September 24, 2019

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 05

Residence halls see increase in police presence

BY ABBEY NUTTER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Police officers have been assigned to residence halls as part of an officer liaison program created by the WKU

Police Department and Housing and Residence Life.

Earlier in the Fall 2019 semester, HRL began telling its staff about the program, which has caused concern for resident assistants and other students.

The program will last the entire academic year and has already started.

HRL and WKUPD have both described the plans as proactive rather than reactive, and both stated the program’s purpose is to strengthen the relationship between WKUPD officers and WKU students, faculty, staff and community members.

“It gives the students the opportuni-

ty to engage in dialogue with our officers on a peaceful level to where they can get to know that officer and where they can address concerns that they might have,” WKUPD Public Information Officer Tim Gray explained.

SEE POLICE • PAGE A2

Housing still sees 10 mold reports per day

BY JACK DOBBS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD WKU freshman Judah Scholtens vapes Thursday evening, Sept. 12, 2019. There have been seven recent deaths from e-cigarette related illnesses.

UP IN SMOKE

Students still vape despite health concerns

BY BRODY REXING HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU A move to ban flavored nicotine products by President Donald Trump could have a significant impact on WKU’s campus, as college-age adults and teenagers continue to be the largest demographic of electronic cigarette users despite recent health concerns.

A total of seven people in six states have recently died due to e-cigarette-related pulmonary illnesses, while 530 total Americans from 38 states and one U.S. territory report the same illness, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of nicotine e-cigarettes, known as “vaping,” is prevalent on WKU’s campus, but the nicotine content may not be the only killer.

E-cigarettes function through the heating of liquid to create an aerosol users inhale and exhale in “vape” form, which refers to the vapor-like substance exhaled after use. “Vape” is also used as a blanket term for the act itself.

A press release from the Kentucky Department of Health stated the issue has warranted a public health alert for doctors in the state. The statement, on behalf of state epidemiologist Doug Thoroughman, also claimed they plan on investigating reported cases to try and find “common factors and collect information” on what may be causing this issue.

Starting next week, state health officials will send a public health alert to clinicians and “will investigate any cases reported here to look for common factors and collect information on products that may be the source of the illness,” Thoroughman said in the release.

Concern among Hilltoppers is varied.

WKU student Trinton Rasey said Trump’s ban will do little to stop the

rampant vape addictions or deaths.

“If he doesn’t understand how something works and why people use them, they shouldn’t be banned,” Rasey said.

Rasey said the problem lies where banning these products might force users to revert to smoking cigarettes.

Rasey said he belives people will resort to finding “illegal means to get more unsafe vapes.”

Will Miller, a biology major at WKU, thinks determining what is at fault in these deaths should be left to health organizations to thoroughly examine.

“I think it’s really easy for people to just see a problem and a cause, relate the two, and not think any more about it,” Miller said.

Miller doesn’t see much validity in

nabinol (THC) and cannabinoid (CBD) oil-based substances as vape “juice” containing nicotine, according to a report issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Academic journal Psychopharmacology stated THC is a psychoactive compound that can be extracted from marijuana and vaped, often in the form of a compact oil cartridge. The journal stated THC has widespread use due to its ability to create a high that is often quick and odorless in smoke.

CBD is THC’s non-psychoactive counterpart. It is used as an ingredient to treat conditions such as chronic pain and anxiety, among others, that can also be vaped in its oil form. Neither have undergone thorough scientific

Despite thorough cleaning, as well as proactive and reactive measures from WKU, mold is still proving to be an issue for students living in residence halls.

The university has seen about 10 maintenance requests related to mold placed on a daily basis, said Mike Reagle, assistant vice president for student engagement and executive director for housing and dining for WKU. Reagle said part of the cause of mold outbreaks can be traced to room temperature, since students often lower their thermostats to the lowest setting.

“When you do that, you’re inviting problems into that, because you’re trying to throw too much cold air into a system,” Reagle said.

Mold buildup can also be traced

“Mold is never going away. Mold has been around for millions of years and is not going away.”

VP for Student Engagement MIKE REAGLE

to excessive heat, aging systems in buildings and the ways in which dorm rooms are constructed with the air conditioner directly underneath the window, Reagle said. This combination is to blame for mold buildup, he said.

“What you’re doing is you’re running all of this cold air through this metal box right next to where all the heat and humidity come in,” Reagle said. “What you’re doing is introduc“First of all you’re killing yourself. Second of ing this hot, humid air right on top of cold air. It will cause mold every all, I don’t know if it’s harmful to other people single time.” necessarily, but you are harming yourself.

Reagle said maintenance crews are Resident assistant dispatched to clean up mold often DEJUAN SIMPSON within the day the complaint was made or the day after.

“If we get a call in at four o’clock in the afternoon, we’re gonna send our night crew in to at least look at it and see what’s going on,” Reagle said. the ban, especially when the U.S. contesting, nor are they regulated by the “[Ten] may sound like a lot, but you tinues to allow the sale of cigarettes, FDA. figure we have 15 buildings and 2,500 which he believes are just as deadly.

“All patients have a reported history DeJuan Simpson is a resident of e-cigarette product use, and no con- rooms — that’s less than one per assistant at Minton Hall and knows sistent evidence of an infectious cause building.”

Even with this, Reagle said the issue there are plenty of students, especialhas been discovered,” the CDC stated ly freshmen, who often vape in their in its report. “Therefore, the suspected of mold is never going to be fully resolved. dorms. He is strong in his stance on cause is a chemical exposure.”

“Mold is never going away,” Reagle vaping — or, rather, against it.

The same report stated most studied said. “Mold has been around for mil“First of all, you’re killing yourself,” patients claimed to have used THC, lions of years and is not going away.”

Simpson said. “Second of all, I don’t and many vaped the substance in tanBobby Burt, a writer for the WKU know if its harmful to other people nec- dem with nicotine products. Current Talisman, is currently seeking medical essarily, but you are harming yourself.” state laws dictate marijuana, includassistance in his hometown of LouisThe liquid vape is not exclusively the ing THC and CBD, is fully legal in 11 legal and addictive chemical nicotine. states. Three states (California, Oregon ville after experiencing strep throat, a Evidence suggests illness is just as likely to be caused by tetrahydrocanSEE MOLD • PAGE A2 SEE VAPING • PAGE A2

A2 NEWS MOLD

CONTINUED FROM FRONT fever and chills, among other concerns.

Burt, a Northeast Hall resident, said he’s only felt sick while in his dorm.

“I stayed the night at Hilltopper [Hall] and after that I didn’t wake up feeling like complete garbage,” he said. “So it’s literally when I wake up in my own dorm when I feel the most sick.”

Burt’s sickness has reached a point

POLICE

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Gray said the officers’ presence in the residence halls would not be constant, but they would have a minimum of one check-in per week for each hall assigned to them. The officers will be able to check in an unlimited amount.

“Officers go, they check in with the front desk, see if there are any issues that the front desk is aware of, and they’ll conduct a walkthrough of the building,” Gray said.

In addition, Gray explained WKU’s 15 residence halls would be split into three sections of five, each with a sergeant assigned and designated officers.

Another point of engagement where the officers would join with the residence halls is educational programming.

“They’re making contacts with residents,” Gray said. “Residents are getting to know the men and women beyond the uniform, they’re seeing if there’s any issues in the building.”

Gray said the frequency of these check-ins could be affected by the

VAPING

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

and Illinois) are included in the vaping fatality list, although Illinois has yet to enact legalization. Kansas is the only state on the list of six where THC, CBD oils and marijuana itself are completely illegal.

WKU student Richard Gregor believes ill-manufactured THC cartridges, commonly known as “dab carts,” are the prime suspect in vape-related deaths. These cartridges are usually made and distributed without, as noted, any form of regulation — students who buy them have little idea what it is that they’re actually vaping.

Gregor said excessive amounts of vitamin E can cause overdoses.

The Food and Drug Administration website stated that it is investigating vitamin E as a possible lead in vaping-related health issues.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY where he will likely need to have his tonsils removed, he said.

This isn’t the first time Burt has experienced symptoms while living in a dorm, he said.

“I started [noticing symptoms] this last Monday,” Burt said. “This is the second straight year this has happened to me.”

Burt lived in Barnes-Campbell Hall last year, where he began feeling sick with a fever, chills and a sore throat.

Burt said he asked a hall director

if he could move to Zacharias Hall.

Housing and Residence Life charged him over $150 for the move, he said.

“They didn’t even help me move my stuff,” Burt said. “I had to move it by myself with a dolley.”

