Rush to Laroush New restaurant offers a variety of Mediterranean
dishes. If that’s not your style, enjoy a piece of cheese: It’s National Cheese Day.
DAILY KENT STATER
Thursday, January 20, 2011 • The independent student newspaper of Kent State University • Weather: Snow, HI 22, LO 10
LATEST UPDATES AT KENTWIRED.COM
Sign up to receive breaking news updates from Kent State student media at KENTWIRED.COM
Gender-neutral dormitories still under debate at Kent State
Accidents happen...
Daniel Moore
dmoore63@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater While Ohio University recently announced a yearlong experiment with gender-neutral housing next fall, a similar plan at Kent State is still under debate. Ohio will be the 56th university in the country and third in the state to allow men and women to live together in the same room, the Record-Courier reported. Director of Residence Services Betsy Joseph said in an interview with the Record-Courier she expects the Social Justice Committee of Residence Services to have a proposal for gender-neutral housing ready for submission by this summer. The proposal, which Joseph would likely hand to Greg Jarvie, the vice president for Enrollment
Management and Student Affairs, would be based on research conducted last semester by the committee. Christina McVay, a faculty associate for the provost’s office, is looking at the university’s acceptance of the LGBTQ community on a larger scale. She is gathering information to submit to LGBT Campus-Friendly Climate Index, an online tool that scores how effectively a campus welcomes the LGBTQ community. Housing is only one of the eight factors the website uses to score campuses. Other factors include counseling and health, policy inclusion, support and institutional commitment. As a faculty associate, McVay said her job is to “come up with projects to recruit and retain underrepresented students.” She said she took the position with a
certain student’s story in mind. She said a student came to her and complained about harassment he was experiencing in the dorms because he was gay. “They literally felt unsafe, and it really, really bothered me,” said McVay, a lecturer in the English and Pan-African studies departments. “I don’t care how anybody feels about homosexuality. No student should have to live in a place where he or she feels unsafe.” Although Joseph said she had not heard a “specific demand” from students for gender-neutral housing and Jarvie has “not really heard students talking about it,” McVay said she received a standing ovation when she briefly mentioned the issue at a PRIDE! Kent meeting last semester.“The whole room applauded and cheered,” McVay said. See DORMS, Page 2
Vineyard Community Church celebrates final mass before closing Building to become Anonymous Relief Mission House Michelle Bair
mbair1@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater
PHOTO BY DAWN EINSEL | DAILY KENT STATER
A white Ford Escort struck the front driver’s side of a grey Chevy Aveo Wednesday. The driver of the Aveo attempted to make a left turn onto West Main Street from the right lane, said Marty Gilliland, Kent City Police officer. The collision knocked the Aveo over the curb into the eastbound lane of West Main Street, partially blocking traffic. The driver of the Chevy Aveo was taken to Robinson Memorial Hospital as a precaution.
Senior Associate Provost in final bid for position at Kennesaw State Zachary Culler
zculler@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater After a decade of service, a Kent State administrator might begin working for a different KSU — the third largest university in Georgia. In a press release yesterday, Georgia’s Kennesaw State University named Kent State’s Senior Associate Provost Timothy Chandler as one of two finalists in its search for a new provost. “I think they feel that the kind of experiences I’ve had at Kent are appropriate and pertinent to their own university,” Chandler said. Chandler, who beat out 101 fellow applicants, said he plans to visit Kennesaw State starting Jan. 20 for a final round of interviews for the position. “The goal of the provost search committee
Lights with big, old-fashioned bulbs dimly illuminate a room full of people from seniors in college to senior citizens and all the ages before and in between. The band Bethesda, one of several musicians to take the stage, passionately performs the song “I’ve found a Safe Place.” Some softly sing along, while others listen silently and sip coffee. Children frolic free-spiritedly, while a gray-bearded artist paints in the same spot he’s been painting every week since it first opened. The small side building rests
behind the Kent Stage, in the company of boxes filled with cookies, croissants, loaves of bread, pies and buns – and a sign that reads: “FREE BREAD: COME ON IN.” Members of The Vineyard Community Church gathered one last time Sunday night before the building’s ultimate transition to the Anonymous Relief Mission House. Through an ongoing financial battle, four moving periods and over a decade of serving the community, the non-traditional place of worship has touched the lives of many. Through ARM, The Vineyard has helped more than 450 families, individuals and single parents in Portage County since 2006, the year the Rev. Scott Budzar founded the organization. In the last four years alone, the church has obtained and given away over 300,000 loaves of bread and baked goods that were donated by Giant Eagle and Panera Bread, according to Budzar.
Church services at The Vineyard were not typical; in fact it was common for Budzar to cuss— demonstrating that although he is a pastor, he is not afraid to be himself. “I will never forget this girl who visited our church and asked what we were like,” Budzar said. “I told her that essentially some of us are struggling drug addicts, some of us are recovering drug addicts, some of us are professional cussers, some are professors working on their doctorates, some are stay-at-home parents, some of us are jobless, and that is who we are.” He said that girl responded with, “I could never be a part of a place as unhealthy as that.” Budzar explained that it took a little dialogue to understand where she was coming from, and it was a portrayal that the church is supposed to be “all fixed up.” See CHURCH, Page 2
has been to find a provost for Kennesaw State University who understands the complexities of a large university and who has the experience to help lead a dynamic academic institution as it continues on its upward trajectory toward national prominence,” said Arlinda Eaton, chair of the CHANDLER provost search committee, during a press release. After hearing about the job opening a few weeks before winter break, Chandler said he thought it posed great potential for his career. “It’s a place that is growing quickly and is building new programs,” he said. “The area has programs that are definitely of interest to me.” Zachary Culler is an academics reporter.
Lefton invites students to monthly lunch Next week, students will have a chance to share a meal with President Lester Lefton. A lunch will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Jan. 26 in the executive offices in the second floor of the University Library. Dining Services will cater the lunch. Scott Sherwood, student assistant in executive
offices, said this opportunity is a great experience for students and a good way to get to know the president of their university. Lefton will share one lunch with students every month, and 12 to 14 students can attend each lunch. To reserve your spot call 330-672-2210. –Jessica White and Kelly Petryszyn
MICHELLE BAIR | DAILY KENT STATER
Vineyard Community Church members enjoy a slideshow during the church’s last potluck get-together. The song “On a Sunday” plays as they reflect on the fun times they’ve shared.
Page A2 | Thursday, January 20, 2011
Daily Kent Stater
TODAY’S EVENTS n Residence Services meeting When: 9:30 a.m. Where: 318 Student Center
When: 2 p.m. Where: 309 Student Center
n Muslim
meeting When: 3:30 p.m. Where: 316 Student Center
Student Association
Prayer When: Noon Where: 308 Student Center n Voices
of Testimony Prayer
n College
of Arts & Sciences
n Cooking
Demo When: 5 p.m.
DAILY KENT STATER Where: Eastway Lower Lounge n Kent
State Freethinkers meeting When: 6 p.m. Where: 310C Student Center n PRIDE!
