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OSD works to build support for $30 million bond
this week UNIVERSITY MUSEUM
MITCHELL WRIGHT: THE RECONSTRUCTION Contemplating notions of reminiscence and mortality while engaging the cultural influences of southern letters and music, artist Mitchell Wright offers a window into the ghosts of the southern past and their impact on contemporary life and artistic creation. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. REBEL CHALLENGE COURSE
FREE FRIDAYS: REBEL CHALLENGE COURSE Check out the Rebel Challenge Course every Friday from 2-4pm for FREE FRIDAYS. The RCC is open to students, faculty and staff and consists of high elements. We are located on campus near the intramural fields off Hathorn Road. 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Rebel Challenge Course
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BY RACHEL JOHNSON The Daily Mississippian
The Oxford School District (OSD) is building support in the community for the passage of a $30 million bond to build a new Oxford High school and alleviate crowding elsewhere in the district. “The whole district is overcrowded, we’re running out of classroom space. If this doesn’t pass, we’ll have serious issues
finding classroom space,” superintendent Kim Stasny said. According to the Capital Improvement Proposal, which the OSD presented March 29th of this year, the money will be used for the acquisition of land and the building of a new high school, the conversion of the current high school into a new junior high school, and upgrades and renovations to Oxford Elementary, Bramlett Elementary,
Oxford Middle School, the Oxford Learning Center and the Scott Center. The renovations and improvements will affect the over 2,000 students in the Oxford School district, including alternative needs and special education. If the bond is approved, grades 9-12 will be located in a new building, seventh and eight grades will be located in the old Oxford High School building,
fifth and sixth will be housed at the old middle school building, Della Elementary will house the third and fourth grades, Oxford Elementary will have first and second grades, and finally Bramlett will hold pre-K and Kindergarten classes. Stasny said the OSD was currently in the process of looking for land for the high school but hadn’t settled on a location. She added that construction on the
inside OPINION
Colonel Rebel? page 2
See OSD, PAGE 5
Pep Rally
NEWS
Gameday transportation page 4
BY KAYLEIGH WEBB
Oxford Paper Closes Its Doors BY MOLLY HUTTER The Daily Mississippian
After just under one year of circulation, the Oxford Enterprise has shut its doors and suspended publication due, in part, to lack of advertising. The Enterprise ran its last edition Sunday, verifying in a publisher’s note that with much regret, its 48th issue would be its last. The Enterprise was unavailable for comment regarding the halt in publication. Scott Coopwood, publisher and owner of the Enterprise, addressed the reason for the close in the issue’s publisher’s note. “While our subscriptions and vending machine sales have increased each month, we are simply not selling enough advertising to justify continuing on,” Coopwood
wrote. Launched in October 2009, the Oxford Enterprise was a feature-oriented Sunday paper that included coverage of local news, people, businesses and events. Sections included news, sports, arts and entertainment, business, University and others. The Enterprise was certainly not alone in its troubles finding adequate advertising. According to research conducted by the Newspaper Association of America, national advertising in newspapers dropped 26.2% in 2009 — the biggest plunge in a series of dropping percentages beginning in 2006. The research went on to specify that April 2006 marked the beginning of the downward trend. The Oxford Enterprise opened its doors in October
2009, facing the national decline in newspaper advertising and the struggling economy from the start. This national trend has been reflected locally, with other publications feelings the strain as well. Patricia Thompson, who has been director of the S. Gale Denley Student Media Center and an assistant professor of journalism at Ole Miss for a little more than a year, said she has noticed a decline in the advertising sales for the DM throughout her time here. Don Whitten, editor of the Oxford Eagle, said that advertising in Oxford is spread thin across all the different media outlets in town. “In Oxford, the advertising gets sliced up an awful lot,” Whitten said. “It’s challenging for any of us in the media See PAPER, PAGE 5
The Daily Mississippian
The Rebel football team and head coach Houston Nutt will welcome the public to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Thursday for the season opening pep rally prior to the game against Jacksonville State. Coach Nutt is set to speak along with athletics director Pete Boone and the captains of the Rebels football team. The Rebels will be joined by performances by The Pride of the South band, the cheerleaders and Rebelettes. A special video presentation is also set to play on the stadium’s video board. “I’m part of The Pride of the South and I’ll be playing at the pep rally on Thursday,” Ashleigh Bristol, a freshman pharmacy
major, said. “I’m rather excited because it’s my first band event and I’ve never played for so many people before. It’ll be exhilarating, I’m sure.” Fans are also given a chance to get involved with the game day festivites. Contests and games, including an end zone dance competition, will be held to give fans a chance to compete for prizes. Additional prizes will also be given away. The public should enter through Gates 1-4 or Gate 32 for seating. Fan seats will be in sections S3 through S9. The pep rally will take place in the south end zone of VaughtHemingway Stadium. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the pep rally will begin at 6
LIFESTYLES
The Man Behind the Camera page 8
OPINION O P IN I O N |
8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 2
CAROLINE LEE editor-in-chief
BY ROBERT NICHOLS
DONICA PHIFER online editor
Cartoonist
AMANDA WARD news editor MIA CAMURATI opinion editor LANCE INGRAM lifestyles editor ERIC BESSON sports editor OSCAR POPE visual editor RACHEL CLARK copy chief ADDISON DENT photography editor The mission of The Daily Mississippian is to consistently produce a bold, bright and accurate daily news source by fulfilling our obligation to the truth and maintaining our loyalty to the public we serve.