Once he moved into Zacharias, Burt said his symptoms stopped, but returned when he moved into Northeast this year.

This incident comes after Minton Hall was closed down last fall after almost 70 complaints of mold were filed.

Minton was evacuated, a deep clean-

ing took place in the building and it reopened for the all 2019 semester.

According to an email from WKU Media Relations Director Bob Skipper, bathrooms in WKU’s dorms are cleaned daily throughout the week and students can work with maintenance in order to get their mold issues resolved.

volume of calls WKUPD receives in a particular week or in a particular shift and that most of the officers will be assigned two halls, though there are some will only be assigned one.

“The narrative that we want to create is that things must be well if the police officers are just here hanging out, things must be just fine if the police officers are here,” Gray said.

Mike Reagle, executive director for Housing and Dining, shared Tim Gray’s sentiment that the program is not reactive but proactive.

“If you look at the philosophy of our university police department, it’s all about community policing, and community policing is about developing relationships,” Reagle said. “It’s about how we have relationships with people in the community so that if there are issues, if there are things that come up, people feel like they can go talk to that person because they know them.”

Reagle stated that the whole basis of this program is HRL and students on campus continuing to develop relationships with the WKUPD and improving WKUPD job satisfaction by giving officers more opportunities to interact with students.

“Police officers who come to work for the university tend to be a little bit different than ones that might work some-

place else, and part of that difference is they care about students,” Reagle said.

Reagle said with around 4,500 students living on campus, students aren’t going to get to know all of the police officers. This presented a challenge that led to the new officer liaison program. Reagle also said students are more likely to present problems they have to an officer that they know.

“Police officers tend to be intimidating,” Reagle said. “That’s just the nature of when you see someone walking up with a police uniform on carrying a gun.”

Reagle said that the sight of an armed officer is often very intimidating for students who have never had an interaction with a police officer before or who may have had a more negative interaction with a police officer.

“Anything we can do to break down those stereotypes, to break down the barriers in that relationship, the better off everybody is,” Reagle said.

News reporter Abbey Nutter can be reached at 270-745-6011 and abbigail. nutter168@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @abbeynutter.

I’m for sure staying away.”

The independent study Yoder referred to is a Sept. 6 report from the New England Journal of Medicine, in which 53 case patients from Illinois

The CDC recommends that those who vape — be it nicotine, CBD or THC — should consider refraining from e-cigarette use until more is known about the cause of illness.

“It’s all about community policing, and community policing is about developing relationships,” Executive Director for Housing and Dining

MIKE REAGLE

He also said the purpose of the officer liaison program was not to have an officer around every corner but to instead improve the relationship between the WKUPD and WKU’s student population.

“When we’re talking with students, community members, faculty and staff, one of those things that is often heard is civilians talking about the discomfort that they feel when police are around,” Gray said.

“I’m not really tripping about my own tendency to smack a Juul,” Gregor said.

Vitamin E is used in an assortment of cosmetic products and skin creams and can cause serious damage to the lungs when used in THC oil extract. This goes without mentioning the poor health effects of putting any type of lipid into human lungs.

The CDC’s report makes no specific mention of vitamin E overuse as a possible factor in these deaths.

This information doesn’t sway WKU student Mason Yoder, who fears what may come from misidentification of the problem.

“The media reports it as ‘vapes,’ which makes people believe it’s things like Juuls and mods, but it’s illegal dab carts causing the problem,” Yoder said. “I had already stopped using carts because of independent research showing how dangerous they really are, but now

“I’m not really tripping about my own tendency to smack a Juul,” WKU student RICHARD GREGOR

and Wisconsin were interviewed.

Each patient reported pulmonary illnesses in their respective states, and all had used “e-cigarette devices and related products” no more than 90 days before symptom onset. The study showed 17% of respondents only used nicotine, while 37% reported only THC use.

McDelivery Night In Every Thursday in September, order through Uber Eats with $0 delivery fees

Reporter Jack Dobbs can be reached at 270-745-0655 and jack.dobbs469@ topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @jackrdobbs.

It is also stressed that users do not, under any circumstances, purchase any of these products illegally or modify the e-cigarette itself beyond what its manufacturer intended.

News reporter Brody Rexing can be reached at 270-745-6011 and Brody.Rexing586@topper.wku.edu.

NEWS A3

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Greeks Go Green to get organizations helping environment

BY MATTHEW WILLIAMS

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Attaining a more eco-friendly lifestyle is becoming a new priority for Greek organizations across WKU’s campus. The Greeks Go Green initiative, an environmental competition, which kicked off Sept. 20, is pushing all Greek organizations to hold themselves accountable for protecting the Earth.

Claire Kaelin, founder of the competition and member of Delta Zeta, said she had the idea after studying abroad in France last semester. While living in the country, she found herself immersed in a culture where the lifestyle was more eco-conscious than how people lived in America.

Seeing how the communities and businesses came together in concern for the environment sparked Kaelin’s idea after her return to the states.

“Looking back at social media from America, I was aware of how big a disparity there was.’’ Kaelin said. “The amount of environmental concern in America was noticeably less than that in France.”

After this realization, she created

the Greeks Go Green Initiative and made it her Honors Capstone Project.

Kaelin recruited other passionate students and began working in June.

Their passion and enthusiasm for the cause guided them to mobilizing the Greek communities.

For the competition, WKU’s food recovery network will be lending a hand in helping decide which chapter house is the most sustainable.

The contest operates on a point system. Greek houses will submit evidence of eco-friendly actions to receive a varying amount of points.

For example, if a chapter house saves on a water or electric bill from the past month, they’ll receive 50 points.

Virtually any sustainable action or result can earn points. Greeks Go Green’s main goal for setting up the competition is to show Greek organizations how easy it is to not contaminate nature.

The winners of the competition will be announced during Greek Week and will receive up to $300 toward their philanthropy.

The Greeks Go Green’s vision is to change the culture around sustainability and get the general population

interested in the protection of the environment. Kaelin said she is really excited to have this new incentive on campus for sororities and fraternities to develop green habits.

“The communities have a chance to make a better reputation for themselves,” chairwoman and member of Delta Zeta

CLAIRE KAELIN

WKU freshman and environmentalist, Rachelle Cordova, said that she thinks the Greek organizations are making the right decision in enacting the program.

“It’s important to recycle and reduce things because it’s not going to look good in 20 years if we don’t,” Cordva said. “I don’t want that.”

Kaelin said she hopes to generate concrete evidence that Greek communi-

ties are recycling and reducing the detrimental effects that things like plastic and gasoline have on the environment.

“I want every Greek organization to be involved and submit, even if it’s just one time that they do something,” Kaelin said. “The communities have a chance to make a better reputation for themselves and to use their ability to enact widespread change.”

The Food Recovery Network is also helping Greeks Go Green place food pantries in the Greek housing divisions. They can opt in to have a pantry on their property, and the network will build it for them.

In addition to the competition, Greeks Go Green plans to raise awareness for the cause by tabling, selling metal straws and more. During the spring semester, an entire week will be dedicated to Greeks Go Green and sustainability.

Interested students can follow the Greeks Go Green Instagram and Twitter pages and send emails to wkugreeksgogreen@gmail.com

Reporter Matthew Williams can be reached at 270-745-6291 and matthew.williams@topper.wku.edu.

WKU helps bring baseball back to Puerto Rico

BY LILY BURRIS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

The WKU community has been helping Play Ball Puerto Rico, an organization formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, bring baseball back to communities devastated by the storm.

Bernie Strenecky, WKU scholar-in-residence, was with his high school-aged grandson Lawson when the subject of the damage came up.

“He said, ‘Grandpa, things aren’t going very well in Puerto Rico, are they?’”

Strenecky said.

This was six months after Hurricane Maria, and large parts of the island were still without water and electricity. “[Lawson] said, ‘I am no longer going to wait for my government,’” Strenecky said. “‘I am going to do this myself.’”

Strenecky asked his grandson what he wanted to do, and Lawson said his plan would be successful because it would work with teenagers and students. He would work to rejuvenate baseball, “the heart and soul of Puerto Rico.”

The duo started with a Facebook page and a GoFundMe to get the program off the ground. After a while, they

had raised $2,000. “[Lawson] soon learned that $2,000 in baseball equipment is really not significant,” Strenecky said.

Strenecky’s wife placed a request on the community network Nextdoor and asked for gently used baseball equipment. The community donated a “tremendous amount” to the program.

Louisville Slugger also heard about the program and donated equipment to help.

Students at WKU helped as well.

Strenecky works with ROTC, and it donated money to the program. Strenecky also works with the $100 Solution, a program committed to providing aid specific to the needs of the community it’s helping for less than $100.

