Smith steps in for injured Wilson at critical point of season PAGE 5
VOL. 111 No. 13
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017
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UNT student Audacity Brew House closes after three years of business shot to death By Zaira Perez and James Norman Staff Writer and News Editor The half-brother of slain UNT student Amanda Clairmont is asking the local community to help share her story. Clairmont, a 21-year-old UNT business major, was found shot to death in a vehicle in a vacant parking lot on Sunday, Nov. 19 along the Interstate 35E service road in Corinth, according to a release from the Corinth Police Department. As of Wednesday, Corinth police had not given any updates on the investigation. No arrests have been made. Mike Gawlik, Clairmont’s half-brother, said she was with several friends on Fry Street the night of her death. The last time Gawlik spoke with Clairmont was the week before her death when she told him she was preparing for a Latin quiz. “I’m pretty numb to death, but this has taken me to a whole new level,” Gawlik said. “I just have a lot of vengeance in my heart...I want this piece of s--t busted. We all do.”
Audacity Brew House was locally owned in Denton. It closed Nov. 11. Jacob Ostermann | Staff Photographer
By Julia Falcon Senior News Writer
Amanda Clairmont | Facebook
On Nov. 11, Denton’s first microbrewery saw its last sunset. Audacity Brew House opened its doors in October 2014, introducing Denton to
locally brewed craft beers. Owned by brewmaster Doug Smith, Audacity also hosted events such as an open mic night and Karma Yoga days. Tucked away on Shady Oaks Drive, the local brews stopped being produced two weeks ago due to a clash of investors.
The taproom wasn’t making as much money as they thought and hoped they would, taproom bartender and brewer Adam Briggs said. “It’s not like they didn’t like each other, but it’s just basically disagreements, and not enough money was going through the
SEE STUDENT ON PAGE 2
UNT pushes SPOT evals By Joshua Cassidy Staff Writer With three weeks left in the semester, professors at UNT look towards SPOT evaluations to improve their future teaching endeavors. UNT has been using the evaluation system Student Perceptions of Teaching since 2015. SPOT, developed by the University of Washington, replaced the SETE as UNT’s primary teaching evaluator. The evaluations open to students each semester in the weeks leading up to finals, and they provide students with a means to detail what worked well and what didn’t in their classes each semester. Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Christy Crustinger said SPOT is of central importance to UNT as a whole. “Bottom line, the evaluations are to improve instruction,” Crustinger said. “That leads to student success. That is the purpose of SPOT.” Some students, such as biology junior Michaela Samuels, like the surveys because they provide an opportunity to give comments on their best and worst classes in a semester. “I had a difficult semester with one particular instructor,” Samuels said. “Now I make a point to complete the SPOT evaluations for the best and worst courses.” Other students are indifferent about the surveys, saying they would only do them for the extra credit. In order to combat student apathy, Crustinger details what teachers can do to incentivize the completion of each semester’s evaluations. “We encourage identification in a certain way,” Crustinger said. “We do not encourage a blanket five points for completion. However, for example, a class gives a participation rate of 75 percent, then teachers can give some points on the final exam or something of that nature.”
SEE SPOT ON PAGE 3
taproom,” Briggs said. “Initially it was supposed to be supported solely by the taproom.” After the last batch was brewed, Ben E. Keith, a foodservice distributor, stopped distributing the beer to all the local
SEE BEER ON PAGE 2
Backyard Block Party merges Sweet revenge: Football eyes local live music and visual art C-USA title in rematch with FAU By Slade Meadows Staff Writer The train horn cut through the performance of the band Honey and Salt on Friday evening as the cargo zipped along the tracks behind the colorful outdoor stage, but no one seemed to notice. The train was a staple of the venue, and it had been mentioned by musicians, comedians and other performers alike. For the regulars, it was simply another guest at Backyard on Bell. The bar Backyard on Bell hosted a three-day event over the weekend called Backyard Block Party. The event featured 25 different bands — such as Felt and Fur and LOAFERS — on two different outdoor stages, several local pop-up artists and plenty of pizza and fried chicken. “I had this date booked with a few of my friend’s bands,” said Zachariah Walker, event booker and bartender at Backyard on Bell. “We just had a whole bunch of friends kind of conglomerate... and it kind of snowballed into a threeday festival.”
With their admission wristbands on one hand and cold beers in the other, the patrons jumped across the backyard between performances, only stopping along the way to view the local artwork. This isn’t the first event that Backyard on Bell has hosted. While the venue only recently celebrated their oneyear anniversary, the bar has earned a reputation for throwing watch parties, comedy shows and live music. The venue has put on a variety of events in order to see what was best for their specific venue, but they believe they have found their identity as a music venue. “There is a big need here for a music venue [that] takes care of people and is willing to have experimental shows,” Walker said. “We could do a Planned Parenthood benefit or a dog party for the animal shelter. It’s really just whatever we think will serve the community and could be fun and a success.” Dallas-based band LOAFERS also feels the venue takes care of its musicians. “I don’t think there is anything else
SEE BACKYARD ON PAGE 4
Backyard on Bell is a music venue, truck park and bar. They recently hosted a three-day block party that consisted of live music, art and food. Victoria Nguyen | Staff Photographer
IN THIS ISSUE
NEWS
ARTS & LIFE
Greater Denton Arts Council seeks the ‘Pops’ Carter statue pg 2 The Greater Denton Arts Council has asked the city council if they can keep Tom “Pops” Carter statue. This would mean it will be surveilled and protected 24/7.
Fitness studio offers classes in pole and aerial arts pg 4 Local gym Twisted Bodies is a welcoming atmosphere for circus-inspired exercise.