Kent meeting When: 8 p.m. Where: Governance Chambers
n Undergraduate Student Government Comedy Night When: 8 p.m. Where: Rathskeller
240 Franklin Hall Kent State University Kent, Ohio 44242 NewSroom 330-672-2584 Editor Regina Garcia Cano rgarcia1@kent.edu Managing editor Josh Johnston jjohns64@kent.edu
n Karaoke
When: 9 p.m. Where: Eastway Lower Lounge
Managing editor Kelly Byer kbyer@kent.edu
News
SPORTS
Assigning editors
Sports editor
lcoutre@kent.edu
Emily Inverso
cerbache@kent.edu Assistant sports editor
Kelly Petryszyn
llsowsk@kent.edu
Lydia Coutré
Have an event you want to see here? Send it to lcoutre@kent.edu by Thursday the week before.
einverso@kent.edu
K e n t W i r e d . co m
kpetrysz@kent.edu
Go to KentWired.com to see the interactive entertainment calendar. The calendar covers entertainment events on campus and in the city of Kent.
Taylor Rogers
CHURCH Vineyard Community Church celebrates final mass before closing “I told her that she was going to hate it here then,” Budzar said. “I’ve said for years that we are a burn unit. We are like the emergency room for people who are sick and tired of getting burned through churches, and it is not to say that we are any better, I just think that we have been really honest about who we are. We haven’t figured anything out better than anybody else. I think what I love most about this place is we are just not afraid to say we are jacked up.” As some may be skeptical about going to church because of the underlying stigma of being judged by the people, The Vineyard has a reputation of practicing the opposite. The human race is imperfect,
From Page 1
DORMS Gender-neutral dormitories still under debate at Kent State Trae Ruscin, president of PRIDE!, said he thinks it’s a great idea. “As a transgender student, it (gender-neutral housing) would have made my experience on-campus less stressful,” Ruscin said. “I could have lived with someone that I identified with more.” Ruscin said the change could benefit everyone by taking the pressure off any student who may feel more comfortable in a genderneutral setting. Mike Kosareo, a senior cellular molecular biology major, said he
and this church welcomed that. “The primary focus of The Vineyard is to love others,” said Jonathan Capps, who lives in Stow and has been an active member of The Vineyard since it started. “Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors,” Capps said. “They need love too.” Capps said there is no feeling like being able to provide for someone who needs it. Heather Smith-Kirkpatrick and her husband Josh Smith went to The Vineyard for close to four years. They are in charge of bread runs, being two of numerous Vineyard volunteers. Smith-Kirkpatrick said she will miss the people and the get-togethers. “It is one of the very few places, church-wise, where I feel comfortable just coming and not having to put on a mask where I’ve got it all together,” Smith-Kirkpatrick said. Michelle Bair is a public affairs reporter. doesn’t fully understand the point of the change and would want to make sure the university carefully considered every part of it. “I just don’t think a lot of people would use it,” he said. One question Kosareo said he had is how bathrooms would work on a residence hall floor with the gender-neutral option. McVay said the university needs to look at the big picture as well because, “Kent does not have a really good record” of accepting the LGBT community. She said others have described Kent as a “closeted campus” and “neutral at best” when it comes to tolerance. “We’ve got a ways to go,” she said.
University Press releases limitededition Civil War memorabilia Megan Wilkinson
mwilki11@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Kent State University Press released two designs of limited-edition collector plates to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this month. The forged aluminum plates measure six-inches in diameter. One of the plates depicts the first shots fired during the war at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, and the other plate is a telegram message Secretary of Treasury John A. Dix sent to Colonel William Jones in 1861. This is the first time the University Press has released collector plates, said Director Will Underwood. “We don’t generally do merchandise, so this is something new for us,” Underwood said. Carol Heller, administrative assistant at the University Press, came up with the idea for the plates. She said she felt the plates would be a good product to bring more revenue into the department because of the success of its Civil War History journals. The journals are scholarly works about the American Civil War that have been published quarterly for the past 60 years. “The plates are all unique,” Heller
said. “They’re very nice quality and are attractive. They make a good conversation piece, too.” Heller said the plates are all handmade by Wendell August Forge in Brockway, Pa. The company specializes in making hand-wrought ornamental metal-ware and other gifts in aluminum. The University Press will sell 1,000 copies of each plate until the inventory is gone. Underwood said if the product is successful, the University Press intends to release two new plates each year through 2015 to celebrate the anniversary of the Civil War. Heller said the University Press is still deciding what designs to use for the next four years if the department chooses to continue making the plates. “At the moment, we want to use the revenue to pay off our bills,” Heller said. “Then it will go back into the Press. We would like to build up our staff and hire some interns.” The plates are currently on display in the showcase by the elevators on the first floor of the library. Underwood said he recommends the plates to collectors and history fanatics. He said they make a nice memento. Megan Wilkinson is a general assignment reporter.
Lance Lysowski OPINION
trogers@kent.edu
Opinion editor
Nicole Stempak
ralshari@kent.edu
nstempak@kent.edu
From Page 1
Cody Erbacher
Jessica White
jwhite83@kent.edu
Rabab Al-Sharif Visuals Photo editor
City editor
Rachel Kilroy
asmith75@kent.edu
Assistant photo editor
rkilroy@kent.edu
Allison Smith Copy desk chief
Hannah Potes
jshore2@kent.edu
Design director
Jennifer Shore
hpotes@kent.edu
Kentwired editor
Stefanie Romba
fyonkof@kent.edu
A.L.L. design editor
Frank Yonkof
sromba@kent.edu
Kate Penrod
Features/A.L.L. editor
kpenrod1@kent.edu Lead page designer
llofgren@kent.edu
sscanes@kent.edu
Features
Laura Lofgren
Sara Scanes
Assistant Features/A.L.L. editor
Nicole Aikens
naikens@kent.edu
AdvertIsing 330-672-2586 Sales Manager Rachel Polchek 330-672-0888 Account executive
Michelle Bair
330-672-2697 Account executive
Korie Culleiton
330-672-2697 Account executive
Bethany English
330-672-2590 Account executive
Katie Kuczek
Account executive
Nicole Lade
330-672-2585 Broadcast and magazine representative
Paul Gimmel
330-672-2585 Online representative
Kevin Collins 330-672-3251
330-672-2590
Student media 330-672-2586 Manager
Classifieds ad manager
Lori Cantor
Kelly Pickerel
Tami Bongiorni
Carl Schierhorn
Chris Sharron
Susan Kirkman Zake
330-672-0887, lcantor@kent.edu Advertising manager
330-672-0883, kpickere@kent.edu Stater adviser
330-672-6306, tbongior@kent.edu Production manager
330-672-8286, cschierh@kent.edu Newsroom Adviser
330-672-0886, csharron@kent.edu Business officer
330-329-5852, szake@kent.edu
Norma Young
330-672-0884, njyoung1@kent.edu
CORRECTIONS The Daily Kent Stater recognizes the responsibility to correct errors that occur in the newspaper. When errors occur in the newspaper, corrections will appear in this space as promptly as possible.
Daniel Moore is the diversity reporter.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
In Wednesday’s story, “Contribute to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore,” it was reported the ReStore is open from Tuesday to Thursday. The store is actually open from Tuesday to Saturday. The mistake occurred in the editing process.
