[INSIDE] w POLITICS:
Republican U.S. Senate primary heats up as super PAC money enters race, 3
w FOOTBALL:
Enos says young players have ‘gone from boys and started turning into men’, 5 w BASKETBALL:
Trip to Ann Arbor highlights non-conference hoops schedule, 5
LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Central Michigan University
| Wednesday, July 25, 2012
FOOTBALL: Team picked to finish last in MAC West, 5
[cm-life.com]
CMU ups police presence after student in Fabiano reports death threats
By Aaron McMann Editor-in-Chief and Mike Nichols Managing Editor
Central Michigan University heightened police presence Monday after a student reported receiving death threats over the phone. CMU police responded to Fabiano Hall Monday afternoon after a female student reported the incident. The calls were believed to have been made from Detroit. An alert was sent out to the university community shortly after 6 p.m. Monday. CMU police chief Bill Yeagley could only provide scant details when reached by phone, other than the department “was conducting a criminal investigation.” While much of Fabiano Hall was empty Monday evening, officers were present and patrolling the fourth floor. The student, who police and university officials have declined to identify, has since been moved out of the area and reunited with her family, according to an update sent out by the university Tuesday morning. “We are very confident a threat was made,” Yeagley said. “But nothing mentioned Central Michigan University or Mount Pleasant so far in our investigation.” Photos By ChuCK MiLLer/PHOTO EDITOR
TOP: Rosebush resident Torry Gagne Jr., 3, pets Crockett, a 4-year-old pitbull mix. Crockett is currently being fostered with the hopes of permanent adoption. LEFT: Rosebush resident Madison Gagne, 15, walks Crockett around the backyard of her home. RIGHT: Rosebush resident Torry Gagne pets Crockett. They hope to permanently adopt him.
Home sweet home Crockett, other dogs from animal shelter find homes
By Mike Nichols | Managing Editor
Remember Crockett, that lonely dog at the animal shelter who really needed a good home? Well, it appears he’s found one. Only three days after Central Michigan Life ran an article about the pitbull/boxer mutt’s sad tale, Crockett was on his way to a new home for a trial run with a family as mixed as he is. “I wanted to go meet Crockett after reading the article just because I felt horrible for him,” said Torry Gagne, a teacher at Barryton Elementary School in the Chippewa Hills School District. “When I first saw him, I thought he was one of the nicest dogs I’d ever met.” Gagne and his girlfriend Elissa Richmond, both Central Michigan University alumni, are raising a family of four kids. One child is his, two are hers and the youngest is both. Their Rosebush home, with its three-acre yard complete
with swing-set, trampoline and playful pack of young children, has been an idyllic place for Crockett to find love, Gagne said. “He’s actually the best-behaved one here,” Gagne said, shooting a sly smile at his kids whose grins are dripping from Crockett’s slobbery kisses. The family is waiting to officially adopt Crockett until they are certain he is comfortable with them, Gagne said. Their youngest might have a mild and treatable allergy to dogs, he said, but they are definitely
Crockett was fostered less than a week after the article of him was printed, and volunteer and adoption numbers have increased this month at the Isabella County Humane Animal Treatment Society, 1105 S. Isabella Rd.
leaning towards making Crockett a part of the family. Crockett’s heart seems set on it, too. “He is not allowed in the beds at night, but we’ve been giving in to him in the afternoon if we’re lying around,” Gagne said. “He’ll go upstairs with the kids and jump in their beds in the morning.
