Softball team hits stride at right time
YouTube videos showcase work in LCC classes
LCC TV, radio collaborate to make music
Sports >> Page 5
Feature >> Page 6
Last Look >> Page 12
thelookout
May 4 - 31, 2015 Volume 56, Issue 16 www.lcc.edu/lookout
Lansing Community College’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1959
StarScapes showcases LCC student creativity
“Twenty-five percent of their garment had to be LCC LookScience experiments, out-- as a tie-in to the art and poetry were college and how we seen throughout the could recycle the LCC Commons in the newspaper, Conner Gannon Building on said. April 22 and 23 as a Art displays depart of LCC’s second picting the geoannual StarScapes. metrical designs of LCC Biology Provarious religious symbols were done fessor Mindy Wilson by LCC students spoke about being a Derek Gonyon presents “MATLAB GUI for RLC Cir- Allyson Myers and part of the event. Jordyn Thelen. “StarScapes is a ven- cuits” during Starscapes on April 23. LCC Business ue for students to show Management Stutheir innovative work,” “Trashion” outfits made using Wilson said. “Usually students pages from The Lookout news- dent Bryan Smith did a presentahave limited opportunity to share paper were on display by LCC’s tion on a non-profit organization their work — StarScapes inte- Fashion 135 students. Outfits in- he is launching called “The Mongrates their work in a social way.” cluded hippie attire such as bell arch Project.” The program is Projects included an experi- bottoms and vests from the ‘60s, designed to reach out for people ment using household items such and legwarmers and leotards who are incarcerated, to integrate them back into society. as soup cans, balloons and mir- from the ‘80s. “We create what is called inderors to create sound waves, and a LCC Fashion 135 professor presentation on how to improve Christine Conner spoke about the See StarScapes, page 2 recycling at LCC. clothing project. Jeremy Kohn Editor in Chief
Photos by Brian Wells
One of the displays during StarScapes were clothes made with old issues of The Lookout. The clothes were made by members of the Fashion 135 class.
Lacks family visit honors LCC, community Shelby Schueller News Editor LCC’s “One Book #OneLCC” initiative had its finale April 21 when David Lacks Jr. and Jeri Lacks Whye, two grandchildren of Henrietta Lacks, hosted discussions, answered questions and signed books in a nearly full Dart Auditorium. The presentation at Dart featured a slideshow of what HeLa cells have done for science, and her family’s journey in discovering what the cells have been used for. David Lacks Jr. and Jeri Lacks Whye
are the children of David “Sonny” Lacks, Henrietta’s third oldest child. Henrietta Lacks was a woman who died in 1951 from cervical cancer. Before she died, a sample of her cancer cells was taken without her knowledge. The cells, named HeLa, never stopped growing in culture and have been used in numerous scientific contributions. Some of these include breakthroughs in the Polio vaccine, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, AIDS research and vaccines for animals. The Lacks family found
pecially that of informed consent. “It instills a sense of pride,” Lacks said. “Like, wow my grandmother’s cells, which is a part of us, has accomplished all this, but it’s also … almost inconceivable of everything that her cells have done. It’s still hard to wrap your mind around that this one woman made a difference to the whole world unbePhoto by Brian Wells knownst to herself.” Jeri Lacks Whye (left) and David Lacks (second from According to Lacks left) sign copies of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Whye, the most important Lacks” at the opening reception on April 21. thing to remember about Henrietta’s story has the HeLa cells is where out about these contributions about 20 years after inspired discussion about they came from. “(Henrietta) was an several medical issues, esthe cells were taken.
African-American woman who was a person,” Lacks Whye said. “So when you think of the HeLa cells, you have to know that it’s a person behind those HeLa cells … just be aware of her contributions to science and just be aware of who she was.” Victoria Meadows, LCC library communications manager, said the Lacks Family visit was a great success. “Jeri and David were gracious in sharing their family stories and memories, and in addressing See Lacks, page 2
What are your plans for the summer? “Working.”
Victoria Vanderplas, 20, Biomedical Sciences
“Taking summer classes, I’m going to get a job, and work on my basketball for next season.”
Brian Morton, 20, Psychology
Hailey Bennett, 19, Theater
“I’m just working at my coffee shop.”
“I’m doing Studio 2.”
Chris Humphrey, 27, Accounting and Theater
CAMPUSPERSPECTIVESCAMPUSPERSPECTIVESCAMPUSPERSPECTIVESCAMPUSPERSPECTIVESCAMPUSPERSPEC
2 NEWS
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
Cagers honored by trustees Shelby Schueller News Editor
Members of the 201415 LCC men’s basketball team were congratulated for winning several awards throughout the season at the April 20 LCC Board of Trustees meeting. The team was the Region XII District 9 champions and placed eighth at the National Junior College Athletic Association’s National Tournament. “Our thanks and appreciation to this wonderful basketball team,” said Robert Proctor, LCC Board of Trustees chair. “They represented LCC very well … they’re a bunch of fine young men.” Individual members of the team won various
awards, including: Tracy Edmund, Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Western Conference Player of the Year; and Momadou Ba, MCCAA Western Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Other team members recognized were Javon Haines, Brian Morton and Colin Jones. Coach Mike Ingram was also acknowledged. Ingram won MCCAA Western Conference Coach of the Year. During the public comment section of the meeting, former LCC Administrator James Bender readdressed the board about the situation of his unemployment. Bender’s situation was first brought to the board’s at-
tention during the Jan. 20 meeting. Bender said he wished to readdress the board to provide some clarification about the case of his terminated employment. According to Bender, the circumstances surrounding his unemployment are affecting his life outside of LCC. “I went to get unemployment and it was reported, I’m not sure how it happened, that I committed sexual harassment, which I never did,” Bender said. “I reported a sexual harassment between two students … “As a male, it’s very difficult for me to look for a job and try to explain my situation when the rumor is that I did sexual harassment … I did not commit
or say anything derogatory to a student.” Bender asked the board to consider his situation and look into his case to help clear his name. Other public comment included Edward Wol, president of LCC’s Black Student Union. Wol asked the board for a $1,000 grant to form an LCC team at the Greater Lansing Kidney Walk on June 14. This request was later granted in a unanimous vote. In addition, LCC counselors informed the board that they are highly understaffed compared to national average, and requested that more fulltime counselors be hired. Meetings with the Board of Trustees are usually on the third Monday of each month. Students are wel-
Photo by Shelby Schueller
LCC Basketball Coach Mike Ingram accepts recognition from the Board of Trustees at the April 20 meeting.
come to attend. The next meeting is May 18. The meetings begin at 6 p.m. and are held in the
Administration Building board room. For more information, visit www.lcc. edu/trustees.
LCC nursing students serve Lansing community Jaimie Bozack Staff Writer
LCC’s Student Nursing Association (SNA) is focused on giving back to those in the community. The SNA is made up of a
group of students in the nursing program and includes around 75 members. The organization’s most recent fundraiser is called “Help Our Heroes.” According to SNA President Heather Apolinar, the fundraiser supports service mem-
bers, veterans and their families. “It is an event to help raise awareness about PTSD and depression in current and previous military personnel, and encourage individuals to seek help,” Apolinar said. The SNA will send “thank
you” letters through the organization “Dear American Hero,” thanking and recognizing families and soldiers. “We are striving to become active in the community and be well known in the Lansing area for our volunteerism and dona-
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tions,” Apolinar said. “No matter what event we are hosting, the goal is always to recruit volunteers and give back to our community.” SNA Treasurer Chris Kaiser See SNA, page 3
3 NEWS
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
The Lookout staff earns nine awards at conference Shelby Schueller News Editor
The staff of LCC’s The Lookout shone like stars at the Michigan Community College Press Association’s (MCCPA) annual conference by bringing home nine awards. The conference, which took place in Powers Hall at Central Michigan University, was held on Saturday, April 18. The awards were for work done from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015. Categories for the awards included news, photography, feature, sports, overall design and multimedia reporting. The Lookout competed in Division 1 of the MCCPA competition, for community colleges with 10,000 or more students. The staff faced off against about a dozen other Michigan community colleges. “This was a great showing for a great staff,” said Larry Hook, adviser of The Lookout. “Our students worked very hard this past year and showed tremendous improvement. They take a lot of pride in their work, and these nine awards are a nice reward for their efforts.” The Lookout staff won third place for their website www.lcc.edu/lookout and second place in the
SNA
Continued from page 2
said his favorite part of being in the SNA is the friendships he has made. “I have met so many people from different tracks in the nursing program and I have built strong relationships with other members of SNA,” Kaiser said. Ashley Kenyon, membership coordinator for the SNA, has been involved for two years. She said the SNA sets up different volunteer fundraisers to serve as a liaison between faculty and students.
