First city wide race takes over Murray

Photo courtesy of Maddie Mucci

On April 28, various racers and local citizens hit the town full force as the first ever Manuever Murray racing event took place.

Similar to the television show “The Amazing Race,” teams competed in several challenges around the city in order to get to the finish line first.

Some of the challenges on Saturday involved teams going through an obstacle where they had to successfully put up a tent then retrieve a key out of a large amount of slime, reminiscent of early Nickelodeon shows.

Several other challenges included teams successfully choking down chicken liver and following it up with a protein shake, and teams going to Elly’s Dance Studio to learn a four step dance and successfully performing it.

Teams participated in several trivia based challenges as well. Topics ranged from local politics and government to music and movies.

After a team had completed all their challenges it became a race to the finish line where the obstacles were observed before announcing a winner.

The winning team, Team Harris, consisting of married couple Patrick and Amber Harris of Murray, finished the race in two hours, eighteen minutes and fourteen seconds. Team Harris finished the race almost twenty minutes faster than the runner up team.

Team Harris completed the race not only in the fastest time, but completed at least 11 of 12 challenges correctly. … Continue Reading

Liner Notes: Summer

Summer is a great time for movies, as you can obviously see in the section this week.

Movies, however, are not the only industry with exciting summer releases.

Though summer is an exciting season for film, music isn’t too far behind. Let me enlighten you with some summer albums I can’t wait to hear.

Tuesday is the official release date for the debut album of engaged duo Karmin. I know I have mentioned the couple here before, and since then I have only became a fan.

From their cover of Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” and Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now” to their recent radio anthem “Broken Hearted,” the two Berklee School of Music alumni have me anxious for the release of “Hello.”

Although their first album only includes eight tracks, with one being a remix of another track, the artists are guaranteeing their fans will know who they are after listening to the album straight through. … Continue Reading

On campus venues offer students entertaining jobs

Two of the busiest, exciting places on campus are the CFSB Center and Lovett Auditorium.

While the CFSB Center is now student employed, nonprofit organizations used to work in the concession stands and other positions during events such as concerts and basketball games, like students do today.

Working at the CFSB Center not only entails working in the concessions stands although that is a large part of the job. It also involves helping set up the stage when there are concerts.

“One of my favorite events (to work) was the Lady Antebellum concert,” said Jesse McCallon, sophomore from Murray. “I liked putting the stage together and seeing how to put a show together.”

McCallon is a concession stand manager at the CFSB Center and has worked there four semesters. He said there is not an opportunity to sit down and watch the events but that it is still easy to see a lot of the event from where he is working.

There are a few different aspects of the job such as going to get food to sell to customers, or managing concession stands and setting up the stage for each event.

The students get the experience of seeing how a concert is set up from behind the scenes. … Continue Reading

Event raises awareness for suicide prevention

With school coming to an end, many are concentratimg on studying for finals and getting ready for summer vacation.

However, students took a break from the books Thursday night at 7 p.m. to attend the Friends of Anime (FOA) Spring Dream: A Masquerade for Suicide Prevention, an event meant to bring people together.

“This event is all about a group of people coming together for a cause in a way that is fun and enjoyable,” said Taylor McStoots, freshman from Morgantown Ky. “It’s people that might have or might have not had to deal with something suicide related in their life, but regardless all the people are donating their money and time.”

This is the first year the event has been put on.

“I was told by the people organizing the event that the Spring Dream is meant to be a dream prom,” Kelsey Bearden, freshman from Louisville Ky., said. “It’s a fantasy themed masquerade.”

The event was put together with the intent to raise awareness of suicide and honor those who have passed too soon. The purpose was to also celebrate each other and destress. … Continue Reading

Students to celebrate Cinco de Mayo

The department of modern languages and the International Culture and Language Association (ICALA) will be finishing the semester with a fiesta in celebration of Cinco de Mayo this Saturday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Faculty Hall.

Susan Drake, assistant professor of Spanish, is the adviser for ICALA. She said the event is going to double as a recognition ceremony for outstanding students in the department and outgoing seniors, as well as a celebration of Mexican culture.

“We want to take this time to recognize the seniors from our department and those outstanding students that have worked so hard,” she said.

Cinco de Mayo has long been a staple in American party holidays, especially among areas with a concentrated Mexican-American population. Still, it has transformed over the last several years into a major celebration and holiday in the U.S. – even more so than in Mexico. Drake said more Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo than Mexicans.