MICHAEL BUISE business manager JORDAN ARMENDINGER GEORGE BORDELON TAYLOR DAVISON PATRICK HOUSE AUBRY KILLION ALEX PENCE
account executives
ROBBIE CARLISLE KELSEY DOCKERY LIBBI HUFF SARA LOWREY
creative assistants
An Angel Among Us BY ANGELA ROGALSKI Columnist
T H E
For a lot of us, the number one most important part of each semester is our class schedule. It can make or break us. Our daily lives revolve around it and our social activities must wait for it. For people like me, who also work full-time and have a family, it can be the difference between sanity and the rubber room. Needless to say, our academic work load is vital to our mental and physical wellbeing. It is with that in mind that I discovered online classes at Ole Miss. From my very first semester here, I utilized this wonderful alternative to the normal classroom, and I loved it. If you’re self-motivated and have an addiction for the computer (like I do) the virtual world of academia is just what the doctor ordered. The classes are taught in Angel, a program that is both easy to use
and wonderfully dimensioned. Depending on the course, there’s everything from the traditional lectures (complete with power points) to discussion forums and your weekly quizzes. Your progress is noted and if you need to contact your instructor, the communication tab is at your disposal. Just a quick e-mail and usually your questions are answered. And if not, just like in regular class, you can make an appointment and have a meeting with the professor in person. It’s just that simple. Angel is an answered prayer for a lot of us. The work is interesting and the courses are always challenging, but the best part for me is that I can do them at home, after work, and still get my full credits, allowing me to spend some quality time with my family. The mid-term and final are proctored, and they’re the only tests that you have to
D A I L Y
MISSISSIPPIAN
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Contents do not represent the official opinions of the university or The Daily Mississippian unless specifically indicated.
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actually go onto campus and take. Now I’m not saying that the actual experience of going to a daily class on campus is not awesome, because it is. There’s nothing like hurrying across campus on a crisp, fall morning, trying to get to your next class, leaves turning colors and drifting to the ground beneath your feet. It’s exhilarating. For some of us, the reality of graduation would be impossible without the offer of online classes. It enables us to hold jobs, have families, and go to school. I am thankful for the Angel program at the University. I have gathered more than a few credits through the web classes. However, sometimes it is hard to get into them. They stay booked, and depending on when your registration window opens, you may be unable to actually get one on your schedule. But if you need those home-based classes, for whatever reason, keep trying. They’re well worth the continued effort.
The Daily Mississippian welcomes all comments. Please send a letter to the editor addressed to The Daily Mississippian, 201 Bishop Hall, University, MS, 38677 or send an e-mail to dmeditor@gmail.com. Letters should be typed, double-spaced and no longer than 300 words. Third party letters and those bearing pseudonyms, pen names or “name withheld” will not be published. Publication is limited to one letter per individual per calendar month. Student submissions must include grade classification and major. All submissions must be turned in at least three days in advance of date of desired publication.
