Ono highlights past accomplishments, looks to future in annual addressBECKY BUTTS ONLINE EDITOR

During his fi rst State of the University address, University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono praised the accomplishments the university community made in the past year, while iterating the university’s potential as a future powerhouse in all aspects of higher education.

Students, faculty and staff listened as Ono addressed the community Thursday in Tangeman University Center Great Hall.

“To all of our faculty, staff, students, you are the heart and spirit of what the University of Cincinnati is,” Ono said. “Your collective efforts have resulted in outstanding achievements.”

Of the numerous accomplishments made at UC this year, Ono was particularly proud of the community’s generosity.

The success of the ArtsWave campaign in February and March from the combined efforts of UC Health and the community raised $100,000.

“That places us among 20 of the largest and most successful companies and organizations that believe the arts are an important community asset,” Ono said.

UC Health also contributed donations

capping more than $275,000 toward the United Way/Community Shares Campaign. UC reached a 17 percent participation rate, which surpassed its goal and the university moved up to 17 among United Way’s top 25 corporations.

Ono spoke of the record-breaking, all-campus winter blood drive. It was the largest mobile blood drive during the Hoxworth Blood Center’s 75-year history. The blood drive registered 1,613 individuals and collected enough donations to save over 3,700 lives.

Strides were made this year and will continue to be made next year to move from “plans on paper” to real implementation in addressing key issues concerning the UC community, Ono said.

To shepherd diversity efforts, Bleuzette Marshall was named chief diversity offi cer following the controversial resignation of Ronald Jackson, former dean of the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences in November. Myron Hughes, former executive director of UC’s alumni association, is now serving in a new fundraising position as senior associate vice president for diversity and inclusion.

“We have allocated an additional $440,000 annually to support scholarships for underrepresented students and women of color,” Ono said.

The university implemented numerous

efforts to improve campus safety in the past year, Ono said. This has been a hot topic all year, especially after fi fth-year UC student Trent Amstutz was assaulted by a group of teenagers in February.

“Despite perceptions, crime remains down overall,” Ono said.

UC has invested $1.2 million in safety this year and plans an additional $2.3 million in 2015. To thwart criminal activity, 93 new streetlights were installed and 155 more will be installed later this year. Increased patrols with the Cincinnati Police Department and UCPD also hope to prevent crime on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods.

Safety is a main concern for Christina Beer, student body president. Beer is happy with the initiatives in place and looks forward to seeing more come from the Third Century Initiative.

“The university has a great focus on students and you can defi nitely see that in the initiatives of Third Century,” Beer said.

Even with all the accomplishments of the past year, Ono said his sights are set on UC’s future as a leading higher education and research institution.

“With our bicentennial approaching in 2019, we’re going forward with ‘Creating Our Third Century,’ to take the milestone

Gun owners, students walk through campus carrying weapons, fail to engage publicRYAN HOFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

Nearly 70 people armed with hunting rifl es, handguns and assault weapons strolled through the University of Cincinnati’s main campus Saturday. Their mission: inform the public about Ohio’s fi rearm laws. The problem: very few of the dozens of students and other bystanders showed the slightest hint of curiosity.

“It’s disappointing,” said Jeffry Smith, a fi rearms activist and instructor who organized the event. “I thought more students would ask questions.”

The crowd of 67 people — including 13 UC students — walked from Martin Luther King Boulevard to main campus; stopping for a photo outside of Van Wormer Hall before walking past Tangeman University Center and up around McMicken Hall.

Most of the people on the walk openly carried a fi rearm, which unlike concealed carry, is legal under Ohio law.

Bob Ambach, interim director of public safety at UC, alerted students about the event and the legalities surrounding it in an email Thursday.

“The University of Cincinnati strongly believes in freedom of speech and peaceful assembly,” Ambach said in the email. “The University of Cincinnati is fully aware that some forms of expression may be found controversial. It is because some expressions are unpopular that our nation supports these constitutional freedoms.”

Most people know little about Ohio’s gun laws, Smith said. By walking through such a densely populated area, Smith hoped participants would strike up curiosity and hopefully lead to a discussion on Ohio’s fi rearm polices.

Most of the bystanders the group passed did not actually engage participants in a discussion.

The lack of interaction was a surprise for Cody Spurlock, a fi fth-year information technology student. Spurlock obtained his concealed carry license several months after turning 21 — the minimum age to apply for a concealed carry license in Ohio. Spurlock said he didn’t have an answer for why more people did not interact with the group.

“I don’t think I’m too surprised by it,” said Paddy MacUidhir, treasurer of the southwest Ohio chapter of Ohio Carry. “Here it’s just OK, it’s part of your environment. We’re not special.”

MacUidhir drove all the way from Hillsboro, Ohio for

BRYAN SHUPE CHIEF REPORTER

As the ninth annual MainStreet Stride parade came to a close Friday, students and faculty gathered in the Campus Recreation Center for the inauguration of the newly elected University of Cincinnati Student Government members.

Outgoing student body president Joe Blizzard and vice president Jaclyn Hyde handed the reins to Christina Beer and Shivam Shah as they were sworn in alongside the newly elected student government senators.

“It’s going to be tough to leave,” Blizzard said. “But it’s been a fantastic year and I’m really looking forward to see what student government’s going to do next year.”

President Santa Ono administered the oath immediately after handing out awards for the MainStreet Stride parade.

“We’ve been so fortunate to have Joe and Jaclyn and all of student government this year for the progress that we’ve made,” Ono said. “They’ve made UC a better place for all students and I’m truly proud of what they’ve done.”

Beer and Shah defeated challengers Vincent Coleman and Andrew Pfriem by 200 votes — one of the slimmest margins in recent years — in the February election.

“We’re starting to meet with people and now its all starting to settle in,” Beer said. “All the transitions are occurring and because of that we feel like we’re now fi nally apart of that role and it’s just a great feeling.”

