https://www.ucanews.live/, http://twitter.com/ucaecho

The Echo, 201 Donaghey Avenue, Conway, AR (2025)

12/08/2024

Watching a Netflix original is just like watching a game of baseball, it either hits the mark or it misses.

With the advent of films and series such as “Secret Obsession” and “The Perfect Find,” many Netflix originals have earned nothing short of disdain from the general public. “Spellbound” seems to have redeemed that narrative.

The musical “Spellbound” offers splendid musicality, humor and suspense, leaving viewers with nothing to miss out on.

Photo: courtesy of IMDb

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

12/07/2024

Kimberly Gulutzo filed a complaint Sept. 4, 2023, about mold in her unit at The Nest apartments at 1608 Cherry St.

“Something started leaking from the ceiling of my bathroom around August of last year, and despite sending in maintenance requests, I never received any help from it,” Gulutzo said.

“It got to a point where I had to start catching this sewage-like substance that was leaking from the vent above my toilet, which started to make me and my kid sick with a stomach bug,” she said.

Photos: courtesy of Kimberly Gulutzo

Story: Mary Lyle

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

12/04/2024

Husband and wife duo Parker and Renee Birchfield brewed a bookstore and coffee shop combo called Secret Nook Coffee & Books, located at 1105 Deer St.

The store, which had its grand opening Nov. 30, sells coffee from Confident Coffee based in Northwestern Arkansas and books distributed by Ingram Content Group.

Parker said, “We took my passion for coffee and my wife’s passion for books and made it into something we love.”

Photos:

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

12/03/2024

The UCA men’s basketball team defeated the University of North Carolina Asheville 92-84, stifling the Bulldogs’ bark in a double overtime victory Nov. 24.

UCA coach John Shulman said, “You either win or learn. And we gave up one away at Western Illinois, we missed free throws to beat SEMO [Southeast Missouri University] and we have a young team. We have the 16th least experienced team in America, but we learned, and we about did the same thing tonight and figured out a way to pull a loss out of the jaws of victory.”

Photo:

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

12/02/2024

As the semester comes to an end, with projects, exams and presentations all starting to pile up, it can be hard to think of anything else but the endless torture of assignments.

However, I want to give you a challenge. Instead of only looking forward to the next semester, try to reminisce on this one.

What were your successes and failures? What did you learn from them?

Story: Mary Lyle

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/30/2024

The Latino Student Association hosted a posada for members to gather, play games, eat food and chat before finals season.

The event was Nov. 21 in the Office of Student Advocacy and Community.

LSA hosted La Posada to celebrate the Christmas season. Board games were scattered around and hot chocolate, candy and conchas were served.

Sophomore nursing major Stephanie Polanco said posada is a religious Christmas event.

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/27/2024

Tarleton State Defeated the Bears with strong offensive drives Nov. 23, securing a 39-14 victory.

The first quarter saw UCA start with a solid drive, as redshirt freshman quarterback Caleb Koger connected with senior running back ShunDerrick Powell for a 31-yard pass. However, the drive stalled, and Koger’s fourth-down attempt was incomplete, giving Tarleton State possession at its 38-yard line.

Tarleton capitalized quickly, with senior running back Kayvon Britten’s drives leading to a 7-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Cody Jackson, giving Tarleton a 7-0 lead.

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/25/2024

Students, faculty and alumni celebrated 15 years of UCA’s major in creative writing with party hats, performances and pompoms.

Organized by the Department of Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, the event was held in Win Thompson Hall on Nov. 19.

The creative writing program began in 2009 with Terry Wright as its founder. Having been asked by the provost at the time to leave the English department and help build the program, Wright said he faced a dilemma.

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/24/2024

For two sold-out weekends, audiences from Conway and surrounding areas were invited into the high school society of “Heathers: The Musical,” put on by UCA Theatre.

From Nov. 8-10 and 15-17, James M. Bridges Black Box Theatre in Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts turned back the clock to 1989 and transported theater-goers to Westerburg High School, where mean girl clique “the Heathers” reign supreme.