S. GALE DENLEY STUDENT MEDIA CENTER:
PATRICIA THOMPSON director and faculty adviser ARVINDER SINGH KANG manager of media technology DYLAN PARKER creative/technical supervisor DARREL JORDAN chief engineer MELANIE WADKINS advertising manager STEPHEN GOFORTH broadcast manager DARCY DAVIS administrative assistant
O P IN I O N |
8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 3
(Friends) with Benefits: University Accommodations Benefiting Students BY JON STEPHENS The Daily Mississippian
Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent quite a bit of money on school supplies, rugs, speakers, textbooks, clothes and other basic college necessities in order to make my next year in Oxford more enjoyable, as you probably have as well. For some reason, this spending spree catalyzed my brain into thinking about money. In light of this new train of thought, I decided I would make a fanciful list of items that Ole Miss could purchase in order to enhance the collegiate experience of its students. By now, nearly every one of you should have ventured into the Student Union for some reason or another, perhaps to buy textbooks, to check your mail, or to grab a quick bite to eat. No matter where you are in the Union, however, you cannot help but the smell of mouth-watering Subway sandwiches that permeate throughout the entire building. I applaud Ole Miss on this culinary achievement, but I think we should tackle placing yet another restaurant in the Student Union– Taco Bell. As we all know, college students are not your average, run-of-the-
mill people: we stay up until the wee hours of the morning regularly and thrive on cheap food. Thus, we do not need just an ordinary Taco Bell, but a 24-hours-aday, seven-days-a-week, 365-daysa-year kind of Taco Bell. I can guarantee you that students could be found at this Taco Bell (nearly) every hour of the day. As you very well know, the University of Mississippi is in the midst of a heated mascot debate. I say, whichever mascot we choose to have, we should keep a live one on campus, whether it be a live bear, lion, landshark, or even Hotty and Toddy! LSU has a live tiger, so why can’t the better rival have a living mascot as well? With this in mind, I suggest we steer away from the nonexistent fish and muppetlike men, and instead choose the lion or (more preferably) the bear. A bear leading the Walk of Champions before a game in the brisk October air would surely pump everyone up before the game, and the bear lends itself towards Mississippi history. Finally, I believe Ole Miss should remove the gratuitous stop signs around campus. The Turner Center area is heavily congested with
traffic because of this, and the two stops signs in between the Village Apartments and the new Law School seem unnecessary, especially since one of them currently only has two-way traffic. Coupled with the lack of efficient parking spaces, these stop signs contribute to the high traffic congestion on campus. Several students only have a one hour break for lunch, so many times they must walk (or
run, usually) to their car, fight traffic, drive to a fast food restaurant, wait in line, eat food, drive back to campus, find a decent parking spot, and walk back to class. This is a very time consuming process and, although I believe a Taco Bell at the Student Union would certainly help alleviate this problem, the university should establish more efficient driving and parking accommodations as well.
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These few options would be beneficial to the Ole Miss community. Students would have a place to buy inexpensive food every hour of the day, would have a more viable to reason to contribute discussion to the mascot debate, and also save time in between classes. Ole Miss should consider adopting some of these changes since, ultimately, students are what allow the University to exist.
NEWS NEWS |
8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 4
City to provide gameday transportation BY POINESHA BARNES The Daily Mississippian
both images NICK TOCE | The Daily Mississippian
An Oxford firefighter douses flames behind Old Venice Pizza Company on the Square. A passing taxi driver noticed smoke coming from the back of the building Friday. Below, the fire truck waits in front of Old Venice Pizza Company. No further information on the cause or on the damage has yet been released.
Students and Ole Miss football game attendees will continue to have bus transportation to and from home games during the 2010 football season. The O.U.T. buses will be running their regular routes on game day with the exception of the Blue West Route which will be going south on Rebel Drive starting at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays before games, due to the road blocks surrounding the Union. On Saturday the Blue West Route will go via Jackson Avenue only. Game days are a large part of the revenue for the city of Oxford according to Ron Biggs, the general manager of O.U.T. “Football games always bring people into town and traffic is always bad,” Biggs said. The Oxford transportation officials realize that game days are difficult to navigate, and are trying with great effort to alleviate the traffic difficulties, Biggs said. Rebel Ride will also be in route on game days. The Rebel
Ride transportation system has a contract with the city to run bus routes on game days. The routes will run to and from two different parking lots in the Oxford area. There will be free parking available around town in public parking lots. The Rebel Ride will cover the Oxford Park Commission Activity Center parking lot as well as the parking lot at Oxford Middle School. Rebel Ride will shuttle patrons from the parking lots to the stadium and back. “We have been doing this [shuttling] for the city for the last two years,” Audie Branch, Rebel Ride worker said. “And we are fine tuning it.” The bus fare for the game day routes for Rebel ride is two dollars one way, and a round trip ticket would be four dollars. O.U.T.’s standard riding fares will stay constant: student, faculty and staff will still ride for free with their Ole Miss IDs. As part of an agreement with O.U.T., the university pays for the students, faculty and staff
to ride the bus, Biggs said. Potential routes that run to the Grove have been discussed but additional routes would be completely dependent on the funding, Branch said. Extra routes for the O.U.T. bus and Rebel Ride are completely dependent on funding provided to them and at this time the funding does not permit any extra routes of transportation. “I feel that the O.U.T. bus or Rebel Ride having routes near the Grove would be a wonderful idea, so that they could pick up the elderly and inebriated individuals,” Jeff Snow, senior, said. O.U.T. is in the process of approving GPS screens on the buses that will display routes and maps to its passengers. The screens have been approved by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and are awaiting approval by the Board of Aldermen. These screens will help game day visitors who are unfamiliar with the area find their destinations with greater ease.
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The ASB is seeking a new Co-Director of Diversity Affairs!
Applications are available Tuesday, August 24 in the ASB Office in Union 408! Applications due by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, August 31st! *Sign up for an interview time when you turn in your application.
