Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
The Beacon
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 77 ◆ Issue 7
Th u r s d ay, O c t o b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3
NEASC evaluates College’s credentials
Just a touch of magic
Students invited to attend the open forum on Nov. 4 in Sullivan Lounge By Nick Swanson Staff Writer
Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon
Sophomore Kelsey McGonigle, dressed as Tinker Bell on right, face paints Alexia, 7, dressed as a cheerleader on Monday night at the annual Boo Bash in Berkshire Towers.
Check out more photos from the 17th Annual Boo Bash from Monday night on page 12.
COPLAC exhibits innovation By Gabriel Kogel Staff Writer
On Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26, the College hosted the Council of Public Liberal Arts College’s (COPLAC) Northeast Regional Undergraduate Research Conference. For the second time in four years, the annual conference took place at MCLA. Students from six participating colleges presented faculty mentored research in the fields of the arts, natural and social sciences, and the humanities. In addition to the numerous oral presentations, the Conference showcased student artwork in the Feigenbaum Center Atrium and vocal performances from the cast of “Spring Awakening” and CantaNOVA, a choir from Ramapo College of New Jersey. Other participating campuses were Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State College, State University of New York at Geneseo, and University of Maine at Farmington. According to COPLAC Director, Bill Spellman, the Conference offers students a chance to explain findings of their research and hone their presentation skills, in a peerfocused setting. “Every year we’ve seen an
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improvement in the quality of presentations as students are less anxious and more articulate. A great benefit of the conference is that it allows students to demonstrate their research findings face-to-face with their peers, while also working closely with faculty,” Spellman said. Stephan Rochefort, a history major at MCLA, presented on how power and authority act to legitimize violence that might otherwise be considered terrorism, were it not state-sponsored.
“Presenting at COPLAC was an exciting and enriching experience,” Rochefort said. “The steps taken to practice and perfect a presentation require hard work and dedication. It’s the culmination of months of research on a given topic. It really pays off.” Julia Ashton, sociology major at MCLA, is a veteran presenter having attended last year’s COPLAC at
COPLAC, continued on page 4
Photo by Emily Boughton/The Beacon
The crowd gathers in the Feigenbaum Center for Science Innovation to see the poster session of the COPLAC Undergraduate Research Conference.
In November, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ (NEASC) president Cameron Staples will lead the evaluation of the College campus to validate the reaccreditation process, which is necessary by state standards every 10 years. “This has been the smoothest process I’ve worked on. We’re not worried about passing the accreditation,” Cynthia Brown, vice president of Academic Affairs, said. The team of peer reviewers will be meeting with standard committees on campus to obtain different forms of information relating to how the College is progressing. “It’s not a surprise inspection like a restaurant or hospital, so we are prepared and have all the evidence in place so we can tell our story,” Brown said. According to an MCLA online article, a self-study document will benchmark the College’s progress, challenges, and opportunities relative to the 11 standards NEASC has outlined. A faculty and staff Steering Committee and teams organized around each of the 11 standards will research and draft the self-study. For the duration that the team is in North Adams, they will be staying at a hotel downtown. Starting Sunday, Nov. 3, the team will come for a reception and dinner on campus. On Monday, Nov. 4, the team will begin a day of meetings with multiple departments. In the beginning of the day, they will meet with the President Mary Grant and her cabinet. Following that are more meetings with officials in Steering committee, Academic Affairs, Administration and Finance, Student Advancement, and Enrollment Management. On Tuesday, Nov. 5 the process will continue and consist of a campus tour,
Mayoral candidates answer questions
REWILDERMENT returns
Midnight Maddness begins
Local debate coverage from last week’s meeting
Tonight in Gallery 51, watch C. Ryder Cooley
Checkout photos from last week’s event
Arts & Entertainment, page 6
Sports, page 9
News, page 4
meetings with the Athletics department, Academic Technology Advisory Group, the President’s council, the Student Government Association executive board, and the Honors Program co-chairs with faculty travel course, service learning and undergraduate research leaders. Lastly, Wednesday, Nov. 6, the team will end the reaccreditation process with a full report of their findings at 11 a.m. in Murdock 218. Students will be able to offer input as well as ask questions on the process of how the College is being evaluated at the open forum meeting Monday, Nov. 4, in Sullivan Lounge. A full itinerary of the team’s specific whereabouts during the accreditation process is available on the College’s website. According to the NEASC website, NEASC accreditation is a system of accountability that is ongoing, voluntary, and comprehensive in scope. It respects differences in institutional populations, missions and cultures, and fosters institutional change grounded in the judgment of practicing educators. It is based on standards that are developed and regularly reviewed by the members, which define the characteristics of good schools and colleges. “We’ll continue to work to make things better, but what we want is to focus on what our students enter with and what they leave with,” Celia Norcross, director of Student Development, said. According to its website, NEASC serves more than 2,000 public and independent schools, colleges and universities in the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and American/ international schools in more than 67 nations worldwide.
News Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Opinion Local Events Photo Essay
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Campus News 2 Police Early registration sparks SGA debate Logs Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
By Ryan Flynn
The week of 10/20-10/26 Sunday, October 20 ◆ 12:13 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. No action was required. ◆ 4:50 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a burglar alarm at 228 East Main Street. The alarm was determined to be accidental. Monday, October 21 ◆ 2:33 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call to jump start a vehicle at the Bond Street Parking Lot. Services were rendered. Tuesday, October 22 ◆ 2:07 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a fire alarm at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. A report was filed. Wednesday, October 23 ◆ 2:18 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call to jump start a vehicle on Church Street. Services were rendered.