Based on the 1988 movie of the same name, “Heathers” follows high school senior Veronica Sawyer as she navigates becoming friends with Westerburg’s most vicious group, the Heathers, three popular girls that run the school and the lives of everyone inside of it. When mysterious new kid Jason Dean moves to town, life gets flipped upside down and Veronica must decide where her morals stand as students begin to die.

Photos:

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/23/2024

Students brewed original creations Nov. 14 during Canvas and Coffee hosted by the Student Activities Board.

The event was held in the Ronnie Williams Student Center ballroom, where students had a fall-themed night of fun painting canvas, grabbing coffee and conversing with friends.

Students filled the ballroom with friends and high spirits to grab either coffee or an energy drink and followed along UCA Alumna in a guided pumpkin painting.

Photos: Liv Ellis

Story: Liv Ellis

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/22/2024

Junior Tori Kiser was crowned Miss UCA 2025, earning over $10,000 in scholarships and gifts.

“I am so excited, honestly. I can’t even put it into words,” Kiser said. “This title is something I’ve been dreaming about ever since I decided to go to UCA, and I am absolutely honored to represent the university.”

Kiser, a biology major, said she looks forward to “getting involved in the university as a whole.”

Photos:

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/20/2024

It’s Wednesday which means Issue 12 is out all over campus! Pick up your copy today.🗞️📰

11/18/2024

Concluding the “Alan Wake 2” expansion pass, “The Lake House” draws players into the eerie titular location, offering one last dread-filled story, even if its short, unfulfilling runtime hinders it.

Putting the spotlight on secondary character Kiran Estevez (Janina Gavankar), the expansion follows the Federal Bureau of Control agent investigating the lake house, a bizarre research facility that went dark not long before the events of “Alan Wake 2.”

Although the expansion’s story runs simultaneously with the third chapter of the base game, it perfectly encapsulates its bite-sized narrative, allowing the uncanny tale to ebb and flow with grace.

Photo: courtesy of Epic Games

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/15/2024

Communication is one of the most amazing but tricky things we do. It goes way beyond the words we say or write, yet it’s something we rarely stop to think about in all its complexity. Communication is this mix of ideas, feelings and thoughts that lets us connect, understand and even influence each other.

It can be as simple as a smile or as deep as a debate. A look, a gesture or even a tone of voice can carry meanings that go beyond words. For example, body language and facial expressions play a huge role in how we understand each other. Sometimes, just a look or gesture can say more than words ever could.

Through studying under communications professor Nelle Bedner-Runge, I have been able to uncover the many layers of communication, the depths and the stories we share through communication. I’ve also learned about communication today, the age of technology.

Story: Jocelyn Vega

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/14/2024

UCA sorority Sigma Kappa teamed up with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise awareness and funding for Alzheimer’s care, support and research Nov. 9.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s, held each year in over 600 communities across the U.S., was held at Argenta Plaza in North Little Rock.

Manager Ian Shuttleworth said, “The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the flagship fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association.”

“The main thing that we’re looking to get here at this event is fundraising for our programs, our care, and support for our research initiatives,” he said.

Photo: courtesy of

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/13/2024

Issue 11 is out now!!💜🐻 Pick up a copy before they run out.🗞️

11/12/2024

The UCA men’s soccer team clipped the wings of the University of North Florida Ospreys 6-2 Nov. 2, leading to UNF’s defeat in its own territory.

The victory the Central Arkansas Bears (6-7-2, ASUN 3-3-1) secured successfully earned the Bears a spot in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.

After the first period began, the Ospreys (6-7-3, ASUN 4-2-1) wasted no time, eager to get a win in their home field.

Two minutes into the period the Ospreys earned their first foul, and three minutes after that, UNF sophomore midfielder Anton Khelil took a shot.

Photo: courtesy of ucasports.com

Story:

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

11/11/2024

People from all over Arkansas were invited to come immerse themselves in the life and career of one of the world’s most celebrated artists: Vincent van Gogh.

This exhibition coined as “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” is in Little Rock, and is held at various times throughout the week.

The exhibit consists of four rooms, then ends with a virtual reality experience where guests can “walk” through eight different paintings of his.

The rooms start with a basic timeline of Van Gogh’s life, as well as a sculpture of his face with various colors projected onto it.

Photos: Mary Lyle

Story: Mary Lyle

Read the full story online — ucanews.live

The Echo