Students like Conner Hounshell, a biology and political science major from LaGrange, have become involved with Play Ball Puerto Rico through the $100 Solution.

“I’m attempting now to start a Facebook page for the program, because there’s not really any specific, central source for people to get kind of news and information about the program,” Hounshell said.

Another group that has helped raise money for Play Ball Puerto Rico is ser-

vice sorority Omega Phi Alpha. Arinda Davis, a biology and environmental science senior from Brownsville, was the nations committee head for OPA last semester and coordinated a fundraiser for Play Ball Puerto Rico in April.

“A lot of people didn’t even necessarily realize that Puerto Rico really emphasized baseball and that it was a really big part of their culture,” Davis said. “In turn, they didn’t really understand the destruction that the hurricane had caused there.”

Davis heard about Play Ball Puerto Rico through her environmental science major and the $100 Solution House.

When she heard about it, she reached out to Strenecky and asked how to help.

Davis is no longer the Nations Committee head for OPA, so its fundraiser for other nations this semester will not be involved with Play Ball Puerto Rico.

“I would love for OPA to work more with the $100 Solution program, especially for the Puerto Rico program,” Davis said.

Strenecky said currently students do not go to Puerto Rico with the program due to legal issues. However, if an academic unit wanted to create a course to work with the program, then students

THE HERALD IS

NOW HIRING

would have a chance of going with Play Ball Puerto Rico to help.

One aspect of the program is having the players and coaches of the team it’s helping create a service project for their community. Strenecky said they asked these teams how they’re going to make their community better.

“It’s baseball as a tool for community change,” Strenecky said.

News reporter Lily Burris can be reached at 270-745-6011 and lily.burris203@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @lily_burris.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Bernard Strenecky

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OPINION

A4

Southern rock bands impress at Tidball’s

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

BY CASEY WARNER HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU The building was quiet, almost empty while a few people were mulling around stage.

Music was supposed to start at 9:30 p.m., but the clock was a couple minutes past 10 p.m., and there were no musicians on stage. Sixth Floor was the first band up.

Dead silence filled the air as the four men from Morgantown took the stage.

Those familiar with the band Sixth Floor knew what was about to take place.

From the moment of the sound of the first guitar, this night of music was electric. As usual, the sound in the venue was crisp, clear and heart thumping.

Sixth Floor vocalist John King claimed Tidball’s is always the band’s favorite place to play. It was hard to tell that by the crowd that showed up, but it wasn’t hard to tell by the music being played.

The quartet didn’t miss a note its entire set, with the most impressive part being their two cover songs: AC/ DC’s “Livewire” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimmie Back My Bullets.”

Sixth Floor plays no games when it comes to its live performances. Thick, well-rehearsed, southern rock ‘n’ roll is what the audience will get from this band 100% of the time.

Another familiar face to Tidball’s, Lexington’s Sour Cream, took the stage after Sixth Floor. The trio of rockers doesn’t look a day over 21 upon first glance.

SAM MALLON • HERALD

Harlan Cecil (left) and Colby Grant, two-thirds of the band Sour Cream, perform at a show hosted

by Tidball’s on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019.

Of the three bands doing the rocking at Tidball’s, Sour Cream is probably the hardest to put a finger on — in a good way. With a sound ranging from modern alt-rock to classic bluesrock, Sour Cream is certainly a sight to see in the Kentucky music scene.

The three young men looked as if they just stepped off of a college campus with their leisurely attire. The sight of the band and its sound doesn’t necessarily coincide, and that is what makes it so great.

To end the set, the trio busted into a Jimi Hendrix cover that was played to a tee. These three guys from Fayette County know how to put on a show.

Last, but definitely not least, MojoThunder took the stage to end an extravagant night of Kentucky rock ‘n’ roll. The clock read 12:30 a.m., but the night was just beginning.

The four hippies with long hair looked like a clone of The Allman Brothers. Boots, bell bottom jeans and a groovy shirt made the perfect combination.

MojoThunder was the most classic sounding of the three bands. Good riffs, good leads and a band that the audience could easily tell had been together for quite some time electrified the end of the night.

The crowd never quite filled in, but the music was all that mattered.

Tidball’s never fails to find the finest musicians around the state.

Sixth Floor, Sour Cream and MojoThunder all put on exceptional performances and deserve to draw attentive audiences and new listeners every time they perform. These bands tour exclusively around the Bluegrass state, so when they come to town don’t miss out.

Columnist Casey Warner can be reached at 270-745-6291 and casey. warner161@topper.wku.edu.

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ILLUSTRATION BY MADALYN STACK • HERALD

UAW VS. GM

Workers deserve to come out on top in strike

BY HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Issue: 48,000 members of United Automobile Workers (UAW), including nearly 1,000 at the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly plant, are striking against General Motors (GM) in order to obtain improved benefits.

Our stance: The College Heights Herald supports UAW striking and believes they deserve better working conditions since it is an abuse of power for GM to make its workers wait several years to receive benefits.

One of the driving factors of the strike is how long it takes members of UAW to receive full benefits. A worker at GM must be employed for eight years in order to receive full benefits and wages, and it can take up to three years for them to become a full-time employee, a UAW member previously told the Herald.

This potential 11-year period it could take an employee to maximize their working conditions is nearly the same amount of time between this current strike and the previous one against GM in 2007 when the UAW

stopped working for two days.

Consequences are now starting to be seen in the wake of the strike, as thousands of workers have been laid off from GM assembly plants in Canada. If UAW continues to strike, GM could begin to lose $75 million a day, according to Business Insider.

Both parties have a certain amount of leverage on the other, but UAW is unfortunately in a position where they are facing repercussions of the strike first.

UAW could gain the upper hand on GM because in addition to costing the company several millions of dollars, the 2020 Corvette Stingray is set to go into production later this year. The redesigned Corvette is now a mid-engine sports car and is one of the most anticipated GM products of all time.

Motor1.com even wrote in July that the Bowling Green Corvette plant “should be running at maximum capacity” in order to deal with the anticipation of the vehicle since it almost sold out before a single one was assembled for sale.

If UAW can withstand the layoffs, then high the demand for GM products could help them come out on top after the strike, but being out of work is excruciating to endure.

This strike is partially different than the production stoppage that occurred in 2007, since the previous one mainly happened on the cusp of the 2000s recession while GM tried to prepare for the hardships it would cause, but both strikes still center around health care benefits and job security.

After the strike was settled in 2007 and GM was bailed out after receiving more than $11 billion from the government earlier this decade, the company rebounded.

GM owes it to their workers to help them secure their needs due to their now improved financial status. To deny this from UAW would be a misuse of power and an abuse of capitalism since the company knows it can temporarily afford to keep people out of work.

There is no reason it should take up to 11 years of work for employees to receive benefits. Sizable amounts of change can take place in a worker’s life in that time, whether it’s a physical setback or a personal change at home.

Hopefully UAW can outlast GM and get the benefits they deserve since they’ve been at the mercy of GM and undervalued for too long.

BRENNA PEPKE • HERALD

Kyle Goins, a UAW union representative, stands in a picket line against General Motors with his daughter Greenlee Goins, 13, Saturday Sept. 21, 2019. “I walked the picket line with my old man and she’s doing it with hers,” Goins said as he introduced his daughter to other protesters.

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FUN A5

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

FUN PAGE Across

CLASSIFIEDS

1 Docs for dachshunds 5 Trapper’s prize 9 Ancient 12 Picky eater?

13 Certain cookie 14 “Far out!”

15 Snarl 16 Do business 18 Broke bread 19 Albanian cash 21 It’s the law 22 Goes kaput 24 Purges 26 Farmer’s yield 29 Prepare for surgery 31 Computer info 33 Department 34 Double header?

36 Prefix with phone 38 Night spot 39 Hindu deity 43 Combat venue 45 Accelerator bit 46 Big galoots 48 Norma ___ (Sally Field role) 49 Jewish calendar month 51 Appear 53 Florida’s Key ___ 57 Animal toxin 59 Thin strip 61 Washerful 62 Slap on 64 60’s dance 66 Flower starter 67 Wall art?

70 Impostors 72 Bon ___ (witticism) 73 Bugs 74 Stewed

H ELP WANTED 440 Main Restaurant Now Hiring

Waterworks Autowash Help Wanted

Models Needed

FOR SALE The Great Escape Records & Comics BUY - SELL - TRADE:

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75 Links prop 76 Clockmaker Thomas 77 Leave in, as text

11 “Silent Spring” subject 12 Prophetic 15 Little ones 17 Poet Teasdale 20 Young goat 23 Lather 25 Hasenpfeffer, e.g.

