Kory Savage/The News
Mitch McConnell speaks to a crowd Tuesday along with artist Lee Greenwood.

Kentucky’s U.S. Senate candidates have brought potential presidential contenders to help boost voter turnout in the final week of one of the country’s most closely watched races.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigned with Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes Tuesday and Hillary Clinton campaigned with her Saturday in Lexington, Ky., and northern Kentucky. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal appeared with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Wednesday.

With Democrats and Republicans fighting for Senate control, the three politicians have swooped into key battleground contests in states like Arkansas and North Carolina.

Kentucky has been a magnet for big-name politicians as McConnell is trying to become the Senate majority leader while facing his arguably toughest re-election campaign.

Warren and Clinton are making their second trips to Kentucky for Grimes.

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have traveled to Kentucky to support McConnell. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee – another potential 2016 GOP hopeful – stumped for McConnell in Louisville, Ky., last weekend.

Despite the high-profile help, McConnell’s campaign has stuck to one message: connecting Grimes to President Barack Obama, who is deeply unpopular in the state. McConnell’s campaign continued that theme Monday as the senator campaigned in eastern Kentucky with country music star Lee Greenwood.

“Alison Lundergan Grimes has run a race heavily reliant on help from left-wing elites, so it’s not surprising that she would hand the mic to an anti-coal liberal to deliver her closing argument,” said McConnell adviser John Ashbrook.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)

Haley Hays/The News
Murray State fans break the attendance record at Racer Arena as they cheer on the Racers Oct. 24. Free T-shirts, pizza and coffee during Operation 1,024 attracted 1,063 fans to the game against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

After attracting a record-breaking 1,063 fans to Racer Arena last weekend, Racer volleyball served up two more wins to keep them in first place in the OVC.

On Friday, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2-8) took early leads in every set, but the Racers came back each time, taking the first set 25-22, the second set 25-18 and finally taking the match with a third set of 25-23.

Head Coach David Schwepker said the match started out rough, but the team worked together to come back.

“We started off sluggish,” Schwepker said. “We didn’t play great but we managed to play strong and hard. Some people stepped up when they needed to and the team is learning how to work together.”

The next day the Racers had a tough morning against Eastern Illinois (4-6). After a typical back and forth first set, the Panthers won the first set at 22-25. The Racers roared back and took the next three sets at 25-21, 25-19 and finally 25-12.

“I thought we started out shaky but quickly turned ourselves around,” said redshirt sophomore right side hitter Kristen Besselsen from St. Louis. “We picked it up and continued to show everyone how strong we are.”

Besselsen turned in 13 kills to go along with her career-high 19 digs. She said she is proud of her performance, but the credit should be shared.

“My teammates are the ones who hit the ball to me and they are the ones I have to thank for helping me reach it,” Besselsen said.

The OVC Tournament is coming up in a month, and Schwepker and Besselsen both said they hope to do well.

“I say it every week, but I hope we just stay focused,” Schwepker said. “I hope we don’t get caught up in our wins and losses. I want them to play the way they have and do what they are supposed to do.”

With fans fueled by free shirts, the team had a record high attendance last weekend of 1,063, which exceeded the goal of 1,024. Schwepker said it was great to see all the fans, but the team was caught off guard by the excitement of the crowd.

“I want there to be people at every home game,” Schwepker said. “The girls absolutely loved having the hype and enthusiasm of the crowd. The girls weren’t exactly ready for it but once they learned how to play they did well.”

The team has a game in Racer Arena today against Jacksonville State (7-3) at 7 p.m. and another Saturday against Tennessee Tech (6-4) at 6 p.m. Besselsen said they’ve not played these teams yet this season and it could be a game changer.

“I want this weekend to go as well or better than last weekend,” Besselsen said. “I hope to come out and do what we do best—play volleyball.”

Story by Kelsey Randolph, Assistant Sports Editor

Jenny Rohl/The News
Junior runningback Pokey Harris faces the Kentucky Wesleyan College defense Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium.

Freshman wide receiver DeQavius Walker made his first college start a memorable one for all in attendance Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium as he returned Kentucky Wesleyan College’s opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown and helped one lucky fan win $10,000 from Parker Ford.

“I was just thinking all week, ‘Be humble, and when your time comes, be prepared, follow your block, do what you’re coached to do all week,’” Walker said. “And the guys, they was kind of rooting for me when I got out there because the lady was going to get a reward if I returned it. Everything just fell in place.”

Amy Pervine of Murray was the lucky recipient of the cash in from Parker Ford’s “Return for Riches” promotion. Walker also became the first Racer to return a kickoff for a touchdown since Walter Powell’s return during the 2013 game against Missouri State.

“I was like, man, this is crazy,” Walker said. “God just blessed her and me; me for scoring the touchdown, and her for winning the money.”

The return team continued to dominate against Kentucky Wesleyan as junior wide receiver Janawski Davis returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Junior runningback Pokey Harris followed suit, returning the second kickoff for a touchdown just six minutes into the second half.

Sophomore runningback Marcus Holliday started the second quarter scoring with a five-yard rushing touchdown less than two minutes in, but Kentucky Wesleyan quickly returned the favor. Freshman runningback David White carried the ball just one yard to the endzone to cut the lead to 34-16.

The Racers were relentless in the second half as they tallied seven unanswered scoring plays, including two rushing touchdowns by redshirt sophomore quarterback K.D. Humphries and both a 40-yard touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown by Holliday. Junior kicker Carson Greifenkamp kicked a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter, the only score that didn’t come from a touchdown during the sweep.

Jenny Rohl/The News
Redshirt sophomore quarterback K.D. Humphries rushes against the Panthers defense Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium.

The Racer offense was nearly perfect as it scored on 13 of 16 drives during the game and set a new single-game scoring school record Saturday.

“Offense played great tonight; I’ve got to give it to them,” said senior defensive lineman Feltin Collins. “And also special teams. They give us extra time to think about, talk about what we’ve got to do on the sideline on the defensive side of the ball. But they played good and I thank them for that. Just put the ball in the endzone, and they did that tonight. I’m proud of it. We played together as a team.”

It was a joint team effort indeed, as Collins also added impressive statistics to the game. He racked up seven tackles in the game, including two sacks for a total loss of 16 yards in addition to blocking two of the Panthers’ extra point attempts.

Sophomore standout linebacker Jonathan Jackson and freshman lineman Bishop Woods also had seven tackles in the game, having 0.5 and 1.5 for loss, respectively.

Second string got a chance to shine late in the game as the Racers ran up the score. Senior quarterback C.J. Bennett entered the game for Humphries in the fourth quarter and got a touchdown of his own less than two minutes in.

Freshman runningback Nick Taylor also recorded a 37-yard rushing touchdown to increase the score to the final of 86-29.

Collins said he thought this big win was a good start for the Racers to get out of their recent slump. Head Coach Chris Hatcher said he also saw improvement in his team.