Beer — the fi rst female student body president in more than 20 years — said her main focuses are still diversity and safety, two platforms that were the backbone of her campaign.

“We did have that general idea of increasing diversity at UC, and now there are some ideas that students are bringing forward,” Beer said.

Beer cited the recently awarded diversity incentive grants, which provide funding for proposed initiatives designed to increase diversity on campus.

There were 11 recipients for the 2014 grant, including the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning’s one-week architecture and design introduction program to underprivileged and underrepresented students from the Cincinnati metropolitan area.

Aside from top-priority items such as safety and diversity, Shah said one of their initiatives for the next academic school year is to provide seamless transportation to Paul Brown Stadium for UC football games.

Due to Nippert Stadium’s construction, home games will be hosted downtown, but will return to UC the following season.

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New General Electric facility could benefit UC graduates in need of jobs

Group fails to educate UC community on firearm rights

GE to bring 1,400 jobs to southwest Ohio,help Cincinnati retain younger workforceRYAN HOFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

General Electric’s decision to open a new operations center in southwest Ohio could help Cincinnati retain young professionals, especially University of Cincinnati graduates.

“This is only going to add to our ability to attract young workers,” said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “That’s a priority of mine.”

GE announced Thursday that it would build its new Global Operations Center in one of three possible locations in southwest Ohio: Mason, Oakley or the Banks development in Downtown Cincinnati. The center will create an estimated 1,400 full-time, high-paying jobs in fi nance and information technology.

“The biggest thing is jobs,” Cranley said. “Graduates go to where the jobs are.”

UC already has several partnerships with GE; most recently a partnership that will pair UC students with researchers in a new $100 million laboratory at GE

Aviation’s headquarters in Evendale, Ohio.Ohio is already home to more than 15,000 GE

employees.“GE is one of the most innovative, forward-thinking,

well-run companies on the planet,” said Ohio Gov. John Kasich, in a statement. “The company knows the Greater Cincinnati area is an excellent place to be because of its long-time, successful GE Aviation operation and we’re thrilled with the confi dence this move shows in the people of Ohio.”

The local workforce and labor pool made Cincinnati an attractive choice over the multiple other locations GE was considering.

“The greater Cincinnati area provides a pool of talent that will help us build a world class Shared Services Center,” said Shane Fitzsimons, GE Global Operations senior vice president, in a statement. “Our long and successful history with the state will be mutually benefi cial.”

UC offers a large number of young educated professionals that make the city an attractive destination for companies, Cranley said.

The College of business currently has an enrollment

THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI’S INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN NEWS ORGANIZATION / MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014

PHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITORUC President Santa Ono gave his fi rst State of the University address Thursday in front of a packed house in Tangeman University Center’s Great Hall.

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MADISON SCHMIDT CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHERCincinnati Mayor John Cranley said landing GE would benefi t the city and students graduating from UC Thursday on the front steps of city hall.

DAN SULLIVAN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERA group of 67 people carrying fi rearms walked through campus Saturday in an attempt to educate the community on Ohio’s fi rearm laws.

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the event.Smith said the email sent by the

university probably had something to do with most peoples’ nonchalant response to the group.

“I was like, ‘What in the hell?’ and then I remembered why,” said Brian Richardson, a first-year finance student who was initially surprised when the group passed him on Calhoun Street.

Along with education, many attendees voiced support for concealed carry on

college campuses, which are one of several areas where concealed carry is prohibited under Ohio law.

“I know people who have been mugged,” said Josh Basler, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student who participated in the walk. “They target students for a reason. They know they’re not armed.”

Many of the other students participating in the walk said they were also concerned with safety in the area.

“I don’t believe you should have guns all over the place, but we live in a

dangerous place,” said Bryce Martens, a former student who lives in the area.

Martens was one of the few bystanders who went out of his way to engage the group of pro-gun walkers. He said people who are licensed to carry concealed should be able to carry on campus.

Although he was disappointed, Smith said he hoped Saturday’s event would be a springboard for similar events in the future.

“My hope is that gun groups do the same thing on and around campuses,” Smith said.

of our 200th birthday and shape our institution for our next horizon,” Ono said. “It’s time to make a focused, sustained investment in people.”

The Third Century project is a multi-year strategy to improve various aspects of campus life ranging from student involvement to academics, faculty

and staff.Investments made toward the UC2019

Academic Plan, which aims to make UC a first-choice destination for students, during the May 2012 UC Board of Trustees’ meeting will also be used to fund Third Century, said Ryan Hayes, executive vice president chief of staff.

Some of the mentioned investments will go into effect in July.

The initiative is planned to begin at the start of the 2014-15 academic year, but officials want to complete and polish Third Century before enacting it.

“We are adding to a foundation that has already been in place,” Hayes said. “This isn’t a new strategic plan. It’s linking efforts between the Academic Master plan and building a bigger architecture.”

of more than 4,000 students, while the College of Engineering and Applied Science is home to 4,500 students. Keeping those students in Cincinnati after graduation is vital to the city’s long-term success, Cranley said.

Both GE and Ohio Gov. John Kasich said JobsOhio — the private job creation entity created by the Kasich administration — played an integral role in bringing GE to Ohio.

“JobsOhio has once again shown its value by working successfully with the company to make this happen,” Kasich said. “It’s great to see more jobs created by JobsOhio’s efforts.”

GE expects to break ground this summer and have the facility fully operational by 2017.

“I know they’re going to continue the student government excellence at UC,” Ono said. “We’ve done a lot this year emphasizing a partnership with the rest of the city and I think that’ll only improve throughout next year.”

Gay marriage supporters gather in support of federal judge’s decisionALEXIS O’BRIEN NEWS EDITOR

Gay marriage supporters held banners and donned rainbow flags in front of the Hamilton County Courthouse Saturday to celebrate United States District Court Judge Timothy Black’s decision to strike down Ohio’s ban from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states.

