Vol. 58, Issue 4-October 26, 2015

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PLAINS
COLLEGE
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ation
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orn Maize.
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A bi-weekly collegiate publication
Vol. 58 • Issue 4 • October 26, 2015
College awarded Title V grant to broaden programs, expand learning strategies
by NICOLE TRUGILLO
Editor-in-Chief
South Plains College is
planning to expand learning
opportunities after recently
being awarded a five-year,
$2.6 million federal grant.
SPC is receiving the federal grant from the Office of
Postsecondary Education’s
Developing Hispanic Serving
Institutions Programs also
known as Title V.
“The grant is called ‘Fostering the Access and Success of Hispanic/Low Income
Technical Students,’” says Dr.
Gail Malone, director of the
Teaching and Learning Center
in a recent interview with the
Plainsman Press. “We want to
improve new student learning
outcomes and develop two
new program options for students.”
In order for SPC to be eligible to receive the grant, the
college needs to have at least
25 percent enrolled Hispanic
students, and 50 percent of
those students have to have
a low income. SPC has a
Hispanic enrollment of 40
percent.
“We’ve had two individual
grants before and a corporative grant,” says Dr. Malone.
“Those grants have really
helped us reach out and recruit
more Hispanic students, and
they’ve been very successful
here. They are very important for our economy and our
future.”
The grant will allow SPC to
broaden its diesel service technology program, along with
developing a new associate degree program in culinary arts.
“The diesel technology is
for the people who want to
work for the construction or
the oil industry with really
heavy machinery,” Dr. Malone
says. “They will be learning
how to service and repair the
big pieces of machinery. The
second program SPC is going
to develop is the culinary arts.
Our program can be a bridge
for students who are coming
from high school and want
which led to applause and
laughs from the audience.
Roberts went on to explain
that the most partisan period
in our history was right before
the Civil War.
“Well, that was a time that
led to 600,000-plus American
deaths, because the parti-
he’s always in the little kids
debate,” Roberts said jokingly.
“He said, ‘If it’s a Democratic
idea, I can’t do it, and if it’s a
Republican idea, they can’t do
it.’ Now how crazy is that?”
Robert explains that it
hasn’t always been that way
in our society. Roberts says her
Roberts shares views on political
issues during Lubbock appearance
by NICOLE TRUGILLO
Editor-in-Chief
Political analyst and journalist Cokie Roberts brought
an insider’s view of the nation’s capital to a recent Lubbock appearance.
Roberts is a political commentator who
has won countless awards, including three
Emmys. She
has been inducted into the
Broadcasting
Hall of Fame
and has been
named one of
the 50 greatest women in
the history of
broadcasting
by the American Women
in Radio and
Television. She
is also the for- Cokie Roberts signing her book at Texas Tech University on Oct.
mer co-anchor 15. NICOLE TRUGILLO/PLAINSMAN PRESS
of “This Week
with Sam Donaldson” on ABC-TV.
san polarization led to war,” father, Hale Boggs, was the
Roberts spoke on Oct. 15 Roberts says. “That was a majority leader of the House
at the Texas Tech University failure of politics to bring of Representatives and Gerald
Allen Theatre, where she ex- people together. That’s what Ford was the minority leader.
plained and gave the audience Congress is supposed to do. She then went into detail about
a taste of what it’s like on the It’s supposed to bring people her last interview with Presiinside of Washington, D.C.
together. That’s the meaning dent Ford.
Roberts took the stage and of the word, and certainly
“[President Ford] said to
immediately had the audience they’re not doing that today. me, ‘Cokie, what is going
laughing when she started This might not be the most on in Washington?,” recalls
praising the Lady Raiders.
polarized time in our history, Roberts. “When your dad and
“I’m not here to praise but it is a very polarized time.” I were leaders, we would go
Texas Tech, but to talk about
Roberts gave the audience into the cab together and we’ll
what’s going on in Washing- an example of our country go downtown together and
ton,” Roberts says. “My basic being polarized today by ex- say what we’re going to arreaction is, you tell me.”
plaining Lindsey Graham, a gue about. It was a legitimate
According to Roberts, U.S. Senator from South Car- argument. We were leaders
many people ask her if this is olina who is a former policy from our parties in the House
the most partisan time in our expert and former Marine, of Representatives, but we’ll
history, and Roberts replies who says that parties can’t get both get in the cab again and
with a “no,” and jokingly adds, along with each other.
become best friends.’”
“the House of Representatives
“He is polling in about zero
SEE “POLITICAL” ON
aren’t shooting at each other,” in the Republic primary, so
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to go into a university, or if
they want to get their associate degree and concentrate in
culinary arts.”
SPC will begin with expanding the diesel service
technology program specializing in heavy equipment.
“This year, we’re going
to start the diesel technology heaving equipment,” Dr.
Malone explains. “We’re going to develop the course and
hire the faculty, identify the
students who want to be in
that program and then piloting
new courses and following
the success of students and
redesigning the courses. Then
we’ll be expanding it in the
Plainview campus. So, it will
be available in the Plainview
area.”
The culinary arts program
will be developed in year
two of the grant. The program was decided on because
there were surveys taken by
students based on what they
were interested in, and the
community had a high demand
for employment involving
culinary arts.
“When a student finishes
these courses, there will be
more employment opportunities for students in this area,”
says Dr. Malone. “We are
doing these programs based
on what the students and the
community wants.”
It will take SPC five years
to develop the two new programs. In addition, SPC is
helping the faculty re-identify courses that are high-risk
courses for students who are
not doing well in their classes.
“We’re going to redesign
the courses and see what
we can do to make students
more successful,” explains
Dr. Malone. “and we’re also
going to provide professional
development for the faculty
so they know they have a
better understanding of their
students and have a better
way to teach their students to
be affective. We’re going to
expand tutoring specifically in
the technical programs. Right
now, we have math, general
studies, accounting, and music
theory. We’re going to target
industrial technology, health
occupations, professional services, and creative arts.”
SPC is going to become a
member of an organization
called EdReady. The organization is funded by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation.
“It will give every student
at South Plains College access
to things that are somewhat
like Kahn Academy, but only
a lot of it is developed for
college students,” Dr. Malone
explains. “We want these
programs to be very good for
our students and our faculty so
the students can achieve even
more, and if they’re having
trouble in those courses, we
can support them.”
“I started (the Child-Friendly Faith Project) in 2012,” said
Janet Heimlich, executive
director of the CFFP, which is
based in Austin, Texas.
Heimlich said she decided
the CFFP was needed following the publication of her
book, “Breaking Their Will:
Shedding Light on Religious
Maltreatment.” Heimlich
started the CFFP to educate
people about this cultural type
of child abuse and neglect.
“Since my book exposed
a lot of the problems, we feel
faith healing, failing to report
sexual abuse to protect the image of a religious leader, and
administering severe punishments because the Bible says
parents should use “the rod”
to discipline children.
“It dawned on me after
hearing so many cases,” said
Heimlich, “and I think when
a big bell went off is when I
read in the New York Times
that an 11 year-old girl died
from diabetes.”
Heimlich said the girl was
from Wisconsin, and that it
ntrugillo0806@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Faith Project educates on
religious maltreatment
(Editor’s note: This
story is the fifth part of
a multi-part series “Stolen Innocence,” about
children who have been
victimized by abuse
that began in Issue #1
and continues through
Issue #6. Several staff
members took it upon
themselves to interview,
take photographs and
conduct research. The
results of their combined
efforts follow.)
by CHESANIE
BRANTLEY
Editor-in-Chief
Photo Illustration by
Children throughout CHESANIE BRANTLEY/PLAINSMAN PRESS
the world are suffering
from abuse related to religious that the organization’s mission effected her so much because
and cultural ideologies.
is more about providing solu- diabetes is a very treatable
The Child-Friendly Faith tions,” said Heimlich.
condition. She said people live
Project (CFFP) is a national
Some of the religious mal- with diabetes their entire lives,
nonprofit public charity that treatment Heimlich is trying and all the girl needed was to
protects children from this to provide solutions for in- get insulin.
type of abuse through edu- clude withholding medical
SEE “ABUSE” ON PAGE 3
cation.
care because of the belief of
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2
News
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Family Outreach works with families to help eliminate child abuse
cause abuse. They also try to educated on the issues, which questions and listening to other parents who struggle with
eliminate the stress at home leads to child abuse.
“We
take
the
time
to
edthe same issues.
that can lead to abusing their
ucate
them,”
explains
Riley.
“I ask the parents their
children.
“We
give
them
different
tools
feedback, and this is helpful,”
According to Riley, at the
very beginning of their pro- as far as education goes or Riley explains. “The parents
gram, they do an assessment how to discipline their child, feel like they have a voice.
on the family for 30 days, and like spanking. We don’t go They don’t all of a sudden
then a plan of service will be in and say, ‘Oh, spanking is say they’re doing something
completed based on the
family’s assessment.
“It’s an education piece
we go over with the families,” Riley says. “Most
of the families that we
come in contact with, I
(Editor’s note: This story
don’t believe its intenis the sixth part of a multitional
abuse. It’s a lot
part series, “Stolen Innoof parent education, and
cence,” about children who
we have them come in
have been victimized by
and talk about their own
abuse that began in Issue #1
childhood, how they were
and continues through Issue
raised and things that may Sign outside of MCH Family Outreach.
#6. Several staff members
have happened to them SKYLAR HERNANDEZ/PLAINSMAN PRESS
took it upon themselves to
as a child. We open their
interview, take photographs
eyes up to why they do the wrong. You don’t need to be wrong, but they say they have
and conduct research. The
things that they do, as far as doing that.’ It’s more of an questions, which opens up the
results of their combined
how or why they discipline educational piece, and we conversation. Then they hear
efforts follow.)
say,” We know that probably other families give examples
their child.”
by NICOLE TRUGILLO
Riley says, in most cases, spanking has been part of your on how they deal with their
Editer-in-Chief
the reason why child abuse family’s generation, but how children. It’s really good when
A child can be a fragile
occurs in families is because successful has that been?’ We they’re engaged in it and they
human that needs protection
of the parents’ childhood. give them a chance to reflect don’t feel like they’re being
from this world.
The parents are not aware or on how that works, and then blamed.”
we give them tools for how to
According to Riley, the
help them.”
good part of their program is
Riley says that when she the tools that Family Outreach
teaches a parenting class, the uses for parents to become
by JONATHAN
Neill says that there are dif- learn more about the profes- first thing she does is ask the better and help educate them
ferent types of massages such sion as well as networking.
BROOKSHIRE
parents what ideas or issues about parenting.
as effleurage, circulating the
Every year, the conference she should bring to the table.
Feature Editor
“It almost makes the parhands over the entire body, and changes locations. Last year, This results in parents asking ents sit back and think about
To educate the community petrissage, kneading the body. it was in Galveston, and this
McNeill explained that year it will be held in Arlingon physical therapy students at
South Plains College planned when she applies pressure to ton. In Arlington, the students
an evening of soothing mu- the knots, or pressure points, will be able to talk to people
sic, relaxing massages, and a the lactic acid inside the mus- in the profession for a more
cle is being released.
friendly atmosphere.
first-hand description and edCONTINUED FROM congressional families don’t
Massages are a small por- ucational experience.
In honor of Physical Thercome into Washington, which
FRONT PAGE
apy month, the Physical tion of what physical therapy
“The medical field changes
leads to families not knowing
Roberts says President Ford each other and members not
Therapy Assistant Student actually is, McNeill explained. constantly,” McNeill said.
and her father were very close, knowing each other. She also
Association (PTASA)
and they were able to come adds media as another example
students at South Plains
together for the country.
College hosted a Commuof polarization.
“That is just gone,” Roberts
nity Massage Evening on
Roberts’ main issue for
explains. “Nothing even close polarization is the drawing of
Oct. 3 at the Allied Health
to that exists in Washington district lines. She explained the
Building in Levelland.
today, which makes it very ways congressional seats are
O ther Community
hard to get anything done for drawn are so there is no posMassage evenings were
the country. I personally think sibility of losing a seat to the
held Oct. 7, in Lubbock
it has everything to do with opposite party. She also adds
for two hours, and again
World War II.”
on Oct. 14 in the Cosmepoliticians choose the voters,
Roberts gave another ex- instead of voters choosing the
tology Building on the
ample of both parties coming Congress.
Levelland campus from
together for the greater good
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
“One day, President Bush’s
P h y s i c a l T h e r a p y Participants in a Commuunity Massage Evening enjoy of our nation. She explained secretary told me the President
that there was a huge Repub- wanted me to ride with him in
Month features events, a massage for fundraising event on Oct. 3.
lican class in 1946 and a huge the limo to meet the pope,”
fundraisers, and pro- SARA MARSHALL/PLAINSMAN PRESS
Democratic class in 1948, and Roberts explains. “While ridgrams that the PTASA
holds to help bring awareness Physical therapy helps to re- “Going to the conferences they consist of veterans.
ing in the limo, President Bush
“These veterans ran as the says, ‘Cokie, I tried, tried, and
to the community about phys- store function, decrease pain, gives us new information and
and increase mobility.
ical therapy.
keeps us on top of what’s go- men that went [to war], not tried to get my party to get to
the men that sent [men to do the right thing on immi“By doing the Community ing on in the field.”
“It educates the public on
what [we] do and how [we] Massage Evening, it gives
Other than the massage eve- war,]” Roberts says. “They had gration, and the reason why
help the people in need,” said us an opportunity to educate ning, the PTA students hosts a literally been in the trenches I couldn’t do it is because of
Amy McNeill, the class histo- people,” McNeill said.
golf tournament every spring, together, and the whole coun- the drawing of district lines.’”
At the event, massages cost which is one of PTA’s largest try had gone to war. Everyrian for the Physical Therapy
Roberts continues, “What
$10 for 10 minutes, $15 for events. At this particular event, body was on the same side. he meant by that was the seats
Association (PTA) Program.
Amy also goes on to say 15 minutes, and $25 for 30 the students raffle donated golf The enemy was not the guy are so safe for the Democratics
that physical therapy is more minutes. All of the money goes clubs and other items, with across from them, but the dic- and Republicans that the only
than just exercises and mas- directly to support the PTA- proceeds going toward the tator across the sea. Now that trouble is to be challenged in
doesn’t mean there wasn’t any the primary, which someone
sages. However, to make phys- SA’s activities of attending TPTA conference.
ical therapy more entertaining the TPTA Student Conclave,
“All these fundraisers help partisanship. There were mo- says that they’re not being
and approachable, the PTA graduation events, and service fund Gateway,” McNeill said. ments of difficulty. There was ideologically pure enough.
students decided to give mas- opportunities for program “Gateway is a graduation also a sense that everybody The effect of that is to polarize
students.
sages.
celebration to show encour- there was doing an honorable the Congress dramatically.”
The Texas Physical Therapy agement and reflection of the job. They were there to serve
“People are more likely to
Roberts then described
the country.”
enjoy massages than a speech Association is a statewide con- year.”
President Barack Obama’s
According to Roberts, the approval rating from both
on what physical therapy is,” ference for physical therapy
other
reason why our country political parties. She says
students in the profession. At jbrookshire5854@students.
McNeill said.
is
polarized
is because many President Obama’s approval
After the interview, Mc- the conference, the students southplainscollege.edu
Children need love, care,
attention, and affection. But
what if those parents aren’t
obligated to take care of their
children? What if they end up
abusing them, instead?
Across the nation, child
abuse is a real issue, and it
happens every day. According
to Tameka Riley, case manager
at MCH (Methodist Children’s
Home) Family Outreach in
Lubbock, parents are miseducated when it comes to abusing
their child.
“There is a high percentage
of child abuse,” Riley says.
“For the most part, they’re
doing the same thing that
their parents did to them. It’s a
generational thing, or they just
don’t know how else to handle
their children, or discipline
them. I don’t think there is a
high percentage of intentional
abuse, it’s just miseducation.”
MCH Family Outreach
discusses physical, mental,
emotional, and sexual abuse.
The program works with the
families to try to teach them
preventable measures against
child abuse, and to try to decrease those risk factors that
Massage events educate public on physical therapy
what they’re doing as far as
parenting,” says Riley. “They
realize themselves that the
strategies that they’re using
aren’t working. It’s not hard
to convince families that they
need to try a different route or
different tool. It’s just a matter
of letting them know as parents
we all make mistakes, and nobody is a perfect parent.”
Family Outreach works
with different agencies that refer families to their programs.
They also work with schools
within the community.
“We go out and educate the
community as well,” Riley
says. “I have actually done
a class for Monterey High
School, and it was a family
studies class that they had.
We do this so students can be
aware of abuse and what they
need to do if abuse occurs.”
Child abuse is a serious
issue, and, according to Riley, informing families about
abuse and teaching them is a
learning experience.
“We never know everything
about parenting,” Riley explains. “It’s not necessarily doing things wrong. It’s just the
parents need more education
and more tools to try to be the
best parent that they can be.”
ntrugillo0806@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Political analyst gives insight
regarding government issues
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advertisers.
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Nicole Trugillo / Editor-in-Chief
Mallory Carver/ News Editor
Matt Molinar/ Opinion Editor
Jonathan Brookshire/ Feature Editor
Pamela Gandy/ Entertainment Editor
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Nick Alvarado/ Editorial Assistant
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Brandi Ortiz/ Editorial Assistant
ratings were 7 percent from
Republicans, 79 percent from
Democrats, and 48 percent
from individuals.
“Ronald Reagan never fell
below 20 percent among Democrats,” Roberts explains.