By Matthew Brune Senior Sports Writer Florida Atlantic University and North Texas meet again at 11 a.m. Saturday, this time in the Conference USA championship game in Boca Raton, Florida. When these teams met in midOctober, FAU dismantled the Mean Green 69-31. Kiffin’s offense looking for repeat performance This is a high-powered offense that averages 39.8 points per game. Running back Devin Singletary has rushed for 1,632 yards on 249 carries for 26 touchdowns in a run-heavy attack, and the Owls have 1,000 more rushing yards than passing yards this season. Head coach Lane Kiffin is a fun guy who has enjoyed his first year away from Alabama at a smaller school. North Texas’ defense will once again have its hands full. “It was a humbling experience when we went to Florida,” junior linebacker E.J. Ejiya said. “We had to just put our head down and keep moving forward and block out the distractions each week to get better.”
posted solid outings last week against Rice. Smith will continue to bear the bulk of the carries as the primary back and looks forward to another challenge. “My body is good and I’m just looking forward to [more] carries,” Smith said.
SEE PREVIEW ON PAGE 5 North Texas sophomore wide receiver Jalen Guyton celebrates after a catch in a game against the University of Texas at San Antonio on October 14 at Apogee Stadium. Sara Carpenter | Senior Staff Photographer
North Texas’ injury report Senior running back Jeffery Wilson is still out, but sophomore receiver Jalen Guyton will be back after missing last week’s game against Rice. He took a big hit to the head against Army and was in concussion protocol. In place of Wilson and Guyton, freshman running back Nic Smith and senior wide receiver Turner Smiley
SPORTS Preview: Volleyball begins postseason run against Oral Roberts in Denton pg 5 After not being included in the NCAA Tournament field of 64, the Mean Green volleyball team received the top overall seed in the NIVC.
OPINION The right to bear arms pg 6 Americans have the right to own a gun, and no amount of mass shootings, as sad as they may be, should be able to take that away.
NEWS Page 2
North Texas Daily Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Reece Waddell @ReeceWaddell15 ReeceWaddell@my.unt.edu News Editor James Norman @JamesTNorman_WL JamesNorman@my.unt.edu Arts & Life Editor Abby Jones @abbyfjones28 AbigailJones3@my.unt.edu Sports Editor Brady Keane @BradyKeane BradyKeane@my.unt.edu Visuals Editor Colin Mitchell @CJHMitchell ColinMitchell@myunt.edu Opinion Editor Alec Spicer @Spicer_Alec AlecSpicer@my.unt.edu
Production Team Design Editor Julia Contarelli @ContarelliJ JuliaPaschoal@my.unt.edu Copy Chief Kayleigh Bywater @kayleighnic0le KayleighBywater@my.unt.edu Designer/Copy Editor Circe Marez @CirceMarez CirceMarez@my.unt.edu Designer/Copy Editor Kayla Davis @kaylajeann19 KaylaDavis@my.unt.edu Designer/Copy Editor Kelly Fox @kellythefox1 KellyFox2@my.unt.edu Social Media Manager Alec Spicer @Spicer_Alec AlecSpicer@my.unt.edu
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017
Denton’s first microbrewery closes BEER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
businesses who sold it. The seven main beers, four seasonal beers and three “Abbey Series” beers could be bought at local restaurants, corner markets and grocery stores. At the UNT homecoming game on Saturday, Nov. 11, Thadera Salazar sold the last two cans of Audacity’s Bulletproof Texas Pale Ale at Apogee Stadium. Salazar said Audacity was one of the more popular beers that game-goers enjoyed at the football games. “We had about three cases, and there are several beer stands around here,” Salazar said. “We sold out almost immediately [at homecoming]. I would say it is a popular beer, I am surprised it shut down.” Briggs said there was not enough foot traffic in the taproom due to the location and that shutting down was a long time coming. “Everyone is going through the stages of grief,” Briggs said. “But at this point,
especially for me, it hit me last week, ‘Oh, we’re actually closing.’” With deals like beer on tap for $2.50 on Wednesdays, Briggs said he was confused why college kids wouldn’t flock to it. “We had a great group of regulars,” Briggs said. “It’s kind of a strange thing. I guess people go where they want to go.” After their last day brewing, the only thing left to do was clean out the tanks and get ready to sell them. The beer was dumped but the freezer remained because they wanted to make sure there was enough beer on tap until the last moment. Anything extra was thrown out. Midway Craft House off Hickory Street in the Fry Street area also sells cans of Audacity and has the beer available on tap in their bar area. Madison Moore, an employee at Midway Craft House, said it didn’t seem to sell that well there either. “There were people who bought it
Audacity Brew House was locally owned in Denton. It closed Nov. 11. Jacob Ostermann | Staff Photographer because it’s a local beer,” Moore said. The dimly lit green building was filled with memorabilia and barrels of beer on display, with people around drinking beer flights and playing board games at tables. Ranger the dog lingered around the taproom like he was a customer enjoying a brew and the ambiance. The next thing for employees to do
By Sean Riedel Staff Writer UNT professor Manish Vaidya is part of a research study that may lead to an alternative to the sedation of children who are undergoing radiation therapy for cancer. Vaidya, who serves as an associate professor in the department of behavior analysis, is working with researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to develop a way to train pediatric cancer patients to stay still during radiotherapy treatments as an alternative to sedation. Currently, children undergoing radiotherapy for cancer are sedated in order to prevent movement. The children are not allowed to move more than two millimeters while undergoing radiotherapy as they risk damaging healthy cells. Steve Jiang, vice chair of Radiation Oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern and the principal investigator for this research, said he began to wonder if there was another way to keep pediatric patients still during radiotherapy. “I’ve been doing cancer research for more than 20 years,” Jiang said. “I began to notice that
for pediatric patients, we often gave general anesthesia so they can stay still.” Jiang said he once witnessed children sitting very still with their attention locked into a program onscreen, causing a lightbulb to go off in his head. “I was thinking about how to solve this problem,” Jiang said. “How could I use this phenomenon in place of general anesthesia?” The research is being funded by a $900,000 grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, which was awarded to the researchers on March 1, 2016. Jiang applied for the grant and was searching for behavioral experts on how to actually do the training to keep kids still. He then contacted Vaidya. “This grant is just for the clinical development, so it’s for us to develop technologies, for us to develop the training protocols,” Vaidya said. “And then hopefully the next grant will be the clinical grant which actually will involve kids with cancer, undergoing actual radiation therapy.” Graduate student Maria Otero, who works with Vaidya, said they are working on perfecting their methods before going further with trials.