The event; “The faraway good guy: U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black; and the unseen bad ones: Attorney General Mike Dewine and Governor John Kasich,” celebrated Black’s decision, while condemning Dewine’s decision to challenge the ruling after it is officially made. Black is expected to make his official ruling Monday.

The rally — organized by Support Marriage Equality in Ohio — drew about 50 attendees who were in support of Black’s decision.

“Five couples went to court fighting to put both of the partners’ names on adoption papers, because if one of them dies the kid adopted would get taken away,” said Adam Hoover, a 19-year-old gay rights activist. “[The potential parents] said ‘We deserve the same rights as heterosexual partners’ and Black overturned the ban.”

Dewine, a Republican backed by Kasich, has said he will fight this ruling and appeal to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to prevent its implementation.

“We’ve been making phone calls to Dewine, writing letters and signing petitions,” Hoover said. “Everything Black does is appreciated.”

Dayton activist Charles Rentz attended the rally and handled the written petitions.

“I’m my own guy,” Rentz said. “I’m straight. But humans are humans and that’s about as simple as you can get.”

While Black’s ruling would legally recognize legal same-sex marriages preformed in other states, it will not directly affect Ohio’s ban on same-sex marriages. Several efforts are currently underway to put the issue on the ballot. Ohio voters banned same sex marriage in 2005.

“But I’ll give us that leading edge in changing Ohio,” Hoover said.

Though the group stationed at the corner of Fifth and Walnut streets earned plenty of honks, yells and hugs from passersby, Hoover was disappointed more participants didn’t show up.

“I was expecting a few hundred, but you know, welcome to Cincinnati, Ohio,” Hoover said.

Clifton Co-op Market strikes deal with owner of former Ludlow IGAMELANIE TITANIC-SCHEFFT STAFF REPORTER

Months of uncertainty surrounding the future of the former Keller’s IGA on Ludlow came to an end Friday when members of a local corporation announced they reached a deal to purchase the property from its current owner.

Clifton Cooperative Market announced it signed a $1.65 million contract to purchase the property at 319 Ludlow Ave. from Steve Goessling, who has owned the vacant property for two years.

“This is a great day for Clifton and for Cincinnati,” said Adam Hyland, co-op chair. “The strong Clifton neighborhood atmosphere is alive and well.”

After seeing the community’s strong support for the co-op-style-owned market, the original developer realized it would not be able to respond to the publics demand for a local market, Hyland said at a press event in front of the store Friday.

Hyland and other members of the market plan to open a full-service grocery store with meat, produce and bakery departments. Its goal is to obtain local, healthy and organic products, as well as brand name items and possibly an ATM.

“It really shows what the community can

do when everybody gets together and says what they want,” Hyland said.

Members of the market are excited to open a quality grocery store with items unique to the area, Hyland said. He hopes it will be the catalyst to economic growth within the community.

“Foot traffic in the area has declined since the Keller’s IGA closed, and this new store will become a community anchor again and will help boost retail success all over Ludlow and the Clifton area,” Hyland said.

The former Keller’s IGA closed its doors in 2011 due to unpaid taxes, leaving Clifton without a grocery store and limiting uptown residents’ shopping options to a Kroger on Corry Street.

Goessling purchased the property in 2012 and promised to open a full-scale grocery store to serve the Clifton community. After facing numerous setbacks, Goessling announced he would be selling the property in the fall of 2013.

The co-op idea emerged in December, and members started raising money by selling $200 shares to Clifton residents.

So far, they’ve sold 160 shares, but that will only make up a small portion of the funding needed. The market will need other funding sources including loans and financial contributions larger that the $200 needed to purchase a share, said Shaun McCance, CCM treasurer.

The market plans on starting a massive

capital campaign May 3, at the Esquire Theatre, said Marilyn Hyland, chair of the Clifton Market Capital Campaign.

“We hope to open our doors within a year from that date, but our motto is, the sooner the better,” Marilyn Hyland said.

None of this would have been possible

without the community’s support, McCance said.

“We sit at local Clifton businesses every single day and have office hours where we talk to people and sell shares, so the co-op is actually owned by the people of Clifton and the greater Cincinnati region,” McCance said.

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Agreement reached between co-op, IGA owner

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MELANIE TITANIC-SCHEFFT STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERSupporters of the Clifton Co-op Market stood outside the former Keller’s IGA Friday after it was announced the market reached an agreement to purchase the property from its current owner, Steve Goessling.

ALEXIS O’BRIEN NEWS EDITORRoughly 50 people gathered downtown Saturday afternoon to support United States District Court Judge Timothy Black’s decision to recognize legal out-of-state gay marriages in Ohio.

BRYAN SHUPE CHIEF REPORTER

Nobody was seriously injured in a one-alarm fire that caused thousands of dollars in damage Friday afternoon several blocks away from the University of Cincinnati main campus.

Emergency crews responded to the scene at 495 Riddle Road around 1 p.m. after the owner of the property called the Cincinnati Emergency Communications Center stating the upper tier of the vacant properties was on fire. The call was made at 12:58 p.m.; 11 minutes later, fire crews arrived on scene.

It took crews approximately 45 minutes to control the fire and an additional 45 minutes to extinguish the hot spot and conduct overhaul operations, according to a Cincinnati Fire Department statement.

Investigators determined that an open flame torch used to remove paint from the interior of the house caused the blaze.

The owner, who refused to use his name, said he was in the process of renovating the house to lease to students for the 2014-15 academic year. The house was vacant when the fire broke out.

The fire started on the first floor but quickly spread up the back of the house into the attic, causing about $25,000 in fire and water damage.

The owner, who was on the scene with two other workers at the time, sustained minor burns while attempting to extinguish the fire, but refused transportation to the hospital and remained on the scene to continue renovations on the building.

The house — located at the corner of Riddle Road and Sandheger Place— is one of the oldest in Clifton, University, Fairview Heights and is one of the only remaining houses in the area with a metal roof, the owner said.