IN BRIEF News
Two new deans join LCC community Elaine Pogoncheff has accepted the position of dean of Arts & Sciences and Mark Cosgrove will serve as the dean of Technical Careers at LCC. Since 1994, Pogoncheff has served as instructor in the Business and Economics Department. She also co-chairs the Leadership, Culture and Communication Committee
for the Academic Senate and the College’s Strategic Planning Committee. Cosgrove has served as LCC’s Director of the Aviation Technology Program since 2011 and was a faculty member in the aviation program from 1978 to 1985. He also has more than 30 years of experience in the U.S. Army.
Star Card technology changing
Photo by Dominick Mastrangelo
The Lookout staff shows off their nine awards at the MCCPA conference on April 18.
General Excellence category. The General Excellence category is considered one of the most prestigious category in the MCCPA annual conference. Individual staff members of The Lookout also brought home awards. Editor in Chief Jeremy Kohn won first place for a serious column he wrote last fall about the Ice Bucket Challenge and an honorable mention for critical review. Brian Wells, photo editor, won first place for his photo essay about the Cardboard Classic sledding contest this past winter and took second “I think that it shows character when people want to volunteer in their community and promote well-being,” Kenyon said. “The more interaction you have with people, the easier it becomes.” Kenyon said she has participated in many events including the blood drive, SNA conference, bake sales and Tshirt sales. She said she is looking forward to the “Help Our Heroes” fundraiser the most. “I think that it especially hits home for me because my husband is a veteran,” Kenyon said. “I know the
StarScapes Continued from page 1
pendence projects,” Smith said. “They are a like a theater group, café or a fashion studio where people can come in and have an opportunity to use their skills to gain work history and a sustainable income.” In addition, LCC students Hannah Haugsby and JohnPaul Rafael Chernianwski and
place in the news photo category. Arts and Entertainment Editor Sarah Spohn took second place for humorous column. Associate Editor Nikki Nicolaou earned second place for overall newspaper design and page designer Vincent Mata took second place in the editorial cartoon category. “I love being a part of The Lookout team,” Kohn said. “We went from having a skeleton crew last year to a group of allstars.” The conference also included keynote speaker John Gonzalez, a reporter from MLive.com. Gon-
zales is most known for his review series called “Michigan’s Best.” During his speech, Gonzalez encouraged the aspiring journalists to be genuine, be generous with their time and try to give 100 percent in everything they do. Seminars were also held that offered tips on a variety of journalism techniques such as blogging, the Freedom of Information Act, reporting, photojournalism, sports editing and public relations. For more information about the 2015 MCCPA awards, visit courses.cba. cmich.edu/mccpa2015/bis327finalproject.
Effective Friday, May 15, LCC Star Cards will no longer be able to hold monetary value. Any remaining balances must be cashed out at Phil’s Store, located near the Gannon Building Star Zone, by Monday, June 15.
After this change, Star Cards may still be used as identification cards, library services cards, computer lab access cards and fitness center access cards. For more information, contact Cynthia Rooker at 517-483-9701.
LCC Learning Commons asks for feedback The Learning Commons is collecting feedback from students and employees.
To participate, complete the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/QFLMGH9.
PTSD seminar increases awareness A PTSD seminar will be held in the Health and Human Services Building, rooms 024 and 025, on Monday, May 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. as part of the Michigan Nursing Students Association’s “Help our Heroes” program. The seminar is designed to increase awareness about PTSD, resources available to military members and
spouses and support fundraising. Jack Jesse, Ph.D., will serve as guest speaker. Those in the medical or nursing field, behavioral health and social sciences, or anyone else interested in learning is welcome to attend. For more information, call Laurie Brush, Student Nurses Association adviser, at 517-483-1443.
LCC’s International Club raises funds for Nepal
Courtesy photo
Student Nurse Association members Hellen Heinrich (left), Heather Apolinar, Ashley Kenyon, Mary McPherson and Chris Kaiser gather for a picture.
importance of support these soldiers need, and how much it really is appreciated to hear from people thanking them for their services.” There is a box to drop a
other students from Composing 101 performed an original music song called “Spontaneity” for the StarScapes audience. LCC History Professor Jeff Janowick, who helped organize the showcase, spoke on the event. “It was really fun; we had a great turnout,” Janowick said. “I was really thrilled to see so much participation from students this year.”
letter thanking a veteran and/or military personnel in HHS Building room 108. The SNA members encourage people to volunteer and support the community.
Lacks
Continued from page 1
questions raised by the audience,” she said. “From my perspective, this visit gave audience members an outlet for voicing honest concerns about serious social, racial, and ethical issues permeating today’s society.” According to Lacks Whye, the Lacks family takes turns traveling to locations such as colleges,
After a very successful six-hour bake sale on Tuesday, April 28, LCC’s International Club raised $752.79. All proceeds went to the Red Cross, to assist victims of the recent earthquake in Nepal. The International Club will
host another bake sale on Monday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the fundraiser or the International Club, contact Ana Woehr at 517-483-1215 or Sharon Letson at 517-483-9755.
Correction In the April 20, 2015 issue of The Lookout, in the story on page 5, “Powerlifters raise bar for scholarships,” the name of an LCC professor was listed incorrectly. The actual name should be Peggy Dutcher.
high schools and medical facilities to tell Henrietta’s story. She said between the years of 2011 to 2015, the family has went to over 100 events. Lacks Whye said the goal of the family’s travels is to educate others in a positive manner. “This is our platform to bring awareness to literacy, bring awareness to healthcare, bring awareness to education, ethical is-
sues,” she said. “It’s very rewarding just to actually go out and speak and listen to how Henrietta, how our family, has a positive effect on the world.” According to Meadows, next year’s selection for “One Book #OneLCC” is The True American by Anand Giridharadas. For more information” visit www.lcc.edu/library/about/events/ onebook.
4 SPORTS
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout — Laces Out —
There is no better time to be a local fan than now Winter’s vice grip around the neck of our daily lives has receded, which means spring is finally here. That means Detroit Tigers baseball, NHL Playoffs, NBA playoffs and the return of the NFL out of its yearly hibernation. With the juggernaut leagues hogging airwaves and television screens nationwide, it’s the little guys that suffer. Two clubs are gearing up for another campaign, hoping for the support of their city: the Lansing United soccer club and the Lansing Lugnuts baseball team.
The “Hire Local” and “Buy Local” movements reaching across the country need to apply to the sports world more now than ever in Mid-Michigan. With the new stadium upgrades that are being melded into Cooley Law School Stadium, it is showing the effort and desire to bring more attention to local sports is more evident than ever. During the years that the Tigers didn’t make it to the World Series, the Lansing Lugnuts brought in an average of 5,188 fans per season since 2006.