“George W. Bush and Bill
Clinton never went lower than
the teens of the parties. What
we’re seeing is much more
pulling away by parties. We’re
also seeing it by race, age, ethnicity, and sex. We’re seeing
the division in this country.”
Roberts ended the lecture
with a strong opinion on how
to get the country together
again. She explains we should
get more women elected, because they do come together
for the greater good.
“It’s bad enough if one party can’t come together to elect
a speaker, and you certainly
can’t expect both parties to
come together to get anything
done,” Roberts says. “That’s
where we are right now. The
question is, what do we do
about it? I get this question
all the time, and if I knew the
answer, I would be happy. But
in the short term, electing more
women makes a difference,
because they come together
more than the men do and get
issues worked out. For now,
the answer is, we try to get
through it.”
ntrugillo0806@students.
southplainscollege.edu
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Devin Reyna
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3
News
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Child abuse involving religion brought to light by organization
CONTINUED FROM
FRONT PAGE
“ B e c a us e her par ents
refused to take her to a doctor,
they snuffed out her life,”
Heimlich recalled. “They took
away any ability she had to
grow up, be an adult and have
a fulfilling life.”
Heimlich said after she
started following other
cases that involved physical,
emotional and sexual abuse,
it became clear there was a
theme running in many of
them.
The type of abuse that is
most common is neglect,
which is the same as abuse not
involving religion, according
to Heimlich.
Heimlich said there are
many people who volunteer
to work at the Child-Friendly
Faith Project. The volunteers
come educated in what kind
of work they will be doing for
the CFFP.
“Our whole mission is
protecting children through
education,” Heimlich said.
“We have programs that
educate the general public, faith
communities and professionals
about these issues.”
Heimlich said what makes
the CFFP unique is the way
that it offers education, a way
that no other organization has
done before. For the public, the
CFFP holds conferences that
people can attend to become
more educated on this specific
kind of child maltreatment. For
faith communities, the CFFP
offers the designation program.
In this program, churches,
them, as well as for
synagogues and
other survivors,” said
mosques can be
Heimlich.
designated ChildShe also said
Friendly Faith
that although the
Communities
CFFP does not get
that go through
into lobbying a
t h e C F F P ’s
lot, being able to
curriculum.
change legislation
Professionals such
is exciting. Project
as social workers,
Idaho, is another
attorneys and
program with the
pediatricians are
CFFP. With Project
educated through
Idaho, the CFFP is
a program called
trying to get the state
the webinar
of Idaho to repeal its
series.
religious exemptions
“We actually
which protect adults
o ff e r t r a i n i n g
who deny children in
to them so that Photo Illustration by CHESANIE BRANTLEY/PLAINSMAN PRESS
need of medical care
they learn how to
on religious grounds
better investigate
Heimlich said the most victim to being a survivor and
from being prosecuted.
these cases, and how to better satisfying part of her job is then becoming an advocate.
“We started earlier this
protect children who are when she is able to help an
“That’s a really exciting
victims,” Heimlich explains.
individual go from being a process to see take place for y e a r w i t h a l e g i s l a t i v e
session,” recalled Heimlich.
“I thought we did a really
good job opposing that bill
and testifying against it, and,
something new every time they 14 photographers and one including Lubbock, Plainview, have a camera at every family as a result, they ended up
“Fandango.”
model. Gradually, through and Fort Worth, but also from event. Fandango also is about improving the bill immensely.
This fa ll’s e ve n t was the years, Fandango grew. as far away as New Mexico enjoying the art of others and So that was really gratifying.”
held Oct. 17 and included The trip on Oct. 17 featured and Oklahoma.
having others compliment
One big challenge that
56 participants who made 38 photographers, 12 models
“As I keep teaching my your perspective.
the CFFP faces, according
stops at Lake
“Everyone has to Heimlich, is finding the
MacKenzie,
unique techniques time between educating the
Quitaque,
that work,” said population to seek funding and
Te x a s , a n d
D e a n n a R a c c a , convincing people that it is OK
even Pole
who was one of to talk about these issues.
Canyon Ranch
those participating
“We have found time and
with the group
at the workshop time again that faith leaders,
throughout an
on Oct. 17. “It’s congregants, youth program
18-hour period.
fun seeing all of d i r e c t o r s a n d o t h e r s i n
“I truly enjoy
that in action with faith communities are very
hanging out
so many different concerned about this topic,”
with everyone
photographers.”
said Heimlich.
and helping
When asked
The faith communities are
them to achieve
what his favorite very interested in learning
those “I never
part of Fandango a b o u t c h i l d r e l i g i o u s
thought about
was, Underwood maltreatment, and they would
doing that”
replied, “Watching like to be involved in teaching
moments,”
people learn and others about it, according to
said Joe Baker,
push their limits. Heimlich.
a well-known
And trying new
“Most people who abuse
L u b b o c k
t h i n g s w i t h o u t and neglect children justify
Students partcipate in Wes Underwood’s Fandango workshop on Oct. 17.
photographer.
being judged if their actions in some way,”
SARA
MARSHALL/PLAINSMAN
PRESS
“When I first
it’s right or wrong. said Heimlich, “and when it’s
started out in
Watching a great done using a religious doctrine,
photography, I found very few and six supporters helping Jumpstart class, I see it getting group of people at all different a lot of times people don’t
willing to help. So I vowed that everyone learn and come bigger and becoming the levels of photography skills recognize it as maltreatment,
if I ever get to a point where I up with new things. People Premier photography event come together and learn from and that’s a big problem.”
can share my knowledge and traveled from near and far of the fall and spring,” said each other and try new things.”
Heimlich said she thinks the
help others enjoy this hobby, to be a part of this amazing Underwood of Fandango.
Fandango has grown so best way to battle child abuse
I would.”
experience. There were
To
U n d e r w o o d , much just from word of mouth, is through education. She
T h e f i r s t F a n d a n g o photographers and models photography is a lifestyle.
advertising, and the quality of said that people inside faith
workshop started with only not only from the Texas areas,
“My motivation is just to the images produced by the communities, outside faith
help others learn and help students. Underwood says that communities, professionals,
them to enjoy photography,” he plans to keep the program legislators, and the public
said Underwood, who has going and keep helping needs to learn about the risk
organized six Fandango events upcoming photographers to factors and understand that
escape that comfort zone and while it is a sensitive issue,
and why Jesus came, and how director of the Baptist Student so far.
Fandango
doesn’t
only
help
spread their wings.
He goes about accomplishing Ministries for 40 years, at
there are children being
His purpose, according to South Plains College, which participants learn new skills,
harmed in the name of faith.
Funderburk.
he started doing right after but it is also about becoming
a family and knowing that
Funderburk says he wants graduate school.
ggamboa5487@students.
cbrantley1714@student.
students to be encouraged
Funderburk explains, “The there are so many other people
southplainscollege.edu
southplainscollege.edu
through this class.
students can expect to be like you, the type of people to
He said he desires for surprised at how much God
students to really think about loves them and wants to be a
the purpose and the “content part of their lives. God loves us
of Jesus’ life and His teachings so much that He would rather
and consider carefully the die than be without us.”
implications for their faith and
The Life of Christ class
relevance for their lives.”
is only offered one semester
Usually, drivers show up in a if it were to arise. There are
by CHESANIE
The perspective of the class a year, with only one class
normal looking car, instead police protocols the officers
will be taught from the Judicial a week. It will be offered BRANTLEY
of something that looks more i n v o l v e d w o u l d f o l l o w,
Christian Perspective.
during the spring semester on Editor-in-Chief
like a cab would.
including getting as many
“We have Catholic folks, Tuesday nights from 6p.m.
As of now, when a driver people involved in helping the
A man is ordering a car accepts a request on the Uber person as possible and tracking
M e t h o d i s t s , L u t h e r a n s , to 9p.m. in room 122 in the
and
driver through an app on app, his or her name will down license plates and his or
Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Administration Building.
Nazarenes;
many
The class will come with his phone.
show up, along with a photo, her cell phone.
The driver shows up, and vehicle make and model and
denominations, and some include assigned readings,
The improvements in
from not any denomination,” three short reflection papers, of the man trustingly gets in, the license plate number. technology will help a lot if a
Funderburk says
which two will be presented, except, the driver is not who They also do background situation did arise on campus,
he is portraying to be.
“I think denominations are and a final exam.
checks on anyone who wants according to Nickelson. There
An app called Uber has to be a driver for Uber.
on the way out,” he added. “I
Funderburk says that he
are cameras that could catch a
think Christianity is moving is ready and excited for the become popular. Through this
“It’s still a catch 22, glimpse of the Uber imposter’s
where denominations will go opportunity to teach the class app, people are able to order because there could still be face or his or her license plate
a car and a driver to come bad people in there,” said number.
away.”
and meet new students.
Funderburk started teaching
For further information on pick them up, much like a Travis Nickelson, police
“The best thing for people
in the spring of 1973 as soon the Life of Christ course, email cab would.
officer on South Plains to do is to be aware of their
D a n g e r o u s p e o p l e College’s Levelland campus. surroundings,” said Nickelson.
as he completed his seminary Funderburk at afunderburk2@
have become aware of the “You just don’t know who “If they don’t have a good
degree from Southwestern gmail.com.
popularity of the app and it is.”
Baptist Theological Seminary
feeling, walk away from it.”
are taking advantage of it.
School in Fort Worth, Texas.
According to Nickelson,
There are people who have the officers at SPC are trained
He also has his master’s degree
in theology.
tzarbano2087@students. allegedly been assaulted and in how to handle a situation
cbrantley1714@students.
kidnapped by Uber imposters. dealing with Uber imposters
Funderburk served as the southplainscollege.edu
southplainscollege.edu
Interactive workshop brings photographers together
by GABBRIELLA
GAMBOA
Staff Writer
Three years ago, Wes
Underwood started a
workshop that has completely
changed the way people view
photography.
Fandango is a fun,
interactive photography
workshop filled with new
people, new lessons, and
thousands of new ways to
improve your skills as a
photographer.
“Fandango was an idea I
had to give back to my students
that had taken classes with
me,” explains Underwood, a
photographer in the Office of
Marketing and Recruitment
at South Plains College. “I
wanted them to step out of
their normal locations for
doing photography.”
He added, “It’s about
having one day that covers
the full gamet of lighting
situations.”
Fandango is used to bring
future photographers together
to practice and interact with
people who might know a
little more than them, to swap
advice and get that extra push
they need to excel. Even wellknown photographers learn
Biblical course offered among spring classes
by TAYLOR ZARBANO
Staff Writer
With the fall semester half
way over, many students
already know what classes
they will be taking during the
spring semester, while others
have not given it one thought.
South Plains College has
many classes to offer that are
overlooked, but beneficial to
one’s education.
One of these overlooked
classes is the Life of Christ
class taught by Arlano
Funderburk, which will count
as a Humanities course.
The class is described
as “a survey of the major
events; birth, baptism,
temptations, transfiguration,
death, resurrection, and major
teachings as they are presented
in the Gospels of the New
Testament.”
The purpose of the class is
to “familiarize students with
the historical context out of
which the story of Jesus is
recorded in the New Testament
Gospels, and introduce them to
major teachings of Jesus like
the Sermon on the Mount and
the Lord’s Prayer” according
to Funderburk.
The class will look at when
Dangers of Uber imposters
becoming serious problem
Opinion
4
October 26, 2015
Plainsman Press
Planned Parenthood center of political moral debate
Misplaced moral controversy clouds
judgement regarding Planned Parenthood
is for the cost of the transport
of the tissue.
Planned Parenthood is
a non-profit organization,
which means that they cannot
receive money beyond what
is needed to pay expenses for
their staff and services. The
donation of tissue for medical
research is perfectly legal.
Furthermore, it has countless
benefits. This research has the
potential to lead to numerous
treatments and cures for
by PAMELA GANDY
diseases. Currently, fetal
Entertainment Editor
tissue is being used to test
Planned Parenthood has and analyze treatment for
been the center of many Parkinson’s disease.
The movement to defund
political, legal, and moral
debates during the past year. P l a n n e d P a r e n t h o o d i s
One of the biggest
arguments against the
organization is that
they are “immoral”
because they perform
abortions. However,
I find that the
controversy about
abortion has little
to do with Planned
Parenthood. Only
3 percent of the
services performed
by the organization
are abortions. Being
pro-life or pro-choice
should have nothing to
do with your opinion
on Planned Parenthood, primarily motivated by the
because there are numerous idea that American taxpayers
other beneficial and necessary are paying for abortions. Many
people believe that taxpayers
services that they provide.
T h e m o s t r e c e n t a n d should not be responsible for
dramatic arguments against financing abortions, because
the non-profit are those so many people are against
surrounding the allegations them. This is completely
that Planned Parenthood inaccurate, simply because
sold fetal tissue for medical the abortions performed at
research. This argument is Planned Parenthood are not
weak, and the situation has funded by taxpayers. The
been propagandized. The Hyde Amendment, which was
videos which show the alleged passed in 1976, prohibits the
sale of fetal tissue, do show funding of abortions by federal
a discussion of monetary money. The financial support
reimbursement. However, the that Planned Parenthood
money that is to be exchanged receives from taxpayers and
the federal government helps
them to provide contraception.
If all funding to Planned
Parenthood ceased tomorrow,
abortion costs would not be
affected. The only result would
be the increase in price for
contraception. This would,
in turn, likely increase the
number of abortions provided.
All of this misinformation
and propaganda has given
Planned Parenthood a
bad reputation with many
Americans. However, it is an
organization which deserves
respect, due to the various
services they provide to
men, women, and children.
Planned Parenthood provides
testing and treatment
for STI’s, reversible
and emergency
contraception,
female sterilization
procedures, treatment
for vasectomy patients,
cancer screenings,
cancer prevention
information, pregnancy
tests, prenatal services,
abortion procedures,
family practice
services, and adoption
referrals to other
agencies. Planned
Parenthood also works
with other partners
to provide reproductive
health care and education in
developing countries.
The misplaced moral
controversy has clouded the
judgment of many Americans
regarding Planned Parenthood.
I believe that they are an
organization that provides
numerous health care services.
The allegations of corruption
and illegal activity are being
misused to defend a moral
argument.
pgandy7857@students.southplainscollege.edu
Planned Parenthood responsible
for misuse of federal funding
Just hearing the name
“Planned Parenthood” makes
me cringe.
The name doesn’t make
me think about the free health
care to women or women’s
health. But I do think about the
recent horrible controversy
surrounding the organization.
What I am talking about
is the disturbing videos
regarding the abortions
Planned Parenthood offers
and what they do with what I
call babies after killing them.
I’ll go ahead and mention now
that they are federally funded
by our tax dollars.
I think that Planned
Parenthood should not be
funded by the federal
government. I do not want
my tax dollars going to
such an allegedly corrupt
organization. I shouldn’t be
forced to pay for abortions and
the illegal harvesting of baby
organs. I’m mentioning these
disturbing things because I
think it is important for people
to be informed about where
their tax dollars are going.
S i n c e J u l y, s e v e r a l
undercover videos have been
released. In one of the videos,
an executive for Planned
Parenthood admitted to selling
the aborted “fetal tissue,” or
the baby’s tissue, for money,
which is illegal. In another
video, a Planned Parenthood
employee talks about how
they position the baby in a
certain way so that they can
harvest certain organs, which
is also illegal.
Planned Parenthood doesn’t
want to show the woman
an ultrasound because they
don’t want her to change her
mind. But they aren’t against
doing an ultrasound so they
can harvest the organs they
want. Another video showed
an aborted baby, and it was
very obviously a developing
baby, being picked apart
like it was a science project.
In this video, the Planned
Parenthood employees went
in to disgusting and shocking
detail about how they retrieve
the organs they want. An
ex-employee of Planned
Parenthood stated that one
baby was aborted but came
out partially alive, and they
eventually killed it.
A woman who went in
for an abortion described the
room as dirty and said there
was still bloody gauze from
an abortion before her. If
Planned Parenthood cares
about women’s health, then I
would think that they would
have the best sanitation and
a clean environment in their
offices. However, Planned
Parenthood is just interested
in making a profit from the
murder of an innocent life.
Planned Parenthood seems
like they will do anything to get
their tissue donation or harvest
the organs. A woman who
received an abortion spoke out
against Planned Parenthood,
saying that they manipulated
her into donating the baby’s
tissue. She repeatedly told
them she didn’t want to donate
the baby’s tissue, but they
wouldn’t perform the abortion
unless she signed the consent
form for tissue donation. To
me, this does not sound like an
organization that cares about
the health of women, but an
organization interested in its
own gain.
Many people are against
the defunding of Planned
Parenthood because it offers
free healthcare to women and
men. There are people who say
that abortions only represent
a small part of what they do.
The fact is that hardly any of
the Planned Parenthood offices
have mammogram machines
or other health equipment
for their services. They offer
services such as abortion,
STD testing, pregnancy tests,
breast cancer screenings, birth
control, morning-after pill and
even vasectomies.
According to Planned
Parenthood, in 2013, they
provided 10.6 million services
for 2.7 million clients. The
United States has roughly
320 million people, which
means less than 1 percent
of the population depended
on Planned Parenthood. If
someone is struggling so
much that he or she must
turn to Planned Parenthood
for free services, then they
most likely are eligible for
federal or state-funded health
care insurance. I believe
that Planned Parenthood is
unnecessary and a waste of
tax-payer dollars.