The two-family dwelling was built in 1890, according to the Hamilton County Auditor. Records also show the current owner purchased the house in 1993 for $45,000. The house is no stranger to misfortunes. It was struck by lightning about 18 months ago, causing a less destructive fire.

Nobody injured in fire near campus

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Annual Sigma Sigma Carnival takes over commons for 75th year of activitiesNICK THOMPSON STAFF REPORTER

Faux police officers complete with sexy costumes, fake tickets and short-shorts patrolled Sigma Sigma Commons Saturday evening during the University of Cincinnati’s longest running student-led event.

The 75th Sigma Sigma Carnival took over the commons with booths, activities, games and more, inspiring students to adhere to the theme “Carnival on Patrol.” Humorous law enforcement outfits and apparel were reminiscent of Comedy Central’s “Reno 911.”

Many stood in groups with beers in hand, engaged in conversation. The carnival fostered an energetic and friendly atmosphere with the flair of a small-town county fair.

In addition to providing students an outlet as the end of Spring semester nears, the carnival is an opportunity for student organizations to reach out and share information.

Local band Frankly Speaking, singer Tana Matz and UC Athletics DJ Mr.

Bearcat provided musical entertainment, producing a lively soundtrack for the carnival’s energetic activities.

Students participated in carnival games, getting soaked in a dunk booth, smashing their faces in pies and holding on for dear life on a mechanical bull. Even the Bearcat partook in festivities, showing off strength on a high-striker game.

Lawrence Bisig, a first-year undecided student, enjoyed the variety of games the carnival had to offer.

“The thing I’ve enjoyed so far is the SAE ring toss,” Bisig said. “The mechanical bull is pretty awesome too, and this band is bumpin.”

Those who have attended the carnival in the past noticed several significant changes this year, said Aaron Pontsler, a fifth-year finance student and event organizer.

“Before, we always had a DJ, and this year we now had two live bands performing,” Pontsler said. “Everyone’s been loving the bands.”

The carnival also featured 35 organizations. Money raised during the event goes back into the university and the community, Pontsler said.

“The money raised at this event goes

back to things like lighting on McMicken Commons, university athletics and even local hospitals,” he said.

BECKY BUTTS ONLINE EDITOR

Allies and members of the University of Cincinnati’s LGBTQ community packed the African American Cultural and Resource Center Thursday to talk about sexuality, race and Beyoncé.

Janet Mock, transgender advocate and author, spoke to students about her journey to womanhood at a book signing for her recent novel “Redefining Realness,” published in February.

The event was hosted as part of QueerCat Pride Week by the LGBTQ Center.

Mock’s novel serves as an autobiography but reads like a diary of her transformation.

It maps her progression from a 14-year-old boy in the wrong body to a 16-year-old working in the sex industry to raise money for sex reassignment surgery at 18 and to the woman she is today.

It is a mixture of personal traumas, funny anecdotes and pop culture references.

Mock wrote “Redefining Realness” to share her story with others that struggle with sexuality and gender.

“I feel free, so I express myself freely,” Mock said.

“If we aren’t a part of the conversation, we are going to be talked about.”

Growing up, Mock didn’t have any transgender role models to look up to in mainstream media.

Instead, she looked up to black women writers such as Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Huston.

Mock says that she pulled influences from pop culture to create an image of what she wanted to become.

Now, she is a role model for future generations.

“For me as a trans-person, it’s very hard to find people that I can look up to that are in pop culture,” said Bridge Parham, second year social work student.

“To be able to read a book that is available to mainstream society is extremely important because growing up I didn’t have that. Trans-people are usually ridiculed in sitcoms, you know, it’s ‘funny’ when men wear dresses or women wear suits. The whole joke is my identity.”

After the talk, audience members gathered in a line that wrapped around the room to get their copies of “Redefining Realness” signed by Mock.

UC’s GenderBloc helped sponsor the event and raised money from last semester’s drag show to buy four copies of Mock’s book to donate to Cincinnati youth centers.

The author closed the discussion with advice she learned after her book was published.

“Don’t feel like you need to shrink yourself so people like you more,” Mock said.

“Own your greatness.”

“I feel free, so I express myself freely. If we aren’t a part of the conversation, we are going to be talked about.”

MainStreet Stride showcases university spirit through extraterrestrial themeNICK THOMPSON STAFF REPORTER

Student government, organizations, faculty members and athletes paraded down MainStreet Friday afternoon, representing all of the different ventricles and valves that keep the heart of the university pumping.

The ninth annual MainStreet Stride

observed the theme “out of the world,” challenging participants to convey the extraterrestrial through costumes, signs and props.

“I think it gets better every year,” said Kathy Lorenz, a romance languages and literature professor who has attended the parade numerous times in the past.

Before the parade commenced, the percussions of “Rolling Down the Field” echoed throughout the MainStreet corridor, performed by the University of Cincinnati Bearcat Marching Band. The performance garnered a crowd of onlookers, who scurried to claim a good place to sit and view the parade.

The procession began by McMicken and Braunstein and concluded at the Campus Recreation Center.

President Santa Ono led the parade on a red electric scooter and matching red suit. Student government members followed, donning similar attire.

The procession continued with student organizations and faculty, who tossed candy and snacks to onlookers while singing UC fight songs.

Cheyenne McKee, a second-year criminal justice student, was impressed by the parade.

“I thought it was fabulous,” McKee said. “I wasn’t sure about the candy being thrown at me though, but free food is always nice, so I can’t complain.”

While many participants showed off UC spirit by wearing red and black, others found creative ways to channel the

parade’s theme. Staff and faculty from Human Relations

and Campus Services wore detailed costumes of characters from “Toy Story,” carrying a red poster reading, “HR to the 3rd century… And beyond.” Members of the Division of Student Affairs carried

large, paper planets and stars. Kevonyah Edwards, a second-year

criminal justice student, said that while the parade is a popular tradition, it is a lot more than just a spectator event.

“It gives us some sense of community,” Edwards said.