27 Ivy League team 28 All there 30 Idaho’s “Trout Capital of the World” 32 Petri dish filler 35 Burden of proof 37 Asia’s shrinking ___ Sea 39 City on the Dnieper 40 Stage part

Down 1 Plywood layer 2 Pudding ingredient 3 Type of order 4 Look of contempt 5 1945 conference site 6 Drop the ball 7 Table extender 8 Gin’s partner 9 Handel work 10 Varnish ingredient

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Swamp Ripens Gusto Narcissistic Goldbrick Disfigure Full of vigor Garish Bookie’s quote Hand warmers Tussocks Digestive juice Stick-toitiveness Clock standard (Abbr.)

Fish eggs Sound of contempt Gibbon, for one

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

4

8 5 2 4 1 8 1 3 4 6 1 4 9 7 3 3 7 9 3 6 5 8 4 9 5 7

1 8 6 3 6 5 2 1

Copyright ©2019 PuzzleJunction.com

Copyright ©2019 PuzzleJunction.com

8 2 6 3 4 1 9 5 7

2 8 5 7 1 9 6 4 3

Solution

6 1 4 3 2 5 9 7 8

1.c 2.a 3.b 4.c 5.a

1. What city lies closest to the Cape of Good Hope? (a) Pretoria (b) Durban (c) Cape Town 2. What country is known as the 'Pearl of the Antilles'? (a) Cuba (b) Puerto Rico (c) Cayman Islands 3. Of all the countries in Europe, which one extends furthest west? (a) Finland (b) Iceland (c) Denmark 4. What counry bordering the Mediterranean sea has the largest area? (a) Lebanon (b) Tunisia (c) Algeria 5. What is the oldest city in America west of the Mississippi river? (a) Santa Fe, NM (b) Houston, TX (c) Phoenix, AZ 6. The Mosquito Coast is a strip of land in what two countries? (a) Guatamala & El Salvador (b) Panama & Costa Rica (c) Nicaragua & Honduras 7. What U.S. state has the most farmland in square miles? (a) Nebraska (b) Texas (c) California 8. The Blarney Stone is located in what Irish county? (a) Cork (b) Derry (c) Limerick 9. What California mountain was the last to erupt in 1915? (a) Mt Shasta (b) Mammoth mountain (c) Mt Lassen 10. The Ohio river originates in what city? (a) Pittsburgh (b) Columbus (c) Lansing

9 7 3 4 6 8 2 5 1

©2019 PuzzleJunction.com

4 2 6 5 8 7 1 3 9

Around the World

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7 1 9 4 8 5 2 3 6

3 6 4 2 7 9 5 8 1

2 5 8 6 1 3 4 7 9

4 8 3 9 2 7 1 6 5

1 7 2 5 6 4 8 9 3

6 9 5 1 3 8 7 4 2

PHOTO

A6

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

EMMA STEELE• HERALD

“These people appreciate what we’re doing so much, I get so many thank you’s in a day,” Carothers said. He delivers groceries to Mary every Wednesday at her apartment on Angora Court. Carothers makes the point to hand deliver what she needs because of her troubles walking.

‘100 NEW FRIENDS’ Local volunteer brings food to those in need

BY EMMA STEELE HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

T

he mobile grocery started running in January 2019 thanks to the help of the Bowling Green Housing Authority and the Broadway United Methodist Church. This ser-

vice allows people living in food deserts a chance to get fresh food delivered to their homes. All proceeds are used to purchase more food. Danny Carothers, 58, has been doing volunteer work for the housing authority for 22 years and was chosen to drive the bus. According to Abraham Williams, the executive director of the housing authority, Danny is “the face

of the organization.”

The bus runs every Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Carothers knows each of his customers by name.

“My favorite part about this job is getting to see the customers I’ve met out in the community, it’s like I got to make 100 new friends,” Carothers said.

EMMA STEELE • HERALD EMMA STEELE • HERALD

The mobile grocery is Carothers’ favorite part of the day. He knows each of his customers by name and their usual orders. “It’s been a blessing so far, and I’m so happy they picked me to do it,” Carothers said.

EMMA STEELE • HERALD

EMMA STEELE • HERALD

Every Tuesday, Carothers goes and helps his friend Mike because of his recent stroke. The two have known each other since high school, and Mike’s apartments happen to be one of Carothers’ stops. Carothers helps Mike call his bank provider to see if he has enough money to buy groceries. “I’ve known Mike for a long time, so I feel as if I should spend as much time with him as I can,” Carothers said.

Danny Carothers is 58 years old and has lived in Bowling Green his whole life. He has done volunteer work with the housing authority for 22 years. Abraham Williams, executive director of the Bowling Green Housing Authority, called Carothers up to say he would be the perfect face for the organization. “It’s been so fun, I’m honored they picked me,” Carothers said.

LIFE

B1

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

CRAZY CREDITS

Floral design offers unique class experience

BY TAYLOR METCALF HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

BRENNA PEPKE • HERALD

Julia Udick traveled from Colorado to Bowling Green to participate in “Survivor” open casting calls at Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019.

“I was so good while I was practicing,” Udick said after her interview.

SURVIVOR

Auditioning for a show you’ve never watched

BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU CBS’ mega series “Survivor” first premiered nearly 20 years ago on May 31, 2000. Now approaching its 39th season, which will debut Wednesday, Sept. 25, the show shows no signs of slowing down.

Too bad I’ve never watched an entire episode.

That fact alone is what inspired me to audition to “outwit, outplay, outlast” the competition for the show’s 40th iteration. Plus, it didn’t hurt that auditions were basically in my backyard, held at Bowling Green Ballpark last Thursday from 3-8 p.m.

Tack on a chance to win a $1 million prize for winning the thing — not to mention the bragging rights — and I couldn’t say no.

Hometown hopefuls “Survivor” tryouts, known formally as the “Survivor Casting Call,” were hosted in Bowling Green last year for the first time since 2008, drawing a total of 556 auditioners. Of those 556, one actually made the cut — a Rockholds resident named Elaine Stott, who will be featured on the show’s upcoming season.

Atlee McHeffey, manager of digital content and promotions at television station WNKY 40, which hosted the second annual event, said Stott’s selection to the show proves anything can happen.

earlier this year, so the venue was an obvious choice. Milam said it’s amazing to host such an event.

“It’s great to be the vehicle for absolutely making someone’s dreams come true,” Milam said.

Fulton resident Pete Morgan, a tax assessor with the Kentucky Department of Revenue, said it’s been his dream to play the game since “day one.” He drove three hours to audition.

“We all think of this,” Morgan said of his fellow “Survivor” diehards.

At 63 years old, he believes he’s exactly what show producers are looking for — “an oddity.”

“How many 65-year-olds you see?”

Morgan said, motioning to the inside and outside of a ballpark congested with tons of people much younger than himself.

Don’t let this fool you, though.

Among the hundreds of people who lined outside the park, glued themselves to its seats as if ready for a Hot Rods game and prayed their audition would seal the deal, there was no shortage of businessmen, students and everything in between.

Traveling far to be a star Twenty-seven-year-old Julia Udick hailed all the way from Fort Collins, Colorado, to test her luck. A cheap flight to Indianapolis and a three-hour drive to Bowling Green was all the convincing she needed.

“Shooters shoot,” Udick said.

Elizabeth Orr, 21, of Des Moines,

BRENNA PEPKE • HERALD

While awaiting for open casting calls for CBS TV series “Survivor,” participants pass the time playing games provided by local sponsors. The auditions brought over 200 people to Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019.

“After last year, we’ve proven that that’s a possibility here,” McHeffey said of Bowling Green’s status as a place where auditioners’ wildest dreams might come true.

When asked if the station anticipated more auditioners this year, WNKY 40 general manager Julie Milam didn’t hesitate.

“Heck yeah, that’s why we came to a bigger venue,” Milam said of last year’s audition location, the Bowling Green Athletic Club off Flex Park Drive.

The station hosted auditions for CBS series “Big Brother” at the ballpark

Iowa, is a senior in college. She missed a class to make the audition, leaving Iowa at 5 a.m. and driving eight hours to Bowling Green.

“There’s always a million excuses to not do something,” Orr said, noting she’s been a dedicated fan of the show for 15 years. “You just got to do it.”

My shot at the spotlight “Survivor” superfan or not, auditions are nerve-wracking. I found myself internally rehearsing answers to imaginary interview questions, envisioning how I’d respond if chosen for the show and wondering how I’d look on TV as I waited for my audition

number — 262 — to be called.