According to the 20132014 annual report by
Planned Parenthood, they
receive $528.4 million from
government grants. If the
government was to defund
Planned Parenthood, that
money could be used to fund
other government programs,
such as the VA or even the
state health care insurance.
There is so much more that
our country could do with that
$528.4 million besides fund a
company that is admitting to
doing illegal things.
see if they’re mentally stable
enough to actually have a gun.
Guns are a very useful tool
to have with you, especially
when it comes
to protecting
yourself, your
family or even
p r o p e r t y. B u t
there are people
out there that take
it to extremes,
like I mentioned
before. People go
out and act on their
tendencies to actually shoot up
a school or an army base.
I feel that everyone has at
least access to a gun, let alone
be able to purchase a gun. In
Texas, it seems like almost
everyone has a gun, or we
all know someone who has a
gun. Even though I don’t know
what someone’s reason is for
owning a gun, it just seems
like there’s a lot of potential
for something horrible to
happen , such as acting out a
devious plan that they want
to act out, or breaking in
someone’s home .
I’m not trying to say that
we should get rid of guns. I
just feel that, we, as a nation,
should be a little more strict
with who is and isn’t allowed
to purchase a gun.
Yes, there are also people
who don’t have a criminal
record who shouldn’t be
trusted with a gun. But that’s
where the screening comes in.
I feel that, as a nation, we
don’t take guns as seriously
as we should. I think that
we should be a little more
strict when it comes to who
can purchase a gun and who
cannot. Guns can be a helpful
tool. But when they are in the
wrong hands, who knows what
can happen?
by MAKENZIE MEANS
Staff Writer
mmeans5146@students.southplainscollege.edu
Gun control should be more rigorous through screenings, criminal history checks
by LINDSEY
BLACKWOOD
Staff Writer
There is a lot of controversy
when it comes to guns.
Whether they should
be allowed on college and
university campuses, gun
rights in general, even who
should and who shouldn’t
have a gun are topics of
discussion.
I feel that guns are
something to be handled
with a lot of care. They
aren’t just something that
you just play around with.
Guns can and will do a lot
of damage. Yes, I am going
to state the obvious with
this one, guns can and will kill
someone.
I also feel that not everyone
should have a gun, mainly
because of events, such as
school shootings, that have
gone on in more recent
years. Personally, I think that
people who want to purchase
a gun should be screened
beforehand, including a
criminal history check, to
Man on the Street
lblackwood7352@students.
southplainscollege.edu
What is your biggest fear?
“Dancing scares me to death.
I’ll never be as good as James
Brown. I also had a grandpa
who was a disco dancer.
I’ll never be as good as him
either.”
Cameron “Cornbread” Baker
Sophomore
Commercial Music
Sanderson
“I have an irrational fear that
if I tell somebody something,
they will go and tell everyone
else. I’m just afraid of rumors
about me spreading.”
Mason Garrett
Sophomore
Pre-Med
Denver, Colorado
“I hate letting people down, or
that I won’t be able to join the
military because of an injury.
I’m also terrified of spiders
and paper cuts.”
Jackson Tupin
Nursing
Sophomore
Luke
Compiled by Matt Molinar and Mallory Carver
“I guess I just don’t like
talking to people. It could be
social anxiety, but I just don’t
like talking to people.”
Darian Puente
Junior
Pre-Dental
Levelland
“My biggest fear is giving
up. Just losing the fire to do
anything, or losing purpose
scares me. That, and snakes.”
Isaac Acosta
Freshman
Communications
Muleshoe
“My biggest fear would be
leaving SPC. There’s so much
to do. There are so many
options here, especially when
it comes to audio, because
sound is everywhere.”
Aaron Castro
Sophomore
Sound Tech
Levelland
5
Opinion
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Student shares personal experience with depression
by BRANDI ORTIZ
Editorial Assistant
Sometimes the multitude
of life’s changes that occur
during your college years can
trigger serious depression.
Other times, you are already
familiar with the war that is a
mental illness before you even
graduate high school.
Dealing with depression,
or any other mental illness,
while in college can be very
challenging. I am currently
dealing with dysthymia, also
known as chronic depression,
something that has been following me since my senior
year in high school.
Throughout the new adventure of college, there are
a few things I have learned
that helped me cope with my
illness each day. And yes, it is
an illness!
Martha Manning once said,
“depression is such a cruel
punishment. There are no fe-
vers, no rashes, no blood tests
to send people scurrying in
concern, just the slow erosion
of self, as insidious as cancer.
And like cancer, it is essentially a solitary experience; a
room in hell with only your
name on the door.”
One way that I found that
helped me deal is carefully
planning my day. Waking up
each day aware of what needs
to be done and how I can get
it done helps. It gives
me a sense of control,
especially when I feel
as if darkness has taken over of my life. Just
knowing that I am in
control of what needs
to be done is a big plus.
I also found that
extracurricular activities are the best distractions. When my
mind resembles a 2
year-old’s art project,
all over the place and
makes no sense, extracurricular activities
have helped me distract myself from the
negative thoughts. Join
groups that you feel
passionate about.
I know for some
people how illness has
caused them to lose all joy
they once had for some activities. For the longest, time
I could not stand my family.
The people who used to be my
world and brought me so much
happiness had slowly turned
into a group that I hated to be
around. I would force myself
to be around them because I
hoped that one day the feeling
would come back.
After a long period of time,
my family had made it’s way
back up to the top and my need
to be around them has grown
stronger than ever. It could
be just the same, if not even
better, to force yourself to get
out there and rediscover the
ful, and non-judgmental thing:
your bed. You are exhausted. I
know. You are fighting a war in
your head every day, so being
“tired” is an understatement.
Sleep is a major element in
recovery. Though sometimes
you just need to curl up with
your fluffiest blanket, your
favorite Netflix series and just
do nothing, becoming a hermit
is taking a step back.
What I found helped me
support system. Family members, friends, classmates, or
even talking to those who also
suffer from the same mental
illness, can help a lot. I cannot
begin to describe how many
times I FaceTime my family
on a daily basis just to help
me keep sane. Technology has
also made it easy to find help.
On that note, please seek
help! If you are not currently
receiving help, there are many
activities that once brought
you happiness. Maybe even
discover something new.
Depression, or any another mental illness, can cause
someone to find shelter in one
specific, most amazing, beauti-
he or she would want facial
reconstruction surgery to feel
normal again.
Another reason I believe
cosmetic surgery should remain a legal practice is because it usually satisfies people
who wish to have a more
aesthetically pleasing figure
or face. A study conducted by
psychologists Kenneth Dion,
Ellen Berscheid and Elaine
Hatfield, which involved
showing college students photos of people, was performed
at a community college. The
students were asked to choose
who they thought were the
more intelligent, friendly,
happy, or successful people.
receive black-market procedures go through.
The results of these illegal
cosmetic surgeries can cause
people to die because of the
random things the unlicensed
practitioners inject into their
subjects.
There is one story about
a woman who was injected
with cooking oil. She died
after going into a coma, as the
cooking oil caused her organs
to fail. If cosmetic surgery
would become illegal, stories
such as this woman’s would
become more common. To
keep people from getting these
terrible substances injected
into their bodies, why not just
is setting a specific time for
naps, and full-on sleep. Also
doing my homework and other
important things during the
day and not during the evening
has helped me focus on my
sleeping schedule.
Aside from beds and pizza,
another great invention is technology. Texting, phone calls,
FaceTime, Skype, Facebook,
Twitter, any other way to
communicate, is helpful, especially during recovery. Taking
advantage of technology helps
you keep in contact with your
great sources to find some. I
cannot express this enough.
I know getting out and just
talking about your daily battle
is hard, but I promise when
you find the right counselor, recovery becomes much
easier.
SPC has an amazing counseling program, which I highly
recommend. They are great
human beings, which helps
because sometimes your counselor is just on a computer
screen speaking from a thousand miles away. They care.
Plastic surgery necessary
to eliminate insecurities
by MATT MOLINAR
Opinion Editor
Ever since the practice
originated, cosmetic surgery
has been labeled as
a negative thing for
some people who
wish to ban it.
However, I believe that it can be a
necessity for those
who have body issues, or for people
who have been in
disfiguring accidents.
Many people believe that cosmetic
surgery is morally
wrong, due to the
fact that people
are going through
extreme surgeries to
achieve a certain facial bone
structure or body figures that
were not given to them at
birth.
The first reason I think
plastic surgery is necessary is
because some people actually
need it. Victims of different
accidents and disasters might
experience injury to their
faces, which can cause them
to lose parts of their face and
end up needing facial reconstruction surgery in order to
feel normal again. If someone
was injured in a fire and had
parts of the face burned off,
keep plastic surgery legal and
safe?
Today, in America, body
image is a large concern,
especially for younger generations. Because of this, more
and more people want plastic
surgery to fit into either what
society thinks is attractive, or
what the individual thinks is
attractive. Cosmetic surgery
should remain a legal practice
just to keep a great business
blooming, as well as keep
people alive.
emolinar0541@students.
southplainscollege.edu
bortiz1552@students.southplainscollege.edu
Evils of body shaming lead
to dangerous side effects
by RACHEL MEANS
Staff Writer
Most of the students chose
the more attractive people
to have these characteristics.
Many of the people who wish
to undergo cosmetic surgeries
wish to appear to have these
characteristics.
If cosmetic surgery were
to become illegal, people who
still wish to receive these surgeries would more than likely
fall into procedures performed
by unlicensed practitioners
working in the black market,
making it very dangerous.
If you’ve ever tuned into
the TV show “Botched,” you
would know what people who
Ever since I began counseling,
I have been more open in
talking about my illness, and
they have helped me understand things that I could not
even begin to think of.
I’ve learned that it’s you
who is your enemy, you who
beats yourself up, you who
makes the monsters, and you
who strips your own confidence. But also it is you who
can save yourself, you who can
win this battle, and you who
can overcome all obstacles.
So if you or someone you
know is battling depression
or any other mental illness,
please seek help. Find someone who you trust to talk to
about what is going on in
your mind. It may be just a
jumble right now, but, with
help, you can begin to understand what is going on.
I cannot promise that it will
be easy or short. I have been
on the road to recovery for a
while now. But the more you
understand, the faster you can
help others understand.
Please stay strong. Finding
the will to continue to live
when all you want to do is
disappear is hard. I know.
But someone somewhere will
thank you for staying strong,
because you are the reason
they are still fighting. You
have a purpose. If you do not
believe me, come talk to me or
any of your friends. Don’t let
it break you.
No matter how hard it gets,
life goes on. You have to fight
through the bad days to earn
the best days of your life. I
believe in you.
We live in a society where
nothing is more important
than appearances.
Our culture is absolutely
obsessed with looks. Hundreds of teens have eating disorders because they
feel like they’re too
fat to be attractive.
Hundreds more have
low self-esteem and
depression because
they think they’re
not good enough.
And there’s no reason for it.
I don’t know how
or when we all developed this desperate need to be perfect. It’s something
we all struggle with, and it
manifests itself in many horrible ways. One of these ways
is body shaming.
Body shaming, for those
who are unaware, is when
someone is made to feel bad
because of his or her appear-
ance, often for traits he or she
has no power to change. It’s
something that’s been going
on for a very long time. But it
wasn’t until recently that people have been actively taking
steps to stop it.
The most dangerous thing
about body shaming is that
it has somehow become normalized. No one questions the
fact that the fat kid gets teased;
that’s just how school works.
We all have been guilty of it
at some point in our lives, and
we may not have even realized
we were doing it. You may just
be trying to be funny, but your
words can have serious effects
on someone. If the words are
negative, so will be the results
of them.
It’s also safe to say that
we’ve all been victims of body
shaming. At some point in
something about you that’s just
not quite right.
We’ve all been told that
we’re too fat/too skinny/too
tall/too short/too feminine/
too masculine, and we all
know how horrible it feels to
hear those things. But we still
turn around and tell someone
else the same thing. It’s just a
never-ending cycle of cruelty.
But there is some good
news. In the past few years,
the world has awakened and
realized just how damaging
body shaming can be. Now
many good people are working
to put an end to it completely.
Projects such as Youtube’s
“Dare to Be You” campaign
bring awareness to those who
need it and let them know that
there is nothing wrong with
just being who you are.
Likewise, the
current trend of
songs about being confident
in yourself has
helped spread
the word in a big
way. With songs
such as Meghan
Trainor ’s “All
About that Bass”
and Lady Gaga’s
“Born This Way”
playing on the radio non-stop, it’s
a safe bet that the
your life, you will undoubtedly next generation will get the
be teased because someone message that they’re fine just
else decided that you’re not the way they are.
pretty enough. With our unrealistic beauty standards, it’s
completely unavoidable. No
matter how hard you work, rmeans4767@students.
there’s always going to be southplainscollege.edu
Feature
6
October 26, 2015
Plainsman Press
Local author releases her first crime, mystery novel
by NICOLE TRUGILLO
Editor-in-Chief
Jan Williams is starting
to get her life together, but
her life starts to take a turn
for the worse when she faces
life-threatening situations and
decisions must be made.
Rhonda Russell, a local
author, recently published
her fourth new crime novel,
“Walking Into a Nighmare.”
She grew up in Colorado and
attended North Eastern Junior
College in Sterling, Colorado.
Russell, who is from
Lubbock, published her first
book in 2011 and is currently
working on her sixth book,
which won’t be published
until next year. “Walking
Into a Nightmare” is her first
published crime novel.
“The story starts off as
a girl named Jan Williams
finishes college, and she is an
only child,” Russell explains.
“She is striking out on her
own to find a new job, and
she’s excited to get away
from home. In the town she’s
moving to, she’s far away
from her parents. When she is
prepared to leave, she runs into
a life-threatening dilemma.”
Russell explains how Jan
ends up in the hospital, though
she eventually goes home and
gets better before moving to
another town.
“Jan is a designer,” Russell
says. “She designs for electric
and other companies and starts
working for this one company
where she befriends this guy
and girl, and they become the
three musketeers because they
do everything together.”
Russell continues her story
with Jan meeting a man who
her boss doesn’t like her dating,
which becomes a problem
during their relationship.
Russell skips to the middle of
the book, explaining how Jan
ends up in the penitentiary
after losing her mother and
her father from the stress of
defending her.
“Before ending up in the
penitentiary, she marries the
man she met and later loses
her and his baby after her
husband were burned in their
house,” Russell explains. “She
is arrested for the arson, and
for some stolen drafts and
drawings from her
office. She lost
everyone but her
two friends. When
she’s doing her
time, there are some
girls that dislike
her, and they catch
her alone and try
to mutilate her by
stabbing Jan.”
Russell says
Jan is put into the
infirmary, and the
penitentiary feels
they are responsible
for what has
happened. To fix
things, they bring
in a plastic surgeon,
and if she agrees to
the surgeries, she
will get an early
release. So Jan
accepts.
“While doing
her surgeries, her
two good friends
are on their way
to see Jan,”
explains Russell.
“When they stop
at a restaurant, they see Jan’s
husband, and it becomes a
tangled web of dilemmas and
situations. At the end, Jan
is released, and her and her
Zoro inspires music students during lecture
by RACHEL MEANS
Staff Writer
You may not know of a
drummer named Zoro, but
you have probably heard his
music.
Zoro has preformed with
some of the most famous acts
in music today. During the
course of his career, he has
made a name for himself as
an accomplished musician and
teacher.
On Oct. 5, Zoro gave a
lecture to students in the
Tom T. Hall Recording and
Production Studio in the
Creative Arts Building on the
Levelland campus. The lecture
had the potential to be just a
bunch of technical talk that
didn’t apply to anyone outside
of the musical field. What it
was, however, was something
completely different.
The lecture was about life
and the best way to live it.
Zoro talked about his past,
the epicenter of the music
business,” said Zoro, “so
it made sense to go where
the action was. I networked
a lot and met many people
that altered the course of my
life. I also continued to take
private lessons and expand
my musical knowledge, and
then began to work locally
as a musician. From there,
people recommended me to
various artists, and I began to
audition for high-profile gigs.
Eventually, I landed one, and
from there my career took off.”
During the course of
his career, Zoro has played
with many famous people,
including Lenny Kravitz and
Bobby Brown. But he’s not
just a musician. Zoro is also a
teacher and an author.
The teaching spirit is
something he has always had.
“It’s part of my calling in
this life,” says Zoro. “Many
people teach, but fewer of
One of the key ideas that
Zoro teaches is that we all have
a gift, and it’s up to us to find
out what it is and how we can
use it to help others. Of course,
that often can be easier said
than done. Motivation can be
hard to find.
Zoro says that he stays
motivated by “listening to
all kinds of great music that
inspires me.”
“I continuously feed my
musical passions by going to
concerts, studying other great
drummers, reading books
and magazines, and watching
music documentaries,” he
added. “All of these initiatives
keep me motivated. I have
always been a driven person
with a strong inner desire
to reach my potential and
display excellence in all I do.
I also like to read biographies
of people who accomplished
great things, and I watch
documentaries on those same
them are in fact teachers by
design. I enjoy teaching and
imparting what I have with
anyone who will listen. It gives
me great satisfaction to help
others.”
Zoro has written many
books that help music students
at hundreds of schools learn
not only the technicalities of
the trade, but also the kind of
mentality they need in order to
be successful in the business.
In fact, the Commercial Music
program at SPC has a whole
class dedicated to his book,
“The Big Gig.”
kinds of people. They don’t
have to be musicians for
me to be inspired by their
life. Success principles are
the same, whatever your
profession is.”
His passion and drive are
easy to see when you watch
Zoro speak. You can tell he’s
a man who loves what he does.