In 2006 and 2012 when the Tigers did make it to the Fall Classic, Lansing’s attendance dropped to an average of 5,093 fans for those two years. Those numbers are not catastrophic in any way, but it
lends perspective that there is a shadow that looms over Luggies when Detroit rampages through its season. Coming off its 2014 debut season when it collected a NPSL Great Lakes West Conference title, a 2014 Midwest Region Championship, and a National Semi-Finals appearance, Lansing United will again be looking for greatness in 2015. Soccer has exploded in the U.S. in the last five years, especially in Michigan. We have nine professional or semipro teams across this state. These teams will remain stagnate without our support.
Lansing United averaged over a thousand fans for its first season. With the World Cup another three years away, 2015 will be crucial to ensure this club survives. Pony up the $10 to come out to a Lansing United match or $12 for a Lugnuts game. If baseball or soccer doesn’t appeal to you, just come for the atmosphere and appreciate the intimacy that fans have with the players. You can pay hundreds of dollars to get first row seats at Comerica and post pictures on Facebook about how close you got
to Miggy as he warms up. Or you could pay a fraction of that and sit with people and cheer for players who truly appreciate your support. These clubs and players are on a journey to become the best they can be. Those extra 10 or 20 fans showing up surely makes a difference. If you ask me, I’ll take dancing with Big Lug or singing with the Sons of Ransom every time. This is as much my city as it is all of yours. There is no better time to truly begin embracing our city, our teams and our players. Go Nuts. United We Stand.
LCC baseball endures challenging 2015 Rich Schenck Sports Editor
With the final four games of 2015 scheduled to be played inside the friendly confines of Westside Park, the LCC baseball team (6-16 MCCAA 17-24 overall) will look to end a disappointing season on a positive note after dropping both games at Mott CC, 12-5 and 11-3, on April 28. “I think we have some winnable games and some teams we’d like to play well against in the next week,” said LCC Head Coach Andrew Merchant. “We have to talent to beat anyone if we get the pitching and defense.” The Stars are averaging just
under three errors per game and giving up just under 7.5 runs per game in conference play. Currently LCC sits in 13th place out of 14 teams in the MCCAA. “We’re just looking to do some things a little better than we have,” Merchant said. “I think we’ve played games well that we lost and not played so good and won.” Pitching has been a problem as of late for the Stars, who have lost 12 of their last 17 games while giving up just under 10 runs in those losses. “It’s not necessarily about the wins and losses but cleaning up and getting some better pitching performances,” Merchant said. The diamond in the rough
trol have stifled progress. for Merchant’s pitching staff “I thought we’d be a little is sophomore Santiago Menmore competitive,” he said. dez. The undisputed top of the “During the season we’ve rotation, Mendez holds a team lost a couple sophomores best 2.53 ERA while holding the and we’re down on posimound for a team best 46 innings. tion players. Most games “Santi Mendez has been we’re putting seven or eight our number one all year,” said freshmen on the field … Merchant. “He’s pitched his there’s no team we play all tail off every time he’s gotten year that’s playing seven or the ball. Kellogg is one of the Photo by Rich Schenck eight freshmen.” better teams in the country.” Outfielder Josh Holtham (8) congratulates Merchant, however, is reLCC freshman outfielder Santiago Mendez (3) against Kellogg CC maining confident that the Jake Bozzo has been putting about this team than last year’s in strong performances as of late, team and past LCC teams is the current growing pains will benaccording to Merchant. Bozzo extra-base power,” said Merchant.. efit down the road. The LCC baseball team was hit his team leading fourth home Merchant added he was hoprun of the year and leads the team ing his team would be a little scheduled to host Grand Rapids with a .380 average this season. farther along at this point in the CC May 2 and Washtenaw CC “One thing that’s different season, but factors out of his con- May 3.
Former Star gone too soon LCC track runs strong Rich Schenck Sports Editor
Ingram said. “You like guys that love to play, have great attitudes and he was one of The LCC community has those guys. It paid off for us lost one of its own far too because we won the chamsoon. pionship.” Former LCC student and Even after his days of Stars basketball player Monwearing royal blue were tel Smith died April 23 in over, he returned to the an auto accident on Hartel Gannon Gym to spend his Road in Grand Ledge. He time working at Ingram’s was 22. yearly basketball camps, or The Waverly alum furjust to play. thered his academic and “Not only was he a forFile photo by Michael Caterina athletic talents at Spring Montel Smith celebrates mer player, but after he left Arbor University before re- with teammates after a win. he became someone that turning to LCC. worked my camps for me, “Montel came in and did a great job for and he worked my son’s camp,” exus his freshman year,” LCC Head Coach plained Ingram. “All of a sudden he goes Mike Ingram said. “We won the MCCAA from a former player to being a friend.” Western Conference Championship. He Ingram said Smith was a favorite at his was a high-energy guy, great three-point camps. The kids who came to learn the game shooter and he came with the occasional loved him because he always had a smile on highlight.” his face and interacted with the campers. Smith’s journey to LCC began playing “They also liked the fact that he could high school basketball for the Warriors, jump and throw the ball between his legs where Ingram saw his talents firsthand. and dunk it,” Ingram said. “He was al“He was a great athlete,” Ingram said. ways a fan favorite with the kids.” “He went to Waverly where my kids A first cousin to LCC Assistant Coach went, so I tend to go over there and watch Melvin White, Smith was a regular on those games.” campus because White was someone he During his career at LCC, Smith was looked up to, according to Ingram. a solid contributor for the Stars. He av“It was and is a crushing blow,” Ineraged over six points and 2.5 rebounds gram said. “He had been up to the gym per game and was an 80-percent shooter three times that week. I don’t think you’ll from the free throw line. find anybody that will have a bad word “He was a great kid, he loved to play,” to say about him.”
Rich Schenck Sports Editor The LCC men’s and women’s track teams competed at the 49th annual Hillsdale College Gina Relays on April 23-25 at Hillsdale College. The three-day Gina Relays is one of the larger track meets east of the Mississippi River. Schools come from as far as Florida and Alaska to compete. Four-year universities, including Michigan State, Eastern Michigan and the University of Michigan also competed. “I thought we did exceptionally well,” said LCC Head Coach Jim Robinson. “We just had a lot of good performances.” According to Robinson, distance running events were reserved for the first day of competition. Of the 14 LCC athletes who were brought to the relays, 10 runners posted their lifetime-best results. “Thursday night it was really cold, but as the evening went on the wind died down,” Robinson said. “For long distance running,
wind is more of a factor than temperature.” In the men’s 5,000-meter open LCC sophomores Steven Esders and Tony Vermilye finished 36th and 38th out of 102 runners with respective times of 15:26.01 and 15:27.55. Vermilye continued his impressive performance during the relays, finishing 12th out of 45 runners in the 1,500-meter open race with a time of 4:03.56, a lifetime best. “You’re just really excited and happy for them,” Robinson said. “I mean, they’re the ones that put in the work so you like to see them get the results. Obviously qualifying people for nationals is both exciting for Rachel (McFarlan) and me as coaches, but it’s a real special thing for the athletes.” On the women’s side, LCC freshman Lydia Bumann finished 13th out of 16 runners in the women’s 10,000-meter open and finished with a time of 40:53.96, which was good enough to qualify her for nationals. Sophomore Gabi Labioda finished 14th in
42:29.47. “There aren’t that many people that can say that they competed in a national championship meet,” Robinson said. “So far we have seven that have qualified this year and we might get a few more.” LCC freshman Kayla Kraft and sophomore Allison Dible competed in the women’s 5,000-meter open race and finished 24th and 30th out of 70 runners with times of 18:16.41 and 18:29.57 minutes, respectively. With the Grand Valley 2nd to Last Chance meet in Allendale on May 8, Robinson explained that he has his team practicing at about 90 percent. “The goal for the runners who qualified for nationals is to have a repeat of their best race,” Robinson said. “For the rest we have one more meet and we would like to see everyone go out with a strong performance.” Several LCC runners will compete in the NJCAA national meet May 14 to 16 in Hutchinson, Kansas.
