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After hot start, McRae garners player of the week honors

Chanukah brings light to Jewish organization at UT

1D takes new direction with ‘Midnight Memories’

NEWS >>pg. 2

ARTS & CULTURE >>pg. 6

From bench to captain: Injury doesn’t keep Whitney Heeres away from the game

SPORTS >>pg. 8

SPORTS >>pg. 8

Tuesday,November 26, 2013

Issue 67, Volume 124

French fries are a campus cafeteria staple.

Jenna Butz Staff Writer Everything has a price. After recent controversy regarding a proposed mandatory meal plan, certain complaints regarding campus food have risen as justification for adamant refusal to purchase dining dollars. Although the proposal has now been retracted, discontent remains. Lauren Thomsen, a senior in English literature, lives off campus and did not purchase a meal plan for this year. Thomsen said she tries to avoid campus food when possible. “I eat on campus only when I work, and usually I’m dis-

satisfied because the food is either super unhealthy or just not very tasty,” Thomsen said. “It’s no walk in the park buying all my food from the grocery store and motivating myself to fix something to eat, but I can eat much more cheaply at home and at least give myself the illusion that I’m eating healthier.” Addressing these concerns, Neil Brown, president and co-founder of Project V.E.G.G.I.E., advocates for greater incorporation of locally-grown produce. “The reason it’s so hard to get good fruits and vegetables on campus is the provider,” Brown said. “At some point, they were talking about doing more with local foods, but I

A glimpse Rogero revitalizes Knoxville behind the plan to assist area’s homeless Kendall Basham curtains of ‘A Christmas Carol’ at UT Contributor

Andelyn Barclay Staff Writer Every year, the Clarence Brown Theatre brings a little bit of Charles Dickens to Knoxville’s Christmas celebration. The tradition of “A Christmas Carol” continues this year. The show will run from Nov. 27 through Dec. 22 as part of the Schaad Mainstage Series. Even though performances will run for just a few weeks, the preparation has taken months of collaboration between directors, designers, actors and many other contributors. “It is really a team effort,” said Micah-Shane Brewer, an MFA student playing Bob Cratchit in the production. “It is all about community. I think part of the magic of theater is working with a group of people that you may not have worked with before or may not have ever come in contact with throughout your life, and you come together to work to bring something bigger than yourself alive.” See CHRISTMAS CAROL on Page 5

At least 1 percent of the American population will be homeless sometime within the next year. Of the 7,770 homeless people in Knox County, 3,905 are chronically homeless: 3 percent with a chronic illness, 13 percent with alcohol or drug abuse issues, 34 percent with mental health issues and the other 50 percent with varying disabling features. In October 2005, Knoxville’s Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness was created to combat this problem. Commissioned by former Mayor Bill Haslam and Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, a task force comprised of 15 community leaders sought to implement a nine-step program to end chronic homelessness in Knoxville in 10 years. In recent years, the plan has seen little progress, but, under the supervision of Mayor Rogero, commitment has been renewed. While homelessness itself can never be “cured,” chronic homelessness is a specific form in which the individual harbors a debilitating condition or substance abuse issue and has been living that way continuously for a year or more or undergone four occurrences of homelessness in the last three years. In 2012, homelessness in Knox County dropped 14 percent, but the number of per-

sons served in homeless shelters rose by 4 percent. Mike Dunthorn, member of the original task force that created the first “Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness,” and current project manager for the City of Knoxville’s Office on Homelessness, attributes the stagnation to controversy within the community. “So the biggest hurdle in overcoming the adversity that arose around the old plan has been effectively communicating with the general public about the issue,” Dunthorn said. “And to understand, address and allay fears, in order to build public support around coordinated efforts to more-effectively address homelessness.” Due to community backlash and the lack of available funding, the graduated system repeatedly failed. Task members attribute the failure to the plan’s most crucial element: housing. Cities across the country have demonstrated success with similar housing programs, boasting a retention rate of 90 percent and reducing the chronically homeless population by 18 percent since 2007. Before community members could protest, two housing units were built in the Knoxville area. Minvilla Manor and Flenniken Landing, both housing about 50 residents, have exceeded national retention rates among the homeless. “The community also has