Senior News Writer Early registration
Senator Ama Adwetewa-Badu announced that the Academic Policy Committee is now properly and fully discussing which students should be allowed to register early for classes. The main debate has been whether or not honors students should be allowed to register early for all of their classes. As of right now, honors students are only allowed to register early for honors classes, and some are claiming that it is a hassle to have to register twice. Badu noted that the committee
is encouraging students to come to each meeting and speak their mind on the subject. “One thing they have an issue with is that they don’t have students coming and saying that they have an issue,” she said. Meetings are held each Wednesday at noon in Murdock 202. Club and Club Member of the Week awards to begin Coordinating Vice President Hannah Sterrs announced that the first Club and Club Member of the Week awards will be announced at next Monday’s meeting. Nominations are open until Saturday and will be voted upon
By Ryan Flynn
Senior News Writer Local author Karen Shepard addressed the MCLA community last week, revealing the inner workings and motives behind her most recent novel “Celestials” as part of the college’s Creating Equality series. The novel is about a group of young Chinese strikebreakers who came to North Adams in 1870 to work for industrialist Calvin Sampson. Focusing on Sampson, his wife, Julia, who had several miscarriages until she gives birth to a child of mixed race, and
a driven Chinese worker named Charlie, who eventually went on to marry a white woman and open a grocery store, Shepard discussed how she tried to dismantle the typical depiction of “good” and “evil” characters in her novel. Interdisciplinary Studies professor Karen Cardozo noted that this was an important topic to touch upon. Cardozo critiqued most socalled multicultural literature for being “too simplistic in its presentation of bad guys and good guys,” she said. “Whereas the bad and good runs through each of us as human beings, no one is all bad or
Thursday, October 24 ◆ 11:24 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a motor vehicle accident on Blackinton Street. A report was filed.
Friday, October 25 ◆ 4:44 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a supervisory alarm at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. The alarm was investigated.
President Jake Powers happily announced that the DVD rental period in the library has been extended by two days. He also noted that the library recently added JSTOR, a research database with over 2,000 scholarly journals. He added that the library offers several tools for research, including 80,000 e-books and urged students to take advantage of its resources. The bike share program is now closed for the season, but will reopen in the spring semester.
Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
Coordinating Vice President Hannah Sterrs announces Club of the Week nomination papers.
Dismantling characters beyond good and bad
◆ 5:43 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a motor vehicle accident on Ashland Street. The incident was referred to an outside agency.
◆ 8:54 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Campus Police Office. A report was filed.
Sunday by a committee including Sterrs and six senators. Freel Library Update
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Shepard promotes, “Celestials,” her new novel about young Chinese strikebreakers who came to North Adams in 1870.
Thursday, October 31
Friday, November 1
all good,” she added. Shepard also focused on how desires, such as Charlie’s to work hard in order to rise above his status and Julia’s to give birth, make characters not necessarily good or evil, but human. “When you have clashing desires, that’s plot,” said Shepard. Shepard focused on stretching a reader’s capacity for empathy, which she noted is one of her favorite parts about reading fiction. While it’s easy to relate to an inherently good character, getting inside the head of a controversial one and seeing where they’re coming from is a whole other experience. However, “Celestials” is certainly a tale of the difficulties Chinese immigrants faced when coming to North Adams, especially considering they were taking the jobs of strikers. Business Professor Nancy Ovitsky emphasized how important it is for students to understand the plight of immigrants. “I think it’s important for students to understand the experiences immigrants have when they come to a new country where everything is unfamiliar, including the language, and the difficulties they face in fitting into our communities, our schools, and our workplaces,” she said. Cardozo noted that it was interesting for students to hear about North Adams history. “For students who had not yet
read the book, I think they got the pleasure of a very direct and lively overview of this unusual history of North Adams from Shepard,” she said. Shepard did note, however, that while her book is based on historical events, it is fiction. “It’s fun to be a fiction writer because you don’t have to tell the truth,” she said. Shepard is Chinese-American herself, a professor of literature and writing at Williams College, and has published three novels.
Saturday, November 2
Sunday, November 3
Partly Cloudy High: 58° Low: 36° Precip. Chance: 10%
Partly Cloudy High: 42° Low: 23° Precip. Chance: 20%
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Author and professor at Williams College Karen Shepard spoke on Oct. 24.
Saturday, October 26 ◆ 1:30 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about malicious destruction at the Smith House. The incident was investigated.
Rain Rain High: 60° High: 65° Low: 57° Low: 40° Precip. Chance: 70% Precip. Chance: 100%
Campus News
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Student educates campus on Lyme disease By Jess Gamari Editor-in-Chief
Autumn in the Berkshires often consists of hiking in the woods, walking along the foliage, and gathering around bonfires. While on these outdoor adventures, it’s important to dress warmly and bring plenty of water. Senior Brittany Galipeau encourages everyone to also be on the lookout for ticks, which can hide in skin creases and long hair. If bitten, it’s possible to become infected with Lyme disease. Galipeau was diagnosed with the illness when she was 12 years old. While at a friend’s house, she remembers her ankles had a funny tingling feeling and after a while, they became harder and harder to bend. Her mother took her to the pediatrician, where they did a Western Blot test, which Galipeau says is standard for Lyme disease testing. The test came back positive, and she was prescribed amoxicillin for a month until her symptoms subsided. Many adults with a strong immune system are prescribed Doxycycline as an antibiotic for Lyme, but Galipeau was still a child at the time. According to the Lyme Disease Association (LDA) website, Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi. The bacteria are transmitted from infected rodents to people
