Haley Hays/The News
Sophomore point guard Cameron Payne dribbles into the paint against Freed-Hardeman Nov. 6 at the CFSB Center.

Men’s basketball kicked off the 2014-15 season at home Nov. 6 with an exhibition game against Freed-Hardeman University. The Racers beat the  Lions 74-42, working out some of their pre-season kinks as the game progressed.

Head Coach Steve Prohm was pleased with the team’s early performance and the crowd’s turnout.

“It’s good to kick off the new year,” Prohm said. “I thought we had a good atmosphere for exhibition game. I thought our students turned out really well – I’ve been tweeting with them all day – so really appreciative of those guys coming out. Lower bowl was filled, so I thought that was good.”

Despite a packed house, the Racers were slow to start the exhibition. With barely seven minutes left in the first half, Freed-Hardeman led Murray State 21-15 before the Racers kicked it into gear.

Sophomore guard Justin Seymour started off an unmatched 13-point scoring run as the Racers took the lead and finished the half leading 38-23.

“Well, I guess you could say that first game jitters put that into play,” said senior guard T.J. Sapp of the Racers’ slow start. “We all was anxious to get ready to get playing. Took a lot of quick and early shots when we should have probably went more inside out, get it, you know the flow going starting in close and then moving it out. But you know, after a while, we ended up starting to play some Racer basketball. It was still kind of a work in progress, but you know, first game. We’ll get it going all right.”

Haley Hays/The News
Senior forward Jarvis Williams goes up for a dunk Nov. 6 at the exhibition against Freed-Hardeman at the CFSB Center.

Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn., is an NAIA school, and senior forward Jarvis Williams believed his team might have played down to the level of its competition.

“Not to take anything away from that team, but you know, what we go through in practice and everything, our defensive energy should have been at a higher level,” Williams said. “We just need to come out with that same intensity as we would in practice. It’s a part of first game jitters. We got the flow going and we picked it up.”

The Racers picked it up in the second half as they built a strong lead, helped by dunks from multiple players.

Now, Prohm and the players are learning from the exhibition and looking forward to getting their legs back under them as they prepare for their game against the University of Houston tonight at 7 p.m. at the CFSB Center.

“To be honest right now, we look a little banged up,” Prohm said. “We look a little beat up, we looked a little tired at times tonight. We’ve got to get our legs back, we’ve got to get our spark back, and keep getting better. We’ve got a ways to go. We’re not where we need to be. This reminds me of our team last year at this time, just early. But it’s good to get this behind us, and now it’s on. They all count, and we better be ready, cause it’s coming quick. And we’ve got a good opponent – great opponent – and a tremendous coach coming in here.”

In addition to getting healthy, the team has been focusing on its defense this week during practice. Prohm said he thinks his team will be able to score, but it must focus on the defensive end of the game in order to take the next step toward success.

Houston boasts a high-major basketball program and a successful first-year head coach in Kelvin Sampson. As they travel to mid-major Murray State, the Racers aren’t as worried about playing a high-profile opponent as they are about playing to the best of their abilities.

“We don’t get into all that,” Williams said. “We’re going to be ready for whatever. We’re just going to have to come out and not start off slow. We got the first game out of the way, even though it’s an exhibition, but we’re used to the crowd. Now we’ve got everybody where we need to be.”

Story by Mallory Tucker, Sports Editor

Most people have no earthly idea what net neutrality is. Those who have read up on the subject know how absolutely vital this is to the world.

The idea of net neutrality is making sure that Internet service providers and the government treat all of the information on the Internet equally. It means charging different people to access different things or throttling information unless additional money is paid, equally.

I have followed this topic for some time now and earlier this week I saw a tweet from Republican and Texas Senator Ted Cruz that said “Net Neutrality is like ObamaCare for the Internet. The Internet should not run at the speed of the government.” Ironically, the first thing that I thought might not be fit for print, but the second thing I thought was, does Cruz actually know what net neutrality is?

The largest thing that bothers me about this fight against net neutrality is that it is similar to the same system we have in place now; we’re just putting a title to the ideology behind having the Internet equally accessible to anyone with a computer and Internet access.

Cruz tries to shake a finger at President Barack Obama by saying that the government is trying to privatize Internet, while at the same time Cruz is trying to help commercialize it under our very noses.

Senators that are paid big bucks to publicly denounce net neutrality is what reminds the world that politics are dirty.

Net neutrality brings up the never-ending correlation between our rights to freedom against the thickness of their pocketbooks. We have the right to information on the Internet and should not be nickeled and dimed to access it. 

As an avid Internet user, I can see the perks of having equality in data on the Internet and I can also see the downsides of having data treated differently among different people.     Many people rely on their access to the Internet, that if their freedom and equality of information on the Internet was compromised, they would not be able to function the same way they had in the past.

Do I necessarily think that the Internet needs to be qualified as a public utility? No. But it’s a thought in the right direction. The Internet is not something that anybody needs to be in control of and that is exactly where this whole argument begins.

Comcast and Time Warner want to have more control over the Internet. Other than just providing people the ability to access it, they want to be able to charge you for accessing it. They want to control what you see by making you pay more for the information that is at this time, mostly free. Ending net neutrality means that we, the consumer, lose and they, the corporations in charge, win again.

Other than the corporations who would profit handsomely from being able to charge you $0.99 per Google search, nobody truly wins. Even the individuals who will help try and end net neutrality will be upset when they have to pay an extra $2.99 per month to have access to Google Images.

These two examples have not been previously mentioned as something that will happen, but ending net neutrality will give big corporations like Comcast and Time Warner the ability to implement that kind of business strategy on our access to the Internet.

Even though I may sound like a broken record by now, educate yourself. Learn the ins and outs of just how important net neutrality is to us and to the world and become familiar with just how bad things could get if we ever lost sight of the equality of data on the Internet. It’s about money and greed.

So Ted Cruz, instead of attempting to rile up your uneducated Twitter followers with large words they have never heard, why don’t you ask yourself why you care all of a sudden? Do you really care about the people that you’ve sworn to represent? Or do you just care about the amount of zeros on a check that your position can bring? The basic roots of this country weren’t founded on monetization and control, they were founded on freedom. Remember that.

Column by Zac Garrison, Senior from Franklin, Ky.

Typically this time of year is reflected by the aisle of Wal-Mart that has the discounted  Halloween candy one day and Christmas decorations the next.

The holidays have arrived, and Tymeless Hearts is hosting its second Holiday Bazaar.

Beth Brown, national executive director of Tymeless Hearts, said the event is open to anyone looking to fulfill shopping needs or grab some pictures with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 22 on the third floor of the Curris Center in the Large Ballroom.

“We have done similar events in the past, but this will only be the second time for the Murray State chapter to raise money this way,” she said. “Our Holiday Bazaar is an event (where attendees can get) pictures with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves, as well as shop for things at other booths full of fun.”

The event is set up like a community market with a large variety of vendors, ranging from church groups to businesses. 

The vendors will set up in booths to sell products, provide people with services for donations, promote and advertise their businesses and services or give away coupons and free samples.

In previous years, community members set up booths alongside local businesses and handed out free samples of handmade crafts or jewelry.

“There will be several different vendors and other booths set up for shopping,” Brown said. “Gift wrapping will be available as well, CHD (congenital heart defect) awareness jewelry, pictures with Santa, Mrs. Claus and/or elves, and crafts thanks to the Basket Gifts and more.”