The butterflies in my stomach fluttered as if trying to start a tornado.

Alex Huffer, an employee at the University of Kentucky, auditioned earlier in the day. Though he said the prospect of trying out “gets the heart pounding,” he admitted the actual process wasn’t rocket science.

“I didn’t really think much of anything,” Huffer said of what crossed his mind while auditioning. “I just went in there, and I did it.”

No matter, my brain couldn’t stop moving. Despite never knowing much about the show besides its name and the tiki torches, the competitive side of me — the same one responsible for my muscular demise after working out with WKU Police Department officer Tim Gray earlier this semester — wanted to show I’d be a fearsome contestant.

Flash forward to me just moments before entering one of four isolated rooms in which the interviews took place: With no more than 90 seconds to make an impression or not, what did I really have to lose?

Turns out, not much.

Upon walking into an interview room, I was asked to stand in front of a nearby video camera — footage of the interview would be sent to show producers, who would then decide if I was worth any buzz or better left on read.

First question: “How do you survive daily life?”

Thrown for a loop, I interpreted the question a tad literally, noting I tend to avoid walking in front of the train near my apartment before heading to class.

Next question was what past contestants I liked. I said I had never watched the show, but I used this as an opportunity to play devil’s advocate: “Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how a total rookie plays the game?

How long before he does something dumb?”

And just like that, it was onto my last question.

“What makes you a good choice for ‘Survivor’?”

This one was easy. Before I could even turn my head and point to the bunned mass of hair I’ve trimmed only twice since 2016, I said, “Because I’m a weirdo.”

From auditioning in an oversized tank top to smiling at the camera with thumbs-up at either side of my chin for at least two seconds until footage stopped rolling, I’m sure this wasn’t too hard to believe. Needless to say, I’d likely entertain some people.

Though I left the tryout realizing I neglected hours of homework to do something I had no business doing, I couldn’t complain. Maybe I’d get a call back, maybe I wouldn’t.

What mattered to me was waving goodbye to my comfort zone for just a while. Try surviving that.

Features Editor Griffin Fletcher can be reached at 270-745-2655 and griffin.fletcher398@topper.wku.edu.

Behind Gary Ransdell Hall is a small building surrounded by shrubbery and flowers of all kinds. Though easy to miss, it holds a gem many students never see.

The building is the WKU Floral Design Training Center, and the gem is the class it offers — introduction to floral design.

Originally serving as the WKU Floral Shop until mid-2018, its many visitors and students left its floors well-used, creaking with every step. Much like the building’s outside, the inside is encased in flowers and plants, and posters of floral tools and flower species cover the walls.

The building itself is just the vessel for the course, which is run by assistant professor Roger Dennis, a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers.

“I think what makes it so special is that it’s real-world experience,” Dennis said as he stood behind a wooden counter in the training center.

For those venturing into agriculture-centric majors or business management, the course provides a peek into the meticulous care needed for flowers as well as the process of designing decor. But for those who just like flowers, the course is still valuable.

Sophomore horticulture major Robert Swift said he likes the hands-on learning the class provides.

“I think it’s really good, being able to bring in some ideas and be able to make designs,” Swift said as he packed up his things and reached for his finished design piece — a round centerpiece filled with yellow carnations, dark yellow Viking mums, purple statice and green leather leaf fern.

KEILEN FRAIZER • HERALD

Flowers sit outside the Floral Design Training Center. The center hosts introduction to floral design.

As a participant in the course, every Thursday afternoon brings a smile to my face. While I went into the first class with almost no background in floral design, I have already learned so much about various parts of the art.

With a weekly class time of two hours and 45 minutes, the first half of class is dedicated to a lecture intended to give background knowledge and insight into the piece you will design. The second half is completely hands-on — cutting the stems on greenery and flowers, arranging them into your design container and rearranging them until they come together as perfectly as possible.

Looking at all the individual flowers and design pieces can seem intimidating, but it’s enjoyable to try different things and find the many ways to arrange individual pieces of art.

This class doesn’t rely solely on a lecture but provides ample time for trial and error in creating your own masterpiece. The class fee of $125 provides you with all of the material you need to succeed — the flowers, the greenery, vases, bowls and any other materials you might need to learn.

The pieces you design are not just flowers in a vase, Dennis said, they are art. And this class allows you to appreciate the art even if you choose not to pursue it as a career.

Dennis’ goal for students is for them to simply let go while trying new things, which is often the course’s most difficult aspect. “[The hardest part is] letting themselves go and be creative and not try to do exactly what I do,” Dennis explained. “Even though the ultimate goal is for them to be able to recreate.

[It’s hard] for them to just be able to let go and not get so stressed out when they do designs.”

In the beginning, the class may feel overwhelming and even sometimes stressful. But as time goes on, you might find you’re exactly where you belong.

Features reporter Taylor Metcalf can be reached at 270-745-6291 and taylor. metcalf496@topper.wku.edu.

B2 LIFE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

‘Manifest Destiny’: Student finds a new home

BY JULIE SISLER

HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU His smile is contagious. As he leans back in his chair and folds his hands in front of himself, he is all smiles.

Even as the conversation takes a turn for the darker, his smile stays strong, unbroken by the stories of difficulty and struggle.

Sophomore Andres Casanovas was born in Cuba before moving to Florida around age 8. He recalls the transition between Cuba and the U.S. as being easier than he thought it would be.

“You can get used to anything good,” Casanovas said.

He remembers being surprised and exhilarated at everything from the size of supermarkets to the fact every McDonald’s Happy Meal came with a toy.

“My mom told me that in America, when you ordered a meal for a kid, they’d give you a toy,” Casanovas said.

“I couldn’t believe it. You order a meal and they just give you a toy? What an incredible place.”

Casanovas grew up anchored to various social and financial hardships, which came from struggling to learn English and coming from a single-parent household.

His most trying struggle came during sophomore year of high school, when he found himself sleeping on the couch of an efficiency apartment.

‘I couldn’t go outside or be seen’ Casanovas and his family had been evicted from their apartment, leaving few options on where to go. Not to mention, finding a place close enough to Casanovas’ current school was a challenge all its own.

Eventually, a family friend took them in, allowing Casanovas and his family to secretly stay in an efficiency apartment.

“It was a huge risk they took,” Casanovas said, acknowledging the move could have resulted in both his family and the friend losing a place to live.

Casanovas credits the friend’s generosity to where he is today and where he’ll go.

“Wherever I am, I’ll be like, ‘this is because of you,’” Casanovas said of how he plans to thank them. “You made this possible.”

In order to stay undetected, Casanovas got in and out of the apartment through a back door, climbing a fence on his way to and from school. Each day meant getting up early to sneak outside for the bus, and each night meant sneaking back inside to sleep on the family’s couch.

This left Casanovas with limited mobility, as leaving the house at the

to stay for clubs or to hang out with a friend after school,” Casanovas said.

Casanovas kept his situation hidden from peers and teachers, saying he didn’t want anyone to worry.

SAVON HAYDEN • HERALD

Andres Casanovas came to the U.S. from Cuba at age 8. His family suffered through homelessness, but today Casanovas is a sophomore at WKU with hopes of making a better life for himself and his family.

“I didn’t want people to feel bad for me, because then they measure you differently,” Casanovas said. “Then they expect less from you. And, you know, there’s no fun in that — you can’t grow that way.”

A passion for learning

“He sees everything in front of him as the Wild West of opportunity.”

Casanovas’ former professor and mentor DANIEL SUPER wrong time risked getting caught.

“I had to stay there,” Casanovas said. “I couldn’t go outside or be seen.”

He soon realized this prevented him from participating in extracurricular activities and other typical high school experiences.

“I felt really bad that I wasn’t able

said.

He said his mother’s passion for education rubbed off on him.

“Going to school means a lot, because you know that you’re learning

Casanovas said his mother believed his education was worth the setbacks.

At his particular high school, Casanovas was able to receive a high-quality education and even take college-level courses.

“My mom wanted me to have those opportunities, and she wanted me to have that consistency,” Casanovas

and you’re becoming a better person,” Casanovas said. “Going to school showed me progress and that I wasn’t becoming nothing. And that’s what really gave me hope and made me feel like everything was all right.”

His mother, Maritza, said she takes pride in her son’s work ethic.

“My son, since he was a child, has always been a great, self-driven student,” Maritza said. “I am very proud of my son, and I see that every day he is always making an effort to be better in his studies and in life.”

Daniel Super, a former professor and current mentor of Casanovas, said he believes this passion for learning is something which sets Casanovas apart.