Business Director Adam Reese 940-565-4265 Adam.Reese@unt.edu
Faculty Adviser Gary Ghioto 940-891-6722 Gary.Ghioto@unt.edu Researcher Manish Vaidya and student researcher Maria Oteroare are working with other researchers at Northwestern University on an alternative to the sedation of children while undergoing radiation treatment. Brigitte Zumaya | Staff Photographer
“These kiddos, we don’t want to have them spend an hour when our procedures aren’t perfect,” Otero said. “If they’re there just to be at the hospital, they don’t need to be there any longer than we want them to be.” Otero completed her undergraduate at UNT and spent a year in Vaidya’s lab doing other research work before joining the team. The system works in that pediatric patients sit on a table and look up at a screen that features some sort of program. The program is meant to hold their attention. On the side of the screen are three lights: green, yellow and red. Vaidya said the training may not work for all children, and that some will still have to be sedated during treatment as they cannot risk damaging healthy cells. If the child remains still, the light stays green and the program continues to run. If the child begins to move, the light will move to yellow, and if the child moves outside of clinical parameters the light becomes red and the program stops. The program acts as a motivator for the child to remain still. The children undergoing radiotherapy, which itself is actually painless, are likely receiving the treatment six days a week, for anywhere between three to six weeks at a time, Vaidya said. “It turns out that 95 percent of the cancers that kids get...are in the upper body,” Vaidya said. “Most them in the head, neck or upper torso area, so those are the areas we’re focusing on. We can isolate the head movements and specifically the torso movements.” Vaidya said there are several compelling reasons to create this alternative to sedation, such as allowing them to eat, helping their relationships with their families, making their bodies healthier and more prone to recovery from radiotherapy. “All this trouble they’re going through is just for the sedation, and the only reason we’re doing the sedation is to keep them still,” Vaidya said. “If we could just find another way to keep them still, we could avoid the nastiest part of this treatment...which is actually preparing for the treatment.”
@SeanRidel
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS UNT Career Connect ePortfolio helps students in job markets UNT Career Connect recently launched a free ePortfolio that allows students to document real-world experiences and marketable skills to improve their chances when job-searching or pursuing an advanced degree, according to a press release from the university. Through the ePortfolio, students can build and archive a digital collection of career-related experiences such as internships, volunteering and research. Students can access their ePortfolio though their my.unt account.
was find new jobs, which Briggs already secured at a brewery in Pilot Point. “It is a bummer because it is such a cool and unique place where you can come in and there’s no overbearing vibe,” Briggs said. “We have people of all kinds here. I wish it was staying around.”
@falconjulia22
Professor developing alternative to Brother of slain UNT sedation of pediatric cancer patients student asks for
Illustrator Max Raign @maxothelioma MaxRaign@my.unt.edu
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UNT associate dean named to prominent women engineering board
UNT earns international MarCom awards for excellence
The Women in Engineering ProActive Network named Nandika D’Souza, the UNT College of Engineering’s associate dean for undergraduate studies, to its board of directors, according to a press release from the university. D’Souza said she likes being on boards that help grow her awareness of what needs to be changed. “Women in academia need to realize it’s not what you’re doing, it’s what the workplace is giving you,” she said.
The UNT Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing received several MarCom Awards for excellence in promotional materials, according to a press release from the university. URCM earned a platinum award, two gold awards and an Honorable Mention for the materials they submitted, which promote the university’s range of innovative academic, research and student programs. The MarCom competition has more than 6,000 entries per year and the winners range from individuals, media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.
community help
Amanda Clairmont | Facebook STUDENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Gawlik first learned of Clairmont’s death from her father and said he thought someone was playing a joke on him. “I was in complete disbelief,” Gawlik said. “I didn’t even know she had been shot until the day after.” Corinth police are treating this case as a homicide and are working with assistance from the Texas Rangers and Denton County Sheriff’s Department. Jimmie Gregg, lieutenant criminal investigations commander for the Corinth Police Department, told The Dallas Morning News it is the first murder investigation in Corinth in 17 years. Although police have not made any arrests, Gawlik believes law enforcement is doing all they can to bring her killer to justice. “I do feel like the state itself is using a tremendous amount of resources for this case,” Gawlik said. Kayla Ast, a friend of Clairmont’s, started a fundraiser on Nov. 21 for Clairmont’s funeral service. She has raised $2,680 since starting it and has a goal to reach $10,000. According to the fundraiser, 51 people have contributed at the time of print. Ast said she started the fundraiser because Clairmont was like family to her. “I met Amanda as a sophomore in high school,” Ast said. “She was a very genuine person who was very artsy and beautiful inside and out. She taught me what it would be like to have an older sister who could also be a best friend.” UNT spokesperson Leigh Anne Gullet confirmed Clairmont attended Liberty High School in Frisco and enrolled at UNT in fall 2014 to major in business. Clairmont was also interested in makeup and recently created an Instagram account to gain a following as a freelance makeup artist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “Our deepest, heartfelt sympathies go out to the family and friends of UNT student Amanda Clairmont,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy with the news of the tragic loss of her life.” Members of The Vocal Majority, an all male chorus, also posted a video on YouTube dedicating “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” for Clairmont. One of their members and his family are close friends with Clairmont’s family. Anyone with information is asked to call Corinth Criminal Investigations at 940-498-2017. Gawlik is asking people of the community to continue sharing her story and spreading the word, saying the sharing of Clairmont’s story has helped her family. “I think if enough people start looking into it and start getting involved, somebody might come forward,” Gawlik said. “Maybe somebody might know something.”