“I thought we played well in a lot of phases,” Hatcher said. “I thought we had a couple lapses there in the second quarter. The game was a little closer at halftime than maybe we had all hoped for, but we did what we were supposed to do. We beat an opponent that we were better than, and we beat them soundly. Sometimes that’s a mark of a team that is improving.”

Murray State returns to conference play Saturday against UT Martin. The Racers kick off at 1 p.m. at Roy Stewart Stadium.

Story by Mallory Tucker, Sports Editor

Jenny Rohl/The News

Trees, trails, T-Ball and … taxes? On Election Day, Calloway County residents will check yes or no on a new tax proposed by the Murray-Calloway County Parks Department.

The referendum up for vote is a proposed tax of five cents for every $100 of taxable assets. That’s $50 for every $100,000 and $500 for every million. Taxable property includes real estate, business inventory, automobiles and farming equipment, among others.

Under the current system, the Murray-Calloway County Parks system is jointly funded by the City of Murray and the Calloway County fiscal court. For the fiscal year 2014-15, the City of Murray appropriated $161,100 to the Parks Department, while the county appropriated $129,478.50. That gives the Parks Department an annual working budget of approximately $290,000. If the referendum is passed, the estimated net revenue from the tax is $1.1 million. The referendum would create a new taxing district strictly for the parks, so the money would not be used by or for anyone else.

Tab Brockman, director of the Parks Department, said the tax is the only obvious way forward for funding. He said many people are put off by a tax, but there is no other solution for the parks’ needs.

“Stable and consistent funding doesn’t exist under the current scenario,” Brockman said. “The city and county are not mandated to fund us, so if this doesn’t pass, they could decide to only give us $100,000 this year.”

The Murray-Calloway County park system consists of three parks: Chestnut Park, which is about 70 years old, Central Park, about 40 years old, and Bee Creek, about 30 years old.

The parks have basketball courts, soccer, baseball and softball fields, an amphitheater, a swimming pool, spray park, dog park, walking trails, pavilions, playgrounds and a skate park.

Brockman said the current budget is not sufficient for the level of maintenance and improvements needed to keep the parks up to the standards of the community.

He said his first four priorities for renovations and improvements are fixing or replacing the community pool, lights for the soccer, softball and baseball fields, road maintenance and making the park more easily accessible to the disabled, as required by federal law.

The bathroom stalls are not Americans with Disibilities Act compliant and much of the park system is difficult or impossible to navigate in a wheelchair.

Brockman said the $1.1 million would allow the Parks Department to improve upon what the parks already offer. It would be up to the parks board and the community to decide how to spend it. It would allow for new or renovated bathrooms, concession stands and parking lots, as well as improving upon the sport complexes within the parks.

“At the end of the day, this referendum is about how important the parks are to the community,” Brockman said. “This is an issue that will impact our community, positively or negatively, for many years to come.”

While the park tax is a big issue for many in the community, some people simply haven’t heard about it. Breanna Bethel, junior from Murray, didn’t know about it. When she learned about the referendum, she was opposed.

Bethel said she thinks the parks are fine as they are. She takes the children she babysits to Chestnut Park in the summer and said she’s always thought the parks were nice.

“If it was really falling apart or if they had a specific project in mind I would gladly vote the tax in, but as it is now I see no need to pay another tax,” Bethel said.

Bethel said she believes people will be deterred from voting yes on the referendum since it is one more tax.

“But then again I’m a poor college student,” she said.

Former President Tim Miller supports the tax because he believes the park system needs to expand and improve in order to better serve the community. Miller, who spent years teaching accounting, said he generally dislikes taxes because oftentimes it’s unclear where the money will go.

“I don’t see how anyone can argue against a tax that directly supports youth programs,” he said.

Miller said the benefits of improving the park system reach beyond creating a wholesome place for his children and grandchildren to play. He said when corporations are looking to come into a community, they look at schools, hospitals and recreational activities, like the parks.

“I really feel that the park system is important for tourism and growth,” Miller said. “If it (the parks referendum) passes, in the long run it’s going to add so much to this area that it’ll be worth the additional cost.”

Miller said many people, for and against the referendum, have shared opinions with him. One issue he has heard repeatedly is county residents thinking the parks are only city parks.

“I can’t think of too many people that wouldn’t use the parks, either directly or indirectly,” Miller said. “All ‘Calloway Countians’ are going to benefit.”

All Calloway Countians don’t share that view, however. At a Town and Gown meeting Tuesday night in Wrather West Kentucky Museum, residents of the city and county showed up to voice their support, or their distaste, for the proposed tax.

Town and Gown is a partnership between the City of Murray and Murray State. Mark Welch, coordinator of the Town and Gown partnership, hosted the event, which was set up as an open forum for comments and questions.

Approximately 40 people showed up for the meeting, and the opinions seemed to be split.

Calloway County Judge Executive Larry Elkins said he does not plan to vote for the tax.

If the referendum passes with a simple majority on Nov. 4, the budget for the Parks Department would increase between 300 and 400 percent.

Elkins said if that happens, the county budget he will present to the Fiscal Court Magistrates for consideration will not include money for the Parks Department. Whether the City of Murray continues its funding of the Parks Department will be determined by the Murray City Council.

“There are currently three county-wide taxing districts in Calloway County: the library, health and the Extension Service,” Elkins said.

If the referendum passed, the parks would be the fourth taxing district in the county.

Elkins said the Murray-Calloway County park system is one of the nicest in the region, and the public and private partnership for park funding has so far succeeded in every way.

“It has amenities that you won’t find in a lot of parks. In 2013, the park was voted Outstanding Parks Department by the Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society,” he said.

Elkins said organizations campaigning for the referendum have distributed with a “Save our Parks” theme, “… apparently believing that rather than clearly explaining what the long range goals are, it would be more effective to scare people,” he said. “Our park does not need saving. We will have a great park regardless of whether the referendum is approved.”

Story by Kate Russell, Staff writer

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Katie Wilborn/The News

With the majority of Kentucky colleges converting to smoke-free campuses, it is likely that Murray State will follow suit.

The reformed tobacco policies were in light of Gov. Steve Beshear’s executive order that bans smoking on government property, signed Sept. 4. Fourteen state colleges, including University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, adopted a smoke-free campus policy.

Regardless of personal preference, there are many things to question when considering a potential ban of tobacco products.

As a city and campus that embraces tobacco products, grows tobacco plants for agriculture programs and is the largest tobacco producer in the state, this would be a large shift in culture.

Murray State has received much funding from big tobacco companies since opening its doors in 1922. The Murray State Alumni Association lists tobacco company Altria Group, Inc. as one of its largest donors.

Altria, formerly known as Phillip Morris, controls popular tobacco brands such as Marlboro, Skoal and Black and Mild. Could we be alienating a source of money that we can’t afford to turn away?

Another question raised is how the University will enforce the ban. What would be the punishment for those caught smoking on campus? Some schools issue citations while other schools just tell smokers to move somewhere else. Would the job of enforcing the smoking ban be taken on by Public Safety and Emergency Management workers like Racer Patrol?