“There are a lot of students that treat college as compulsory, as someone made them come,” Super said. “You can tell that’s not how Andres treats school. He treats it as an opportunity to learn about what he cares about and to equip himself for later in life. I can see how much he cares about learn-

ing, not just passing classes. There’s a big difference.”

Growing up fast After graduating from high school, Casanovas’ family packed up to move to Kentucky. Laughing, he recalled the journey from Florida to Kentucky as the best driving practice he could’ve hoped for — carting a van full of people and valuables over 800 miles to a fresh start.

This presented Casanovas with a new set of challenges, ones most individuals don’t experience until they’re well into college.

“We had to drive around and get our utilities, get signed up for school, which I did most of,” Casanovas said. “When you don’t have an English-speaking family, it’s crazy.”

Casanovas arranged his family’s living situation, enrolled himself and his brother in school and made sure the family was equipped to settle down in Bowling Green. As the best English speaker in his family, it was his responsibility to correspond with the necessary people, forcing him to learn about things like leases, billing and school enrollment.

“I think it all made me grow,” Casanovas said. “Now I don’t take for granted that I have a roof over my head or a car or that I have a savings account.”

‘A lot to come’ Casanovas said he wouldn’t change what he’s been through, because he knows things could’ve been worse.

Instead, he’s chosen to take a more positive approach, which Super said he believes is rare.

“His disposition towards life, towards anything that’s in front of him at the time — whether it be his involvement in extracurriculars or a class assignment or his future — it’s positive,” Super said. “He sees everything in front of him as the Wild West of opportunity. It’s like Manifest Destiny — what can I make of my life and the chances in front of me?”

Casanovas said it’s important people with fortunate means don’t feel guilty for their privilege. It’s better to consider how those means might be used to help others.

“You can focus on your circle of influence and just do what you can do right now, and it will get you somewhere,” Casanovas said. “Don’t worry about the things you can’t do or what’s unfair.”

Casanovas’ high school friend Tyler Tompkins said Casanovas has always pushed himself to take advantage of every situation. He believes the approach will lead Casanovas to a bright future.

“I think his story is one with a lot to come,” Tompkins said. “And I’m sure he’ll make it a good one.”

With a positive attitude and infectious smile never far from his side, Casanovas plans to continue pushing forward and looking to the future instead of the past. Anything else just wouldn’t cut it.

“Some people just stay there, they won’t see the world, because they don’t want to feel uncomfortable,” Casanovas said. “But feeling uncomfortable is the way to improve.”

Features reporter Julie Sisler can be reached at 270-745-6291 and julie.sisler389@topper.wku.edu. Follow Julie on social media at @julie_sisler.

‘Edgy with a hint of glam’: On-the-go boutique

BRENNA PEPKE • HERALD

Barr Bones traveling boutique appeared Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, at Bowling Green Ballpark.

BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Skulls and pink don’t mix well.

Try telling that to Carli Barr, owner of the online fashion boutique Barr Bones. She defended the business’s logo, a skull with pink glasses, as “edgy with a hint of glam.”

Barr opened the business in July 2018 just over a year after graduating from WKU with a fashion merchandising degree. Starting as an online seller, Barr Bones acquired on-wheels status in July 2019 after Barr retrofitted a bus

to hold clothes and provide an indoor shopping experience.

“I’ve always wanted my own business,” Barr said. “I didn’t really think it would be in a bus.”

Painted black and spotted with pink glasses-wearing skulls, the bus draws attention. Barr said it’s not only convenient for making an impression and some quick sales, though.

“We don’t have to pay rent on it,” Barr said.

Barr’s mother, Lily Barr, helps with the business’s upkeep and travels with her daughter when the bus makes stops. The business still operates on-

line from her Owensboro home.

“I’m her right hand,” Lily Barr said of working alongside her daughter.

She described Barr Bones as a “dream come true,” noting Barr’s interest in fashion since childhood. However, she acknowledged maintaining a nontraditional business model is not without its difficulties.

“You’re 24/7,” Lily Barr said of Barr Bones’ primarily online service.

“You’re never closed.”

Barr managed a storefront boutique shop in Nashville prior to Barr Bones.

She said the experience didn’t live up to her expectations, as the shop’s small size required her to work alone most days.

To make matters worse, Barr underwent a botched wisdom teeth removal during her time at the store, leaving her unable to work for weeks, in need of multiple surgeries and jobless.

“It was the worst year of my life,” Barr said.

Barr said it wasn’t until a few days after losing her job that she realized where to turn next. She decided on the name “Barr Bones” after a brainstorming session with a close friend, and a few days later she was her own boss.

Though Barr said this presents its own set of challenges, she said she’d much rather succeed or fail on her own terms.

“It’s always gonna be a struggle,” Barr said. “But it’s your struggle.”

Molly Higgins, a friend of Barr’s since middle school, said Barr Bones is unlike any other business in Owens-

boro, comparing it to “a food truck but for clothes.”

“I see her do her own thing, and it’s inspiring to see someone go against the grain,” Higgins said.

Barr Bones offers a selection of trendy and bold clothing for all seasons. Though the business features a number of higher-end merchandise, Barr said she’s surprised by how often customers seek out “comfies,” clothing for lazy Sundays and lounging.

Though the business currently features only one bus, Barr said she hopes to eventually expand her staff and keep permanent buses in prime locations across the country. She said her next move is to get a bus in Nashville.

The bus made a stop in Bowling Green last Thursday, Sept. 19, outside of Bowling Green Ballpark from 3-8 p.m. The business made an appearance as a vendor during auditions for the CBS show “Survivor,” which were held at the ballpark that day.

Barr said her main inspiration behind Barr Bones is giving customers a chance to feel happy and confident.

She said it’s a gift that keeps giving.

“There’s never a cap to how good you can make people feel,” Barr said.

Barr Bones may be shopped online at shopbarrbones.com and followed on Instagram at shop.barrbones.

Features Editor Griffin Fletcher can be reached at 270-745-2655 and griffin.fletcher398@topper.wku.edu.

SPORTS B3

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

ATHLETIC TRAINER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4

What it entails Judd said her current role involves much more administrative work, which sometimes requires delegating training responsibilities to her support staff of athletic trainers and undergraduate interns.

Making the ultimate decision regarding the care of the football program’s student-athletes is Judd’s primary duty, but she can’t perform it effectively without collecting input from the WKU coaching staff. Judd said everyone on staff is very receptive to her input and values her opinion.

“I feel like I’m a qualified person, not just a qualified female,” Judd said.

“So I think they see that I’m qualified as an athletic trainer.”

What it means Head coach Tyson Helton said Judd does a wonderful job with the players — she’s thorough and constantly on top of her responsibilities. Helton said he couldn’t say enough positives about the job Judd does and the great rapport she’s built with the players and staff.

“Two of the most important roles on a football team in an organization is the strength coach and the training staff because they deal with the players every single day,” Helton said. “You know, people think a lot of times, ‘hey, it’s the position coach or the head coach’ — we’re not around those guys near as much as the strength coach and the trainers are.

So she really has a great feel for the team. She’s able to get close to those players, to their parents. She does a

VOLLEYBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4

The win was WKU’s 12th of the 2019 season, but the victory was also a historic win for the Lady Toppers — it marked the 900th all-time win in program history.

“Anytime something like that happens, it just makes me flip back through the rolodex of all the great kids I’ve had the opportunity to coach and what they’ve meant to this program,” Hudson said. “This is truly a program that was built by the players, and players of the past continue to have their fingerprints all over the success we have today. It’s something we’re very proud of and certainly embrace the opportunity to celebrate.”

Senior Sophia Cerino led the team with seven aces in the match. As of Sept. 20, Cerino is ranked fourth in

SOCCER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 “We were very excited,” Barnett said about the team kicking off C-USA play.

“We’ve been waiting for [conference], but like I said, we’re taking it one game at a time. Now, the day has come. We’ve been preparing all preseason and all season before conference.”

After WKU reached double-overtime again over the weekend, the Lady Toppers have now played four of their first eight matches into the second period of overtime.

The Lady Toppers haven’t fared particularly well with double-overtime matches in 2019, as WKU is 1-2-1 in its double-overtime matches this season.

WKU recorded two double-overtime losses earlier this year to Samford (32-4) on Aug 30 and Mississippi (6-2-1, 0-0-1 SEC) on Sept. 5. WKU also held Kentucky (5-3-2, 0-1 SEC) to a scoreless draw in the Lady Toppers’ second match of the season on Aug. 25.

The Lady Toppers have seemingly flipped the page on their double-overtime woes, but WKU still struggled to find the back of the net, despite tallying 22 shots against Southern Miss.

fantastic job.”