and other animals by black legged ticks, also known as a deer tick. Although they are most active from March through November, an average tick can live up to two years. Ticks wait in tall grassy areas for animals to pass by, and then it’s feeding time. Symptoms often don’t show up until two or three days after being bitten. In rare cases, it is possible for a human mother to transmit the disease to her unborn child in the womb. Since her initial diagnosis 10 years ago, Galipeau has had five flare-ups. Now that she is 22, she is able to take Doxycycline. Lyme disease is multi-systemic disease, meaning it can be found in many different organs in the body and can flare up at any time throughout a patient’s life. For Galipeau, flare-ups begin with joint pain and swelling, although she tries to get to a doctor before it gets worse. “My freshman year of college I let it go to see what would happen, and I got a tingly pins-andneedles feeling in my right lip and cheek area,” she said. “One of the symptoms of Lyme disease is Bell’s Palsy, which is drooping and numbness of one side of the face.” Lyme disease affects people differently. A coworker of Galipeau once had a heart attack. “She was getting sore throats and having trouble breathing, so she went to the doctor, and her heart was en-
larged.” Typical symptoms of Lyme disease according to LDA are flu-like symptoms, headache, extreme fatigue, neck and back pain, and joint pain or swelling. 50 percent of patients report having a nonitchy rash or red marks on the skin. “The worst feeling is hopelessness, like no one understands you’re not being lazy or making excuses,” Galipeau said. “You’re actually in pain.” The pain is comparable to an
icy and hot ache, Galipeau said. “Sometimes it’s warm and inflamed; other times it’s icy and aching. It can ache all over, or sometimes it’s just my knees, feet, elbows, or my neck.” To help spread the awareness about Lyme disease and prevention, Galipeau is hosting a Lyme disease event on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in Sullivan Lounge as part of her service learning capstone class with Myles Whitney. “I think it’s important for everyone to learn about Lyme dis-
sertation a couple of years ago.” Finch’s desire to teach came from his love of literature and desire to continue learning. “I suppose I’ve just been always committed to this idea of learning in the company of other people, and, in the interest of being a lifelong learner, teaching seems like the perfect profession,” he said. “I also love the opportunity to open up spaces within which students can dialogue with one another and test their own boundaries in terms of what they know and what they don’t know. In terms of literature, I love the ability of fiction and poetry and essays and creative nonfiction to expose us to worlds that we’ve not directly experienced ourselves.” Teaching in a new environment has introduced Finch to a number of people with whom he wishes to continue learning with. “The most rewarding part has got to be working with students and getting to know people,” he said. “Teaching four classes, suddenly I have almost one hundred new relationships with people.” Finch has also taken on a handful of advisees among English students. Junior Brandon Dorgan is one of his advisees and said Finch has helped him with prior academic issues. “He is helpful, for sure, and definitely thorough,” Dorgan said. “He’s also been better than previous advisers I’ve had in keeping contact with students.”
He is also the new advisor to MCLA’s Spires Literary Magazine. “We’ve instituted a creative writing contest that should be publicized pretty soon,” Finch said. “That’s designed to increase interest in submitting to the journal. This year, in addition to continuing the print journal of Spires, we’re also going to be designing a new website that will be, hopefully, a robust online compliment to the print journal. We’re hoping to roll that out sometime in the spring.” Senior Christopher Hantman, co-editor in chief of Spires, has enjoyed working with Finch on the magazine. “He’s super hands on and he knows what he’s talking about, because he’s come from a literary background,” Hantman said. “He’s gone to some pretty big schools and he’s seen what’s worked and what hasn’t, so he’s really helped us a lot. He came in with some cool ideas, we went to lunch with him and we’ve had great open communication the entire semester.” When not teaching, Finch says he can be found enjoying the great outdoors or relaxing to a mellow jazz number. “I’m pretty passionate about music. In fact, right now I’m teaching two college writing courses where the focus is writing about popular music,” he smiled. “I’m also a lover of the outdoors and I’m really excited to be here
in a place with so many mountains and streams. One of my summer projects was finding the perfect swimming hole—I found some pretty good candidates. Getting outdoors in the winter, snowshoeing, and in the summer hiking in particular. I also love to travel, and hope to use my summer breaks to continue to travel.” Though he was a vocalist and keyboard player years ago, Finch no longer conPhoto by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon siders himself a Prof. David “Zack” Finch has many ideas musician—just an about the future of branching campus and enthusiast. community life. While he extered that at all.” pected his entrance into MCLA to In the future, Finch would like be a tad difficult, he said he has to focus on service-based learnreceived a warm welcome to the ing, and next semester he will be College. bringing out his first hybrid class. “I was given an orientation “It’s an upper level course that really helped me to meet a called hybrid poetics that will exlot of administrators and faculty. amine difficult to classify genres Everyone in my department and of literature, which hybridize or throughout the College has been combine multiple genres,” he said. super supportive,” he said. “I was “The books that we will be readexpecting some turbulence enter- ing will be serving as models to ing into a new institutional envi- inspire innovation in terms of ronment, but I haven’t encoun- student writing practices.”
Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon
Senior Brittany Galipeau was diagnosed with Lyme disease when she was 12. She is hosting an awareness event on Nov. 6.
ease because it is so prevalent in this area,” Galipeau said. “People love to hike and enjoy the Berkshires, so it’s important to protect yourselves. And if you do get Lyme disease, then they should know how to treat it properly.” Members of the Berkshire Lyme Disease Association from Pittsfield will attend the event to talk about what they do and discuss controversial topics about Lyme disease. Students Sarah Fuller, Geoffrey Feldman, and Anastasia Abbruscato will also be sharing their stories. “Sarah is my neighbor [in the Townhouses] and in one of my classes, and Geoffrey and I were talking about Lyme disease one day. Anastasia saw one of my posters and contacted me, which was awesome,” Galipeau said. Galipeau said although she has Lyme disease, she doesn’t let it define her. She is a co-captain of the women’s cross country team, and she sees this illness as a motivator to keep pushing forward even when her body tells her otherwise. Doctors recommend physical activity like swimming or yoga to prevent joints from becoming stiff, but Galipeau enjoys running for the physical and mental challenge. “It’s almost empowering,” she said. “You don’t realize how big the Lyme community is out here and how many people have it until you talk about it.”
