Inside True West

Carl J. Bachus | culture editor PSU Theater is wrapping up production on its spring performance of Sam Shepard’s “True West.” It is the story of two estranged brothers reuniting while their mother is out of town. The drama opens at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Grubbs Studio Theater. “True West” is the tale of the sibling rivalry between Austin and Lee, two brothers reconnecting after five years. Austin is a married Hollywood screenwriter house-sitting for his mother while she is on vacation in Alaska. His world is turned upside down when Lee, his drifter of a brother, knocks on his door. “The play has a strong theme of understanding what real life…

SAI hosts cook-off for music camp

Carl J. Bachus | culture editor The corridors of McCray Hall filled with the smell of meat and spices during the Chili Cook-Off hosted by Sigma Alpha Iota on Monday. The music fraternity’s members prepared a selection of homemade chili recipes and all proceeds went to the funding of SAI Music Camp. “This is our first year that we’ve done the chili feed,” said Crystal Taylor, senior in music and communication. “We’re raising money for music camp, which is something that we’ve been doing for a while now.” Taylor, who won the cook-off with her recipe, entitled “Stuff,” said that the children will learn music through “touch, sound, dance and origami” and at the end…

D.C. dance company brings tradition to PSU

Carl J. Bachus | culture editor PSU students are in for a rhythmic treat this week with Step Afrika, a dance company founded on the tradition of stepping, being held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Memorial Auditorium. Presented by Pitt State’s Performing Arts and Lecture Series, the showcase is co-sponsored the Campus Activities Center (CAC), Black Student Association (BSA) and the Office of Student Diversity. “Stepping is an art form created by African-American fraternities and sororities,” said Step Afrika founder C. Brian Williams in an ABC News interview. “In stepping, we use our hands and our feet and our bodies to make music.” Founded in 1994, Step Afrika has used its stage to…

Tuition trouble: College costs cause issues for students

Carl J. Bachus | culture editor With its flat-rate tuition, Pitt State is one of the most affordable universities in Kansas. However, some PSU students are still struggling to pay tuition. “This year, financial aid changed the rules on how long you can receive Pell Grants,” said Angela Slater, senior in commercial graphics. “It used to be that you could receive a Pell Grant until you had 185 credit hours.” The stricter requirement was made by Congress as a budget-saving measure. Slater, 24, explained that the federal government has changed it so that students can receive Pell Grants for only six years, no matter how many hours they may have. Slater, who relied on Pell…

McGraw’s latest a ‘fun, brassy,’ country ride

Carl J. Bachus | culture editor OK, bold statement time: Tim McGraw’s “Two Lanes of Freedom” is possibly the best country crossover album to pop up within the last few years (Looking at you, Swift). In the country staple’s first album since giving up alcohol five years ago, McGraw has put forth possibly the most sonically dense set of country hits of his career. The songs each have a signature sound and evoke a wide range of emotions, which all result in a country ride that’s brassy, hook-heavy and fun as hell. The title track serves up a more familiar sound to ease the core fan base into McGraw’s newer, pop-rock-oriented sound. Arena-ready guitar riffs…

55th Grammy awards

Carl J. Bachus Students weigh in on musics biggest night Any avid pop culture geek knows that every February two things are reliably constant: terrible romance movies and award season, the only time of year when people celebrate music that’s been overplayed and movies that no one’s ever heard of. Kicking off the 2013 season is the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, airing at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10. Nominees include Taylor Swift, The Black Keys, Fun., Frank Ocean, Gotye and Kelly Clarkson; all of whom are vying for the coveted Record of the Year award. Ocean and Fun. are also nominated in the Best New Artist category.grammy “I am excited for the Grammys,” said Micah…

Memories oh history professor go back 53 years

Memories of history professor go back 53 years Carl J. Bachus | culture editor Students, faculty, alumni and admirers gathered in McCray Hall on Saturday, Feb. 2, to celebrate the life of Judith G. Shaw, associate professor of history, who died Christmas Day. Shaw, 81, taught various history classes over the course of 53 years at Pitt State. “I was amazed at the depth of her knowledge and her ability to weave that history around us,” said Provost Lynette Olson during her remarks on behalf of the university. “I have only heard fond and positive comments about her teaching. To say that we will miss her is an understatement.” Known for her relaxed lecture style…

Can you dig it?

Donors and administrators break ground on Center of the Arts Jay Benedict | editor in chief If all goes according to plan, the incoming class of 2014 will be the first students in nearly 40 years to use a large performance hall at Pittsburg State. Construction began weeks ago on Pitt State’s Center for the Arts, but ground was officially broken Friday, Feb. 1. Weather permitting and complication-free, the complex should be completed by Aug. 1, 2014. Lance Garrett, project manager with Crossland Construction, which is the general contractor for the center, says everything is on schedule and it hopes to have the structure fully enclosed by Thanksgiving 2013. Garrett has experience with large projects….

Free fun on campus

SAC, CAC announce semester events Carl J. Bachus | Culture Editor As Pittsburg State prepares for the 2013 spring semester, the Campus Activities Center and Student Activities Council have announced a variety of events sure to keep students entertained for the next few months. In addition to campus staples like Oval Time and the SAC Movie Series, students will be treated to a medley of events ranging from theatrical performances to political debates like “Heads vs. Feds.” “Heads vs. Feds is the program that will knock people out of the water this semester,” said Jeanine Kunshek, SAC chairwoman of issues and ideas. The program is a live debate between the editor-in-chief of High Times Magazine…

Album Review: Alicia Keys – Girl on Fire (2012)

Keys returns to form, a little, with ‘Fire,’ 3/5 stars Carl J. Bachus | Collegio Writer Alicia Keys is nothing if not ever-evolving, especially in terms of genre. She’s hopped from neo-soul to mainstream R&B to top 40 pop in a ma cheap viagra tter of 10 years. Unfortunately, her music has gone downhill a bit since the days of “Songs in A Minor,” with the songs becoming more and more generic with every album. This isn’t the case with Keys’ latest effort, “Girl on Fire,” her most interesting album in almost a decade. The first half of “Girl on Fire” is probably some of Keys’ most fun music in a while. Most of the…