@Zairalperez @JamesTNorman_WL
UNT faculty member’s documentary to premiere in Washington D.C. film festival
UNT faculty member Carolyn E. Brown recently completed a documentary film, “The Salinas Project,” which focuses on a group of young adults whose parents were immigrant farm workers in Salinas, California, according to a press release from the university. “The Salinas Project” was chosen to appear at the Greater Washington Immigration Film Festival and the 6th Annual REEL TIME AT GALA, both in Washington, D.C.
By Sean Riedel
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017
Professors look Greater Denton Arts Council offers to to incentivize display damaged ‘Pops’ Carter sculpture completion of SPOT By Devin Rardin Staff Writer
Marketing professor Charles Blankson discusses extra credit opportunities at the beginning of class Monday night. Kelsey Shoemaker | Staff Photographer SPOT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Marketing professor Charles Blankson makes use of incentivization saying it helps spur students into completing the evaluations despite how busy they get around finals time. “In recent years we have been encouraged to give a small amount of extra credit as an incentive,” Blankson said. “It has worked very well. I think the problem is that they do not mind, they just do not have the time. It comes at a time when they just want to finish the semester in these last few weeks. Time is not on their hands, so they need a little something to encourage their response.” Blankson went on to say the evaluations specifically help him to improve aspects of the class that are paramount to student success, like syllabus clarity and an improved approach to lectures. “I have looked at [the responses] keenly and looked at them to help restructure my teaching,” Blankson said. “Their responses help make my syllabus top quality, which is crucial, as the syllabus is their introduction to the class. I also use them to adjust my actual delivery in class. So with these responses, I can help move that material more into focus in the future.” These alterations highlight the importance of student completion of SPOT, as Blankson explained they provide the bedrock for better education at UNT. “In the end, it is all for the students,” Blankson said. “It is worth it, completing these evaluations. We need to really hammer down that doing these surveys help students. It helps their fellow students taking the same class in the future, and it helps all the professors to have better classes as well. In the end, it is really beneficial.”
@jcassidy1996
The Greater Denton Arts Council offered a home for the damaged Tom “Pops” Carter sculpture at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. The Denton Public Art Committee recommends the city council accepts the offer. “We feel like the Greater Denton Arts Council is our best option to continue to have the“Pops” Carter sculpture on display while protecting it in its current state,” Public Art Committee Chair Brian Wheeler said. If the city council accepts the offer, then city staff will work with the artist, Christie Wood, or a restoration consultant to stabilize the sculpture before it is moved into the building. Georgina Ngozi, the executive director of the Greater Denton Arts Council, said the PattersonAppleton Arts Center offers an appropriate place for the sculpture and will provide safety and protection for the artwork. She wants to have a Quakertown Park backdrop to represent the sculpture’s original location and have musical performances alongside the artwork. “Our intention is to allow it to continue to be available to the community rather than remove it from the cultural landscape,” Ngozi said. Wood said the new location would offer 24/7 protection but limit the viewership of the sculpture. She hopes the broken sculpture will teach individuals about vandalism, public art, race relations and the role of art. “The Greater Denton Arts Council generously offered to put it inside the Patterson Center for the arts, and I thought it was a great idea,” Wood said. Tom “Pops” Carter moved to Denton in the 1980s and formed the band Pops Carter and the Funkmonsters. His band was a popular act at the annual Denton Blues Festival. The musician died in 2012 when he was 92. The Parks and Recreation department conducted an open bid for artists to create a design that will honor the blues singer. Wood, who has a stained glass shop in Denton and has practiced it for 22 years, won the bid. She created a colored, stained glass sculpture that was placed in Quakertown Park. “It’s a new technique in the stained glass world to create outdoor sculptures using glass in a safe manner,” Wood said. “It worked pretty darn well until someone took a baseball bat to it.” The sculpture has been vandalized twice in its three-year history. Wheeler said the first instance was repairable, but the second, which occurred in September, has damages beyond that of repair. After the incident, the city started raising funds to replace or move the sculpture. About $1,200 was
Top: Christie Wood, creator of the “Pops” Carter sculpture, works on a new piece in her studio. Wood takes commissioned orders as well as makes things to sell in her shop. Cameron Roe | Staff Photographer
Bottom: The broken “Pops” Carter sculpture currently resides in the warehouse of the Denton Parks and Recreation Center. The sculpture has been renamed “Pops Broken Heart” for the shatter near his heart. Cameron Roe| Staff Photographer
raised, according to a Denton Record-Chronicle article. Wood does not know the motives behind damaging the sculpture but thinks it might be race related. Police have not made any arrests for the vandalism. Wood decided to name the damaged statue “Pop’s Broken Heart” because the major impact is at the heart and radiates outward. She is looking to create a new sculpture but has not started working on it yet. The damaged sculpture is currently in the city’s storage center and will remain there until a decision is made. Wheeler said the move requires spending money, which can not happen until they get city council approval. He anticipates some citizens will be disappointed because the sculpture will no longer be in Quakertown Park. Wood said the sculpture memorializes a legend that is known for his music, generosity and colorful character. Ngozi also said Carter is legendary for
mentoring people and singing the blues. “Everyone knew his personality, his character and what the community meant to him,” Ngozi said. “It’s important that his representation remain visible and alive. The people will keep it alive wherever the sculpture is placed.”
@DevinRardin
Denton City Council generating new amendments after recent election By Julia Falcon Senior News Writer After the city of Denton and Denton County experienced some of its lowest voting numbers, the constitutional election is generating new amendments to the city charter. Out of 99,054 registered voters in the city, only 4,826 cast their vote to amend current laws and add new ones to the city charter. Next, the city of Denton will be adopting an ethics ordinance, gain a full-time auditor, require city council members be paid and require city council candidates to live in their district for a minimum of one year prior to running. The one amendment that did not pass was to raise the percentage of petitioners required to trigger a recall election, and won’t be amended any further. Done on a case-by-case basis, these amendments will all take time to work on and complete but are already being discussed by the city council. “Obviously, some amendments will take additional action,” Mayor Chris Watts said. “For example, we have to craft an ordinance, and we need to formulate how we go about doing that.” Now that four out of the five amendments were passed, city council members will begin discussing what further actions to take at city council meetings beginning in December. Some of the amendments passed are meant to clarify the current ones, such as adding the ethics ordinance. The ethics ordinance will require the most work and time, so the council can put more citizen input into the ordinance. “The state bar for ethics is absurdly low,” Denton resident Deborah Armintor said. “It is up to the cities to raise that bar and have low conflicts of interest, like instances on our city council.” An ethics ordinance has always been a topic of discussion with residents and is now going to be added to the charter with their
i’ve gotta go!