Bible scholar to speak about new book Michaela Write
mwrite@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater A renowned biblical scholar, Bart Ehrman, will speak at 7 p.m. in the Kiva. Thursday’s lecture is based on his most recent book, “Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible ( a n d W h y We D o n ’ t K n o w About Them).” The book is written from a scholar’s perspective, Ehrman said. “Many people think of the Bible as a completely perfect book, and this talk will be showing how there are different points of view, and even discrepancies in it,”
Ehrman said. “Scholars have long known about this, but the lecture and the book it’s based on will show why they think so in terms accessible to the non-scholarly but interested reader.” David Odell-Scott, chair of Kent State’s Philosophy Department and Religion Studies coordinator, has followed Ehrman’s work for years. “He approaches biblical text as a historical critic and has a lot of interest in ancient manuscripts,” Odell-Scott said. Ehrman is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has published more than 20 books. Ehrman is a graduate of Wheaton College and received
his master ’s and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Semin a r y. H e h a s appeared on “The Colbert Report,” NPR and CNN. EHRMAN T h e re w i l l be a reception and book signing following the lecture. Ehrman’s visit is sponsored by the Religious Studies program, Philosophy Department, Department of History, Modern and Classical Language Studies, English and the College of Arts and Sciences. Michaela Write is the religion reporter.
visiting venice ANTHONY VENCE | DAILY KENT STATER
A local Kent resident enjoys a late night stroll to the Venice Cafe in downtown Kent Wednesday.
Thursday, January 20, 2011 | Page A3
OPINION
Daily Kent Stater
The Opinion Page is an outlet for our community’s varied opinions. Submit letters to: Letters to the Editor Daily Kent Stater 240 Franklin Hall/ KSU Kent, Ohio 44242 ■ stater@kent.edu Subject: Letters to the Editor ■ Fax: (330) 672-5064 ■ Be sure to include your phone number.
ABOUT THE OPINION PAGE The Stater hopes to encourage lively debate about the issues of the day on the Opinion Page. Opinions on this page are the authors’ and not necessarily endorsed by the Stater or its editors. Readers are encouraged to participate through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions become property of the Stater and may be edited for mechanics, Associated Press style and length without notice. Letters should not exceed 350 words and guest columns should not exceed 550 words.
DKS EDITORIAL BOARD Regina Garcia Cano Editor Josh Johnston Managing editor Rabab Al-Sharif Forum editor
Laura Lofgren Features team leader/A.L.L. editor Lydia Coutre Assigning editor Hannah Potes Assistant photo editor
FAMOUS QUOTE “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford
■
our
SUMMARY: Senior Associate Provost Tim Chandler may leave Kent State for a job at a Georgia University. Chandler has led several initiaves that have benefited undergraduate students. His possible departure would create a deep gap at the provost’s office.
VIEW Chandler would be difficult to replace
S
ince January 2009, Kent State has implemented a series of reforms in the hopes of enhancing the educational experience of its undergraduate students. Among the changes are the comprehensive revision of the Liberal Education Requirements and the revamping of the freshman orientation experience. Various members of the Office of the Provost coordinated the changes across the university, but the person leading these efforts was Senior Associate Provost Tim Chandler. Thanks to Chandler, LERs have been streamlined, and students will face less troubles should they choose to switch majors. He should also be credited for creating Destination Kent State Advising and Registration, a system that brings incoming freshmen to campus one weekend dur-
ing the summer to register for classes. The new program replaced the 22-year-old Placement, Advising and Scheduling System, which brought prospective students to campus during spring semester. In other words, this single administrator has made your educational experience better. In a university where planners abound, but doers lack, Chandler has taken the responsibility of accomplishing tasks, from which many other administrators would have walked away. But unfortunately for Kent State — students in particular — Chandler may be leaving the university in the near future. He is one of two finalists who could become Kennesaw State University’s provost. Chandler will be visiting Kennesaw, located 30 miles northwest of Atlanta, Fri-
day for an in-person interview and campus tour. With 22,500 students, Kennesaw is slightly smaller than Kent State. Chandler has a remarkable reputation among faculty and staff. He is known for his strong work ethic and is well-respected by his peers. His accomplishments should serve as an example for other administrators. This possible career advancement would certainly be gratifying for Chandler, but his departure would create a deep void at the provost office. A man with more than 27 years of experience in higher education and roughly 20 years at Kent State will be difficult to replace.
The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board whose members are listed to the left.
JIM LIGHTCAP’S VIEW
DID YOU KNOW? Minutes after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as the 40th president of the United States, the 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, are released, ending the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis. — Source: history.com
Say ‘yes’ to unions
It seems popular today to attack labor unions. You name it, they have been blamed for it. The recent financial struggles in the American automobile industry were blamed on United Auto Workers. The mass exodus of the U.S. manufacturing jobs to Mexico, China and India was also blamed on those silly workers. However, unions are a force for good in this country, and they are being made into a scapegoat for America’s economic woes. Those who point the finger at unions for America’s economic decline over the past few decades do not realize that unions have become increasingly weak since the 1980s when President Ronald Reagan began his war against unionized workers. When looking back to what many consider the golden age of organized labor, the 1940s to the 1960s, they would see the rise of the American middle class. In fact, according to former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, in 1955 a third of working Americans were unionized. The unions didn’t cause a collapse of industry; on the contrary, they caused a boom, and prosperity was abundant throughout the country. Americans had fair wages and access to health benefits. Now that the unions have shrunk, the opponents of workers’ rights are on the move. The most common stereotype I hear is that of the lazy union worker who sits around for most of the day and gets paid $20 an hour to push a broom. This is one of the biggest falsehoods out there. If anyone has ever visited a factory, they would see people working hard in very undesirable conditions. Another false concept is the idea of the greedy union worker. However, in the case of the car companies, it was the union workers who made concessions to help
Bryan Staul keep the companies afloat. We can also thank the labor union movement for several things we take for granted: the 40-hour workweek, safe working conditions and pensions. In the age of Wall Street getting more help than Main Street, united workers are the last bastions of Middle America. It is high time we stop the concepts of trickle-down economics and start to protect America’s most important assets: the working class that acts as the fuel of America’s economic engine. In terms of wages, union workers do make a fair amount, but is it really a bad thing that we put more money in the hands of America’s consumers? It is also notable that unions played an integral role in the civil rights movement because of their calls for economic justice. In fact, Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers’ strike the day he was killed. Lawmakers should reopen the opportunity for workers to organize instead of allowing some employers to continue practicing union busting. If America wants to stop the shrinking of the middle class, then we need to empower working Americans, and unions are the best tools to do so. Bryan Staul is a sophomore political science major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at bstaul@kent.edu.
HEY YOU! WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US? > Write us a letter. (The address is above.)
> Leave a comment at KentWired.com. > Be a guest columnist.
