultimately unsatisfied with all the definitions that time, media and even the dictionary had provided, I

7

decided to create my own.

I say that nothing about me has changed, but on reflection, it’s more accurate to say that things are constantly changing. Since the day I was born, I have been molding, shaping and transforming to fit into whatever environment I am presented with in an attempt to find my niche and ultimately myself. I am constantly discovering new things, making some minor and major mistakes and always learning more about myself at the end of the day. Because of this, I opt to define my childhood as “a period of learning.”

No concrete boundaries or age limits and potentially never-ending.

Actor J.K. Simmons once said, “People evolve, and it’s important to not stop evolving just because you’ve reached ‘adulthood.’” We live in a world of constant change, and as we are all individuals, it is important we don’t let an age or cultural standards define the end of childhood for us. We all must create our own boundaries over which childhood reigns.

Some choose to rush the race to adulthood, which is fine. For me though, I plan to keep on learning as long as I can. If that means I’m stuck in childhood for a little bit longer, I don’t think I’ll mind.

Elle Johnson is a sophomore in College Scholars.

She can be reached at ejohn100@vols.utk.edu.

On old souls, life expectancy and letting it ride Clint Graves If I’m Honest

I’ve often been told that I have something called an old soul. And I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it.

Forgetting for a second the mystical definition of the soul — the manifestation that lives on forever after death — as I’m not entirely sure that’s what people are talking about when they say I have an old soul. Indeed, if my eternal soul was “old,” the first thing I’d do upon death is queue up in the complaint line.

Instead, I think people refer to that ever-elusive sense of self when they say “old soul.” Meaning to say that my deepest core — the being I am — is, in some sense, old.

Like I said, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or bad thing. I quite like old people. They tend not to care about the same sorts of things that I’d like not to care about. They command a certain amount of respect from youths. And if they manage to do aging right, they wind up with regard from their social circles as wise.

Or certifiably insane. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference.

My point: old people are great, and I don’t mind being considered one, even though I’m only 20.

What I don’t look forward to is the aging process. No matter how you look at things, modern science hasn’t yet pried the anti-aging secret out of the cosmetics companies’ cold dead hands.

Maybe it’s Maybelline? Maybe Maybelline is a selfish snake oil saleswoman.

And without the secret of eternal youth, let’s face it, living means aging. And aging means breaking down.

Eventually, it all terminates.

Some credit where it’s due: modern medicine has managed to extend the lifespan of the average human

as of late. In 2014, the CIA estimated the average life expectancy of humans in Monaco, the second smallest nation in the world, to be around 89.57 years. Humans in the United States live about a decade less.

That is a far cry from our pre-historic ancestors who, at best, might have squeezed 30 years in as long they survived being born and avoided becoming feces.

But I’m sorry to say, until I can positively halt my aging process in its tracks, I don’t quite see the point.

The day I discovered I might not live forever was the day I decided I didn’t care about dying young.

Obviously, I don’t mean to say I have an active death wish. That’s entirely counter-productive to my assertion. All I’m saying is a life lived well and finished a little too soon is better than one drug out and barely lived at all.

If, as it is said, the day we’re born is the day we start to die, then I don’t want a slow, agonizing death.

It’s a basic question, really. If there exists an afterlife, how would you want to trek there? Wheeled in, wheezing, covered in spots, bald, without your mental faculties and broken down? Or upside down, on fire, drunk, in the middle of orgasm and letting it all ride on 17 black?

I know my answer. But I guess my point is you can probably do all of that.

Aging is terrible and inevitable. But being old means having experience. And all of it is completely independent of being awesome.

By definition, each passing life experience gives you yet another bank of knowledge from which to draw.

Life, as seen from the bastion of old age, must

“And without the secret of eternal youth, let’s face it, living means aging.

And aging means breaking down.

Eventually, it all terminates.”

necessarily seem entirely different than from the hovel of infancy. And as one who enjoys a good architecture analogy, I think I know which I prefer.

So, stay at it modern science. You figure out immortality; I’ll raise you a glass. But, if it’s not too much to ask:, get on with it. I’m not getting any younger.

Clint Graves is a junior in communication studies and English. He can be reached at bhr713@vols.utk. edu.

