Oct. 30, 2014 College Heights Herald

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ROCKY HORROR:

HOT YOGA BOWLING GREEN ACHIEVES ZEN

LATE NIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE COMES TO CAPITOL

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PAGE 6 OCTOBER 30, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 18

Trip

on the Hill

TANNER COLE/HERALD

Datura seeds are found in spiky seed pods on Datura stramonium plants, which are commonly referred to as Jimson weed. Consumption of the seeds is extremely dangerous. The pictured seeds were harvested by a WKU student from a plant near Mass Media and Technology Hall.

WKU plant has psychedelic effects BY LASHANA HARNEY

at the stake or execute them. All they had done was eat the wrong thing.” Martin said Datura stramonium affects eyond the decorative appearance of an the nervous system and it can be lethal in unusual plant lies a lethal poison, and large doses. it occasionally grows here on the Hill. “Keep in mind, that in every plant: it’s not This plant is called Datura stramonium. the poison; it’s the dose,” Martin said. Martin Stone, associate professor of horMartin said the effects of Datura stramoticulture, said the plant is more common- nium can last up to two weeks. ly known as Jimson weed. Martin said the “It’s nothing to be messed with,” Martin name Jimson weed derived from the James- said. town colony in Virginia. Bowling Green senior Laramie Stone is a He said during a period of starvation, the student worker on WKU’s garden crew. colonists would eat the plant and suffer She said she has heard of cases where peofrom its psychoactive effects. These effects ple have ingested the plant and under the included prolonged visions, so colonists influence, cut out their own tongue. would seem possessed by the devil, Martin WKU’s garden crew has been working to said. get rid of the plant. “They thought they were crazy,” Martin Josh Twardowski, campus services mansaid. “They thought the devil had possessed ager, said since he started in 2009, the crew SEE DATURA PAGE 2 those people and so they would burn them NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM

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PTS gathers student feedback for parking BY JESSICA VOORHEES NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM

Parking and Transportation Services conducted a survey last week to get feedback from students on various parking improvement strategies. One improvement students pushed for was the construction of a new parking garage. The survey included questions that asked students how much they would be willing to pay to meet the price demand of a new garage. Dennis Cain, transportation analyst, said a new parking structure would cost an estimated $18 million, but that figure doesn’t include what maintenance would cost. “We’re trying to find a breaking point where people would say it’s not worth it to build a new structure,” Cain said. Jennifer Tougas, director of Parking and Transportation Services, said that while a new parking structure is in the future plans of the university, the money to fund its construction does not currently exist. “Building more parking costs a lot of money,” Tougas said. “The alternative we’re looking at is where we can reduce the demand.” Tougas said PTS wanted feedback on where students would find overflow parking to be the most convenient. One option suggested in the survey was the vacant lot near the Bowling Green Ballpark. Students would not need a permit to park there and PTS would work on getting a bus route to stop at the lot. “We’re looking at places where we can add parking because we can’t do it on campus,” Tougas said. PTS held four focus groups this past Tuesday and Wednesday, and will hold two on Thursday to discuss and receive feedback from commuters, housing residents with cars and students with no cars. “What focus groups allow us to do is to have a more detailed discussion with students,” she said. “It helps us understand students’ perceptions and experiences.” Tougas said she hopes the focus groups will provide insight into why

SEE PARKING PAGE 2

Kentucky Museum Store closing next semester WHAT'S ONLINE AT

BY TREY CRUMBIE

WKUHERALD.COM

NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM Those wanting to buy a stuffed white squirrel or Big Red bottle cap rings from the Kentucky Museum Store will need to act fast. The store is closing next semester. Brent Bjorkman, interim director of the Kentucky Museum, said the Kentucky Museum Store will close to make room for new exhibits. One of the new exhibits, “Ecuador Unframed: the Art of Oswaldo Guayasamin,” will be featured in the space where the store is starting in February. Bjorkman said the exhibit is a part of the International Year of Ecuador program, a year-long celebration of Ecuador at WKU. Future countries, such as South Africa and South Korea, will be celebrated in the coming years. “As we celebrate those different

SEE MUSEUM PAGE 2

Learn more about the Datura Weed FOLLOW US LUKE FRANKE/HERALD

Victoria Gordon, an associate professor of political science, shops for gifts to give to her grandchildren over the holidays at the Kentucky Museum Store. "They always have great holiday gifts," Gordon said. "I'm sad to hear they are closing down."

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