5 Sports
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
LCC softball hitting stride at right time Rich Schenck Sports Editor
The LCC softball team (15-6 MCCAA 19-15 Overall) returned to its winnings ways by defeating Lake Michigan College (3-9 MCCAA 4-19 Overall) 3-1 and 5-2 on the road April 14. The Lady Stars sit in fourth place in the MCCAA Western Conference, three and a half games behind leaders Kellogg Community College (18-2 MCCAA 25-8 Overall). Going into the doubleheader the Lady Stars had lost three of their last four games, being outscored 17-13. LCC freshman Allie Grys (8-9) pitched the entire first game for the Lady Stars, giving up five hits and allowing only one run in the sixth inning. Sophomore Neena Brockway was the offensive catalyst for LCC, driving in two runs on her only hit of the game in the first inning. Like an almost mirror image of the first game,
Photo by Rich Schenck
LCC freshman second baseman Madison Adams hits a double against Oakland CC April 23 at Ranney Park.
LCC freshman Ranae Morton pitched the entire game for the Lady Stars, giving up only two runs on three hits. Morton contributed on the offensive end as well, going 1-for-3 at the plate and driving in two runs. Grys got into the offense as well, going 2-for-3 with
one RBI and scoring a run. After their two victories, the Lady Stars are batting .238 as a team for the season. But LCC’s bats came alive during league play as its batting average jumped up to .298. On the defensive end, the LCC pitching staff is only giving up 2.34 runs a
game for the season. During conference play opponents score only 1.65 runs a game. LCC Head Coach Marc Kibby stressed that there are a few areas of the game that need to addressed, primarily at the plate. “The one thing we are
really working on is being consistent in hitting,” he said. “This last week we’ve been a little bit in a slump. Our last home game we got some big hits with runners in scoring position so that’s our biggest challenge, to be consistent.” With six of the Lady Stars’ next eight game
scheduled to be played at home in Ranney Park, Kibby said he will look to players he can depend on to finish out the 2015 season strong. “As most coaches say, you look to your older class, you look to your sophomores,” he said. “In this case it’s them being our leaders, stepping up and doing the job we need them to do.” Kibby also mentioned to continue its favorable position in the league so far this year, emphasis needs to be put on all aspects of the game. “Just be the all-around team that we need to be,” he said. “The hitting, the fielding, the pitching; we feel that if we can do all three of those than we can stay consistent and finish up the league.” The LCC softball team was scheduled to travel to Centerville to play the Vikings of Glen Oaks Community College April 17. The Lady Stars were then scheduled to come home to Ranney Park to face off against Ancilla College April 18.
What are your next steps? You can finish your bachelor’s degree on the LCC Campus! Siena Heights University has a degree completion center right here on campus! Undergraduate classes available in: • Accounting • Bachelor of Applied Science • Community Services • Multidisciplinary Studies • Professional Communication CONTACT US TODAY! Phone: (517) 483-9726 Email: lansing@sienaheights.edu Web: www.sienaheights.edu/lans
6 FEATURE
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
Videos highlights innovative classroom teaching Jeremy Kohn Editor In Chief
LCC’s “Classroom in a Minute” is a series of YouTube videos designed to highlight classes and show the creative and innovative ways professors teach inside their classrooms. LCC Performing Arts Coordinator Melissa Kaplan talked about her involvement in the program. “The idea was to encapsulate in one minute the essence of that particular class,” Kaplan said. Kaplan, along with
history professor Jeff Janowick, recruited LCC professors to participate in the project. LCC Video producer/director Justus Rohlfs spoke about the beginnings of “Classroom in a Minute.” “This project came together as the brainchild of Paul Price, the director of media services at LCC,” Rohlfs said. Rohlfs, the one behind the cameras, said he can anticipate when something exciting will happen while shooting, “You are literally waiting for perfect little mo-
Photos by Brian Wells
Justus Rohlfs edits a video for “Classroom in a Minute.”
ments,” Rohlfs said. “You listen and then you know when to hit record and who to focus on, be-
cause you are engaged in the conversation.” Rohlfs said he visited each class twice and is
very cautious not to interrupt the class and disrupt student learning. He said he used different camera techniques while shooting the “Classroom in Minute” skits. He even used a camera on a race car that ran on coffee. Rohlfs said he hopes these videos brings some exposure to classes with low enrollment. He encouraged people to see the fun and exciting side of the classroom atmosphere. “You have this preconception of these classes of just being boring work,” Rohlfs said. “When you
can see visually how enjoyable it is for students — that they have these state-of-the-art resources – and see how well they are using them. Kaplan talked about Rohlfs’ creativity. “Justus is a fabulously creative producer and videographer and the instructors had a great time coming up with creative ways to enhance the videos,” Kaplan said. “Classroom” videos can be found at https:// www.youtube.com/ channel/UCooBEHa6gWTqCNkumznO-vw.
Sign language culture within a language
Jaimie Bozack Staff Writer
As some students walk through the halls talking among friends, telling jokes and stories, there are others also talking and telling jokes, but not with their voices. American Sign Language (ASL) can be seen all over LCC’s campus as students in the Sign Language Interpreter Program interact with other students in the program, as well as deaf students, every day. Lindsay Williams, teacher and adviser for the ASL program, said she has been signing since
she was young, but started learning ASL in 2006. “I have a cousin with hearing loss and we signed growing up,” Williams said. “We did our best learning from books or wellmeaning friends, but I didn’t learn the difference between that and ASL until I took a class and fell into it.” Williams said the hardest thing about signing is learning the way of life for a deaf person. “The hardest part is trying to get my mind around the fact that deaf people have a culture separate from you and I,” Williams said. “They have their own
stories, poetry, heroes, history and all of the things that make a group of people unique.” Williams encouraged students to consider learning sign language. “It’s fascinating, and the students and faculty are a tight-knit group,” Williams said. “The more people who sign and get aware of deaf culture, the better we will be as a human community.” Jennifer Kolhoff, sophomore in the ASL program, has been signing since 2012. “I started taking ASL classes to fulfill my foreign language credits for an associate degree,” Kolhoff said. “I fell in love with
learning the language and started doing research into the demand for qualified ASL interpreters in Michigan.” Kolhoff said the hardest part of signing was stepping out her comfort zone to learn a new language. She said she is now more comfortable. “What is really funny about forgetting words is that sometimes now I forget English words, and I get frustrated that my family doesn’t know what I mean when I sign it,” Kolhoff said. Kolhoff said the faculty at LCC has been her greatest help in learningASL. “The instructors are amazing at giving us all of the tools and
tricks of the trade to be able to know exactly how to handle a situation once we are out in the field of interpreting,” Kolhoff said. Kolhoff said she loves ASL because she feels like she is challenging herself. “Learning a new language is tremendously challenging and immensely rewarding,” Kolhoff said. “I really like the fact that I’m following a career choice that makes me feel like I make a difference in the world around me.” To find out more information about the sign language program and upcoming events head to http://www.lcc.edu/cma/sign_lang/
Lookout Alumnus Spotlight: Larry Hook Current adviser is former sports editor at paper Jeremy Kohn Editor in Chief
The old saying what goes around comes around rings true for LCC alumnus Larry Hook, who started his journalism career at The Lookout and now oversees the paper as its current adviser. The 54-year-old realized he wanted to be a journalist while attending high school at Lansing Catholic Central. “All through my life I wanted to be a professional baseball player and play for the Detroit Tigers,” Hook said. “When I got cut from the baseball team in high school I realized that wasn’t going to happen, so the next best thing was to write about sports.” Hook took his first journalism class as a senior in high school, where he wrote movie reviews. After high school, Hook attended Lansing Community College. While working at TV Tom’s in Lansing delivering televisions, Hook learned about an opening for a sports writer
position at The Lookout. The aspiring journalist joined the staff and immediately earned a promotion. “I came in for one issue as a sports writer, and then the sports editor quit the very next issue and I took his job,” Hook said. He held the position of sports editor at The Lookout for two years, starting in November of 1980. “He was talented sports writer; diligent, thorough and dependable,” said Marilyn Hobrla, editor in chief of The Lookout in 1980 and 1981. “We had fun working hard on the newspaper together … long hours and lots of pizza and caffeine as we pursued our journalistic endeavors.” Hook spoke about one his favorite stories he wrote while at the college newspaper. “The Pac-Man craze column that I wrote is a story that kind of stands the test of time,” Hook said. “You can read it and still appreciate it today – it talked about how videos games can be so addictive.”