The enforcement is something that needs to be looked at realistically. It may be difficult to enforce a ban at a large tailgating event or campus demonstration, and casual smoking means more than the traditional cigarette. Many students are transitioning to e-cigarettes to get nicotine without the actual tobacco.

The consensus on e-cigarettes is that they’re non-invasive because they don’t produce actual smoke, but their effects are still in question. Would the smoking ban include e-cigarettes and other alternatives?

According to the executive order, sidewalks, parking lots, state vehicles and lawns must be smoke free. The order leaves us wondering if the University will sanction zones where smokers can congregate or if the ban will leave them guessing where they can and can’t go.

Kentucky is one of the largest tobacco-using states, and the ban will affect 33,000 state workers statewide. To leave so many people wondering what their new set of rules is will bring issues.

  The Smoke Free Committee is sending surveys to students, which will hopefully influence its list of recommendations to be sent to the President’s Office Nov. 17.

Students will not know the final recommendations until they reach the Board of Regents on Dec. 5.

As students who will be affected by the potential ban, we hope to be kept updated about the progress of recommendations by the Smoke Free Committee.

Murray State students and faculty got a firsthand account of last month’s Scottish Independence Referendum from visiting Scottish professor Gerry Mooney.

Mooney led a presentation and discussion about the referendum Tuesday night in the Curris Center. The presentation was titled “The United Kingdom Following the Scottish Independence Referendum: Does it have a Future?” Mooney began his presentation with the assertion that he was biased on the issue – he voted yes for Scottish independence.

Mooney said the September referendum was not about Scottish nationalism. He said the main issues for the vote were social, and he listed employee benefits, capital spending and healthcare, among others.

“Across a whole range of issues, Scotland is already a very different place,” he said.

In 1707, England and Scotland formed the United Kingdom. The U.K. also includes Wales and Northern Ireland. Mooney said when the U.K. was formed, it did not abolish “Scottishness” or “Englishness”; it was just a union of the nations.

The vote for independence Sept. 18 was unsuccessful, but Mooney said the ties that hold the U.K. together are continuing to fragment.

“Do I think Scottish independence is inevitable?” he said. “Increasingly yes.”

According to Mooney, after the referendum failed to pass, membership in the Scottish National Party has increased. He said the increased membership in this party, and other “Yes” parties, signals that many Scottish people are not happy with the outcome of the vote, and that they’re hoping to gain more control in the government.

The outcome of the referendum was 44.7 percent yes and 55.3 percent no. Mooney said much of the campaigning on the “No” side came after a poll was released at the end of August showing 51 percent of voters were for independence.

David Cameron, the U.K.’s prime minister, promised Scotland more power if they voted no. Mooney said that promise is why he believes there will be future problems between England and Scotland.

“You call it England; I call it Mordor,” Mooney said.

Mooney said the arguments against Scottish independence included currency, military and national resources. He said some argued to keep the pound sterling, as they said it was as Scottish as it was English. Some thought they could take the euro, but nothing was decided, as Scotland did not break from the U.K.

For the military, Mooney said one proposal was that Scotland, as 9 percent of the U.K.’s population, would get 9 percent of the military. But he said some people came to the conclusion that Scotland would not need the 9 percent.

“Why does Scotland need an army?” Mooney asked. “Who’s going to attack it?”

One part of Mooney’s presentation was about the resources of Scotland. He said a majority of the U.K.’s oil reserves would belong to Scotland should it gain independence, and that Scotland is a major source of wind and hydro power for Europe.

Mooney ended his discussion with his hope that Scotland would push for independence again in the future and have another referendum.

The Education Abroad Office, history department and office of political science and sociology sponsored Mooney’s trip to Kentucky. Kathy Callahan, professor in the history department, said she met Mooney in 2009 when she was teaching in Scotland. Mooney is a faculty member of the Experience Scotland program, which Murray State participates in.

Callahan said Mooney came to Kentucky after spending time recruiting for Experience Scotland in other states.

“It’s really about the Experience Scotland program,” she said.

Callahan said she was happy with the turnout at Mooney’s presentation. About 70 people attended. This was Mooney’s second time at Murray State. He gave a talk on Scottish independence two years ago on campus.

Story by Kate Russell, Staff writer

The following are the results of the 2014 election. How do you feel about the results? Send us a letter at letters@thenews.org.

Senate Race – Mitch McConnell and Alison Lundergan Grimes

Kory Savage/The News

In a quick call by the Associated Press, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has won re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Democrat candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes began to show a significant trail behind McConnell, with numbers ranging in 30 percent of the votes in early reporting.

By 6:30 p.m., McConnell claimed 55 percent of the votes and the win, according to CNN.

In reports from McConnell’s campaign team, Grimes called and conceded to the senator before 7 p.m. and officially declared the loss to McConnell.

For Calloway County, McConnell won 58 percent of the vote to Grimes’ 37 percent.

Watch McConnell’s victory speech here.

Mayoral Race – Bill Wells and Jack Rose

Murray officially has a new mayor: Jack Rose.

Defeating Bill Wells by 149 votes, Rose won the race with 2,237 votes and 51 percent to Wells’ 2,124 votes and 48 percent.

“Well, I feel very honored and humbled by the support,” Rose said of his win. “I want to thank the people that helped me. I thank the people with signs in their yard, the people I encouraged them to vote, family and friends – I had a lot of people helping me.”

Rose said the first thing he will do when officially mayor is to face the budget. He said he wants to look at revenue sources and focus on business and industries in Murray. He also mentioned he plans to focus on getting grants from the state and federal level.

With six precincts reporting by 7:10 p.m., Rose remained ahead of Wells by 58 votes.

In absentee ballot reports from WNBS, Rose showed a slight lead over Mayor Bill Wells from the beginning, with Rose claiming 138 votes and Wells claiming 118.

Park Referendum

Murray-Calloway County’s Referendum did not pass. Final votes were 7,831 votes for no and 4,078 for yes.

Newly elected Mayor Jack Rose said he was not surprised by the results of the referendum, but he said it bring up needs for the park.

“The nickel in my judgement was excessive,” Rose said. “The property value, therefore the tax, will keep going up because we’ll keep growing. The nickel was more than what was needed. People do not have any interest in paying any more taxes right now. I am not surprised, I’ll tell you that up front.”

Judge Larry Elkins said due to the response to the referendum, he said he doubts it will be on the next ballot.

“The voters have spoken,” he said.

Tab Brockman, park director, said the outcome of the election means some reevaluating for the park system, but said he has seen how important it is to Murray.

“Turning down the park referendum means some very serious challenges for the future of the services and facilities offered in our parks,” Brockman said. “The park board will have to evaluate difficult options over the winter. After all the discussion about the parks over the months leading to the election, it has become obvious that the parks are important to the majority of our citizens.”

Brockman said at this point the question still remains as to how the parks department will generate the money needed to repair parts of the park system because challenges still remain.

