T H E U n i v E R S i T Y O F T E X A S AT E L PA S O
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EL pASO nEEdS TO BECOME
BiKE-FriEndLY velopaso advocates for bicycling improvements
PhoTo BY michaela roman
By JOSE SOtO The Prospector Bicycling in this city seems to be allocated to merely a few spots that are bike-friendly or on biking trails. Some El Pasoans, however, are advocating to change that. Last year, the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization and Transportation Policy Board approved spending $2.3 million in citywide bicycling infrastructure. They have constructed new bike lanes — mainly in downtown — in support of the El Paso BikeShare program, which would ultimately allow pedestrians to rent a bike with
a swipe of a credit card and use it to venture downtown. Other big Texas cities such as Austin have already implemented a similar program called B-Share. The primary local group who has been advocating to make El Paso bike-friendly is Velopaso, an upand-coming organization of avid bicyclists from across the Paso del Norte region. It is composed of members who previously met during last year’s El Paso Bike Month, which is annually held during the month of May. Velopaso is dedicated to improving bicycling and pedestrian conditions in El Paso.
They helped city council approve a Bicycle Advisory Committee and have been working closely with Bike Texas, a non-profit bicycle education and advocacy organization, to help make El Paso more convenient to bicyclists. Velopaso also recently filed paperwork to become a nonprofit organization. In February 2014, Velopaso, along with city officials, welcomed bicycle specialist Stephan Clark from the League of American Bicyclists, a non-profit organization that promotes bicycle safety nationwide. He toured the east, west and downtowns area of El Paso to see firsthand how the city is going about
implementing bike lanes and looked at what additional plans the city has to further develop bike-friendly conditions. Melissa Lugo, equity advisor at Velopaso, thinks that El Paso can easily become a bike-friendly city. “El Paso has a significant invisible cyclist population, given our demographics, economics and favorable weather year round,” she said. “There are proven economical and simple methods available for making streets safe for all.” Austin has a bicycle advisory committee and El Paso City Council recently passed an ordinance to
see bike on page 3
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A Glance at the History of Student Publications
- Rasmiyeh Asam, graduate studentl educationr
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, June 13, 2014 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EXHIBITION DATES: June 10 – July 6 Union Bldg. East, 2nd Floor
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STUDENT VOICE
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Bicycling in el Paso is definitely growing, but it surely has room for improvement
PAGE 2 June 17, 2014
perspectives
Editor-iN-CHiEf
LORAin WATTERS, 747-7477
ColuMN
MLS, too early to tell By JAviER CORtEz The Prospector It finally looks like the sixth-largest city in Texas is getting its due. In the past week, MountainStar Sports Group, which owns the El Paso Chihuahuas, has been in talks with Major League Soccer about bringing an expansion team to El Paso. By 2020, the MLS is looking to expand from 19 to 24 teams, and El Paso seems to be one of the candidates for an expansion team. El Paso always seems to be the big city that misses out on the fun and entertainment, and in the past other sports teams have failed. After the Diablos franchise disbanded in 2004, then once again in 2013, baseball seemed to be out of the picture entirely. Then there was the El Paso Patriots soccer team and an arena football team, the El Paso Generals, and sadly those failed too. Professional sports in El Paso seemed to be a venture that would never really work in the end. But when MountainStar Sports Group came calling and asked El Paso to blow up city hall, we did it faster than you can say Chihuahuas. You can call it desperate, but for the time being the Chihuahuas have worked out for the city. With this news, people should not get their hopes up because the process of the MLS bringing in fiveexpansion team is still early. The obvious and redundant statement made all the time now is that nobody in the United States cares about soccer. The MLS is still not a major staple in American sports or media. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL are still the most popular sports leagues in the US. The MLS has had a history of failed, stalled and speculative expansions. Cities like Cleveland, Detroit, Oklahoma City, Pittsburg and St. Louis have all been failed destinations that
the MLS has tried. Permanency is not a trait that the MLS has established in its 21 years. The only certainty is that the MLS will have 24 teams in 2020. New York City, Miami, Atlanta and Orlando have already booked four of the five teams, which leaves El Paso, and who knows how many other cities, fighting for the last spot. If El Paso did get an MLS expansion team, it would be great. For starters, the MLS is not a supreme sporting league, especially when it comes to soccer. The world’s best soccer athletes play all over Europe, predominantly in Spain, England and Germany. A team here would make sense, as El Paso is a big city, but not a big market. The cost of living in the city is low, with many people living below the poverty level. There is no way an expansion NFL or NBA team could make out here in the desert, especially with the inflated ticket prices now. An MLS team in El Paso could actually turn a profit, plus it would bring fans over from the border. Since El Paso is basically an extension of Ciudad Juárez and vice versa, the metropolitan area of both cities is crazy for soccer. There would be no problem with selling out games or trying to find ways to bring people to a game on a Tuesday night. You don’t have to sell the people of El Paso on the idea of professional soccer. Soccer in Mexico is wildly popular, but the quality of the game there doesn’t compare to soccer in Europe. Considering the demographics, socioeconomic status and size of El Paso, there are no certainties for a struggling professional league like the MLS. It would be a perfect fit, but the city of El Paso should not get their hopes up. The only question is: What will the city blow up next? The Plaza? Javier Cortez may be reached at theprospectordaily. sports@gmail.com.