to support it,” said Elizabeth Hagler, a graduate assistant at the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “Knoxville citizens would rather see downtown revitalized and the homeless relocated rather than dilapidated buildings downtown renovated and reformed into permanent supportive housing.” Under current Mayor Madeline Rogero, the project has taken on new life. Last week, a homeless leadership council was formed to represent those the community hopes to aid. A community group, Compassion Knoxville, has resolved to quell concerns that crippled the original plan. Through panels and meetings across the Knoxville area, Compassion Knoxville plans to increase dialogue and awareness about the new plan. Other Knoxville area charity organizations are also joining the fight. Eddie Young, a figurehead in the plan to end chronic homelessness, directs one such organization, Redeeming Hope Ministries. “We advocate for change in our community to those who need it and will work to push change forward,” Young said. “We want people to appreciate them as human beings and as people who have merely had struggles and need hope. We have to break the barriers of this negative stereotype.” See 10 YEAR PLAN on Page 2

don’t know how serious they were.” Affording benefits to the local economy and the university, eating local costs less in terms of transportation and offers a longer period of ripeness, given food can be delivered in a matter of hours, rather than days. But, according to Mary Patterson, Aramark’s marketing director, locally grown food is already a central component of Aramark menus. Currently, UT’s campus dining website provides a map of Tennessee showing locations of the locallysourced foods which Aramark claims to provide. “We are always working to provide students with quality,

9 STEPS TO END HOMELESSNESS

Jalynn Baker • The Daily Beacon

Campus dining still under scrutiny from student body convenience, value and variety,” Patterson said. “Our dining hall menus are designed to provide a diverse assortment of food options that easily allow students to select a healthy and well balanced diet. Our menus are created by our team of professional and certified chefs and are created based on feedback we receive from students. “In general, our menus feature a variety of whole foods that are raised, grown, harvested and produced locally and in a sustainable manner,” Patterson added. “We purchase and provide fresh fruits and vegetables when in season.” See FOOD QUALITY on Page 2

1.Move people into housing first 2.Stop discharging people into homelessness 3.Increase coordination and effectiveness of service

4.Increase economic opportunities 5.Implement new data collection methods 6.Develop permanent solutions 7.Strengthen partnerships with faith-based organizations

8.Recognize homelessness as a community challenge

9.Prevent homelessness

David Cobb Sports Editor The last time Tennessee lost to both Vanderbilt and Kentucky in the same football season was 1964, four years before Butch Jones entered the world. A loss for the Vols (4-7, 1-6 SEC) in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday would change that. However, none of UT’s previous 116 teams have ever lost eight games. Though the motivation of playing for a bowl appearance vanquished with a 14-10 loss to Vanderbilt Saturday at Neyland

Stadium, a pair of UT seniors said Monday that plenty of incentive remains to avoid a loss against the Wildcats (2-9, 0-7). “I’ve already had a lot go wrong in this career, and I don’t want to be that low, to be that team,” senior right tackle Ja’Wuan James said with a chuckle at Monday’s football press luncheon. “We just want to be 1-0 this week.” Jones cited winning a road game as “the next step” for the program throughout the season and reiterated that Monday, as did senior kicker Michael Palardy, who – along with UT’s

Matthew DeMaria • The Daily Beacon

Vols attempt to avoid first 8-loss season against Kentucky

Tennessee senior running back Rajion Neal prepares to lower his shoulder against Vanderbilt’s Andre Hal during the Commodores’ 14-10 win at Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

other seniors – boasts just two road wins in his career. Those victories came against Memphis and Vanderbilt in 2010. UT is 1-15 outside the state of Tennessee since 2010. “It’s been a while since we’ve won a road game, a true road game,” Palardy said. “We’ve got to finish 1-0, so we can start a streak for teams to come. That’s kind of the biggest thing. The most important thing is to show that we’re not giving up on each other, the coaches or on this team.” The trip up Interstate-75 also

“Memories, when woven together, create the very fabric by which we define ourselves.” @UTDailyBeacon www.utdailybeacon.com

OPINIONS >>pg. 4

offers a chance at redemption for UT’s upperclassmen. With a bowl berth on the line in 2011, the Vols lost to Kentucky for the first time since 1984. Kentucky played wide receiver Matt Roark at quarterback in the contest and threw for just 15 yards in a 10-7 victory. But rather than an opportunity to correct the past, all those who have spoken on UT’s behalf since Saturday’s heartbreaker have made it clear: Saturday’s contest is important because of what it means for the future. See FOOTBALL on Page 8

INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON News Opinions Arts & Culture Sports

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