The vendors benefit by earning money through selling products or getting their name out in the community, but the Murray State chapter of Tymeless Hearts sees the event as an opportunity to help their own club and the community.

“The student organization benefits from the experience of being involved and helping others,” Brown said.

The money raised from vendor entry fees and obtained through the bake sale will help families struggling with medical bills or basic needs due to heart conditions. This is just one way the event benefits the community.

“There are over 50 Heart families in the local area who are signed up so far to get gifts this Christmas, so they will benefit from the toys donated and money raised,” Brown said. “The entire community benefits from pictures with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves for only $5 or a donation of a toy for a Heart family. This is an incredibly good deal in comparison to most.”

In addition to the inexpensive holiday photo, the Holiday Bazaar is a one stop shop for holiday goodies.

Brown said Murray State students are especially welcome to shop and support a great cause.

“?It’s a great way for students to get some Christmas shopping done before heading home,” Brown said. “You can get a one of a kind gift for your parents or someone else on your list.”

Story by Hunter Harrell, Staff writer

Fumi Nakamura/The News
RJ Mitte spoke to students Wednesday about his struggles with cerebral palsy and overcoming his disability.

Wednesday, students, faculty and staff at Murray State were seeing stars. Not only did CMT invade campus, but “Breaking Bad” actor RJ Mitte visited with students and community members to speak about his disability, his acting career and how to overcome challenges.

Dressed in a navy pinstripe suit, Mitte approached the stage and the crowd cheered. Mitte put his hands together, thanked the crowd for having him and began his lecture.

“If you have no idea who I am, then I have no idea why you’re here,” Mitte said.

  Mitte introduced himself, including his role in “Breaking Bad” and the many charities he works with now due to his struggles with cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder caused by injury to the brain, such as lack of oxygen, in development. The disability affects body movement and muscle coordination, and varies in severity from case to case.

Mitte shared his struggle from a young age, before he was diagnosed.

“My family knew something was wrong,” Mitte said. “They didn’t know what it was. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was three.”

Eventually Mitte was able to get a diagnosis at a Shriner’s hospital and he began treatments. For more than 5 years, he wore casts on his legs. Mitte said he was always trying to find ways to take the casts off. He said on several occasions, he would pretend to fall into the pool so by the time he was able to swim out, the casts were ruined.

Mitte’s struggle was discomfort. Mitte handled the heat by freezing coins and dropping them into the cast to cool down his legs.

“I would get so many stuck in the cast it would get uncomfortable to walk,” Mitte said. “I would finally go to the doctor and have them cut my cast open and money would fly out.”

The physical discomfort was just that, however. There were other problems Mitte faced as a child as well. He was bullied throughout his school years and said he had to stand up for himself often.

Fumi Nakamura/The News Mitte, most well-known for his role in “Breaking Bad,” took pictures with attendees and spoke with them after his lecture.

Now years later, Mitte is a successful actor, with experience in background roles and as a series regular in “Breaking Bad.” He also works closely with charities relating to cerebral palsy research.

Mitte segued into speaking about his experience in the real world of people trying to tear him down for his disability.

He talked about how the acting business is unfortunately negative.

“You will get told no to more times then you will ever get said yes to,” Mitte said. “You can say ‘Oh, I want to do this,’ they will say no.”

Toward the end of the evening he wrapped up his lecture by advising people to be who they are and set an example for others.

“Protect who you are,” he said. “If you let (people) manipulate you, you won’t realize who you have become. You have the opportunity to make an impact in so many lives and so many aspects of this world.”

Mitte finished his lecture and the crowd engaged him with questions. Many asked about his experiences on ‘Breaking Bad,’ while others asked him about his other upcoming roles.

Many students thanked Mitte for coming after the lecture and expressed excitement to take pictures after the event. Clint Combs, senior from Murray, was able to ask Mitte a question in the session. After the show he said he enjoyed hearing Mitte speak.

“I thought RJ did an excellent job,” Combs said. “He was a fun speaker to listen to. Also as a fan of the show, I thought it was weird to see that character live.”

Attendees walked away with more knowledge of the person behind the character and the struggles he has faced with cerebral palsy. Mitte reminded each person there to stand for what they believe in and believe in who they are.

Story by Hunter Harrell, Staff writer

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

Katie Wilborn/The News

Many students rely on scholarships in order to afford college. Thanks to the generosity of benefactors and foundations, we can go to school at a far-reduced and sometimes free rate. For that, we are gracious.

However, the way the University is handling our gratitude seems out of hand.

Those who received scholarships are required to write thank- you letters to their benefactors. A thank-you letter must be written for each scholarship, so some are required to write multiple.

If the letter was not submitted by the Nov. 10 deadline, that student had a hold placed on their MyGate account. 

We feel that handling gratitude in this way makes it seem forced. While we are thankful for our scholarships, the importance placed on these letters is too high. On Murray State’s website, there are extensive guidelines as to how to write the letters.

These guidelines limit what we are allowed to say in our letters. If the letter does not meet all the guidelines on format, they will be sent back to the student for revision. With such strict rules, the benefactor will likely read hundreds of letters that say roughly the same thing.

How rewarding can that possibly be? We are also unsure if the benefactors directly read our letters. Some scholarship benefactors are no longer living, so who do our letters go to?

These rules, along with a short deadline, means some students will be revising their letters beyond the due date. A hold on an account can keep a student from registering for classes or viewing their transcript.

The point of scholarships is to ensure students have the means to pursue higher education. Putting a hold on our account because of a thank-you letter is in conflict with this idea.

Scholarship thank-you letters are a yearly requirement, which means benefactors, if they read our letters at all, have read very similar letters to the year before. There isn’t anything interesting about reading a letter about our future plans for two or three years in a row.

While it is probably gratifying for a benefactor to know they are helping a student attend college, they would likely appreciate our thanks if they were more genuine and personal.

When the University makes thank you letters a requirement, they take away the personal value and graciousness that gives a “thank-you letter” its name.

Jenny Rohl/The News
President Bob Davies joins the team as Athletic Director Allen Ward congratulates them after the game Tuesday at Racer Arena.

With a three-set sweep of Austin Peay State Tuesday, Racer volleyball clinched the regular season championship 14-1 and will host the OVC Tournament beginning Nov. 20.

The Racers won 12 straight matches after dispatching Austin Peay at home and UT Martin Nov. 7, and Southeast Missouri State Saturday.

The first set began with outside hitter, Scottie Ingram taking control. Ingram led with seven points in the first 10 minutes of the game before Austin Peay took its first point.

The Racers easily took the first set 25-18. The next two sets gave Murray State a tough run. In the end they pulled away, winning the second set 25-15 and finally the third set 25-21.

Head Coach David Schwepker said the team braced for a tough time because Austin Peay was the only team in the OVC to defeat the Racers in the regular season, sweeping Murray State in three sets Sept. 30 in Clarksville, Tenn.

“Austin Peay took away a couple of their big players,” Schwepker said. “I thought it would be to our advantage but it took us back. The girls did a good job of changing their lineup and using it to their advantage.”

With only one game left before the OVC Tournament, the team is preparing for one last game against Morehead State, who is 2-12 in the OVC. Schwepker said they are only focusing on the next game against Morehead State and won’t think about the tournament until it begins.