Denton residents voted on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017 on amendments made to the city charter. Residents were also asked to vote on charter amendments. Cameron Roe | Staff Photographer help and discretion. “Now that it’s finally clear to everyone that the majority of citizens want a strong, enforceable ethics ordinance, [the] city council must make this a top priority,” resident Anne Dorans Sullivan posted to the Denton Matters Facebook page after results were complete. “We have waited far too long already.” Adding a full-time city auditor position was also clarification, which added to the charter to always maintain and fill the spot. There is still no auditor currently since former auditor Craig Hamenter announced his sudden retirement in a resignation letter sent to city council members in mid October. Hamenter was the first person to fill the position after it being empty for seven years and held the spot for eight months. No one from council received an explanation why he left or was able to contact Hamenter. The city has since hired a third party firm to help with the search.
“The search for a new auditor is in progress,” Watts said. “A recruiting firm is looking at potentials for the job and will help us decide.” The new adopted pay for city council members requires passing an ordinance, which is going to be discussed within the next upcoming city council meetings. Currently, city council members are not paid, but will now receive a monthly stipend of $750.00, while the mayor will receive a monthly stipend of $1,000.00. These will also have restrictions on pay increase. Watts said some of these amendments were more loose than what some residents wanted, so they were placed on the ballot and are now going to be put into the new city charter. Denton city council meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at in the council chambers.
@falconjulia22
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ARTS & LIFE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017
Page 4
Left: One band featured at the Backyard Block Party performs on the outdoor stage. Both the musical and visual artists appreciated the atmosphere of Backyard on Bell. Victoria Nguyen | Staff Photographer
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Top: Crowd members were impressed by the performers at Backyard Block Party and chose to capture memories of it via cell phone. Victoria Nguyen | Staff Photographer
Backyard on Bell hosts three-day festival highlighting DFW artists BACKYARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 like this in Denton,” LOAFERS guitarist and vocalist Eric Von Isman said. “They are really hospitable, feeding us Red Bull, pizza and fried chicken back there. I had four pieces of fried chicken — I grabbed enough for everybody. We are going to keep the electricity on this month.” The bartenders who work at Backyard on Bell understand how important musicians are to the success of their venue. “We make sure all the musicians are paid very well,” bartender Spencer Eagleton said. “Everyone who plays here gets paid, like 100 percent, and they get a badass bar tab.” Denton venues have tried to fill the void left by the closing of former live music hotspots like J&J’s Pizza’s “Old Dirty Basement” and Rubber Gloves Rehearsal
Studios. Many local bands have turned to house shows in order to continue performing, but they often deal with low wages or unorganized venues. “House shows are just fun — they are always going to be fun,” Walker said. “But there are bands that are making their living and paying their rent by being on the road. Local bands want to play house shows to get that exposure, but at some point you need to be valued, and that’s what good about playing venues.” While live music is Backyard on Bell’s main focus moving forward, the venue wants to provide an avenue for other types of artists in Denton. Local ink artist Kelly Sims held her first public show at the Backyard Block Party, where she displayed her pop culturecentered artwork to the left of the packed stage.
Twisted Bodies
“This is my favorite bar — I know a lot of people here,” Sims said. “They referred me and were like, ‘Hey, you know, this girl’s been doing art this year, and she’s trying really hard. We’ll give her a shot,’ so here I am. It feels so good. It’s like in my dream.” Local digital print artist Max Feroz has a similar story. Feroz has been making art for several years, but he just recently acquired a printer. Walker offered to let him set up a table at Backyard Block Party. “This is the first time I’ve sold any of my shit before,” Feroz said. “I didn’t expect or plan to sell anything. I just kind of wanted people to see the art I made, but I ended up selling like $60 worth of prints. It’s been pretty fun.” The event featured several artists, but Emily O’Connor worked behind the scenes — or on the scenes, rather. O’Connor, a new media arts major,
Fitness studio offers classes in pole and aerial arts
By Ashlee Winters Staff Writer Dancers glide through the air on ribbons and hoops, twirling and flipping while suspended from the ceiling. On the ground, people spin on poles, contorting their bodies into various moves and positions. Though it may sound like a circus, this describes the classes offered at Twisted Bodies, a fitness studio with workouts ranging from yoga to pole fitness and aerial arts. Owners Carissa Laitinen-Kniss and Khristen Pahler each have profound experiences in dance and Pilates and have always had an interest in circus performances. Opening Twisted Bodies gave them the chance to bring those dance forms involved in circuses to their own studio. “We’ve always loved circus arts,” Pahler said. “In college, Carissa auditioned for Cirque du Soleil, so it’s always been a dream of ours to perform for the circus. Starting pole and aerial was just a natural progression from our dance lives.” Laitinen-Kniss and Pahler also chose to open the studio in order to provide an opportunity for other people to explore these unique forms of exercise. The pair wants customers to feel confident in their workouts while