AC C U R AC Y WATC H The Prospector is committed to accuracy. If you think we have made an error of fact, e-mail us at theprospectordaily.news@utep.edu.
ARCHivESeARCH Visit www.theprospectordaily.com to search the archives for your favorite articles and multimedia projects since 2007. www.theprospector.newspaperarchive.com
STAFF V O L . 9 9 , n O . 3 2 Editor-in-Chief: Lorain Watters Managing Editor: Jasmine Aguilera Layout Editor: Diego Burciaga Copy Editor: Andres Rodriguez Sports Editor: Javier Cortez Entertainment Editor: Andrea Acosta Photo Editor: Michaela Roman Photographers: Cristina Esquivel, Tania Moran, Chris Zacherl Multimedia/Online Editor: Amanda Guillen Staff Reporters: Cassandra Adame, Luis Barrio, Javier Cortez, Maria Esquinca, Amber Gomez, Lesly Limon, Ashley Muñoz, Jose Soto, Helen Yip
Cartoonist: Blake A. Lanham Contributors: Jaime Quesada Asst. Director-Advertising: Veronica Gonzalez Student Ad Manager: Anna Almeida Ad Executives: Genesis De la Cruz, Mariel Mora, Jaime Quesada Ad Layout Manager: Edgar Hernandez Ad Designers: Damian Balderrama, Fernando Enriquez Accounting Specialist: Isabel Castillo Student Assistant: Ashley Muñoz Student Publications Director: Kathleen Flores Administrative Secretary: Marcela Luna
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letters will be edited for clarity and brevity. letters over 250 words are subject to editing to fit available space. Please include full name, street address and telephone number and e-mail address, plus major, classification and/or title if applicable. Address and phone number will be used for verification only. Write to 105 E. union, e-mail theprospectordaily.news@gmail.com, call 747-7477 or fax to 747-8031. The Prospector is published by the Student Publications Board, 105 E. Union, 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX 79968. During Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.The Prospector is published weekly on Tuesdays, except holidays and when classes are not in session. $4 taken from fees to pay for student copies. The Prospector is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. Additional policy information can be obtained by calling The Prospector at 747-5161. Opinions expressed in The Prospector are not necessarily those of the university.
THEPROSPECTOR
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frontera
Municipio borrara la pinta
De acuerdo a El Paso Times, el municipio les dio hasta el 13 de junio para borrar la pinta, aunque miembros de la iglesia dicen que con pocos voluntarios y el calor de más de 100 grados Fahrenheit los ha prevenido de avanzar. Este pasado 12 de junio, se presentaron a la dependencia, entregando un escrito donde dan por concluidos los trabajos del retiro de la leyenda y solicitan que el municipio firme de conformidad. Sin embargo, Eduardo Varela Díaz, el titular de Desarrollo Urbano, dijo que ante el incumplimiento, del plazo de 20 días hábiles para retirar la pinta, el municipio decidió borrar la leyenda y transferir los gastos generados al grupo religioso, así como el monto de las sanciones a los que se hicieron acreedores.
Varela, añadió que están en coordinación con la Secretaría de Desarrollo Urbano y Ecología del Gobierno del Estado y la Dirección de Ecología Municipal, para ver y determinar el impacto o daño ambiental que pudieran haber ocasionado al entorno. Joel Gilbert, coordinador del programa de geología en UTEP, asegura que la cal (oxido de calcio) no es realmente un peligro para la flora y fauna del sitio donde pintaron las letras. “Para empezar, el tipo de rocas que existen en esta región ya contienen calcio, seria muchísimo peor si se usara pintura”, dijo Gilbert. Gilbert dice también que la lluvia deslavando la cal de las rocas tampoco es de gran impacto ambiental. “Realmente, no es peor que la lluvia desgastando el cemento, el cual con-
tiene cal, de las banquetas o carreteras cercas del cerro”, dijo Gilbert. Haydee Vazquez Gonzáles, abogada y asesor jurídico de la iglesia La Luz del Mundo, comentó que antes de llevar a cabo el proyecto de pintar en el cerro, hicieron los tramites correspondientes que el municipio exige. De acuerdo al articulo 19 del reglamento del entorno e imagen urbana del municipio de Juárez, Chihuahua: “Una vez presentada la solicitud con los anexos correspondientes, la dirección emitiría la licencia dentro de un plazo de diez días hábiles. Si dicha autoridad no da respuesta en dicho plazo se tendrá por expedida la licencia”. “A esto se le llama afirmativa ficta, lo cual nos dio pie a comenzar con la pinta en el cerro”, dijo Vazquez. En Juárez, existen 3,500 familias que forman parte de la asociación religiosa y solamente un grupo de 450 personas se organizaron para hacer la pinta. “Pensamos, ‘¿Que podemos hacer para homenajear al Dr. Samuel Joaquín?’ y se nos ocurrió hacer una pinta en el cerro”, dijo Vazquez. “Como todo el mundo ralla el cerro, ya esta un caballo, esta La Biblia es la Verdad, Léela, esta un Cristo, esta Benito Juárez, esta el símbolo de los soldados, entonces, hay tantas pintas que nosotros dijimos, ¿como le hacemos para que todo el mundo sepa quien es el?” Vazquez dijo que el Dr. Samuel Joaquín Flores es una persona que durante 50 años ha venido desarrollando una labor no solamente espiritual, sino una función social y humanista. Denice Manríquez, estudiante de cuarto año de antropología, dijo que aunque le llamó la atención, la pinta no es fácil de leer. “Tiene finta de que es como de una iglesia, quizá la misma que puso lo de