“Our chemistry was great this year,” Ingram said. “When I’m on the court I know exactly what I’m doing. We knew this game was a revenge match and we just looked up and something sparked, we knew we wanted it and it showed in us.”

Schwepker said he is looking to see setter Sam Bedard, right side hitter Kristen Besselsen and outside hitter and defensive specialist Taylor Olden help lead the team into a good tournament weekend.

He said Bedard and Besselsen are two players that lead the team every game and he sees Olden as a silent leader. Crowds can clearly see what she is capable of by assisting in points every game.

Jenny Rohl/The News
Junior Sam Bedard sets up freshman Olivia Chatman against Austin Peay State Tuesday at Racer Arena.

“We’ve worked so hard for so long,” Besselsen said. “We are so happy that all the hard work at practice has paid off. I’m excited to see the tournament here. We will take it one game at a time and will not take any of them lightly.”

After clinching the match Tuesday night, Athletic Director Allen Ward presented the team the regular season conference award.

“It is so awesome to get that trophy,” Ingram said. “It is nice to be undefeated at home. We have pushed through the season and won. Now we’re just looking to finish this weekend and take on the tournament, hopefully taking it through to the end.”

The Racers are preparing for Saturday’s match against Morehead State in Morehead, Ky. The OVC Tournament runs Nov. 20-22 in Racer Arena.

“We clean our floor,” Schwepker said. “This is our floor and we sweep and mop the floor every week. I hope that it keeps them grounded. At this point we’re only preparing for Morehead State and then we’re only thinking about the next game. I hope this rubs off on them and they take pride in the arena. Everyone knows we are good, it just makes it exciting.”

Story by Kelsey Randolph, Assistant Sports Editor

Kalli Bubb/The News
Chase Bryant (above) was one of the stars to play at CMT’s “Hot 20 Countdown” concert at the CFSB Center Wednesday night.

(WITH SLIDESHOW) – As promised, CMT brought its film crews and country music stars to invade campus Wednesday. As part of the prize for winning CMT’s “Country College Town Sweepstakes,” the show “Hot 20 Countdown” was filmed throughout campus and an A-list concert was brought to the CFSB Center.

Tuesday it was announced students should meet in the Quad Wednesday afternoon for an opportunity to be on television by making an appearance on the “Country Music Countdown” show.

Around 75 students gathered in front of the Rainey T. Wells statue in the Quad and hooped and hollered as the two hosts of “Hot 20 Countdown” filmed the show’s opening stand up and introduced videos.

“I’ve wanted to be on CMT since I was 13,” said Sarah McKenzie, senior from Cadiz, Ky., who finally had the opportunity to achieve that dream Wednesday.

The hosts of the show posed for pictures with students and carried conversations between takes despite the cold temperatures.

Kory Savage/The News
President Bob Davies crowd-surfs across a pit of students after playing a game of corn hole with country music star Joe Nichols.

Murray State was the smallest school in the sweepstakes, beating out much larger universities like Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University by a multitude of votes.

“I think it was a shock,” said Cody Alan, host of “Hot 20 Countdown.” “You would think larger schools would have the advantage, but I think the passion for CMT, our show, ‘Hot 20 Countdown,’ and for what we were doing in our quest to find the one school in America that wanted to have a free country music concert that it showed the passion behind the cause and I was happy to see it.”

Not only did Alan feel this way about Murray State’s victory in the sweepstakes, his co-host Katie Cook had similar feelings.

“It really shows that determination pays off in a contest like this,” she said. “We are all really proud of you guys.”

Unlike many of the other students in attendance at the filming, Emily Clark, junior from Owenton, Ky., said her teacher let her out early to be a part of the unique experience.

“The whole experience is just really cool,” Clark said. “It is just a really good opportunity and I didn’t even have to skip class to come. We convinced the teacher to let us out early.”

The tapings across campus were a preview to the main concert event Wednesday night.

As part of the prize for winning the sweepstakes CMT brought Chase Bryant, Joe Nichols and Big and Rich to the CFSB Center for a free concert just for Murray State students and the Murray community.

Chase Bryant opened the show by saying he could “use a little bit of Murray, Ky.,” and dedicated a song to all the couples in love in the audience to raise their phones up high, lighting up the arena with the glow of cell phone light.

Kory Savage/The News President Bob Davies crowd-surfs across a pit of students after playing a game of corn hole with country music star Joe Nichols.

Bryant pleased the crowd most when he covered the song “Fishin’ In The Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and then stripped off his shirt and put on a Murray State T-shirt. He then sang his hit single “Take It On Back,” to close his set.

Between sets, Alan and Cook entertained the crowd with games and activities like  a sign competition. The winning sign read “Save a horse, ride a racer!”

There was also a corn hole competition between President Bob Davies and Nichols, which Nichols was the winner of.  Davies then crowd-surfed across the pit.

The crowd erupted with applause as Nichols opened his set with his 2002 hit “Brokenheartsville,” and told the crowd they “looked so beautiful tonight like the stars in the sky.”

Nichols surprised the crowd by doing his own rendition of “country rap” by rapping the song “I Like Big Butts” by Sir Mix-A-Lot.

A surprise in the audience was an appearance by Santa Clause. Many students and children in the audience fled to the man dressed up in the red suit for pictures and to tell him their Christmas wishes.

“The people at Froggy told me if I dressed as Santa I would have a better chance of getting to the front,” said Doug Mullins of Murray. “My wife told me people would think I was crazy but so many children have come up asking for pictures that it makes the whole thing worth it.”

Big and Rich closed the show and started their first song in the back of the arena and working their way through the crowd to the stage.

John Rich, one of the two lead singers in the group, congratulated Murray State by saying students in Murray kicked the other schools’ asses.

Big and Rich also debuted their new single “Who You Been Lovin’ Lately” that they collaborated on with country artist Tim McGraw.

Big and Rich ended their set and closed the show by playing their biggest hit, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.”

Nicole Fix, sophomore from O’Fallon, Ill., was excited for CMT to bring entertainers, like Nichols and Big and Rich, which she grew up loving and listening to.

“I was most excited to see Joe Nichols and Big and Rich,” Fix said. “They’re from my childhood so it doesn’t matter if their songs are from six years ago; they’re great entertainers.”

The footage shot in Murray Wednesday will be shown on CMT’s “Hot 20 Countdown” show at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22 on CMT.

Story by Breanna Sill, Features Editor

The City Council chambers overflowed with citizens and Murray State students Thursday night when the Murray City Council convened to discuss revisions affecting the LGBT community in the current Human Rights Ordinance.

More than 75 emails from concerned citizens were submitted to the Murray City Council in the 24 hours before the meeting regarding the revisions.

Members of the commission proposed adding sexual orientation and sexual identity as protected classes to the city’s ordinance, said Jody Cofer Randall, chair of the City of Murray Human Rights Commission.

“To say that’s all we are adding would be an oversimplification,” Cofer Randall said.

Under the proposed revisions it would be unlawful, based upon race, color, religion, natural origin, sex, age (over 40), gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status or physical disability of any type, to discriminate in employment, public accommodations or housing practices.

An illegal housing practice, called blockbusting, is prohibited in the current ordinance. Blockbusting refers to frightening homeowners into selling their homes at a lowered value because members of a particular race, religion or sexual orientation are moving into their neighborhood.