Enough with the flash mobs I’m sure everyone has seen a million YouTube videos of people going into public places and starting a synchronized dance or singing Christmas carols. These “flash mobs” have been everywhere lately, and I think they’re getting out of hand. I never paid attention to any of the flash mobs until one story on The Today Show caught my eye. For those of you who don’t know, the official definition of a flash mob is “a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and pointless act for a brief time, then disperse.” And by official, I mean from Wikipedia. I mean, sure, they started off original and fun; however, they’re slowly moving more towards inconvenient and attention whoring. I wasn’t too furious about these flash mobs until I saw the news story about a couple in Boston who decided to ditch the conventional church wedding and get hitched in Boston’s Prudential Center Mall. Now sure, this is a fun, romantic way to get married, but other than that, it’s just annoying. I hate going to the mall as much
Dylan Lusk as any sane person does. You always seem to run into people you don’t want to see, there’s always Chinese food samples being thrown in your face, and there’s always some lady screaming at her kid. It’s just awkward. I do enjoy going to weddings, but those take some planning. I don’t want to just end up at a wedding. Sometimes you go to the mall to return some ugly sweater, and you just want to get in and out. You can’t just be thrown into a life-changing ceremony. The groom was quoted as saying, “People came to the mall on their normal trajectories, and the idea was to hit them with a little bit of magic.”
That’s not magic; that’s just rude. If you can actually see through this “creative” flash mob idea, you see the truth: They really just didn’t have anyone RSVP to their real wedding. No one wants to have a huge church rented out for a wedding, and the only people that show up are your dad and his new younger girlfriend. So why not just go into a public place already full of spectators? I was thinking about doing the same thing. I could just go into the Student Center and read my column aloud. That’s a free audience. That way I can tell someone later that all of those people read my column. That’s not annoying; that’s just a loophole. I’m not one to talk because my wedding is going to have fireworks, smoke machines, a moon bounce, etc., but at least I will give people the option of going to it. Maybe I’m just a lot more polite than people from Boston. Dylan Lusk is a sophomore electronic media production major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. You can reach him at dlusk2@kent.edu.
Ball’s in your court, Haiti. Make the right move When an exiled dictator attempts to valiantly return to his native land, he’s sure to raise more than a few eyebrows. The startling news on Sunday that Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier touched down on Haitian soil, after 25 years of exile in France, definitely raised both of mine. His reason for return is a mystery, swirled by speculation. Duvalier became “president for life” of Haiti in 1971 after his father, François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, handed over control. During his 15 years as president, Duvalier is accused of funneling millions of dollars into offshore bank accounts and according to Human Rights Watch, thousands of Haitians were killed and tortured and hundreds of thousands fled into exile. In 1986, Duvalier was exiled from surmounting political protests and international pressure. Since his shocking return, human rights activists across the globe are calling for Haiti to prosecute Duvalier and hold him accountable for his crimes. My biggest concern is whether or not Haiti’s government is stable enough to carry out the task. The country hasn’t exactly had a calm political environment since Duvalier left. He wasn’t the last president to be exiled, either. That would be Jean-Bertrand Aristide,
Kyle McDonald as recent as 2004. Within the past year Haiti has also experienced a devastating earthquake, cholera epidemic and an unresolved presidential election. Duvalier’s comeback is certainly a bold move—he picked a hell of a time to show his face. As I see it, his return serves as an opportunity to capitalize on a struggling nation torn apart by years of political instability, natural disaster, disease and extreme poverty. Time has passed since he shamefully departed Haiti and perhaps he hoped that by now, when more than half of Haitians are too young to remember his rule, the crimes faded from the memory of Haitian citizens. After his return, Duvalier stated, “I wanted to show them my solidarity; to tell them that I am here. I am well disposed and determined to participate in the rebirth of Haiti.” Maybe Duvalier believes he can portray
himself as a hero coming to the help of his destabilized country. He even made the honorable gesture of donating $8 million to humanitarian aid to for Haitian relief — money that he his accused of taking from the country in the first place. Then again, maybe the man needs a job after he and his now ex-wife ran around the globe spending Haitian money before she eventually divorced him and scored a fat stack of alimony. Maybe he wants to take advantage of a weak judicial system and a violent political climate where Haitians don’t know who to trust to run their government. Like I said, speculations are swirling. Whatever the reason may be behind Duvalier’s return, I firmly believe that Haiti needs to hold him accountable for his actions. If they can successfully prosecute Duvalier, some faith in a fair system could be restored in the Haitian people, while hopefully shutting the door for good on a repressive regime. If unsuccessful, I fear that Haiti’s history of struggle will continue to repeat itself. Kyle McDonald is a senior magazine journalism major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at kmcdona3@kent.edu.
Page A4 | Thursday, January 20, 2011
POLICE BLOTTER The blotter is a record of charges filed by the police. The listings do not represent convictions or reflect guilt. It is the Daily Kent Stater’s policy to publish on-campus and off campus arrests, charges and incidents of interest to the public.
Daily Kent Stater
CAMPUS
TUESDAY n Evan J. Loftus, 20, of Madison, was
arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia at Wright Hall. n
Justin D. Rooks, 20, of Geneva, was
arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia at Wright Hall.
KSU Athletics gives away trip The Kent State Athletic Department will reward Kent State students for attending winter sporting events this semester. The university will give away a trip for two to see the Kent State football team play the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium Sept. 3. Every time a student attends a winter sporting event and signs in with FLASHperks, the participating events are men’s basketball, women’s basketball, gymnastics, wres-
tling and track and field, the student will be entered for a chance to win two plane tickets, hotel accommodations and two tickets to the season opener. Students who attend the most winter sporting events have the best chance to win. The winner will be announced at the Kent State men’s basketball game against Akron on March 4 or 5. — Lance Lysowski, assistant sports editor
Men’s basketball falls to Buffalo
Rachel Jones
rjones62@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Despite a 69-66 victory over Ohio University on Jan. 11, the Kent State men’s basketball team could not put together two road victories in a row Wednesday night. The Flashes fell to Buffalo 79-54, bringing them to a 2-2 split in the Mid-American Conference. Although the teams appeared evenly matched and played two, three-minute periods without either team scoring, Kent State coach Geno Ford said the Flashes went downhill “shortly after the tip.” Kent State made its mark with 18:55 left in the first half, pulling ahead 3-2. But Buffalo (10-6, 2-2 MAC) regained the lead 30 seconds later and did not let go.
“It was one of those games where we kept fighting uphill the whole time,” Ford said. “We did not make a single run, and that’s the disappointing thing.” With the seconds slipping off the clock, junior guard Carlton Guyton sank a 3-point jumper, closing Buffalo’s lead to 43-31 at the half. Just when it looked like new life hit the Kent State bench, Buffalo stretched the gap with its biggest lead of 27 points with 7:55 left in the game. “We never put them under any game pressure,” Ford said. “They were scoring on us with a high percentage, and then we couldn’t execute anything.” Scoring with the highest percentage for Buffalo was Byron Mulkey, who totaled 27 points against the Flashes. Ford said Mulkey, who sank
Women’s basketball defeats Zips By Matt Lofgren
mlogren@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Kent State (14-3) cruised to a convincing 72-55 win over rival Akron (8-9, 1-4 MAC) Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center as the team improves to 5-0 in the MAC East. After two tight contests that ended in one point victories for the Flashes against Ohio and Bowling Green, the team was able to pull off a solid win and continue its winning ways at home with an unblemished 8-0 mark. Senior leadership is in high supply for the Flashes as four senior starters were in double figures, lead in all scoring by Taisja Jones (17). The team had another strong performance by Jamilah Humes who had 15, and looked good all night.