3 / COLLEGE LIFE MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

LAUREN KREMER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Members of Human Resources and Campus Services channel the stride’s “out of the world” theme by dressing as characters from “Toy Story.”

Tradition continues with otherworldly celebration

Transgender advocate talks autobiography at LGBTQ event

LAUREN KREMER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Santa Ono leads Friday’s procession down MainStreet on an electric red scooter.

Students patrol vivacious spring festivalDAN SULLIVAN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The county fair-esque Sigma Sigma Carnival featured pie throwing, dunk booths, a mechanical bull and more.

DAN SULLIVAN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Attendees donned costumes to adhere to this year’s theme, “Carnival on Patrol.”

DAN SULLIVAN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Local band Frankly Speaking and singer Tana Matz performed throughout the evening, providing an energetic soundtrack to the carnival’s festivities.

- Janet Mock, “Redefining Realness” author

Concept album makes way to Broadway musical without losing hard-hitting critiques EMILY BEGLEY COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR

Everyone was doing the propaganda at the Aronoff Center Friday night. Everything seemed ordinary, with the men donning khaki pants and ties, women with high heels clicked against the marble floor, and couples sipping wine as they filed into their seats.

But all of the white collars found themselves in a land of make believe when the curtain rose and “American Idiot” took the stage.

The theater exploded with heavy guitar rifts and flickering strobe lights. The play featured only twenty cast members, but the stage was completely consumed with movement and sound during the play’s opening song, the chart-topping “American Idiot” from Green Day’s album of the same name.

The album’s twenty songs served as the basis for the musical, and closely followed the anti-hero character Jesus of Suburbia. Other central characters in the album are St. Jimmy and Whatsername.

All of these characters transitioned to Broadway along with the album, animating its characters in a moving, meaningful way.

The play focuses on the characters of Johnny (Jared Nepute), Tunny (Dan Tracy) and Will (Casey O’Farrell), lifelong friends who struggle to balance the pursuit of their dreams with the safety suburbia provides. The play also analyzes life after 9/11 as the friends struggle to find true meaning in the world.

As Johnny and Tunny set off for a new life in the city, Will remains home with his pregnant girlfriend Heather (Mariah MacFarlane). Tunny soon tires of the city and joins the military, leaving Johnny alone on a path to self-discovery.

Carson Higgins takes on the role of St. Jimmy, who serves as Johnny’s rebellious (and dangerous) alter ego. The influence of St. Jimmy over Johnny is evident throughout the play as drugs, lost love and general angst lead Johnny on a debilitating downward spiral.

The show was as aesthetically pleasing as it was audibly engaging, featuring a dank gray backdrop consumed by multiple televisions of various sizes. Transitioning with white noise, the screens featured images and phrases throughout the show, including images of war, news broadcasts and the “American Idiot” album cover.

Nearly every song was accompanied with dance, with choreography by Steven Hoggett. The dance added a new dimensional to the play’s familiar songs, allowing audience members to understand their meanings on a different level.

Amidst the play’s constant visual effects and reverberating scores, actors commanded attention with impressive musicality and raw, naturally engaging voices.

MacFarlane was the first to grasp individual attention. Bursting out of a restroom door erected on stage, MacFarlane’s voice suddenly filled the theater, exhibiting powerful volume and perfect pitch in “Dearly Beloved.”

She soon reappeared through the door with a handful of pregnancy tests, which she frantically waved around as she continued to sing.

Although her solo performances were sparse throughout the rest of the evening, MacFarlane demanded attention each time she appeared, maintaining an engaging and humorously attitudinal performance.

Nepute also shone as the play’s main character; humorous, quirky and immediately likable, Nepute brought his character to life, regarding both Jimmy and “American Idiot’s” Jesus of Suburbia.

He also exhibited terrific chemistry with Olivia Puckett, who plays the elusive Whatsername.

Inspired by St. Jimmy, Johnny and Whatsername engaged in passionate intercourse as well as shared intimate moments in which the two injected each other with heroin. Before shooting up, the two danced in a tangle of tourniquets as the cast careened around them on stage.

Puckett also stood out with an impressive voice and impassioned performance. Her character’s relationship

with Johnny is crucial to the storyline, and the two maintain heated interactions together, as well as after their separation.

Although “American Idiot” is a unique installment of the Aronoff’s Broadway in Cincinnati series, its disparities are what make it so engaging.

More concert than musical, the show appeals to both Green Day fans and veteran play-goers, offering consistently powerful performances weaved into an emotionally substantial storyline.

Shins’ front man collaborates with Danger Mouse to create ‘After the Disco’ JEREMY SIMMONS STAFF REPORTER

Michael Sailstorfer is probably a name The Shins splintered — at least temporarily — and Brian Joseph Burton, aka Danger Mouse, found his groove with splendid Shins splinter James Mercer.

Mercer’s indie-perfect vocals melt into the seamless synthesizer grooves on “After the Disco,” the latest album from Broken Bells, Mouse and Mercer’s all-studio lovechild.

The opening track “Perfect World” is a story in a song, complete with changes in pace, highs and lows and a gentle transport from Kubrickian beeps and bloops under a canned drum track into an atmosphere of alien trance beat.

Mercer sings like a skinny rocker boy and the contrast that might have been jarring works beautifully. The after party begins with the title track channeling the twin ghosts of The English Beat and The Bee Gees, where Mercer shows chameleon skills kept in check so far.

It’s a short track, but a jewel. “Holding on For Life” is a bass-driven hipsway blues song complete with Mercer’s best Barry Gibb falsetto. It’s a listen-and-repeat golden track that qualifies as that song the A&R guy listens to and says “Okay, this is the hit of the album, let’s get it to the radio people.”

These fellows really know how to modulate their sound, faultless in their decisions to hold off the string swell until you’re itching behind the ears and then, with blasé grace, it slides under the beat and you’re hooked. That’s an art, and a dying one.