The Human Rights Ordinance does not include sexual orientation or sexual identity as classes protected against discrimination.

Although Randall planned to present the commissions recommended revisions, he decided to put it on hold due to the overwhelming negative response from the community.

Randall said he spent most of the night before trying to decide what to say at the meeting.

A draft of the revision came out a year ago, he said, but the commission did not approve. Since then Mayor Bill Wells, city attorney Warren Hopkins and city administrator Matt Mattingly have been working on the revisions. The Human Rights Commission unanimously recommended the revised draft should go forward Monday.

“The commission believes that everyone in Murray has the right to earn a living, put a roof over their family’s head, and eat at their favorite restaurant without being asked to leave due to their intrinsic human characteristics,” Cofer Randall said.

The Commission hopes to make revisions to the Human Rights Ordinance that was adopted by the city in the 1970s. Randall said the ordinance has since been updated three times, but only for technical changes, not substantive ones.

“We have a 44-year-old Human Rights Ordinance,” he said. “Human rights evolve. How we treat each other changes.”

City Council member Robert Billington said when an ordinance is put into effect, it starts with a firm line then boundaries are pushed, leading to more liberalization.

“I don’t have a problem with homosexuals, but I don’t support it,” he said. “I have to look at this from a long-term perspective.”

Jane Shoemaker, City Council member, said the Human Rights Commission has been studying the ordinance for at least three years, but community members said in their emails they did not know revisions were under consideration.

Randall said three faith leaders wrote letters opposing the new ordinance but said their arguments were not logical because of the religious protections that are included in the revisions.

“The proposed draft exempts religious organizations and religious affiliate organizations,” he said. “Three pages of the seven page draft are exemptions.”

Shoemaker said there was some confusion about the ordinance that the Human Rights Commission will work to clear up.

“There’s a lot of fear and misconception and we want to straighten this out,” she said.

The Human Rights Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8 to review the community’s input. The commission encouraged the public to attend and offer their thoughts directly.

“We are hoping that all of the people who were here tonight will be able to attend so they can give their input and learn more about who we are and why we are doing this,” Shoemaker said.

It’s important to have this discussion in the community because Murray has a large Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, she said.

Shoemaker estimated that Murray has a larger LGBT population than surrounding areas such as Mayfield, Ky., and Benton, Ky.

“We are proposing something that we think is fair particularly to the LGBT community who feel that their civil rights are not being protected,” Shoemaker said.

In a letter sent to Mayor Bill Wells Nov. 12 from Murray State President Bob Davies, Davies expressed his support for the revisions to the Human Rights Ordinance.

“Murray State prides itself on being an inclusive community that supports and encourages freedoms of democracy being shared equally and wholly by all individuals regardless of the race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or age,” Davies said. “Futhermore, Murray State, in living up to our ideals of being a ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ encourages a community in which all members feel safe to express new ideas and thoughts without fear of retribution and intimidation.”

Story by Mari-Alice Jasper, Staff writer

Kory Savage/The News

Former Houston Rockets assistant coach Kelvin Sampson looked displeased with his team as he made his return to collegiate basketball only to see his team couldn’t find a lead against mid-major Murray State throughout the first half. They closed the gap with less than a minute left before halftime, however, bringing the Racers’ lead to just 42-38 as the buzzer sounded.

The Racers came out swinging once again in the second half with back-to-back buckets. The crowd was rambunctious as the men held their small lead against the Cougars. Both teams held strong as the score gap remained small. Payne got the crowd going with a dunk to increase the Racers’ lead to 56-48 with 13:17 left to play.

Houston didn’t quit, however, as redshirt sophomore forward Danrad Knowles put up a huge dunk for the Cougars before junior guard Eric Weary, Jr. hit a three-pointer to put the Racers up by just one basket. Houston then tied the score with just under ten minutes to play.

Junior forward Jeffery Moss put the Racers back on top with a three-pointer and two free throws within a minute.

Houston grabbed their first lead of the game with a layup by junior forward Devonta Pollard. He was fouled on the play and made his free throw, making the score 68-66 with 6:18 left in the game.

The Racers were unable to regain their lead as basket after basket bounced off the rim. Senior forward Jarvis Williams put three free throws on the board, and the Racers trailed by four as they called a timeout with 1:11 left to play.

The pressure was on as the Racers forced a turnover and Payne put it up for a basket to cut the score to just two points. The crowd was relentless as Houston lobbed it downcourt just to be caught by a sliding player who was called for traveling. Murray State called yet another timeout with just 51.4 seconds to play.

The Racers foul in the bonus and the Cougars go one-for-two at the free throw line, putting the Racers down by three. Payne misses a three on the next possession and the Racers foul once again. The Cougars miss the free throw and senior guard T.J. Sapp takes it downcourt in attempt of a buzzer beater. The clock times out as the ball hits the backboard and the Racers fall to Houston during the season-opener.

Jenny Rohl/The News
Sophomore point guard Cameron Payne faces off against a Houston defender Nov. 14 at the CFSB Center.

The Racers opened the season at home with a 77-74 loss to the University of Houston Nov. 14 before redeeming themselves with a 68-49 victory over former OVC rival Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Tuesday.

Former Houston Rockets assistant coach and current Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson looked displeased as he made his return to collegiate basketball only to see his team couldn’t find a lead against mid-major Murray State throughout the first half. The Cougars closed the gap with less than a minute left before halftime, however, as 5,056 fans electrified the air in the CFSB Center. The Racers’ lead was cut to just 42-38 as the buzzer sounded.

“I coached Isaiah Canaan last year,” Sampson said, “so I’ve heard enough about Murray State from Isaiah, but I’ve been aware. I have a lot of respect for this program. It’s been good a long time. Murray State didn’t just get good. Hats off to Murray State. Great environment, great facilities, great program.”

During the second half, the Racers had a tough time with both shooting and working their offense around the zone defense the Cougars brought out.

“We were stuck with four guards, and we just weren’t prepared enough,” said Head Coach Steve Prohm. “And that’s totally on me. It falls on me and not on the guys. The zone bothered us. It slowed the game down for us offensively and it really got us out of rhythm.”

Kory Savage/The News
Senior forward Jarvis Williams guards a Houston player as he attempts to inbound the ball Nov. 14 at the CFSB Center.

Houston took the lead with just over six minutes left in the game, but the Racers fought to regain it.

With less than two minutes to play, senior forward Jarvis Williams drew a foul and sunk his free throws before a loose ball was recovered for a layup by sophomore point guard Cameron Payne, cutting the lead to 76-74. Murray State forced another turnover but Payne’s 3-point attempt was no good with 37 seconds on the clock.

The Racers took on their first road challenge of the year Tuesday as they faced MTSU for the 137th time in program history. This win against the Conference USA team gave the Racers a chance to improve in the areas they found flaws against Houston.

Junior forward Tyler Rambo regained eligibility after technicality issues within his degree progress prevented him from playing against Houston. He racked up five rebounds and went two for five in field goals and three for four in free throws in his 25 minutes of playing time.

A tough loss followed by a road win provides the Racers with the challenges Prohm hoped they would find in their difficult schedule.

“We need adversity,” Prohm said. “This team needs a lot of adversity for us to get to where we need to go.”

