THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
da
Tuesday August 23, 2011
VOLUME 125, ISSUE 3
www.THEDAONLINE.com
FallFest Fever
Mac Miller
Colbie Caillat
3 Doors Down
Mac Miller, Chiddy Bang became crowd favorites after strong performances at Monday’s FallFest by christina gutierrez a&e writer
Big Sean
The return of West Virginia University students marks a special time of year in the Morgantown area – FallFest. Monday was WVU’s 16th annual FallFest. This year’s estimated turnout and headlining performance were drastically underestimated. Although 3 Doors down was the intended crowd pleaser, this year’s surprise hits were
neither the opening nor closing acts. Colbie Caillat took the stage at 6:30 p.m., opening the show. Although there were a few hundred people in the audience to hear her opening song, “Falling for You,” the crowd increased with the following acts. Although Caillat had a group devoted fans, it was unanimously decided that her soft, sweet tunes were not exactly the kind of rag-
see FALLFEST on PAGE 2
Chiddy Bang ALL PHOTOS BY MATT SUNDAY
Judge denies injunction to uphold fracking ban By Charles young Associate city Editor
A Monongalia County Circuit Court judge ruled against Morgantown City Council’s ban on hydraulic fracturing. Judge Susan B. Tucker said in her Aug. 12 ruling that the City of Morgantown does not have right to regulate oil and gas drilling in the area because their authority is preempted by the West Virginia Department
of Environmental Protection who have “exclusive control of this area of law.” Tucker’s ruling overturns the ordinance issued during the June 21 council meeting, banning any operations using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, within the city limits and within one mile of the city limits. The fracking process uses fluids pumped into a well deep underground to create frac-
tures in the rock, allowing for the extraction of natural gas. Critics of the process have expressed concerns about its possible environmental impact, while its advocates say the process is well-regulated and carries little risk. The plaintiffs, Northeast Natural Energy, LLC, and Energy Ern-out Properties, LLC, companies involved in the operation of Marcellus gas wells in the Morgantown area,
filed a complaint against the city in county circuit court on July 22. In their complaint the two companies questioned the constitutionality of the ban and requested a temporarily injunction to block the ordinance. On Aug. 25, Monongalia County Circuit Judge Russell Clawges denied the injunction request, temporally upholding the ban. Bill Bryne, former mayor
WVU organizations welcome students by Jessica Lear Staff Writer
Throughout the first week of the semester, West Virginia University organizations are welcoming students with informational booths in the Mountainlair. The booths, part of WVU’s Welcome Week, contain information about various services students can use and organizations they can join on campus. “A lot of the various support services are set up throughout the whole week just to let students know about their service,” said Regan Bruni, Coordinator of Student Affairs Retention and Research. Welcome Week aims to make freshman feel comfortable at WVU as well as urges them to get involved with the different activities offered at the University. “As a freshman, I think if you come in and get involved early you really start to learn the value and importance of being a part of something,” said Mariana Matthews, a graduate student in public administration. Monday kicked off the start of Welcome Week with University radio station U92 outside of the Mountainlair and booths dedicated to different organizations
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SUNNY
INSIDE News: 1, 2 Opinion: 3 A&E: 8 Sports: 5, 7 Campus Calendar: 4 Puzzles: 4 Classifieds: 9, 10
who was in office when the ban was passed, said he and members of the council were concerned about the proximity of drilling operations to the city’s water intake. Byrne said he felt the ban was necessary since state legislators had not enacted any laws regulating the process. “We just didn’t think this was an appropriate site for such a well,” he said. In her ruling, Tucker called
the city’s defense of its ban “unpersuasive,” and pointed to numerous state laws regulating and overseeing the process. “The provisions clearly indicate that this area of law is exclusively in the hands of the WVDEP,” Tucker said in her ruling. “No exception is carved out for any locality or municipality.” charles.young@mail.wvu.edu
WVU chapter of sorority celebrates 25 years by mackenzie mays
tional president of the sorority who installed the WVU chapter. The sisters of Alpha Omi“We were so thrilled that Peg cron Pi celebrated 25 years on Crawford could join us for the the West Virginia University weekend,” Whalen said. “We campus this weekend. ended our celebrations SunThe WVU chapter of the na- day morning by sharing ritual tional sorority has initiated with our alumnae.” AOII has been about 850 committed to women since it got its start in community ser“This was an exciting 1986, said Erin vice over the and great opportunity years, serving loWhalen, AOII for our alum, because cal organizapresident. some of the women “This was tions such as the haven’t been back to Bartlett House, a an exciting campus since they and great ophomeless shelter portunity for in Morgantown. graduated.” our alum, beThe sorority Erin Whalen cause some also hosts two AOII President of the women philanthropy who came to events a year, celebrate haven’t been back which benefit juvenile arthritis on campus since they gradu- research and the Mary Babb ated,” Whalen said. Randolph Cancer Center. Weekend festivities in“These events are particucluded an open tour of the larly special for us because we AOII house for older mem- are able to help out with somebers to see how the sorority thing on our campus and crehas changed over the years, ate community service opand a gala to honor its influ- portunities for our members,” ential sisters. Speakers included Peg see Sorority on PAGE 2 Crawford, a former internacity editor
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Mallory Bracken/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
U92 DJs (from left) Jacob Peirce, Alex Trafecante, Emily Smith, Matt Nuti and Kyle Hayes, run a booth in front of the Mountainlair Monday afternoon for West Virginia University’s radio station. Throughtout the day, they played music, talked over the air and welcomed students. at WVU inside. The Center for Civic Engagement, which encourages students to get involved in volunteer work with their 120 partners, was one of them. “I think it’s really important that you get to see how big of an impact you make with these nonprofit organizations that need more than money. They
SPANK @ 123
Spank Rock performs at 123 Pleasant Street Monday night. A&E PAGE 8
need help, they need volunteers,” Matthews said. A representative from the Office of Retention and Research, which offers tutoring and academic coaching to WVU students, was also there. “There’s no reason for any student to fail at WVU. The support is there; they just have to ask for help and ask for it before it’s too
late,” Bruni said. Senior Finance major, and an SGA member focusing on WVUp All Night Rashad Bates was promoting his organization and its events. “I’m trying to show that we are changing the brand and image
see welcome on PAGE 2
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INSIDE THIS EDITION Senior forward Blake Miller has been great in her first three seasons with the WVU women’s soccer team. ON PAGE 7
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ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT The core of West Virginia receivers are still trying to become more consistent before the season opener against Marshall. SPORTS PAGE 5