medallion | larzelere finds gold thursday, 6A Fly Fishing | A photographer’s first-hand experience, 3A
Monday, Oct. 12, 2009
| soccer Women set shutout record over the weekend, 1B
Central Michigan Life
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
w e e k e n d t a l ly
Homecoming 2009
Local police issue 13 MIPs, eight OWIs By Jake Bolitho Senior Reporter
opportunity to be proactive rather than reactive.”
The Mount Pleasant Police Department saw increased activity over Homecoming weekend. City police issued seven MIP citations from Friday to early Sunday morning, according to a MPPD press log. There were seven reported cases of Operating While Impaired and seven open intoxicant citations. Extra officers were put on the road as part of a state grant. “There was certainly more activity,” said MPPD Sgt. Dan Gaffka. “There were definitely a lot more people in town, and we kept busy over the weekend.” Non-alcohol offenses over the weekend included two cases of restricting and obstructing an officer. There was one possession of a controlled substance and one arrest for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Gaffka said the extra patrol officers proved to be effective. “It’s always nice to have extra officers on the road,” he said. “It gives us more of an
Sheriff, CMU see less The Isabella County Sheriff’s Department reported smaller numbers for Homecoming weekend than in years past, said Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski. Three MIPs were issued by the department over the weekend, along with one OWI. There were two cases of open intoxicant transport, two malicious destructions of property and two domestic violence reports. Deputies broke up eight loud parties in the area. “Most of the people at the loud parties were very cooperative,” Mioduszewski said. He said the numbers appear to be surprisingly low, especially when it came to MIPs. “It was pretty much a typical weekend,” he said. None at tailgate Not a single arrest was issued Saturday in the student tailgate lot of Kelly/Shorts Stadium, said Central Michigan University Police Chief Bill Yeagley. A Police| 2A
Central emergency food pantry short on supply 23.74 percent increase in demand due to economy By Jaimie Cremeans Staff Reporter
The Isabella County Emergency Food Pantry is in need of donations to feed an increase in families over the last few months. The Emergency Food Pantry, a branch of the Red Cross, fed 209 families in July, 222 in August and 210 in September, a 23.74 percent increase from the same months last year. “About 80 percent of our clientele from the last few months have been first-timers,” said Irene Little, emergency programs coordinator of the Central Michigan Chapter of the Red Cross. “We don’t turn people away. When a new family comes in, we have them fill out a quick application and make a food basket for them.” She said the pantry deals with families in a case-by-case manner, but tries to limit families to coming once a month as it is for emergencies.
Economic trouble Kathryn Gusman, supervisor for the Emergency Food Pantry, said the main reason for the increase in needy families is rising
unemployment. Michigan has the highest unemployment rate at 15.2 percent this past August. It was 8.6 percent one year prior. “I would estimate about 60 percent of the new people in the last few months have come in because they lost their jobs,” Gusman said. She said medical issues also contributed to the increase. “A lot of people’s health insurance is being dropped, so they have to spend more money on prescription drugs,” she said. “This leaves less money to spend on food and other necessities.” The food baskets contain about four to five days worth of food. Little said they hope to quadruple the donations they receive over the next few months. The Emergency Food Pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday at 215 E. Broadway St. to accept donations. It accepts any kind of non-perishable food donations, personal hygiene products or donations of money to buy perishable foods such as bread and dairy products. “We would appreciate any kind of donations or volunteers, but our main concern right now is food,” Little said. “We really just want to keep (the families’) bellies full.” metro@cm-life.com
neil blake/staff photographer
From left, Warren freshman Lael Johnson, Bath freshman Scott Mckenna, Sterling Heights freshman Dan L’Homme and Stanton freshman Jackie Swanson cheer on the band Saturday before the beginning of the football game.
Rockin’ on
Mock performances, ambassadors cap week’s events By Alex Washington and Blake Showers Staff Reporters
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lumna Alejandra Mata said Homecoming is the weekend where relaxing takes precedence. “It’s a celebration of all the hardwork and commitment that all the students, faculty and the university as a whole, and the community and the businesses put forth throughout the year,” she said. “And Homecoming is when you get to celebrate and relax and all that hard work becomes fun.” Alumni from all over, as well as students, celebrated in the Homecoming fashion this past week. Jenison freshman Rachel Radecki said it does not matter whether you are an alum or a student — everyone has shared the same experience. “It’s just school spirit. Everyone getting together and celebrating CMU; I feel like it’s a huge bonding experience and everybody celebrates together. It’s so much fun.” Rock Rally Charlie Brown may have always lost playing football, but he won the 2009 Rock Rally. The team made up of Saxe, Herrig and Celani halls placed first in the mock rock with a performance inspired by the 1950s “Peanuts” cartoon. The group rehearsed every day for about a week, and SHC Hall Council President Craig Johnson was quite happy the team won. “It just proves hard work pays off,” the Lake City sophomore said. “People weren’t expecting us to win and we weren’t favorites going in — coming out victorious was
[inside] w Students receive strange calls at operating center 3A
good for us.” Thorpe Hall took second place in the rally and, for the first time in the mock rock’s history, there was a three-way tie for third place between Barnes Hall, Larzelere Hall and On the Fly Productions. Homecoming co-chairwoman and St. Clair Shores senior Danielle Leone said she was impressed with everyone’s performance. “Rock Rally performances were outstanding, watching them was amazing,” Leone said. “All I could think was how long it took them to prepare and think of their performances.”
Many alums still unhappy with new tailgating rules
sports w Volleyball loses conference matches to Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, 4B
By Joe Borlik Senior Reporter
CM-LIFE.com w Check the site for student reaction on the recent changes to tailgaiting.
w Showers High 48/ Low 35
Inside w Larzelere Hall finds medallion, 6A
And the winners are.... w Maroon Cup Winner - Larzelere Hall w Golden Goblet - Student Recreation Association
Other announcements Rock Rally was more than just performances. Rochester senior Jessica Parker and Macomb senior Scott Hillman were named the 2009 Gold Ambassadors. “It feels surreal — it was an honor to even be nominated,” Hillman said. “I never saw it coming.”
A homecoming | 2A
Homecoming draws bigger crowd
NEWS
weather
paige calamari/staff photographer
On the Fly Productions performs during the Rock Rally on Friday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. The group integrated a Transformers theme into its dance to tie with two other teams for third place in the competition.
chris barcarella/staff photographer
The student lot behind Kelly/Shorts Stadium had an increase in attendance Saturday morning for tailgate before the football game against Eastern Michigan University.
Although 26,730 people filled the seats Saturday at Kelly/ Shorts Stadium, many alumni who returned for Homecoming were disappointed with new tailgating rules. Gary Derkacz, a 1983 alumnus and Beverly Hills resident, came up to Homecoming for tailgating, a pig roast and a
chance to reunite with his Phi Kappa Tau brothers. Although the new rules did not stop Derkacz from visiting the student tailgating lot, he said he knows a number of alumni that felt differently. Derkacz said he talked to many alumni before coming who were disappointed with the rules and decided to tailgate elsewhere. “The new rules are silly,” he said. “All you’ve done is kick the problem down the road, and that road is Main Street.” New rules initiated in August include a six-beer or onepint liquor limit, checkpoints
into the student lot and a ban on external sound systems, which was rescinded last week. Deana West, a 2005 alumna who lives in California, said she was so embarrassed with tailgating, she will not return to future Homecomings. “This is a lame display, nobody came,” she said. “I was very disappointed when I heard about the new rules.” Shanequa Johnson, a 2005 alumna and Mount Pleasant resident, said she also was disappointed with tailgating.
ATAILGATING | 2A