Students soon to see shorter wait Fresh Check Day comes to Mazey looking for role times and faster arrivals on PRT campus for fi rst time players to step up in 2020 p. 3 p. 5 p. 8 @DailyAthenaeum Th e Daily Athenaeum dailyathenaeum [email protected] WVU’s Independent Student Newspaper THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 www.thedaonline.com Morgantown marijuana ordinance WVU Wind Symphony passes fi rst vote China tour postponed BY CRAIG WEIMER as coronavirus escalates CORRESPONDENT Morgantown City Council voted in favor of an ordinance to change mar- ijuana possession penalties at their meeting on Tuesday. Th is makes one of two votes the ordinance must pass to become code, and if the ordinance is voted through, Morgantown’s municipal STAFF PHOTO court would start issuing a fi ne of $15 Morgantown Municipal Building. for possession of less than 15 grams of marijuana. that, then we’ll deal with it.” Councilman Dave Harshbarger Deputy Mayor Rachel Fetty, who said the ordinance was not set to le- voted in favor of the bill, said that galize or decriminalize marijuana. It she initially had concerns about the would only give offi cers the oppor- ordinance. tunity to send charges through mu- “I understand the argument that PHOTO VIA SCOTT TOBIAS nicipal court, rather than through the there’s a huge amount of hypocrisy The WVU Wind Sypmphony performs at Carnegie Hall. state or county. when we stigmatize marijuana use as Morgantown Police Chief Ed Pres- a recreational drug, but we legalize ton protested the ordinance at the alcohol use,” she said. “Th e dangers BY GABRIELLA BROWN last council session and said that he are very similar. I’m particularly con- NEWS EDITOR would quit if offi cer discretion was cerned with the welfare of young peo- “We were looking forward to it, and of taken away. Councilman Barry Lee ple and adolescents and the develop- Wendell said at Tuesday’s meeting ment of mental health issues related Th e WVU Wind Symphony is the course there is a bit of disappointment that he supports making the punish- to genetic and environmental factors, fi rst program to be impacted as the ment mandatory, no matter the cost. and the way in which THC use can ex- University continues to monitor from the students and ourselves, but “Th e police chief said he doesn’t acerbate those concerns.” the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in we all agree it was the right decision.” want to demand that the offi cers take Th is fi rst vote does not mean that China. [cases] to municipal court, he would the city ordinance has been changed. For over a year, the premiere band resign if we did that,” Wendell said. For the proposed ordinance to pass, it had been preparing to take a multi- “I think we should say that city po- must be accepted in two voting ses- city performance tour hosted by the -Scott Tobias lice offi cers have to refer to munici- sions. Th e fi nal vote will be held on United States-China Cultural and pal court, and if we have to deal with Feb. 18. Educational Foundation. When the WVU Director of Bands situation in China began to escalate, the foundation had to postpone the fundraisers, help from the Provost Drew Simonette, a sophomore tour until next year. offi ce, WVU College of Creative Arts, percussionist in the symphony, said Six West Virginia residents Scott Tobias, director of bands, and diff erent Chinese government having the trip delayed was disap- said it was an honor to have been in- and exchange groups. pointing, but was the right decision. vited on the trip. He said he believes Because of the timing, no money “I was bummed, but since it’s only self-quarantined due to the last time the band traveled over- had been invested into the trip yet been postponed and it doesn’t inter- seas was nearly two decades prior. beyond donations given to the band. fere with anything next year around coronavirus concerns “Th is wasn’t something that we “Th ere are individuals who did that time I shouldn’t have any is- were putting together ourselves; this make donations to the University in sues going,” Simonette said. “I was China. STAFF REPORT was an invited performance,” Tobias support of the trip,” Tobias said. “We looking forward to it, but at the same In Morgantown, one person going said. “We were looking forward to have contacted them and let them time I would rather not get corona- Six people in West Virginia, includ- into