departments and the El Paso community,” Lugo said. “There has to be a collaborative partnership between these three sectors.” Lugo advocates for more bicycling initiatives because of their civic benefits and their health benefits, too. “Bicycling is simply a more efficient way of walking. It has great health, environmental and economic benefits,” Lugo said. “The bicycle is more than just a recreational tool. Bicycling is empowering, enlightening and invigorating. In advanced cities throughout the world, the bicycle is a viable option for transportation. There are proven physical and mental benefits. It is both functional and entertaining, but most importantly, it’s fun.” Lugo and the rest of the Velopaso team recently held bicycle safety class-
es on Earth Day in the Union East for UTEP bicyclers, such as Rasmiyeh Asam. Asam, a graduate student in education, rides her bike around campus and throughout the city. “Bicycling in El Paso is definitely growing, but it surely has room for improvement. I think it would be cool if El Paso utilized the mountains because we are lucky to have them. It would be great to create a bike park, which could include a lift for mountain biking,” Asam said. “This could also help promote the city to become healthier and more active as well as bring bike events, races, tourism to the city and create jobs. Also, there needs to be more bike lanes throughout the city for the road because drivers don’t seem to what to share them.”
According to Bennett Foster, president of Velopaso, El Paso is falling behind other cities with regards to bicycling and pedestrian education and safety. According to Foster, a recent study was conducted where El Paso had the lowest percentage of bikers and walkers and ranked last in the bicycle infrastructure when compared to 51 of the largest cities in the U.S. “The bottom line is that El Paso hasn’t done enough to make people feel safe riding their bikes. If our bike lanes are not inviting, obvious and convenient, bicycling will never become an attractive, viable transportation option in El Paso,” Foster said. Foster also said that in order for the city to improve, it has to follow a few guidelines.
michaela roman/ The Prospector El municipio a decidido borrar la pinta en el Cerro Bola ante el incompleto de parte de la iglesia.
POR CASSANDRA ADAME The Prospector A mediados de abril de este año, surgieron nuevas letras en el Cerro Bola de Ciudad Juárez donde se leía: “50 años de su apostolado S.J.F.”, con el fin de homenajear el quincuagésimo aniversario de ministerio apostólico del Dr. Samuel Joaquín Flores, director internacional de la iglesia La Luz del Mundo. Un grupo de hermanos adeptos a esta iglesia se organizaron para realizarlo. Entre 300 y 500 personas diariamente, durante un mes, ayudaron a colocar piedras, formando las letras, para después pintarlas con cal, agua y sal. Cada letra mide 50 metros de alto por 30 de ancho.
bike from page 1 form its own too,” Lugo said. “The pedestrian and cycling community use the streets in their current state, however, we will see a rise in multimodal use for transportation with the introduction of NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide adopted by the city, Sun Metro Brio rapid transit system and the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority Bike Share program.” Lugo also said that the streets of El Paso are public spaces and they belong to everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, public transportation users and private cars. “The implementation of streets for people in every other city such as Indianapolis, Tucson and Austin has been through a top-down approach, starting with elected officials, city
Yo creo que los símbolos son sumamente importantes en la psicología de las personas - Hugo Davalos, Antropología, último año enseguida. Con que no dañe la tierra, pues que pongan lo que gusten, pero que lo hagan con moderación, no me gustaría ver la montaña llena de cosas”, dijo Manríquez. Estudiante de ultimo año de antropología, Hugo Dávalos, dijo haber tenido un gran impacto al ver el cerro y encontrarse con una nueva pinta. “Yo creo que los símbolos son sumamente importantes en la psicología de las personas, y es un asunto serio poner atención a los anuncios de esta magnitud a la que una sociedad esta siendo expuesta, que en este caso son dos pájaros de un solo tiro, Cd.Juárez y El Paso”, dijo Dávelos. Finalmente, Varela concluyó que a esta iglesia no solo se les cobraran los gastos que resulten de la limpieza del cerro, sino también el monto de las sanciones por el desacato, el impacto y daño ambiental, así como la multa que se les va a imponer. Cassandra Adame puede ser contactada por theprospectordaily.news.@gmail.com
“El Paso can take the first steps to reverse this trend by following the recommendations in the report card: create a comprehensive, connected bicycle network, launch communitywide bicycle education courses, create a bicycle master plan, create and enforce local laws that promote safety and accessibility for bicyclists and hire a bicycle program manager to implement the bicycle master plan and run the bicycle program,” Foster said. For more information on Velopaso and to see a list of hosted events, visit velopaso.org. Jose Soto may be reached at theprospectordaily.news@ gmail.com.