New professor feels at home in English department By Nick Arena
Managing Editor Peering over his tortoise shell glasses, David “Zack” Finch discusses his plans for his future as a professor in the MCLA department of English and communications. With four literature and writing courses on his plate this semester, Finch is already planning for the future with the goal of crafting courses to cross the various English concentrations. “I’m very much at home in teaching creative writing courses, and I’m also really interested in designing courses that help to bridge the different concentrations in the English department,” Finch said. “For instance, courses that are both literary studies courses, but also involve creative writing practices.” Finch’s teaching experience spans from Dartmouth College, where he earned his undergraduate degree, to SUNY Buffalo, and Louisiana State University. He continued his education to earn his doctorate while teaching. “I was an English and creative writing major at Dartmouth College as an undergraduate,” he said. “Then I spent time abroad in Italy at the Ezra Pound Center for Literature and I did my masters of fine arts at Warren Wilson’s program for writers in North Carolina. After that I did my doctorate in literature at the University of Buffalo where I finished my dis-
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News
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Alcombright, Moulton sound off in debate North Adams mayoral election is set for Nov. 5. Last week, the canidates met for a debate at McCann Technical High School to discuss city affairs.
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
The crowd consisted of the North Adams community members and a panel journalists during the mayorial debate.
By Gabriel Kogel Staff Writer
Incumbent Mayor Richard J. Alcombright faced off against former City Councilman Robert Moulton Jr. at the Wednesday, Oct. 23 debate, sparring over the city’s crime rate and economic issues while discussing plans to renovate the Mohawk Theater and Conte Middle School. Alcombright, who is seeking his third term as mayor, touted the recognition and revenue gained by the city from the Solid Sound and FreshGrass festivals, along with the $40 million invested in MCLA’s Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation. He also hailed the $30 million earmarked to renovate Conte Middle School. “The proof is in the numbers. Our unemployment rate in 2010 was 10.2 percent. This past September, it was 8.1 percent,” Alcombright said. Moulton, who served as city councilor for four terms, worried that rising crime and controversial tax policies represent negative trends for the city. “You can’t just be a downtown mayor; you also have to be a mayor of the neighborhoods too,” Moulton said, adding, “The average, middle-class people of North Adams no longer have a voice.”
Emphasizing his close ties to the College, Alcombright pointed to Galleries 51 and 53 and DownStreet Art as ways the city and the College communities have maintained a relationship of mutual enrichment under his administration. “I’ve been a very big part of campus life since I’ve come into office,” he said. “The thing I stress the most, when I talk to parents and students at the College, is the eight months of the year when you’re here, you’re a citizen and a resident of North Adams.” Moulton stated that if elected, he intends to incorporate greater student involvement in the workings of city government. “It dawned on me today, why not make the college more of a partner than it is? Especially with the student group, maybe have a liaison to the city council, and have local government and the college be more involved,” he said. Regarding the city’s plan to renovate the Mohawk Theater in partnership with the College and MASSMoCa, Alcombright explained that although funding is the greatest hurdle, the plan is “not dead in the water.” “Picture this, the MCLA school of Fine and Performing Arts at the Mohawk,” he said. “The most sustainable plan for theater is to bring the campus, off-campus, and
bring the life and energy into the Mohawk.” Moulton responded that the city has $2
“You can’t just be a downtown mayor; you also have to be a mayor of the neighborhoods,” -Robert Moulton Jr. million in tax credits for an investor willing to take on the project. Yet he was not opposed to a partnership with the College, saying, “If the plan for the College works, and it’s viable, that’s fine.” “It’s the key marketing plan for downtown. Once you get that Mohawk Theater going, everything else kind of spins off of that,” he said. As Massachusetts became the 18th state to allow the medicinal use of marijuana this year, the candidates were asked about dispensaries in the city. Alcombright stated that although he was skeptical at first, he intends to follow voters’ lead and support the law. He added that he
plans to convene a six-month moratorium on the dispensary question. Moulton was unsure on the issue, saying the law is “so new and controversial” that he would look to the state and attorney general for guidance. Alcombright admitted the city has seen a marked increase in violent crime, breakins, and property damage. Detailing his recent partnership with state law enforcement agencies, he added the city must also take steps to curb widespread heroin and prescription drug addiction. “When we look at the crimes that are happening in the city, three more cops on the shift typically would not be preventing these things. We need to look at us, ourselves,” he said. Moulton responded that crime is “drastically worse,” adding that violent crime in the City is 45% higher than the state as whole. “When I walked the streets, I thought taxes would be the number one concern, but overwhelmingly it was crime, two-toone,” he said. Former Town Clerk Paul Hutchinson moderated the debate, which took place in the gymnasium of McCann Technical High School and was sponsored by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.
Presenters demonstrate research efforts COPLAC, continued from page 1
Eastern Connecticut State University. This time, she explored the issue of who controls and interprets history in the contentious intersection of archeology and agenda in the Israel-Palestine conflict. “I have learned how to become a better presenter. It’s true that the only way of getting over a fear of presenting is to do it frequently,” Ashton said. “I have been able to understand how to relate to an audience and present information in such a way that it both appeals and makes sense to a multidisciplinary audience.” For Jake Taylor, biology major from the University of Maine at Farmington, the Conference was well worth the six-hour drive. “I’m used to participating in conferences that are solely focused on biology, so I’m surprised by the variety of subjects that were
presented,” he said. Taylor’s presentation focused on research into the effects of the drug Laromustine on leukemia and brain cancer cells. Although the drug is only in the second stage of clinical trails, the results are promising. Taylor noted that he appreciated the supportive atmosphere of the Conference and has learned from the perspectives of other students. “The poster sessions in the Feignenbaum Center were really diverse,” he said, adding, “It’s a nice campus and everyone has been really friendly.” Dean of Academic Affairs Monica Joslin congratulated presenters for a job well done at the closing ceremony. “It’s been two days of unbelievable presentations, art and performance. Really, it’s been graduate level work -very impressive.”
Photo by Emily Boughton/The Beacon
President Mary Grant greets students and faculty participating in the COPLAC Undergraduate Research Conference on Friday, Oct. 25.