escaping the strain that their day-to-day lives can put on them. “We opened Twisted Bodies because we wanted a place for people to get a fun workout in and not feel judged,” Pahler said. “A place they could leave with their head held a little higher at the end of a hard day — a place where they could start their day off right and not worry about everyday stress.” Instructor Kayla Marie agrees that the studio helps people feel confident in both themselves and their exercise routines. Unlike typical gyms where some people may feel pressured to compete with those around them, Twisted Bodies aims to provide an accepting atmosphere for everyone. “The studio has always been a warm and welcoming place where you don’t have to worry about ‘fitting in’ because everyone fits in,” Marie said. The pole and aerial classes offered at the studio give people the chance to try something new they may never have previously considered. They may also realize
An aerial yoga class at Twisted Bodies features many different postures and positions. Twisted Bodies also offers Pilates, pole fitness, and more. Mallory Cammarata | Staff Photographer these classes give them an outlet to push themselves further when exercising than they ever have before. “I think they find it appealing because it shows that they can do more with their body than they thought they could,” Pahler said. “It gives them attainable goals that don’t focus on the aesthetic appeal of the physique but rather on what you can actually do.” Pole and aerial dancing are not only interesting forms of fitness, but also intense workouts that can help people become more confident in themselves. However, the movements involved can cause injuries if not carefully practiced. “Anyone can get on the treadmill and run or pick up a set of weights, but with aerial arts you have to actually learn what you’re doing from a qualified instructor because serious injury or even death is a real risk,” Pahler said. Pahler and Laitinen-Kniss have noticed a significant increase in the popularity of both aerial and pole arts and appreciate that people are embracing the uncommon hobbies. “We’ve seen a huge rise over the last three to four years,” Pahler said. “It’s good because the weirdness is out there, and more people have access to these classes.” Although pole and aerial are the most unique classes offered at Twisted Bodies, all the classes provide a welcoming aura and encourage people to feel comfortable and push themselves. “It’s a home away from home — a safe place,” Marie said. “It’s a place where you can be yourself free from judgment.” Madison Moore, who has tried
multiple classes at Twisted Bodies, enjoys the variety of fitness types they offer and appreciates that the instructors truly care about the people in their classes. “I love that the instructors really know what they’re doing and do everything they can to make sure everyone is making progress and having fun,” Moore said. Pahler and Laitinen-Kniss’s main hope for those who join Twisted Bodies is that they discover new sides of themselves and gain a greater self-image and sense of body positivity. “We hope people see they are more than what society says and what they see in the mirror,” Pahler said. “Their self-worth is greater than anything anyone can ever tell them. We hope they see that bodies of all shapes and sizes are beautiful, that they can move beautifully and do amazingly beautiful things.”
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was the art director for Backyard Block Party. O’Connor worked with her brother’s girlfriend to design and build the elaborate stage set of a large head with yellow rays shooting from it. “It just creates a whole other kind of area, especially with it being in a bar,” O’Connor said. “It’s nice to at least transform it a little bit — kind of give it that festival feel. I’ve always been interested in the whole music festival scene, and I think it would be cool to do, like, more installation work for festivals.” For Backyard on Bell, there is a marriage between the local music and art scenes. “Art and music all go hand in hand,” Walker said. “There’s not a band out there who hasn’t gotten great help from photographers, visual artists, painters, you know, all of this is incorporated. Art
is art. It’s all valid, and we all try to help each other out.” Backyard on Bell is taking on a new booking agent and going through some major renovations over the next few months, but at least one thing will remain the same — the venue’s loyalty to the Denton creative community. “We try to take care of everybody here,” Walker said. “It’s not exactly an open mic night kind of thing, but if you send us a booking email, we’ll definitely look at it. We want to cultivate and give people a space to grow.”
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SPORTS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017
Page 5 UPCOMING GAMES Thursday • Men’s basketball: @ Oklahoma – 7 p.m. Friday • Volleyball: vs. Oral Roberts – 7 p.m. Saturday • Football: @ FAU – 11 a.m. • Women’s basketball: vs. Tulsa – 3 p.m. • Men’s basketball: @ TexasArlington – 7 p.m.
NTDAILY.COM
North Texas freshman running back Nic Smith runs the ball in a game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Sept. 23 at Apogee Stadium. Sara Carpenter | Senior Staff Photographer
Tuesday • Women’s basketball: @ Indiana – 6 p.m. Wednesday • Men’s basketball: vs. Indiana State – 7 p.m.
CONFERENCE USA STANDINGS
Conference USA West Team Conf. Overall N. Texas
7-1
9-3
S. Miss
6-2
8-4
UAB 6-2 8-4 UTSA 3-5 6-5 La. Tech
4-4
6-6
Rice 1-7 1-11 UTEP 0-8 0-12
Conference USA East Team Conf. Overall FAU 8-0 9-3 FIU 5-3 7-4 Marshall 4-4
7-5
MTSU 4-4 6-6 WKU 4-4 6-6 ODU 3-5 5-7 Charlotte 1-7
1-11
FOOTBALL RECRUITING UPDATE With the first opportunity for the Class of 2018 to sign a National Letter of Intent approaching (Dec. 20-22), North Texas currently has the No. 6 ranked class in Conference USA, according to 247Sports. com. The Mean Green have three threestar commits, including S Reggie Williams (Grand Prairie), WR Austin Ogunmakin (Houston) and LB Larry Nixon III (Richland).