Senior Stephanie Gibson’s big 3-pointer to extend the score to 12-6 was a big momentum shift for the Flashes and, with a time out, took the wind right out of the Zips’ sails. With the shift in scoring, the Flashes could concentrate more on defending the Akron shooters who were suffocated all night. For one of only a couple occasions this season, the three-point shot proved to be a weapon for the Flashes. As a whole, the team shot 7-of-14 from beyond the arc with Stephanie Gibson, Chenel Harris and Jones hitting a pair apiece. Coach Bob Lindsay kept his foot on the gas most of the first half, but a young resilient Akron team would respond as the Zips managed to hang around. For the Flashes, their largest lead of the first half was four minutes before half as the team was up 11. After
that point though, the Flashes became ice cold from the field missing several straight shots and letting the Zips right back into the game before half. Going into halftime, the Flashes had to keep the pressure on, only holding onto a 34-30 lead. “We made some defensive adjustments at halftime. We tried to play a little bit differently and try and play a couple of people a little bit differently,” Lindsay said. What ever his halftime speech was, the Flashes responded well by attacking the basket right away to start the half on a Humes bucket 10 seconds in, setting the tone offensively for the rest of the half. “It was a good second-half effort on our part. I thought we picked it up a little bit defensively, obviously made a run, broke it open and for the most part main-
tained a lead,” Lindsay said. The Flashes saw their biggest lead at the end of the game when Iris Butcher hit a jumper to push the lead to 72-51. Harris had one of her best games of the season collecting a double-double with 10 points and 11 hard-fought rebounds. “Our main goal is just to come in and crash the boards,” Harris said. “On any given day, I could run in and just not get any rebounds. You just never know where the ball is going to bounce, but I was blessed today the ball bounced into my hands so I was happy, and it feels great to do that against our rival.” The Flashes will travel to Ball State to take on the (7-10, 2-2 MAC West) Cardinals at 1 p.m. Saturday. Matt Lofgren is a sports reporter. Megann Galehouse Daily Kent Stater
Senior forward Taisja Jones lays up a basket during the game Wednesday night against Akron.
five 3-pointers in the first half, is Buffalo’s key offensive player. “Every time he got it, he buried us,” Ford said. Sophomore guard Randal Holt buried the ball for the Flashes with a team-high 16 points. 10 of those made up the first 12 points of the game. Junior forward Justin Greene was close behind with 15 points, and junior guard Michael Porrini contributed with nine points, including a 3-pointer with 6:12 left in the game. Porrini, one of the top MAC players in steals, contributed to the team’s total of 11. While the steals forced 21 turnovers on the Bulls, Kent State failed to block any Buffalo shots. Buffalo’s Mitchell Watt led the Bulls with eight blocks, which Ford said rattled the Flashes. “When you get a couple shots
blocked, guys tend to move a little faster,” Ford explained. “(Watt) blocked eight times, but you also have all of those possessions where we could’ve had baskets, but just him being five feet around (the rim) bothered us.” The lethal combination of Watt and Mulkey led to the most points any team has scored on the Flashes (11-7, 2-2 MAC) this season. Ford said even with Kent State’s off performance, the Bulls still would have ended the night with a victory. “That’s the best we’ve had a team play against us all year,” Ford said. “I thought they played at a very high level. We didn’t play well, but they played (at a level) that it would have been hard to have a chance.” Rachel Jones is a sports reporter.
Daily Kent Stater
For information about placing a Display ad please call our offices at 330-672-2586 or visit us at 205 Franklin Hall, Kent State University. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
CLASSIFIEDS
Thursday, January 20, 2011 | Page A5
Classified ads can be placed by FAX at ( 330) 672-4880, over the phone at (330) 672-2586 or by e-mail at ksuads@yahoo.com. If you fax or e-mail an ad, please be sure to include run dates, payment info and a way for us to contact you.
www.KentWired.com
Employment COMEDY CLUB IN THE RATT COME AND LAUGH... Thursdays 8pm Free to KSU students Sponsored by USG Programming Are you a Kent State student interested in entering a raffle for a chance to win a $200 book scholarship? Stop by the table in the Student Center Jan. 24-28 between 12-2 MWF or 5-7 TR to sign up! THE PLACE IS RAY’S
RAY’S Tonight 6PM till close, come in and register to win a Les Paul Studio Guitar sponsored by Monster — Drink Monster Tonight at RAY’S Win Win Win RAY’S Thurs Night Drink Labatts 25 cent pints, 2.95 Talls, register to win a Labatt’s cooler and a Labatt’s Chair — plus many other drink specials = RAY’s RAY’S Thurs Night Drink Labatts 25 cent pints, 2.95 Talls, register to win a Labatt’s cooler and a Labatt’s Chair — plus many other drink specials = RAY’s CONNECT. ENGAGE. ACHIEVE. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (USG) 19 elected 6 appointed positions APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE - 226 KSC Info: usg@kent.edu or 330-672-3207
Babysitter wanted occasional weekday mornings. Hudson. Experience and references please. 330-653-5230
An awesome summer job in Maine! If you’re looking to spend this summer outdoors, have fun while you work, and make lifelong friends, then look no further. Camp Mataponi, a children’s summer camp, has positions available in Land Sports (lacrosse, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, field hockey), Waterfront (sailing, canoeing, waterskiing, life guarding, WSI, boat drivers), Ropes Course, Tennis, H.B. Riding, Arts & Crafts, Theater, Dance, Gymnastics, Video, Photography, Nurses, Maintenance, Cooking and more. Top salaries plus room/board & travel provided. Call us today, 561748-3684 or apply online at www. campmataponi.com PLAY SPORTS! HAVE FUN! SAVE MONEY! Maine camp needs fun-loving counselors to teach All land, adventure & water sports. Great Summer! Call 888-844-8080, apply: campcedar.com Attendant for female w/ disability. Mornings and early evenings available. Able to drive van. 330678-7747 PART-TIME EVENINGS We are looking for dependable people. Evenings 4-9PM. We offer flexible schedule and No Weekends. No experience necessary, call Joy after 2PM at 330-650-6011. Help with iPhone App Development Needed. Preferred skills: Strong math background including quaternion, experience with Xcode and C++, OpenGL/OpenGLes Pay up to $20.00/per hour Part time, could lead to full time permanent position 330-671-3465 or please send resume to jspeegle@neo.rr.com Christine Galvin Desgin, a website design studio located in Hudson, OH, is looking for a Marketing/ Communications Intern. This is a paid, 10-week internship. We will work around your schedule (10-15 hours/week) and help you develop the portfolio you need to thrive in today’s job market. Visit http://www.cgalvin.com/jobs.php for details. Application deadline: Monday, January 24.
By Nancy Black Today’s birthday (01/20/11) This year, the waves are strong. Learn to ride them. Capture their energy for sustainable living. A female (a mermaid?) will make a great difference in your life. She will be a muse for your new creative endeavors. Listen closely to what she has to say. She understands.