It’s absolutely infectious.
He says that the thing he
likes best about his job is the
joy it brings others, and it’s
obvious when you’re around
him.
Zoro’s lecture was not just
Photo Courtesy of Zoro
and after advised the students
about the future. He was there
to help the students make the
most of their gifts.
Zoro has been in the music
business for a long time. He
got started when he was still in
high school, playing with the
marching band, stage band,
concert band, and swing choir.
After high school, he started
taking private lessons and
playing with many local cover
bands. Eventually, he moved
back to his original home of
Los Angeles.
“Los Angeles was
technical talk; it was life talk.
Zoro wasn’t just talking about
music, he was talking about
living your life the way you
want to, and accepting the gifts
you’ve been given.
When asked what advice
he would give to an aspiring
musician, Zoro replied,
“You have to be willing
to take risks, and then be
prepared for inevitable
setbacks, disappointments
and temporary failures. Most
failures are not permanent.
What makes them permanent,
however, is quitting.”
“You have to realize that
to succeed at anything is a
journey of faith,” he added,
“because even with goals, no
one can know in advance how
everything is going to come
together.”
rmeans4767@students.
southplainscollege.edu
friends go after the boss and
try to get revenge and send
information to the attorney
general.”
Russell has written three
other books, and they’re
classified as Christian
romance. This is her fourth
book, but her first murder
mystery novel.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever
write anything else,” Russell
says. “I just follow where
I’m led from the good Lord. I
didn’t even know I was going
to write six books!”
Russell’s first book was
nominated for the New York
expo in 2012 and in 2014.
The publishing company was
requesting if they were going
to present it this year, but there
hasn’t been a definite answer.
“They’ve been trying to get
me to go to New York, and I
don’t have any desire to go,”
says Russell. “But if my book
keeps advancing, the good
Lord is going to have to find a
way to get me there.”
Russell’s “Walking Into a
Nighmare” is recently being
looked over by a New York
producer who is interested in
producing the book as a movie.
“I’m excited,” explains
Russell. “This is what I
wanted from any of the
books. It’s a dream come
true!”
Russell explains her
process of becoming
an author and how she
published five books.
“When I finished a
book, and when I lay down
to go to sleep, it’s like
I’m reading this book that
hasn’t even been written
yet,” Russell explains. “So,
the next day I start writing
down what I read the night
before. It’s just like the
good Lord is putting all
of this in my mind. I’ve
never had writer’s block,
and I never do because I
don’t push it. I think you
should have some kind of
an outline. For me, I tell
myself, ‘I’ll only write
for an hour or two.’ But
the next thing I know, it’s
nighttime already because
I get so adsorbed in my
writing.”
‘ Wa l k i n g I n t o a
Nightmare” has sold at least
40 to 50 copies every month,
and Russell thinks she did a
very good job.
“I was nervous when I
first started writing my book,
because I didn’t know what to
do,” explains Russell. “Well,
I found a great publishing
company, and they have
great marketing. They’re so
wonderful, and I’m so blessed
I found them.”
She encourages authors to
not be discouraged and do
what their heart desires.
“There are going to be days
where you’re discouraged,
because it’s like any other
job,” says Russell. “Whatever
strongholds you come up
against, don’t give up. My
advice is to not be afraid.
And if that’s what your heart
desires, then do it. Find the
best publishing company that
is best for you. I did a lot
praying, and I know if it wasn’t
for God I wouldn’t be where I
am today.”
ntrugillo0806@students.
southplainscollege.edu
7
Feature
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Surgeon explains difficulties of transitioning genders
(Editor’s note: This story
is the fourth part of a multipart series “Identity Crisis,”
examining the transition
from one gender to another
that began in Issue #2 and
will continue through Issue
#6. Several staff members
took it upon themselves to
interview, take photographs
and conduct research. The
results of their combined
efforts follow.)
by NICOLE TRUGILLO
Editor-in-Chief
Being different is hard.
It’s even more difficult when
someone is identified as being
transgender.
Transgender people have a
hard time showing their true
individuality. It’s even harder
when they are in the process
of transitioning from male to
female, or female to male.
According to Dr. Michael
Eisemann, who is a plastic
surgeon located out of Houston,
Texas, after the surgeries, his
transgender patients have more
confidence and are happy with
their results.
“The patients are very
gratified and happy when
they’re done with the surgery,”
D r. E i s e m a n n t o l d t h e
Plainsman Press in a recent
interview. “There have been
some patients, in my practice,
that have been on medication
for anti-depression, even
medication that helps with
suicide. But basically, patients
could not receive any help
once they had the surgery.
They are much better off
getting these medications. We
recommend that they continue
to be treated and followed by
a mental health worker after
the surgery.”
Before operating and
continuing with the surgery,
transgender patients have to
go through guidelines and be
accepted by their psychologist,
or a social worker. These
guidelines and standards are
established by the World
Professional Association
f o r Tr a n s g e n d e r H e a l t h
(WPATH). This organization
is the oldest interdisciplinary
professional association in
the world concerned with
transsexualism.
“Transgender patients
have specifically gender
identity disorder, but that’s
what they’re called,” says Dr.
Eisemann, “and the patients
are internationally accepted
through guidelines. Basically,
we don’t do the surgery until
the patient qualifies. They have
to be either using estrogen or
testosterone for at least six
months, then treated by an
endocrinologist. After that,
a letter needs to be obtained
from a licensed mental health
worker, such as a psychologist
or a social worker. Generally,
“The surgeries we perform…
let’s say for male to female,”
explains Dr. Eisemann. “The
facial feminization procedures
Photo Illustration by
CHESANIE BRANTLEY/PLAINSMAN PRESS
these people have to be at
least be living, working in the
appropriate sex at least a year.”
Dr. Eisemann has his own
practice, Eisemann Plastic
S u r g e r y C e n t e r, w h e r e
he performs surgeries for
transsexuals.
include nasal surgery, such as
a rhinoplasty, or a lowering of
the supraorbital ridge, which is
the brow, or breast orientation
or a chin reduction. We also
do a tracheal shave, which
is reducing the size of the
Adam’s apple.”
Stracener recalls happy times as student in welding program
by STEPHEN GEHEGAN
Staff Writer
[ E d i t o r ’s n o t e : T h i s
story is part of an ongoing
project in conjuction with
the South Plains College
Alumni Association. The
project highlights former
SPC students and their
achievements.]
Pete Stracener fell in love
with the area around South
Plains College and the city of
Levelland.
Now he gets to live and
work in a place that he grew
fond of when he was young.
Stracener grew up in
the town of Abernathy and
graduated from Abernathy
High School. After graduating
from Abernathy, Stracener
went to McMurry University
in Abilene.
After spending time at
McMurry, Stracener decided
to transfer to SPC in the spring
of 1997, and stayed until the went to College Station He then spent several years says that things had changed a
spring of 1998. During his and spent three semesters working in different jobs in the bit from when he was a student
on the Levelland campus,
time living in a residence as a student at Texas A&M. welding field.
“remembering it
hall on campus, he
being a real small
says that he enjoyed
school, about
all of the student
1500 students,”
activities that
according to
SPC had to offer.
Stracener.
It was the student
Stracener
activities that got
came back as
Stracener involved
an instructor of
in campus life, and
welding, starting
it kept him wanting
part-time in the fall
to stay connected
semester of 1980.
with the college.
Stracener then
While Stracener
became a full-time
was at SPC, he also
instructor in the
was involved in the
spring semester of
welding program
1981.
that was offered.
Stracener serves
It left a lasting
as chairperson
impression on him.
of the Industrial
He says his time
Te c h n o l o g y
at SPC “made me
want to be part of SPC alum Pete Stracener teaches welding and serves as chairperson of the In- D e p a r t m e n t ,
having served
the program.”
dustrial Technolgy Department
in this role since
After his time
JONATHAN BROOKSHIRE/PLAINSMAN PRESS
2006. He also is
at SPC, Stracener
a member of the
There were several different American Welding Society.
jobs that Stracener held in the Stracener currently teaches
welding profession, starting Welding 2435, Welding 2447
with the time he spent as a tank and Welding 2451 for the fall
welder. He also spent time semester of 2015.
Stracener says that he enjoys
years now and says, “I love from Europe to Australia, in the agricultural industry
and
the
oil
and
gas
industry
his
time teaching at SPC, as
my current job, and although an d ev en Afri ca. T h es e
we have a small team in our meetings include a variety of as a welder for different well as when he attended the
office, all of our councilors and organizers such as physicians, companies. With the more college as a student. The more
members around the world are educators, legislators, and law time that he spent away from time that Stracener has spent
Levelland, he started to realize on campus, the more that he
terrific to work with.”
enforcement officers.
Some of the goals ISPCAN
ISPCAN has a specific that he missed being near it. has fallen in love with SPC.
has set for the organization t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m , T h e After doing all of these jobs, He says that he hopes he can
are “to support international I n t e r n a t i o n a l P r o g r a m he learned that his real passion keep making memories at the
college.
efforts to promote and protect of ISPCAN (ITPI), which was teaching.
After the time that Stracener
the ‘Rights of the Child,” as “was designed to address
spent
doing those welding jobs,
well as “to improve the quality these deficits by building
he
decided
that it was time to sgehegan2284@students.
of current efforts to detect, organizational capacity and
come
back
to
South Plains. He southplainscollege.edu
treat and also prevent child systems through proven
abuse.” Most importantly, a methods, expert consultation
goal is “to increase awareness and long-term commitment.”
of the extent, the causes and ITPI also hosts projects that
possible solutions for forms of “result in a region’s sustained
child abuse.”
ability to provide quality
ISPCAN has developed the basic, advanced and trainmission “to support individuals the-facilitator professional
and organizations working to education; raise community
protect children from abuse a w a r e n e s s ; s t r e n g t h e n
and neglect worldwide.”
multi-sector teamwork; and
To fulfill that mission, work toward governmental
ISPCAN, “works largely reforms,” according to their
in countries where lack of training team.
resources, cultural resistance or
For 38 years, ISPCAN
political unrest has prevented has managed to help toward
the establishment of critical the prevention of child abuse
child abuse and neglect skills and has made a significant
development.”
difference around the world
Along with providing with their contributions and
a medium for child abuse donations.
prevention, ISPCAN holds
prevention events quite often.
Since 1998, ISPCAN
h a s h e l d i n t e r n a t i o n a l dhernandez5401@students.
conferences and events ranging southplainscollege.edu
Organization contributes to child
abuse prevention internationally
by DARIELLA
HERNANDEZ
Editorial Assistant
The International Society
for the Prevention of Child
Abuse and Neglect works
with different professionals to
create events and campaigns
for the awareness of child
abuse.
The International Society
for the Prevention of Child
Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)
has been working toward the
prevention of cruelty toward
children since 1977.
“ISPCAN is the only
multidisciplinary international
organization that brings
together a worldwide
cross-section of committed
professionals to work toward
the prevention and treatment
of child abuse, neglect and
exploitation globally,” says
Angela Pena, the training and
resources program assistant.
According to Pena,
“ISPCAN does not offer
direct services in the field
of child abuse and neglect,
but instead we offer our
services in the ways of
trainings and conferences to
the professionals within this
field.”
Pena has been working
with ISPCAN close to two
Dr. Eisemann continues,
“ Wi t h f e m a l e t o m a l e
transgender patients, we
basically do the total
mastectomy with a free nipple
graft. So, we do a number of
procedures for the patients.
Mastectomies are basically
what we do for breast cancer.
But they have to have the
right criteria and meet certain
standards.”
Dr. Eisemann has been
doing these kinds of surgeries
for more than 10 years and
each procedure takes a certain
amount of time, he says,
depending on the type of
surgeries. Some procedures
can take hours, with some
taking up to three hours or
more. The cost depends on the
surgery.
“It would be the same
cost for a patient who is not
transgender,” Dr. Eisemann
says. “Plastic surgery can
range from several thousands
of dollars to $10,000 or
$20,000. It just depends on
the surgery and how many
surgeries are done. Two or
three surgeries can be done at
a time, especially in the face if
you’re doing nasal, forehead,
or neck surgery.”
Dr. Eisemann says even
though he operates on many
transgender patients, he
doesn’t really know if it’s
because more transgender
people are starting to become
more open about them.
“I have witnessed doing
a lot of these surgeries, but
that’s just a function of what
I do,” Eisemann explains. “It
doesn’t necessarily mean there
is an increase of patients, or
it doesn’t mean there is an
increase of surgeries being
done. The patients do come
into my office for a referral,
and I certainly do see many
patients. There are even some
cases where insurance will
even cover the procedures. It’s
happened in the past, so that
may encourage more people to
have it done, or otherwise they
wouldn’t because of the cost.”
According to Dr. Eisemann,
he believes doctors who do
transsexual surgeries are
becoming more accepting of
transgenders.
“To my expense, the patients
have been very grateful,
and appreciative,” explains
Eisemann. “I think doctors
are being more accepting
to the surgery. Transsexuals
are being identified now as a
pathological disorder. I think
it’s more recognized as a
gender identity problem. So
having these surgeries done
to them certainly helps a great
deal.”
ntrugillo0806@students.
southplainscollege.edu
8
Feature
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Spirited student finds peace through performing classic rock
by JONATHAN
BROOKSHIRE
Feature Editor
Vibrant. Hippie. Peace.
Love. Rock ‘n’ roll.
Kindle Hunt is unique and
noticeably different than the
rest. She puts flowers in her
hair and lets her spirit run
wild.
In the pursuit of her passion,
Hunt has enrolled in the
commercial music program
at South Plains College.
Hunt grew up in Pampa,
Texas, attending Pampa High
School.
She has always had a love
for music.
“I began singing when I
was 5 years old,” Hunt said.
“I would always carry around
a Barbie microphone and sing
into it.”
As a little girl, Hunt
remembers starring in many
musicals and plays. Through
the years, she hasn’t stopped
performing. She continues to
post covers of songs on her
YouTube channel, practice
her skills, and perform in local
bars and venues.
“I have just recently started
getting out in Lubbock,” Hunt
explains. “But I have already
made many connections just
from networking at SPC and
in Lubbock.”
Hunt has performed many
times in Lubbock at places
such as the Funky Door and
Jake’s Back Room.
“I love performing at venues
like that because the people are
of an older age and can relate
to the music that inspires me,”
Hunt said.
The music that inspires
Hunt is not contemporary
or today’s popular music.
She loves classic rock, with
inspirations such as The
Beatles, John Fogerty, Steven
Tyler, and Stevie Nicks.
“They are legends!” Hunt
exclaimed. “They inspire me
to make legendary music like
theirs daily.”
Hunt says the biggest
influence in her life and her
music, whether that is in
songwriting or just the style
she is trying to achieve, would
be the 1969 music festival,
Woodstock.
For Hunt, making music
isn’t about the fame. She says
if it were to happen though, she
would be extremely blessed.
Hunt says that she has never
really fit into a crowd because
she is different. She dresses
differently, wears her hair
differently, does things just a
bit out of the norm. But she
doesn’t care about what people
think of her while doing it.
“I think that my personality
song.
Her music sets the
audience’s mind into a world
of soul-bending color. Her
movements follow along with
Salgado shares strong passion for
students as new research assistant
by HANNA NELSON
Staff Writer
people,” she says. “ I really
love relating to them. I really
love helping them out.”
After graduating from
Texas Tech with a degree in
public relations and a minor
in Spanish, Salgado came back
to work for SPC. She knew
that her passion for learning,
along with her love for helping
others, is what made her want
to come back to SPC.
“I love the fact that we
get to help students,” says
Salgado.
The department Salgado
works in helps tremendously
by giving other departments
numbers that help get grant
funding. Salgado’s role is a
small but very necessary piece
of SPC’s puzzle.
Salgado also enjoys getting
She believes that it is
important for students to have
someone to relate to. To her,
Faithful, hopeful, and
helping the students at SPC is
enthusiastic are three words
a constant reminder of why she
that describe Yolanda Salgado.
took the job she has.
Salgado is the new data
There are many things in
research assistant for South
Salgado’s life that are very
Plains College.
important to her. One of them
“Basically, when someone
is her faith.
calls and says, ‘I need to
“It is the driving force
know how many students are
behind everything I do,”
enrolled in this semester with
explains Salgado. “It is not
a certain major and grade
about what I want to do. It is
point average’ I run those
about how to serve you.”
numbers,” said Salgado.
She is a youth minister at
With the numbers that
her
church, and she teaches
Salgado runs, there are many
S
u
n
day school classes.
different things that the
Another
very important aspect
college is able to do with
of her life is her daughter.
the data she collects. The
“My life revolves around
numbers allow the college
my
daughter, ”Salgado says
to help as many students
S
he then continues,
as possible. An example of
“Whatever
this is that the data
hobbies she
that is collected
is in, I am in.
by Salgado can
We are doing
help the college
basketball
see how many
now.”
first-generation
She also
students there are,
deeply
loves
and help those
her family and
students succeed
the support she
in their college
receives from
career.
them. To her,
Salgado has
they are the
been working
main people
at SPC for five
who help keep
years. Before
her grounded.
moving to her
She enjoys
newest position,
running in her
she worked as the
free time. In
administrative
high s chool,
assistant to the
she was an
vice president of
avid runner,
Yolanda
Salgado
in
the
Administration
Builstudent affairs.
competing in
Salgado helped ing on Oct. 22.
cross country
assist the vice HANNA NELSON/PLAINSMAN PRESS
and track. She
president of
said that she
student affairs to
involved
with
SPC
in
many
would
like
to
get back into
oversee many departments,
others
ways
than
just
her
dayrunning
like
she
used to and
including the health and
wellness center, campus to-day job. She also works participate in many activities,
with the Upward Bound such as The Color Run, the
police, and advising center.