PASSING THE TORCH Smith thrust into spotlight after Wilson’s injury By Matthew Brune Senior Sports Writer Nic Smith seemed to be the perfect yang to Jeffery Wilson’s yin at the running back position for North Texas this season. The redshirt freshman went in when Wilson, the experienced senior, left the field to rest – and the offense largely did not skip a beat. Wilson was the power back, scoring 17 touchdowns his final season and averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Smith, meanwhile, was shiftier as he is listed 2 inches shorter than Wilson and 12 pounds lighter. Both brought a different dynamic, but they balanced the offense for the coaching staff. It was the perfect duo – until Wilson left the field during the Army game, returning on crutches with a boot on his right foot. Now, Smith will be tasked with
being both the yin and yang of the Mean Green rushing attack as he takes over the lead role late in the year from one of his best friends. “For this to happen [to Jeffery], it’s kind of crazy,” Smith said. “We use the motto next man up, but [Jeffery] is my brother. He’s a great back, a great person and he taught me a lot.” Smith’s speed and lateral quickness led to the North Texas coaches giving him a nickname that has stuck and seems only appropriate. Quick. “Some of my coaches [here gave it to me],” Smith said. “I got quick feet so that’s what they called me. It’s good with me. I like the nickname.” In North Texas’ win against Rice on Saturday, Smith started the first game of his collegiate
career. He hit the holes hard and seemed to be comfortable as the primary back, carrying the ball 26 times for 178 yards and a touchdown. “He’s prepared the right way,” head coach Seth Littrell said. “When you lose a guy like Jeffery, it’s hard to replace him. Everybody has to elevate their game overall. [But] I’m excited for Quick, and I’m excited to watch him shine.” Smith has carried the ball over eight times just four games this season. In those games, he racked up 72 carries for 417 yards – not quite the gaudy 6.5 yards per carry Wilson was averaging, but more than enough to help the offense thrive. Wilson’s leadership among the younger members of the backfield has been discussed at length this
season, and he has continued to leave his mark on Smith since his injury. “He gave me the advice to finish everything I do,” Smith said. “Carries are going to be a lot more from what I used to get, so [I’m going to] keep my body healthy and get ready to roll.” Smith took the advice from Wilson to heart and appeared to adjust nicely to the workhorse load by taking 26 of the 33 carries North Texas distributed to its backfield against the Owls. After having the luxury of going back and forth between Wilson and Smith when needed throughout the year, offensive coordinator Graham Harrell will now be tasked with rolling with a new lead back. So far, it hasn’t changed much for the Mean Green.
“You can’t replace Jeff’s experience,” Harrell said. “But Nic does a lot of good things, so we don’t expect anything different offensively with Nic in the game. When he has the ball in his hands he’s special, so we have high expectations for Quick just like we did for Jeff.” Quick, as his teammates and coaches call him, has seen Wilson work for the last two seasons and has taken lessons from him constantly. But now instead of producing in short bursts, he will be relied on to bring it on almost every snap. “[Wilson] is a mean back,” Smith said. “I’m mean too, kind of, but he’s a different kind of mean. When I back him up I want to keep it rolling, so I learned a lot from him.” While Wilson was a capable route runner and receiver out of the backfield, he was perhaps even more talented as a pass blocker. Smith isn’t as experienced of a pass blocker, but he does bring a similar ability to catch the backfield. He has 14 catches for 129 yards and two scores this year. The change could make things slightly different for sophomore quarterback Mason Fine as he has a different type of back at his side throughout the final two games. But, as always, Fine’s confidence is high heading into the postseason. “Throughout the season, [Nic] has done a lot of great things,” Fine said. “He’s still young so he’s working on some things, but I have full confidence in him. He’s going to be a great running back [in the future], and he’s been a great back this year.” With one game down as the premier back, Smith got off to a promising start. But the stakes are higher than ever as the Mean Green continue preparation for their rematch against Florida Atlantic University in the Conference USA championship game this weekend. And while he may not have the experience Wilson brings to the table, the potential is certainly there. And Quick is ready to show it. “It’s a big role and big shoes I have to fill,” Smith said. “I look forward to stepping up.”
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Spurned by NCAA tourney, volleyball embracing top overall seed in NIVC By Matthew Brune Senior Sports Writer
North Texas senior defensive end Joshua Wheeler hits the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s quarterback late in the game. Colin Mitchell | Visuals Editor
Mean Green look to capitilaze on rare chance at revenge PREVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “The way we work every day will carry over to the game and as long as we come to play, that’s what it will come down to.” Can the Mean Green bounce back offensively? This is a meeting of two of the top 17 scoring offenses in the FBS for a reason. While the North Texas defense cannot allow 11 straight scoring drives, the offense cannot only score 17 points in the first three quarters this time around. Sophomore quarterback Mason Fine admitted he was playing hesitantly in the last game against FAU, but the offense has its confidence at a new high after ending the regular season on a strong note. “We got down early [last time], so we kind of got out of our game plan,” Fine said. “We need to take care of the ball, do our job and not try to do too much. I just need to go out there, play loose, have fun and let it fly.”
Kiffin vs. Littrell: Part II North Texas head coach Seth Littrell and his team looked overwhelmed in their last trip to Boca Raton, while Kiffin looked like an unstoppable mastermind. While both of these offensive coaches will have their teams prepared, the game could come down to one or two decisions Saturday morning. Kiffin has the experience, but Littrell has not been anything short of spectacular in his second season at North Texas. “At the end of the day, competing for a championship is the biggest motivation,” Littrell said. “That’s something we’ve talked about since we’ve been here.”
Late Sunday night, the North Texas volleyball team discovered it would not be a part of the NCAA Tournament field of 64. While the disappointment lingered, the team’s reaction soon turned to excitement as they got the No. 1 overall seed in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). The honor allows the team to play every game at home as they advance through the postseason in a tournament that is essentially the equivalent of college basketball’s National Invitational Tournament. “The first feeling was definitely disappointment,” senior middle blocker Holly Milam said. “But it kind of went away when we saw the bracket for the NIVC, and now we’re all just really excited to just keep competing and leave our legacy in the postseason.” The Mean Green finished the regular
season with a 28-3 record, including wins over Western Kentucky University, Princeton University and Oregon State — three teams that made the NCAA Tournament. North Texas had the No. 47 RPI in the country and was listed as one of the “First Four Out” on the NCAA selection show. But now, instead of facing the likes of Baylor University or the University of Texas, the Mean Green will have a more modest field of competition with a chance to play together for up to two more weeks. “It’s just a chance to grow,” senior outside hitter Alexis Wright said. “Even though the seniors will be gone, the underclassmen need to get used to playing in the postseason because the goal is to make it to the NCAA Tournament one day.” Head coach Andrew Palileo said the extra experience for a bevy of underclassmen is invaluable in a tournament setting. North Texas has played in pressure matches before,
Score predictions: Senior Staff Writer Matt Brune: Florida Atlantic 49, North Texas 48 Sports Editor Brady Keane: Florida Atlantic 42, North Texas 35
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Mean Green volleyball players Karley York (1), Amanda Chamberlain (13) and Barbara Teakell (7) celebrate after scoring a point against Abilene Christian University. Madison Gore | Staff Photographer
but in this tournament, one loss will end the season for good. “I think it’s a really strong field, so I’m excited for the competition,” Palileo said. “And I’m excited that it’s a one and done situation, and we have that pressure of a survive and advance mentality. I want our players to get that experience as much as they can so we can get better in those moments.” The Mean Green open up with Oral Roberts University (15-13) at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mean Green Volleyball Complex. With a win, North Texas will host the winner of a match between Wyoming University and Texas Christian University. After playing a tough stretch of volleyball in the conference tournament, Palileo decided to give his team some rest in order to re-energize them for the upcoming tournament. “We got a little bit off this past week which I think gave our bodies rest,” Milam said. “I think just after today we’re back at it and ready to go.” While some fans were outraged at the fact the Mean Green did not make the big dance, the NCAA Tournament is no longer on the team’s minds as the NIVC tournament approaches. The challenge for Palileo after this season will be taking a look at what he can do to give his team an even better chance at reaching the NCAA Tournament in the future. “[We’re] focusing on Oral Roberts right now,” Palileo said. “We can be upset about the position we put ourselves in as far as not making it, or we can be excited about our year still and move forward and make those changes next year — whether it was our scheduling, our RPI or whatever the reason was.” Regardless, playing at home and playing potentially five more matches with one another is plenty of motivation to go out on top for this year’s record-breaking team. “It’ll be fun,” Palileo said. “We have the opportunity to keep playing for a little bit longer. We’re excited about it, and we’re excited that we get to play at home.”