Photo by Nikki Nicolaou
Larry Hook holds a Panasonic radio and “Mean Joe Blue.” Both sat on Hook’s desk when he was The Lookout sports writer in 1981 and 1982, and are on his desk today.
Hook, a pinball and video game enthusiast at the time, spent hours between classes sipping on soda and chasing ghosts at Corky’s Restaurant, which is where Gibson’s Bookstore is located today. The “Great Gumball Caper” was a controversial story that happened while Hook was on staff. He said the administration tried to deny The Lookout staff from
having a gumball machine in the newspaper office. In response, the staff chained the gumball machine to a file cabinet as a symbol of student rights. While on staff at The Lookout, Hook met Carolyn Hobrla, the twin sister of Editor Marilyn Hobrla. Carolyn was the staff cartoonist and graphic designer for The Lookout. Hook started dating Car-
olyn in the summer of 1981 and the couple were married in 1986. The Hooks will celebrate 29 years of marriage this August. They have three children: Nolan, 21; Brendan, 18; and Danielle, 16. Nolan is a current LCC student. The other two will likely attend LCC in the near future. After LCC, Hook continued his college at Michigan State University, where he majored in journalism and earned his bachelor’s degree. At MSU, Hook encounter a professor that taught him a valuable lesson. “Cynthia Kyle was so tough; I had her at MSU,” Hook said. “She was the one that taught me about fatal errors — if you made a mistake on a proper noun the best you could get on an assignment was a ‘D.’” After his time at MSU, Hook took a job as editor in chief of The Leslie Local, a job he held for 12 years. Following his job at The Leslie Local, he worked as an editor at Lansing Community Newspapers. At
one point, he was managing editor, overseeing 13 newspapers simultaneously. After leaving Lansing Community Newspapers, an opening for adviser of The Lookout became available. “I was amazed; the timing was so right,” Hook said. “It was like a homecoming — so much had changed, but some of the things were the same —I went back to the same office in the same building where I had worked as a student. Hook started as The Lookout adviser in the summer of 2004, a job he has maintained for 11 years. He said seeing former students succeed in journalism after working at The Lookout is what makes him feel best about his job. “I like seeing people like Michael Caterina, Rachel Harper and Zane McMillin go out into the real world and be awesome,” Hook said. “This is training ground. If you can get it right here, then you can get it right in the real world.”
7 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
May 4 - 31, 2015
www.lcc.edu/lookout
Literary journal celebrates a revival Sarah Spohn A&E Editor
Poetry recitals, essay readings and impromptu ukulele playing filled the air. The Gannon Commons at LCC was turned into a makeshift open-mic coffee shop. As part of the LCC StarScapes celebration, selected students published in the Washington Square literary journal read their works in front of family, friends and faculty on Wednesday, April 22. Kelsey Lamp, LCC literature major, recited her poem, “What It’s Like to Be an Orphan (For Those of You Who Don’t Know).” The subject matter was very personal, according to Lamp. “I was shaking the entire time; I was very nervous,” Lamp said, “but it was fun.”
Photo by Rich Schenck
LCC students, faculty and guest gather to listen to pieces by writers that were included in the Washington Square Literary Journal Reading April 22 in the Gannon Commons.
Two of The Lookout’s staff members also were chosen to be included in the literary journal. Editor in Chief Jeremy Kohn spoke about how
different it was writing a piece of creative nonfiction versus his journalism pieces. “I can take descriptive liberties,” Kohn
said of his ‘Star Wars Episode I’ episode. “I can’t describe sounds and smells and use metaphors and similes in a news story.”
This is the first time he and Lookout Sports Editor Rich Schenck was published besides the newspaper. “Honestly it’s really
something special that the panel felt my writing was of high enough quality to be included.” LCC writing instructor Karrie Waarala was fundamental in bringing the journal back on campus. In years prior, creative writing teacher Dennis Hinrichsen was in charge of the journal. But when he retired in 2012, the journal fell to the wayside. That’s when Waarala stepped in. “I really wanted to see it come back,” Waarala said. “So I brought up a proposal to try a pilot program … making it part of the Creative Writing 2 class .” Waarala and the presenters said they were surprised by the turnout. They added they hope to continue to journal during fall semester.
Henry’s on the Square offers downtown market Sarah Spohn A&E Editor
New restaurants, bars and distilleries are popping up all across town, inviting plenty more people to stay downtown after work and embrace “happy hour.” Henry’s on the Square officially opened its doors at 229 S. Washington Square on March 16. A WOW Hospitalityowned venue, Henry’s has taken a unique approach with its spacious property. Formerly The Firm bar and nightclub, Henry’s combines a small market, bar and restaurant. The space includes a stage for live music, a fireplace, a full bar, plenty of seating and
a convenient market out in the front of the restaurant. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night drinks, Tim Ellis said the space is at an ideal location for LCC students. While Henry’s on the Square is the only restaurant the WOW hospitality group owns, business partners Tim Ellis and Jane Doty had been searching for downtown locations. “We wanted to open up a market,” Ellis said, “and this was just a great location. “ The LCC hospitality alum spoke about the market’s offerings. “We have fresh produce and fresh vegetables that we use in our restaurant so we sell them as well,” Ellis said.
Photo by Brian Wells
Henry’s on the Square is one of the new business located in downtown Lansing.
“We have baked goods, chocolates, cheeses and we provide tastings of our craft beer and wines.” The idea for the market came from Ellis’ recent time
in Boston. “Every corner had a market,” Ellis said. “You could pick up fresh fruits and vegetables. You can’t do that anywhere downtown here.” It is “business in the front,
party in the back,” as Henry’s also has a host of live entertainment Thursday through Saturday nights. and an open-mic night on Monday. It’s no party without a celebrity sighting or two, as Henry’s hosts a celebrity bartender night Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. The multi-faceted business is already giving back to the community which welcomed it to the area just months ago. A portion of the proceeds goes to a charity of their choice. Henry’s on the Square is open Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday and Friday 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Great Lakes Collective:Behind the blue owl Sarah Spohn A&E Editor
The logo is a little blue owl, but the guys behind Great Lakes Collective are off to creating a big name for their entertainment company. Rich Whitman, one of the three owners and entertainment manager, spoke about the origins of the music-focused collective. “Initially it was a record label,” Whitman said. “We started out with that premise that we’re a record label. We still are a label and we have bands that are
releasing music with us, but it’s not our primary focus.” C u r rently f o cused o n artist relations, entert a i n ment management and helping individuals fulfill their dreams in the business is what Great Lakes Collective (GLC) is all about. Offering plenty of live entertainment op-
portunities this summer in Lansing, GLC has got a busy few months. Working with over 50 singer songwriters, the company hosts concerts at Midtown Brewing Company downtown and the Waterfront Bar and Grille at the Lansing City Market. Their busiest time of the year is the summer, filled with drinks,
brunch and a nice guitar serenading the patio goers. And summer is where it all started. “All this started at Zoobie’s,” Whitman said. “We did a summer on their patio when they first opened. We had always been doing shows at venues: booking a show, charging the ticket fee, crossing our fingers, hoping that enough people came to take care of all the expense that we had involved.” Sometimes their efforts weren’t always successful, but that didn’t keep Rich Whitman, Nick Berry and
Adam Klein down. “Initially, we even paid out of our own pockets because enough people didn’t come, and we had made guarantees. We wanted to follow through with what we had guaranteed the artist. It’s about taking care of each other,” Whitman said. A big part of what the collective stands for is community and building a scene. “We talk to people all the time who are really just looking for someone to give them permission to pursue something they are excited about”
Whitman said. “If we can help facilitate that, then that’s what we want to do.” Thursday nights are blues nights, Saturday nights are cover bands and Sunday brunch features solo singer songwriters. Each week, GLC also hosts a #freeshowfriday at Midtown Brewing Company and starting in September, their blue owl singer songwriter competition starts back up. For more information and a concert calendar, visit www. thegreatlakescollective. com
8 A&E
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
) l a g u r f r o ( E E R F e h T n w o d n u stivalJUNER 12-13 e F MAY 16-17 MAY 30 East Lansing Art Festival
Be A Tourist In Your Own Town
Grand American Fish Rodeo
JUNE 19-20
JULY 17-18
JULY 25
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival
Old Town Scrapfest
Car Capital Auto Show
Live music, fine art and crafts for sale, children’s hands-on arts activities and special events.