Salgado is from Wellman, students, who are the students Glow in the Dark Run, and
Texas. When she was growing whose parents and family have other activities of that nature.
up, her ideal career changed not attended college. She helps She also collects anything that
those students by making sure has to do with the Snoopy
constantly.
“As a kid, I was anywhere they are on the right track to character. In her office, you
will find a little “Peanuts”
f r o m a b a l l e r i n a , t o a success.
Salgado
also
is
an
advisor
calendar on her desk.
firefighter, to a teacher,”
for
the
Catholic
Student
As for what advice she has
Salgado recalls. “I was all
Ministries,
where
students
for
students attending college,
over the place. I really didn’t
can
go
hangout,
have
fun
and
Salgado has many great words
know what I wanted to do.”
learn
about
their
faith,
while
to say.
She attended SPC in 2004
attending
college.
She
also
“There are so many amazing
as a general studies student.
volunteers
to
help
with
many
opportunities
around you,”
She then transferred to Texas
of
the
activities
that
SPC
hosts.
says Salgado. “Some of us
Tech University with the mind
Salgado
enjoys
connecting
just want to stay in front of
set of becoming an architect.
with
the
students
in
as
many
the TV or Xbox, because that’s
“That lasted for about a
ways
as
possible
through
the
easier…Take opportunities
semester, then I was like
college.
that make you grow and think
forget it,” explains Salgado.
“Students
don’t
care
about
a little bit.”
From that experience,
what
you
know
until
they
know
Salgado discovered her
passion for people and that you care,” says Salgado.
“You supporting them makes hnelson3716@students.
education.
“I really love talking to a huge difference.”
southplainscollege.edu
photos courtesy of Kindle Hunt
and how I go about
myself is what sets me
apart from ‘the crowd,”
Hunt explains. “It has
never been about being
popular to me. It has
strictly been about
being nice to people,
and to love on someone
that needs it.”
Looking at her style
and listening to her
musical voice, Hunt
is similar to Stevie
Nicks. They both
dress “Bohemian,” or
Hippy-like.
“If I get told I
sound similar to
somebody, it is usually
Stevie Nicks,” Hunt
said. “And that is so
awesome, because her
music is amazing!”
Hunt has performed
live many times
and describes the
experience as “a
crazy feeling with
mixed emotions going
through your head.”
She gets a surge of
adrenaline, especially
if the crowd is larger
in size.
“When I start to sing,
it is something that I
cannot even explain,”
Hunt describes. “I just
take in every moment, because
if I could have a feeling last
forever, it would be the feeling
when I step on stage.”
Her voice is soothing and
melodic. When she is singing,
it is easy to tell she is putting
her heart into her voice to
project the emotions of the
own, because I add my own
style to it.”
The first song that she loves
to cover is “Me and Bobby
McGee,” by Janis Joplin. She
says the song
is so great, and
that Joplin was
a legend who
performed at
Woodstock.
“How much
groovier can
ya get!?” Hunt
exclaims.
The second
song is “What’s
Up?” by 4 Non
Blondes.
“If you listen
to that song
and really pay
attention to the
words,” Hunt
says, “it has a
great meaning
and is a very
beautiful piece
of music.”
Hunt is an
enthusiastic,
positive, and
out-going
the varying pitches of the song, individual. Every day, she is
putting the listener in a trance smiling and lives by her words,
that keeps one under the spell “peace, love, and rock ‘n’ roll.”
of her performance.
Hunt says that she has two
favorite songs that she loves
to sing.
“They are covers,” Hunt jbrookshire5854@students.
said. “But I make them my southplainscollege.edu
Plainsman Press
Entertainment
9
October 26, 2015
Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown put on memorable concert during Freakfest
The band was extremely
The band from Jacksonville, “45.” They also thanked the
interactive with the audience. Fla., maintained their energy audience repeatedly for comDuring their performance, and emotion throughout the ing to the show and showing
they asked for all the lights show. They performed many support for the band.
Shinedown was
on the stage
exceptionally enerto be turned
getic. Lead singer
off. Then they
Brent Smith and guiasked the autarist Zach Meyers
dience memmoved back and forth
bers to turn
across the stage to see
on their cell
all of the audience
phone lights to
members. Their pasilluminate the
sion and talent were
venue. Lead
highlighted during
singer Benjathe performance.
min Burnley
They were extremely
thanked the
active, and their percrowd for their
formance was very
participation,
powerful.
and related
The crowd was
the lighting
very engaged with
of the stage to
the performances.
the audience’s
People were pushing
support of the
their way toward the
band, saying
stage and jumping up
that the only
and down with the
reason that
music. Throughout
the band was
the night, there were
able to permany mosh pits and
form was bedozens of stage divcause the fans
ers. The crowd sang
continued to
along to the songs
listen to their
music and root Zach Meyers plays a guitar solo during Shinedown per- with the bands and
cheered loudly.
for the band’s formance at Lonestar Amphitheater on Oct. 18
The performance
success. They PAMELA GANDY/PLAINSMAN PRESS
was one that I will
ended their set
not forget. The talwith “Diary of
Jane.”
songs, such as “If You Only ent, energy and power of the
After Breaking Benjamin’s Knew,” “The Crow and the performers was incredible. I
performance, Shinedown came Butterfly,” “Diamond Eyes,” give Breaking Benjamin and
Shinedown’s performance five
onto the stage for their set.
and “State of My Head.”
Shinedown began with “Cut
Shinedown also made a out of five stars.
the Cord.” In addition to their point to include the crowd in
high level of energy, the stage their performance. After heartheir most famous, and most
was equipped with pyrotech- ing an audience member yell
energetic songs, “Lit Up,”
nics, which increased the in- out a request, they played an pgandy7857@students.southwhich the crowd sang along
tensity of the song.
acoustic version of their song plainscollege.edu
include the crowd in their act.
They opened with one of
their best known songs, “Failure.” They also sang “Crawl,”
Rock bands Breaking Ben“So Cold,”
jamin and Shinedown
and “Shalperformed an incredibly
low Bay.”
energetic and striking
One of the
show.
standout
The two bands permoments
formed a memorable
of the show
and intense concert on
was when
Oct. 19 at the Lonestar
they sang
Amphitheater and Event
a cover of
Center in Lubbock.
one of NirThe show began at 7
vana’s most
p.m. with the opening
successband, Nothing More.
ful songs,
However, people be“Smells
gan lining up outside
Like Teen
the gates as early as
Spirit,”
3 p.m. in order to get
which rea spot near the stage.
ceived
As soon as the gates
heavy apwere opened, people
plause from
began running toward
the audithe stage in order to beat
ence.
the rest of the crowd.
The show began with
B
r
eaking
a one-of-a-kind perB
e
njaformance by Nothing Nothing More guitarist Mark Vollelunga performs
More. The San Antonio during the opening act at Lonestar Amphitheater on m i n a l s o
natives jumped across Oct. 18. PAMELA GANDY/PLAINSMAN PRESS t h a n k e d
military
the stage as they played.
servicemen
They sang songs from
their latest album, including illuminated by multicolored and women for fighting for
“Jenny” and “Mr. MTV.” They lights. Breaking Benjamin American Freedom. They
also performed a new song gave an outstanding perfor- dedicated their performance
from their upcoming record, mance. They were extremely of “Unknown Soldier” to those
energetic and made a point to who serve in the Armed Forc“Here’s to the Heartache.”
es.
by PAMELA GANDY
Entertainment Editor
After their performance,
Breaking Benjamin took the
stage. By this time, it was
dark outside, and the stage was
Buckcherry gives raw performance
during recent Lubbock appearance
by PAMELA GANDY
Entertainment Editor
McAllen, Texas, performed
many of the hard rock and
heavy metal songs from
their 2015 album, “Bap-
with. They played several
The excitement and hard
of their other hit
rock energy were evident
songs, including
during Buckcherry’s recent
“Everything,”
concert.
“Sorry,” “Out of
The six-man group from
Line,” and “SunLos Angeles, Calif. pershine.”
formed an energetic and
Lead singer
raw performance at Jake’s
Josh Todd danced
Backroom in Lubbock on
and jumped
Oct. 7.
across the stage
Buckcherry formed in
until he was cov1995 and released their first
ered in sweat.
studio album, “BuckcherGuitarist Stevie
ry,” in 1999. It peaked just
D. and percusinside the top 75 on the U.S.
sionist Xavier
charts. They had continued
Muriel played
success with their followalternating solos
ing album, but their third
throughout the
album, “15,” led them to the
concert, which
eighth position on the U.S.
added to the
charts. Their 2013 album,
hard rock ener“Confessions,” also reached
Guitarist Stevie D. plays during con- gy. The explicit
top-10 status.
The success of their pre- cert at Jake’s Backroom on Oct. 7. nature of many
vious two albums, and the PAMELA GANDY/PLAINSMAN of their song lyrics, and the enrecent release of their fifth PRESS
ergy throughout
album, “Rock ‘n’ Roll,”
helped to attract a large tized in the Rio Grande.” the show, resulted in a inSome of the songs they tense and bold ambiance.
crowd to the concert.
The show began with a played were, “Pull It and Throughout the concert,
performance by local band, Fire,” “Baptized in the Rio the band interacted with
Grande,” the audience and thanked
Yo u ’ r e a
and “Bow the crowd and the opening
L i a r, I ’ m
D o w n . ” bands repeatedly for their
a Cheat.
T h e i r support. The crowd involveThe hard
hard rock ment, combined with the
rock trio
style and small venue, created an
performed
heavy in- intimate effect.
some of
Buckcherry closed their
strumentheir own
t a t i o n 15-song set with one of their
songs, inm a d e most successful songs, “2
cluding,
t h e m a drunk,” which received a
“ D o n ’ t
p e r f e c t lot of praise from the crowd.
K n o w
opening After their performance, the
W h y , ”
p e r f o r - band stayed at the venue to
and “Now
m a n c e greet the audience members
Yo u ’ r e
for Buck- and sign merchandise.
G o n e . ”
The band’s energy, sound,
cherry.
They also
A f - and friendliness toward the
performed
ter much crowd left a big impression
a hard rock
a n t i c i - on me. This is the kind of
cover of
one of Katy Frontman Josh Todd energizes p a t i o n , show that most rock ‘n’ roll
B u c k - fans would love to see. I
Perry’s
the crowd during concert at Jake’s
c h e r r y give their performance five
most iconf i n a l l y out of five stars.
i c s o n g s , Backroom on Oct. 7
PAMELA
GANDY/PLAINS
took the
“ Te e n a g e
MAN PRESS
s t a g e
Dream.”
and were
After their performance, the greeted by heavy applause
second opening band took from the audience.
pgandy7857@students.southThey began with one of plainscollege.edu
the stage. Sons of Texas from
The Damn Quails showcase
southern style at recent concert
by PAMELA GANDY
Entertainment Editor
The Damn Quails have a
true passion for performing
live.
“It’s fun,” said Marshall.
“Even if you’ve got some
heavy stuff on your mind, you
get on stage and start playing,
and it all goes away.”
Their passion for live performance was undeniable at
their recent Lubbock concert.
The entire group was very
Swagger,” “Mary,” “Another
Story,” “Through the Fire,”
and “A Better Place to Stop.”
Half way through the show,
The Damn Quails gave
the
band took a brief intermisfolk rock and country music
sion
and asked Lubbock singa modern edge at their recent
er-songwriter Charlie Stout to
performance.
come to the stage. He played a
The Oklahoma band perfew of his own songs, includformed an entertaining and
ing “Three Quarter Time.”
uniquely southern concert at
Stout’s southern style reThe Office Grill and Sports
sembled the tone of The Damn
Bar in Lubbock on
Quails’ music,
Oct. 16.
which made him
The Damn
the perfect addiQuails got their
tion to the perforstart by writing folk
mance.
rock songs, which
The Damn
they performed in
Quails have an
small venues across
extremely unique
Oklahoma. The
style that was
band was created
really apparent
after their weekly
throughout their
performances slowperformance.
ly attracted larger
Their music has a
crowds.
strong bluegrass
“ We s t a r t e d
feel to it. Their
playing with a few
song lyrics are
of our buddies that
were off work on The Damn Quails perform for the audience at The well written and
have a traditional
Monday nights,” Office Grill and Sports Bar on Oct. 16
southern energy.
said Marshall. “Be- BRANDI ORTIZ/PLAINSMAN PRESS
That being said,
fore we knew it,
energetic
and
seemed
to
really
their
music
still
has a contemwe had 12 band members on
enjoy
their
time
on
stage.
porary
energy
to
it.
stage. Six months later, we had
“We always have a good
They also had a strong ona name. It was very organic.”
Gabriel Marshall and Bry- time when we perform,” said stage energy that made their
on White are the group’s lead White. “Sometimes we play up performance more memorable.
Throughout the night, White
singers, as well as the primary to three times a week.”
White, in addition to play- shared stories about the events
songwriters for The Damn
Quails. They have performed ing with The Damn Quails, and people that influenced
together for four years, releas- also enjoys playing with other specific songs, which helped
to increase the audience coning their first album, “Down touring bands.
“I play as much as I can,” nection.
the Hatch,” in 2011.
The Damn Quails’ personLegal complications with said White.
The
Damn
Quails
opened
ality
and talent were showtheir previous record label
the
show
with
a
song
from
cased
during their concert,
delayed the release of their
second album. They were not their new album, “Tough Luck which made the show unique
able to release “Out of the Cryin’ Shame.” It was the and entertaining. I give their
Birdcage” until this Septem- perfect opening song, because performance four out of five
ber. Although their album just it captured their unique style stars.
recently became available, the of folk rock and country ingroup has been performing fluence.
They continued to play
many of its songs since they
many
of their songs at the pgandy7857@students.southwere written.
concert, including “Midnight plainscollege.edu
10
Entertainment
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
‘American Ultra’ entertains audience with violence, action in hit comedy film
by NICOLE TRUGILLO
Editor-in-Chief
One stoner kid will
do anything and
everything in his power
to protect himself and
his longtime girlfriend
from the evil men who
are chasing them.
But the real question
is why are they chasing
them?
If you’re into
action-packed, blood,
and gore movies, then
“American Ultra” is
right up your alley.
I know you must
be thinking that this
movie sounds like a
regular action movie
and its clichés, so why
even bother? Wrong. I
thought the same thing
for the same reasons.
I even thought it was
going to be super dull,
since Kirsten Stewart
is part of the cast. I like
Kirsten Stewart in the
“Twilight” Saga, but
everything else after
that hasn’t done her justice
until now.
The movie starts with
Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg)
narrating to the audience how
he plans to propose to his
longtime girlfriend, Phoebe
Larson (Kristen Stewart). He
tries to find the right moment,
but fails miserably time and
time again. They both plan to
fly to Hawaii, but Mike suffers
from severe panic attacks,
so the couple doesn’t end up
going.
After the failed attempt,
the screen cuts
to a scene where
a FBI agent
named Victoria
Lasseter (Connie
Britton) learns
that her failed
Ultra program
survivor plans to
be eliminated by
her archenemy,
A d r i a n Ya t e s
(Topher Grace).
Adrain plans to
send agents after
Mike, but Victoria
feels she needs
to protect Mike,
since he has done
nothing wrong.
Victoria flies
to Liman, West
Virgina (where
Mike and Phoebe
live) and finds
Mike at his job
where he works
as a clerk in a
convenience
store. Victoria “activates”
Mike through a series of code
words. Mike, being stoned,
‘Woodlawn’ portrays racial tensions during
desegregation, uplifts wth religious message
by NICK ALVARADO
Editoral Assistant
Attending Woodlawn High
School in the 1970s was
tough with desegregation
and violence occurring across
Alabama.
The film “Woodlawn”
begins with an introductory
prologue, with well-known
and legendary coach, Bear
Bryant (played by Jon Voight),
inviting the University of
Southern California football
team to come to Alabama
to play. Alabama is still
segregated during this time.
Three years later at
Woodlawn High
school in
Birmingham,
Ala., the
school and
town would
be filled
w i t h
hate and
racism, as
blacks the
same school
as whites.
Te n s i o n s
b u i l d
between
the two
races and
violence
occurs across the
town. The football
team consisted of
only 40 players,
including both
whites and blacks
consisted of the team. The
violence transfers to the football
team, and Coach Tandy Gerelds
(Nic Bishop) tries to help stop
the violence occurring on the
football team.
In the first game of the
season, it was a struggle to
compete against their rival,
Banks High School, since the
desegregation across the city
affected the crowd at the game.
C o a c h Gerelds
then meets a
religious
motivational
speaker,
Hank (Sean
Astin),
and wants him
to speak
to his team.
A f t e r
listening to
Hank,
every
member
of the
t e a m
accepts
Jesus and
converts to being
a Christian.
This bond helps the
team bond and interact
better since they are all
family now. However,
the school board does
not appreciate this
move since challenging
faith during school
is considered to be
against the law today.
Numerous scenes
are included that involve
racial tensions. One key
scene includes the star
player of Woodlawn,
To n y N a t h a n ( C a l e b
Castille), who turns down a
hand shake from the Alabama
governor, George Wallace,
during a dinner.
Coach Bryant makes an
appearance with a recruiting
trip to Nathan’s house and
tells him, “I’m not leaving
until you decide to come to
Alabama.” He eventually
accepted the offer and went on
to be a Miami Dolphin great.