self-quarantine is a WVU student, it, and of course there is a bit of dis- know we would be happy to take virus, so I was alright with that being ing four in Monongalia County, are in another is a chemical engineer and a appointment from the students and that money and, instead of giving postponed.” a self-imposed quarantine to monitor third person is returning soon from ourselves, but we all agree it was the it back, earmark it, set it aside, and Despite the setback, Simonette for symptoms of coronavirus, accord- China and works at the WVU School right decision.” when we do reschedule we would said he is optimistic and is looking ing to WBOY. of Public Health. Th e other two West Tobias said the trip was estimated use that money so it would still be forward to when the band gets to re- Five of those people recently re- to cost about $1,000 per student with used what it was intended for.” schedule the trip. Virginians going into self-quarantine turned from China, according to about 52 participants and faculty Along with no fi nancial loss to the “I have never been to Asia, and WBOY, which obtained the informa- are in Wheeling, according to WBOY. signed up. students or the University, no airline it is a place I have always wanted to tion from the Monongalia County No cases of coronavirus are sus- Th e original cost per student was tickets or hotels had been booked, go,” Simonette said. pected or have been diagnosed in Health Department. One interacted about $3,000; however, much of making postponing the trip rela- See Symphony page 3 closely with those returning from West Virginia. the cost was covered by donations, tively easy. 2 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENTS dailyathenaeum Sponsored by Thursday 2/6 Staff RAIN WVU’s INDEPENDENT HIGH 56° LOW 33° STUDENT NEWSPAPER NEWS Douglas Soule Editor-in-Chief Friday 2/7 Hannah Williams SNOW Managing Editor HIGH 36° LOW 25° Avery Lyons I wanna meet the idiots who made Page Designer Caroline Murphy Page Designer these roads in Morgantown Alayna Fuller Saturday 2/8 News Editor Gabriella Brown MOSTLY CLOUDY Assistant News Editor HIGH 37° LOW 25° Jared Serre Sports Editor Cody Nespor Assistant Sports Editor Cole McClanahan Culture Editor Raeanne Beckner CRIME REPORT Assistant Culture Editor Coronavirus in Morgantown time to SeVohn Hunter Podcast Editor Kayla Gagnon Feb. 04 Honors Hall die Video Editor 4:21 P.M. | Closed ABCC Violation. Caylie Silveira Rec Center Photo Editor Vehicle accident. Feb. 03 11:51 P.M. | Warning Downtown + Evansdale ADVERTISING Feb. 04 Kappa Kappa Gamma Monday - Saturday Derek Reh 1:16 P.M. | Not Impounded ABCC Violation. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Media Consultant Area 5 Emma Hershman Back ticket tow. Feb. 03 304.296.8696 304.777.4867 Media Consultant 10:47 P.M. | Closed Andrew Green Feb. 04 Oaklanc Hall East Media Consultant 6:38 P.M. | Closed Drug incident. Ruby Memorial Hospital PUBLIC RELATIONS Information report. Feb. 03 Sarah Stanford 10:43 P.M. | Warning SERVICE DOG FAQ’S Public Relations Booth Leader Feb. 04 Dadisman Hall Kenzie Bostick Public Relations 1:09 A.M. | Investigation ABCC Violation. Boreman South In our first episode of Jordan Coddington Public Relations Larceny. Feb. 03 “Helping Paws,” Hearts 10:42 P.M. | Warning Abi Enos Boreman North of Gold assistant trainer Public Relations Feb. 04 Andrew Green 1:03 A.M. | Citation ABCC Violation. Savannah Connelly Public Relations answers some common Rita Okonji Public Relations questions about service Amanda Reh Th e DA is student-run and editorially dog training. Public Relations Tara Ronaghi independent from West Virginia University. Sponsored by: Public Relations All content decisions in the DA are made by Episode 1, out today! Kaylie McGraw Public Relations students without prior review by the Follow Helping Paws on Raymond LaPoint Public Relations University. Cheat Lake Animal Hospital thedaonline.com/helpingpawsthh GRAPHICS Hannah Williams THE DAILY ATHENAEUM Ad Foreman Looking for the royal NOW RENTING 284 Prospect Street Morgantown, WV 26506 PROSPECT & treatment? Find it at FOR MAY 2020 304-293-4141 PRICE CREATIVE Savannah Th omas Minutes from the downtown bus route, Public Relations Manager Advertising Opportunities WVU football stadium, health sciences, Kelsey Dowling Contact our advertising team Evansdale, law school, and PRT. 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