City News
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Jesse Collings sat down with both mayoral candidates to talk about pressing issues city issues. General elections are Nov. 5 Q: Do you see any means to strengthen ties between the college and the N. Adams community? A: Yes, and I’d like to find ways we can become more involved with each other. I’ll start by asking: what would you like to see from us, and how can we collaborate? I really like to see when students participate in projects, whether it’s coming down to pick up trash on earth day, or volunteering to tutor k-12 students. MCLA students are a tremendous force in the community, and they bring in a lot of business. We need to sit down and find ways to be an asset to each other. Q: What do you see as the key to improving the city’s economy? A: The typical political thing is to say: ‘bring in business.’ Everyone says that, but the days of expecting someone to bring industry into a city are over. I’m more interested in someone coming here for other reasons, and realizing ‘hey this area has a lot to offer.’ From MASSMoCA, to the beauty of our mountains, to our numerous art galleries, we have every-
EF Councilor Moulton EF thing. Our attractiveness to business is our attractiveness.
Q: What are your thoughts on your opponent and why should you be mayor instead? A: Four years ago, I was a supporter of the Mayor. I grew up with him and I think he’s a great guy. For my own part, I’ve been a businessman all my life. I own property here, and in Vermont. I have a vested interest in this city, and I always will. What he talks about, I’ve done. Business is far more re-active and proactive than government. A lot of politicians kick the can down the road, but being in business, you can’t do that, if you do, you’ll find you won’t last very long. Why am I running? Two more years of this mayor, we can’t take it. We have a limited base to tax, with so little business, and so few people working to pay taxes. We can’t afford it. We have to pick our battles. Q: What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the city and how do you plan to address it? A: Crime is the biggest issue, and I know this because when I talk
to citizens they tell me it’s what concerns them the most. One big thing I plan to do is re-allocate our resources in the police department. I’d like to see more community policing. I plan to get officers out walking the beat, so that citizens can interact more freely with the police, before trouble arises. It’s not just a matter of getting more cops on the street; it’s about getting them where they’re needed. I’m president of the of the N. Adams ambulance service, so I’m very familiar with what’s required to run an emergency service. Q: Do you have any plans for the downtown area and the Mohawk Theater?
A: The city is lacking many downtown venues. The Mayor said recently that the vacancy rate is the lowest in years, but he needs to step outside his office. The amount of vacancies is atrocious. My plan is to follow the recommendations made the ’95 Hyett Palma Economic Enhancement Strategy Report. The mayor said that the report is outdated, and that he (meaning me) doesn’t understand it. That’s a complete lie. The document is as relevant today
as it was in 95, and I understand it very well. The report contains suggestions that we can use to revitalize downtown. I’ve thought about talking to the downtown banks, maybe they can get together, buy these vacant buildings, and then seek investors. As for the Mohawk, it’s possible MCLA could purchase it. Other than that, if someone comes here and buys for $5 million, I’ll name it after them. Q: How has your role as city councilor prepared you to be mayor and what is your position on the renovation of Conte middle school?
A: Being city councilor let me see how the city is run, the turning of the wheels. I realized how difficult it is, and how long things can take. I enjoyed my eight years on the council. It allowed me to help people and hear their issues. But a city councilor can’t raise a nickel, so it’s a bit limiting. I think a lot of things are done without keeping the people’s best interest in mind. There are a lot of agendas out there, and that’s not in the best interest of the people. I’m adamantly against the renew-
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Moulton served as a city councilor for four terms. al of Conte. I was part of the group that formed a petition to take the project off the drawing board. In my opinion, there are better ways to spend the $29.8 million, other locations that would be a better choice for our children. Safety is my main concern. Conte doesn’t meet the present or future needs of children. The Mayor raised many thousands of dollars to promote the renovation, and a lot of that money was from out of town.
EF Mayor Alcombright EF Q: What is currently the most important issue facing the city? How do you plan to tackle that issue? A: The most important issue is the stabilization of our economy and growth. Solutions for these concerns have been ongoing and will continue. I have crafted relationships with local, regional and state leaders and entities striving to find collaborative ways to grow. Through these efforts, we have seen more than 30 new businesses or business expansions over the past 30 months that account for millions in new development and well over 250 new jobs. We are on the cusp of re-development of our Heritage Sate Park into the Greylock Marketplace utilizing state grants and private investment dollars. Additionally, in the first quarter of next year, I will be unveiling our first comprehensive master plan in over 40 years. To tackle the issue....I would just do more of what I have been doing for the past 4 years. Q: What are your plans/projects to help stimulate the economy of the city? A: The comprehensive master plan addresses all aspects of community economy, social dynamics, recreational amenities, healthy and green community, education and other initiatives. Through this plan, we have and will continue to identify “low hanging fruit”, things we can do quickly such as infrastructure work, green spaces and other amenities to bring recognition and excitement to our progress. Longer term, we will use the plan to guide us in longer term initiatives for growth. This, along with our strategies to work with partners and the private sector should help us continue our forward progress. Q: What are your concerns about crime in the city and how do you plan to address those concerns?