The confidence Broken Bells show is evident in the frequent use of vocal-free stretches in nearly every song, giving the music a calm that invites reflection. That’s consummate songwriting.

“The Changing Lights” and “Control” drag a little, pulling down the album at its center with what sounds like uninspired songwriting compared to the brilliances of “Holding On for Life” and “Leave it Alone.”

The next track, “Medicine,” moves along in a nice beat that trips and flutters under a harmonized vocal track but still doesn’t rise to the level promised by the first few tracks.

Not until “The Angel and the Fool” does the sublime sound return. Mercer’s lyrics echo in a chilly cave of reverb that lends timelessness to the song while a 1950s all-girl backup singer quartet buoys up the melancholy sound. The last track, “The Remains of Rock & Roll” is sadly another forgettable song, but there is a curious English post-punk sound in the verse that redeems it somewhat.

It might be safe to say that the talented duo entered the studio without a clear vision of what they wanted to create. The plan seemed to be, pick a few synth patches, scribble a stack of lyric sheets and fling it all into studio improvisation. Such actions are usually a recipe for disaster but there is genius at work here — at least for the first few tracks. They could’ve been more selective in the studio and whittled this album down to about seven songs and had a better product.

‘Enter the Slasher House’ only frightening halfway through, then loses listeners LOGAN RAINS CONTRIBUTOR

Strep throat sidelined Animal Collective’s co-front man Avey Tare (Dave Portner) for much of 2013. Animal Collective’s Madison Theater show was postponed twice and cost viewers Dan Deacon as an opener, but the silver lining turned out to be “Enter the Slasher House.” The new album is a product of Portner’s side project, Avery Tare’s Slasher Flicks, a trio rounded out by ex-Dirty Projector Angel Deradoorian, and ex-Ponytail drummer Jeremy Hyman.

“Enter the Slasher House” is a positive departure from Avey Tare’s last non-Animal Collective release, 2010’s cavernous, cathartic “Down There.” A textured, odd album inspired by Portner’s affinity for horror movie soundtracks, “Slasher House” comes across less like a slasher flick and more like an

occasionally bad trip through “Alice in Wonderland,” at worst.

In fact, some songs are downright groovy. Lead single “Little Fang” sounds like Portner was caught between a James Murphy-Arcade Fire high-five, or like fellow Animal Collective member Panda Bear transmitted the funky French flu after collaborating with Daft Punk on 2013’s “Random Access Memories.”

The top tracks, “Little Fang” included, are those in which Hyman’s drums shine. A constantly rolling hi-hat and snapping snare drum that sounds like a scream queen fleeing for her life down a linoleum hallway propel “That It Won’t Grow.” Second to last track “Strange Colores” wins the award for Best Song To Listen To While Walking Around Pretending To Be In A Movie, a left-right-left-right beat combined with sometimes sinister, dissonant vocal harmonies from Portner and Deradoorian. Unfortunately some tracks are mostly forgettable, including the album closer “Your Card,” pseudo-reggae, five-minute slog that

fizzles out into nothingness at the end.

Ultimately, the appeal of “Slasher House” is its place in the Animal Collective oeuvre.

The roll out of the album was very similar to Animal Collective’s most recent work “Centipede Hz” in that it had a dedicated (and severely creepy) website.

The album in full was posted to the “Slasher Flicks” website in advance of the release date as a 49-minute YouTube video with visuals provided by Portner’s sister.

Again, severely creepy, but Animal Collective has perfected the art of being nightmarishly charming, as fans/victims of the 2010 audio-visual, dream-eating project ODDSAC can attest.

In the end, “Slasher House” is a solid effort by Portner and a strong expression of his musical voice. This album is for people that are already fans of Animal Collective, or those with openings on their iPods and in their minds.

4 / ARTS MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

Broken Bells ring confidently despite cracks

Avey Tare’s Shlasher Flicks needs cut down

PROVIDED Green Day collaborated with Tony Award winning director Michael Mayer to bring “American Idiot” to the stage. The play ran for a year on Broadway at the St. James theater and won two Tony awards.

PROVIDED“American Idiot” utilizes simple props to keep attention on performers. Here the cast is on a bus on the way to the city.

Sing along to age of paranoia with ‘American Idiot’

Americana meets 20th Century MONROE TROMBLY STAFF REPORTER

The bluesy chords of guitar and piano reverberated around a tightly packed room as bodies swayed and swooned under pleas-ant music. The chords of The War on Drugs imparted each passive listener with tender feelings of melancholy.

To classify TWOD simply and quickly would be to describe them as Americana, music tinged with back roads and faded sunny memories, but the group is so much more. The music seems to strike a universal connection within people, and it holds some strange yet sturdy degree of commonality. Led by Adam Granduciel, the band played a wonderful, warm set at the 20th Century Theater Friday night, of mostly songs from their recent album, “Lost in the Dream.”

The synthesizers provide wistful inter-ludes between the pounding strength of the guitar-driven songs, as drums are layered on top of underlying drum machines, to make their music all the more driving and emo-tionally hard-hitting. There are no running, improvisational bass lines, and the chord progression that the guitar and piano share are slowly and surely increased in intensity and passion. Then finally Granduciel bursts and completes the fervor with incredible, staggering solos. Each capo-driven solo complemented and blended perfectly with the foundation that Granduciel’s band members set for a good five minutes before he was let loose. The War on Drugs demon-strates the sheer, emotional power of guitar riffing at its finest — interchangeable riffing that is kept simple and incredibly harmo-nious. The drums are driving, steady and unbelievably constant, as they drive home every poetic, thoughtful lyric that Granduciel has to say.

With his Dylan-esque voice, Granduciel has crafted a new, kind of Americana. The remaining members of TWOD were intro-duced intermittently throughout the night, as if the audience were saying “hello” to old friends. It was refreshing to receive that kind of genuine friendliness, as artists are sometimes completely aloof and separate from their fans and followers. As the night wrapped to a close, the band completed a five-song encore, as Granduciel didn’t seem to know what song or note he wanted to end the night on. That sheer passion and dedica-tion to music, craft and artistry is seldom seen in the entertainment world.