Featuring high-caliber local, regional and national jazz musicians and talented artists. Enjoy dancing, live music and food vendors in downtown East Lansing.
Purchase a $1 “passport” for free admission to over 60 attractions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy interactive activities and giveaways for the kids!
Enjoy boating, fishing, themed contests, live music, children’s activities, beverage tent, delicious food and more on the banks of the Grand River, located at Adado Riverfront Park.
Witness unique recycled and upcycled art displays during the Scrapfest in Old Town. Enjoy food, music and beverages and more.
AUGUST 7-8
Celebrating Lansing’s automotive history by featuring over 200 classic, muscle and collectible vehicles on the streets around the State Capitol. Enjoy vendors, exhibitors and a DJ.
AUGUST 13-15
Lansing JazzFest
Renegade Theatre Festival
Local, national and internationally-known jazz artists will perform 20 hours of live music on three stages in Old Town. Enjoy children’s activities, a beverage tent, food and craft vendors.
Theatre featuring a wide range of performance styles from comedy, puppet shows, musicals, improve, staged readings and more will be on display in Old Town.
— The Unknown Spohn —
Tomorrow may rain, so I’ll follow the sun I’m not sure how many people actually read The Lookout, especially on a regular basis. Aside from the few email responses, three personal letters to the editors and the rare comments about me working for the paper, the people haven’t spoken too much. But it’s never really been about the people. Writing, finding out new bands, interviewing upcoming actors, reviewing god-awful movies, I’ve always felt like I’ve gotten so much out of this job. Perhaps I’m selfish. But I’ve gained far more out of this A&E gig than I ever could have imagined.
There are so many people who have been instrumental in helping me get interviews, edit stories, take photos, make the paper look good, deflate my ego (fatal errors) and just put up with my sometimes “psh” attitude. Yeah, I’ve probably grown in snarky-ness in
my three years here, and I’m proud of it. All that being said, this is my last column as A&E Editor, the last time you’ll see “The Unknown Spohn” byline in this paper. I’m graduating. Praise Jesus. It’s been a trip. And if, after all this time, you didn’t know… it’s Spohn, rhymes with phone, not spawn, not spoon. Now you know. I’ve never really been good with endings. Like this is it? Done-zo? Over? Kaput? Series finale? Cue the tear-jerker final lines and sappy montages. Too bad I can’t just end this with an endless loop of “Tuesday’s Gone” like in
“Happy Gilmore.” It’s so far from over though. My time here at The Lookout has included plenty of one-liners, weird little staff catchphrases, inside jokes, snide remarks, strange photo recreations and plenty of laughs. But I’m not going to call out each one of you fellow staff writers and editors because this is all about me. No but seriously, you all are great, and each bring something different and quirky to the staff. And though it’s the end of my gig here, you all will keep excelling and giving so much into this little paper. Plus, I always hate when people give shout-outs
Studio
Continued from page 12
Photo by Brian Wells
Musical duo James and June perform during a recording of “Grand River Studio Sessions” on April 23.
set-up of the equipment. For Steibel, working on these sessions was an eye-opening experience. “It was an awesome opportunity to see first-hand how TV and media work, what goes on behind making a production like that,” Steibel said. “It was a great opportunity to grow. I’ve realized personally, I’ve really enjoyed it and would consider doing it in the future, for sure.” Behind-the-scenes help came in the form of LCC Media Services, which handled the camera
and forget a certain person, so I’ll completely skip that. The minute you think you’ve included everyone to thank, you forget your mom. And then you thank her for bringing you into this world, but then shouldn’t you thank the nurses and doctors too? The list becomes neverending. So, look for handwritten thank you notes to be delivered accordingly. Snail mail is cool. While this might be the last time “The Unknown Spohn” spouts off a rambling of Adam Sandler movie trivia, Beatles references and overall witty banter, it’s not the end of me. I’m always so reluctant
work and post-production edits. Utilizing four or five students on the production side, they gain valuable hands-on experience with cameras, floor direction, setting up and striking sets. Matt McCulloch, Grand River Studio Sessions director, spoke about their role in this audiovisual project. “The visual side is what we do,” he said. “That’s my role, making sure it looks good.” It is a look that, although students are helping film, editing, adding graphics and animations, resembles that of a professional product. “We want it to look like a pro-
to say goodbye, because it just seems so abrupt, so final. Considering it’s my last time, it’s only fair I go out in true Spohn style. Here’s where you and I both make fun of me for using cliché phrases that just fit so perfectly … As one door comes to a close, another one opens. Right now, I’m not sure exactly what that door leads to, but I’ll continue to follow it. Writing has always been a passion, and I’ve truly found my sarcastic, pun-filled voice here. And wherever it takes me is where I’ll go. The future is here, and it’s bright. “Here comes the sun, and I say it’s alright.”
fessional show. We don’t want it to look like something you’d see on a public access or a college student show,” McCulloch said. Given the musical nature of the series, the sound is also important, something McCulloch credited to sound engineer and LCC professor Brock Elsesser. The second season premiered with Grand Rapids folk pop group Bennett on Friday, May 1 on Comcast channel 15/31 and lcc.edu/tv with a re-air date of Wednesday, May 6. Season one of The Grand River Studio Sessions can be seen in its entirety (15 episodes) on YouTube.
9 A&E
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
‘DareDevil’ blindsides audiences Jeremy Kohn Editor in Chief Some comic book fans have accused Disney’s ownership of Marvel to cater only to a younger crowd. I think Marvel may have silenced those critics with the release of its Netflix original series, “DareDevil.” Taking place on the dismal streets of Hell’s Kitchen in New York, the show follows the story of a young boy named Matt Murdock, who loses his sight in a gasoline accident. Murdock is raised by his father,” Battling” Jack Murdock, (John Patrick Hayden), a world famous boxer who sacrifices his body in order to make ends meet for his son. His father encourages young Murdock to study hard, so his life can turn
out better than his own. The renowned boxer, while fighting, becomes entangled with the mob of Hell’s Kitchen, which leads to problems for the fighter. The younger Murdock sees the corrupt nature of Hell’s Kitchen, and decides he wants to make a difference by becoming a lawyer when he is older. The lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen has a secret. Although he is blind now, something happened to him during his accident to enhance his other senses. Murdock (Charlie Cox), now older, leads a double life by practicing law and defending clients in the day and becoming a vigilante of justice at night. A main character is only as strong as the characters surrounding him, and this show
has created a great supporting cast. Murdock is joined by his law partner Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), who is a quick -witted, but level-headed friend who wishes nothing more than to get the private practice rolling. Their secretary Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) is one who seems cheery on the outside, but has a dark past that comes creeping up as the show goes on. The true standout of the show is “DareDevil’s” antagonist, Wilson Fisk. Fisk is a damaged individual who wishes to be accepted by others, but also craves power and control. This internal conflict is played masterfully by Vincent D’Onofrio. People who saw the 2003 movie release of “DareDevil”
and were disappointed because of the campiness of the movie will be pleased with this version. The Netflix series echoes the dark crime ridden pages of Frank Miller’s comic book run of “DareDevil,” which made the character famous. Beware this show is not your typical feel-good Marvel production. “DareDevil” does not tone down the world of Hell’s Kitchen for its viewers. The show depicts scenes of violence and has some grueling fight scenes. Both Marvel fans and lovers of crime drama will enjoy this show. The world, characters and unexpected plot developments will leave many Netflix viewers on their couches for several hours, immersing themselves into the world of DareDevil.