THEPROSPECTOR
| 4 | NEWS
June 17, 2014
parking
Students cause headaches for neighbors
By Eric Alba The Prospector Residents who live in the area surrounding UTEP say they are disturbed because of the large numbers of students parking in their neighborhood, which they say affects their everyday lives. According to parking.utep.edu, student-parking fees range from $90 to as high as $400. “Paying for school is tough enough and nowadays you never know when the university is going to raise tuition,” said Jasmine Flores, junior kinesiology major. “I’m willing to wake up 10 minutes earlier to save some money, and I have my bike so it’s never too bad getting to class.” Many UTEP students attempt to avoid these extra expenses by parking in the surrounding neighborhoods. Lillian Hargrove has lived on Kansas Street for 15 years and has dealt with the excessive number of students parking their cars, which take place during the fall, spring and during the summer semesters. “I had a doctor’s appointment at 1 p.m. and noticed a car blocking my driveway around 11:50 a.m., this isn’t the first time it’s happened,” Hargrove said. “I called the police on the nonemergency number, and by 12:40 p.m. the tow truck came and took the car.” Hargrove and few of her neighbors have gone to city council multiple times, where they have met with city Representative Ann Morgan and Ted Marcus, city traffic control manager. “Yes they put a few signs up here and there and stationed a cop to patrol the area, but that has had little help. I even had a cop suggest that I move,” Hargrove said. Hargrove said she is concerned about the safety of the area in general,
and said she feels that more could be done to protect its residents. “When the street is full of cars, it’s hard to see what’s coming left or right at the stop sign, you literally have to be in the middle of the street to see if there’s a car coming your way,” she said. Students also park in the alleys behind the houses, blocking the way for emergency vehicles. “What if a neighbor or I were to get hurt and the ambulance could not get through? What then? I just want them to respect the area,” Hargrove said. Jayna, a resident on Kansas Street, also felt that student parking is a problem. “I went to UT Austin and understand that parking permits are expensive, but over there the city had parking meters surrounding the area. I think they should do the same here,” she said. “I feel the amount of cars that crowd the area definitely affects the value of my home. I was not aware of this when I moved in.” As for residents near Mundy Park, they feel very differently toward student parking. Ingrid Chowd, who lives on Prospect Street, feels that student parking is not a big deal. “We have parking permits in this area and I pay $12 a year for my parking permit, but students paying almost $400 for a permit is just too much money,” Chowd said. Amy Ovorake, a resident on Porfirio Diaz Drive, also felt that student parking wasn’t an issue. “I pay the annual parking permit fee for my area and I also get two visitor permits. The only thing I don’t like is when UTEP has big events,” Ovorake said. For more information about parking on campus, visit parking.utep.edu. Eric Alba may be reached at theprospectordaily.news@ gmail.com.
tania moran / The Prospector Student walks to campus from the Sunset Heights neighborhood.
transportation
Sun Metro establishes Brio, includes Wi-Fi Cristina esquivel / The Prospector Brio rapid transit will provide Wi-Fi connection to commuters.
By Aaron Montes The Prospector Editor’s note: This is part one of a three-part series. Wi-Fi connection will be available for riders on the new rapid transit system (RTS), which is a part of Sun Metro. The system features new technology and hopes to attract millennial users during their commute throughout transit routes. There will be a new Mesa Street Brio route, along with three other planned RTS routes on Alameda Avenue, Dyer Street and Montana Avenue, which will provide its riders with the ability to use free internet connection. According to Sun Metro officials, the RTS is an affordable and similar option to using a rail line. With money provided by the federal government and city council support, the Brio RTS service gives commuters in El Paso a compelling option to choose public transportation. For the Mesa corridor, the Federal Transit Administration contributed $13.5 million and the Texas Department of Transportation granted $6.1 million for its development. The route proceeds from Resler, where it connects with the Glory Road Transfer Center and ends in the downtown center.