@mattbrune25
OPINION THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017
Page 6
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Repealing net neutrality Gun laws are not the answer is a gateway to censorship to prevent mass shootings By The Editorial Board After a victory for not only net neutrality but American democracy in 2015, it seemed that censorship of the internet was finally 0ver. But fast forward two years later, and Republican officials are working hard to bring it back from the dead. This is not an argument of left versus right. This is an argument of access to free media versus censorship from big government. Under the Open Internet Order during the Obama Administration, net neutrality was put in place to create an open, equal internet without internet providers and the FCC creating a monetized system for internet marketplace. If net neutrality is repealed, the parent companies of internet service providers would assume a new power to control not only who accesses what content — and at what price — but what websites and social media platforms can be accessed as well. So why is repealing it one of the worst ideas of all-time? Let’s say you have internet through Comcast but the service giant doesn’t have a partnership with Twitter. As a result, Comcast could choose to enforce a fee for Twitter to be available to its customers. Could you imagine being forced to pay to check your social media? That’s what is on the line if net neutrality is repealed.
In fact, the Pew Research center found that in 2016, nearly 62 percent of all adults in the United States get their news from social media. Stop and think what it would be like if suddenly you didn’t have that privilege anymore. That alone is exactly why repealing net neutrality is alarming. This isn’t just a way for capitalism to put its hands in more jars. This has the potential to open the doors for a variety of problems necessary to maintain democracy. Earlier this year, Ajit Pai, chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Trump Administration, proposed a plan to unravel net neutrality. Pai Released the nearly 200 word draft earlier this month detailing his plans. Pai has since made social media his enemy by targeting Twitter, Cher and Hulk Hogan of all people. Surely President Trump wouldn’t be pleased with the idea that his countless tweets of trying to discredit literally anyone that criticizes him would be restricted to a reduced audience. Right? The FCC is not interested in the personal freedoms of people who use the internet. But if you’re one of those people who thinks corporations should be treated as individuals, maybe this is your cup of tea. The FCC will vote on the proposal on Dec. 14 — and the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been.
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Illustration by Max Raign By Garron Weeks Staff Writer From the stick to the sword to the rifle, as weaponry has evolved, humans have evolved with them. The oldest recordings of history all talk about humanity’s history being intertwined with war and violence. The sad reality is that there is evil in the world, and we must be able to defend ourselves from it. Whether it be terrorism or mental health issues, it’s hard to fathom how or why someone can make the decision to kill innocent people. Following an incident, there is always a debate on gun control and the right to own a gun, but it seems we rarely talk about the mental health state that one has to be in to make this decision. These are not your everyday citizens, as they have been corrupted in many different ways. We need to do a much better job of focusing our attention on the mental health of our own citizens rather than being the world’s police. It truly hurts to see a new mass shooting in the news almost every month. Passing laws to prevent more shootings will only stop the lawabiding citizens. Criminals will still have their guns and they will still have the black market to purchase them. There are
more guns in the United States than there are people, and people must have the right to defend themselves from these criminals. Whether it be with an assault rifle, a truck, a knife or a bomb, these deranged people will do whatever it takes to cause terrorism. It is a truly sad part of our modern society, but there is no law that can be passed that will fully stop terrorism. I believe in background checks and proper training being essential in citizens acquiring the license to be able to carry a gun. The University of North Texas has allowed concealed carry on its campus for over a year with no incidents. Banning guns outright from citizens or making it difficult to acquire one only strengthens the criminals and the black market. ABC News reported that law enforcement experts told them that with gun restrictions, more people, and criminals, will start to manufacture their own guns. Some argue that the solution is that governments should be the only good guys with guns. But governments have proven throughout time that they are inherently evil in their motives of control and domination. The difference between a private company and the government is that the government has a monopoly on power and can
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use violence to achieve their means. In this, one must always be wary of governments. No matter the amount of good or charity they do, one must always question their own government as they retain the right to lock them in a cage or point a gun at them. The second amendment of the Bill of Rights reads as “a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” The Founders of America knew that governments were prone to using their soldiers as a means of oppressing people. To counter this, they realized a wellregulated militia of citizens was truly essential to the security of a free state. Without armed citizens, the people are doomed to whoever owns the firepower. I believe that our military and police are fully capable of responding to threats and have great respect for people that put their lives on the line for the good of society. However, there are, in fact, wolves upon us, and the police cannot be everywhere at once. We must be at liberty to defend ourselves, our families and our communities. Free men own weapons, slaves do not.
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