Buyer Beware! We make every effort to screen for fraudulent advertising, however, we cannot guarantee the veracity of the advertisers and their messages in this section. It is important for consumers to respond to any advertisement with the utmost caution.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 5. Today’s the perfect day to let your creativity fly with friends, children or both. Your artistic talents are appreciated, and someone’s surprised.
FREE HEAT
RAY’S Tonight 6PM till close, come in and register to win a Les Paul Studio Guitar sponsored by Monster — Drink Monster Tonight at RAY’S Win Win Win RAY’S Tonight 6PM till close, come in and register to win a Les Paul Studio Guitar sponsored by Monster — Drink Monster Tonight at RAY’S Win Win Win
horoscope
$8-10/hour doing maintenance cleaning for office. As little as 6 hour/week. Must have reliable transportation. To apply call 330338-3237 and schedule an interview.
Affordable Housing! 1BR $451 2BR $487 3BR $656 -On Busline -Laundry Facility -Secured Buildings -Appliances included -Free Gas, Heat & Water
CALL 330-678-0761
Hrs. M-F, 9-5. Sat, by appt. only. leasing@mjmmanagement.com 1214 ANITA DR., #101 EHO TTY711 special expires 02/28/11
LUXURY 4-BEDROOM large, clean, all appliances + FREE washer/dryer. 330-714-0819
All real estate advertised herin is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” State and local laws forbid discrimination based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you feel you have been wrongfully denied housing or discriminated against, call the FHAA at 330-253-2450 for more information. NO WATER BILL! NO GAS BILL! 4&5 bedroom duplex available for Fall 2011 Near campus and bus route Starting at $350/month per bedroom Call Sweeney: 330-267-9336 Shrewsberry Rentals 4 and 6 bedrooms. 4 bedrooms $1475. 6 bedrooms $2,100. Trash, sewer, and recycling paid. 330-221-2881 Kent near downtown and campus 2 bedroom apartment, all utilities paid except electric, $350/bedroom + security deposit. (330) 676-9440 Efficiency and 1 bdrm apartments available now. Heat included! Call 330-678-0746 Hurry!!! Efficiency apartments still left. Call 330-678-0123 $100 OFF 1ST MONTH’S RENT Kent: 2-3 bdrm spacious apt. move in now Call 330-678-0823 NOW LEASING FOR FALL 5,4,2,1 bedroom Houses. Efficiency. Good Location Near KSU. Call 330-734-8350 Kent$525,
Quiet 1, 2&3 bedroom. $590, $780. 330-677-5577
WHITEHALL EAST TOWNHOMES 4/5 bedrooms, 3 bath CONDO. AFFORDABLE rent options with utilities included starting at $365/ mo. Newly renovated, flooring, all appliances included, lighted parking and entrances, on the Campus bus line, near rec center. Get your group and call 330.689.8888. www.whitehalleast.com
2 BR - 2 Bath spacious duplex Olympus Drive- off Loop Close to Campus - $720 419-357-4897 jgfrederick78@yahoo. com
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 7. Don’t be so focused on the details that you miss the beautiful big picture. The appreciation of a partner or loved one gives you a significant boost. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 7. Money comes easier than normal today. Take advantage of this by diving into the work. A friend needs some pampering, and you’re happy to give it. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7. Your artistic talents are at a peak today. The world feeds and inspires you. Others may get a bit jealous. Make your optimism contagious, and share it abundantly.
Rent
Rent
For 2011-12: One Month Free Close to Campus 2 huge apartments, licensed, private parking, large yard, large front porch. 4 bedroom $1400/$350 each. 4/5 bedroom $1500, $300-$375 each. (330) 6263957
TOTALLY AWESOME HOUSE 2 roommates needed for Fall to share house with females. Completely remodeled. New everything. Beautiful, energy efficient, spacious rooms, washer, dryer, central a/c, plenty of parking. This is a non-smoking house. NO PETS. One year lease. $405 each per month plus utilities. 330-6783489.
Kent 2/3 bedroom heat, water, and trash included. $575/$700. 330-472-9671. KENT RENTALS 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Call Rich 330-730-4004. Seeking 1 student to occupy bedroom in renovated 5 bedroom University Town Home. For the balance of current semester through august 15th. Great value, call evenings 440-622-3630. University Townhomes and Whitehall East Townhomes 4/5 bedroom townhomes available for Fall 2011. All utilities included, starting at $340. 440-336-6761 www.kenttownhomes.com.
Rooms Available for Fall 1 block from campus. 224 South Willow Street. $350/mo. Includes ALL utilities incl. cable and internet. Non-Smoking House. Chris Myers 330-678-6984 Available now, clean, spacious, 2BR, 1.5BA, no pets, go to www. lincolnwoodrentals.com or call 330835-7737. SAVE $$$ Leasing for Fall, beautiful, newly redecorated, 2 bedroom apartment. FREE gas, water and trash. $275/ student. 330-687-6122.
Whitehall East Town Homes AKA “The New Town Homes” Whitehall Blvd. off Summit Now taking apps for Fall 2011 *5b/3ba *All Appliances Included *Dishwasher, Washer, Dryer *Lighted Parking *Many units with all newer flooring Rent plans starting at $290/person/ month Ask about the all-inclusive plans Call or text 330-990-4019 www.whitehall-east.com Spacious 4&5 bedrooms houses with 2 full baths. Great condition, great location, A/C, W/D, dishwasher, deck, garage. Several units available: -Deluxe 4/5 bedroom units. $360 per room. -All inclusive, $350 per room. -University Townhouse. $275 per room.
Now Leasing for Fall 3 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom, Beautiful, Newly Redecorated twinplexes, 1 Block from KSU, 330-687-6122 Now Leasing for Fall, a beautiful newer condo, 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath, double car garage, central air, backyard deck with great view. $375/ student. 330-687-6122 UNIVERSITY TOWN HOMES 4-5 bedrooms 2.5 baths W/D Newly remodeled. ALL utilities included. $340/mo/bdrm. www.university-townhomes.com 440-708-2372 HIDDEN PINES Town homes 4 bedrooms 2 bath. W/D. ALL utilities included. $365/mo/bdrm www.hidden-pines.com 440-708-2372 Now Leasing for Fall. Kent 6-8 bedroom houses. Close to campus. 330-626-5910.
330-808-4045 2 bedroom apartment, 1.5 Baths, central air, fireplace, attached garage, no pets, $650 + utilities, Cuyahoga Falls (330) 923-6401
Buckeye Parks Mgmt. Serving Kent for over 30 years 2011-2012 Leases 1,2,3,4 bdrm apts 3&4 bdrm townhomes 5,6 bdrm apts Some include utilities Prices starting at $375 per room 330-678-3047 BuckeyeParksMgmt.com
One bedroom apartment. Half a block from campus, private parking, all utilities paid, Cable. $475/month. Available Now. Call 330-931-0434 KENT RENTALS 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Call Rich 330-730-4004.
