The All State

» By TIFFANY COMER – tcomer@my.apsu.edu

Leap years only occur once every four years, so what better way to spend it than to “Leap into Wellness.” On Wednesday, Feb. 29, the Foy

Fitness and Recreation Center held its 12th annual Wellness Expo. The expo consisted of 58 vendors from all over Clarksville. The majority of vendors were sent an invitation to join the event and the vendors were from on and off campus.

There were booths that touched all aspects of wellness, from the calming fragrances of Scentsy, to the healthy benefits of Passion Party products, to receiving help from churches.

The expo was a high-energy experience for attendees to dive into information on health, fitness and overall wellness. There was a lot of information to gather from every vendor, and they were all willing to answer any questions.

The expo even included a small briefing on staying calm during a tornado warning, as students crowded into locker rooms and racquetball courts while sirens sounded in the distance.

Vendors offered tons of freebies such as spinal scans, massages, mugs, pens and bags. Participants also received free T-shirts and had their names placed into a drawing for visiting at least 10 vendors.

Vendors such as Candice Waite and Bethany McCaslin, who work with Clarksville Parks and Recreation, were “glad to take part in the event” and hoped the information they have to share will reach out to students so they can better themselves mentally and physically. Their booth was centered around local free-walking trails and the local aquatics center.

Another popular vendor was the Student Counseling Services, which is in Ellington room 202. They offer four counselors to help students through various problems, from harsh breakups to suicidal thoughts.

Despite the day’s severe weather, the expo was filled with students. Many of the students who attended, such as Emily Bull. Bull and her friend Jillian Osborn said they originally attended the event because they heard there would be free stuff.

They also said their favorite vendors were the Pure Romance booth, and the Chiropractic booth offering the free spinal screenings.

Some highlights of the event included students spontaneously dancing to songs from “Footloose,” and the “Dance it Out!” group demonstrating what a typical workout for their class is like. Both of these performances consisted of students of all shapes and sizes, showing that literally anyone can participate in these activities and help better themselves physically. TAS

» By CONOR SCRUTON – cscruton@my.apsu.edu

Clarksville is generally known as a college or military town, but there’s also a lot of culture to be found. Before APSU students left for spring break, I checked out one of the hallmarks of Clarksville culture: the First Thursday ArtWalk.

Held, as you might have guessed, on the first Thursday of each month, the ArtWalk is an event downtown that brings local businesses and galleries together to celebrate local art.

Officially from 5 to 8 p.m., the ArtWalk is a cool place to experience classic Clarksville music, food and theatre, as well as visual art.

While specific deals and events vary, you can find plenty to keep yourself occupied just walking around Strawberry Alley and Franklin Street.

One of the most consistent features of ArtWalk is the APSU Downtown Gallery. At 116 Strawberry Alley, the gallery displays the work of different APSU faculty and alumni each month.

During March, the gallery features the sculptures of APSU art professors Rusty Barwick and Carolann Haggard.

While other art galleries downtown are always in full swing for the ArtWalk, such as the ARTifacts Emporium and Downtown Artist Co-op, what’s cool about the event is that art is featured in normal businesses throughout downtown, making it easier for local and amateur artists to display their work.

Also worth looking at are the stores that incorporate local art into their normal sales, such as furniture at Mildred and Mabel’s and fashion at Rogate’s Boutique. Other usual participants include New South Coffee, The Framemaker and The Roxy Regional Theatre.

One thing I would pay special attention to is the food deals going on during ArtWalk. For art enthusiasts and tagalongs alike, many of the exhibits — especially the actual galleries — provide free food and drinks to guests perusing the artwork.

For a more substantial meal, look for “specials” boards by the restaurants on Franklin Street, as several offer deals available only for the night of ArtWalk.

It was great to see Clarksville so alive at night, and the ArtWalk was the sort of event I usually enjoy anyway. With spring starting to warm up Clarksville, it’s the time of year when ArtWalk truly comes alive.

Next month’s Thursday ArtWalk falls on April 5, and anyone wishing to learn more about the April exhibits beforehand can visit downtown Clarksville’s website at historicdowntownclarksville.org.

There, you can find a list of participating businesses and even sign up to have some art of your own featured next month. TAS

» By CONOR SCRUTON – cscruton@my.apsu.edu

With Clarksville seeing some warmer weather, last week I decided to find a place to celebrate our upcoming spring break.

Sweet Berry is a self-serve frozen yogurt shop very close to campus at 1715 D Wilma Rudolph Blvd. Like a lot of small businesses in Clarksville, Sweet Berry is deeply rooted in APSU; the founder, owner, and logo designer all have connections to the school.

I was by no means a stranger when I walked into Sweet Berry last week. My sister, a self-proclaimed Sweet Berry addict and APSU senior, had been excited about taking me to the frozen yogurt shop for months when she found out I was moving to Clarksville.

Her excitement hadn’t been misplaced, either; from the moment you walk in, Sweet Berry does everything right in terms of atmosphere and service. I’ve never encountered anything less than a warm welcome from the workers, and the restaurant itself is quaint without being too overdone. The choices in actual frozen yogurt are just standard, for the most part — vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc. — but there’s a really wide range of toppings you can add basically for free.

That’s one thing that really appeals to me about Sweet Berry; it’s self-serve, and the price is based on the weight rather than what kind of frozen yogurt you get. It’s really useful when you’re just dropping in for a warm afternoon’s snack, as I usually am. Rather than jumping through mathematical hoops in your head trying to calculate the prices of different flavors and amounts, at Sweet Berry you get only as much as you want and pay a proportional price.