As of 7:10 p.m., eleven precincts reported and votes stood at an early decider of 3,211 votes for no and 1,748 for yes.

Missed the details? Read our story from Oct. 31.

City Council

S. Jason Pittman – 2,356 votes – 7.38 percent

Danny Hudspeth – 2,228 votes – 6.98 percent

F.T. “Butch” Seargent – 2,211 votes – 6.93 percent

Greg Taylor – 2,010 votes – 6.30 percent

Linda Cherry – 1,941 votes – 6.08 percent

Johnny Bohannon – 1,932 – 6.05 percent

Jeremy Bell – 1,916 votes – 6 percent

Dan Miller – 1,853 votes – 5.81 percent

Burton Young – 1,749 votes – 5.48 percent

Jane Shoemaker – 1,724 votes – 5.40 percent

Robert Billington Jr. – 1,632 votes – 5.11 percent

Pat Scott – 1,577 – 4.94 percent

Two incumbents were unseated: Mike Faihst and Pete Lancaster. They were replaced by Burton Young and Johnny Bohannon.

U.S. Representative – Ed Whitfield won with 58 percent of the vote against Charles Kendall Hatchett.

Property Valuation Administrator – Nikki McMillen Crouch won with 62 percent of the vote against Michael D. Conley.

County Attorney – K. Bryan Ernstberger won with 60 percent of the vote against Ricky Lamkin.

While waiting at the Republican headquarters where winners were announced, K. Bryan Ernstberger was declared winner of county attorney.

“I was very nervous this was my first election,” Ernstberger said. “It was nerve wracking. I was very humbled by the vote count.”

Ernstberger said he will take the next few months to wrap up his private practice, then settle into the county attorney office.

County Clerk – Antonia Dunn Faulkner won with 74 percent of the vote against Steve Stevens.

Sheriff – Sam Steger won with 73 percent of the vote against Gregory Dunning and Gene Dowdy.

Magistrate, 2nd Magisterial District – Tim Todd won with 50 percent of the vote against William “Bill” Duncan.

Magistrate, 3rd Magisterial District – Don Cherry won with 54 percent of the vote against Billy Paul “Bucky” Erwin.

Mayor, City of Hazel – Kerry Vasseur won with 52 percent of the vote against Allison Hillard.

(VIDEO) – With the men’s basketball team aiming for a deep run into the postseason next spring, Head Coach Steve Prohm breaks down the strengths and challenges for the Racers heading into the season.

You can find out more about the OVC’s preseason No. 1 Racers on Friday in The Murray State News’ basketball special session available on news racks across campus.

– Video produced by Josiah Brand and Cameron Witte

File Photo
Jack Rose was elected Murray mayor Tuesday night during the midterm elections. He will replace Bill Wells.

Less than 200 votes determined the winner of Murray’s mayoral election Tuesday night. Voters chose Jack Rose to replace Mayor Bill Wells with a difference of only 149 ballots.

Rose, former professor in the department of educational studies, was the only candidate running against Wells. Rose will take his position at the beginning of January.

“Well, I feel very honored and humbled by the support,” Rose said. “Unseating an incumbent who’s been there just one term isn’t easy.”

As the precinct numbers came in, Wells and Rose said they weren’t sure who would take the mayoral seat this year.

“It was a rollercoaster,” Wells said. “I was up by 21 or something, then it changed.”

Wells said although he was surprised he came in second this year, he’s proud of the campaign he ran. He served 20 years on the Murray City Council before he ran for mayor four years ago.

He noted the accomplishments Murray has received since he became mayor, including being named the Friendliest Small Town in America by USA TODAY and lifting the ban on packaged liquor in Murray.

“I will always be happy about the positive campaign I ran,” Wells said. “I really hope for the best in Murray.”

Audrey Kellett, senior from Murray, said she was surprised Wells was not re-elected. Kellett said she voted for Wells because she knew he was mayor for several years and didn’t know either candidates’ political stance. She said in hindsight, she wishes she voted for Rose.

“I don’t really have a problem with the way things were going in Murray,” she said. “But (Rose) would be a new person and bring in new, fresh ways of doing things that might help improve the city.”

Rose worked for Murray State for 23 years before retiring in July 2014. Rose also served as the Faculty Regent at Murray State and resigned in March 2013.

As mayor, Rose said he hopes to have a true open-door policy. He said he’s received several complaints that in the past that it’s been difficult to contact the mayor. He also wants to hold open meetings where Murray citizens and groups can voice their opinions about issues in the city.

The most important item on Rose’ agenda so far is getting a handle on Murray’s budget. He wants to start attracting new sources of revenue to the city.

“Right now, we’re not getting as many new businesses and industries as we could,” he said.

Caleb Brannon, freshman from Puryear, Tenn., said he knew the race for mayor was going to be close from talking to Murray locals.

“Everybody I talked to was split, so I didn’t know for sure who was going to win,” Brannon said. “I have talked to Wells before and I know he’s a good guy, but what it comes down to basically, I think, is that people wanted change and not just have the same people running the city.”

Story by Lexy Gross, Staff writer, and Ben Manhanke, Staff writer

Basketball season is here. And I am not ashamed to admit that I feel in no way, shape or form prepared.

Racer basketball brings life to Murray for four months of the year, although some might say it provides a shining beacon of hope for us all year long.

Here I am with the task of covering one of the hugest forms of entertainment and sources of income for the University. No pressure, right?

I feel lots of pressure. The season completely snuck up on me.

It feels like just yesterday the football team was kicking off for the first time in 2014 against Union College on that warm Thursday night. It was just three months ago that I watched a football game from a press box for the very first time, yet somehow last week I found myself sitting courtside with the local media for Racer Mania, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as CFSB came back to life for the first time since the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

Soon, I will write about the best tradition in basketball this season. I’ll be the one filling in students with weekly stories and live tweets.

Me, the girl who hasn’t played basketball since seventh grade. The girl who admittedly doesn’t watch or know enough about college basketball.

Oh, and I can’t forget that our men are ranked No. 1 in the conference. Or that Cameron Payne is the OVC Preseason Player of the Year and on the 2015 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award Watch List.

Needless to say, I’m a little nervous. But I’m also excited. More than excited, really. And you should be excited, too.

This year’s team has unreal amounts of potential. While I can talk about it in my column, I promise to put the fan in me to the side and cover the team in a fair manner all season long.

With Payne leading the team at point and seasoned veterans T.J. Sapp and Jarvis Williams holding down the court, there’s no limit to what these guys will accomplish. And we get to follow along and grow with them throughout the whole journey.

If you missed the CIT last year, I feel so sorry for you. If you were lucky enough to experience the team’s run in 2011-12, I’m extremely jealous of you. If the thought of this season doesn’t bring joy to your hearts, you go to the wrong school.