Leasing for fall, newer 5 bedroom 2 bathroom house. Huge private yard, large deck, close to campus $1600/ mo. Call Mike 330-554-3976 Kent- 1 bedroom upstairs. $400 + utilities. 330-673-3151 after 6pm. Kent- 2 bedroom upstairs $550 +utilities W/D hookup. 330-673-3151 after 6pm Leasing for Fall: South Lincoln St. Condo. 2 bedroom 1.5 bath. No pets, heat included. $725/mo. 216-524-0745
R
3 BR - 2 Bath spacious duplex Olympus Drive - off Loop Close to Campus - $800 419-357-4897 jgfrederick78@yahoo. com
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is an 8. Arguments may arise at work. Don’t get hooked. Take care of your home, your family and especially of your personal well-being. Get plenty of rest.
e
n
ROOMMATE NEEDED NOW PRIVATE in nice 4 bedroom twinplex with three graduate guys. $400 all inclusive. 5 minute drive to KSU. Free Washer/Dryer. 330-714-0819 One roommate needed ASAP to share condo immediately. Rent at $285/month. 330.689.8888 www.whitehalleast.com
t
KENT/BRIMFIELD. Newer 3, 4, & 5 Bdrm duplexes. 1 car garage. $900$1200 per month. 330-338-5841 or 330-329-1118 kentarearentals.com Room for rent on S. Water Street in Kent. Close to downtown and bus service. $245/month includes utilities and parking. No Pets. Call 330-678-3536
Clean4U Cleaning services for profs, students, etc. by KSU students. Reasonable rates. Ruth: 330-860-0326
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6. Focus your affections on yourself today. Indulge your passions. Your artistic talent flourishes, and you find beauty in everything. Give thanks. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6. Write a love letter to someone far away. Then just love the one you’re with. Younger people offer pleasant surprises and are grateful for your attention. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 7. Focus your creative energy on growing your pot of gold. It’s adventure time. Notice any challenges, but don’t be stopped by them. Use your fire sword. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is an 8. Travel plans may change, so be flexible. Consider a long trip, better shared with a loved one. The future looks bright, and you’re in charge.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 6. Communication is key, and you have that key. It’s a great day for marketing and bringing in money from new sources. “No” shows what’s missing for “yes.” Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 9. Not everything is real. or is it? Think before you jump to conclusions. Friends help you make an important connection. They can see behind you. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7. More work is coming in. Don’t act impulsively about something you’ll later regret. Your goals will seem clear for the next four weeks.
Page A6 | Thursday, January 20, 2011
Daily Kent Stater
YOUR LIFE Features editor: Laura Lofgren • E-mail: llofgren@kent.edu
Kent State students personalize their sound from the ground up Rachel Hagenbaugh rhagenba@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater
SUBMITTED PHOTO
ABOVE: Kent State Orchestra oboists buy their own reed cane to make reeds from scratch. Each reed lasts for about seven or eight hours of playing time. BELOW: Arundo donax, or giant reed, is a special type of plant used to make reeds for oboes and bassoons.
There is much more to being an oboe player than most people would think. They not only play their instruments, but most also make their own reeds. Kent State’s oboists now have the opportunity to start growing their own reed canes to produce the best sound the Kent State Orchestra has ever played. Oboists and bassoonists are the only members of the band who make their own reeds, said Bryan Read, secondyear graduate oboe performance major. “Our reeds are very temperamental because one that worked yesterday might not work today,” Read said. The barometric pressure has much to do with how the reed will play. Read said the oboists need to make different reeds for different pressures. On average, one reed will last six to seven hours of playing time, so it’s “all about consistency,” Read said. Some of the Kent State oboists are also taking a one-hour per week class to perfect their reed-making skills. “It’s like ‘Project Runway,’ but
instead of critiquing clothes, you’re cri- a groundskeeper took the cane from Kent State and planted it here because tiquing reeds,” Read said. The students involved in the extra he was a member of the Kent Garden class meet with a professor and spend Club. Zuchniak planned to have the that time adjusting their reeds to try and cane removed but allowed Sundet find the perfect balance of sound; Read and her students to take what they said it makes it much easier when the wanted first. A lot of people don’t professor is right there to help you fix realize what the cane really is, Read said. They assume the canes are the problem. Reed cane, also called Arundo weeds and want them removed. “It’s exciting to see it first-hand donax, grows mostly in tropical conditions in Asia, Africa, California and the as an organic product,” Sundet said. Caribbean, said Justin Bannon, first-year She also took one root ball from the graduate oboe performance major. The farm and planted it at the back of oboists buy the cane and begin to make her property. Sundet currently has two bundles the reeds from scratch. They use a razor blade to cut the cane down the middle. of cane from Morningstar Farm that are in her garage Then the oboists cut harvesting. The the cane down to harvesting process the size they need. includes cutting the Next, the oboists It’s like ‘Project cane, planting the begin shaving different edges of the reed Runway,’ but instead root ball, cutting the cane from the ground according to their of critiquing and allowing it to dry preference. Bannon out for two years at a said it’s difficult to clothes, you’re specific temperature. mimic the sound of critiquing reeds. Sundet and her professional oboists students will not be because what works Bryan Read able to experiment for them would not graduate Oboe necessarily work performance major w i t h t h e f re s h l y grown reeds until for him. Spring 2013, but she “You have a general guideline for the thickness and said she hopes this will become an shaving of the reed, but after that, you ongoing project every year. She said just have to go with what you feel,” she plans on having her students plant the root balls in the fall and use he said. In October 2010, the oboists made a the fully harvested cane from the stuvery exciting discovery. Danna Sundet, dents who planted it two years prior. assistant professor of music in the Col- It will become a cycle of Kent State lege of the Arts, said a colleague noti- students growing and making their fied her of Arundo donax growing on own reeds from scratch. “The reality of seeing the whole one side of the radio station on Kent State’s campus. Sundet planned to har- process will make them better musivest some of the cane, but the grounds- cians,” Sundet said. Sundet’s prediction on how the keepers cut it down before she had the chance. Sundet said she hopes to work cane came to Kent State’s campus is with the groundskeepers so she can similar to the story of the black squiracquire some of the cane when it begins rels. She said the groundskeepers are very savvy and are always looking for growing again. Luckily, she found another strain of ways to make the campus look better. Sundet said the groundskeeper cane growing not far away. At the corner of Seasons and Ravenna roads, reed might have thought it was ornamencane grows at the Morningstar Farm. tal grass, which is really popular but Bonnie Zuchniak and her husband are unique to this area. “On the side of the radio station the owners of the farm and allowed the Kent Garden Club to use a portion of you can really tell it was supposed to be used just for show,” Bannon said. the property. Since Bannon was a graduate Sundet said Zuchniak told her that student, Sundet let him be in charge of studying the Arundo donax cane and how to grow it. He said by SEE THEM PERFORM doing this as a graduate student, he had more time to research and it To see Bannon, Read and the rest kicked off the semester. of the Kent State Orchestra show Bannon said it would be nice to off their talent, watch them perform see the difference between how these Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kent canes play compared to the ones they State Orchestra Concert in Carthave shipped from France. wright Hall.
“
Kent State graduate Jason Merlene traded his life as a public accountant to become a used bookstore owner
Books take ‘Last Exit’ to Kent shop
Rachel Hagenbaugh is a features reporter.