According to Sun Metro officials, the bus routes will provide 10 minute service during peak commuting hours, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and at 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Sun Metro spokesperson Laura Acosta explained that while providing new technology features, the agency looked into the wants and needs of millenials. “Sun Metro is always trying to support the community, but also the students,” Acosta said. “Millennial communities are looking at public transportation for their commute. In that respect, we look at things like technology, for example the Wi-Fi. The Brio will help students get to the station and never break connection.” Students at UTEP agreed that the installation of rapid transit technologic features would benefit riders, but did not necessarily attract them to using the public transportation system. “I would still prefer using my car,” said Karen Pacheco, sophomore kinesiology major. “If it happens that you’re late for class, you will have to depend on the bus.” Pacheco explained that the features are good, but do not compare to the safety and comfort she has in using her car. Another UTEP student explained that he only uses public transportation to get to school because of the scarcity
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THIS WEEK
in parking spaces that students experience when they are not able to purchase a permit. Not able to park in perimeter parking lots, students choose to park in residential areas such as Sunset Heights, Kerbey Street or by the Glory Road Transfer Center. Other options include the spots along Blanchard Avenue next to Taco Bell. The available public parking there was once free, but since the spring semester parking meters have been installed. Juan Cárdenas, a graduate student in economics, said that two weeks ago he began taking the bus since he had always used his car as a way for transportation. His route takes him to Mesa Hills where the Brio route passes through. With a new option, he said that he may consider using the service, but not because of the Wi-Fi feature. “It’s not a big concern for me, but for others it would be,” he said. Cárdenas explained that with the 10-minute intervals between buses, he would have an easier time planning his trip. “I wouldn’t have to worry about waiting and planning by the half hour,” he said. “The new bus system will help.” Aaron Montes may be reached at theprospectordaily. news@gmail.com.
PAGE 5 June 17, 2014
entertainment Clay your way to a family-friendly fun Editor
andrea acosta, 747-7477
Justin Rodriguez/The Prospector At the Clayground is a paint your own pottery studio and is located at 5860 N. Mesa. (Above) Manager Jorge Camañez holds a piggy bank, a pottery piece that was finished by a customer.
By Ashley Muñoz The Prospector There is a place in El Paso where you can feel like an artist. At The Clayground, a pottery-making and painting studio, offers a family-fun adventure. Located at 5860 N. Mesa, At The Clayground, which will be renamed as StonePainters, is a paint-your-own
pottery studio that provides paints, glaze and firing at an affordable price. Jorge Camañez, manager of the studio, said it is the perfect place for students to relax and to have some personal therapeutic time. “El Pasoans love this place,” Camanez said. “All customers have to do is walk in, choose the piece they want, paint it and leave it for firing. We glaze the piece or pieces and place
them to fire. They usually take about three to five business days, but once all of that is complete, we call you to come pick up your finished piece.” At The Clayground offers plates, figures and much more to paint and sculpt as a piece of your own. Their collection includes a variety of pieces such as piggy banks, mermaids, eggs, mugs, vases, dragons and ice cream jars.
There is no need for someone to be a professional artist, the studio is all about going out and having fun. The sculpture studio offers family-time and hosts parties for the young ones. “The studio has a party room ready for the perfect painting party, and all you have to do is supply the food and drinks,” Camañez said. Parents can reserve the party room for their child’s birthday party, then
have the opportunity to handpick the figurines that will make their child eager to paint. The figurines are the gifts themselves, ready to be personalized by the birthday boy or girl and their guests, he said. “I would like to go check it out, it seems fun for the whole family,” said Kevin De La Torre, sophomore engineering major.
see CLAY on page 6
Guide
Baseball fans experience variety By lesly limon The Prospector
Michaela Roman/The Prospector The Southwest University Stadium provides various food options for attendees. Some include Peter Piper Pizza, Leo’s Mexican Restaurant and Juárez Dog.
Walking into the Southwest University Baseball Stadium for the first time is quite an experience. There are plenty of vendors, the seating can be confusing and the stadium is pretty big—way bigger than what it looks like from the outside. With the El Paso Chihuahuas fresh in their first season, El Pasoans are also adjusting to the new stadium and how things work. This is why I’m writing a survival guide for those who are attending a game at Southwest University for the very first time. Tickets for the games can be purchased in person or online, but if you want good seats, I recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time (I learned of this late, so don’t make my mistake). Pretty much any seat in the house gives you an excellent view of the game, but I would recommend trying to get seats on the upper level, as it tends to get hot on the lower levels. If you’re on a budget, there are also lawn seats available. You can
bring a blanket or towel to sit on if grass bothers you. Metered parking in Downtown El Paso is free after 6 p.m. I would recommend finding a spot and walking. It’s not that bad of a walk and you can save some money. Otherwise, you have to pay for parking near the stadium, unless you’re lucky enough to find a metered space close by. Upon entering the stadium, one of the first things you notice is the massive number of vendors. The vendors accept cash and credit/debit cards, which is extremely helpful if you don’t want to walk around with a wallet full of money. The hard part is deciding what to buy—there are so many options to choose from. Peter Piper Pizza and Leo’s Mexican Restaurant are on the list of local vendors selling food at the stadium. There are also stands with various items like funnel cakes, elotes (corn-on-the-cob), Dippin’ Dots ice cream, nachos, hot dogs, snow cones and a great selection of beer and beverages. There are also certain snacks you can’t get anywhere else such as the Juarez Dog—which is a hot dog that is
piled with chili beans and your choice of toppings. Certain vendors also give you souvenir items with your food. For example, some nacho plates come in a Chihuahuas’ dog bowl, and you can also get ice cream in plastic baseball caps. There’s plenty of El Paso Chihuahuas’ merchandise for sale at the ballpark, too. So be sure to bring a hefty amount of cash and arrive with an empty stomach. The only drawback is that like most concessions at events, they are a bit pricey. So if you’re on a budget, be sure to examine all of the vendors before you decide on a purchase, because those $8 drinks and $10 nachos can really put a hole in your pocket. However, there are ways around this. Be sure to check the Chihuahuas’ Facebook page and website to see if there are any special deals going on, like Thirsty Thursdays, where you can purchase drinks for $2.Overall, the experience of attending a game at the Southwest University Stadium is a pleasant one. The games are also a good place to
see BASEBALL on page 6
THEPROSPECTOR
| 6 | ENTERTAINMENT App review
CLAY from page 5 The studio is refreshment friendly. With permission in advance, adults can enjoy their favorite beer or wine. “Only because we want to keep it away from the children, just to be safe,” Camañez said. “More events or studios should open up like StonePainters, whereas to a studio where it’s just for adults. Kids should be included, and this proves to be an example.” The price depends on the figurine you pick out, ranging from $14 to $16. The average total price is $22, which includes everything from the paint to the firing. “Students can have an experience too,” Camañez said. “They can bring the whole band or work in (groups of) two. Girls can have a little GNO (girl’s night out) or it can be a date night for couples. At the Clayground is a diverse studio that will
June 17, 2014
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All customers have to do is walk in, choose the piece they want, paint it and leave it for firing.