Basketball is the essence of athletics here, and believe it or not, the reason many students choose to attend Murray State. We’ve been named the 52nd best program of all time, we’re ranked by ESPN as the 30th best program in the country, and we’ve had five-straight 20-win seasons and 27-straight winning seasons.

I have so many feels about this season. This column makes that painfully obvious. Like I said, I’m both nervous and excited. But something else underlies all of it.

When I watch the men’s team practice or even see the way they connect  with each other in front of the media during interviews, I see greatness. I might be wrong, but I think they’ll find huge success this season. And I’ll be courtside the whole time, doing my best to make sure you feel like you’re right there with me.

So bear with me as we start this season together. I may be just a journalist with a fan suppressed on the inside, but I see big things coming.

Column by Mallory Tucker, Sports Editor

    My whole life I’ve been the chubby kid. The kid whose gray sweatpants fit a little too tight and my third generation hand-me-down sweater had a few too many drops of spaghetti sauce on it.

    I never minded how my clothes looked and that my hair stuck straight out at all angles.

     Apart from being an obvious dynamo with the female species, a lot of my self-worth was derived from this period of my life that can be referred to as the “blunder years.”

To put it simply, I grew up weird. I picked my nose, had braces, was an avid member of my middle school chess club and a large majority of my friends were gnomes and night elves on World of Warcraft.

I had a problem fitting in, which caused the other kids to avoid me. The friends I did have were weird themselves, so at least there was company in the misery.

Now, I know that there was anything wrong with me. That was my opinion though. Everyone else also seemed to have their own opinion of me.

I had to develop a pretty thick skin to get through middle school.

The sharp tongues of a prominent pre-pubescent, middle school clique still haunt me today.

Thinking of those days makes me think “Was it even worth it?” Was it worth the poor fashion sense, generally antisocial behavior and particularly cringworthy behavior? Oddly enough it was and I would do it again. People never really wanted to hang out or be good friends with the aforementioned gentleman, so I was almost forced to stay to myself.

Back then, I saw this as dire and depressing but turned out to be almost a blessing in disguise. The time I would have spent trying to fit in, I spent accepting I was already an outsider, so I might as well make the best of it.

I read a different book every week about lands far away from here. About kings who used wit to rule lands. I wrote my own short stories about fictional characters that possessed qualities I thought real heroes should have.

I thought of my mind as an asset, and made sure it was always what kept me standing out from the pack.

Teens always say they want to rebel against conformity, but conform with the other teens all the same. Those who are not square pegs going through square holes come last and aren’t on the same level as all of the other square pegs. Well, the square pegs were dull.

They wore the same clothes, talked about the same things and rejected anyone who strayed from their golden path.

Anyone who has ever tried to fit a circle peg through a square hole knows you’re going to run into a lot of problems, so why even try?

A part of growing up weird was knowing that I was different. I looked different, acted different and was constantly reminded that I was anything but a square peg. I started to take pride in it. I developed my self-deprecating sense of humor because I had heard them say it enough about me, so why not own it?

I began to learn who I was very quick. Sooner or later you stop trying to fit yourself through that square hole and realize the whole fitting in thing is kind of monotonous anyways. When does that cycle stop? If you base your whole personality off of fitting in, are you an individual?

Becoming self-aware is tough for a lot of teenagers because they put the crowd’s needs before theirs. Instead of searching inside of themselves and learning more about themselves, they put their time and effort into acting like the other kids so no one will ever call them out for being different. Because different is death in grade school, right?

Take the time to learn about yourself. Search within and find your true personality and who you actually are instead of being a one-way mirror to society.

This one goes out to all of my rejects, my outcasts and my oddballs. It goes out to the misunderstood and the different shapes trying to fit themselves through square holes. Stay weird.

Column by Zac Garrison, Senior from Franklin, Ky.

It is not often students can listen to a celebrity who is famous for his work in a TV series portraying the son of a meth chemist.

Wednesday, students at Murray State can listen to RJ Mitte, better known as Walt “Flynn” White Jr. from the award-winning series “Breaking Bad” on Murray State’s campus.

After fame and fortune, some students may be curious about Mitte’s experiences in the film industry. Lowell Stevens, senior from Albuquerque, N. M., is a fan of “Breaking Bad.”

Stevens said the series was addictive to watch and he is excited to hear from one of the stars. 

Mitte

“I want to go because it’s a major actor from a major piece of television drama,” Stevens said. “And it’s interesting to divorce who he is from his character.”

Stevens is not only interested in understanding the role of Walt “Flynn” White Jr. He said he enjoyed the moral ambiguity of the characters and that the series was set in his hometown.

“I think RJ might talk about the relationship between the actors and it would be interesting to hear how being on set was or what the fame was like,” he said.

Some students are captivated by the skill and fame of the characters, others are interested in the background and personal life of the actors. Engaged fans may know that Walt “Flynn” White Jr. has cerebral palsy, but some may not know that Mitte also has a milder form of cerebral palsy and has struggled with mobility throughout his life.

Bridgette McAuliffe, freshman from Shepherdsville, Ky., has never watched “Breaking Bad” but is interested in hearing RJ Mitte speak for another reason.

  “I am always interested in learning about diseases that aren’t so well-known and the effects they have on individuals and their family and friends,” McAuliffe said.

Mitte will discuss his battles with cerebral palsy as well as his acting career in hopes to inspire the student population to chase after their dreams no matter what setbacks they may have.

Grant Grissom, Student Government Association vice president, hopes for students to attend the lecture to help Mitte achieve his goal.

“(Mitte) is coming to present a lecture, focusing on his excellent film career as well as his struggles and successes with cerebral palsy,” Grissom said. “The goal is for him to provide an inspirational testimony to students that they can achieve great things, no matter what their limits, as well as to relate to some awesome popular television subjects, as ‘Breaking Bad’ is one of the most critically and generally acclaimed television shows of all time.”

The lecture will take place at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 in the Large Ballroom in the Curris Center. Grissom believes that because Mitte is personally inspiring, students will not be disappointed by attending the lecture.

Story by Tiffany Whitfill, Staff writer

Jenny Rohl/The News
Senior Kelsey Emme practices shooting Wednesday at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range.

Kelsey Emme began her career as a competitive shooter the day her dad gave her a BB gun at age 4, leading to her success as a collegiate and junior Olympic rifle team member.

Emme said she begins a typical match by imagining herself having  perfect scores. Emme said she goes through all her positions and reassures herself that she knows what she’s doing.

“I get to the arena and immediately set up on the line,” Emme said. “I stretch and listen to music. My goal is to keep myself in a good state of mind and try to calm my nerves.”

Emme said she prepares for smallbore first and then air rifle. In the smallbore competition, athletes are judged on shooting 20 shots in three different positions; kneeling, prone and standing. Air rifle is judged shooting all 60 shots standing. Shooters are scored on how accurate their shot is on the automated target, which shows immediate results on a monitor in the range.

Unlike other sports, rifle is not given places during each match. Points are awarded and at the end of the season they are given averages and the shooters are placed based on those points. The higher the score, the closer to the target the shooter was.