The directors of this film,
Jon and Andy Erwin, came
out on national television a
week before the release of
the movie and explained all
the events in the film were
based on true events and
how their hardships were in
violence-torn Birmingham
during desegregation times.
They were even spotted at the
South Carolina-Georgia game
last month.
All in all, this movie
delivers a powerful message
and can bring you much
closer to God, as it is a little
combination of “God’s Not
Dead” and “Remember the
Titans.”
This movie is great to bring
your spirits up when you’re
feeling down, or to try to get
inspiration. I have to rate this
film 4 stars out of 5.
nalvarado4531@students.
southplainscollege.edu
thinks she’s crazy and brushes
it off, making Victoria leave
with frustration.
The same night, Mike sees
a couple of Adrian’s agents
plant a bomb under his car.
He goes out of the store
to investigate and he sees
the men coming after him.
Mike then uses his trained
ability to fight off the men
and kill them. He calls
Phoebe, freaking out, and
she meets him at the store.
The police show up, and
the couple is arrested for
the murders.
Adrian sends two more
agents, Laugher (Walton
Goggins) and Crane (Monique
Ganderton), to finish the job
at the police station. They
fail miserably after Mike and
Phoebe escape. The couple
goes to the house of one of
Mike’s drug-dealing friends
who agrees to hide them
and keep them save. Things
continue to go bad after Adrian
sends more agents to kill off
Mike.
Mike fights one of the
agents, and he and Phoebe
escape the house. When Mike
asks Phoebe hypothetically
what is going on with his life,
Phoebe has shocking news that
leaves Mike unhappy.
Later, Phoebe is captured
by Laugher, and Mike is found
by Victoria, who explains to
him he was part of the Ultra
Program because he had a
horrible criminal record. But
he doesn’t remember any of
it because his memory was
erased when the program was
a role. She was actually
portraying herself through
Phoebe, and I really take an
interest in that.
Even though there were
shut down. Mike then makes
the decision to rescue Phoebe
and take down Adrian and his
agents.
“American Ultra” was
released on Aug. 21. and it
wasn’t a horrible movie. It had
a somewhat interesting plot,
but it’s not good enough for me
to watch it again. “American
Ultra” is one of those movies
I can only see one time.
Stewart was surprisingly
g o o d w i t h h e r c o - s t a r,
Eisenberg. Stewart is known
not to show any emotion,
and this movie really suits
her because she showed
just enough emotion. She
didn’t come off as fake when
portraying the girlfriend, so
that’s one thing I liked about
this movie.
I felt Stewart wasn’t playing
great action scenes and funny
moments at times, the film
did have some boring parts. I
would catch myself yawning at
times and checking how many
minutes I had left during the
movie.
“American Ultra” isn’t
the best movie I’ve seen all
year, but it’s definitely not the
worst. I suggest this movie
to someone who is bored and
wants to stay in and watch a
movie. It’s not a must-see, but
you should definitely give it
a shot.
I give this film 3 out of 5
stars.
ntrugillo0806@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Bowen thrills audience
with lively performance
by SKYLAR
HERNANDEZ
Editoral Assistant
Two-stepping, singing, and
fun with friends on a Friday
night is common when hearing
one of Texas’ most famous red
dirt music artists live.
Wade Bowen, a Texas Tech
alumni from Waco, Texas,
came back to rock his college
town once again on Oct. 2 at
Wild West
in Lubbock.
He has
been one
of
the
main faces
f o r Te x a s
country
music for
more than
a decade,
and he has
had multiple
number 1
hits.
Bowen,
known for
his red dirt
country
music, was
a former band member of the
band West 84 before leaving
to embark on his solo career.
His first album was released
in 2002 and was a success.
They played at Spring Fest
last May with The Randy
Rogers Band and got a
lot of positive
feedback
f r o m
that.
So he
made
his way
back to
Lubbock.
The two
bands have
also been on
the “Hold My
Beer” tour ever
since.
The doors opened at 9 p.m,
and even though Bowen was
not going to be on stage until
11, that didn’t stop people
from getting in early to find a
good spot.
The anticipation was
growing, and so was the crowd.
People were getting excited as
the clock was getting closer to
playing time.
When the band finally came
out, the crowd automatically
stopped the music just for
the fans to sing, and not one
person was sitting still.
Of course, people were
excited to hear “West Texas
Rain,” another one of his most
popular songs. The crowd
was swaying back and forth
and singing as loud as they
could, with the band leading
the chorus.
The crowd was still
excited after the concert was
started dancing and cheering.
The dance floor was packed,
with hardly any room to dance
at all.
The band had a set list
of nine songs, including,
“Saturday Night,” “Sunshine
on a Dreamer,” “When I Woke
Up Today,” “Songs
About Trucks,”
“Trouble,”
“Standards,”
“West Texas
Rain,” Honky
Tonk Road,”
“You Had Me
at My Best,”
and “Mood
Ring.”
“Mood Ring” is
one of Bowen’s most
popular songs, so when
they played it, the crowd
was at their loudest. Bowen
supposedly over, so they
chanted for “one more song.”
Bowen came back on stage
and sang some George Strait
classics.
Having been touring all
around the nation, Bowen
was happy and excited to be
performing in his old college
town. Not one person left the
club disappointed that night.
Bowen has made quite an
impact at Wild West with
people of all ages. The college
scene has always had positive
vibes when it comes to Bowen
and his music. Lubbock has
not heard the last of him this
year, and for many years to
come.
shernandez2472@students.
southplainscollege.edu
11
Entertainment
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Depp shines as famous gangster in ‘Black Mass’
by PAMELA GANDY
Entertainment Editor
Loan sharking, extortion
and murder are just a few
of the crimes committed by
professional outlaw, James
“Whitey” Bulger.
Johnny Depp plays the role
of one of the nation’s most
notorious gangsters in the new
film, “Black Mass.”
The story is told by former
gangsters who were involved
in crimes alongside Bulger.
They have been taken into
custody by the FBI, and are
recounting the crimes that
Bulger had committed through
the years in order to receive a
lesser sentence themselves.
They are followed by a
few other men who also have
known Bulger since he was a
child. “Whitey” and his friends
are known as the Winter Hill
Gang. Crime in north Boston is
overrun by the Italian Mob, so
the Winter Hill Gang tended to
keep their business on the south
side of the city.
“Whitey” also has
connections in high places. His
brother, Bill Bulger (Benedict
Cumberbatch), is the president
of the Massachusetts Senate.
And despite their very different
professions, the brothers are
still very close.
In addition to being a
gangster, “Whitey” also is a
family man who is very close
to his mother, his girlfriend
and son.
In one scene, “Whitey”,
his girlfriend Lindsey Cyr
(Dakota Johnson) and their
son Douglas (Luke Ryan) are
having dinner at the table,
much like a typical family.
Douglas tells his parents about
his day at school. “Whitey” is depicted as
a loving father, despite his
career.
What really helped elevate
Bulger’s criminal career was
his relationship with the FBI,
specifically John Connolly
(Joel Edgerton). Connolly is
an FBI agent who is eager to
take down the Italian mob.
He also grew up with Bulger
in South Boston. Connolly
contacts Bulger to inform
him that the FBI is aware of
his criminal activity, and they
are beginning to form a case
against him.
H o w e v e r, C o n n o l l y
believes that the Italian mob in
North Boston is the bureau’s
No women’s club teams are
included in the game, but it has
been considered to headline
women’s clubs around the
world.
In career mode, you can
pick to play as a player or
manager. Before the regular
season begins, you have the
option to select a pre-season
tournament to participate in, as
this is a new feature in the game
that players can choose.
If you happen to play as
English teams in the game,
note that the scoring and
player graphics are exactly
like a television broadcast.
This creates the environment
that makes the players and the
game feel realistic. All teams
are updated by a feature called
MatchDay Live. All crowds in
the game are more detailed, and
chant the real chants that they
would shout in an actual game.
With everyone being critical
about player faces, FIFA game
developers were spot-on, with
the faces looking exactly like
the actual players. Match balls
are exactly the same as the
current balls being used in all
matches.
H o w e v e r, w h i l e t h e
graphics, players and crowds
are realistic, there is one flaw.
Not all teams are licensed by
the game. If you look into it,
the Italian second division is
all generic teams. All teams
should be able to be licensed
for the game and get the
chance to receive spotlight on
the game worldwide.
Also, there is less space
whenever a player attempts to
save a tournament. Instead of
10 tournament slots to save,
it has been reduced by half to
five slots. With less players
playing in tournament mode,
EA Sports decided to cut
the saving slots to preserve
memory on the game.
Overall, FIFA 16 is a great
$60 buy and is worth the
money. Every match that you
play is realistic, creating the
environment to excite players
and the audience. No doubt,
this game deserves a solid 5
of 5 stars.
FIFA 16 impresses with realistic game
by NICK ALVARADO
Editorial Assistant
The excitement is back for
another great soccer game
franchise, FIFA 16.
For those who don’t know,
the FIFA game series is
produced by EA Sports Canada
and is released worldwide on
various dates. This year will
be a groundbreaking release
for the series, with women
appearing for the first time in
a sports video game.
The graphics on the game
is stunning and make you
feel like you’re actually at a
soccer match and playing. The
crowd also interacts in real-life
form, and the announcers of
the game are more detailed
the teams and key players
included. Many people who
played the game have stated
that it “looks like an actual TV
broadcast.”
More teams have been
added, most notably, women’s
national teams. While women
make their first appearance
in a sports game, many fans
also love the new addition, as
well as the players themselves.
nalvarado4531@students.
southplainscollege.edu
bigger priority. Connolly
persuades Bulger to become
an informant and provide
them with information on the
Italian criminals. In exchange,
Connolly agrees to provide
Bulger with information about
the evidence being compiled
against him. He will also try
to protect Bulger by diverting
the bureau’s attention away
from him.
This is the beginning of a
corrupt alliance. Initially, the
Bulger-Connolly alliance is
beneficial. Bulger provides
information to the FBI about
where the Italian mob’s
headquarters are. This leads
to the arrest of several mafia
criminals. However, with the
Italian mob weakened, The
Winter Hill Gang expands
their business to the rest of
Boston.
Shortly after the alliance
is formed, Douglas becomes
ill. What his mother believes
is the flu turns out to be
Reye’s syndrome. “Whitey”
is devastated. He and Lindsey
have an argument at the
hospital about whether they
should remove Douglas from
life support. “Whitey” is
unable to let go of his son,
while Douglas’s mother does
not want him to suffer. Douglas
passes away, and his father
returns to his criminal activity
with a new level of anger.
“Whitey” continues to
dominate Boston crime.
Alongside fellow Winter Hill
Gang members, Kevin Weeks
(Jesse Plemons) and Steve
Flemmi (Rory Cochrane), he
expands his business to other
major cities. He becomes
heavily involved in corrupt
business investments in
Miami. The FBI is still aware
of his activity, but Connolly
persuades them that Bulger’s
contributions to their case
against the Italian mafia are
more important than the “small
time” crimes he commits.
However, a new attorney
begins working for the
FBI. Fred Wyshak (Corey
Stoll) is determined to hold
Bulger responsible for his
crimes. Tensions rise between
Wy s h a k a n d C o n n o l l y
regarding whether Bulger’s
value as an informant is more
important than the crimes
that he commits. Connolly is
still on Bulger’s payroll and
has gradually become more
involved in Bulger’s crimes.
By this time, Connolly is
viewed as a corrupt agent.
Wyshak and the rest of the
FBI are working around him
to compile evidence against
Bulger. The FBI arrests
Connolly for racketeering,
obstruction of justice, and
second-degree murder.
“Whitey” disappears before
he can be arrested. He is not
found until 17 years later. The
by MALLORY CARVER
News Editor
woman’s perfume filling
the room. There is also the
occasional sound of a woman
weeping and a music box in
the former nursery. Roddy
and others try to deny the
terrifying truth, but eventually
it becomes apparent that their
new home is haunted.
They begin to take measures
to see the spirit put at peace.
Throughout their trials,
Roddy and Pam are assisted
by friends Wendy(Mercedes
Cruz), Max (Zach Judah) and
Dr.Scott (Jarrott Wiggins).
Mrs. Jessup (Chrissy Bass)
catches Roddy and Pam up on
the village gossip concerning
their new home.
They find out that not only
one, but two spirits, haunt
their home. The two spirits
are Stella’s mother and one
woman who claims to be her
mother. Stella’s mother is not
the highly esteemed Mary
Meredith. Instead, Stella’s
mother was a poor Spanish
woman who worked for the
estate. Stella and her late
mother finally find their peace
in Stella knowing the truth. But
the ghost of Mary Meredith
movie ends with photos of
“Whitey” and the Winter Hill
Gang, along with descriptions
of their crimes and sentences.
Depp’s talent for playing
darker characters was really
highlighted in “Black Mass.”
This was his best performance
yet. Many critics have
predicted that Depp will
receive a nomination for
an Academy Award for his
performance in this movie.
I certainly believe that he is
deserving of a nomination,
because he really captured both
sides of Bulger’s character, the
caring family man, as well as
the violent criminal. I think
Depp’s acting really made this
movie great.
Anyone who appreciates
great acting, as well as anyone
who likes crime movies, would
really enjoy “Black Mass.” It
balances violence and crime
with human nature, creating a
really interesting story.
This movie was everything
I had hoped it would be. It
told the story of “Whitey”
and The Winter Hill Gang and
their elevation to powerful
professional criminals, as well
as the corruption of the FBI, in
a captivating and entertaining
way. I give “Black Mass” five
out of five stars.
pgandy7857@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Performance of ‘The Uninvited’
sets stage for Halloween season
Spine-chilling ghost stories
and haunted houses are just
what the month of October
calls for.
The theatre students at
South Plains College recently
performed the thrilling ghost
story, “The Uninvited,” in the
Helen DeVitt Jones Theatre
from Oct. 15-Oct.17.
D i r e c t e d b y D r. D a n
Nazworth, the play was a
spooky ghost story—perfect
for this Halloween season.
“The Uninvited” takes
place in the 1930s in Great
Britain. It begins with Roddy
(Dakota Crump) and his
sister, Pam (Kasidee Young),
buying a house that has been
uninhabited for 15 years. In
the very beginning of the play,
they are introduced to the
house by a young girl named
Stella (Cori Overstreet), whose
mother once governed the
estate before dying in a tragic
accident. Stella is in love with
her late mother’s house, and is
ecstatic that Roddy and Pam
are purchasing it from her.
The SPC cast of ‘The Uninvited” in the Helen Devitt
Jones Theatre on Oct. 17. (Left to right) front: Claire
Thompson, Nikki Rodriguez, Mercedes Cruz, Cori
Overstreet, Joey Murillo, Jarrott Wiggins, Chrissy
Bass. Back: Zack Judah, Dakota Crump, Kasidee
Young
MALLORY CARVER/PLAINSMAN PRESS
Upon moving in, Roddy
and Pam are welcomed by
unusual occurrences in their
new home. They have random
bouts of chill that freeze them
to the bone, along with the
overwhelming aroma of a
is not happy that she has
been found out. Roddy talks
Mary down, and forces her to
leave her former estate. Then,
the house and its newfound
inhabitants are left in peace.
Stella Meredith must
overcome an overbearing
grandfather, Commodore
Brook (Joey Murillo), and
her seemingly heartless
nurse, Miss Holloway (Nikki
Rodriguez). Commodore
Brook goes out of his way to
keep Stella from visiting her
mother’s former estate, but she
feels an overwhelming pull to
return to the ancient house.
Kasidee Young, said she
enjoyed her part in the play
because it gave her a chance
to step out of her comfort zone.
“My favorite thing about
my character is that she’s
so unlike me,” says Young.
“That made it so much more
challenging.”
The comedic relief mostly
comes from the household
maid, Lizzie Flynn (Claire
Thompson).The Irish maid
was said to have raised the
siblings. As a motherly figure,
she criticizes the pair each
time she catches them trying
to contact the ghost. As a
superstitious Irish woman,
Lizzie finds tarot cards and
seances to be a particularly evil
practice. The crowd laughed
nearly every time Lizzie came
on stage.
“The Uninvited” was a
perfect pick for this season. It
offered the perfect amount of
spookiness with the slightest
touch of humor. The director
knew what he was doing when
he picked the cast—each one
was incredible. Each cast
member was able to engross
the crowd with his or her part.
I saw the show performed all
four nights. I was never bored
watching. Each night, a new
bit of humor was added, and
the cast kept up a high energy
throughout the performance.
As a whole, I think this
play was very well done. I
would give “The Uninvited,”
as performed by the SPC cast,
five out of five stars.
mcarver8955@students.
southplainscollege.edu
12
Entertainment
October 26, 2015
Plainsman Press
Varied music performances attract diverse crowd at ACL festival
by SERGIO MADRID
Staff Writer
AUSTIN ­Only a chosen few
events around the world bring
together people from every
corner of the world. Austin
City Limits is what gives
Austin, Texas the name “The
music capitol of the world”.
One of the few places on
earth that is truly accepting of
all people of all ages is Austin,
Texas. The world famous
festival ACL is a product
of the town’s equality. A
walkthrough the festival you
will spot visitors from almost
every state, travelers from
across the globe, and persons
as young as infants and as old
as your great grandmother.
If you arrive early you have
an advantage to get into the
festival without much wait,
and find a great vantage point
for the early bands, but with
four stages it will become
difficult to find that front row
seat and as the day grows old
The festival begins to
settle in for the final act and
ninety-five percent of all
participants pack
it in for the might
“Foo Fighters.”