As far as the frozen yogurt itself, I was genuinely impressed when I first tried it last year. Any frozen yogurt option will do, but I particularly recommend strawberry with cheesecake chunks. Once again, the wide range of topping options does a lot for Sweet Berry where some places would charge you extra.

On the whole, eating at Sweet Berry feels less like stopping at a restaurant and more like enjoying some frozen yogurt in your own kitchen. They’re open from 2-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and noon-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It’s a great shop for families and college students alike, and as it gets hotter outside, you’ll definitely see me stopping by for a quick, cool treat. TAS

» By CONOR SCRUTON – cscruton@my.apsu.edu

Everyone, whether traveling or just lying on the couch, is getting pumped for spring break. It seems the furthest thing from students’ minds is safety.

While spring break is meant to give students a chance to let off steam, traveling can be dangerous. When having fun over break, safety should be the number one priority.

Here are some tips to make sure everyone’s break is a safe and fun one.

It is important to have contacts back home anytime one takes a trip. The first thing travelers should do when planning a trip is leave contact information with several people, parents preferably being the primary contacts.

It may seem like leaving information with parents defeats the purpose of spring break, but they will be the first to notice their children didn’t contact them as expected.

Some items that should be left include an itinerary and, if leaving the country, a copy of a passport. Be sure to choose another trusted adult as well, and make contact on a daily basis. Another tip for traveling abroad is researching the destination. Some cultures are very different from Americans’, and offending locals can end badly.

It is also important to be conscious of political and social issues in the area that could affect the trip. Also, be sure to register the trip with the U.S. Department of State, as this allows the government to contact any travelers that feel endangered.

The Department of State is a good general reference and can be accessed online at travel.state.gov.

It is also very important to learn the laws of the travel location. Being an American citizen does not save travelers from a foreign country’s justice system. Keep this in mind when consuming alcohol.

The next safety tip goes all the way back to elementary school: the buddy system. “We’re going to London over spring break,” said freshman Daniel Pitts. “We’re using the buddy system to stay safe, but also just to make sure we don’t get lost.”

Most students understand this system, but special care should be taken when alcohol is involved. One buddy should agree to stay sober and make sure the other does not get into trouble. The next night, buddies can switch roles so everyone has a good time, but stays safe as well.

That last, and most important, safety tip is to have an emergency plan. Learn the phone numbers of the local authorities, and carry emergency contact information at all times. Hotels can also be used as contact numbers in case of an emergency.

Now that you know the basics, it is up to you to keep you and your friends safe over break. Don’t let dangerous situations ruin your fun because you didn’t protect yourself. TAS

» By TIFFANY COMER – tcomer@my.apsu.edu

What is roller derby? “Camaraderie,” according to Wanda B Lethal.

Lethal, whose real name is Laura Nichols, is an APSU graduate student and rollergirl for the roller derby franchise the Red River Sirens. The Sirens, founded in 2010, are Clarksville’s first roller derby team.

The game of roller derby involves strategy of movement, physical endurance and teamwork. The team is made up of volunteers and they abide by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. The Sirens proudly wear the colors of red and black and sport their team logo, designed by Brandon Kettle, which is a silhouetted mermaid holding a pair of roller skates.

The team is run like a business. It has board members who are voted in and who take care of all the logistics of the team, gather sponsors and form fundraisers. Lethal was the first voted-on board member when she took on the role of treasurer.

The current team consists of 26 girls who “busted their butts,” quite literally, to earn their spot on the team. Many of these girls are students at APSU. The league holds recruitments twice a year, and they call the recruits “fresh meat.” The coaches drill the fresh meat to reach their full potential in the sport.

They are coached for one to three months on their skill assessment before they can join the team. This year there were 20 fresh meat derby girls.

Once you make the team, you must choose a name for yourself. The name you choose has to be cleared on the official roster on 2evils.org, and the clearing can take anywhere from four to eight weeks. No two names will ever be alike.

The girls of the Red River Sirens are not just teammates, but they are a family, Lethal said. She also said they are a “community within a team,” and they are always there for each other on and off the rink.

The Red River Sirens practice their skills at least twice a week during their season which runs from March to October. Their season consists of nine bouts with the first home game being held at Magic Wheels on Fort Campbell Boulevard on Saturday, April 7. Come see the Sirens dressed in their unique outfits and “jeerlead” them on. TAS

» ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — There had to be an auction, but so soon? A black velvet dress that belonged to Whitney Houston and a pair of earrings she wore in “The Bodyguard” will be sold to the highest bidder next month.

Celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien said Sunday the pieces and other Houston items became available after the singer’s unexpected death on Feb. 11 and will be included among a long-planned sale of Hollywood memorabilia such as Charlie Chaplin’s cane, Clark Gable’s jacket from “Gone With the Wind” and Charlton Heston’s staff from “The Ten Commandments.” But could it be too soon to profit from Houston’s passing? She was just buried on Saturday.

“It’s a celebration of her life,” Julien said. “If you hide these things in fear that you’re going to offend someone — her life is to be celebrated. These items are historic now that she passed. They become a part of history. They should be in museums. She’s lived a life and had a career that nobody else has ever had.”

Houston is “someone who’s going to maintain a collectability,” he said. “For people who are fans of Whitney Houston and never would have had a chance to meet her and never got to talk to her, these are items that literally touched a part of her life. They are a way to relate to her or be a part of her life without having known her.”

The singer’s floor-length black dress is valued at $1,000 but likely to collect much more. Same goes for the vest she wore in “The Bodyguard,” listed at $400, and the faux-pearl earrings that start at $600.

Houston fans and other collectors can bid online, by phone or in person during the “Hollywood Legends” auction on March 31 and April 1. Lots will be shown during a free public exhibition beginning March 19 at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, Cali., just blocks from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston died at age 48. TAS