Perhaps TWOD doesn’t view their music as entertainment, but rather shared experi-ences and intimate times between musician and listener.

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6 / SPORTSMONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014 / NEWSRECORD.ORG

JOSHUA MILLER SPORTS EDITOR

Saturday afternoon I spent the better part of three hours at the Kenwood Town Center, observing, interviewing and all

around bothering the hoards of University of Cincinnati basketball fans who fl ocked toward Sean Kilpatrick.

He was signing autographs at Cardboard Heroes, but those interviews and that story are for a different day. It’s what one man said to me after talking about Kilpatrick that’s resonated with me for the past 24 hours.

By this time knowing who I was and where I worked, he said that he had a story for me to write. I asked what he was referring to, and — with more expletives and disdain than I can convey in print — he said that the Nippert renovation project was the worst idea ever. Use your imagination on which expletive(s) were used and where.

The gentleman likened it to “putting a band aid” on a much larger issue.

While I certainly don’t think it’s the worst idea ever, nor do I think the band aid reference necessarily applies to what the since departed Director of Athletics Whit Babcock and UC set out to accomplish with the renovations, the man’s words left me thinking long and hard about something I don’t want to think about.

I fear we’ve made a dire mistake. “We” being the entirety of the University of Cincinnati, its athletic department, fans, supporters, students, etc. Our mistake, I fear, is the Nippert Stadium Renovation Project.

Let me be clear, I adore Nippert Stadium. It’s the Wrigley Field of College football, it’s quaint, historic and it is undoubtedly the heartbeat of our campus. Its place in college football history and the history of the University of Cincinnati is unquestioned. As one of the few college football stadiums open to the public, its place in the heart of drunk college freshman and washed up high school athletes living out there fantasies of glory.

Nippert Stadium is a rite of passage for every UC student. But the more I dwell on its renovation and each and every one of the individual bills and checks compiling its $86 million scope, it seems out of order when considering the dilapidated, un-appealing and all-around un-entertaining nature of Fifth Third Arena.

Let me be clear once more, I am not pinning blame or making a statement toward the UC athletic department. They explored the option that would realistically have been in the best interest of the university. They sought your input and the input of season ticket holders, donors, alumni, etc. and the consensus was that we did not want what would’ve been best for the long-term outlook of UC athletics. We didn’t want Paul Brown Stadium. We should’ve.

In PBS, there is already everything the Nippert Renovations will bring to campus, and more.

The sole purpose of the renovation is to provide greater revenue-driving opportunities for the department. Today’s money is in luxury seating. UC doesn’t have any, so they’re building luxury seating. Simple enough. In the process, they’re also revamping the press box and renovating much of the concourse, restrooms and concession stands. That’s what $86 million gets you.

But with an already-state-of-the-art Stadium approximately three miles away that already posses all those things (as well as legitimate tailgating and ample parking, which UC can never have on campus), it seems like the order of renovation operations was badly out of order at UC.

UC is spending $86 million to provide the same amenities already readily available, and, if PBS is good enough to host all of UC games next season and will likely still host games against major universities in the future, what’s the point? Yeah, it’s historical and the new additions will be architectural masterpieces just like the rest of this campus. That would all be fi ne and good if Fifth Third Arena wasn’t an absolutely useless debacle of an excuse for the home of a top basketball program.

There is a running joke among the Cincinnati sports media that the press area at Fifth Third Arena is home to a large family of rats. Except it isn’t a joke, a few of the veterans swear to God that they’ve actually seen a rat in there before.

Fifth Third Arena was out of date roughly three days after it was constructed. With its irregular shape, retractable seats, narrow concourses and poor sightlines throughout most of the seating options, it’s an undesirable arena not only for fans but also for prospective recruits.

Mick Cronin has done the best he can with the recruits he’s brought in during his tenure at UC; there’s no better example of that than Justin Jackson and Sean Kilpatrick. But it’s not everyday that an unheralded recruit turns in an All-American career. At some point, UC will have to move past three-star recruits to maintain the success of the past season.

Striking while the fi re is hot applies to college athletics as much as anywhere else. People believe in UC basketball right now — people with money and people that matter when it comes to driving donations and signing checks. The morning after UC defeated Memphis 97-84 on senior night, construction should’ve started inside Fifth Third Arena.

Although new director of athletics Mike Bohn has said that an upgraded basketball arena — be it Fifth Third or another — is his top priority, Nippert won’t even be complete until 2015. That leaves a bleak timetable for basketball change, which should never have been on the back burner.

The renovations will happen eventually. They always do. But eventually and too late are often synonymous.

Fifth Third Arena should’ve been UC’s top priority

Tudor continues discus dominationUC track teams take second place at All-Ohio ChampionshipsJOSHUA MILLER SPORTS EDITOR

Macklin Tudor is becoming increasingly familiar with the fi rst place position on track podiums. In the University of Cincinnati’s past three meets, he’s failed to win only one event he’s entered, winning fi ve times in the process.

After winning both the discus and shot put competitions, at the Oliver Nickoloff Invitational and the University of South Florida Relays, Tudor helped UC to a solid second-place performance Wednesday. The Sophomore won the discus (185 feet) and took second in the shot put with a throw of 56 feet and 7.5 inches.

“I got a pretty good fi rst throw in, that took me into fi rst place going into fi nals,” he said. “I didn’t really do anything on my fi rst two fi nals throws, but then my last throw was a pretty decent toss, 185, which is only fi ve feet of my personal best.”

At the Alabama Relays March 22, Tudor broke UC’s 21-year-old school record in the discus, which was held by Greg Weber, with a throw of 190 feet and 11 inches. He credits women’s track head coach and head throws coach Susan Seton for his recent success.

“Coach Seton has a great program I’m on, and she’s got me on the right track to do some successful things here in the next few years and later this year,” he said. “We’ve got conference here in two or three weeks, after that is when the real competition starts.”