Despite injury
to his right foot
lead singer Dave
Grohl manages
to put together an
energetic show that
featured local artist
like Gary Clark Jr.
and of course with
two hours Grohl
made it a point to
play all fan favorites
such as “Hero” and
“Learn to Fly.”
The show ends
and chances are you
lost all your friends,
which in my opinion
is the best part of
the festival, because
you can all meet up at any
point in Austin. Whether it’s
a late night snack from In ‘n
Out Burger or a drink down
on either Rainey Street or 6th
Street you are guaranteed a
good time.
smadrid2508@students.
southplainscollege.eud
keep a video log of every aspect
of his time on Mars, creating a
bond between Watney and the
audience.
Watney begins to ration the
food left in the Hab, quickly
realizing that he does not
have enough to last very long.
Being a botanist, he decides to
put his mind to work. With a
determined mindset, he begins
creating a crop-like area to
grow potatoes.
This creative astronaut goes
through many different steps
to grow food. He uses his
own waste as fertilizer, and
creates water with hydrogen,
oxygen, and fire. After a few
comical trials, to the audience’s
songwriter Leon Bridges. you will find yourself outside Tacos there’s something for
Bridges will make you want to of your body and what better you to enjoy.
dance like no one is watching place to that then in Austin.
After you’ve received your
the same
way James
Brown and
Ray Charles
did before
him. Though
Bridges can
deliver Gospel
just as well, his
song “River”
comes highly
recommended.
If Rock
and Soul still
doesn’t quite
cut it for you
then possibly
the relaxing and
psychedelic
sound is more
your style. If
that’s the case Tame Impala prepares for performance at Austin City Limits on Oct. 9.
you can count SERGIO MADRID/PLAINSMAN PRESS
on Australian pop sensation
The day continues you’ve fill you can continue to enjoy
“Tame Impala” to provide just seen some great performances great music from artists old
that. With their diminished and met people from all over, and new Billy Idol is a notable
riffs and super high vocals but now you’re hungry and artists from a time ago, and
looking for some H2O. Lucky Gary Clark Junior a musician
for you there are water fill in our time who has made a
up stations every other step name for himself as a blues
and a massive food court that genius, being an Austin native
offers a variety of local dishes, Clark was greatly praised for
from Stubbs Barbecue, to Fish his melodies.
surprise, a sprout begins to
grow. With that, Watney looks
at the camera once again and
says, “I don’t want to come
off as arrogant here, but I’m
the greatest botanist on this
brass knuckles. Jacob always
by RILEY GOLDEN
planet.”
has these at the ready and is
Watney puts his mind to the Staff Writer
prepared for any rival gang
test multiple times throughout
member to come at him. But,
L
o
n
d
o
n
,
1
8
8
6
.
T
h
e
this film. From creating a
just in case things get a little
Industrial
revolution
has
connection to NASA, to
figuring out how to stay warm sparked an intense age of rocky, Jacob has his small
without using up his suit’s inventions, technology, and kukri blade tucked away.
At this time in London, it
energy, it keeps you power.
had
become illegal to carry
Too
much
power
is
in
too
at the edge of your
any
weapons
in the city, which
many of the wrong hands. But,
seat.
N o t o n l y i s still, “it’s a bloody marvelous is why gangsters and the like
“ T h e M a r t i a n ” time to be alive…” says main had to make the transition
to smaller weapons, or more
a c t i o n - p a c k e d , protagonist, Jacob Frye.
th
In Ubisoft’s 10 installment concealed weapons, such as
it is hilarious all
the way through. of the “Assassin’s Creed” the cane sword. Jacob also
With quotes like, franchise, “Assassin’s
“I admit it’s fatally Creed Syndicate,” the
dangerous, but I’d player has the option
get to fly around to take control of
like Iron Man,” Jacob or Evie Frye,
Wa t n e y k e e p s twin siblings who
his wit through have been raised in the
it all, making the ways of the Assassin
audience laugh in Brotherhood and are
nearly every scene. now on a mission to
I recommend this movie bring justice to the
to anyone and everyone corrupt government
who enjoys a great film. It is of London. Aided by
perfect for a date night, or just the gangs of London,
a night out with the girls. Due J a c o b a n d E v i e
to foul language from Watney, will build their own gang
I would not advise children to empire and forcefully take carries a classic six-shooter.
back the city. There are many And who can forget about the
see this move.
Despite that, this is the approaches one could take to assassins’ signature weapon,
best film I have seen in a long fight against the corruption of the hidden blade (a retractable
time. All in all, I give “The London, and this is exemplified blade that is attached at the
Martian” 5 out of 5 stars, in the ability to play as two forearm)!?
Evie also wields a hidden
completely different assassins.
hands down.
Jacob is thought to be the blade and cane sword, but she
more aggressive and carefree is the more thoughtful and
of the twins, which will make patient of the two, usually
playing as him a blast. Jacob’s opting to take the sneakier
aggressiveness is accentuated approach.
jcox3691@students.southA s id e f r o m th e b r as s
through his weapons of choice.
plainscollege.edu
First and foremost are his knuckles and cane sword,
features 12 songs that are sure
to leave a great impression on
listeners.
Throughout New Years
Day’s career, it seems that
they are getting better with
each album. “Malevolence”
has definitely proven this. With
this album, fans get to hear
the eerie, yet melodic sound
that New Years Day has been
known for throughout their
last EP, “Epidemic,” and their
previous full-length album,
“Victim to Villain.”
However, New Years Day
has taken their iconic sound to
another level with this new
album. Throughout the album,
there are so many different
hard-hitting songs with low
guitar riffs that capture the
perfect dark sensation for
listeners. This album shows
how much New Years Day
has grown and matured since
their formation in 2005. As I
listened to this album, I could
tell how hard the band worked
to make “Malevolence” the
best that it could possibly be
just by the sound of the album
alone.
The album starts off with
slow and mysterious beginning
but gets heavier as the song
goes along. “Anthem of the
Unwanted” is a song full of
chant-worthy lyrics, giving
you a feeling of powerment.
My favorite song of the
record is “Alone.” This song
has such a catchy chorus that
includes a vocal riff I catch
myself singing in my head
throughout the day.
The album, as a whole, is
the perfect representation of
New Years Day as a band,
and how well they can create
music.
If you are a fan of heavier
music, and you are looking
for your next favorite band,
give New Years Day’s album,
“Malevolence,” a try. For me,
this album will definitely be on
repeat for a while on my iPod.
I cannot get enough of it.
I give this album a 5 out
of 5 stars.
you’ll find yourself pushing and
shoving as everyone fights for
the best spot, just stay clear of
the mosh pits.
The day starts off with some
monster vocals from Meg
Meyers who has a sweetheart
look to her, but will deliver
a voracious and possessive
performance that will both
inspire and devour your
emotions. Especially when
performing her new song
“Sorry.”
After Myers was an electric
performance put on by Royal
Blood. Formed in Brighton,
United Kingdom, this two piece
band consist of lead singer
and bassist Mike Kerr, and
Drummer Ben Thatcher. The
thing about these two musicians
is that they give a sound that
can audibly out do any Rock
group out there today.
If Rock ‘n Roll isn’t your
style then maybe you’d like
to groove along with the
soulful serenade produced
from Georgia’s own singer-
Damon masters role as brave
astronaut in ‘The Martian’
by JESSICA COX
Staff Writer
Imagine a child in a grocery
store, unable to find his mother.
That child would urgently
search for his mother, feeling
struck with the fear of
abandonment.
Now imagine that same
feeling, but being stranded on
a desolate planet, knowing that
it will be years until someone
returns.
I imagine
that’s how Mark
Watney felt in
“The Martian.”
This movie is
centered around
Matt Damon’s
character,
Watney, a NASA
astronaut who
gets left behind
on Mars and is
forced to make
the most of his
resources to
s u r v i v e . Ye s ,
it seems far
fetched, but this movie is
worth the 141 minutes of
screen time.
Watney is with his crew
during their time on Mars
when a fierce storm threatens
their mission. In fear that
their shuttle would tip over
due to the violent winds, they
are forced to abandon their
work and leave immediately.
On the way back to the
shuttle, Watney is knocked
unconscious by flying debris,
cutting off his communication
from his crew. His crewmates
look for Watney for as long as
they can, but they are pressed
to leave. Without hope of
his survival, they begin their
journey back to Earth, leaving
Watney behind.
Wa t n e y
regains
consciousness the next
morning, impaled by an
antennae. The blood seeping
from his wound, mixed with
the blowing sand, served as
a sealant to his suit, being
the reason that he survived.
After performing a makeshift
surgery on himself to remove
the debris, Watney begins to
‘Syndicate’ has potential to restore
‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise
there’s another gadget being
added to the two assassins’
arsenals: the Rope Launcher.
So far, Ubisoft has shown off
the rope launcher in a number
of escape scenarios. But I
cannot wait to get my hands
on it and figure out how to use
it in combat.
“Assassin’s Creed” has
been my favorite video game
series since I played the very
first one, so I’m excited for
every release. That being said,
last year’s “Assassin’s Creed
Unity” was a large,
community-wide
disappointment,
and I’m hoping that
“Syndicate” will not
turn out the same
way.
From
the
gameplay that I
have seen, it looks
like Ubisoft might
have gotten a little
lazy, because the
buildings look
a little recycled
from “Unity” to
“Syndicate.” Other than that,
I’m not too skeptical of the
game, largely because all of
the hands-on impressions are
astounding.
“ A s s a s s i n ’s C r e e d
Syndicate” hit shelves on
October 23, and you can find
my review of it in the next
issue.
rgolden3411@students.southplainscollege.edu
‘Malevolence’ showcases melodic style, dark sensations
by HANNAH NELSON
Staff Writer
New Years Day’s newest
album is hard-hitting and full
of songs that are perfect for
head banging in the pit at a
show, or shameless bathroom
mirror singing.
“Malevolence” was
released on Oct. 2 through
Another Century records. It
was produced by Erik Ron,
who has worked with many
different bands, including
Bless the fall, Motionless in
White, and Escape the Fate,
among others. The album
the single, “Kill or Be Killed,”
which the band released early
this summer while they were
on the Vans Warped tour. This
song is a perfect start to the
album. It begins with a piano
playing slowly, building a
creepy tone, until the guitars
come in full and loud. I also
believe that it was a nice touch
to have a song most fans were
already familiar with start the
album.
As the album goes on, there
are many different songs that
catch my attention. One of
the songs, “Left Inside,” has a
hnelson3716@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Sports
Plainsman Press
13
October 26, 2015
Cross country teams continue strong performances at NMJC Open
Mexico Junior College Open.
The teams were in Hobbs,
N.M., on Oct. 9 to compete
The South Plains College in the NMJC Open at Harry
men’s and women’s cross McAdams Park.
country teams had a dominatAfter a tough meet in Stilling performance at the New water, Okla., running against
NCAA Division I competition, the
SPC men’s
cross country
team dominated the
field at the
NMJC Open,
placing first
overall in the
team standings with a
total time of
2:05:18. The
men swept
the first five
spots in the
individual
standings,
giving them a
perfect score
of 15 points.
Lubbock
Christian
University
placed second in the
Kassidi Jones running at SPC’s practeam standings with 82
tice field Oct. 21. MATT MOLINAR/
points and a
PLAINSMAN PRESS
total time of
by JOSHUA RAMIREZ
Sports Editor
and a score
2:15:19. Ranger College
of 42 points.
placed third at the meet with
Coming in
a score of 91 points.
second at
Sophomore Hassan Abdi
the meet was
led the Texans once again,
host school
finishing the 8,000-meter
New Mexico
course in a time of 23:51.2
Junior Coland placing first overall at
lege with
the meet.
a time of
The next Texan runner
1:42.46 and
to complete the course was
85 points.
sophomore Kelvin Keter
Lubbock
with a time of 25.08.4, placChristian
ing second overall.
placed third
Just a few seconds beas a team
hind Keter was freshman
with a total
Nicholas Rotich with a time
of 86 points.
of 25:17.7, finishing third
Freshman
overall.
Sasha-Gay
The final two runners
W h y t e
to finish, completing the
placed first
sweep for the Texans, were
for the Lady
freshmen Deric Martinez
Texans for
and Jose Silva, with times
the second
of 25:28.5 and 25:32.6,
respectively, and placing Hassan Abdi prepares for the next meet on Oct. consecutive
week, comfourth and fifth overall.
21 MATT MOLINAR/PLAINSMAN PRESS
pleting the
The women’s cross country team returned to Hobbs
for the second consecutive
week to compete in the NMJC
Open.
The SPC women placed
The women had a good
fourth overall in the team by STEVEN GEHEGAN
showing
in the events, finishstandings with a score of 124 Staff Writer
ing third overall in the point
points, and a time of 1:45:58.
Sophomore Shay Spitz had standings with 160 points
Eastern New Mexico placed the best showing and came
overall. Spitz gained all of the
first overall in the team stand- away with first place after a
160 points for the women’s
ings with a time of 1:39:32 strong solo performance at the
rodeo team.
Frank Phillips rodeo.
In the barrel racing event,
The South Plains College Spitz posted a time of 17.04
men’s and women’s rodeo seconds in the long run and
teams competed at the Frank 17.29 seconds in the short run
Phillips rodeo, which was held to finish first overall. It was
on Oct.8- Oct.10.
by JOSHUA RAMIREZ
Sports Editor
Professional sports have
always had a strong sense of
pride and attachment from its
fans.
But at what point does
passion spill over and become
violence, putting innocent
spectators at risk?
A tragic incident took place
outside The Dallas Cowboys
football stadium in Arlington,
Texas when a fan was shot and
killed during an altercation
after the New England Patriots’ victory against the Dallas
Cowboys on Oct. 11.
Though this incident may
be the most recent, it’s only
one in a long line of violent
acts that have happened in pro
sports settings in past years.
jramirez5196@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Spitz places first at Frank Phillips rodeo
Rivalry leads to acts of violence by
fans at professional sports events
Just last season, there were
two incidents in Denver, one
of which ended with three
stabbing victims.
A few months before the
incident in Denver, a teenager
was attacked by a 29-year-old
male at Candlestick Park in
San Fransico, after the 49ers
lost to the Colts 27-7 on Sept.
22 2013.
It’s true pro sports have
become a source of extreme
passion, frustration, and animosity for fans and rivals. But
the violence in the stands is not
something that is ever justified.
The bottom line is that we
are watching games that, in
the grand scheme of things,
really don’t matter at all. If
your favorite team losses, it’s
not going to keep you from
paying your bills, or taking
care of your kids, or yourself.
These fans who cannot keep
their emotions in check and
react with violence against
others have lost all sense of
perspective in a environment
that amplifies their passion,
anger, and sometimes even
heart break, to levels that causes common sense to fly out the
window and bad decisions to
be made.
Stadiums and arenas across
all professional leagues have
increased security in the past
few years in an attempt to
bring the situation under control. But when it really comes
5,000-meter course with a time
of 19:43.6 and placing sixth
overall at the meet.
The next runner to finish
for SPC was freshman Heather
Maldonado, who finished 19th
overall with a time of 20:41.2.
The next two women to finish for SPC were sophomore
Kassidi Jones and freshman
Megan Kinsey, with times of
21:23.2 and 21:43.2, respectively, finishing 28th and 31st
overall.
The final runner to score
was freshman Mya Perez, who
posted a time of 22:27.2 and
finishing 40th overall.
The men’s and women’s
cross country teams were off
for a week before competing
on Oct. 24 at home in the South
Plains College Invitational in
Levelland.
down to it, the only people
who can fix this problem are
the fans.
Sports rivalries aside, what
pro sports fans need to understand is that they are not
on the team. The team does
not care about them, and the
outcome for the team really
doesn’t affect anything other
than the amount of time you
are likely to spend in front of
the television.
A man was shot and killed
after the Cowboys-New England game, so who else was
there with him? Did a child
have to watch his or her father
die because of a football game?
Or maybe a child never got to
meet the man who would have
been his father. When you take
into account those things, is it
really worth it?
Is it really worth it for
someone to lose a father, son,
brother, or any other significant other because of the final
score of a football game?
These things are just a few
of the possible ripple effect of
these acts of violence. It seems
that fans are beginning to lose
the ability to see past the color
of a jersey to recognize that
there are people who actually
matter wearing them.
jramirez5196@students.
southplainscollege.edu
the only first place-finish for
the men’s and women’s teams.
The men’s rodeo team did
not score any points in the
overall standings.
Grady Egly competed in
steer wrestling, finishing the
long run in 5.4 seconds and
failing to complete the short
run.
sgehegan2284@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Cameron McCarley practices roping a calf at SPC Rodeo Arena on Oct. 13
PAMELA GANDY/PLAINSMAN PRESS
14
Sports
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Passion for track, coaching pushes Beene to be best
the coaches couldn’t coach in
practice, because they were too
spread out, I would go over
and help them. So I started
coaching naturally in practice,
because I think that’s just what
was inside me.”
After graduating from ASU
with a master’s degree in kinesiology, Beene moved on to his
first job at Texas A&M-Kingsville as a graduate assistant.
“I went down there with
a guy named AJ Moore,”
said Beene. “AJ got the head
coaching job down there and
took me with him.”
Beene had originally intended to stay at A&M-Kingsville for an extended period
of time, but another life event
would eventually steer him in a
different direction once again.