8

ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2015

SALVAGE SHOP continued from Page 1 “I love having a communal studio,� McFall shared. “Most of the time no one is there when I am working. But I do enjoy having group shows and open studio nights. Seeing other people’s work is always motivating to keep going on your own.�

However, the collaboration between the Meadows and McFall goes beyond shared space. The two work to help each other with Meadows selling McFall’s pieces in the shop and McFall helping in refurbishing the space. “The Salvage Shop and Knox Heritage are a great resource and advocate to have,�

McFall said. “They have done so much to preserve some of Knoxville’s beloved buildings and keep quality building materials out of the landfill.�

Meadows’ hope for the future is that more Knoxville residents like McFall, who have a passion for historic preservation, will notice the Salvage Shop and choose to get involved either as a donor, a consumer or a volunteer.

When Meadows first became involved with Knox Heritage, she felt slightly isolated as a recent graduate in the company of a group of influential land-owners who used to make up the majority of the organization.

She hopes that the Salvage Shop will provide a bridge to connect the rest of the community to this same cause.

“It’s way more hands-on, because not a lot of volunteers can come in and help Knox Heritage renovate a house, but they can come in to Salvage and help us in there,�

Meadows said. “It’s more accessible in a hands-on way to a lot of different kinds of people.�

In addition to the new building itself, Meadows has expanded the Salvage Shop’s presence throughout town by instituting Salvage Shows featuring local artists’ transformations of salvage and by participating in First Fridays.

For Meadows, these programs have brought a younger population into the mix and brought a more creative class to Knox Heritage. “We really do cater to people who own historic buildings so they can come in and have resources for their home, but we also do cater to just people wanting to come in and hang a window in their room,�

Meadows said. “It’s all sorts of people who come in and get inspired.�

(Top) The communal studio brings Knoxville together into a creative space.

(Bottom) This shop allows various artists to come together and work.

All photos by Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon

TUTORING

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PUZZLES&GAMES

Wednesday, Wednesday, September September 16, 2015 16, • The 2015 Daily • The Beacon Daily

9

Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz

I’m Not A Hipster • Johm McAmis

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 Word after which a parent might interrupt a child 4 Peter Parker’s aunt in “Spider-Man” 7 Branchlet 11 Grimy abode 14 Card game call 15 “Rules ___ rules” 16 “Not that!”

17 Before, in poetry 18 Turntable measure, in brief 19 Wifey, with “the” 20 Scaly anteater 22 Unpleasant atmosphere 24 Leaves in a hurry 25 Subject-changing word 26 Letters on a wanted sign 27 Cartoonist’s work 30 Curry of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” 31 The Wizard of ___ (nickname of Warren Buffett) 33 Org. whose resources partly go to waste?

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34 Adjective for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 37 Picks 40 Stay longer than 41 Points of entry 42 Southeast Asian language 43 Be there for 45 Tankard contents 46 Was furious 49 “___ bite” 50 Something just under one’s nose, slangily 53 Not much 55 ___ sauce 56 Fish also known as a dorado 58 Big mouth 59 Glass of “This American Life” 60 Have a part 61 City of NW Pennsylvania 62 15-Across backward 63 Roman equivalent of Rhea 64 Classical start?

65 Match makeup 66 Encouraging word 67 Bill in a bow tie M E A N Y

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S O C C A U R L B A E S E R S B O R I O O C K L E E D P I L N O

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DOWN 1 “The Bridge on the River Kwai” locale 2 Remove from a bulletin board, say 3 *“Same difference” 4 *Musical that includes the song “Take a Chance on Me” 5 Panoply 6 Encouraging word 7 19th-century Midwest rail hub 8 *“That sure was funny!”

9 Overnight stops on the road 10 Group with the 1981 #1 album “Beauty and the Beat”

11 Activity on Lent or Yom Kippur … or a quality of every letter in the answer to each starred clue 12 Start for cycle 13 Nikkei 225 unit 21 Frequently 23 Feature of a soft-serve ice cream cone 24 Predicaments 28 Apple’s ___ Touch 29 Some scores in 34-Down 31 *“Stop hemming and hawing!”

32 Copycat 34 See 29-Down 35 Party with poi 36 Spanish she-bear

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10

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2015

TRACK & FIELD

Blankenship looking to Rio in 2016 Shane Switzer

Staff Writer Not many students can say they’ve competed for their country going into their senior year of college.

Tennessee pole vaulter Jake Blankenship can.

He spent this past summer in Toronto, Canada with team USA competing in the Pan American games where he won a bronze medal.

He then went to Beijing, China to participate in the IAAF World Championships. He didn’t make it to the final but learned some valuable lessons.

“Pan-Am was fun, but I think most of my experience came from the World Championships,” Blankenship said. “I was with the best of the best guys, I mean Justin Gatlin, Aries Merritt and Wallace Spearmon, all those guys. Those guys have made six, seven, eight, nine world or Olympic teams so they have so much experience, and they’re so mature. When you sit there and talk to those guys you learn so much.