We’ve let that slide.” At night, Crockett gently paws open Gange and Richmond’s bed sheets, Gagne said, as if to tuck them in. Then he curls up at the foot of their bed with his blanket from the kennel and spends the rest of the night snoring. ADOG| 2
CMU police are working with the Detroit Police Department, as the death threat is believed to have been a part of a “broader situation in Detroit.” “The student involved in this situation did the right thing by calling the police for assistance,” the university said in a statement. “Sending out a campus-wide alert as was done last night is a decision that is not taken lightly by university officials. However, situations with the potential to cause harm or injury to students, faculty, staff or visitors will be taken seriously.” In light of the death threat and the recent Aurora, Colo. mass shooting at “The Dark Knight Rises” premiere, Yeagley said the CMU police have discussed their own procedures should any gunman appear on campus. The department held shooter training last week, making minor tweaks to their plan, including assigning a staging manager to assist crime agencies. “There’s not been any sweeping or major changes, but as you go through incidents, there’s always something to learn and tweak,” Yeagley said. “I’m confident our campus is safe, and we will continue to see this case through.” Anyone noticing suspicious activity is asked to call 911. university@cm-life.com
Leonard senior, 23, dies after complications with disorder By Aaron McMann Editor-in-Chief
Standing just four and a half feet tall, Bryan Fischer lived life to the fullest. The Central Michigan University senior from Leonard loved traveling, watching sports and being involved. Bryan died Tuesday following complications with MaroteauxLamy Syndrome, also referred to as MPS VI, a deficiency of the enzyme required for the breakdown of certain complex carbohydrates. He was 23. About four years ago, he made the decision to attend the CMUPurdue football game in West Lafayette, Ind. His father, Kurt Fischer, remembers the phone call. “He said he was on a bus,” Fischer said. “He bought a ticket for $15 and went ... by himself. Three days in (to his freshman year).” Bryan could be seen on the game broadcast later, along with the small contingent of CMU fans who attended the game that day. “After that, he was all about the college experience,” Kurt Fischer said. Bryan was like any other kid growing up, Kurt Fischer said. He learned how to roller skate and played roller hockey. He played with friends without problems.
But when he turned 12, as other boys began hitting puberty, it was evident he could no longer keep up. It became apparent during Bryan’s sophomore year at Oxford High School, where he was a drummer in the marching band. Despite being in the center, he struggled to keep up with the movements. “He stopped participating in sports and became a sports watcher,” Kurt Fischer said. “I think it bothered him a little bit … but he never said anything. I wondered if it bothered him, because he couldn’t do the things he wanted to.” After taking him to the doctor, it was determined MPS VI was constricting his spinal cord. Bones became malformed, and he didn’t have full mobility in his legs. Neck surgery was done to remove screws and plates. Kurt Fischer recalled the countless battles he and his wife Karen had in taking Bryan to see doctors. During Bryan’s senior year in high school, a treatment was developed for MPS that allowed the needed enzyme to be fed through an IV. “We had convinced him that he didn’t have to see all these doctors, but this one,” Kurt Fischer said with a laugh. A FISCHER | 2
Subway franchise part of Towers’ C3 renovation By Aaron McMann Editor-in-Chief
Students living in the Towers this fall will soon have another dining option to enjoy. Central Michigan University has elected to renovate the C3 Convenience Store and add 700 square feet of space to accommodate a Subway franchise. John Fisher, associate vice president for Residences and Auxiliary Services, said Campus Dining has been in discussions for about a year about bringing in another nationally recognized
brand. Starbucks, Papa John’s Pizza, Quiznos and Einstein Bros. Bagels can already be found on campus. “We wanted another option for the 2,000-plus students that live there during the academic year,” Fisher said. “There have been thoughts about fast-food chains, but they were able to obtain a Subway franchise through corporate. It’s a good one, because it’s popular with students.” Fisher said CMU paid approximately $50,000 for franchise rights. The university will also be tied to paying royalty fees based
on annual sales and installation expenses, which could reach “a couple thousand dollars,” he said. The Subway is part of a much larger, expansive renovation project. In addition to spending more than $50,000 for the name brand, CMU has budgeted $810,000 for the renovation and expansion of the C3. The improved convenience store will include an all-new look, from equipment to displays. Linda Slater, director of Planet Engineering and Planning, said her department is working with Auxiliary Services and Aramark,
CMU’s food supplier, “to increase and upgrade the quality of the retail space.” The project is currently out for construction bids, Slater said. The target date to have the new C3 and Subway open is Nov. 1 after site issues resulted in university officials getting a late start on the project, Fisher said. Fisher said officials also had discussions with Jeff LaPoe, owner of the several Mount Pleasant Subway locations, who inquired about the new franchise. LaPoe
CharLotte BoDaK/staff PhotoGraPher
A SUBWAY| 2
A sign is taped on the door to the entrance of the soon-to-be renovated C3 convenience store in the Towers. Construction is underway to expand the C3 and add a Subway.
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