Monthly Archives: August 2023

Shocker bowling lanes close temporarily

Bowling fans and pinhead pundits will have to find another place to bowl this week while the lanes at WSU’s Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes are temporarily closed. Located on the bottom floor of the Rhatigan Student Center, the bowling lanes will be out-of-service while new pinsetters are installed. 

The repairs, which began on July 31, will conclude by Aug. 12, and the lanes will reopen on Aug. 13. The lanes’ other services, such as its grill, arcade games and pool tables, will remain open and functional while the lanes are updated.

New process for WSU systems internet access

For university students, staff and faculty struggling to access the internet from WSU systems, WSU News has published a list of steps to troubleshoot and restore system connections with non-WSU traffic. The connectivity issues follow an update of expanded controls to protect university data and processes.

Those having difficulties accessing non-WSU systems can regain connectivity by visiting wichita.teamdynamix.com and signing into the Client Portal. Then users must search for “Firewall / Security Request” in the search bar and Request a Service with their WSU information.

For additional help or information, users can contact WSU’s Information Technology Services at [email protected].

Campus departments, organizations can register for Involvement and Community Fair

With the fall semester quickly approaching, WSU has began coordinating back-to-school and welcome-to-campus events for returning and incoming students. 

One such event, the WSU Involvement and Community Fair, is accepting registration for tabling from student organizations, campus resources and departments, and community partners and clubs. 

Groups will have the opportunity to recruit and present information regarding their organizations on the north patio of the Rhatigan Student Center on Aug. 31. 

Registration is due by Aug. 22 and can now be completed via the Involvement and Community Fair 2023 Registration link on ShockerSync.

Heskett Center to host pool party, RecFest events

Campus Recreation will sponsor a pool party at the Heskett Center later this month so WSU students, faculty and staff can beat the summer heat and enjoy the amenities campus has to offer. The party will be from 7-9 p.m. at the Heskett Center on Aug. 17. 

Additionally, a second pool party will be hosted on Aug. 23 and feature music, contests and popcorn.

RecFest, an annual showcase of intramurals, sport clubs and recreational activity groups, will also present at the Heskett Center later this month. On Aug. 22, students are invited to attend the free mixer from 5-7 p.m. to make new friends and participate in event competitions.

ITS to function remotely on Aug. 2 and 3

The WSU Information Technology Services (ITS) Help Desk and Desktop Support teams will temporarily shift to remote service on Aug. 2 and 3 due to construction in Jabara Hall. While Jabara Hall faucets are replaced, ITS will be available virtually until Aug. 4.

For questions or help with information technology-related services, ITS can be reached at [email protected] or 316-978-4357.

OneStop hours extended during August

OneStop Student Services, the “one-stop” office for registration, financial aid, admissions and student accounts concerns, will extend its operating hours during August to better accommodate the needs of incoming and returning students. 

OneStop will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 and can be found in room 112 of Jardine Hall.

Students can call, walk in or schedule appointments at OneStop at 855-978-1787 or through the self-help portal. Staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer calls and provide aid.

THEATER

‘Music Man’ in Conway

Red Curtain Theatre stages Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man,” 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday and Aug. 11-12 and 2 p.m. Saturday and Aug. 13, with a pay-what-you can, singalong performance at 2 p.m. Aug. 12, at Staples Auditorium, Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway. Tickets are $22, $17 for children 10 and younger, $39 VIP (includes preferred seating, a stage pass and the opportunity to take post-performance photos with cast members in costume and a show poster autographed by the cast). Visit redcurtaintheatre.com.

‘Little Women’ musical

The Royal Players stage “Little Women: The Broadway Musical” (music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickerson, book by by Allan Knee, based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868-69 semi-autobiographical novel), 7 p.m. today-Saturday and Aug. 10-12 and 2 p.m. Sunday and Aug. 13 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St., Benton.

Four sisters and their mother cope with life in Concord, Mass., while their father is serving as a Union Army chaplain during the Civil War. As the March sisters, Hannah Blacklaw plays aspiring writer Jo with Kinsey Potts as Meg, Madison Cavanaugh as Amy and AnnaMarie Cobb as Beth. Candice Aipperspach plays their mother, Marmee, with Ashley Merrill as Aunt March and Brazos Brooks as Laurie Laurence.

Sponsors are Stilwell Insurance & Financial Services and Roberson & Associates Insurance. Tickets are $18; $15 for senior citizens 60-plus, $8 for members of the military and college students with valid ID. Call (501) 315-5483 or visit theroyalplayers.ticketleap.com.