Judd said getting each player out of the training room and back onto the field is the most important objective she looks to reach every day.

“The goal is not for them to be in here,” Judd said. “I’d love to have everyone practicing, everyone being able to produce. That’s why they came here.”

Freshman tight end Joshua Simon is new to the program, but he’s already sustained an injury requiring Judd’s assistance. Simon said Judd has been good to him in their limited interactions so far, and the trainer is wellliked in the locker room.

“You come see her, you tell her what’s wrong, she can help you out,” Simon said. “You let her know what you got going on, and she’ll do the best that she can for you.”

Redshirt sophomore defensive end Juwuan Jones said it’s important to have a good relationship with Judd because when players get hurt, she’s the one that ultimately has to take care of them.

It’s not smart to be on anyone’s bad side that wants to take care of you, Jones said.

“Oh, she always looks out for us,” Jones said. “She’s there for treatment if you need it … She’s very instrumental in keeping us healthy and well.”

Judd said quite a few players call her “mom” or see her as a motherly figure. However, she’s a “tough mom” whose personality works well with a male-dominant sport.

“I’m tough on the athletes,” Judd said. “If you tell me that something hurts, I’m gonna be seeing if you can still be able to work through it, which coaches appreciate … I’m willing to push these kids to not just sit out.”

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

Head athletic trainer Jessica Judd watches the Hilltoppers warm up for practice from the sidelines of Houchens-Smith Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2019.

Following her footsteps Now in her second season as the team’s head athletic trainer, the 31-year-old said she gets to work each morning around 5:30 a.m. and usually heads home around 8 p.m.

Between 6 a.m. lifts, carting kids on crutches to and from class throughout the day, taping, multi-hour evening practices and post-practice treatment, Judd has no shortage of tasks.

She said she understands her limitations, which include not being able to go into the locker immediately after practice and never putting herself in situations that might make the athletes feel uncomfortable. But Judd said she’s still able to coax the players

the Division I women’s volleyball leaderboard with 24 service aces total.

“It’s so cool,” Cerino said. “I believe I was a part of the 800th win as well, which was a really cool feeling. Just to be a part of a culture we have and getting used to having 20-win seasons.

It’s really cool, we definitely have something special here and it’s really amazing to be a part of it.”

The team’s last victory of the tournament came against the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday.

WKU notched another 3-0 sweep, as the Lady Toppers posted a .356 hitting percentage while holding the Bulldogs to a .184 mark. The win was also historic — sophomore Lauren Matthews set WKU’s single-match hitting percentage record at .882 in the victory.

“I had no idea that was going to happen,” Matthews said. “I mean, who does? But it feels good.”

With the win, the Lady Toppers

claimed victory in their third of four early season tournaments and moved to a perfect 7-0 on their home court in 2019.

Matthews was named WKU Volleyball Invite MVP — her second straight tour-

Neidell said his team is improving offensively, but still needs to work on finishing in the final third of the field.

“We need to make better decisions in front of goal,” Neidell said postgame. “I think sometimes, we’re shooting when we need to be passing. Sometimes, we’re shooting when we need to be crossing and sometimes, we should try to dribble instead of shoot.”

Although WKU struggled in the final third of the field against Southern Miss, the Lady Toppers dominated the midfield. WKU connected time-and-time again in the midfield, leading to multiple dangerous balls played into the Golden Eagle box.

Southern Miss came into Saturday’s contest already recording four shutouts through its first eight matches, allowing only six goals during that time frame.

All four of those shutouts came during the four-game winning streak the Golden Eagles carried with them into Bowling Green. Southern Miss’ win streak included a 2-0 shutout victory against Power 5 opponent Auburn (4-32, 1-0 SEC) on Sept. 13.

WKU also came into its conference opener with four shutouts on the season. Prior to WKU’s match against Southern Miss, the Lady Toppers

pitched shutouts against Belmont (1-62, 0-1 OVC), Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State (4-5, 1-0 C-USA) and Southern Illinois.

WKU’s defense remained resilient against the Golden Eagles, as the group recorded its fifth shutout of the season.

The Lady Toppers were sound across the back and didn’t allow Southern Miss to get many great looks at the goal, which Neidell praised postgame.

“Our four in the back were fantastic today,” Neidell said. “This was their best game of the season. Their movement in relation to each other was absolutely phenomenal today.”

WKU limited Southern Miss to only seven shots on the afternoon. In the second half, the Golden Eagles went the first 22 minutes of the half without even attempting a shot.

Redshirt senior goalkeeper Anne-Marie Ulliac played her first career C-USA match on Saturday, recording four saves without allowing a goal.

Ulliac has played 743 minutes for the Lady Toppers this season, making 32 saves and allowing only five goals through eight matches. WKU’s five goals allowed are the program’s fewest allowed through eight matches since 2014.

The senior goalkeeper believes

“I had no idea that was going to happen.

I mean, who does? But it feels good.”

WKU sophomore LAUREN MATTHEWS nament MVP honor after also claiming the Holiday Inn–University Plaza Invitational MVP award last weekend — while Cerino joined her teammate on the All-Tournament team.

After an almost unblemished run

into doing whatever she needs them to do, which means other aspiring females should feel enabled to follow her path.

“I would love to be seen as a role model [to young women],” Judd said.

“It is obviously possible — you just definitely have to work hard at it. It’s important that anyone that’s willing to do this understands that there are going to be challenges, and you can’t just fly through it. It’s not an easy task.

So it’s important that you are actually qualified to do the job even if you’re a female.”

Reporter Alec Jessie can be reached at 270-745-6291 and alec.jessie226@ topper.wku.edu. Follow Alec on Twitter at @Alec_Jessie. through its regular season non-conference slate, WKU will play its last contest before Conference USA play against Austin Peay (2-11) on Tuesday.

The Lady Toppers lead the all-time series over APSU 31-12, but WKU fell 3-2 to the Governors on Oct. 16, 2018 in Clarksville, Tennessee. WKU’s loss in the last meeting between the two programs broke the Lady Toppers’ 14game win streak against APSU dating back to 1997.

During its match against APSU a season ago, WKU battled back from a 2-1 deficit but dropped the fifth set 1510 after the Governors went on a late 4-0 run in the decisive frame.

Game time in Diddle Arena is set for 6 p.m.

Reporter Kaden Gaylord can be reached at 270-745-6291 and kaden. gaylord559@topper.wku.edu. Follow Kaden on Twitter at @_KLG3.

WKU’s defensive leadership is helping the team.

“Our backline is absolutely incredible this year,” Ulliac said in a postgame interview on Sept. 5. “It’s four upperclassmen and they’ve been working so hard. Each one of them has improved so much individually this year, and they’ve also improved as a backline. We have a lot of really good communication with [the defense] going on.”

The Lady Toppers will continue C-USA play this Sunday afternoon when they host LA Tech (8-0-1) at the WKU Soccer Complex.

LA Tech currently leads the all-time series over WKU, 2-1.

The Bulldogs last visited Bowling Green on Sept. 27, 2015, when WKU knocked off LA Tech for a tight 1-0 victory. The two programs most recently met in Ruston, Louisiana, on Sept. 23, 2018, when the Bulldogs defeated the Lady Toppers 2-1.

Kickoff for the Lady Toppers’ home match against Louisiana Tech is set for 1 p.m.

Reporter Elliott Wells can be reached at 270-745-6291 and douglas. wells357@topper.wku.edu. Follow Elliott on Twitter at @ewells5.

economic Trade-offs or Free Lunches?

Dr. Josh Hall, Chair and Professor Center for Free Enterprise West Virginia University

October 1, 4:15pm • Grise Hall 235 Sponsored by the WKU BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism, the Department of Economics, and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

B4

WKU soccer opens C-USA play with win in double-overtime ELLIOTT WELLS HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU soccer team (5-2-1, 1-0 C-USA) kicked off Conference USA play with an emphatic win over the weekend, as the Lady Toppers netted a golden goal in the 104th minute of double-overtime to escape a tough test against Southern Mississippi (5-4, 0-1 C-USA) with a 1-0 win.

All-C-USA Preseason Team member Ambere Barnett scored the game-winning goal at the 103:31 mark of the dou-

Jessica Judd works with WKU’s football team as the head athletic trainer. She is one of 11 female head trainers in Division I FBS.

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

ONE OF ELEVEN

Head football trainer makes her way in ‘male-dominant sport’

BY ALEC JESSIE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Last August, Jessica Judd was enjoying her honeymoon in St. Lucia with her newlywed husband, Michael, when she received a phone call. On the other end of the line was Mike Gaddie, WKU’s associate athletic director for sports medicine and athletic training.