“How to keep your composure and stay relaxed and go into the meet with a different mindset. Not necessarily being scared or intimidated by the world record holder or the guy who has the heat record or the Olympic record stuff like that. You go in and do your own thing and think about your own self.”

Blankenship started pole vaulting because of his grandfather, Bob Banhagel, and his uncle, Rob Banhagel. He was in his grandfather’s garage and saw some old steel vaulting poles and asked what they were. His grandfather got them out and dug a hole in the ground and showed him how to vault.

“He got really serious, he was like, ‘I’m gonna

pole vault again,’” Blankenship said. “He started you handle things differently, and I think that’s pole vaulting again and had a mark on the side of where I’ll benefit from. I don’t think I’ll be as his house and was like I’m gonna jump this, this nervous or uptight.”

In January, going into the indoor track and is the world record, all that stuff.”

Blankenship joined his cousin and grandfa- field season, Blankenship and the Tennessee ther in pole vaulting and started traveling with coaching staff started making some changes them to meets in middle school. He stopped to help him progress. The changes helped him because he didn’t find much enjoyment in it. He during the indoor and outdoor season, but he believes those changes preferred snowboardwill really pay off in the ing. long run.

Yet his mom seeing Some of the tweaks his potential, bribed him were moving his run to take it back up again. back and using bigShe offered Blankenship ger poles. During the a new snowboard. indoor season, he stuck He began vaulting to the basics and found again and found enjoyconsistency in his vaults ment and love. He loved which lead to a secbeing surrounded by ond place finish at the the team and going to NCAA indoor champimeets. onships and a personal Today, Blankenship best jump of 19 feet has given himself a self0.25 inches. imposed ban on snowHis indoor season boarding so he won’t led to the outdoor seaget injured and can son where he started focus on pole vaulting. to see the rewards of Part of that focus is the changes he made. on making it to the 2016 He won the SEC chamSummer Olympics in pionships with a vault Rio de Janeiro. of 18 feet 3 inches, After making the Beth Alford-Sullivan, Director of Track finished sixth at the team this past summer, and Field NCAA championships Blankenship feels that and earned first team the mental barrier and All-American honors for daunting task of trying to make the team for the first time won’t be the second straight year.

Director of Track and Field and Cross there.

“You become more mature, you become more Country, Beth Alford-Sullivan thinks the two experienced,” Blankenship said. “At that point best descriptors for Blankenship are passion

“

He told me after Beijing that he didn’t plan to lose again this year. I think that’s the kind of attitude he’s got to bring into (the upcoming season).”

and discipline. She sees the passion he has for pole vaulting and how he puts everything he has into it.

“I’ve met some athletes that have the competitiveness and they have the drive,” AlfordSullivan said. “But when you put the passion into it, it really changes the game and that’s Jake.”

She also said he is a student of the event and sport and continues to grow in that aspect of the competition.

Alford-Sullivan said that as a team captain and leader Blankenship is the first guy in and the last guy out. He brings discipline for the younger teammates and shows the right attitude when it comes to growing the team and doing the right things for Tennessee. Alford-Sullivan said he is a natural leader and that is easily identifiable in him.

Looking toward Tennessee’s indoor and outdoor season, Alford-Sullivan said Blankenship will be the team’s No. 1 ranked vaulter and will be the only athlete with a 19 foot vault.

“He told me after Beijing that he didn’t plan to lose again this year,” Alford-Sullivan said. “I think that’s the kind of attitude he’s got to bring into (the upcoming season).”

He has the aspiration to not only dominate the conference but also the NCAA. She said he has to bring home his point total for the season, and that is his and the coaching staffs expectation for the year.

“He has already made one US team,” AlfordSullivan said of his Olympic aspirations. “And the perspective that he gained and the experience that he gained from going through the USA’s this year and all the way through to the World Championships and so on is irreplaceable.

He’ll be in a great spot to make the Rio team.”

Titans wide receiver Hunter found not guilty of assault Associated Press Tennessee Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter was found not guilty on Tuesday of committing assault and battery in a crowded bar in his hometown over the July 4 weekend.

The charge stemmed from a brawl that began inside a bar in the Virginia Beach oceanfront tourist district shortly before 2 a.m. on July 4.

