2 OCT 27, 2020 NINERTIMES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS Madison Dobrzenski [email protected] NEWS EDITORIAL Niner Health check yourself p.4 Olivia Lawless MANAGING EDITOR Tyler Trudeau COMMUNITY EDITOR Early voting at Belk Gym p.5 Megan Bird NEWS EDITOR Hiral Patel OPINION EDITOR Julianna Peres LIFESTYLE EDITOR Anders Hare A&E EDITOR A&E Bradley Cole SPORTS EDITOR Max Young COPY EDITOR TV REVIEW: The Mandalorian Season 2 p.6 Niyathi Sulkunte PHOTO EDITOR The Best Lyrics from Taylor Swift’s ‘Speak Now:’ María Solano VIDEO EDITOR Nic Jensen LAYOUT EDITOR 10 years Later p.7 ASSISTANT EDITORS Milo Cain, April Carte, Jessica SPORTS Ceballos, Emily Kottak, Beth McGuire, Brandon Mitchell, Miles Ruder, and Reuben Sanchez A rising star p.8 Battle of the pickaxe p.10 CONTRIBUTING STAFF Sam Perry, Likhita Yegireddi, and Gabe Lapalombella LIFESTYLE COVER IMAGE Jamese Levison Halloween origins and debunking monster myths p.10 NINER MEDIA NEWSROOM 705.687.7150 NINERTIMES.COM/STAFF @UNCCMEDIA TWITTER @NINER_TIMES MARKETING DIRECTOR OPINION Abram Shaw [email protected] SATIRE: The end of America, part 2 p. 11 NINER TIMES CREATIVE DIRECTOR James Bourke @niner_times [email protected] READ + WATCH MORE ONLINE AT MARKETING STAFF Ridge Grant and Luisana Gonzalez NINERTIMES.COM UPTOWN AUDIO POLICE BLOTTER @uptownaudio 10/21: Officers received a phone call at the Police & Public Safety Department, in reference to a Harassment report. LOCATED ON THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION Niner Times • Uptown Audio 10/21: Officers responded to Lot 20 in reference to a larceny of a SANSKRIT Sanskrit Literary-Arts Magazine bicycle. LIT ARTS Media Marketing • Technical 10/22: Officers responded to a parking lot, in reference to a subject MAGAZINE THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE @sanskrituncc Kelly Merges NINER MEDIA ADVISER that fell off their skateboard. Laurie Cuddy BUSINESS MANAGER VIEW FULL BLOTTER AT Joshua Wood GRAPHICS & OCT 27, 2020 3 PRODUCTION NINERTIMES.COM Photo by Niyathi Sulkunte POLICE.UNCC.EDU/LOG Niner Health check yourself NEWS 1,400 lose NinerNET access after incomplete Niner Health Checks by Kathryn Caudill, Staff Writer Drew Young, Intern This fall, COVID-19 has prevented many the diagnosis or treatment of disease or change daily depending on who has or has In a press release, UNC Charlotte stated, schools around the country from holding other conditions, including COVID-19,” not responded to the checks after 20 days. “Failure to attend class or arriving late in-person classes. This was true for UNC it is a tool for the University to assist their To restore one’s NinerNet credentials a may impact your ability to achieve course Charlotte until the week of Sept. 28, when students in combating the spread of the link will be sent to either the personal email objectives which could affect your course on-campus residents were able to move virus. or text number the University has on file grade. An absence, excused or unexcused, in for the fall semester. Classes that relied If the health checks are not regularly for you once the credentials are attempted does not relieve a student of any course heavily on in-person instruction (such as completed, reminders will be sent asking for use. The link will then walk you through requirement. Regular class attendance is a labs) made up the majority of classes that you to take the assessment as soon as how to restore the credentials. student’s obligation, as is a responsibility would start in October. possible. If after 20 days, the health check is The loss of credentials will prevent for all the work of class meetings, including To monitor those who attend UNC still not done, your NinerNET credentials both students and staff from attending/ tests and written tasks. Any unexcused Charlotte classes and spend time on will be temporarily suspended until action hosting classes as well as checking emails or absence or excessive tardiness may result in campus, UNC Charlotte officials have is taken. This prevents access to University assignments. Faculty have been instructed a loss of participation points.” enacted daily Niner Health Checks. These email, Canvas and all other systems using to alert their class if they lose credentials. An exemption form for the daily check daily surveys are sent out to UNC Charlotte NinerNet credentials. Students should consult with their can be filled out for anyone on an extended students and staff every day of the week to Of the UNC Charlotte community, 1,400 professors to make up missed assignments leave or who lives outside a 30 mile help students and staff monitor symptoms had credentials suspended during the week or class. radius from campus to avoid the loss of associated with the