- Jorge Camañez At the Clayground manager make a simple figurine painting into a fun time.” Ashley Muñoz may be reached at theprospectordaily. ent@gmail.com.
By Lesly Limon The summer has started out hot and so are these apps. Here are some of the apps that made the top-trending list in the app stores for iOS devices and Google Play for Android phones.
“Two dots” Developer: Betaworks One Category: Game Platform: iOS only “Two Dots” is an addicting game that you can play to kill time. Although, it could be seen as a knockoff to the game “Dots.” “Two Dots” is a new and improved version of the game from the original “Dots” developers, Betaworks One. The staff of Betaworks One are also the same people behind the popular website, Digg. “Two Dots” is very simple to play. The concept of the game is to connect dots of the same color while going in a straight line, but not diagonally, and to obtain a certain amount of dots to complete the level.
It sounds simple enough, but it can get confusing and challenging. One of the major changes from “Dots” to “Two Dots” is that there are now various boosts, upgrades and bonus points offered if you complete special moves. The interface also got a completely new look, it is well-designed and the levels of the game are simple to see. The new look of the app reminds me of a Wes Anderson film because of the unique character design in the menus and as the musicthat is used. For a free game, this is a download must. Unfortunately, “Two Dots” is currently only available for iOS devices, but the previous version of “Dots” is available for Android.
“Elevate”–Brain training Developer: Elevate, Inc. Category: Education Platform: Android and iOS This is a great learning app that really is free. That’s right, free—no paid subscriptions, no annoying ads. However, you do have the option to purchase additional content if you wish. “Elevate” focuses on daily activities to help you read faster, improve your grammar and vocabulary and improve your listening skills. When you first start up the app, it will ask a few questions about your personal learning goals and “Elevate” will then select activities for you to do.
You only complete three games each day to complete your goal. Don’t let the amount of games fool you though, these levels can be challenging. The design integrated within the app fits nicely with the interface. Things are clear, to the point and all around nice to look at. “Elevate” is a nice alternative to similar apps, where you have to pay for “brain training.” Give this app a shot and learn a thing or two when you have some free time.
Photos special to the prospector
“Fifa official app” Developer: FIFA Category: Sports Platform: Android and iOS Mexico? Brazil? USA? Whatever team you are rooting for during the World Cup, you can stay updated with the latest news in the palm of your hands. Stay up to date with live scores, chat with FIFA fans from all over, re-
ceive updates about your teams and check out the World Cup blog. This app is a must-have for soccer fans, or for anyone looking to keep up with the World Cup. App users can also watch live telecasts of games, so they get their soccer fix away from the crowds.
“Piano tiles”–don’t tap the white tiles Developer: Hu Wen Zeng Category: Game Platform: Android and iOS When I came across this game on the top charts for the app store, I thought that it looked pretty, lack of a better word, juvenile. However, five minuets later I found myself wanting to throw my phone at the wall because of how challenging this game gets. Classic mode is the easy part, however, once you play in arcade, rush or relay mode, you are most definitely asking for trouble and frustration.
“Piano Tiles” may not be as annoying as “Flappy Bird,” but it is as addicting. What I like about “Piano Tiles” is that there are different levels of difficulty and different modes to play. You can mix and match your gameplay nicely without getting bored, plus you get to rock out to some classic piano tunes while you play. This is a fun game to play to pass the time, but I don’t see it catching on like “Candy Crush“ or “Clash of Clans.”
Lesly Limon may be reached at theprospectordaily.ent@gmail.com
BASEBALL from page 5 bring the kids. The stadium has a play area for children and a jumping balloon. So if the little ones get bored with the game, they have a designated play spot. Contests also take place during the game, so everyone has a chance to win prizes.