Story by Mallory Tucker, Sports Editor

There are two reasons why students are looking forward to next week: three days off of school and Thanksgiving. Some students will travel by car or plane to spend the holidays with family and friends while others may celebrate Thanksgiving in Murray.

For those who will not be traveling for the holiday, there is a way to bring the spirit of good food and company to Murray. Gather friends and the best recipes around to begin your “friends-giving.”

PREPARATION:

The first step to coordinating a Thanksgiving celebration is to choose the venue for the affair. Whether at an apartment or a local meeting house, there are many ways to transform spaces to create a warm and inviting site.

DECORATIONS:

Burlap and lace are popular trends during the fall season, as well as autumn hues like gold, maroon and hunter green. Creating a bold statement piece for your event may be a conversation starter later that night.

A simple centerpiece that will be appreciated by all can be influenced by the colors of fall. Grab a few empty wine bottles or candle holders and paint them either red, yellow or orange.

Add Thanksgiving appeal by using a white paint marker to write words like give thanks, friends, feast and gratitude. To add flair to these bottles, add a few strands of decorative flowers and stems that complement the pieces.

FOOD:

Enjoy home cooked meals by having a pot-luck with friends. Each friend may be responsible for preparing an appetizer, entree, vegetable or dessert. Allowing multiple people to create the dishes spreads the responsibility of the time-consuming cooking practice and adds a personal flair to each dish.

GAMES:

No party can be complete without fun and games. For those friends who know either very little or everything about the other guests in the room, this classic twist to the popular “20 Questions” game will have everyone learning a little more about their friends.

One guest will begin by selecting another guest as the “mystery identity” but will not tell who it is out loud. Each guest will then get to ask a yes or no question about the “mystery identity” until the group has reached 20 questions. They will then have one guess to solve who the “mystery identity” is.

MOVIE:

There are many ways to end a party with friends. One of those ways is to play a movie that enhances the bonds of friendship and Thanksgiving.

Some popular movies centered around friendship and Thanksgiving include: “Son in Law,” “National Lampoon’s Thanksgiving Family Reunion” and “Home for the Holidays.”

Thanksgiving was originated to spend time with friends and give thanks and gratitude. With good food and company, any place, even if it’s not permanent, can feel like home for the holidays.

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Ray and The Food Network
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy

1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 lemon, scrubbed clean

12 fresh sage leaves

Large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling pan

1-teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

6 fresh bay leaves

4 tablespoons butter

2 boneless turkey breast halves, skin on

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup apple or regular brandy

2-3 cups apple cider

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.

Put the onion into the bowl of a mini food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.

Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a pastry brush, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breasts with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.

Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.

Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the apple brandy, and scrape the pan to lift the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then, while stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.

Story by Tiffany Whitfill, Staff writer

Haley Hays/The News
Junior setter Sam Bedard pushes the ball over the net during their opening Championship game Thursday night.

On top of wining its opening match for the OVC Championship, the Racer volleyball team has produced the OVC Player of the Year and OVC Coach of the Year.

For the first time in his 16-year tenure at Murray State, Head Coach David Schwepker was named OVC Coach of the Year. He brought the Racers, who were 6-10 in the conference and 16-14 overall last year to 14-2 in this year’s conference season and 24-5 overall. Their record placed them as the No. 1 seed in the OVC for the tournament.

In addition to Schwepker’s award, sophomore outside hitter Scottie Ingram was named OVC Player of the Year.

Ingram is the second Racer to have this title since 1994, according to Goracers.com. She leads the league with 3.76 kills per set this year and has reached double-digits in kills 20 times.

Two teammates, junior outside hitter Sam Bedard and junior outside hitter and defensive specialist Taylor Olden were named to the OVC First Team at the OVC volleyball banquet Wednesday.

Thursday’s tournament began with Eastern Kentucky University (11-5) beating Eastern Illinois (8-8). The second round saw Belmont (13-3) earn a win against Austin Peay (8-8).

The third match brought the Racers and Southeast Missouri State face to face with the Racers taking the win, which advanced them to the semifinals at 7 p.m. tonight.

The Racers (14-2) played a typical three set match against SEMO (7-9) and made the first sweep of the day. The first set was relaxed for the team and it was able to take a 10-point advantage and win 25-17.

The second set proved to be more difficult; the Redhawks gained an advantage 8-12 but in the end the Racers were able to pull through and take the set 25-19.

“We had a little bit of nerves I think,” Schwepker said. “They were getting tensed up and you could tell they were nervous.”

The Racers took a quick lead in the final set in the match and ended it 25-19. The three-set sweep gave Murray State its 15th of the season.

Photo submitted by Darien Rainey

“I am very pleased with how we played tonight,” Schwepker said. “I am excited how we do in the semifinals.”

Schwepker, who was excitedly cheering from the sidelines, said he was trying to get everyone to keep their noses down and stay focused.

With Tennessee Tech (9-7) and Jacksonville State (9-7) matching up after the Racers they played five close sets. But in the end Tennessee Tech came out ahead.

Today EKU will face Belmont at 4:30 p.m. and then the Racers play Tennessee Tech afterward. If the Racers win they will play in the final round against first match winners Saturday at 7 p.m.

“For now we are going to come down from the hype and focus on what’s to come,” Schwepker said.

Story by Kelsey Randolph, Assistant Sports Editor

When I was in elementary school, the teachers always told us they were preparing us for middle school. In middle school, the teachers always stressed how important it was for us to be ready for high school, and spent large amounts of our curriculum making sure we would survive the land of lockers. When I got to high school, I thought the cycle was over. Honestly, I’m not sure we could have used the term “college readiness” more in four years, and if you did, you would have had to make one hell of an effort.

Our whole lives have been about preparing for the next step. We make sure that we have the necessary tools and survival skills for whatever path we cross next, with each step being a little more prevalent than the previous. We learn our rudimentary principles like sharing and communicating in kindergarten and work our way up to the big stuff like critical thinking and not sleeping in until 3 p.m. regardless of your 8 a.m. class. Some of us didn’t pick up on that as quickly as others.

So, where do we learn about dating? Statistically, we will be in a relationship with someone for most of our life. When do we learn those skills? I would have killed for a class in high school that taught us how to read basic female emotion and body language, which to this day, I still regularly misinterpret.

The thing is, we are never taught how to date or much about relationships. The schools want us to stand three feet apart from the opposite sex at all times and ignore the hormones that make us want to do the exact opposite.

Regardless of what the schools tried to do, we all dated anyway. In every stage of life, dating is different. My girlfriend(s) in kindergarten were great. The majority of our relationship was spent with me hogging her juice and her outrunning me on the playground, so obviously they were all pretty short-lived. Grade-school girlfriends were also pretty dope.

Lots of notes being passed and parent-monitored play dates. They usually ended with a note that said she held hands with Riley, and that she was his girlfriend now; to love and to lose.

It kind of upsets me that dating is so frowned upon in college. The media we see about college relationships is all about the “hookup culture.” So when we leave high school, we expect to get to college and start perpetuating the stereotypical college lifestyle.

I don’t need to define exactly what this term means. I’m sure you can use context clues to figure it out.We need to realize college is another preparation step for the real world, and in my opinion the most important one. I think part of this preparation needs to include dating. I’m not telling you to go out and try and find the love of your life, because it’s not necessarily that easy.