Prosecutors said the fight led to a man’s jaw being broken, although the victim said at trial it wasn’t Hunter who landed the most serious blow against him on a sidewalk once the bar had been cleared out. The entire fight inside the bar lasted about 60 seconds and quickly involved numerous people, according to surveil-

lance video presented at trial. The video showed at least one person throwing a bar stool.

Defense attorney Toby Vick said the only reason Hunter was singled out for charges is because he’s an NFL player with deep pockets.

The victim in the case doesn’t have health insurance and has expensive medical bills to pay as a result of the fight, and has hired a personal injury attorney with the intent of suing Hunter.

“This is nothing but a ploy to get to his pocket and money,” Vick said.

Vick repeatedly attacked the credibility of the victim, Anthony Blythe, by noting he had two previous felony convictions and that his story of what happened the night of the fight had changed.

Prosecutors said during the trial that the brawl began after Hunter and a group of men

exchanged words in the crowded bar. Blythe said the ordeal began after Hunter stepped on his toes. One of Blythe’s friends said tempers flared after Hunter stepped between Blythe and a woman at the bar.

Hunter testified that Blythe pushed him from behind to get his attention, and that Blythe was soon joined by his friends, who escalated the situation. One of Blythe’s friends approached Hunter with clenched fists while “talking junk,” indicating that he might fight, Hunter said.

Vick said Hunter felt threatened, and that’s why he began throwing punches.

“I felt like I had to protect myself,” Hunter said.

Prosecutor Wendy Alexander said Hunter started the entire brawl by throwing a righthanded jab at one of Blythe’s friends, who

was later arrested for public intoxication. After Hunter was pushed away, he came back with a large, roundhouse left-handed punch aimed at Blythe, Alexander said. Hunter said he was aiming at Blythe’s friend - and not Blythe - who was the stated victim in the case.

As the brawl ensued, Hunter put Blythe’s friend in a chokehold from behind, before Blythe began punching Hunter to get him off of him.

“The defendant is the aggressor during the entire confrontation,” Alexander said.

Hunter’s trial lasted about four hours. General District Judge Gene Woolard found Hunter not guilty, but in what he said was an unusual move for him, did not explain his reasoning for doing so. As the verdict was announced, Hunter’s family and friends stood up and erupted in cheers.

SPORTS

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 • The Daily Beacon

11

FOOTBALL

Tennessee tasked with replacing Maggitt’s production and leadership Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor Defensive coordinator John Jancek was proud of the way his defense played on Saturday night.

That made the loss to Oklahoma so much more difficult.

Tennessee surrendered a 17-point lead to Sooners in a gut-wrenching 31-24 loss last Saturday at Neyland Stadium, but the Vols’ defense can hardly be blamed. Tennessee held Oklahoma to three points through three quarters and limited the Sooners to 348 total yards.

“We were on point,” Jancek said after practice on Tuesday in the Ray and Lucy digital studio.

“We had a great rhythm. We were all over those guys.”

Tennessee did allow drives of 80 and 60 yards in the fourth quarter that enabled Oklahoma to tie the game late and force overtime.

But Jancek was still proud of his defense’s effort in the fourth quarter, noting that three Tennessee penalties — two holding calls and a pass interference on a seemingly uncatchable pass — allowed Oklahoma to prolong drives.

“I am proud of the way they played in the fourth quarter,” Jancek said. “We didn’t make some plays, but we had some calls that really, really hurt us at critical times.”

Jancek liked the adjustments his defense made and its ability to force three-and-outs, as the Vols forced three-and-out on the Sooners’ first three second-half possessions.

He also complimented Tennessee’s secondary, saying Oklahoma struggled to pass against the Vols.

The Vols also succeeded in keeping plays in front of them, allowing only one twenty-yard play.

“They played well,” said Jancek, who briefly paused, before adding: “It stinks you don’t get the W, you know?

“We can’t keep talking about that, we really are on to Western Carolina with all of our goals and everything that we still want to accomplish intact and ahead of us. So we need to focus on the tasks at hand.”

Replacing Curt: The Vols lost more than just the game against Oklahoma.

They also lost one of their best defenders.

Tennessee coach Butch Jones said in his Monday presser that defensive end Curt Maggitt suffered a hip injury on a punt return and will be out for an extended period of time.

Maggitt was voted on the coaches’ preseason All-SEC first team and already had three tackles and two tackles-for-a-loss against Oklahoma before he left in the first half.

Jancek said he expects Kyle Phillips and Dimarya Mixon to get reps at Maggitt’s vacant left side defensive end position.

It will be harder replacing Maggitt’s leadership.