If you haven’t attended a Chihuahuas’ game, you should definitely check it out, even if you aren’t a sports fan. The stadium, the vendors and the atmosphere make Southwest University Stadium a great place to be. Lesly Limon may be reached at theprospectordaily.ent@ gmail.com.
PAGE 7 June 17, 2014
Sports
Editor
Javier Cortez, 747-7477
Column
Shock and Awe
By Luis Gonzalez The Prospector
Rotich was the only Miner to advance to a final. The NCAA championships might not have been an overall success for the Miners, but there are some bright spots heading into the future. Four of the juniors competing in the championships will return for the senior season and freshman sensations Florence Uwakwea and Aiyanna Stiverne will headline.
The World Cup finally got underway June 12 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after four years of anticipation. There has been a lot to talk about now that the first days of the tournament are in the history books. For example, the Netherlands’ dismantling of defending champion Spain, Uruguay being upset by Costa Rica, an intense game between England and Italy, Germany’s domination of Portugal and the always controversial officiating. In a very tight game against Croatia, in which Brazil struggled more than what was expected, the referee played an important role when he awarded a penalty kick to the hosts. Neymar da Silva Santos Jr., one of the few bright spots for the Amazonians, took advantage. Neymar scored his second of the night and propelled Brazil toward their first win of the tournament. Although Neymar showed he can deal with the pressure and is ready to shine, it is doubtful that Brazil will be able to meet expectations. The officiating errors continued on day two at the expense of a Mexican team who suffered more than they should have after two legitimate goals were disallowed in the first half of their match against Cameroon. Mexico showed resiliency that led to Oribe Peralta’s second-half goal, propelling them to overcome the bad decisions and win. The first major surprise of the tournament was by the Dutch in Salvador. In a rematch of the 2010 World Cup Final, the Spanish—reigning European and World Cup champions— suffered a defeat that will long be remembered by the soccer world. With exquisite goals by veterans Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben—the Dutch dominated Spain in a 5-1 victory. Saturday brought yet another surprise after Uruguay took an early goal lead over Costa Rica. The two-time World Cup champions gave up the lead in a matter of minutes in route to a 3-1 upset. Despite the historic win, the Costa Ricans are still a long-shot for advancing out of group D, especially after watching group-mates England and Italy light up the Arena Amazonia stadium, in what has been the best game of the tournament to this point. Nearly 40,000 spectators that saw the Italians get the slight edge over the English in a 2-1 final. Italian striker Mario Ballotelli proved to be the key man for Italy with his 50th minute goal that put his team ahead for good. France and Germany got off to a great start, dominating Honduras, 3-0, and Portugal, 4-0, respectively. German striker Thomas Muller recorded the first hat trick of the tournament. Teams like Spain, Uruguay and Portugal will be fighting for their lives in must-win matches against Chile, England and the U.S. respectively. The first week of Brazil 2014 has already provided plenty of entertainment, memorable moments and lots of goals.
Luis Barrio may be reached at theprospectordaily. sports@gmail.com.
Luis Gonzales may be reached at theprospectordaily. sports@gmail.com.
Rotich sees double at NCAA championships By luis barrio The Prospector He did exactly what was expected from him and his head coach—win. Anthony Rotich made NCAA and UTEP history, when the seven-time All-American became the first male athlete in Division I history to win both the indoor mile and 3,000-meter steeplechase in the same academic year. Earlier in the year, the native of Nairobi, Kenya, won the NCAA indoor mile championship with a time of 4:02.54. He defended his title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and now has three national titles to hang his running shoes on. The race came down to a two-man showdown. Arkansas’ Stanley Kebenei was neck-and-neck with Rotich. It came down to the final barrier. The Razorback representative ran with Rotich in the waning moments until he did not complete his leap over the final barrier, which Rotich was able to clear and press forward to cross the finish line alone. “I get and feel stronger every time I win a title,” Rotich said. Kebenei and Rotich are from the same village in Kenya. They have been running together and met in each of the heats leading up to the final bout. “He is like a brother to me. The last 200 meters I really felt sorry for him when he fell down,” Rotich said. Rotich has said this was going to be a head-to-head finish because they were jumping the barriers at the exact same moments. In the final barrier, Rotich and Kebenei switched their strides so they both leapt with their right leg. The rest is history. It was a little bit of déjà vu for Rotich in the final stretch. Rotich was the favorite in last year’s competition and was head-to-head with Texas A&M’s Henry Lelei, who failed in the final leap of the final 200 meters. “I felt really good,” said Rotich after the race. “This race was really tough compared to last year. I felt my energy drop in the fourth lap so I really had to push myself in that last three laps. But overall I am extremely happy. It’s
photo courtesy utep athletics