N E W S | 8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 5
Oxford School District Seeing Exponential Growth BY CAIN MADDEN The Daily Mississippian
The Oxford School District grew 5 percent this year, and Oxford High School Principal Michael Martin said down the line that will have a big impact on Oxford High. “We are looking at projected totals that would push the high school population to 1,100 to 1,200,” Martin said. “If the population in the lower grades remain stable, that is, with no growth, when they move into high school we will be averaging 270 to 300 people per class.” Currently, Martin said the high school population of 900 has one “super” class, the sophomore class, which exceeds 250 per class. “The classes in the middle school are all super classes,” Martin said. The larger classes could create more
job opportunities. Superintendent Kimberly Stasny said the district is aiming to keep the teacher to student ratio in the 18 to 22 range. At 300 people per class, the student to teacher ratio without hiring any new teachers would be 37 to 1. “By state law, we may have as many as 27 students per class grades K to 4 or, up to 35 in grades 6 to 12, even though the School Board is committed to keep numbers lower,” Stasny said. Currently, the district has a monthly payroll of $2 million, and Stasny said a significant percentage of that goes directly back into the Oxford economy. The district’s main emphasis will also aim to help the economy. They are aiming to build a new high school, which will also help Oxford, Martin said. “Many chose to move to Oxford al-
PAPER,
study habits and are often very successful here.” Approximately 45 percent of Oxford high’s students go on to Ole Miss, according to Stasny. Martin said with a new high school, the district would be better able to prepare its students for the future. “The quality of education will improve as we get state of the art computers, labs, classrooms, the theatre and all of the other state-of-the-art equipment,” Martin said. “We have run all of our programs very effectively in this 50-year-old building, but with the new technology it would be like comparing classes in Bondurant to Bishop.” Martin said other amenities, such as new soccer and baseball fields will also help the school’s draw appeal. Currently, the school district has 3,589 students.
OSD,
continued from page 1
business to deal with the amounts of money because there are so many people getting a slice of the pie.” He added that the Oxford Eagle is sad to see the closing of the Enterprise. “We hate to see any local business close or any local people lose their jobs,” Whitten said. Throughout its 11 month run, the Oxford Enterprise was supported in some way by over 315 local businesses, which they listed in Sunday’s edition. As stated in the publisher’s note, the Oxford En-
ready because we have one of the best districts in the state,” Martin said. “People are drawn here not only because of Ole Miss, but because of Oxford High School.” One major aspect drawing people is the Toyota plant near New Albany, Martin said. “People have a choice of location when they move here for the Toyota plant,” Martin said. “These are people who live here and support the tax base.” As the district grows, that will mean many more qualified freshmen who go to Ole Miss, said Jody Lowe, assistant director of enrollment services. “School districts like Oxford and Lafayette produce a large number of qualified candidates for four year universities,” Lowe said. “Students from Oxford are well prepared, have strong
continued from page 1
terprise is proud to have been a source of news for Oxford and Lafayette County citizens during the past year. “We have now added to the historical record of this community, recording many things that took place in Oxford during the years 2009 and 2010,” Coopwood wrote in the publisher’s note. Coopwood also mentioned in the note the possibility of the Enterprise continuing publication in the future if economic conditions improve.
new high school could begin as soon as next summer, once a piece of land was chosen. A committee has been formed, and will be cochaired by Robyn Tannehill and Helen Phillips to boost support in the community. They are organizing a kickoff event this Friday from 6:30-7:30 before the Oxford-Lafayette football game. Community volunteers, PTA members and members of the cheerleading squad will be passing out information about the bond issue on the home-side gate.
In addition, there will be a town hall meeting October 12 at Oxford Elementary School in the cafeteria at 6 p.m. The bond vote will take place October 26th at the Oxford Activities Center off Molly Barr Road from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They are very optimistic about this propsal passing, Stasny said. For more information on this issue, visit the OSD website, where the district’s priorities for the bond have been posted, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions.
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NEWS NEWS |
8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 6
A Packed Turner Center Left: Senior exercise science major Addie Howard works out in a group fitness class. The Turner Center offers a multitude of activities daily. Below: Students exercise in a group fitness class. The Turner Center offers a multitude of activities daily.
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Looking to Get Involved? Run for ASB Senate! *Senate and Homecoming election petitions are in the ASB office, located in room 408. Contact us with any questions! Applications due this Friday, Sept. 3 between 1-4 p.m.
