The DA 12-03-2014

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THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”

da

Wednesday December 3, 2014

Volume 127, Issue 67

www.THEDAONLINE.com

Local Government

Boreman Bistro staff collects items to donate

Council plans Knotts memorial by rachel mcbride staff writer @dailyathenaeum

Many hot topics were discussed during last night’s Morgantown City Council meeting. The LGBTQ community, engineering studies, a potential memorial as well as the Ward and Boundary Commission were just some of the topics presented. There was a divide among some of the council members as well as among the meeting’s lo-

cal attendees. The City Council presented an award to the Mo rga nt ow n Hu ma n Rights Commission for its hard work and dedication to striving for equality, regardless of sexuality. The notion of passing an engineering study was presented to the board members. The study would cover possible safety issues concerning the transportation in Morgantown. The notion to allow the study to occur was passed.

A proposal to implement a Don Knotts memorial was also discussed. The memorial would be placed in front of the Metropolitan Theater on High Street. This would make the memorial adjacent to the Don Knotts star, also located right outside the theater. “The artist wanted to make this (the memorial) a destination point for Morgantown itself,” said City Manager Jeff Mikorski. An issue brought forth to the council members

was the approval of the Ward and Boundary Report. This contained the idea to redraw the voting wards of Morgantown. According to data at the meeting, the wards have not been changed since 1989. Several concerns were vocalized about this notion. If the wards of Morgantown were to be modified, two candidates would have to run against one another in the upcoming election. According to First Ward member Ron

Bane, this is the council’s primary reason for not wanting to approve the current Ward and Boundary Report. “We cannot ignore the gorilla in the room,” he said. Bane continued to vocalize his concern about the council’s agenda and whether or not disapproving the report would set a positive standard for the council. His concerns were aligned with Third

By Ashley DeNardo A&E Editor @AMDENARDO

Many workplaces celebrate the holidays by exchanging gifts or doing Secret Santa. One West Virginia University dining hall is taking the gift-giving experience on a different route. Instead of exchanging gifts with each other, workers at the WVU Boreman Bistro will collect items to donate. “Boreman Bistro student workers and staff have chosen to collect hats, gloves and socks for local children in need instead of doing our normal gift exchange this year,” said Debbie Allison, a supervisor at the Boreman Bistro. “I don’t want to be blowing my own horn but I suggested this drive to the students this year instead of doing the normal gift exchange, encouraging the students and workers to (pay) it forward.” According to Allison, the Boreman Bistro is collaborating with a local non-profit organization to help make a difference in the community. “Once we have our donations, we are getting together with Scotts Run Settlement House to donate the items to them for their Christmas baskets,” Allison said. The Scotts Run Settlement House helps the needy of Monongalia County by providing programs and services. These programs help with basic needs such as food, clothing and education. Besides Scotts Run’s dedication to sponsoring almost 200 families’ Christmas dinners and toys for children, it runs a food pantry, a Baby Basics Pantry and a Backpacks Feeding Program for school-aged children, among other services, year-round. The Boreman Bistro’s clothing drive isn’t only for the food service workers to participate in. “Anyone wishing to donate can feel free to place items on our tree at the front entrance by the register at Boreman Bistro,” Allison said. The drive started Monday and will continue through Dec. 12. To get involved in other ways or to sponsor a family for Christmas, contact the Scotts Run Settlement House at 304-599-5020.

see COUNCIL on PAGE 2

Mining student compares coal, natural gas By corey mcdonald staff writer @dailyathenaeum

The Sierra Student Coalition, a student branch of The Sierra Club - the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization - held a presentation Tuesday. The lecture compared the economic impacts of coal energy and energy created by natural gas on the mining industry, along with the potential future benefits of solar energy. The demonstration was held by Grant Spear, a senior mining engineering student at West Virginia University and a member of the student coalition. Prior to the 1990’s, coal energy was the most valuable source of energy for the country economically. However, recent economic directions have shown trends toward natural gas as a more efficient source of energy, economically speaking. “In the 90’s they further developed the combined cycle gas turbine system, which is similar to your open cycle system in your car engine,” Spear said. “That technology became more marketable which furthered investments.” Starting around 2007, new technologies were applied to the already existing gas drilling technologies that aided in the economic significance of natural gas. These new advancements propelled investments even further for this industry. Coal-related energy, on the other hand, has shown

a declining trend economically, showing a significant reduction in shares. “Coal-fired power generation has decreased by up to 52 percent from a 2008 high,” Spear said. “There is this socalled ‘war on coal’ that the President is waging with the EPA on coal miners that has basically been created by the mining sector. If there’s a war on coal being waged, it’s being waged by natural gas.” Further examination into coal technologies shows costs to maintain coal usage have increased. Carboncapture technologies along with additional regulations to emissions other than carbon - such as mercury and sulfur - have been imposed on the industry, but these regulations are not economically favorable. “Right now there are 32 facilities that are expected to close, there’s another 36 that are on the fence,” Spear said. “They may decide transition into natural gas; for some it’s a good decision, for others it’s smart to cut their losses.” Natural gas has its own costs as well. Many documented instances have shown a danger in pumping natural gas. Wells designed to pump natural gas have shown a tendency to fail, causing leakage into the surrounding environments, which in turn creates hazardous environmental issues, most notably to drinking water. “While the costs and benefits between coal and natural gas remain debatable, other under-utilized energy resources remain a viable