“You all know about Curt, the whole state (knows), the whole US knows about Curt,” Tennessee wide receiver Josh Smith said. “It’s detrimental to us as a leader and as a football player, but, I mean, someone is just going to have to step up in his place.

“We need a guy to step up and be Curt.”

So far, the consensus seems to be that Tennessee needs to adopt a leadership-bycommittee approach in lieu of Maggitt’s absence.

“It will really just be a combination of all us,” linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. “We just got to replace his leadership out there on the field. When guys are down, Curt gets us going.

So it’s basically just everyone stepping up and being more vocal and knowing that he is not there so we have to pick it up.

Reeves-Maybin steps up: Reeves-Maybin was everywhere on the field Saturday night.

The Clarksville, Tennessee native recorded 21 tackles, forced a fumble and earned a sack against Oklahoma.

“I felt like I was making a lot of plays,” ReevesMaybin said. “Everything that I was predicting

kinda just happened. I played with a lot better effort last week and it just helped me get to the ball and make a couple plays.

Jancek said Reeves-Maybin is more comfortable with the defense than he was last year, and that contributed to the strong performance on Saturday.

Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord spent all fall camp watching his offense practice against Reeves-Maybin, so he knows Reeves-Maybin is a special player.

“He is a great player and I am glad he is on our team,” DeBord said. “He is just a great team player. He is a great defensive player. He is hard to block. He is very athletic, he is tough and he has got that nose to get to the football.

McNeil Returns: Jones said on Monday that safety LaDarrell McNeil, who is returning from what Jones described as a “neck instability issue”, has been cleared to play on Saturday against Western Carolina (TV: ESPNU, 7 p.m.).

Jancek said on Tuesday the coaching staff hasn’t decided whether McNeil will start on Saturday, though. That decision probably won’t come until moments before game time.

But he did confirm that he will rotate McNeil and Todd Kelly Jr. at safety.

“It will be nice to rotate some guys, wouldn’t it?” Jancek said.

12

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2015

FOOTBALL

“

Receivers working on ‘little things’ after Oklahoma struggles Taylor White

Assistant Sports Editor

The Tennessee offense was in rhythm early against Oklahoma as Josh Dobbs completed 5-of-8 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown.

From there, however, the passing game struggled. Dobbs finished the game just 13-of-31 as his receivers struggled to gain separation downfield from the tight press coverage the Sooners were running.

“It’s hard because the defender is right in their face,” offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said. “I don’t care who you are, it’s hard to get off of press coverage. We’re doing different things formation-wise that’s gonna help that, so we’re gonna improve on that.”

Not all of the problems with the passing game are a result of the press coverage, however. Many times Dobbs and the receiver just weren’t on the

same page, and it’s the little things that the Vols are working on in practice this week.

“We’ve just got to execute,” sophomore receiver Josh Malone said. “We just got to execute better … Just keep executing our technique and keep working on our technique.”

One receiver who didn’t have a problem getting open was Josh Smith. The redshirt sophomore caught four passes for 56 yards against the Sooners including a 20 yard grab in the game.

Despite the struggles, Smith has maintained his confidence in the receiving corps and the work they have put in.

“We’re improving every day,” Smith said. “Working with Dobbs, just getting the chemistry down. I feel like (chemistry) is there. I have no worries about that … We’ve shown we can push through adversity, obviously we can compete with great teams. We just have to push through.”

The problems in the passing game aren’t indicative of a major problem,

We’re working on the blitz, but we’re also working on getting quick throws out.”

according to Smith. Instead, the little things are adding up to cause problems.

“It’s just working your route and using your hands,” Smith said. “It’s the little things not even with the route, it’s just with your body and body control.

It’s what a technician and a receiver knows. That’s what we know, so that’s what we need to get better.”

One aspect of the passing game that has proved to be a struggle is making big plays downfield. Tennessee completed just two passes of 15 yards or more on Saturday, both to Smith, and one of those was a short pass that Smith was able to turn into a big gain.

There’s a reason for that, though. To complete long passes you have to have

Mike Debord, offensive coordinator

time in the pocket, something Dobbs didn’t have much of on Saturday.

“Very much so,” DeBord said of his confidence in the downfield passing game. “But, when they’re blitzing and coming at you, it’s hard to put the ball downfield. Everybody is in a one-onone situation up front, so that’s one thing. We’re working on the blitz, but we’re also working on getting quick throws out.”

Despite the struggles, the receivers still have confidence in the group, and expect to work out the kinks going forward.

“We just have to move on,” Malone said. “We’re focusing on getting better.”