Contact: Mary Margaret Johnson: mjohnso3@olemiss.edu BJ Barr: bsbarr@olemiss.edu
NEWS |
8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 7
A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S
Hospital Sues UMMC and Health Department JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Three area hospitals have filed a civil suit in Hinds County Chancery Court against University of Mississippi Medical Center and the state Department of Health. They are asking a judge to determine whether UMMC is exempt from state certificate of need law regarding the purchase an expensive radiosurgery device that is not authorized under the state Health Plan. A June decision of the state attorney general said that UMMC could be exempt from CON law in certain instances where services or equipment are needed for the institution’s teaching and research mission. Discretion is left up to the state Health Department. Based on the attorney general’s opinion, the Health Department decided in July that the CON law review requirement did not apply to UMMC’s request to buy a Radiation Oncology Synergy Platform Linear Accelerator and renovate its radiation oncology department to accom-
modate the new equipment. The Health Department gave UMMC the green light for its $6.7 million project. However, the plaintiffs — Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital and Health Management Associates, which owns the River Oaks hospitals and Central Mississippi Medical Center — argue that the equipment will not be used exclusively for research purposes. They argue UMMC’s CON application states that 50 percent of the linear accelerator’s use will be for clinical, and thus profitable, purposes. UMMC says the equipment is necessary for furtherance of its education mission. “As the state’s only academic health science center, the University of Mississippi Medical Center plays a unique role in meeting the state’s needs for health care professionals, advanced and safety net patient care and emergency response. “We believe these statewide missions would be greatly diminished if UMMC were sub-
NEWSWATCH
ject to regulation under state certificate of need law. “As a practical matter, subjecting UMMC to CON law will hinder our efforts to provide the very best training for Mississippi’s future health professionals and to maintain the high quality of health care services we make available to all citizens of our state,” said Dr. James Keeton, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the school of medicine. The plaintiffs believe UMMC should have to go through the same CON review process that any other Mississippi hospital does when pursuing the purchase of major medical equipment. “If they want to compete, then great; we welcome the competition. But (UMMC is) saying they should not be forced to compete under the same regulatory standards. What it does is create an uneven playing field,” said St. Dominic spokesman Paul Arrington. “If UMMC is allowed to acquire any service or equip-
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ment based purely on ‘research and training grounds,’ then it may prevent another health care provider from obtaining the same service or equipment through the State Health Plan. This fight has far reaching implications beyond Jackson — every health care provider in the State of Mississippi is affected,” Arrington said. The plaintiffs also have asked the court for a preliminary injunction or restraining order to keep UMMC from buying the linear accelerator until the court’s decision is made. Jonathan Werne, an attorney for St. Dominic, said it is now his understanding that UMMC has already purchased the equipment. Additionally, UMMC is already moving forward with construction plans for its radiation oncology department renovation. Board minutes from the State College Board show that
in January UMMC awarded a $1.9 million contract to Mid State Construction for the radiation oncology department renovation, which the board approved. Mid State Construction displays the project on its website. Mississippi is one of 30 states that governs its healthcare services with CON laws instead of letting hospitals purchase or build at their own risk. CON law divides Mississippi into five areas called GHSAs and prevents an excess of services in each area. The health care industry is highly regulated, with reimbursement rates for Medicaid being lower than those from private insurance companies. CON law seeks to prevent services from expanding too quickly in certain areas, protecting services from being strained or discontinued, as providers compete for privately insured patients.
LIFESTYLES L IF ES T Y L ES |
8 . 31 . 10
| T H E DA ILY M I S S I S S IP P I A N | PAG E 8
The Man Behind the Camera: Thomas Phillips Far Left: Thomas Phillips sets up behind the camera on the set of Where I Begin. Near Left: Elizabeth Connelly (left) and Lynn Mikeska (right) take direction for Thomas Phillips on the set of Where I Begin.
EMILY CEGIELSKI | The Daily Mississippian
The room falls silent, the camera starts rolling and all eyes are on the actors performing their scenes. In most cases, this is true, but not always. As I stepped foot on set of the film “Where I Begin,” I soon realized that there was another star among the crowd, but he was on the opposite side of the camera. His intensity and energy kept my eyes glued to him as he directed scene after scene. Meet screenwriter and director Thomas Phillips. Phillips, a Knoxville, Tenn. native who has been to Los Angeles and back with a few stops along the way, has been in Oxford this summer shooting the independent feature film “Where I Begin.” The film is a Southern character drama that Phillips co-wrote with Oxford’s own Melanie Addington and was inspired by real stories from his own life. “The script comes from two separate stories,” Phillips said.