Emme has shot with her dad since she was young, and in middle school she joined a club team 30 miles from her home. Growing up, she played three other sports as well. A typical day after school for Emme was to attend volleyball practice, basketball practice, golf practice then drive the 30 miles from her hometown of Piedmont, S.D., to Rapid City, S.D., to rifle practice.

“Coming to college I had to decide what I wanted to do,” Emme said. “I looked at the sports and had to decide what I could do everyday for the next four years. I felt like I could put everything I had into rifle and still love it.”

Since Emme began her rifle career, she has been to the Bavarian Airgun Championships in Germany where she finished eighth and she also competed in the USA Shooting Nationals, where she was named the Junior Champion in air rifle and finished fourth overall in the competition.

“I’ve come pretty far since my freshman year,” Emme said. “I’ve learned to not pressure myself. Everyday won’t be a good day; I’ve learned to just play my hardest every match.”

Rifle is a rising sport on campus, according to Emme. She said she has seen more people take an interest.

“My freshman year people would tell me they didn’t know there was a rifle team,” Emme said. “Now when I mention it people tell me they’ve not only heard of the team but that we’re good.”

Emme said the Olympic Committee changed the way it presents rifle matches by making the scores in real-time feedback. According to Emme, this change makes the sport more appealing to the crowd. Spectators can sit in the stands and watch as the scores instantly appear with the shooters’ names automatically moving higher or lower on the scoreboard as the numbers come in.

“It’s a slow sport to watch,” Emme said. “Because they changed the way it’s presented, there are a lot more people willing to sit through a match. It’s definitely a rising sport.”

As Emme’s last semester approaches, she said she’s had a successful college career in rifle and her memories are something she will always take with her.

Story by Kelsey Randolph, Assistant Sports Editor

The final count for Murray State enrollment soared past the estimated 11,000 for the fall 2014 semester.

Enrollment increased steadily from 10,022 students in 2008 to 11,207 this semester.

Fred Dietz, associate vice president for Enrollment Management, said increased enrollment can be attributed to a number of factors, but the cost of attending Murray State tops the list.

With the closure of Mid-Continent University in June, Murray State saw the largest transfer enrollment numbers from Mid-Continent recorded, leading to a larger transfer total.

Along with a larger transfer student population, Dietz said there were increases in graduate students and international students this year.

The Murray State Paducah Campus has seen a 12 percent increase, with approximately 140 additional students.

Murray State President Bob Davies said high school graduates of today know the value of higher education.

Students are dreaming of better opportunities for tomorrow, he said.

“Students are being drawn to higher education as a whole to better themselves and find opportunities that would not exist without the higher education credential,” Davies said. “When we admit students, they’re having that dream.”

Wanting to earn a degree encourages high school students to visit Murray State, and the bargain Murray State offers is what brings them back as enrolled students, Dietz said.

“Our students continue to realize the value of the (Murray State) degree in relation to cost,” Dietz said. “We have done a good job of awarding financial aid so that students can afford to attend.”

While affordability is important to students, high quality education and a campus that isn’t too big are also important, he said.

Davies agrees with students: the size is just right.

Physically, the campus can handle the number of students without a problem, Davies said, but culturally, he thinks smaller is better.

“We pride ourselves on small classes, we pride ourselves on direct faculty and staff connections with students, we pride ourselves on that student experience in having those small intimate ties,” Davies said. “If we continue to grow rapidly and rapidly, and exponentially, what does that do to the cultural capacity?”

  Davies said protecting the campus environment students enjoy when visiting is of utmost importance.

He said protecting the Murray State reputation and tradition of serving students and being very student focused is imperative.

That tradition is what students are buying into when they enroll at Murray State, Davies said.

The University needs to put more focus on recruiting non-traditional students, though, he said. He added campus tours after 5 p.m. and offering Saturday classes would create a better environment for non-traditional students working weekdays.

Growth is essential to a university. Even so, the university should not grow for growth’s sake, but to reflect successes, Davies said.

“More students is not always better,” Davies said. “Bigger is not always better.”

Story by Amanda Grau, Assistant News Editor

Kalli Bubb/The News

The Curris Center ballroom turned into a throne for royalty Thursday night as queens and kings performed at the Murray State Drag Show.

Through the strobe lights and blaring music, performers took the stage with sass and ferocity.

Jody Cofer Randall, LGBT program coordinator, said a lot goes into planning a show this size.

“It basically takes the entire day of volunteers coming in between their classes to help set up,” Randall said. “I don’t think people see a lot of that. It’s just a fun great event that comes off really well. They don’t think about the fact that at any given moment one of these jobs could go wrong and it could ruin the evening.”

Randall said they have to plan everything from the music to the lights to the tip runners to taking tickets at the door.

Aside from the logistics of the show, director of the drag show Jo Bennett said another difficulty is organizing the talent. 

Kalli Bubb/The News
Kara T. Belle applies her makeup prior to taking the stage in the Alliance’s semi annual drag show.

Bennett said he booked a wide range of performers from a king who performed in his first show Thursday night to queens who have performed in Nashville, Tenn., and Clarksville, Tenn.

Newbie Ariel Mitchell, also known as Artemis Fine, performed in her first show tonight. As she ran off stage and into the dressing room, adrenaline pumping, she said, “I just got out there and went for it.”

Natalie Simone said she has been doing shows at Murray State for several years. She said she chooses her own songs, puts on her own makeup and choreographs each of her dance numbers.

“I started getting ready at 3 p.m. today,” Simone said. “When choosing music, I try to choose one that’s slow and emotional that moves the crowd, one that I can dance to and a medium speed song.”

Kalli Bubb/The News
A king dances for the crowd to “Bye, Bye, Bye,” by N*Sync and accepts a tip from an eager fan. Right: Natalie Simone performed a Pink mash-up of songs for a crowd in the Curris Center Ballroom Thursday night.

Bennett said getting ready for a drag show is an extensive process. Some of the performers come to the ballroom hours ahead of time while others like to show up already dressed minutes before the show.

“The biggest time consumer is the makeup,” Bennett said. “It does take most performers two to two and a half hours to get ready. The other part is binding, whether that be a king binding down the chest or a queen binding down the private parts.”

Some queens also choose to wear corsettes to fix their waist. They will use layers of makeup to define the contours of their face such as the cheek bones and jawline. Some will shave or glue down their eyebrows and draw them on to create a more dramatic l

Kalli Bubb/The News
A king dances for the crowd to “Bye, Bye, Bye,” by N*Sync and accepts a tip from an eager fan.

ook.

Bennett said after the makeup is finished, the queens add on layers and layers of padding, clothing and multiple wigs.

The drag show serves as the main fundraiser for the LGBT community. The outcome of the drag show determines what Alliance will be able to program for the upcoming semester.

Randall said over 400 people attend the drag show, and they usually make anywhere from $1,700 to $1,900 per semester. All of the proceeds go toward programs for the Alliance as well as funding necessities for the LGBT community.