Adrienne Savoldi
asavoldi@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater Surrounded by books, Jason Merlene seems right at home in the spacious store he calls Last Exit Books. Merlene, a Kent State graduate with an accounting major, opened his used bookstore on Main Street in 2005. He worked as a certified public accountant for five years at Sawyer Business College before opening Last Exit Books. Merlene said he enjoyed that job but decided to move on. He worked at Half Priced Books after he left Sawyer. “I didn’t have passion to open a bookstore, but I did have the passion to do something I love,” Merlene said. While his wife attended Kent State for her master’s in library science, he said, he would roam around Kent looking for a bookstore. When he couldn’t find one, he got the idea to place one in Kent. One day he saw a “for rent” sign outside one of the buildings he often passed. The next day, he signed the lease. Merlene said the best part of owning his own store is not working for somebody else. “All the energy you put into it is fulfilling your own vision, not someone else’s,” Merlene said. Merlene advised students who want to open a business to do as much as they can by themselves. “Watch from the beginning how much money you put out up front,” Merlene cautioned, saying he saw many businesses fail that way. Merlene also said he likes meeting and learning new things from the customers who pass through his store. The worst part is paying attention to all the little details. “Books don’t get on the shelves by themselves; floors don’t get clean by themselves,” Merlene said. In addition to books, the store also carries CDs, records, DVDs and Blu-rays. Last Exit Books has live music per-
formances a couple times a month on Saturday afternoons or evenings, as well as poetry readings, some of which Merlene said are done through the Wick Poetry Center. Christmas is Merlene’s busiest time of year, though summers are busy as well. Merlene said the walking traffic when the weather is nice and the events in Kent bring customers to the store. He also said he gets a good mix of Kent State students and non-students. “I’m quite happy with the mix of people I get,” Merlene said. Kevin Konieczny, freshman political science major, said he was impressed with the selection offered at Last Exit Books. “The quality of the books was good,” Konieczny said. “It was a really good variety. It had a very friendly atmosphere.” Tim Anstine, junior visual communication design major, was also pleased. “I thought it was pretty cool. They had a pretty good selection,” Anstine said. Merlene said that his favorite book is “Don Quixote” because of the humor. He also said he gets first pickings of the books that pass through his store. “I not only have a lot of books in the bookstore, I also have a lot of books at my residence,” Merlene said. Right now, Merlene is keeping a 1900 special edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.” He said the book is in beautiful condition. “I haven’t put it out yet,” Merlene said. “I’m not going to keep it for my own collection, but I want to make sure it goes to the right person.” Students can also sell books at Last Exit Books, but not textbooks because they take up too much space, and some are outdated. However, Merlene carries books in a variety of subjects. “If it’s something we think will sell, we’ll take it,” Merlene said. Adrienne Savoldi is a news correspondent.
PHOTOS BY JESSICA YANESH | DAILY KENT STATER
ABOVE: Jason Merlene is the owner of Last Exit Books on Main Street in downtown Kent. Merlene, a Kent State graduate, opened his half-price bookstore in 2005. LEFT: Last Exit Books opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday. The store carries books, CDs, records, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs.
JANUARY 20, 2011
Besides beef and chicken shawarma wraps, fatoush and greek salads, Laroush offers smoothies. These smoothies, in this reporter’s stomach’s opinion, are amazingly delectable. They’re made from all-natural fruits and fruit juices. On a personal note, I recommend the Ultimate Fruity Mix, which is filled with healthy bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mango and guava nectar and orange juice. Just, please, go experience it. You won’t be mad about it. When you do stop in, ask Zach to play his “Laroush song” on his acoustic guitar. It’ll reassure your decision to eat at Laroush.
to Laura Lofgren
llofgren@kent.edu Daily Kent Stater It’s hard to find good, wholesome food around Kent if you’re not familiar with the area. This is especially true for college students with meal plans who only eat on campus, wary to venture downtown for anything other than a beer or mixed drink. Zach Glover wants to change that. That’s why the 20-year-old opened Laroush with his friend and self-proclaimed brother, Mario Salah. According to Glover, Laroush, which means health and good life, is located on the corner of Summit Street and Franklin Avenue, sharing building space with a pet spa. Don’t let that deter you one bit. This place has amazing, pet hair-free, Mediterranean food. The small shop, which used to be a tattoo parlor, was completely revamped by Salah and opened about two months ago. “He redid the plumbing, the electricity, everything,” Glover said. Salah, who has roots in Greek heritage, decided to take his health seriously after he had a heart attack a few years back. He studied hotel management in Yugoslavia and learned about healthy food options. “Making (food) from scratch is very hard,” Salah said. “But we’re trying to make healthy food for everyone.” The soft lime green colors of Laroush warmly welcome anyone seeking a hot Falafel wrap or lentil soup. Vines and paintings of Greek flora deck the walls and embrace the Mediterranean feel Glover and Salah are going for. It’s simple, clean and smells downright wonderful. Texas-born Glover, who grew up in Richfield, Ohio, wanted to start a restaurant that provided Kent with natural, authentic food. “The inspiration to make this food, as my brother would say, is to make a healthy fast food option,” Glover said. “A lot of the time when you say ‘fast food’ and ‘healthy food’ in the same sentence, it’s an oxymoron.” But, Glover said, it is possible to bring the two together. More and more people want healthier food options, and Laroush is out to be part of the healthy fast food minority. That’s why he and Salah chose Kent.
COTY GIANNELLI | DAILY KENT STATER
Mario Salah puts the finishing touches on what he likes to call the ‘Laroush Omelet.’ Laroush’s menu is made up of different foods from a variety of Mediterranean countries.
“The people of Kent are very educated, and they really know what they’re eating,” Glover said. “They choose what they want to eat. They’re a health-conscious group.” Zahra Scullion, sophomore international relations major, said she’s only been to Laroush a few times, but she likes what they have to offer. “I’ve only had their lentil soup, and I love it,” Scullion said. Laroush makes most of the food by hand in the restaurant, but its chicken and beef products come from an Arabic market in Cleveland. “All the meat is Halal. People of Islamic faith can only eat this type of meat,” Glover said. When an animal’s life is taken, Muslims face toward Mecca to give thanks to Allah for the animal that will give their bodies sustenance. Glover, a former vegan and current vegetarian, said we all have a responsibility on this Earth to be conscious of other people and creatures. “When you have a food establishment, you have a responsibility to provide healthy and quality food. That’s what we’re really focused on,” Glover said. Unconcerned with competition or profits, Glover said he wants other local businesses to do well, and he thinks Laroush is doing pretty well for itself. “We have the ability to have really good food, but it’s just that a lot of people are concerned too much with profits, and they’re not really concerned with the quality. Here, we really go that extra mile and provide quality for our customers.” Hoping to start a delivery service soon, Glover said Laroush is building a team of drivers who will deliver during their normal hours of operation. In the spring, Laroush will be getting all organic produce from a local farmer. Glover said he will deliver lettuce and vegetables that have been cut that day to Laroush so they’re at the peak of freshness when served to customers. Any customer can order online, too, at www. laroush.net. Laroush is open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-closed. Laura Lofgren is the features/ A.L.L. editor.