MUSIC

Top of the Rock

Female barbershop-style ensemble Top of the Rock Chorus, the chorus’ Sing Like a Girl campers and performers from Andrea’s School of Dance in Bryant will “Turn the Radio On,” exploring 100 years of music — from the Roaring Twenties to current day — 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sylvan Hills High School Performing Arts Center, 484 Bear Paw Road, Sherwood. Tickets are $15. Visit tinyurl.com/TOTRRadio.

Fiddle, banjo championships

The Ozark Folk Center State Park, 1302 Park Ave., Mountain View, hosts the Arkansas Fiddle & Banjo Championships, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday in the the park’s 1,000-seat indoor music venue, the Ozark Highlands Theater. Banjo players will compete in the morning; fiddlers will compete in the afternoon, culminating in the park’s annual Fiddle & Banjo Music Show, 7-9 p.m., including feature performers Betse & Clarke, Fiddlin’ Banjo Billy Matthews & the Old Time Players, Roger Fountain and the Ozark Folk Center Square Dancers. Tickets are $15, $8 for children 6-12, $35 for a family pass. Visit OzarkFolkCenter.Ticketleap.com. Musicians wishing to compete must register in the theater lobby of Ozark Highlands Theater on the day of the competition and pay a $10 cash registration fee. Doors open at 9 a.m. Visit OzarkFolkCenter.com.

ART

‘It’s a Sin’

“It’s a Sin,” stylized portraits by Little Rock artist Michael Shaeffer that “confront the idea of personal identity and social status within American culture,” according to a news release, opens with a Thea Art Department reception at 5:30 p.m. today at Thea Foundation, 401 Main St., North Little Rock. Food will be by Heritage Catering; there will also be beverages and a DJ. Presenter is Delta Dental. Admission is $10. The exhibition remains up through August, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5-8 p.m. during Argenta’s Third Friday Art Walk, Aug. 18. Admission is free. Call (501) 379-9512 or visit theafoundation.org.

Studies and developed works

Artist studies and examples of more developed work by Mark Blaney, Randall Good, John Lasater, Laura Raborn, Gary Simmons and Emily Wood remain on display through Aug. 30 at Justus Fine Art Gallery, 827A Central Ave., Hot Springs, which hosts a monthly Gallery Walk reception, 5-9 p.m. Friday. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and by appointment. Admission is free. Call (501) 321-2335 or visit justusfineart.com.

ETC.

Critical minerals

Doug Hanson, geologist with the Arkansas Geological Commission, will discuss Arkansas’ “Critical Minerals” — focusing on the history, future and potential of the 17 minerals essential to the economy and the supply of which may be disrupted — 10 a.m. Friday at Thunderbird Center, 62 N. Lakeshore Road, Cherokee Village. It’s the fourth talk in the Spring River Gem & Mineral Club’s “Only in Arkansas” series. Admission is free; a “dutch treat” lunch at the Pizza Hut buffet will follow. Call (870) 847-3109.

    Henry Kempf of Mountain View competes in the junior division and Johnnie Hensley in the senior division of the Arkansas State Fiddle Championship at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

    Bauxite, an aluminum ore, is one of Arkansas’ critical minerals and the Arkansas state rock. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

    “Study for Moonlight on Cedar Brake” by Mark Blaney, “Study No. 4 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn, “Study No. 5 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn and “Gesture Study” by Gary Simmons are on display through August at Justus Fine Art in Hot Springs. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

    “Study for Moonlight on Cedar Brake” by Mark Blaney, “Study No. 4 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn, “Study No. 5 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn and “Gesture Study” by Gary Simmons are on display through August at Justus Fine Art in Hot Springs. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

    “Study for Moonlight on Cedar Brake” by Mark Blaney, “Study No. 4 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn, “Study No. 5 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn and “Gesture Study” by Gary Simmons are on display through August at Justus Fine Art in Hot Springs. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

    “Study for Moonlight on Cedar Brake” by Mark Blaney, “Study No. 4 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn, “Study No. 5 of Environmental Artist, Reece Camp Carter” by Laura Raborn and “Gesture Study” by Gary Simmons are on display through August at Justus Fine Art in Hot Springs. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
  

Drawing from O.J. Simpson’s infamous car chase, Gunna‘s new music video sees the rapper cruising through Los Angeles in a white Ford Bronco. The rapper recreates Simpson’s 1994’s on-road saga in the visuals for a Gift & a Curse track, “rodeo dr”, as he dodges paparazzi and crazed fans alike.

Directed by Spike Jordan, the video opens with “fukumean” playing – another notable cut from a Gift & a Curse that recently matched “Drip Too Hard” as Gunna’s highest-charting Hot 100 single. A voiceover of a news reporter then kicks off, as she updates listeners on “one of of the most interesting stories in hip-hop history. Of course we are mindful of the situation with Y.S.L. – ” before the “rodeo dr” beat interjects. Gunna delivers bars from the back of the SUV, as the car swerves down the LA highways, making no stops for the slew of street-side reporters and excited onlookers.

