suso | forum to discuss college-age issues, 3a | victorious The Chippewas celebrate their 34-23 victory over WMU, 1B
A new ride| Campus police test out new mode of transportation, 3A
Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
Central Michigan Life
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
H1N1 virus appearing more throughout area Health Services director: ‘98 to 99 percent sure this is (novel) H1N1’ By Maryellen Tighe Staff Reporter
Type A influenza confirmations show a presence of H1N1 in Mount Pleasant, according to mid-Michi-
gan health officials. A positive Type A flu test confirms a patient has one of three flu strains: seasonal H1N1 or H3N2, which are common flus, or novel H1N1 (the preferred name for swine flu), said Dr. Robert Graham, medical director at Central Michigan District Health Department. “What’s going around is the novel H1N1 and that’s given us plenty of work to do. We haven’t seen any
of the seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 this fall,” Graham said. “In September, 100 percent of the isolates in Michigan were the H1N1 novel influenza.” The seasonal H1N1 generally affects people younger than 2 years old and older than 50. The novel H1N1 affects people younger than 24 years old, or pregnant. “It’s a mutation. Mainly the dif-
ference is in who it affects,” Graham said. type a cases at cmu In spite of these results, the hospital is not routinely testing people for novel H1N1 unless they are seriously ill and have been hospitalized, Graham said. There have been about 20 cases each week of influenza-type illnesses, said University Heath Ser-
vices Director Tom Trionfi. It is not significantly more than this time last year, he said. Director of Public Relations Steve Smith said there have been a number of students, faculty and staff tested for flu-like symptoms. The university has a track of influenza Type A cases dating back to September, Smith said.
bogged down
Metered parking on campus cheaper for some
Michigan residents compete in mud at Mount Pleasant Speedway By Randi Shaffer Staff Reporter
By Seth Nietering Staff Reporter
S
he spits mud, roars, runs Super Swamper Boggers and goes by the name of Baby Blue. ‘She’ is Mid-Michigan Community College student Jordan Claitier’s 1984 Chevy K10. Claiter took third place in the 33inch class at the Patriot Mud Bog Saturday at the Mount Pleasant Speedway, 4658 E. River Road. Participants from the Mount Pleasant area revved their engines and plunged their trucks into a 180-foot track of mud in an effort to win trophies and cash prizes. Mount Pleasant sophomore Tommy Painter was another of the 17 participants. His 1999 Jeep Wrangler took him to second place in the same category as Claitier’s 84 Chevy K10. Painter became interested in mud bogging at an early age. “I started in fast cars, but got in trouble,” he said.
A h1n1 virus | 2a
phiotos by nathan kostegian/staff photographer
Sand Creek resident Tim Bunker drives the only complete run over the 180-foot mud bog Saturday afternoon during the Patriot Mud Bog at the Mount Pleasant Speedways, 4658 E. River Road.
Painter went on to buy a Jeep and customized it to start mud bogging, a sport that does not require fast speeds. Soon after, his high school friend, Claitier, bought a Jeep to mud bog with, and it became a sort of competition between the two to see who could have the better Jeep. Eventually, the competition between the two friends brought them to the Mount Pleasant Speedway. “This is the first time I’ve ever mud bogged officially; people watching, money, prizes,” Claitier said. “I’ve backwoods bogged before, but not this. I’m nervous.”
Planned in two weeks The Patriot Mud Bog was a collaborative project between Cyrus Hart, the project organizer and a Mount Pleasant resident, and Joel Johnson, a candidate for the 97th district of the Michigan House of Representatives. “We thought it would be a good way to meet some new people,” Johnson said. The Patriot Mud Bog was planned in two weeks, and Hart said he thought the event had a fair turnout. A mud bog | 7a
Claitier waits in his Chevy before competing in the Patriot Mud Bog event Saturday afternoon at Saturday afternoon at the Mount Pleasant Speedways, 4658 E. River Road. Jordan is a member of Isabella Mudders, a club of off-road enthusiasts.
New digital parking meters scattered around campus give students more bang for their quarter. The Central Michigan Police Department purchased 100 digital parking meters the week before school started. Service Officer Mike Anderson said there are approximately 429 parking meters around campus. The older mechanical meters cost 50 cents for an hour. The digital ones, however, are 25 cents for an hour. “We needed to upgrade and get with the times,” Anderson said. “The other meters work for now, but they are 10 to 15 years old.” Livonia sophomore Andy Clairmont said the new meters are a nice bonus. “The old ones could sometimes be hard to read, so the digital meters make it much easier to see how much time you have left,” Clairmont said. “It was pretty cool when I found out that the new meters are cheaper, too.” A limited number of meters were purchased due to budget constraints, Anderson said. Each mechanical meter costs $70, but the new ones cost $180. “It’s up to the chief of police when we will be getting more digital meters. It all has to do with budget restrictions,” Anderson said. A parking | 4A
[inside] NEWS w Speak Up, Speak Out forum tonight, 3A w Leadership minor most signed on campus, 8A
sports w Soccer team notches 11th straight shutout Monday, 1B w Volleyball splits pair of weekend games, 3A
CM-LIFE.com w Check the site for a video recap on CMU’s victory over Western Michigan Saturday.
weather w Mostly cloudy High 57/ Low 46
honors project
cm-life.com
Student compares worm, human genes Live chat with deans
Interest in subject drives senior’s research process By Heather Shovein Staff Reporter
Editor’s note: This is the second story following a student working on their Honors Program senior project. Freeland senior Mariah Hanson knew the research she was conducting for her Honors project was not going to be a short process. Not all students doing projects have the opportunity to continue research after the completion of the
project paper, but Hanson does. Because of the nature of her project, “Immunocytochemistry of several RNP granule components in an inx-14 mutant strain of Caenorhabditis elegans,” Hanson is able to continue with research if she desires. Hanson has passed the planning stage and is now working on identifying specific genes. “I think it’s really interesting research,” Hanson said. “You really have to have an interest in the research you’re going to do. Otherwise you’re not going to be driven to complete it.” Hanson’s goal is to understand more about viability of human eggs as a woman
gets older. The chance to continue research after completing her project allows Hanson to take her time and focus on every detail.
Lab work The Honors Program suggests students not worry too much about mastering everything mentioned in a proposal, but instead take a little part of the proposal and learn the process completely, said Honors Program Director James Hill. Hanson is working with other student researching various aspects of the lab work. A honors | 4a
at 7 p.m. online
Staff Reports
Have questions, comments or concerns regarding anything Central Michigan University? Log on to cm-life.com from 7 to 8 p.m. today for the Digital Roundtable, Central Michigan Life’s series Bruce Roscoe of live chats. Joining the Life staff tonight is Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe, Director of Student
NEW YEAR, NEW BOOK
Life Tony Voisin and Director of Academic Advising and Assistance Michelle Howard. Roscoe, Voisin, Howard and the CM Life staff would like to hear from our readers. What topics concern you? What questions do you have? Are there any other issues you would like to bring forward? Check our home page for a link to our live chat, enter your name into the console and start talking with us. Be sure to check CM Life for future Digital Roundtable events. news@cm-life.com
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