Story by Madison Wepfer, Staff writer

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Katie Wilborn/The News

College is a commitment that is academically demanding. We pull all-nighters to cram for tests, we juggle multiple papers at once and some of us unofficially live at Waterfield Library. These are regarded as normal aspects of student life, but some students turn to extreme measures to give them a boost.

Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse are just a few examples of amphetamines used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When taken recreationally, ADHD medications provide heightened levels of focus and energy. The pills may provide a leg up when trying to balance multiple assignments at once, but the risks are higher than the reward of a good grade.

According to the American Academy of Neurology, ADHD medication is highly addictive. Side effects can be as mild as insomnia or as severe as irregular heartbeat, hallucinations, seizures and high blood pressure. Its use can become fatal when combined with drinking alcohol, which is a common combination for college students. Those who abuse amphetamines will feel delusional from a lack of sleep, severe weight loss and slight paranoia.

Health isn’t the only thing students are gambling with when recreationally using amphetamines. ADHD medication is listed as a schedule II drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency because of its high potential of abuse. It makes the list alongside cocaine, morphine and Dilaudid.

There are two groups of students responsible for the ADHD medication problem on campus – students who buy it and students who are prescribed it but don’t mind selling it or giving it away.

ADHD medication affects  people diagnosed with ADHD in different ways than it does people who are not.  Adults who are prescribed amphetamines because they have ADHD report feeling moody, anxious and “zombie-like” when they take their medication. This leads to many people selling it or giving it away to people who don’t have ADHD because people who are not diagnosed may have more of a sense of euphoria when they take the medication because their dopamine receptors are flooded.

If students are prescribed amphetamines and experience negative side effects, they should cancel their prescription. By trafficking medication, they are contributing to a growing problem. Students who are using ADHD as an upper or a study buddy should quit before it becomes an addiction.

Because ADHD medication is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is so easy to access, some don’t consider it a real drug with serious consequences. This is ignorant and far from the truth. Students must know the dangers of recreational amphetamine uses before using it as a “study buddy.” 

Photo courtesy of Google

Mikelle Martin, freshman from Newburgh, Ind., said she never put two and two together.

Her brother and sister had it, but neither Martin nor her parents ever thought she had it. It never crossed their minds.

Until last summer.

Last summer, Martin finally went to the doctor. She was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and was prescribed Adderall.

Martin said she wishes she would have been diagnosed earlier. She said the Adderall helps her pay attention in lectures, take better notes and get better grades.

She feels motivated and driven when she takes her pills, and when she’s not on them, “I’m a couch potato,” she said.

According to Attention Deficit Disorder Association, 4 to 6 percent of the U.S. population has ADHD.

It lists three common symptoms of the disorder: distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The association’s site also says ADHD and ADD are interchangeable references.

Judy Lyle, associate director of Health Services, said drugs like Adderall and Ritalin work similarly to the methamphetamine speed. She said they’re more controlled and have fewer side effects, but the drugs are similar. Lyle said she will occasionally have students come to Health Services and self-disclose that they are taking Adderall without a prescription, but it doesn’t happen often.

“I know it’s being sold,” Lyle said. “I know it’s an issue on campus.”

She said the drug became an issue when students take them with other drugs or with alcohol and that it can be harmful to mix substances.

A recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research said Adderall is the most commonly abused prescription stimulant among college students. The study used Twitter to gather mentions of the drug.

The study monitored tweets containing the word “Adderall” from November 2011 to May 2012. They collected 213,633 tweets from 132,099 users. It found references to recreational use of Adderall were highest in northeast and southern states and the tweets peaked in December and May – finals weeks.

“… which suggests that college students who abuse prescription ADHD stimulants do so primarily during times of high academic stress,” the report said.

The report also catalogued the substances that were mentioned along with Adderall in tweets. Most commonly mentioned were alcohol, coffee, Redbull, cocaine and marijuana.

“Such poly drug use or co-ingestion is known to increase morbidity and mortality risk,” it said.

Adderall prescriptions can’t be refilled. If you are prescribed the drug, you have to go to your doctor every month and get a new prescription.

That allows your doctor to monitor the amount of pills taken and check for any side effects.

According to the Mayo Clinic, possible side effects of Adderall include anxiety, loss of strength and weight loss. Other side effects that are less common and require a doctor’s attention can include bladder pain, fast or irregular heartbeat, lower back or side pain and serious heart or blood vessel problems.

For a patient with a family history of heart problems, using Adderall could mean monthly heart and blood pressure checks. Martin said she has scheduled appointments with her doctor every few months so he can make sure her heart isn’t being damaged.

“(Adderall) can be dangerous to take if you don’t have ADD,” she said. “It can raise your heart rate.”

Martin said she can see why someone would take the drug during finals week, but she thinks it’s a dangerous choice.

“They’re trying to stay up and get everything done,” she said. “If you’re staying up that late, it’s unhealthy and it makes you irritable. They’re trying to fit 36 hours in a 24 hour day.”

Story by Kate Russell, Staff writer

Jenny Rohl/The News
Senior Julie Mooney battles a Belmont Bruin for a header during the Oct. 26 game at Cutchin Field.

Halloween was a treat for the Murray State women’s soccer team as they capped off their regular season with a 1-0 victory over UT Martin Friday night in Martin, Tenn.

The two teams battled for positioning in the OVC, and the Racers grabbed the three seed in the tournament with their win. UT Martin’s loss forced them to settle for the four seed. Facing a team that hasn’t lost at home all season, the Racers executed strongly and earned a late-season road win.

“I thought it was probably one of our best performances all year,” said Head Coach Jeremy Groves. “We played probably the most people we’ve played all year, too. So I was just really, really happy. You know, the game didn’t really mean a whole lot. We were still going to have to play three games next week so I was a little bit shocked at how well we did play. Sometimes players kind of get that in their head and they might relax a little bit but I think we played really well. We beat a team that hasn’t been beat on their field all year.”

The game was a battle from the beginning as the teams were evenly matched. The highlight for the Racers was their defensive play.

Freshman goalkeeper Shelby Haworth made save after save and would eventually end the game with 11 total, earning her the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week award. The first half ended with the competitors tied 0-0.

The second half started in much the same way, but in the 59th minute the Racers found an opportunity and capitalized. Senior Pavlina Nepokojova received a pass from freshman Harriet Withers and struck the ball into the upper left corner of the net for the game’s only goal.

With the momentum of a 1-0 lead, Murray State only had to survive comeback attempts from UT Martin.

After struggling early in the season on the road, the Racers won their last three road games.

Their fate in the OVC Tournament will be decided this weekend as they travel to Southeast Missouri State.

Groves said he isn’t worried about his team’s road performance.

“We always knew we could do it,” Groves said. “I think early on we probably played some difficult teams. We knew we could do it and the St. Louis game was a big turnaround. We finally found that we could win on the road and then in our conference we’ve had some big games winning on the road so, you know, it’s a neutral game on Thursday. Every game is going to be tough in the tournament so there is no real advantage for either team.”