“Helpin’ the P out, I’m beamin’ on Narcos, thinkin’ I should take the Bronco (yeah) / OJ (yeah), gotta go get it tomorrow / I’m sellin’ out The Apollo, inside my body is hollow,” the rapper recites from the backseat. Grainy, vintage-esque footage is intermingled with high-quality close-ups, all pieced together with hypnotic visual effects and cinematography.

The video closes with the same reporter from the beginning, as she delivers a Breaking News segment regarding the YSL case. “This is something we’ve never seen before… He’s number one. No features. They call him ‘Wunna’. He’s one of one.” Stream the music video above.

In other music news, Travis Scott has unveiled his latest offering of UTOPIA merch and also announced his CIRCUS MAXIMUS Rome show.

A post shared on Facebook claims country singer Blake Shelton has canceled a $30 million project with Country Music Television (CMT).

Verdict: False

The claim is fabricated. It originates from a website that identifies itself as satirical.

Fact Check: 

CMT recently pulled country musician Jason Aldean’s music video after it garnered widespread attention for controversial lyrics and the video’s depiction of Tennessee courthouse where a black teenager was lynched in 1927, according to NBC News. Fans of Aldean have shown support for his song, helping it reach number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, Newsweek reported.

The Facebook post claims Blake Shelton has canceled a $30 million project with CMT after siding with Aldean. The post shares this news in text and shares an image of each of the singers side-by-side.

“Blake Shelton Cancels $30 Million Project With CMT: “Jason Is My Friend,’” the caption reads. “Country Music Television (CMT) is still paying the price for canceling Jason Aldean’s video ‘Try That In a Small Town’ In what may be the most crushing blow yet, country megastar Blake Shelton has announced that he’s backing out of a $30 million project with the network.”

The article stems from a parody article on the Dunning-Kruger Times. On its “About Us” page, the website describes itself as a “subsidiary of the “‘America’s Last Line of Defense’ network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery, or as Snopes called it before they lost their war on satire: Junk News.” Check Your Fact has debunked multiple other claims originating from the site. 

There are no announcements of the alleged partnership on Shelton’s website or his verified social media accounts. Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to corroborate the claim. (RELATED: Did Garth Brooks Cancel His Tour Over Bud Light Boycott?)

Check Your Fact has reached out to representatives for Shelton and CMT for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received from either source.

The 2023 Millheim SummerFest kicked off at 10 a.m. on Saturday featuring live music and local food and drinks through 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Around 20 musicians participated in this year’s SummerFest across three locations, including the Elk Creekside, the Millheim Hotel and the Pisano Winery, according to Pisano Winery Owner Andy Pisano.

The annual festival began to “bring the community together” and raise money to support the Millheim community post COVID-19, Pisano said.

Many people gathered in Millheim for SummerFest, from “regulars” to visitors from State College, Lewisburg and Mifflinburg.

The festival offers a “good mix of music” for spectators, according to Pisano. From the electric piano to guitar solos, and bluegrass to classic rock and heavy metal.

Sixteen vendors participated in this year’s SummerFest, according to the Millheim SummerFest website. Pisano said it was challenging to coordinate with businesses and set up advertisements, which “takes a lot of volunteers a lot of time.”

“We were gathering and cleaning up [to prepare for the festival]; we marked our spots for the vendors; we coordinated with the vendors to make sure we had enough space,” Pisano said. “We make a lot of extra slushy mix and different mixes that we use in our drinks, and we try to stock up the wine racks ahead of time — it’s a couple of days of preparation.”

 Pisano said another “big event,” Merry Millheim, will be held around Christmas, which will include music and food.

Artist Karl Leitzel said the Pisano Winery, Millheim Hotel and Elk Creekside connected musicians from their network. Leitzel said people could “move around” to see musical performances with “not much overlap” between the three venues.

In addition to over 30 years of painting experience, Leitzel said he plays guitar, saxophone and harmonica, and hopes to “enjoy the festival” and play music on the streets.

“The last two years, I was busy with more things I needed to do during [SummerFest], as well as I had my stand selling musical instruments,” Leitzel said. “This year, I can actually enjoy it.

Freestyle Fiber Artist Samantha Statham said it was “a really nice experience” to see “a lot of participants and unique artwork.” She promoted her crochet artwork business, SunnyDazeWith Sam, and talked with over 20 people.

Statham said she spent “most of her life” in Millheim, “a great place” with “a lot of good people.”