Photo from kiss951.com
“Dare Devil” was released on Netflix on April 10.
Matt & Kim’s new album offers fun lyrics Jaimie Bozack Saff Writer When I first heard the sound of the band Matt & Kim I disliked it so much that I switched the station to a country station. I thought the lead singer’s voice was annoying and nasally, the lyrics were cheesy and the beats were catchy but over the top. That was two years ago,
before I heard their newest single, “Get It,” off their album “New Glow,” which was released April 7. I found myself dancing along to the catchy new tune and turning my radio up as loud as it could go. Matt & Kim is composed of two people, vocalist and keyboardist Matt Johnson and drummer Kim Schifino. Matt & Kim is an indiepop band that relies on fun lyrics and beats ranging from hip-hop to classical
piano. As much as I liked their single I was still hesitant to buy the album. After a good Spotify run-through that had me dancing in my seat, I was convinced to purchase it. The album is stereotypical Matt & Kim. The lyrics are still cheesy, the beats are still over the top and the songs will still make you want to dance. Matt & Kim didn’t stray far away from their original sound, proving that
consistency can equal success. From beginning to end the album is a giant dance party. The song “Stirred Up” features a looped beat that will have listeners turning it up. The song “Can You Blame Me,” will make listeners smile. The best song on the album is “World is Ending.” It is one of the slower songs and features a catchy piano snippet with some of the best lyrics on the album. “New Glow” is the best
album Matt & Kim have released. It made me a fan despite my opinions on them before. Overall the album is good but their sound is not
for everyone. Lyrically the album is sub-par and lacks quality. The catchiness of the album is undeniable and is for someone who likes fun music.
King Crossword
Mall Cop 2: ‘Donut see it’ Sarah Spohn A&E Editor The critics are saying: Don’t see it. And they’re right. I feel it is my duty to serve and protect you against this awful sequel. “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” stars Kevin James as a pathetic, yet somewhat lovable mall security guard. The original film was released in 2009 and saw surprising success at the box office. This cop should be arrested for how poor of a movie this flick was. James as the unabashedly proud mall security guard Blart is believable, but sad. Blart is invited to attend a security conference in Las Vegas, and takes his daughter Maya to join in on the celebration. While he’s about to give the keynote speech, his daughter gets kidnapped in the hotel. She quickly learns that a group of bad guys are stealing art from the hotel. She uses her own hand-me-down security knowledge, passed on to her by her over-protective dad, to get out of sticky situations.
It’s up to Blart and his fellow strip mall security guard band of misfits to save his daughter and the hotel. A Sony Pictures and Happy Madison production usually equals memorable soundtracks full of great iconic oldies. Say what you will about later Happy Madison films led by Adam Sandler: “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” or “That’s My Boy,” but part of that special Happy Madison ingredient is the music. It makes or breaks a film. I went into the sequel with great expectations of the soundtrack after the original film included ‘80s hits from Survivor, REO Speedwagon, Bon Jovi and Kiss. To my dismay, “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” had no epic big hair band moments in sync with the action. I don’t even remember a single song that played. It did, however include Little Kiss, the little people tribute KISS band in an elevator. While the sequel didn’t score well with the online movie review website Rotten Tomatoes, landing an impressive zero percent rating, the film was fairly successful in the box offices opening weekend.
Usually able to soak up memorable one-liners like a sponge, I walked away with none of those. The storyline wasn’t much, and it wasn’t expected to be much. Sequels are usually just timely reunions of loved characters; often just repeats years later. The opening minutes of the film abandoned Blart of two of his loves: his mother gets ran over and killed by a milk truck, and his wife leaves him after just six days of marriage. What a way to open up a movie. From there, it was all downhill. Granted the segway as a sole means of transportation warranted a few laughs, and Blart’s stereotypical cop ‘stache added a chuckle or two. But the laughs stopped there. It’s safe to say James has been demoted from the laugh-out-loud “King of Queens,” to an unfunny downright sad peasant in “Mall Cop 2.” Once reigning as a King of physical comedy — the fat jokes and the fart jokes didn’t even bother us — James hit a low with this film. It was not funny, nor did it seemingly try to be funny.
This week’s puzzle is sponsored by:
10 OPINION Don’t let fear stop you from what you love
May 4 - 31, 2015
www.lcc.edu/lookout
When I started at Lansing Community College the year was 1999. Now, 16 years later, I am 35 years old and finally set to graduate on May 17. I had no clue what I wanted to do when I first started here. If you were to look at my academic transcript and see my grades when I first started here, it is not a pretty picture. I tried taking art classes and learned that it wasn’t my cup of tea. I took unnecessary classes like history of rock ’n’ roll. The words academic probation soon entered the picture, and I was eventually taken off from financial aid.
In the back of my head, I always knew I wanted to do writing. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment of how or why I decided to come back to LCC. After filing a financial aid repeal I returned to LCC in 2011. Older, wiser and determined to do
something with my life, I decided to focus on journalism. Around this time, I began stalking The Lookout office, knocking on the staff’s door several times seeing if they needed a writer. But the newspaper had a full staff at the time. My persistence and annoyance eventually paid off, as I was used as a freelance writer for two semesters; eventually hired as a staff writer. While working for The Lookout, I continued taking journalism classes and other writing classes, including argumentative writing, creative writing and a
novel writing class. These classes solidified that my writing was more than just an action I did, but a passion. Professors soon began to compliment my creativity and voice in my writing. Eventually, I become the editor in chief at The Lookout. As the editor, I continue to find new ways to improve myself and the paper. This month has been tremendous for my writing career. I was recently awarded The Lookout “Employee of the Year” award. My essay was chosen to appear in LCC’s Washington Square Journal. I also
won two awards at the Michigan Community College Press Association’s journalism contest, including a first-place award for a serious column. In one month I will graduate with an associate’s degree in journalism, all because I trusted my instincts. It is never too late to make a decision in your life and work toward it. I want to thank the significant people that have helped me along the way. First off I’d like to thank Adviser Larry Hook for seeing something inside of me enough to make me the editor in chief of the paper. It continues to be a learning
experience. Thanks to the writing professors who have helped shape my writing over the years, including Mike Kohon, Leslie Farris, Karrie Waarala, Susan Serafin-Jess and Pamela Warner. Thank you for your kind words, as well as for the constructive criticism. My schooling will continue as I further my education at the LCC University Center. However I can close the books on one chapter of my life as I walk down the aisle with a degree in hand and a feeling of a great achievement.
