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A ‘reimagined’ movie experience
City, university form partnership to revamp theaters downtown Michael Geheren
Michael.Geheren@coyotes.usd.edu
Ally Krupinsky I The Volante
Though it saw few patrons Sunday night, improvements have been ongoing at the Coyote Twin Theater in downtown Vermillion
since University of South Dakota and the city partnered to revitalize it this summer.
Sheriff warns of river dangers after student drowning By Trent Opstedahl
Trent.Opstedahl@coyotes.usd.edu
A memorial service honoring the life of a University of South Dakota student who drowned a week before the school year began will be held soon. Dean of Students Kim Grieve said she is coordinating the planning of a service honoring Brant Blaha, 19, with his friends and family, and said an official date for the gathering will be selected soon once they meet today. “I really want students to be part of the planning (of the memorial service),” she said. “I think that’s important.” Blaha, of Dante, S.D., drowned in the Missouri River on Aug. 16 at Burbank Beach during a swimming trip with
friends. The Union County Sheriff’s Office said the group decided to cross the river, but Blaha didn’t join them on the other side of the river and was reported missing. His body was found Aug. 19 about 2½ miles from where he was reported missing. Grieve said she has spoken to about 30 USD students about meeting to plan the service. She said the university’s Counseling Services and clergy from on- and off-campus will be available at the memorial service. “We’re very interested in planning (the student memorial), but I certainly want students to plan and for me to just maybe facilitate getting space and food and things like that,” Grieve said. “The most
important part to start the healing process is to provide that avenue for students to be able to talk and to be able to share memories and to do it in a safe space. It’s really important to have these services for students.” A ‘smiley,’ ‘bubbly’ person Blaha was a second year Honors Program student at USD working toward a degree in history education with a minor in archeology. He was also employed with Vermillion Hy-Vee. Those who knew him described Blaha’s personality as “smiley and bubbly.” Brent Olinger, a USD graduate student, was Blaha’s resident adviser last year in Beede Hall. Olinger said the first day
BLAHA his residents moved onto the floor, Blaha stood out. “Brant was always a smiSee BLAHA Page A4
Book loan helps students with college affordability By Tatum Dean
Tatum.Dean@coyotes.usd.edu
Through next week, University of South Dakota students will be able to take advantage of a program designed to lighten the burden of college expenses. The university is offering students a $500 loan to help pay for books in partnership with the Barnes and Noble campus bookstore this semester. Any full-time undergraduate student taking classes on campus and in good academic standing is eligible for the loan. Students can apply for the loan up to two weeks from
the first day of school. Scott Pohlson, vice president of Enrollment, Marketing and University Relations, said the project has been in the works for two years. “What we had noticed is that there is a certain student that comes here and financially has an issue with the affordability, not just in tuition and fees but also in paying for books,” Pohlson said. “If you can’t afford your books, there is a retention issue for us and a success rate for students to graduate on time that we are starting to see.” So far about 20 students
have utilized the program. Although not many students have applied for the loan, Dean of Enrollment Mark Petty said the loan is helping 20 more students than in the past who may have otherwise been struggling financially. “The goal of this is to show that even if there was just 20 students that used this loan, that would tell us that in the past, 20 students didn’t have books for their classes,” he said. “To us, that is a success.” There is no limit as to how many students can recieve the
loan and both Pohlson and Petty expect the program to expand into the spring semester. “The goal is to have it available for both semesters,” Petty said. “At the end of this semester we are going to assess and see how it goes and will hopefully have it available for spring semester.” Students must directly request the loan at the Barnes and Noble campus bookstore, not online. The loans can be used for any rental or purchase of digital or hard copy See LOAN, Page A4
U
niversity of South Dakota and Vermillion leaders have come together to save the town’s two movie theaters. In the age of Netflix, the movie-going experience has changed for many college students. Often, it’s sitting in a dorm room and streaming a movie. The Vermillion Downtown Cultural Association wants to change that. “I do think there is a certain (aura) that you get when you’re at a theater,” SGA President Sami Zoss said. “I think it’s the experience you go for.” Zoss will represent USD students on the VDCA board, the group that purchased the Coyote Twin and Vermillion Theater in July, to bring the moviegoing experience to students and the community. “The theaters were on the market for several months and a small group of us were concerned that if they weren’t purchased, they would be at risk for closing,” VDCA President Bill Anderson said. “That wasn’t an option that we believed the community could or should consider,” Changes to the Coyote Twin Theater began right away, USD Dean of Students Kim Grieve said. “I think when people come, they will really see the improvements, but that’s just the beginning,” Grieve said. Grieve, who serves on the VDCA board, said they cleaned the Coyote Twin Theater over the summer and built a website where patrons can purchase tickets online. The theater also now accepts credit cards. Thanks to financial support from USD, the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Corporation, and other community groups were able to begin work on Coyote Twin this summer. The group hopes to reopen the Vermillion Theater as well. “We want to focus our first work on that theater so that we can enhance the experience there (the Coyote Twin),” VDCA Treasurer Greg Redlin said. “A successful effort at the Coyote Twin will allow investment in the Vermillion Theater, where we will need new projection and sound equipment and some major building repairs in order to re-start operations.” The Coyote Twin theater will continue to show box office hits, while the goal of the Vermillion Theater will be to show independent films, documentaries and allow organizations to show requested films. Students at USD will begin to see the impact of the new theaters immediately. Movies in the MUC will no longer take place, but students will be encouraged to attend movies at the Coyote Twin theater. Students with their Coyote Card will pay $6 for a majority of movies and $5 for late matinees. Ted Muenster, director of the VDCA, said See MOVIE, Page A4