virus. While the emails of Oct. 12. As of Oct. 22, 145 people have credentials. do state the surveys are “not intended for their credentials suspended. These numbers Niner Health Check sign outside UREC, photo by Niyathi Sulkunte 4 OCT 27, 2020 NINERTIMES Early voting at Belk Gym by Jessica Ceballos Belk Gym entrance Asst. News Editor The on-campus voting site will be open from Oct. 15 to Oct. 31 Photo by Jamese Levison Belk Gym has been designated as an early UNC Charlotte living on campus, you can According to the North Carolina State voting site, open from Oct. 15 through Oct. show the UNC Charlotte housing website Board of Elections website, polling sites are 31. Residents in the Mecklenburg County with your dorm room assignment and your taking several safety precautions against area can register to vote and vote all in one student ID. If you are living off-campus, COVID-19 including social distancing, day at any early voting site. you can provide a lease agreement, a providing hand sanitizer and masks for Early voting in Belk Gym takes place at 8 North Carolina driver’s license or photo those who don’t have any, equipping a.m. and closes at 7:30 p.m. every day. On ID, a utility bill, a bank statement, or a election workers with gloves and face Oct. 31, voting will end at 3 p.m. Election government document with the your name shields, installing barriers at the check-in official Leslie Haley says that there is an and address. Note that identification is not desks, providing single use pens, having average of 45 minutes during the busiest needed to vote–just to register. volunteers that are readily available to clean times of the day. Parking is free for voters and is located high-contact surfaces throughout the day, A curbside voting option is also available in Lot 7. Parking officials will direct traffic as well as recruiting poll workers that are at UNC Charlotte near Belk Gym in Lot and limit UNC Charlotte students and less susceptible to the virus. 7. Voters will be given a folder with their employees from using the space. Vehicles Haley added that at Belk Gym in ballot inside which they must complete in will be towed if parked in the reserved areas particular, after the voter has left their front of an election official. Voters can also of Lot 7 after 5 a.m. station the area will be sanitized by one of cast their mail-in ballots at this location. Individuals can find information the 12 cleaning people. There are sanitizing According to Charlotte City Council regarding early voting off-campus on the stations located throughout the building member Braxton Winston, 35,269 ballots North Carolina State Board of Elections where people are voting. were cast on the first day of early voting in website. This website gives a breakdown For those who prefer to vote on election Mecklenburg County. of how the early voting process will work day, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. In order to register and vote on the same off-campus and how individuals can vote in through 7:30 p.m. day, individuals must provide proof of person or by mail. residency. According to the Early Voting Voters can confirm their registration website on 49er Democracy, proof can be status and view a sample ballot using this shown in two ways. If you are a student at voting search tool. NINERTIMES.COM OCT 27, 2020 5 ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ SEASON 2: HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS A&E Season two has limitless opportunities to improve on everything since season one. by Jack Hale Intern Season one of “The Mandalorian” did mentioned. We have only seen three of multiple occasions that he hopes Ahsoka completely brand new material. It made the something that seemed impossible at the that species; Yoda, The Child, and Yaddle, could turn up in live-action “Star Wars” and “Star Wars” universe feel very large, like it time: unite “Star Wars” fans. Both casual who was a High Jedi Council member in being that he is an executive producer on should. If we see outside characters coming and hardcore fans, and “Disney” lovers and “The Phantom Menace.” Since there was “The Mandalorian” it is very likely that he in, it can make the universe feel quite small haters loved it. Season one did an incredible no new information about the species in at least pitched her showing up. because these characters continue to run job at mixing elements that the diehard season one, it seems likely that there will be Boba Fett, Ezra Bridger, Thrawn and into each other. However, it all depends on fans would enjoy such as the many easter something we learn about this mysterious many other characters have also been how it is handled. As all fans should, I have eggs and callbacks to previous shows, and race.