I even think failed relationships are an important part about preparing yourself for the future of adulthood.

How can we expect ourselves to hold healthy and mature relationships in the future, when we have never really had a serious relationship? I write frequently about how college is a time to be selfish. At this stage in our lives, we have a lot of time to spend but mostly time to invest. For the rest of our lives, it will be a give and take relationship between work and sanity and we won’t have the same amount of expendable time to invest into a relationship like we do in college.

As much as healthy relationships help us learn to be with someone, failed relationships help us learn how to cope and how to appreciate the healthy relationships when we find them.

Over the course of my life, I have lost a lot great T-shirts to terrible girls but each one of those experiences helped me realize what a healthy relationship is supposed to look and feel like.

Prepare yourselves for the future. Treat college like a sandbox for your future life and realize that part of that life will probably include a relationship. Be selfish with your time, but also invest it in things that will help you grow as a person. Treat your healthy relationships like they are few and far between and your failed ones as lessons learned.

Life is hard, but it’s a lot easier with the right person by your side. Remember that. 

Column by Zac Garrison, Senior from Franklin, Ky.

Haley Hays/The News Ali Abuhasson, sophomore from Saudi Arabia, trains twice a day to prepare for upcoming body-building competitions.

Many people try their entire lives to reach physical perfection. Society can be obsessed with the “perfect body” and what it means to be healthy.

There are people out there pushing this goal to the next level.

They don’t just strive for the perfect body; they compete for what they see as the perfect body.

  Ali Abuhasson, sophomore from Safwa, Ash Sharqiyah, Saudi Arabia, recently won overall champion in his division at Music City Muscle, the biggest body-building competition in Nashville, Tenn.

Having competed in men’s physique competitions for two years, he competed against people who have been in competitions for as long as 10 years and won.

“I believe that I got lucky; there were 290 competitors and I won,” Abuhasson said.

Luck plays the tiniest part in this rising sport, where contestants have to prepare their bodies in radical ways.

“I start training very hard two weeks before my competition,”Abuhasson said. “I wake up at 5 o’clock every morning. I tell myself before I wake up that if I want to win this competition I have to do something different.”

Abuhasson says he trains more as a competition nears.

“I go to the gym two times a day when it gets closer to a competition,” Abuhasson said. “So I go to the gym at 5 a.m., I do faster cardio and drink a lot of amino acids to maintain muscle. I make sure to eat a lot of clean protein. Sometimes I can eat up to 20 eggs a day and I drink coffee before my second workout of the day. Caffeine is an excellent fat burner, for those who know how to use it. If you drink coffee before you work out, you will notice a difference after one week.”

  Abuhasson is no stranger to sharing his nutrition and workout secrets.

He has many followers on Facebook and Instagram where he shares how he prepares for competition.

“I try to clarify everything since it’s a new sport,” Abuhasson said. “I post my diet and my workout routine, because I have a lot of people asking. And I try to help people diet. I believe that if you treat people nicely, and you tell them all the things you do, that will take you to the top. And I’m still learning myself. I do not claim to know everything about this sport.”

Abuhasson got involved with men’s physique competitions two years ago, when he started working out at the gym.

“I really liked it and my family, who is always so supportive, stepped in and said ‘Hey, you have nothing to do, why don’t you focus on this and do competitions?’” Abuhasson said. “And so I did, and I really liked it.”

Abuhasson is on the fast track to being successful in his sport and is looking to pick up sponsors at the Pro Show in St. Louis in 2015.

Being as successful as he is at such a young age, he said he could not do what he does without his brother’s support.

“He’s always with me, when I’m doing diets he calls and checks on how I’m doing with them,” Abuhasson said of his brother’s constant support. “I can’t do this alone. You work out alone, you cook alone, but you have to have someone to share these things with.  He is now doing body-building competitions himself and we share a lot of things. We are always reading up and learning.”

By this time next year, it is possible that Abuhasson will be competing in worldwide competitions with sponsors and more people wanting to know how he is able to do what he does.

No matter how much he works out and diets, Abuhasson said you have to stay positive for any of it to work.

“It’s all about staying positive,”Abuhasson said. “I believe you can do anything if you stay positive.” 

Story by Taylor Inman, Staff writer

Photo submitted by Adrien Argentero
A mannequin dressed in chains and rugged clothes represents those trafficked.

Four women covered in painted-on bruises and draped with “for sale” signs caught the attention of students in the Quad earlier this month.

With rope-bound hands, the women passed out fliers and spoke with about 25 onlookers who stopped to ask about the demonstration Nov. 6 and Nov. 7.

The point was to increase awareness of Murray State’s International Justice Mission campus chapter and the group’s fight against human trafficking.

Victims of human trafficking are subjected to force, fraud or coercion usually for the purpose of sexual exploitation, according to the Rescue and Restore Kentucky organization which identifies and advocates for victims of trafficking.

About 160 victims of human trafficking have been identified in Kentucky since 2008, and 94 were trafficked as children, according to Rescue and Restore Kentucky.

Chelsea Holzschuh, senior from Murray, said the promotion was a form of “guerrilla marketing,” which she learned in her Integrated Marketing Communications class this semester.

“Our professor, Katherine Smith, is involved with the International Justice Mission, so she centers around them for our class projects,” she said.

Last spring, Smith coauthored a research paper “Human Trafficking: A Global Multi-Billion Dollar Criminal Industry.”

The International Justice Mission is a global organization that aims to protect impoverished and vulnerable people from violence in a developing world.

Michael Dobbs, senior from Winchester, Ky., said the International Justice Mission’s Murray chapter tries to align its activities with other international events aimed at raising awareness for human trafficking.

Dobbs started the local International Justice Mission chapter after attending a conference on modern slavery.

“Most (people) are unaware, but there are an estimated 30 million slaves in the world today,” he said. “These range from manual laborers to sex slaves.”

Photo submitted by Adrien Argentero
Mannequins dressed in tattered clothes were on display at the University Store promoting IJM.

‘AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE’

Jisu Lee, freshman from South Korea, said she was involved with the project through her class and wanted to be part of a group trying to make a difference. Lee was one of the role-playing victims.

“Pretending to be a victim of human trafficking was an eye-opening experience for me,” she said. “It was unfair that I was for sale at such a cheap price.”

Holzschuh said some students asked questions and took fliers from the actors.

“Some people were confused and shied away from us,” she said. “Others looked at us funny and kept walking.”

She said people seemed intimidated at first glance.

Lee said being forced to stand like a product on a shelf while people walked by was dehumanizing.

“I did a lot of research on human trafficking and realized even in the 21st century there are still a lot of people who are treated as slaves,” she said.

GETTING INVOLVED IN A SOLUTION

The International Justice Mission landed on the U.S. News and World Report’s list of 10 non-profits “making a difference” in 2010.

The organization’s team includes hundreds of lawyers, investigators, social workers, community activists and other professionals who work in nearly 20 communities, according to the group’s website.

Its goal is to combat sex trafficking and prevent people from falling into slavery.

Impoverished women and girls are especially susceptible to human trafficking because the desperation of their economic situation makes them more willing to take risks, according to the International Justice Mission website.

Worldwide, nearly two million children suffer in the commercial sex trade, according to the UNICEF report, “State of the World’s Children 2005.”