Summer fun events are just around the corner As warm weather arrives and I dust off the shorts that have been folded all winter I am reminded that this semester is finally coming to an end. Preparing for my last exams, studying until midnight and writing all the five-page papers one can imagine will all be over within a month. I could not be happier. My time at LCC is not completely over. I will be attending LCC next year and am even more prepared to take on classes and my new role as Arts & Entertainment editor for The Lookout. Until then I am ready to enjoy
summer events and take a break from all the hectic studying. Here are some of my favorite events that I attend every summer: Common Ground Music Festival: Sounds of all kinds
fill the summer air downtown on July 7 through 12 as part of Common Ground, a six-day musical festival. I have been going to Common Ground ever since 1999 when it started. It is one of my favorite summer events. From head banging to Circa Survive last year to falling in love with Ben Folds in 2013, Common Ground is the bomb. This year Common Ground will bring pop star Meghan Trainor, Flaming Lips and Jane’s Addiction to stages. This summer will be one to remember. For more information go to www.commongroundfest.com
East Lansing Art Festival: The East Lansing Art Fest, scheduled for May 15 through 17, features hundreds of art vendors. They range from students to artists who travel the world displaying and selling art. This fun event offers the opportunity to buy art, listen to local bands, explore East Lansing, meet new people and eat delicious food. The event is free and open to anyone. For more information go to elartfest.com Lugnuts Games: ‘Tis the season for baseball. What better way to spend a summer day than watching baseball and enjoying ballpark food and beer?
Lugnuts baseball at Cooley Law School Stadium is a great way to spend the summer. The stadium offers specials for families, beer lovers and even dogs. For a full schedule head to www.milb.com/index. jsp?sid=t499 Lansing JazzFest: You don’t have to like jazz to like the Lansing JazzFest. The JazzFest includes free music throughout the day, featured art displays, beer selections and Old Town shopping and restaurants. JazzFest will take place Aug. 7 through 8. For more information go to jazzlansing.com Have a great summer!
‘Anti-Gay Day’ in high school is disgusting, terrifying In case you didn’t hear, this year’s national Day of Silence was held on April 17. During the Day of Silence, participants take a vow of silence to spread awareness of bullying and harassment directed toward members of the LGBT community. On April 16, a group of high school students in McGuffey High School in Pennsylvania decided to protest Day of Silence
by organizing “Anti-Gay Day.” According to the Huffington Post, these mostly male students wore plaid
shirts, wrote “anti-gay” on their hands and put Bible verses on the lockers of students who identify with the LGBT community. The group even went as far as to physically shove students, along with calling them all sorts of derogatory slurs. As if that was not awful enough, a “lynch list” filled with students’ names was reported to have circulated around school.
Words cannot describe how horrendous this is. As much as it saddens me, I know there are many homophobic people in the world. Those people can sometimes be physically or emotionally violent, or both, toward people in the LGBT community. However, it really breaks my heart to see children in high school filled with enough hate that they feel the need to organize a movement de-
signed to attack innocent people calling for justice. To me, it does not matter if people disagree with other people’s ways of life, as long as everyone is civil and humane with one another. If people let other people live their lives the way that makes them happy, then everyone would simply be much better off. There is never a justifiable reason for calling
someone a derogatory name or physically assaulting them. Never. I sincerely hope the students who organized this hateful movement see some sort of punishment and never go into politics. To read the Huffington Post article, visit www.huffingtonpost. com/2015/04/20/mcguffeyschool-anti-gay-day_n_7101046.html.
11 Opinion
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout — Staff Editorial —
What is your favorite cartoon?
thelookout California law protects
Illustrations by Vincent Mata
Jeremy Kohn
Nikki Nicolaou
Sarah Spohn
the safety of individuals
Shelby Schueller
Editor in Chief kohnj2@lcc.edu
Associate Editor nicolaon@lcc.edu
A & E Editor spohns1@lcc.edu
News Editor schuels1@mail.lcc.edu
“Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
“Bob’s Burgers.”
“Rugrats.”
“Courage the Cowardly Dog.”
Richard Schenck
Brian Wells
Jaimie Bozack
Vincent Mata
Sports Editor schen1@lcc.edu
Photo Editor wellsb6@lcc.edu
Staff Writer bozackj@lcc.edu
Paginator matav@lcc.edu
“Futurama.”
“Clone High.”
“Archer.”
“Regular Show.”
Lurah Peterson
Aaron Wilton
The debate of whether to vaccinate a child has been going on for years, and was reignited recently. After an incident of measles spread like wildfire at Disney World’s resort in California during December of 2014, politicians and the media took notice. According to the Center for Disease Controls website, there were 162 cases of measles outbreaks in the United States from Jan. 1 to April 17, 2015. The CDC has encouraged parents to vaccinate their children; saying a vaccination for a child has a 97 percent chance of providing immunity to the measles. While the CDC and other scientific outlets have encouraged parents to vaccinate their children, others have taken a more firm approach. California is proposing a law that would make vaccinations mandatory for children, largely in
Larry Hook
part to the Disney World scare. Anti -vaccinators are against the bill. They believe the government is trying to take away a freedom of choice. Those who choose not to vaccinate believe the chemicals in vaccinations are unnatural and can lead to other diseases, such as autism and cancer. According a recent CNN.com report, a study of 95,000 children was tested over an 11-year span. The results published in the Journal of American Medical Association found zero evidence of a link between autism and the measles vaccine. The Lookout staff supports the law that California hopes to pass. We believe it is beneficial for not only the safety of the state, but also for the whole country. Viruses have the potential to spread nationwide. And, although unlikely, they can also mutate and become harder to care for and control.
Classified Advertising Advertising Manager petersl8@lcc.edu
Advertising Assistant wiltona@lcc.edu
Adviser hookl@lcc.edu
“Phineas and Ferb.”
“Wacky Races.”
“Family Guy.”
HAVE A STORY? Are you a Sexual and Gender Minority? Have an empowerment story you’d like to share on your workplace, or on being authentic? Contact Frank Vaca at Vacaafrank@gmail.com.
‘RED WIDOW’ ON SALE This is the second published book from Nathan Wilson, former editor of The Lookout. It is a crime thriller about a young streetwalker being extorted by a homicide detective. Cost is $8. Go to nrwilson.com $8.
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12 LAST LOOK
May 4 - 31, 2015 www.lcc.edu/lookout
Photos by Brian Wells
Musical duo James and June perform during a recording of “Grand River Studio Sessions” on April 23 in the DMAC Recording Studio in the TLC Building at LCC.
Behind the scenes of ‘Grand River Studio Sessions’ Sarah Spohn A & E Editor
For many LCC students, the pathway to their degree includes term papers, a few projects and plenty of final exams. For some media majors though, hands-on experience is booking bands, filming concerts and interviewing artists on camera. What began as monthly LCC Radio member concerts has evolved into a collaboration between the campus radio station and LCC TV. The idea was based off an original concert series held at different com-
munity venues around Lansing. The Grand River Radio concert series then turned into a live broadcast called the Grand River Radio Diner show. A few years later, it is now the simulcast live-totape Grand River Studio Sessions, airing on radio and television. Originally, the idea was to get a closer look at the bands and artists; almost like having a concert in your living room, according to WLNZ Station Manager Daedalian Lowry. The idea then snowballed into what it would be like to be able to sit in on a recording session. The concerts, shot live-
Matt McCulloch works at the director’s station during a recording of “Grand River Studio Sessions.”
to-tape, include band interviews, stories and
Brock Elsesser works the soundboard in the DMAC recording studio.
songs in each one-hourlong episode. Hosted by
various LCC students, LCC Radio staff and volunteers, each episode features a different artist or band. Lowry spoke about the focus on supporting the diverse local and Michigan music scene. “We try to do different genres, as many as we can include,” Lowry said. “We have done everything from jazz to folk to blues; rock, alternative, singer songwriter, solo and bands.” Some of the featured artists so far have included Bennett, Joe Hertler, Kaleido, Wisaal, Matt Moore, Off the Ledge and LCC Faculty Jazz Quartet
Layers. With the help of Media Services, the Grand River Studio Sessions is a professional product, great for both the bands and students involved with the series. According to Lowry, it is with the help of students that these projects are so successful. “Mike Steibel has been great in helping,” Lowry said. “He’s been the assistant producer of the show.” Steibel, an LCC radio student employee, did everything from booking the bands to helping the See Studio, page 8
James and June perform during a recording of “Grand River Studio Sessions.”