“An acquaintance of mine in Michigan had to fire a female from a facility, and she was bitter and pissed and had her daughter say he had molested her. He hadn’t, but it was a really small town, so the word got around. Even though he was innocent, he was guilty in the public eye.” From another time and place, Phillips brings in the second part of his tale. “A female friend of mine in Los Angeles was actually raped, and no one ever did anything about it,” Phillips said. “There was no proof, and the cops didn’t pursue it, et cetera, et cetera. So, I wanted to combine those two true stories into one fictional story.” After finishing the first act of the script, Phillips sent a copy to Addington, who he had met at a film festival two years earlier. She liked what he had written and after some exchanges, Phillips asked her to help finish writing the script. The film was originally planned to be filmed in Kentucky where Phillips was teaching film at the time, but Addington’s connec-
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stage.” This realization led to him enrolling in film school at Chapman University where he met friend, roommate and producing partner, Jared Tweedie. Upon graduation, Tweedie pitched Phillips a “zombie movie no one had ever done before.” His feature film directorial debut, “Special dEaD”, was a horror/comedy that put zombies in a camp for the mentally handicapped. “Its not very politically correct,” Phillips said. “But it has become a cult classic.” Phillips’s second film, “Rattle Basket”, steered clear of the “easy to sell” horror market, and returned to Phillips’ love of character exploration. Phillips said the film is a “character driven comedy” about a guy and his two best friends who are sisters. The movie delves into their misadventures and dysfunctional relationships. “Rattle Basket”, also written by Tweedie, made the film festival rounds in 2008, picking up awards such as “Best Feature Film” and “Best Director” as it went. When the fun was over, Phillips moved to Kentucky where he began to teach film at Campbellsville University. This small
southern town inspired him to begin his script for “Where I Begin.” Now that the movie has been shot and is entering into postproduction stages, the most obvious question is what is next for this great director. “Melanie and I are already in talks about a new screenplay,” Phillips said, mentioning that he would definitely film in Oxford again. “This has been a very great community.” Phillips hopes to show “Where I Begin” as a guest screening or a work-in-progress screening at the Oxford Film Festival in February so as to give back to the town that opened its arms to the film and those involved. “At the end of the day, the best part of being a filmmaker is sitting down with an audience in a theater to watch your movie and they emotionally respond and react to it,” Phillips said. There is no doubt that Phillips will be able to make Oxford residents and people around the world alike “laugh, cry, scream and yell.” He connects with his cast, he connects with his crew, he has connected with our community and he will connect with audiences.
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NPHC Fall Greek Forum When: Wednesday, September 1st at 7 PM Where: Johnson Commons Ballroom Attendance is required for any student planning on pursuing membership with any NPHC organization during the 2010-2011 academic year. For additional information contact the Greek Life Office at (662)915-7609 or email Valeria Ross at vross@olemiss.edu, Rachel Burchfield at reburchf@olemiss.edu or Chigozie Udemgba at cbudemgb@ olemiss.edu.
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tions and the unique atmosphere caused the project to be moved to Oxford. Filming began in August and ended last Friday. Now that the actors and actresses have packed their bags and flown back home, it is time to start the part of the filmmaking process Phillips looks forward to the most – editing. “The filmmaking process is fun, but it’s also stressful and tiring and exhausting,” Phillips said. “You have to control everything and remember so much. My favorite part honestly is the editing process – watching all of the scenes come together into a whole piece.” This feature is not Phillips’ first experience with filmmaking. After attending school in Michigan, Phillips was convinced that he was going to be an actor. He joined the theatre department and was eventually given an acting scholarship to Northern Arizona University. “Then I realized I sucked at acting, so I started directing theatre,” Phillips said. “Theatre was kind of a stepping stone. I started directing bigger plays but then they got smaller and smaller. Then I realized with a camera I could show the audience exactly what I wanted versus an entire
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Cunningham: Ole Miss Soccer’s Lone Senior BY AUSTIN MILLER The Daily Mississippian
With the graduation of three seniors from last year’s NCAA tournament team, there was a leadership void that needed to be filled. Senior Taylor Cunningham has done that and more as the team’s lone senior. “The seniors last year were awesome,” senior Taylor Cunningham said. “They really had your back and supported you with everything. And I’m just trying to take what they did last year to bring the team so close together and continue to do that — to make sure we’re tight and all on the same page this year.” An added leadership responsibility for Cunningham was bridging the gap between last year’s departed coaching staff and this year’s new coaching staff led by Coach Matthew Mott. “Taylor’s been great,” Coach Matthew Mott said. “She’s really accepted the changes that we’ve come in and done, accepted us as a staff, and is a real leader on
our team. She leads by example — the way she plays, the way she carries herself, and the things she does off the soccer field. She’s a real strong leader for us. We look to her in a lot of different areas.” After scoring six goals in each of the past two years, she was named to this year’s preseason All-SEC team. Through the first three games of the season, she has arguably been the team’s most valuable player, taking most of the team’s corner kicks and free kicks. She’s also playing every position up front and in the midfield for the Rebels. It’s her intangibles, as much as her talent, which makes the difference on the soccer field. “I think (what sets her apart), first and foremost, is her attitude and her approach to the game,” Mott said. “She’s focused, she works hard, and she gives you everything she’s got when she’s out there. And, as a player, she has great speed. Her ability to strike the ball, her ability to run at players off the dribble, and then be able to serve or shoot off
the dribble sets her apart from most.” In addition to this being her senior year, this soccer season also brings Cunningham the added excitement of playing alongside her younger sister Maddie, a freshman on this year’s team. “I’m excited for her to be here to see what she can do with her career at Ole Miss,” Cunningham said. “I’m definitely happy to have her with me for my last year. It’s something very special and to share it with her is awesome.” The last chapter in Cunningham’s career has yet to be written, but Mott expects a fitting end, and they both hope it includes a return to the NCAA Tournament and new heights for the Ole Miss program. “I think she’s going to go down in history as one of the best players to ever play here at Ole Miss,” Mott said. “She’s going to have a great senior season. She’s a player that will go down in the record books for us in a lot of different categories. But, also, go down as
AUSTIN MCAFEE | The Daily Mississippian
a player that was a really good captain, a really good leader, and, hopefully, helped her team accomplish great success.” For Cunningham, participating with her teammates in the NCAA tournament was a feeling unlike any other.