Kenneth Redillas/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Grant Speer, a mining engineering senior, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of coal and natural gas Tuesday in Oglebay Hall. and foreseeable option that could not only become economically achievable within the next decade, but has also proved to be effective in different countries including Germany and Spain,” Spear said. Comparing insolation graphs, Spear demonstrated the potential for Solar production for the United

States. “On May 11, 2014, Germany was able to meet 74 percent of their daily demand solely on renewables, primarily solar while also using gas,” Spear said. “If the Germans are able to do it, there’s no reason we should not be able to meet the same standard here; 22.9 percent of Germany’s electrical grid

comes from solar. By contrast, gas right now in the U.S. is at 25 percent. Right now the Germans are able to do with solar what we’re trying to do with natural gas.” Spear explained while renewable energy been progressing in different countries, it has gotten off to a

see COMPARe on PAGE 2

ashley.denardo@mail.wvu.edu

Student develops way to produce cheap, renewable electricity with wind by taylor jobin staff writer @dailyathenaem

WindPax, a portable wind turbine company developed by West Virginia University students and faculty, recently received funding from a Kickstarter campaign to produce a cheap, renewable source of electricity for consumers. The campaign intended to raise merely $50,000 butreached $84,707 from 481 backers. Justin Chambers, a mechanical and aerospace engineering student, is the president, co-inventor and found of WindPax. Before Chambers joined professor James E. Smith’s class, the idea for a portable, collapsible wind turbine had floated around for nearly two years. Smith soon became the project’s academic and research mentor. It was originally developed for military applications by graduate students and Smith. Once Chambers joined the class and took on the project, Smith realized his business potential and it was decided Chambers would “champion this project

and the technology” and help prepare it for patent disclosure. To finish the team, Andrew Lowery, an adjunct professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, joined as a scientist on the project and James E. Smith II, a business administration and accounting graduate of WVU, became the head of accounting and finance. Chad C. Panther, an aerospace engineering graduate of WVU, tests the turbines in WVU’s wind tunnels and current engineering undergrad, Ephraim Pittore, rounds out the team. Although originally designed with military purposes in mind, they quickly realized the experimental wind turbine had a variety of different possible applications. “After we had the design done, we built one and tested it, then we found out it would actually be a pretty good product for campers and hikers and everyone else around the world,” Chambers said. WindPax is now looking to take the company in two main, albeit separate, directions, with the first be-

46° / 30°

UPCOMING CONCERT

INSIDE

Three bands play at 123 for Pickin’ for Progress concert A&E PAGE 6

CLOUDY

News: 1, 2 Opinion: 4 A&E: 3, 6 Sports: 7, 8, 10 Campus Connection: 5 Puzzles: 5 Classifieds: 8, 9

Windpax started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund project.

ORIGINAL GOAL: $50k ACTUAL RESULT: $84,707

Justin Chambers, shown here with his wind turbing, is a Ph. D student ing the recreational mar- ering tailgates. The second direction ket. Chambers said the product is ideal for supple- the company wants to take menting large batteries or is in the third world, speportable generators when cifically energy povertyyou go camping or hiking. stricken nations. There are He also said the portable over 1.2 billion people in turbines are great for pow- the world without access

wvpress.org

to electricity. According to Chambers, their primary source of power is burning kerosene. However, kerosene is a toxic substance and is far from an ideal power source. WindPax has a poten-

THE DA’s HIRING WRITERS Inquire about paid positions at The Daily Athenaeum at DA-editor@mail.wvu.edu or pick up an application at our office at 284 Prospect St.

CONTACT US Newsroom 304-293-5092 or DAnewsroom@mail.wvu.edu Advertising 304-293-4141 or DA-Ads@mail.wvu.edu Classifieds 304-293-4141 or DA-Classifieds@mail.wvu.edu Fax 304-293-6857

UPD MADE A MISTAKE Editorial: University officials should have sent out an emergency text alert Monday OPINION PAGE 4

tial project with the World Bank in the works. The project would help supply WindPax’s portable wind turbines to regions in need of cheap electricity.

see WINDPAX on PAGE 2

TRICKETT’S UPS & DOWNS Quarterback started strong, finished weak SPORTS PAGE 8


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