Rotich is the third Miner in the program’s history to win consecutive titles in the 3,000-meter steeplechase not easy to defend a title but I worked through it.” Rotich is the third Miner in the program’s history to win consecutive steeplechase titles, joining Jim Svenoy 1994-95, and James Munyala, 1975-77. “There was a big difference with everybody seeing if I would defend the title. Although I did not feel pressure, my main goal was to defend the title and bring it back to El Paso,” Rotich said. On the women’s side, El Pasoan Jallycia Pearson took third in the long jump, with a leap of 5.18 meters. She competed in the javelin throw and claimed a 10th-place finish with a personal best of 40.27 meters. Injuries hampered the women’s team chance at making a mark at the NCAA Championships. “The ladies’ day was not so sunny due to a couple of unfortunate injuries,” head coach Mika Laaksonen said. “Jallycia (Pearson) hurt her back in the high jump and had a rough time performing after it, but she fought through it admirably. Janice (Jackson) may have fractured her foot, which obviously hindered her performance today. This is very unfortunate, especially with this being
her last race for us, but she had an outstanding career.” Right from the start the women got off on the wrong foot, with the 4x100meter relay team underperforming in the qualifying rounds. Laaksonen lamented the struggles after day one. “It was a rough start for the ladies,” Laaksonen said. “These four girls were definitely capable of running sub 44-second race and 44.17 made the final today. We had a really bad first exchange and no chance after that. You can’t make mistakes here at this level and expect to advance.” UTEP had three women make second team all-American honors. Jackson made it in the 100-meter hurdles, Nickevea Wilson in the high jump with 12.84, and Jallycia Pearson in the Heptathlon. UTEP finished tied for 24th place with fellow Conference USA squad Middle Tennessee. UTEP finished the season as indoor Conference USA champions and finished second to the University of Texas San Antonio. “They (UTSA) stole our trophy, |we have to get it back next year,” Rotich said. Coach Laaksonen called Rotich’s semifinal run the highlight of the day.
I get and feel stronger every time I win a title.
- Anthony Rotich
THEPROSPECTOR
| 8 | SPORTS
June 17, 2014
Tennis
Sopel snags two big time recruits for tennis By Javier Cortez The Prospector Coming into the 2014 spring season, head coach Myriam Sopel had big shoes to fill after popular head coach Mark Roberts left for an assistant coaching job at Southern Methodist University. Once again, Sopel has another tough task at hand— replacing three invaluable seniors, while finding a way to improve last year’s results. The signing of four-star recruit Jeannez Daniel in mid May, it seems that Sopel is off to a good start. Daniel is a native of Port Charlotte, Florida, and graduated from Florida Virtual School in May. Daniel is the first major recruit UTEP tennis has had in years and Sopel is pleased to have a player of her stature. “Jeannez is a great girl. She has a big heart, she fights very hard and she is very talented,” Sopel said. “She is obviously a very good tennis player, but she is good in the classroom—she is very smart. Everything seems to fit really well and she has fallen in love with UTEP.” Sopel credits the recruiting success to her coaching connections and her time playing international tennis as a French national. “I have many connections from my time internationally and coaching. I was informed about her and I started talking with her, she liked my coaching style and what the program had to offer,” Sopel said.
Daniel will have to fill the void of All-Conference performer Rebecca Calvillo. The Durango, Mexico, native came off her best season at UTEP and etched her name into the UTEP record books, playing at the number one spot. To go along with being a highly touted recruit, Daniel is the only player from the United States on the team. All of her new teammates are either from Latin American countries or Europe. The transition should not be a problem for Daniel considering the fact that she has played all over the world. “Jeannez (Daniel) is American, but she is very internationalized,” Sopel said. “I think she will fit in well with the girls and she is fine with being the only American. Her private coach is actually from Belgium and she has been traveling all over the world for tournaments.” The strength of the women’s team last year was their reliability at the top two spots. Calvillo and junior Davina Meza were the only players on the team who finished with winning records in singles and doubles. At the beginning of August, Daniel and Meza will most likely compete for the top two spots. Along with the departure of Calvillo, the Miners also lost Marie LeBlond and Gabi Vazquez. The two seniors rounded out the number three and four spots for the Miners. Sopel’s newest recruit, who signed late in May, is Valeriia Yanovska. The Ukrainian originally played at Tauri-
da University in Simferopol, Ukraine. Yanovska will still have four years of eligibility because she is transferring from a university outside of the U.S. Like Daniel, Sopel is delighted to have another solid player with plenty of international experience. “Valeriia (Yanovska) is very talented and she is a smart girl,” Sopel said. “It is going to be great to have her on the team. She has a year of experience at Taurida University, so it’s going to be a good transition for her.” With two recruits that have plenty of talent and experience, Sopel is not stopping there. Replacing half the team is an adjustment for Sopel; in her young coaching career this is her biggest recruiting class. “Half of the team is new,” Sopel said. “It is a challenge to bring four new players because they all have to adapt at first, so it is a big challenge for the team. But it is nice to bring that new drive and motivation.” After starting last season 1-5, the Miners gradually found success. More than three months until the Miners start their season, it seems that they are on the right path to success. Javier Cortez may be reached at theprospectordaily. sports@gmail.com.
photo courtesy utep athletics Jeannez Daniel is The first major recruit UTEP tennis has had in years.