She said one of the reasons this holiday has become so popular here is because of the pride it gives Mexican-Americans and their homeland because of its historical meaning.

Cinco de Mayo translates literally to “fifth of May” and marks the date of a Mexican victory against France in the state of Puebla in the late 1800s. In this battle, the Mexican army was able to defeat the stronger French army, with fewer weapons and forces. … Continue Reading

Summer movies we can’t wait to see

“Dark Shadows”

Unrated

“Dark Shadows” is the newest creation from director Tim Burton.

The movie stars Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz and Bella Heathcote.

“Dark Shadows” is about a vampire (Depp) who wakes up in 1972 after being underground for two centuries.

The movie is based on a soap opera that took place in the late 1960s and early 1970s which Burton and Depp are both fans.

“What To Expect When You’re Expecting”

Rated PG-13

This star-packed comedy reveals the secrets and some obvious things that comes with pregnancy.

The film stars Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks and Chris Rock.

It is a quirky version of the New York Times bestselling book.

What can you expect? A baby, obviously. … Continue Reading

Social event celebrates past

Interpretations, crafts and local actors made up the seventh annual Turn of the Century Social on April 28.

The event celebrates both history and literature through costumes and performances.

Claire Dunlap, senior from Paducah, Ky., was part of the promotions committee for the event.

“The Recreation 302 class, taught by Kelly Rogers, was in charge of the event along with the Interpretation class, which is taught by Mike Gowen,” Dunlap said. “We split up into committees who took charge of different things: promotions, operations, talent and acquisitions. Each week we would set goals for ourselves. We would go out into the community and access resources. We contacted businesses and asked for sponsors. Then at the end of the week we would come back to class and focus on the details.”

Students in the recreation and leisure services department interpreted three different historical sites: the Calloway County Courthouse, the one-room schoolhouse in the Murray-Calloway County Park and the Train Depot.

Students dressed in period costumes, from 1822 to the early 1900s.

“Along with the different historical interpretations, we also had things like a trapping interpretation and different things like kettle corn,” Dunlap said. “We had children’s games from that time period and volunteers from the community came out with different talent like corn husk doll making, and kids’ crafts.” … Continue Reading

Water Cooler 5.4.12

Jessica Simpson gives birth to daughter

What seemed to have been a long awaited pregnancy finally ended for Jessica Simpson.

The pop singer, 31, gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, weighing nine pounds and 13 ounces, in a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday.

Simpson and fiance Eric Johnson, former NFL player, 32, named their daughter Maxwell Drew Johnson.

Maxwell is Johnson’s middle name and his mother’s madien name. Drew is Simpson’s mothers maiden name.

Olympics will hit the web

NBC executives have made the decision to make every Olympic event available online to view as it happens.

“You’ll be able to live the moment,” said Rick Cordella, vice president and general manager for NBC Sports Digital.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2,200 hours of the event were streamed through NBCOlympics.com; however, most big events did not stream. This year more than 3,500 hours are set to be streamed. … Continue Reading

Sudoku Solutions: 5.4.12

Department closes year with melodrama

Ben McGrath/The News

The Murray State Theatre Department left suspense in the air Thursday night with their production of “Mousetrap” by Agatha Christie in the Robert E. Johnson Theater.

“Mousetrap” is a theatrical production written by one of the most well-known mystery playwrights, leaving it with all the makings of an intriguing murder mystery. It follows the movements of a group of people snowed in at a boarding house, one of whom is a murderer.

Lissa Graham-Schneider, associate professor in the Theater Department, is directing the show. She describes “Mousetrap” as a classic, archetypal mystery with much visual beauty in spite of its dark plot.

“It’s a classic production,” she said. “While it is mystery and drama, we’ve also added a lot of light humor and you really can’t tell who the murderer is.”

Since the play is such a long-running classic that is known for its unforeseen plot twists and suspense, Graham-Schneider said “Mousetrap” has its own rituals and secrets that go along with it.

“There is a tradition that goes along with ‘Mousetrap’ where they ask you not tell anyone who the murderer is once you leave the show,” she said.

She said her cast asks that viewers do the same for their production.

It is one of the longest running productions on the West End, the most popular area in London for theatre, with shows being performed for nearly 60 years. It also spurred many of the mystery stories in pop culture today, such as the popular game and movie “Clue.” … Continue Reading