“It was awesome to get to the first round, but we want to get to the second round and continue to climb,” said Cunningham. “I definitely think we have the potential on this team, that we could make it further and further each year.”
A.J., then a good day for Evan, They’ve both gotten better.” With the dismissal of former four-star wide receiver Patrick Patterson in the spring, Ole Miss went into summer camp and fall practice searching for a true number one receiver. The Ole Miss coaches think they have found that in sophomore Melvin Harris, but they also uncovered quality depth behind Harris as well. While Harris and electric soph-
omore Jesse Grandy are the starters at receiver, Ole Miss will use three and four wide receiver sets many times during the season. When they do, look for Lionel Breaux, Korvic Neat, Ja-Mes Logan and Markeith Summers to step up and make plays. With some positions still not settled, especially quarterback, there will be a number of offensive players using Saturday’s game to prove they deserve a spot on the field.
Stanley Named Starter as Depth Chart Clears, Part 1 The Daily Mississippian
Today, football beat writer Bennett Hipp goes over the Ole Miss offensive depth chart. On Wednesday, Hipp will go over the Rebels’ defensive depth chart. Ever since much ballyhooed Oregon transfer Jeremiah Masoli arrived at Ole Miss, there have been questions about the identity of the Rebels starting quarterback. On Monday that question and others were cleared up as coach Houston Nutt announced the Rebels’ two-deep depth chart for Saturday’s season opener against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Stanley was named the Rebels starting quarterback over junior college transfer Randall Mackey, who is listed as Stanley’s backup, and Masoli. With Masoli still
awaiting approval on his waiver to make him eligible to play at Ole Miss this season, it will be up to Stanley to guide the Rebels offense against the Gamecocks. “The good thing is, you’re going into the game thinking Nathan Stanley and Randall Mackey” Nutt said Monday. “Both those guys we aren’t afraid to put in the game.” On Masoli, Nutt said that he was expecting some news on a decision “today, tomorrow or a day after at the latest” and that he “hopes Jeremiah’s deal works out.” While the quarterback battle has gotten most of the attention, there are still players fighting for playing time at other positions. At running back, junior Brandon Bolden is the starter, but with solid depth at the position, expect to see Enrique Davis, Rodney Scott and freshman Jeff
Scott among others to receive carries on Saturday. Nutt had praise for Scott, a true freshman, at his weekly press conference. “He’s got lots of potential, we know he can do it on Friday nights, now let’s see him on Saturdays,” Nutt said. “He made a lot of runs in fall camp, I’m anxious to see how he does.” With four of the five starting spots settled on the offensive line, the battle at the center position was the only one left to figure out. Sophomore AJ Hawkins will start after playing in ten games last year as a backup, but true freshman Evan Swindall is pushing hard to earn the starting spot. “That battle is going back and forth and probably still ongoing,” Nutt said. “Both Hawkins and Swindall will play; it’s been back and forth. Good day for
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‘10 Not Necessarily a Rebuilding Year for Gridiron Rebels Sports Editor
For the past two years, it’s been my pleasure to cover Ole Miss football for The Daily Mississippian. I’ve sat in the press box while everyone was in the stands, and I’ve been at post-game press conferences while many go back to their libations and fried chicken in the Grove. I’ve seen coach Nutt baffled by a loss to Vanderbilt in 2008 and giddy with excitement after spanking Arkansas last year. It’s truly an experience I wouldn’t trade for a million bucks. But now it’s back to the stands for me as a senior, and two talented writers, John Holt and Bennett Hipp, will have the pleasure of a birds-eye view of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium as they provide coverage of the gridiron Rebels. How will the third chapter in the Houston Nutt era go? Frankly, nobody knows. This past off-season was the antithesis from a year ago. Gone are top-five aspirations, players on the cover of Sports Illustrated and talks of
the Rebels finally winning an Southeastern Conference West title. Some publications have picked Ole Miss to finish last in the division. Many of the players who were integral to guiding the Rebels to backto-back Cotton Bowl victories are getting ready for their first NFL games. But for as many doubts that have been cast about the 2010 version of the Rebels, there are still many reasons to be optimistic. Here’s just a few. Nutt, who had a successful ten-year run as coach of Arkansas, entered his first year as the Razorbacks coach with a team that was picked to finish last in the SEC West. That year, Arkansas finished tied for first in the division, and was one fumble away from the SEC Championship Game. Who’s to say Nutt couldn’t repeat that feat here? Former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, once considered a Heisman Trophy candidate before his encounters with the law, just might be the difference – provided he is cleared by the NCAA. If you’re not convinced in his abilities,