During his time at Kingsville, Beene got married to
college girlfriend and fellow
ASU athlete, Dr. Corye Beene,
who is now a history professor
at SPC, and eventually had two
children, a daughter named
Faith and a son named Sage.
Shortly after their marriage,
Corye Beene received an opportunity with the HEB grocery chain, which forced Chris
to once again change his plans.
After just one semester at
Kingsville, Beene had to leave
when his wife was transferred
explained Beene. “He actually
sat down with me and interviewed me there.”
After a trip to the Big 12
After 21 years of coaching,
Championship with TTU,
South Plains College head
Beene took the job as head
track and field coach Chris
coach at Wayland.
Beene remains unrelenting in
In two years as the head
his pursuit to be the best.
track and field coach at WBU,
Beene was born in LubBeene was able to win the first
bock, Texas, and attended
conference title for the univerLubbock Cooper High School.
sity in more than a decade, and
As a young man, he comset the track and field program
peted in a wide range of events
up for future success.
in track and field and was good
“We won the conference tienough to eventually compete
tle with the men, and there had
on a collegiate level at Angelo
not been a conference title won
State University, even garnerthere in over 10 years,” said
ing All-American honors as a
Beene. “I wasn’t there long
decathlete in 1991.
enough to build it to where it
“I competed in about evwas a national powerhouse,
erything,” recalls Beene. “I
but we got it moving in the
did hurdles, jumps, threw the
right direction.”
discus, and ran relays. I did a
Beene was right about setlot of different stuff.”
ting the WBU program on
Beene began his college
the right course, as just a few
education as a computer sciyears after his departure, Brian
ence major, and enrolled in
Whitlock, whom Beene had
the ROTC program at ASU,
hired as an assistant coach,
intent on becoming an Air
led the program to a national
Force pilot. Unfortunately,
championship.
an unforeseen circumstance
During Beene’s second year
would arise that changed the
at WBU, he had interviewed
course of Beene’s life.
with SPC for a head coaching
“I just kinda realized that
position, but says in the beginwasn’t going to work out for
ning he was only using the opme,” Beene explained. “They
portunity at SPC to strengthen
cut down the pilot slots drahis program at WBU.
matically that year. So getting
“At first, I was using
my interview here hoping
that Wayland would begin
to give me more scholarships,“ said Beene. I was
using it as leverage.”
But once he visited
SPC, Beene knew it was
a better place for him, and
decided to take the job.
“I realized when I came
to South Plains College
that everything was better,” explained Beene.
“I had a better chance to
recruit here, and get kids
that were more talented,
and I had a better scholarship situation. It’s like the
vision opened up.”
After accepting the
head coaching job at SPC,
Beene made good use of
his improved situation and
began building a track program that is considered a
powerhouse in the National Junior College Athletic
Association today.
As a former NCAA
Division I coach, Beene
took a different approach
to recruiting, using his
relationships with other
NCAA coaches as a tactic
to find quality athletes.
This helped Beene be
successful at SPC.
Chirs Beene keeps an eye on workouts as the SPC Track on
“I just spent two years
developing relationships
Oct. 20. DEVIN REYNA/PLAINSMAN PRESS
with NCAA Division
I schools,” explained
into the Air Force and becom- to Abilene for her job. For the Beene. “When they run across
ing a pilot was going to be next four years, Beene spent kids who have to come to
his time volunteering as a junior college first, they have
really difficult.”
With the realization that his coach at Abilene Christian to send them somewhere. I
original plan was not going to while trying to get his career approached it different than
other junior college coaches,
work out, Beene began prepar- started.
After four years at ACU, and I think that’s why we’ve
ing for what would eventually
be an extremely successful ca- Beene was able to lock up a been so successful.”
Beene’s recruiting strategy
reer coaching track and field. job as an assistant coach at
Texas
Tech
University,
where
has paid off 10-fold for the
“I started thinking about
what I wanted to do,” said he and his fellow coaches had SPC track program.
SPC has a combined total
Beene. “I kinda enjoyed be- their work cut out for them
ing out there on the track and rebuilding a struggling track of 40 national championships,
including 38 in track and field
helping other athletes on the and field program.
“It started out pretty rough,” or cross country competition.
team. I realized that I wanted
recalls Beene. “They were terSince his arrival in Levelto coach.”
Although Beene had been rible. It took about four years land Beene’s teams have won
blind-sided by an unpredict- to move into the top half of the 30 NJCAA titles, including
the men’s NJCAA Outdoor
able event that put his life conference.”
While coaching at TTU, National Championship for
on a different course than he
intended, he says his decision Beene heard about the head eight consecutive seasons.
to coach was affected by a coaching opportunity at Way- They also captured the men’s
passion that had always been land Baptist University. After Indoor championships in 2007,
a few phone calls, he got an 2009, and 2013, and women’s
a part of him.
NJCAA Outdoor National
“I just wanted to do some- interview.
“The
athletic
director
over
Championship 2009-2012,
thing I was passionate about,”
said Beene. “I love track and at Wayland actually came over and 2014.
During the 2014-2015 seafield. If there were athletes that to the airport in Lubbock,”
by JOSHUA RAMIREZ
Sports Editor
“We get kids that come
“I don’t think the Lord has
son, Beene coached the men’s
and women’s track teams to the opened a door there yet,” said from really rough backgrounds
NJCAA Indoor National titles, Beene. “I’m going to go where sometimes,” says Beene. “I’ve
and swept both the men’s and God puts me, and I feel like had kids come through here
against all odds and get their
women’s Outdoor National championships,
racking up seven individual and relay
championships. Also
24 athletes earned
All-American honors.
As the perfect exclamation point to
a successful season,
Beene was honored
with the Men’s and
Women’s Indoor and
Outdoor National
Coach of the Year
awards for 2015.
A f t e r 11 y e a r s
with SPC, Beene has
done just about everything when it comes
to winning titles and
setting records. But
even after his success,
Beene’s unrelenting
passion for winning
remains as strong as
ever. However, it’s a
different feeling that
pushes Beene to be
the best he can.
“What drives me is
my absolute hatred of
losing,” said Beene.
“I always tell people it’s not enough to
want to win, because Chris Beene coaches track athletes Robert Dunning (left) Cordell
everybody wants to Richardson, and Jokerious Code (right) during a practice on Oct.
win. The people that 20. DEVIN REYNA/PLAINSMAN PRESS
are actually successful in what they do
are the people who absolutely the Lord is not done with me degree. To see kids that society
has said aren’t going to make it
yet here.”
despise losing.”
With 21 years under his belt out, we’ve had kids come here
After what Beene has been
able to accomplish at the junior as an assistant and head coach, and prove that wrong. I think
college level, it only seems and with no end in sight, there that’s the most fulfilling thing,
logical that he would return to is no telling what Beene will coaching wise, especially here
NCAA Division I competition accomplish in coaching track at South Plains College.”
as a head coach at some point. and field. But what Beene says
But Beene says that the right he is most excited about is
opportunity has not come yet, his opportunity to help young
and believes that he is still kids and change their lives and jramirez5196@students.
southplainscollege.edu
futures for the better.
meant to be at SPC.
15
Sports
Plainsman Press
October 26, 2015
Dolphins should remodel franchise after departure of head coach
by STEVEN GEHEGAN
Staff Writer
The Miami Dolphins recently fired their head coach
after winning just one of the
first four games.
Joe Philbin has not had
much success through his first
three seasons, only winning
eight games in his best season. With this track record,
why did the Dolphins decide
to fire Philbin now? The Dolphins have a talented team on
paper, with a decent defense
and talent on offense.
There were a lot of issues
with the Dolphins’ coaching
ability, starting with the team’s
quarterback, Ryan Tannehill,
failing to take a step forward
after his third season. There
could be other reasons, such as
Philbin not being the offense
guru they
thought
he would
be, or that
Tannehill
still has
not learned
how to be
a leader.
There
are reports
that have
questioned
Tannehill’s leadership that could also push his
team away. Then it could just
be an issue with the lack of
chemistry Tannehill has with
his wide receivers. With Mike
Wallace gone and the addition
of three new wide receivers
and a new starting tight end,
it could have been Tannehill
just getting used to wide receivers for the reason he took
a step back. But it falls on the
shoulders of Philbin to get the
team up to speed each week.
Another problem with the
Dolphins is
their inability to run the
ball, which has
been an issue
all of the season Philbin has
been with the
Dolphins. With
the passing
game working
better in the
past few years,
it was covering
up for a weak
running game. Now the Dolphins cannot move the ball or
score points.
Then there is the Dolphins
defense, which has been as-
tonishingly bad through the
first four games. The defense
addition of Ndamukong
Suh, the Dolphins’ defen-
was built up to be one of the
best in the National Football
League, but it has not lived
up to the hype.
One of the main problems
for the Dolphins, which was
supposed to be a strength, is
their defensive line. With the
sive line was supposed to
add strength to the defense
and help improve it. With
the big paycheck that Suh
is making, he needs to help
the defense, not act like
he is not showing up. Of
course, that is not the only
problem with the Dolphins.
Their secondary has been a
real weakness of this
defense, this year.
The Dolphins have
had a lot of problems
this year, whether the
cause has been a lack of
motivation, or if it was
problem with the Dolphins scheme. Not all
of the problems have
been because of the
head coach. Some of
it falls on the players’
shoulders.
The blame still fell
on Philbin, and perhaps
his firing was a way
of sending a message
to the rest of the Dolphins. Things need to
change with the Dolphins
organization, or more people
will lose their jobs.
sgehegan2284@students.
southplainscollege.edu
UIL punishment fair for coaches in controversial hit on referee
told.” Both players regret the
incident and have been placed
in an alternative school.
Ever since the incident
for incidents like this before
the school year began.
Before the second hearing, John Jay assistant coach
occurred on Sept. 4, the University Interscholastic League,
the Marble Falls Police Department, the Texas Association of Sports Officials and the
Northside Independent School
District have all launched
their own investigations. With
hearings being held monthly,
the UIL has been very patient
with investigation reports and
created a sports official board
Mack Breed resigned from
coaching. During the Oct.
15 hearing, the UIL voted
unanimously to suspend
Breed from extra-curricular
activities for two years. After
not attending the hearing in
September, Breed attended
the Oct. 15 hearing so he
could “clear his name,” asking for another chance while
in tears. Breed also claimed
by NICK ALVARADO
Editorial Assistant
In early September, a controversial hit on a referee
made headlines across the
nation.
Two players from John Jay
High School in San Antonio
intentionally hit a referee.
The Marble Falls Police Department launched their own
investigation as soon the
incident was reported.
In an interview with
“Good Morning America”
on Sept. 18, both John Jay
players stated in the interview
that “I was doing what I was
that he said expletives out
loud. Also testifying in the
meeting would be referee
Robert Watts. Watts would
state that he “never used
any racial
slurs at
anyone,”
during the
game and
“never
heard any
racial slurs
from players.”
T h e
UIL also
voted to
publicly
reprimand
the head
coach of
John Jay,
Gary Gutierrez, and place him on
probation for two years. The
TASO also made a statement
on their investigation, stating that “After interviewing
20 people, no one has been
able to confirm that anyone
used a racial slur.” The
TASO also stated that they
found “no fault concerning
Watts.”
As the head coach came
up to the stand, the UIL
committee stated that, “he
let the issue get out of hand
and should have taken responsibility. Gutierrez stated
that “he is looking back on
the incident to learn from
it.”
All in all, the UIL did
what they needed to in order to be thorough in the
investigations that the TASO,
Northside Independent
School District and the Marble Falls Police Department
conducted and deliver the
punishments
that were
necessary
for both the
coaches and
the players.
With the Marble Falls Police investigation ongoing,
it is unknown
whether the
players will
face assault
charges.
People on
social media
are against
the players
being placed in an alternative school. But we should
all recognize the hard job
the referees have in calling
a game. All officials are not
perfect, but they try their
best. to call a great game.
nalvarado4531@students.
southplainscollege.edu
Texas Tech defeats Iowa State 66-31
in Lubbock on Oct. 17
photos by SKYLAR HERNANDEZ/PLAINSMAN PRESS
Spotlight
16
October 26, 2015
Plainsman Press
Maize Runner...
Family business becomes seasonal tradition
by JAYCEE CALDWELL
Staff Writer
A crop of corn has been
grown, and the Simpson
family has prepared a new,
challenging maze for the
public on their farm.
Every year since 2001,
James and Patti Simpson
have created a unique type
of entertainment for people
of all ages
to enjoy
during the
fall. For
those not
interested
in walking
through
The Corn
Maize,
they have
plenty
more to
offer. The
hayride,
cow train,
shots with
the corn
cannon, a
barnyard
filled
with farm
animals,
a hay bale
maze,
and scrumptious food all
contribute to one of the most
memorable and exciting
experiences one can ever
imagine.
Also,
families
with
younger
children
wanting to
explore the
maze can
choose an
easier route
called the
Fairy Tale
Trail. This
is a smaller
maze that
includes
storyboards
to read along the way. If the
kids want to explore the big
and mighty corn maze, but
mom and dad are too tired,
then feel free to stop at the
halfway mark and take a
break!
At’l Do Farms, owned
by the Simpsons, is located
in Shallowater, Texas. The
Corn Maize, now in its
15th season,
is closed on
Mondays, but
open from
6 p.m. to 9
p.m. Tuesday
through
Friday, 10
a.m. to 9 p.m.
on Saturday,
and 2 p.m.
to 9 p.m. on
Sundays.
Horse rides
are offered
on Saturdays
and Sundays
until dusk for
$5. Hayrides
are also
available, with one leading
to a pumpkin patch where
participants can pick
pumpkins ranging from $1
to $15. The other hayride to
Pumpkin Hollow begins as
soon as the
sun sets.
More than
150 carved
pumpkins
are on the
trail to see.
Campfires
are also
available to reserve for $30.
Both of the owners grew
up from a family of farmers.
The Simpsons come up with
the design they want, and
then they send it to the maze
company in Utah to come
up with a graph pattern
for them to follow in
order to create a maze in
the corn.
After the first year with
the Maize, something new
was added the following
years. The pumpkin
patch came around the
second year, the corn
cannon the third, and
the barrel cow train the
fourth. They have had the
barnyard with
animals for
the well-known roasted
corn. They make this corn
themselves, and James
Simpson said that it is his
favorite,
although
it can
definitely
get old
after a
while.
This
year’s
design,
based
on the
painting
of
American Gothic by Grant
Wood, is James’s favorite
out of them all. He says that
he also looks forward to
meeting people every year.
“It’s gotten a lot bigger
than I ever thought it would,”
said Simpson, who added
that it has become a tradition
and livelihood.
During a recent October
weekend, some visitors were
attending for the first time,
while others were
there for their second
time this season. The
However, they
wanted their crops
to be used for
something more
than just corn to eat.
“We were looking
to diversify,” says
James Simpson.
He explained that
the idea came from a place in
Utah that they discovered in a
magazine. With the help from
the farmers in Utah, the first
maze design was a windmill.
three years, and started
hosting weddings two years
ago during offseason. A
concession stand is open
during the fall that includes
Batista family was attending
for the first time ever. The
two parents brought
along their younger
son and daughter,
Sophia. Sophia said
that she enjoyed
going through the
Maize, shooting
the corn cannon,
and riding on the
horses. She was
excited to let her
parents know that
the horse’s name
was Jack, and
that he was an old
horse.
“You get to find
your way, and
it helps you get
smart,” said Sophia
of the Maize. Sophia’s
parents said they were
looking forward to coming
back again in a few weeks
with their other son.
At the
end of the
Maize, a
couple,
Sarah and
Dalton,
had just
completed
the maze
for the first
time during
their first
visit to At’l
Do Farms.
They took
a picture to
capture the
memorable
moment of
conquering
the
challenging
maze. Both
of them are
from Corpus
Christi,
but Sarah
attends
Texas Tech
University in Lubbock,
Texas. She heard about the
Maize from other students on
campus and decided to bring
Dalton along the way to try
it out. Both of them were
smiling ear to ear as they
were on their way to catch
the hayride to the pumpkin
patch.
A group of high school
kids from the Pirate Band
at Cooper High School
were gathering near the
pond and windmill. Most
of them planned on coming
separately, but found each
other as they arrived. Most
of the students enjoyed the
Maize or the roasted corn
from the
concession
stand the
best. Some
used to
come with
family as
a yearly
tradition,
but as they
got older
they decided
to spread
the tradition
by including
friends from
school.
They
encourage
people to
make their
way out to At’l Do Farms.
If you worry about getting
lost in the Maize, do not
fret! At the very beginning,
mailboxes hold different
themed passports and a
map to help guide you
through. There are different
passports provided for a
variety of age groups. They
all have numbers 1 through
10 that ask questions. It
is advised to refer to each
number as you find it in the
maze. Whichever answer
you choose will tell you
your next steps from that
number on the corn. The
different themes of the
passports are Tiny Tots, Girl
Scouting, Movies/Music/
TV, Scriptural, and Sports,
among others. No matter
your area of knowledge, the
number marks and questions
are there to help!
Admission into the Maize
is $10. Children age 4 and
younger get
in free. Any
senior citizen
or anyone with
a college or
military ID
receives $2 off
the admission
fee.
Make your
way to At’l Do
Farms before
you miss your
chance at an
experience of
a lifetime! The
maze and other
fun activities
will close for
the season after
Nov. 14, 2015,
and will not open again until
next fall.
PHOTOS BY
GABRIELLA GAMBOA
& JAYCEE CALDWELL /
PLAINSMAN PRESS
jcaldwell2081@students.
southplainscollege.edu