The top 48 throwers from both the eastern and western halves of the country compete for a chance to go to nationals in Eugene, Oregon. As it sits now, Tudor ranks eighth in the Eastern region. If he fi nishes in the top 12 at the regional at he’ll advance to nationals.

Behind Tudor’s performance, a school record breaking, fi rst-place fi nish in the pole vault from Josh Dangel (17 feet and 10.25 inches) and fi rst place fi nishes Chase Beckmann in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9 minutes and 14.48 seconds) and Darnell Gilbert in the 400-meter dash (46.95 seconds) UC fi nished with 138 points and took second place behind an extremely deep Akron squad (205 points).

“Coach Mack said, ‘We’d love to win this, but Akron is so deep in every event.’ Not trying to put the spotlight on them, but they

are a pretty well prepared team and it’s hard to stay up with someone with so many people in every event,” Tudor said. “This was probably one of the most successful meets we’ve had as a team all year.”

It was very much the same feeling for the UC women’s team, which also took second place, fi nishing with 109.5 points behind a 199-point performance from Akron.

“It was exciting for the coaches and for

us because we had several people [reaching personal bests] and reaching the marks they should be in their progression at this point in the season,” said Je’Rica Sanders, who fi nished second in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.71 seconds.

Individual winners on the women’s side were Kenya Woodall in the 400-meter dash (53.92 seconds) and Erika Hurd in the high jump (5 feet and 7.75 inches).

UC falls further from AAC contentionPHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITOR

Rob Blissitt Jr. (No.38,) does a back fl ip as the University of Cincinnati baseball team runs toward the dugout prior to the start of its 7-2 loss to UConn Saturday.

PHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITORUC sophomore Macklin Tudor warms up for the shot put fi nals during the All-Ohio Championships.

Bearcats drop two of three games to University of Connecticut EMILY WITT STAFF WRITER

Despite Justin Glass’ fi rst three home runs of the season and a complete game pitched Friday, the University of Cincinnati baseball team fell further below the .500 mark, dropping two of three games to the University of Connecticut.

UC started the series off strong with 3-1 behind a solid pitch performance from Connor Walsh, but the Bearcats were their own worst enemies Saturday and Sunday, falling 7-2 and 14-3 in mistake-ridden games.

“We have to make aggressive mistakes,” said UC head coach Ty Neal. “We’ve been making mistakes this season that I think are a little bit passive. I’ve told these guys in order to get over the hump and to get that feeling of winning, we have to be aggressive.”

This was the fourth weekend of conference play for the Bearcats, who now sit at just 3-9 in American Athletic Conference contests.

Sunday marked the 300th game played at Marge Schott Stadium, with promotions and giveaways throughout the weekend. It was also the annual Social Media Weekend.

Walsh, who threw his second complete game in his third outing of the season, led UC to victory Friday, allowing just one run despite surrendering 11 hits. He struck out four and walked two.

“Connor showed some maturity [Friday],” Neal said. “I honestly don’t mind the 11 hits because it means he’s pitching to contact. I

thought he was a little bit fl at at times and fell behind with the fastball, which explains all of the singles. Typically he’s got a little more life on the ball. Good things happen when you’re pitching to contact, guys behind you make plays.”

The offense responded to Walsh’s solid outing with two home runs. Glass smacked his fi rst home run of the season in the fourth and Sophomore Devin Wenzel also got on board with a home run in the seventh.

“I’ve squared a lot of balls up all year,” Glass said. “I found a couple holes today and fi nally got a home run. It’s been a while so it felt good.”

UConn’s offense gave it right back to Cincinnati Saturday with three home runs, a pair of two-run shots in the top of the second and a solo shot in the top of the eighth. The Huskies collected a total of 14 hits, seven runs and three home runs, wearing out fi ve of UC’s top pitchers while UC was only able to muster two runs and six hits.

“We didn’t execute defensive plays early in the game,” Neal said. “That cost us. You’re going to give up some hard hits and some home runs, but I think if we execute defensively, we’re not going to be in that position. That’s part of the game and there’s going to be physical errors, but I think we’ve been pretty solid defensively this season.”

Glass notched his second home run of the season Saturday afternoon, a solo shot to right in the bottom of the ninth. UC also drove in one run in the bottom of the fi fth. Wenzel singled and then moved to third on a single by sophomore Forrest Perron. With no outs, sophomore Russell Clark then hit into a double play, driving Wenzel home.

Starting pitcher Ryan Atkinson threw 2.2 innings, giving up four runs off fi ve hits. Go-to right-hander Bryan Chenoweth quickly entered in the third, but only threw 1.1 innings after giving up two hits. Redshirt junior Matt Ring, who has been out since Feb. 28 with an injury, Mitch Patishall and Colton Cleary also made appearances in what was a very sloppy day for the bullpen.

With only three runs and eight hits, UC fell Sunday to the bat-happy Huskies. Glass’s offensive weekend continued with a double in the seventh, a single and a run scored in the ninth, and with his third home run of the season. A two-run shot in the bottom of the fi rst, it wasn’t enough for the Bearcats as the Huskies collected 14 runs, 15 hits and one home run.

Starting pitcher Andrew Zellner (2-3) threw 4.0 innings, giving up nine runs off seven hits. Austin Woodby then entered to pitch in relief, throwing 5.0 innings and giving up three runs and seven hits.

Other than Glass, UC had yet another disappointing offensive weekend, only scoring eight runs.

“I think Justin has been giving us mature at-bats all season,” Neal said. “It’s nice to see him start to feel a little bit of power because I think he’s got it in him. But he’s traded that in for quality at-bats. I think he could take some bigger swings earlier in counts and get himself out more but he’s been getting on base quite a bit. Guys like that, the home runs are going to come.”

UC players were not made available for comment after Sunday’s loss.

UC (14-19) will play Xavier Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Marge Schott Stadium.