The Murray State University International Justice Mission Campus chapter is run by students with faculty advisers.

Dobbs said the group partners with justice agencies across the globe to investigate and hold slave owners accountable, and most importantly rescue and rehabilitate the victims.

The chapter will meet next in the Alexander Hall Auditorium.

Lee said students should get involved with the group and pay more attention to human trafficking.

“Girls and boys the same age as us are suffering from sex slavery, child labor and living in terrible conditions,” she said.

Story by Mari-Alice Jasper, Assistant News Editor

Kory Savage/The News
Jacob Williams, Hal Abel, A.J. Glaser and Ray Hall dance in speedos as a University of Houston player shoots a free throw Nov. 14 at the CFSB Center.

Four horse-masked men in speedos caught the attention of fans, students and professionals alike Nov. 14 in the CFSB Center at the men’s basketball game against the University of Houston.

While warmly received by some and hesitantly received by others, the prevalent feeling of the events was one of curiosity.

As many stories do, it all began with a girl. At least that’s how it all began according to Ray Hall, senior from Jackson, Tenn.

Last semester, Hall met a Murray State soccer player during intramural soccer who invited him to watch a game. Hall and his friend, Hal Abel, junior from Belleville, Ill., were two of few to attend a game over Easter weekend last semester. This began their career as Murray State super fans.

“We made signs and ever since then we’ve gone to all the soccer games and just been really loud and obnoxious,” Hall said. “We kept bringing more and more people and from there, the athletic department saw us and thought we would be good to start leading the student section.”

Amy Pulpaneck, director of Athletic Marketing and Promotions, spotted the men for their enthusiasm and saw the potential in them to excite other students.

“We’re trying to do a bunch of new things to reach out to students this year and get them excited about coming to athletic events,” Pulpaneck said. “We reached out to this particular group of guys because they had kind of brought it upon themselves to be loud and crazy and cheer for our soccer team, which carried into volleyball season. We hoped they would help get others excited and spread the word about games.”

The horse masks were purchased by Racer Athletics as a tool to create excitement in the student section, just like the big heads at every basketball game and other promotional items. The speedo idea, however, came straight from the horse’s mouth, unbeknownst to Pulpaneck prior to the game

“We love the energy and excitement that they bring,” Pulpaneck said. “The best part about these guys is that it’s student driven and student led. When a student group is organic, it’s always going to be a lot better than if Athletic Marketing sits here and tells them what to do and when to do it. We hope more students grow to join them and come up with fun things to do during the games. When the students are there having fun, our teams play better.”

Both the speedo-clad masked men and Pulpaneck hope the student section grows to mirror that of larger collegiate athletics and gain attention within the conference, if not nationally.

The horse masks were provided by athletics, but where did the speedo idea come from, and why did four young men, three of which have no swimming background, own them?

“We wore them for a Halloween costume, and then we wear them to distract the other team, mainly,” Hall said.

As with any controversial event, rumors flew during and after the game. According to the men, an off-duty police officer approached them and kindly told them to be careful not to “expose genitalia.”

Murray State Public Safety and Emergency Management Officer Lt. Jeffery Gentry reiterated that was the only concern.

“We didn’t have a problem with them doing that,” Gentry said. “What we were trying to do is make sure, as we always do, to make sure our students are doing the right thing and make sure the speedo doesn’t come off. Be careful, make sure the speedo stays on. Other than that, nobody had an issue with them doing it.”

A miscommunication between a police officer and Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs, caused another police officer to approach them and asked them to stop.

Two of the men met with Robertson this week to make sure they weren’t out of line.

“I was really impressed actually,” Robertson said. “Two of the student leaders actually came to see me just to say, ‘Are there any issues?’ So I think they’ve done it all in a very appropriate manner. Just trying to have fun and generate school spirit, which I think can make the games more enjoyable.”

Robertson, who was at the game, said that he saw some activity going on but was more focused on the game than the student section. No complaints from anyone have come to light since the Houston game.

“It’s just an idea to get students pumped up to come out to the game and just have fun,” said one of the masked men, A.J. Glaser, senior from Louisville, Ky. “Rather than just sitting there yelling ‘Murray State’ once or twice in the game. Our goal was to just get students more excited for the game so more would come out.”

So a common goal has aligned for all parties involved, and these three men, with the help of their fourth accomplice, Jacob Williams, junior from Lebanon, Tenn., plan to continue and even further improve their shenanigans at later, bigger games.

“Full student body participation,” Abel said. “Could you imagine having 10,000 plus students at a basketball game, screaming? In speedos it would be even better.”

Also, Hall would like to say hi to his mother.

Story by Mallory Tucker, Sports Editor

With Christmas approaching as fast as the winter weather, students may turn to Black Friday deals in order to save money this holiday season. Whether shopping for family, friends or coworkers, Black Friday makes it easy to find low prices and items that fit any personality.

This list is a compilation of deals that are suitable for some of those personalities that students may be shopping for late Thursday evening or early Friday morning. 

The Gamer:

XBox One with Assassin’s Creed Unity and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag ($330)

There is an easy way to complete your checklist with this bundle from Gamestop. Bundles are a one-stop shop for gamers.

Hours: Deals begin on Friday at 12 a.m.

The Fashionista:

Entire store 50 percent off

Whether shopping for your closet or for someone special, Old Navy is reducing prices by 50 percent. Shop for pieces to stay warm or buy in advance if you are wishing for warmer weather.

Hours: Deals begin at 4 p.m. Thursday.

The Social Butterfly:

($499) Apple iPad Air 2 and $140 gift card

The gift that keeps on giving is offered at Target. If students are planning on purchasing the newly released iPad Air 2, they can receive a $140 gift card that is included in the price. This gives consumers multiple uses for their money and figuratively reduces the price of the iPad Air 2 to $359.

Hours: Deals begin at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Hostess:

50” Panasonic TV ($199)

Those who want to watch sports, sitcoms or anything on cable can experience a theater-like setting with the 50-inch Panasonic TV. Best Buy offers a deal with one of the lowest prices for this particular size that can be appealing to entertainment lovers of all ages.

Hours: Deals begin at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The Musically Inclined:

Beats Pill Portable Speaker ($99.95)

For those who like to take music with them anywhere, the Beats Pill will be reduced by 50 percent at Walmart.

Hours: Deals begin at 6 p.m. Thursday.

If students still haven’t found what they are shopping for with these deals like these, there are many stores that will be open Thanksgiving night and Friday morning for specials.

For those planning on eating turkey early enough to shop on Thanksgiving evening, K-Mart will open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving.

Also, J.C. Penney will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and Macy’s will open at 6 p.m.

Both J.C. Penney and Macy’s are opening at least two hours earlier than last year. Other stores that will be open on Thanksgiving include: Target, Sears, Staples and Toys R’ Us.

There are conflicting viewpoints on stores opening on Thanksgiving Day.

Many shoppers believe the holiday is a time for family and employees and shoppers should be spending that holiday time at home with their families instead of in the mall.

For those consumers who do not want to get out on the holiday, there are still many deals available on Black Friday.

Some of the stores who will be open starting Friday include: T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Costco, Home Depot, Dillard’s and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Story by Tiffany Whitfill, Staff writer

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

Katie Wilborn/The News

It is rare when issues within the City of Murray are watched closely by students at Murray State. We typically stay within the bubble of University politics and don’t venture too far into the affairs of the city council. However, the debate to make revisions to the Human Rights Ordinance has both students and residents voicing concern.