Withers agreed with her coach’s sentiment.

“Our attitude has always been good,” Withers said. “I think now we are just a lot more excited and determined. We’re ready to win, I guess. We’ve got confidence and I think it’s going to be fun. I think we’re all really looking forward to it.”

The Racers made their first OVC Tournament appearance since 2011 Thursday as they took on No. 6 Morehead State. Murray State defeated the Eagles earlier in the season 5-0 in one of its best performances of the year. Groves knows the tournament games will not be as easy as their first meetings with conference teams, however.

“They’re going to be gunning for us, I know that for sure,” Groves said. “If we take care of what we need to care of and we play like we did on Friday, then we’ll come out on top, I have no question about that. It’s all about how we do and how we come out and not really what they can do.”

The OVC Tournament will be played on a turf field, something the Racers are not used to. To prepare for the unusual terrain, the team practiced all week on Roy Stewart Stadium’s turf field.

“Obviously we’re a team that trains and plays on grass,” Groves said. “We’re just trying to get accustomed to the turf a little bit. It’s a different surface, it bounces a lot more. We’re trying to get more acclimated for the tournament on turf.”

The OVC Tournament is a new experience for many of these players, especially Withers. When asked how she was feeling going into the tournament, she brightened up immediately.

“I’m so excited, I can’t wait,” Withers said. “Every time I think about it I get butterflies, but I mean it’s the experience. Some of these girls haven’t even been and they’re seniors so being a freshman and being able to go is amazing. It’s definitely really exciting.”

The first round of the tournament started Thursday and will continue throughout the weekend. Today, the Racers face No. 2 SIUE at 4 p.m. at SEMO.

Story by Peter Northcutt, Sports writer

Photo courtesy of Alpha Sigma Alpha
Sororities and fraternities competed in the Campus Plunge hosted by Alpha Sigma Alpha and Alpha Gamma Rho Nov. 6.

Murray State’s first Campus Plunge took place at the Alpha Gamma Rho house Nov. 6.

Students and faculty showed up to get dunked in ice–cold water for a good cause.

Alpha Sigma Alpha and AGR hosted the event to raise money for Special Olympics Kentucky.

Registration began at 7 p.m., and the opening ceremony started at 8 p.m. Best Buddies, an organization that helps Murray residents with disabilities get involved and meet people, was involved in the opening ceremony.

Best Buddies has some Special Olympics athletes that were able to attend the plunge and present awards.

The top fundraising Greek group on campus was ASA, but there were other individual winners. 

 One of the many unique things about this plunge was the costume contest. Teams and individuals dressed to impress with costumes such as “sharknado” and the “icy articulators.”

The plunge was glow-themed; with a giant inflatable palm tree slide that plungers slid down into the icy water.

The plunge brought out 90 participants and volunteers.

Kelley Kennedy, ASA senior from Louisville, Ky., has worked with Special Olympics Kentucky and said they were pleased with the outcome of the event.

“We are going to try to make it an annual event,” Kennedy said. “We are really excited about it; Special Olympics was enthusiastic about it. They were really happy with how the first year went. This was a really good first plunge to get under our belt to see the things we need to tweak and change, but I think it will be a fun annual event when we get it going.”

“We did a lot of plunges around the state,” Kennedy said. “I mainly worked with West Kentucky Plunge and the Owensboro, Ky., and Louisville area.” 

The Campus Plunge has raised more than $7,000 and the number is still growing.

People are still donating to the plunge for Special Olympics Kentucky.

ASA and AGR are working on ideas for the
next plunge.

“We’re thinking about making the plunge on a Saturday morning instead, so people won’t have to worry about classes,” said Kennedy. “We do need to stick to the time frame of late October or early November, because there are other plunges in the area that we don’t want to compete with. But it still has to be cold enough outside to make sure ‘you’re freezin’ for a reason’.”

 ASA is a regular contributor at the West Kentucky Polar Plunge at Kentucky Lake in  February and plans to show up to support Special Olympics Kentucky once again next year.

Story by Taylor Inman, Staff writer

Hannah Fowl/The News
Record numbers of international students have enrolled at Murray State this year.

Thirty Mexican students from Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro and Universitario Tecnologico de Queretaro arrived on campus Tuesday as part of their government’s Proyecta 100,000 (100,000 Strong).

These students, as well as 7,500 other Mexican students, will study abroad in the U.S. this year as part of their government’s recent initiative.

The program, in partnership with the U.S. government’s 100,000 Strong in the Americas, aims to have 100,000 Mexican students studying in the U.S. and 50,000 American students studying in Mexico by 2018.

Guangming Zou, director of the Institute for International Studies, said he was first contacted about the opportunity to host these students Aug. 29. These students are the first group from Mexico to study  at Murray State.

After securing housing for students on campus, the University submitted its proposal to accept 30 students into its English as a Second Language program two days after the initial contact.

Zou said while he’s unsure what the outcome of Murray State’s participation in this program will be, it’s a good start for future relations with the country.

“Will this be the beginning of a partnership between Mexico and Murray State?” he said. “That’s everyone’s question, including ours. I do see this as an opportunity and prelude to developing an institutional relationship.”

All of Murray State’s contact has been with Mexico’s Ministry of Education. But with the Mexican students’ arrival this week, along with two professors from these universities, Zou said a direct dialogue between the schools can now begin.

Murray State first experienced the effects of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas movement last semester when five students from Panama studied here as part of their country’s Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” program for students from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds.

Since President Barack Obama introduced this program between the Americas, the exchange of students between countries has not only increased, but the number of government-sponsored programs with similar goals such as 100,000 Strong has as well.

Half of Murray State’s approximately 1,100 international students come from either government-sponsored programs, most notably through Saudi Arabia, or are individual students who apply online or through recruiting agencies. The other half is made up of students from the University’s partner campuses in, for example, China and South Korea.

Despite record international enrollmment, Weihong Gao, ESL Associate Director, said original projections indicated there would be a shortfall of students this semester, specifically from those studying in the ESL program.

“Almost all of our partner universities across the board sent a fewer amount of students this year,” Gao said. “At the beginning we were expecting a much deeper cut (in enrollment), but this loss was made up for by a large number of Brazilian students who enrolled this semester.”

Of approximately 80 Brazilian students studying at Murray State, 30 are enrolled in the ESL program. These students’ education is also sponsored by their government and private business as part of the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program.

Zou said in the future Murray State will see even more students studying here from South and Central America as part of this growing trend.

He has begun negotiations with Panama’s Ministry of Education  to bring teachers wishing to teach English to the University in May.

“The world is flat,” Zou said. “Years ago we talked about a flat world and that’s something people did not understand scientifically, and now, metaphorically, people are saying that the world is flat and becoming smaller and smaller. When we bring lots of diversified groups to campus, that’s part of your education. You see what the outside world really is.”

Story by Ben Manhanke, Staff writer