At the time, Judd was the assistant athletic trainer for the WKU football team. During the phone call, Gaddie told Judd she was being promoted to the role of head football athletic trainer.

No sooner than Judd hung up the phone, she joined a highly exclusive club.

She instantly became one of only 11 female head football athletic trainers in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, which she said only added to the excitement of her new marriage.

“I was just excited that people had the respect of me and understood that I do have the skill set and the ability to be the head football athletic trainer,” Judd said. “Obviously the coaches trusted me and believed that I could do the job appropriately, and Mike Gaddie gave me all the confidence in the world that I could do the job that was needed.”

Judd’s journey to becoming an associate athletic trainer at WKU began long before that phone call.

While Judd was a senior in high school in her hometown of Toledo, Ohio, she took an introduction to athletic training course for college credit at the University of Toledo. The class sparked her interest, so she decided to run with it.

Judd was also an athlete herself, playing soccer, basketball and volleyball in grade school before rowing for four years once she got to high school.

“I got to be around the athletes,” Judd said. “I got to kind of see the behind the scenes, if you will. Being able to treat those kids and get them back on the field and watch them perform is kind of what interested me the most. Just being able to have that influence on them.”

After graduating high school in 2005, she received a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in athletic training from

the University of Alabama in 2010. Judd later received a Master of Science with a concentration in kinesiology and health from the University of Wyoming in 2012.

While Judd was in college, she was assigned to a different sport every semester. Football was one of her first rotations, and Judd said she really enjoyed the chaos of it all.

“I never saw myself sitting behind a desk nine to five — that kind of thing,” Judd said. “So football was always very different — every single day you see different things, different injuries.”

The path to a dream job But the path wasn’t always clear.

Judd had to work from the bottom up to get to the position she’s currently in.

After graduating from the University of Wyoming, Judd didn’t want to settle for anything other than the football position she was waiting for — even if that meant not having a job.

Judd said she waited two months for an opportunity to be an athletic trainer for a football program, but the delay was worth it to get the position she “needed to get” at the time — an internship as an assistant trainer for the football team at Louisiana Tech in 2012.

After working with football and track during her second year with the Bulldogs, Judd stayed on for a third and final year at LA Tech in a new role she wasn’t expecting.

Keith Bunch, now the head football athletic trainer at Middle Tennessee State, decided to leave LA Tech in 2014.

Judd said Bunch was very influential, and he taught her all she needed to know during their two years together.

Judd became the interim head football athletic trainer after Bunch’s departure, and Judd said he helped her gain the confidence to do the job.

“Holy [expletive],” Judd said about what was going through her head when she was promoted. “It was a very cool experience because then I had the OK of the head football coach, which, that’s tough enough as it is — especially being a female.”

After a three-year stint with the Bulldogs, Judd came to WKU prior to the 2015 football season as the program’s assistant athletic trainer. Judd said her journey at LA Tech was coming to an

end, and she felt like it was time to “get to another stepping stone” at a new place.

Judd spent three seasons as WKU football’s assistant athletic trainer before she earned the promotion to associate athletic trainer prior to fall camp in 2018. Judd said she wasn’t surprised when she became the first-ever female in charge of the athletic training staff for WKU football.

Instead, she felt prepared. Former WKU head football athletic trainer Bryan Schneider, now the head football athletic trainer at James Madison, prepared her for the post by giving her an autonomous role, allowing her to perform many of a head trainer’s duties as an assistant.

Even when the promotion came and Judd became one of the few female head football athletic trainers in charge of an FBS team, she took it in stride.

“Honestly, I don’t really look at it as I’m their first female [head athletic trainer],” Judd said. “I’m just happy that I have the skill set they’re looking for. It’s great for females that we can have these kind of roles — one in 11 is wonderful, and I’d love to see more of it.”

MATT GADD • HERALD

WKU’s Aleksandra Kožović (31) dribbles the ball past a Southern Miss midfielder during their 1-0 double-OT win at the WKU Soccer Complex on Sept. 21, 2019.

Jessica Judd wraps Dionte Ruffin’s knee after warm ups at practice on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2019, in Houchens-Smith Stadium.

ble-overtime period, lifting the Lady Toppers past the Golden Eagles for the program’s first win in a C-USA opener since the 2016 season.

The last time WKU won its first matchup in conference play was Sept.

15, 2016 — a 1-0 road win for the Lady Toppers over Marshall in Huntington, West Virginia.

A season ago, the Lady Toppers opened conference play against Southern Miss on Sept 16, 2018. The Golden Eagles defeated WKU 1-0 in overtime in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Head coach Jason Neidell made sure his 2019 squad wouldn’t leave Saturday’s match against Southern Miss with the same disappointing result.

“I told the team before the second overtime, ‘We’re not leaving here without three points, let’s go get it,’ and I think Ambere [Barnett] took that to heart,” Neidell said postgame.

Barnett’s golden goal against the Golden Eagles marked her fourth goal of the season. The Rockport, Indiana, native has now scored a goal for the Lady Toppers in each of their last three matches — all of which were wins for WKU. The Lady Toppers are on their first three-game win streak since October 2017. WKU finished the 2017 season with a 7-9-1 record and didn’t make the C-USA Tournament field.

Last weekend, WKU closed out its non-conference schedule with statement wins against Southern Illinois (4-6-1) on Sept. 13 and Alabama A&M (2-5-1) on Sept. 15.

Redshirt sophomore midfielder Deven Jackson received her first start of the season against the Salukis. Since adding Jackson to the team’s starting lineup, WKU is now 3-0. In that span, the Lady Toppers have tallied 11 goals and allowed just one — against Alabama A&M on Sept. 15.

With the Lady Toppers closing out their non-conference slate on a high note, Barnett said the team was ready to be back on the pitch for their conference opener against Southern Miss.

SEE ATHLETIC TRAINER • PAGE B3

SEE SOCCER • PAGE B3

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

Lady Toppers extend winning streak, notch 900th all-time win

BY KADEN GAYLORD HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU Volleyball team (13-1) extended its winning streak to nine games during the course of the last week, including a 3-0 sweep on the road in Nashville and a historic weekend for the program during the Lady Toppers’ dominant run through the WKU Volleyball Invitational.

“I said back in week one that I just want us to continue to get better and I haven’t been caught up in wins and losses or winning tournaments,” head coach Travis Hudson said. “This team is far from a finished project. For me, I’d rather lose and get better than win and backtrack a bit. I think we’ve been winning and getting better though, which is the best of both worlds.”

WKU traveled to Curb Event Center in Nashville to meet Belmont (1-14) on Sept. 17.

The Lady Toppers defeated the Bruins in a clean 3-0 sweep for the sixth year in a row, extending the program’s

lead in the all-time series against Belmont to 21-0.

Freshman Paige Briggs had 15 kills and a .519 hitting percentage against the Bruins, while junior transfer Logan Kael led the WKU defense with 17 digs.

The Lady Toppers held Belmont to a .155 hitting percentage on the night on their way to a stifling win in straight sets.

Following their non-conference road win at Belmont, the Lady Toppers returned to the Hill in preparation of an impending seven-match homestand.

The long string of matches in Diddle Arena began on Friday and Saturday, as Northern Kentucky (7-5), Tulsa (7-6) and Samford (6-4) all traveled to Bowling Green to participate in the two-day WKU Volleyball Invitational event.

The Lady Toppers’ first matchup of the tournament proved to be their toughest, as the team dropped just their third opening frame of the season to NKU on Friday morning.

It took WKU five sets against the Norse to pull out the win, but the Lady Toppers ultimately won the fifth set 15-9 and claimed a tough victory.

Junior transfer Nadia Dieudonne was

BRITTNEY FISHER • HERALD

WKU junior Kayland Jackson (15) spikes the ball against Tulsa in Diddle Arena on Friday Sept. 20, 2019.

Jackson led the team with nine kills, resulting in the team’s 900th all-time win.

one kill shy of a triple-double, as she totaled nine kills, 45 assists and 17 digs in a 3-2 win.

Dieudonne also helped guide the WKU offense to a .180 clip with 63 kills on 189 attacks.

WKU’s second game against Tulsa came on Friday night. The team’s performance was night and day compared

to their first outing, as the Lady Toppers had control for most of the game.

WKU hit .364 with 41 kills against just nine errors on 88 swings. Tulsa was held to 24 kills, 13 errors and 76 attacks for a .145 rate. The match saw just three ties and two lead changes.

SEE VOLLEYBALL • PAGE B3