then head over to YouTube and type in his name. He’s a wizard on the football field, finding ways to fit passes into seemingly non-existent spaces and disappearing to defenders on option plays, only to resurface in the end zone. It’s not farfetched to think a quarterback, especially one of Masoli’s caliber, could make a difference. Nutt has been the difference. Regardless of how the Rebels finish this year, the Ole Miss football program has come a long way. Trust me. As a freshman I watched Ed Orgeron’s last year, an exercise in football futility that led to Nutt’s arrival in Oxford. That year the Rebels won three games – Memphis, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State – and none were anything special to watch. Sure, the past two seasons have been with Orgeron recruits, but it’s been Nutt’s motivation and positivity that has propelled the Rebels to 18 wins in the past two years. And the future is bright. This year’s freshmen class has looked sharp on the field, and Nutt’s current recruiting class might just end up being the best in school history. Things are looking up for the Ole Miss football team, something I couldn’t say as a college freshman.
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The Bells Still Toll in Starkville BY ANDREW DICKSON
Mississippi State, the powers that be were willing to compromise so long Why we continue to do things the as the MSU faithful agreed to “ring way they’ve always been done is an responsibly.” MSU fans will be allowed to ring the age-old dilemma. If there is one thing bells before the game, during halftime, in this world that people hold onto during time-outs, and after scores. If tighter than they hold onto life itself, a violation is deemed to have taken it’s their traditions. place, MSU will receive a $5,000 fine One of the traditions found in for the first offense, a $25,000 fine Starkville is the ringing of cowbells at for the second and a $50,000 fine for football games. This tradition stems every offense thereafter. Fines will go from a contest in the 1930s that saw back to $5,000 for every three years a cow aimlessly wander on to the field the school goes without a violation. during the middle of play. Mississippi It seems easy enough when put in State won that day, and the cow went black and white, but I have a few quesdown as a symbol of good luck. Eventions regarding just how all of this is tually the cow was replaced with cowgoing to pan out. bells, and handles were welded on to First off, who actually decides whethease the hassle of ringing. er or not a violation of this rule has This raises the question, “What was a occurred? Try as they might, MSU cow doing at a college football game?” will not be able to keep everyone from But that is a topic for another day. ringing their bells at inopportune Today, the crowd at your typical coltimes (especially those who “drink and lege football game is much larger than ring”), but is this law even enforceable the crowds that attended the games in by the SEC without Mississippi State the 1930s. So while the tradition began appealing it ad nauseam? as a fun way to remember a cow wandering onto the field during a memo- Secondly, what happens when the rable contest, it eventually transformed “cowbell instinct” kicks in? I’m sure into thousands of fans clanging bells so MSU fans will be able to make it loudly that some could construe it as through the Memphis game without needing to ring the bells irresponsibeing “distracting.” The SEC has had a ban on artifi- bly, but what happens the first time cial noisemakers for more than thirty Auburn makes its way into MSU teryears, but apparently the renewed ritory and is faced with a crucial thirdenthusiasm for the Mississippi State and-one? Will MSU fans simply stand program last season was enough to and yell, or will hell’s bells toll? More importantly, will other MSU make the bells loud enough to warrant fans police those that fall out of line, a closer look this offseason. Luckily for or will the need for more cowbell consume them as well? My last question is: What happens if the tradition is taken away? Fines were going to be put in place this offseason for cowbells regardless of whether or not this compromise was reached, so MSU athletics director Scott Stricklin should be commended for doing his best to keep them around, but what if one day someone rings the bell that breaks the (cow’s) back? I’m as ambivalent towards the bells as I am towards Hotty Toddy – sure, it sounds cool when everyone does it, but at the end of the day it’s still pretty cheesy, and we all know it. I do find the tradition as awesome as tens of thousands of college students and graduates ringing cowbells at a football game can be, but if the bells ever cross over from “fun, if not HALF PRICE all sandwiches 11am -3pm a little annoying” to “full-blown proharming insanity,” the tradition HAPPY HOUR 2 for 1 wells & domestics 3pm -7pm gram will cease. Columnist
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TUESDAY
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8 . 31 . 10
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