The Murray City Council convened Nov. 13 to discuss the inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people to the ordinance. Under the proposed revisions it would be “unlawful, based upon race, color, religion, natural origin, sex, age (over 40), gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status or physical disability of any type, to discriminate in employment, public accommodations or housing practices.”

As it stands, sexual orientation and gender identity are not included in the ordinance. When the city council proposed a revision, more than 75 emails came in from concerned citizens about why including LGBT members in the ordinance would be harmful to the city. This speaks volumes about the negativity people still experience in “the friendliest small town in America.”

Regardless of how people feel against sexual orientation or gay marriage, to say that LGBT members should be discriminated against when trying to be functioning members of the city is hateful and counterproductive.

These are people that want to give back by living here and working here. To turn them away and stifle their opportunities not only hurts them, but hurts the community as well.

Murray earned the title of “the friendliest small town in America” and uses it to attract tourism and students. We value the idea that people will say “hello” to us on the street or chat with us even though we are strangers. However, when we push away the LGBT community by refusing to protect them, we are saying we are only friendly to certain groups of people.

When The News covered the last city council meeting regarding the possible revisions, city councilman Robert Billington said, “I don’t have a problem with homosexuals, but I don’t support it. I have to look at this from a long-term perspective.”

Barring people from job opportunities, housing and public facilities is an act of bigotry. These are the most basic of civil rights. To prevent LGBT people from these opportunities perpetuates the idea that the city does have a problem with them.

The community at Murray State has made an attempt to separate itself from these homophobic sentiments. President Bob Davies wrote a letter to Mayor Bill Wells to express his support of the revision.

In the letter, Davies said, “Murray State prides itself on being an inclusive community that supports and encourages freedoms of democracy being shared equally and wholly by all individuals regardless of the race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or age. Futhermore, Murray State, in living up to our ideals of being a ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ encourages a community in which all members feel safe to express new ideas and thoughts without fear of retribution and intimidation.”

If the revision is not made to the Human Rights Ordinance, the best thing we can do as a Murray State community is be as inclusive, supportive and understanding as we have been.

Just because the city is struggling to understand basic human rights does not mean we have to share the same ideology. The Human Rights Ordinance has not been revised for 44 years. It should be changed to better fit the needs of all people in the city, regardless of their sexuality.

Graphic by Alex Hilkey

A new environmentally friendly change in policy may come to Murray State next year to provide funding for green energy and sustainability projects around campus.

However, it’s students who would pay the bill, not administration.

The Murray Environmental Student Society is proposing the implementation of a “Green Fee,” a small increase to Murray State students’ tuition to fund both green energy changes to the infrastructure of the University as well as for research into green energy projects.

Jessica Brown, president of MESS, said their proposed Green Fee would raise students’ tuition $5 per student with the possibility of raising the fee to $8 after two years.

This fee would raise approximately $50,000 annually in support of green initiatives for Murray State.

“We could focus on all the little projects that need to be done around campus,” Brown said. “But instead of fighting two years to get solar panels installed, we can fight two years to get a Green Fee project done that’s going to pay for those solar panels and other projects.”

In 2009, MESS first raised the issue of having a Green Fee at Murray State supported by the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition, a coalition of environmentally conscious student organizations across Kentucky.

The next year, the group polled and collected signatures from 1,000 students in support of the initiative. MESS found 92 percent of those polled would be willing to raise tuition $1 for a Green Fee and 85 percent would pay $5 or more.

Brown said the Green Fee project quickly lost momentum as those in leadership positions in MESS graduated.

She said the group will re-poll students and collect signatures to present to President Bob Davies and the Board of Regents next fall.

Abbey Goss, sophomore from Dover, Tenn., said she wouldn’t mind paying the fee and $5 is a lot lower than she would expect to have to pay.

“I know that a big problem that is going to come up in the future is running out of natural resources,” she said. “I don’t mind paying a little bit to help out with that. I’d probably pay as high as $20.”

Alex Jackonski, sophomore from Cadiz, Ky., said he’d be willing to pay as much as $100 per year in the form of a Green Fee.

“When you’re paying $3,000 for tuition, $5 won’t make that big of a difference,” he said. “If the students are benefitting from it, part of their tuition should go towards it.”

Blake Parker, freshman from Lexington, Ky., said he also would be OK with having a Green Fee, but $5 should be enough to meet Murray State’s needs and the fee shouldn’t be raised any higher.

More than 100 universities across the U.S. have already implemented Green Fees for their students including the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.

Brown said the club hopes to petition 25 percent of the student body for signatures in support of a Green Fee next semester and another 5 to 10 percent of students next fall, before presenting to the Board of Regents.

“It’s a goal that’s practical because if you look at a lot of the other universities who have done this, it didn’t take them much more than a year,” Brown said. “We’ve been trying to work on this since 2009, but we just haven’t been driven enough for long enough.

“2014 is the year we have regained momentum and 2015 will be the year the Green Fee will be passed.”

Story by Ben Manhanke, Staff writer

Kory Savage/The News

For the first time since 2003, the Racer Volleyball team has claimed the OVC Championship tournament.

With the winning point, the team fell to the floor, some with tears and others jumping for the trophy. They simply could not find words to describe their feelings.

The next move in store for the Racers is the 2014 Division Volleyball Championship. There will be a live unveiling of the field for the championship at 7:30 p.m., Nov 30 on ESPNU. Until then, the Racers will not know what team they will play next or when. The championship game will take place Dec. 18 and 20 in Oklahoma City.

Jenny Rohl/The News

“We work so much trying to not think about the OVC Championship that it’s hard to think about it now that we’ve won,” Head Coach David Schwepker said. “It’s hard to say anything but we are just so excited and it’s well deserved.”

Along with their championship title, the Racers recognize three all-tournament team members, sophomore right side, Kristen Besselsen, junior setter, Sam Bedard and junior middle blocker Alyssa Lelm. Bedard was also named the MVP of the OVC tournament.

“I was not expecting that at all,” said Bedard. “I am speechless about it but it was definitely awesome.”

Schwepker said he has pushed her all season and sometimes she may not have like the pressure but she is a team player and has proven to be great.

The Racers are the only team to have swept their matches and only play three of the five sets in the tournament. Starting against the Bruins, the two teams played a typical back and forth set proving why both of them are ranked the top two teams.

Jenny Rohl/The News

According the GoRacers.com, Racer Arena was packed with 1,254 fans from all over. The teams tied 15 separate times, only putting themselves ahead of each other by no more than two points until they hit 21-21. The Racers then pushed through, taking the first set at 25-21. The second set started no different but ended similarly with the Racers 25-16 and also taking the third set 25-22.

“These girls kept fighting no matter what,” Schwepker said. “I know they were nervous and everyone could see they were doing things they don’t normally do. They settled down and worked hard. The last two years of hard work and determinations helped us get to this point.”

Schwepker avoided talking about the OVC Championship all season but with the title in hand he simply couldn’t ignore the victory.

“I don’t have words to describe what we’ve done,” Schwepker said. “We’re going to home and celebrate with family and do exactly what we’ve been doing all season—it’s just another game.”

Story by Kelsey Randolph, Assistant Sports Editor