A: Crime in the City has escalated and my head and the heads of our public safety folks have not been in the sand. In April, I forged ahead with the District Attorney’s Office, the State Police, Sheriff ’s Department and local law enforcement to bring a much higher level of policing to the City. This has resulted in a significant number of arrests and this effort will be ongoing. The other side of this is identifying the root causes of crime in the City. While policing is more of a reactive measure, we need to be certain we have proactive measures. I am working closely with several groups and agencies that deal with poverty, substance abuse and lack of education.....all that contribute to crime in any urban environment. Addressing root causes side by side with enforcement is the only sustainable way towards a safer community. Q: How would you describe the downtown business climate? A: Simply put, the vacancy rate in the downtown is the lowest it has been in 20 years. Many of our small businesses in the downtown have expanded their footprints over the past couple of years. Our restaurants are doing well, we have had more and increasingly vibrant festivals, MCLA Gallery 51, 53 and Press Gallery along with DownStreet Art and our beautiful visual art in the downtown have created a “flare” and a new excitement that resonates with young and old alike. I think our downtown is in a great place right now and will only get better overtime with new ideas and new investment. Q: How would you describe the city’s relationship with MCLA? A: The relationship between the City and MCLA is great. Since coming into office, I have had the pleasure of working with Pres-
ident Grant, her administration, staff and students on many different levels. MCLA has increased its footprint in the downtown and certainly on the campus with the Center for Science and Innovation. There are many students who participate in the Community Day of Service, Martin Luther King Day of Service, mentor in our schools and intern in our businesses. MCLA is a true cornerstone of our community and the educational, social and economic attributes provided combined with the diversity of the campus, are critical components to the success of the City. Q: What are your plans for the Conte Middle School? A: Conte Middle School has been a “pet” project of mine for three years now. Through many public meetings, our School Building Committee with the endorsement of the School Committee and vote to fund of the City Council has approved a $30 million dollar renovation of the beautiful historic structure. The project will cost the City 80% or approximately $6.2 million dollars and this K-7 school project will begin construction in March, 2014. Q: What are your plans for renovating the Mohawk theater? A: For two years, I have been working on a sustainable project collaboratively with MCLA and MASS MoCA to bring the arts programming at the college off campus and into the Mohawk. With MCLA’s extensive arts programs, I see the Mohawk as the perfect learning lab and performance space for students. This type of use could include student housing and retail in the downtown and holds promise for a very sustainable solution. Additionally, this use would coordinate with community theater and community needs. I continue to work with President Grant, MoCA and our con-
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Alcombright is seeking his third term as mayor for the city. sultants on trying to find the appropriate and affordable model. Q: Why do you think you are a better candidate then your opponent? First and foremost, I march to my own drum and will continue to lead the City in that fashion. I am a proponent of collaboration and I have proven that in my dealings with Veteran’s services, working with many civic and non-profit organizations to find solutions and working with our major partners like neighboring communities, MCLA, MoCA and the hospital. I have spent much of my adult life building relationships and so much of this job is just that. I have been deeply involved in community service at many levels for 40 years including service to non-profits, youth sports and the Catholic community. Finally, I have an extensive 36 year banking background, 23 years of service to school committee, 9 years on the City Council and 4 years as mayor.
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Thursday, October 31, 2013
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Dispatch Ryder Cooley magically returns in ‘REWILDERMENT’ from Disney By Raanan Sarid-Segal
Photo courtesy of Candice Crow
Candice is spending the semester interning for the Disney College Program in Disney World, Orlando, Fl. Candice Crow
Disney World Correspondant
H
appy Halloween! I hope your day is filled with spooky happenings and early releases from classes. While you are all enjoying the cool breeze and foliage of the Berkshire autumn, I am having my first semi- tropical Halloween. It is quite strange. To me, as a Disney cast member, Halloween seems to have been going on for ages. This is because Disney hosts a party called ‘Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween,’ which has been running since mid-September. The party runs on select dates each week until the first of November. Every night on which there is a party, I see guests walk into my restaurant in full costumes. Minion costumes are a big hit this year, but villains and pirates are also popular. The Halloween party is a big hit with guests and cast members alike. Tickets for the event are sold separately and run about $62 dollars per person. It’s worth the extra cash! Everyone is allowed to dress up in costume, and candy is passed out to whoever wants some. The event features a special parade called ‘Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade.’ Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and others all make appearances, along with a float full of villains. The party also includes various meet and greets with a handful of Disney characters. It is a truly magical event for any one of any age. I have met guests whose children are fully grown, and they still attend the party, mainly because they say the parade brings them back year after year. As you may know, almost every day that the park is open Magic Kingdom hosts a firework show entitled ‘Wishes.’ For the Halloween party, they replace ‘Wishes’ with ‘Happy Hallowishes: A Grim Grinning Ghosts’ Spooktacular in the Sky.’ Yes, it is a mouthful, but it is by far my favorite firework show of all the ones I’ve seen thus far. Accompanying the firework show is a spooky Halloween soundtrack inspired by Disney villains. What makes this show spectacular is that the fireworks go off all around you and a light show is displayed on Cinderella’s castle.
Arts and Entertainment Writer Gallery 51 will hold the exhibition opening and reception titled ‘REWILDERMENT: Passing Through the Veil Between Worlds’ today, October 31, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. The exhibit will feature music by ‘Ye Olde Dee Jay Mark Mulherrin’ and is followed by ‘Halloween Concert: Music Macabre’ at 8:30 at 18 Holden Street. REWILDERMENT will only continue into November 1. ‘REWILDERMENT’ is a collaboration between three artists: C. Ryder Cooley, Sarah Faulkner, and Shannon Taggart. Two of the artists crafted some of the pieces together, and the third photographed them. The exhibit will include individual works by all three artists as well as the pieces they have done together. The official press release describes ‘REWILDERMENT’ as a mixed-media exhibition exploring themes of ritual, witchcraft, and mediumistic practices. Viewers will be presented with a collection of evocative two and three-dimensional work including photography, video, altars, and artifacts from the wunderkammers, or curiosity cabinets, of the artists. “[The exhibit] is informed by mystic practices, spiritualism, and communication with the dead,” said Cooley. “It is very appropriate for Halloween. It is going to be spooky and dealing
with the occult.” “The exhibit has a theme of hybridity with nature,” she continued. “And it will be explored through individual work and collaborative work, including drawings, installations, photos, performances and altars. We drew a lot on fairy tales and mystical ideas in structuring out rituals.” C. Ryder Cooley is an interdisciplinary artist, working in performance and music. Cooley has performed and shown work at the College in the past. In addition to ‘REWILDERMENT,’ she is involved in ‘Halloween Concert: Music Macabre’ after the reception, with her band The Dust Bowl Faeries and Shana Falana. Sarah Faulkner is also an interdisciplinary artist. She recently published her first novel, Animal Sanctuary (2011). At Gallery 51, Falkner will exhibit several altars of her creation, drawn from the design sensibilities of Bon shamanism, Vajrayana, Curanderismo and Vodou. Shannon Taggart is a photographer based in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has been shown in TIME, New York Times Magazine and Newsweek. She will be showing her individual work as well as photos of the collaborations of the other two artists. Her photographs will be part of a series derived from Spiritualist rituals. The troupe began with just C. Ryder Cooley and Sarah
Downstreet Art concludes with night of spooky festivities
Photo from BCRC Flickr
C. Ryder Cooley explores the occult, witchcraft, and dark magic in ‘REWILDERMENT’ tonight at G51 and Branch Gallery. Faulkner, who collaborated in 2011 with a series of performance rituals. The artists have since made videos, costumes, mystical symbols, tattoos, and additional performance works. In 2012, Falkner and Cooley began collaborating with Shannon Taggart, who has since documented a number of their performing actions. “Our collaborative work was mostly rituals that Sarah and I developed,” said Cooley. They were photographed and filmed in a very non-intrusive way.