She prepared her crochet artwork and stickers after receiving the invitation one month ago. Preparing items for the SummerFest and her “small business orders” were the most challenging, and she “got everything ready” on Friday night.

Statham said Millheim “has great vibes,” bringing different business entities together during the SummerFest.

“They have so many different arts and music festivals going on [and] so many different opportunities to mingle all the breweries, wineries and cider houses. They all host different events, it’s a really good time,” Statham said.

For Karen Baxter, who came to the festival to support her husband Ken Baxter, there were “lots of nice things” to “explore” at SummerFest.

Baxter said her husband plays “soft rock” and he is “very good at writing songs,” with many original songs correlating to his life.

“He [has had] a lot of life challenges, and he’s always been able to put what has happened to him into his music,” Baxter said. “His music is very, very deep.”

She said her husband raises money for a foundation to help “awaken the public’s awareness” in saving lives, which is a part of his “life mission.” 

Baxter felt the “relaxed and loving” atmosphere in the Millheim community, saying it was a very “family-oriented place.” She said the winery’s arrangement was “very smooth, streamlined and [had] no issues.”

Baxter said she hopes the Millheim SummerFest can attract more people.

“As the day goes on, more people come out in the afternoon and the evening, but I really hope that [SummerFest] could continue to grow,” Baxter said.

Attendee Carolyn Bryant hopes for more advertisements to attract more people. Bryant came to Millheim to visit her brother, who has been living in Millheim for 45 years, “specifically to see Biscuit Jam,” a music band with Kelly Countermine and Mark Hill.

Countermine and Hill played American Folk for the Millheim SummerFest, and Bryant said they have “spectacular voices.”

“[Hill] plays ukulele, mandolin and guitar — I play guitar,” Countermine said. “We both sing and harmonize, and try to play music that people will enjoy and sing along to.”

Originally from State College, Countermine and Hill like visiting counties where the locals “don’t always get as much live music.”

“We love getting out and seeing the people, playing live music and watching people enjoy [themselves] — it is the best feeling ever.”

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

By Rebecca Black, PA

Northern Ireland’s largest multi-cultural event is set to celebrate diversity with events across nine days.

The 17th Belfast Mela Festival is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors to enjoy displays of music, dance, arts, theatre, wellbeing and food later this month.

This year a vivid coloured powder-throwing event Mela Colours will be added to the offering on Saturday, August 26th ahead of the main day of festivities on Sunday, August 27th.

At the launch of this year’s event, the Lord Mayor of Belfast Ryan Murphy said the Mela Festival “encapsulates our city and its welcoming spirit, while also celebrating the diverse, dynamic and fantastic mix of cultural diversity”.

“The nine-day festival is an important platform that will allow minority ethnic communities to share and express their identity and embodies our collective vision for a shared future in Belfast,” he said.

Dr Nisha Tandon, founder of Belfast Mela and Director of ArtsEkta said the event has come a long way from its first year in 2007 which was attended by 300 people.

“It’s now an incredible nine-day festival which now attracting more than 60,000 people and representatives from more than 20 nationalities who have made Belfast home,” she said.

“ArtsEkta has taken enormous strides towards positioning Mela as a festival which can make a significant impact on the lives of members of our new and established migrant communities who remain seriously under-represented in civic life.

“Central to our work is the use of the arts to generate creative responses to social problems at a local level, helping communities to develop a sense of belonging and a more open, welcoming and vibrant society where all communities in Northern Ireland thrive.”

Highlights of this year’s event are set to include a carnival parades through the city with participants from more than 20 different cultural groups, a mini Mela at Belfast City Hall as well as the main festival at Botanic Gardens on Sunday, August 27th.

1. Bank of America is happy with Tinubu’s policies

2. Nigerians can now receive foreign payments in their naira accounts

3. A survivor of the Chibok Girls abduction got engaged!!!

4. ECOWAS court finds Nigeria guilty of police brutality

5. Davido rewards $10,000 to Eko Hotel staff who found and returned a clients lost $70,000

6. NBS reveals historic increase of 4,472% in portfolio investments

7. Nigeria implements executive orders to ease tax burden on citizens

8. FG fishes out 1,618 civil servants with fake employment letters

9. House of Representatives oppose increase electricity tariff

10. Seyi Vibez joins Burna Boy in Audiomack’s Billionaires Club

11. Malala Yousafzai endorses puff-puff and Nigerian jollof

12. FIRS records historic tax revenue ₦5.5 trillion in first half of 2023

13. Nigeria raises $500M for food systems transformation

14. Lai Mohammed bags appointment within UN

15. 13-year-old Nigerian becomes youngest certified AWS developer associate in Africa