One performance included us going to some graves, summoning the spirits of the dead and offering them cookies. We then went down to the nearby lake and sunk a gingerbread house in it. We then went back to the graves.” “This is just one of the pieces which will be shown at the exhibit,” Cooley concluded. “There will be a good variety in subjects, but all connected by a theme of returning to nature, of becoming wild.”
By Shannen Adamites
Arts and Entertainment Editor If you are planning on heading downtown tonight, be prepared for a plethora of spooktacular activites, performances, and artist showcases as part of DownStreet Art’s ‘Fright Night’ celebration.
•‘REWILDERMENT: Passing Through the Veil Between Worlds,’ a mixed-media presentation focusing on witchcraft, the supernatural, and ceremonious magic, opens at Gallery 51. It features three New York artists, including Ryder Cooley, known for her most recent creative endeavor, ‘XMALIA.’ This performance concludes the DownStreet Art series with haunting tunes, eerie spirits, and macabre disguises. The reception takes place from 5 to 8 p.m., with a performance at 18 Holden Street’s Branch Gallery at 8 p.m. •Also from 5 to 8 p.m., PRESS Gallery is presenting a new exhibit on book artist Tara O’Brien called ‘Datum Chronicle.’ The exhibit features a wide array of installation pieces which primarily explore alternative and innovative interpretations of book binding, and raise questions as to what materials can and should be incorporated into a book.
Photo from BCRC Flickr
Shanafalana performs alongside Ryder Cooley’s band, The Dustbowl Faeries, tonight at 8 p.m. at Branch Gallery
•The Transcript Gallery is also opening an exhibition from 5 to 8 p.m., on 85 Main Street, featuring the work of the College’s/the Transcript’s Gillian Jones in ‘Steeples of North Adams: Spires of Hope.’ The exhibit explores the grand and historic nature of New England churches, as well as how their appearances and uses have changed over time. •Various activities include pumpkin carving on Holden Street with the College’s arts and crafts club and Mass MoCA’s Kidspace, a fire-dancer performance from Boston-based circus arts troupe, The Grasshopper Collective, face-painting and a photo booth, and a haunted trolley ride for students at the College coordinated by fraternity Pi Upsilon Pi. The trolley will pick students up at Berkshire Towers and the Townhouses, and will continue through the 21+ pub crawl later on in the evening.
Photo from BCRC Flickr
‘Dantum Chronicle’ opens at PRESS Gallery with a wide array of alternative and innovative bookbinding techniques.
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
7
SAC starts planning Spring 2014
Photo by Sam Thomson/Beacon Staff
SAC coordinates several free events throughout the academic year to provide students an opportunity to get involved on campus with give-aways, games and prizes, concerts, and much more. From top left: Devon O’Dowd, Tony Olivares, Alex Lopez, Dan O’Connell. From bottom left: Joelle Dumont, Sam O’Brien, Allie Conlon, Tess Favini, Kayla Degnan
By Nick Arena
Managing Editor With the semester winding down, as are SAC’s events for 2013, but the spring semester is just around the corner. Seniors Allison Conlon and Tess Favini, president and vice-president of the Student Activities Council, ( SAC) respectively, said that it has been a good semester for events and turnout. “I think everyone’s doing a really good job. We’ve gotten a lot of people at our events, probably more than ever,” Conlon said. “We had 84 people at a
movie on the quad on a Saturday, which never happens.” Other events that SAC has put on this semester have included a blood drive, bingo, casino night, movie on the quad, and the very popular “Barn Babies,” according to Conlon and Favini. The most recent string of events was SAC’s “Freak Week,” which included a visit to Six Flags’ Fright Fest, SAC-o-lanterns pumpkin carving, and Dig Pink to support the women’s volleyball team. “It’s been a very good year for SAC,” Favini said. Only a few events remain in the semester for the SAC crew,
upcoming sac events Nov. 2
8 p.m. Venable Gym
Bingo Nov. 4-7
Marketplace
Spring Concert Tabling Vote for your favorite artist
Nov. 12
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Marketplace
Vintage Rock Posters Dec. 3 8 p.m. Sullivan Lounge
Comedian: Martin Montana
but they are still excited about each one, according to Conlon. “After Freak Week we only have about three events,” she said. “We have bingo next week, then another comedian, and then hopefully a blue plate special.” The blue plate specials are events such as the airbrush blanket table SAC had for students in the past, according to Conlon. The biggest event that the SAC crew is looking forward to is the Spring Concert, Conlon and Favini continued. “We are tabling starting November 4 for the Spring Con-
cert,” Conlon said. Both hope that more students will continue to get involved with SAC for the upcoming events. “I would like more people to vote for our Spring Concert than usually do, because we have a lot of interest in it already and I’d like to see that carry over to next semester,” Favini said. “That would be really cool to get a lot more people involved. We just released the bands that we’re thinking of and people are already going crazy over them.” Other members are looking forward to the upcoming con-
cert planning as well. “The Spring Concert is always a big hit, so I hope people will enjoy that,” senior Anthony Olivares, SAC Comedy Stop coordinator said. Senior Devon O’Dowd, SAC Saturday Night Spotlight coordinator, is also looking forward to next year’s events. “I really enjoyed doing the Saturday Night Spotlight this year. It’s been going really well,” O’Dowd said. “There’s been a lot of huge turnouts for events that usually don’t get a lot of attention, so I really hope that’s a trend that we can look forward to in the Spring.”
Harlequin presents musical variety in annual revue By Shannen Adamites
Arts and Entertainment Editor Harlequin is back with their annual fall revue, a broadway bonanza featuring carefully selected songs by each of their student directors. The revue is set to take place Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Church Street Center auditorium. “Everyone is really excited,” Lizz Staal, the club’s secretary, said. Wih 17 pieces, this is one of the club’s largest revues yet. Beacon file photo Many of the pieces are from Micky Olivier, Veronica Gibson, Melody Rolph, and Ben Balon demnotable Broadway spectacles, onstrate their skills in last year’s revue. including shows that are curtively large cast, Staal did not however. Normally, revues take rently stealing the spotlight on endure any issues with attenplace in early December, but Broadway right now. dence or unenthusiastic memdue to scheduling around other “We have a song from ‘The bers. shows and events, the perforBook of Mormon’, which is a re“I think the hardest part was mance was moved up a month ally huge hit in New York City trying to get everyone staged earlier than expected. right now,” Michaela Carpenand placed, and organizing all “When it comes to crunch ter, vice president, said. “We of the cameos that come in at time, everyone puts all their efalso have songs from ‘Wicked,’ the end,” she reflected. “Otherfort in to get it done,” Carpenter Rogers’ and Hammerstein’s wise, everyone is really excited said. “It’s really nice to see that ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Matilda,’ and ‘The and put their all into making people are so dedicated to theLittle Mermaid.’” this number really great.” ater and to this club.” Staal is directing “She’s in The club meets every SaturStaal added, “We had nearly Love” from ‘The Little Merday to exhibit their pieces and perfect attendance at all of the maid’, the closing number for demonstrate their progress as group rehearsals, too. Everyone the revue, which she says is a the rehearsal process comes to really stepped up to the plate “very sassy number that brings a close. This revue was a little this semester and I could not be in a lot of energy.” bit different than past ones, any more proud of them.” Despite working with a rela-
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Sports
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Bulls drop to Heat in season opener MCT Campus
The magic is in the work. That’s a phrase Tom Thibodeau favors. And as the Bulls embarked on the 48th season in franchise history Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena, they received a sobering lesson of its veracity. The Heat’s 107-95 dissection of the Bulls on their championship ring and banner-raising ceremony night reminded all that magic doesn’t exist merely in Derrick Rose playing his first regular-season game in 18 months. Or in talk from several players, including Rose, that this Bulls squad represents their best championship chance. Or even in the Bulls finally debuting their regular lineup of Rose, Jimmy Butler, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah after Noah overcame his nagging groin injury. Facing consistent trapping, Rose finished with 12 points on 4-for15 shooting with five turnovers in 34 minutes. He attempted just four free throws and missed 6 of 7 3-pointers, in sharp contrast to his preseason performance. “I don’t think it was rust,” Rose said. “It was just me missing shots. I’ve had worse shooting nights than this. If anything, I’m going to have amnesia about it and we play in two days.” The Bulls endured two scoreless stretches in the first half totaling 10 minutes, 16 seconds, including one that produced a 17-0 Heat run. Rose sat on the bench for the first, which lasted 5:52, revealing the Bulls’ lack of a secondary shot creator. “I think everyone in the league is just going to try double-teaming me now,” Rose said. Noah agreed. “They did a good job of trapping Derrick, getting the ball out of his hands,” Noah said. “But if they put two on the ball like that, we have to make them pay. It’s on all of us.” The Bulls shot 42.2 percent with 18 turnovers. Only Boozer and Butler played immune to it all. Boozer scored a team-high 31 points, while Butler contributed 20. The Bulls mounted a late rally, pulling within eight before Shane Battier buried a 3-pointer. Rose replaced Kirk Hinrich down the stretch after Hinrich, wearing a protective sleeve over his injured right shoulder, fouled out. “We have a whole season to make a statement,” Rose said. “If it was just a one-game season, that’s something we would be worried about. For us it’s about building every game. We know that we have a special team. We know that we work hard. It’s about us jelling and getting our chemistry.” It’s worth repeating: Work remains. This is a serious-minded group, so that part will get done. Ultimately, will it be enough?
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Blazers go Bear huntin’ Chris Oxholm Sports Editor
The Women’s Soccer team scored two goals 12 seconds apart to take the lead in the second half of Saturday’s game against visiting Bridgewater State. The team scored two more late in the half to post a commanding 4-1 victory
over the visiting team. The Trailblazers improve their overall record to 7-9 and 2-4 in the MASCAC. The Trailblazers handed the Bears their first conference loss, bringing their MASCAC record to 3-1-2. Trailblazer freshman Natalie Caney finished with a hat trick, while Justine Cozza made her first goal of the season. Caney has 16
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/The Beacon
Danielle Heinsohn stops the ball.
goals this season. One more goal will tie her with the freshman record held by Roberta Smith back in 1987. Bridgewater led 1-0 at halftime, but the Blazers took charge in the second half. In the 60th, minute Jen Ferrari lofted a ball to Cozza all alone, who converted and tied the match at 1-1. Just 12 seconds later, Janelle Stannard sent a pass down the middle that found Caney. She made it to the goal and placed the ball in the lower left corner to make it 2-1 MCLA with 29 minutes to play. In the 85th minute Briana Dandurant sent a cross through the defense leaving only Caney and the keeper. Caney once again faked, creating an open net and a goal for the 3-1 advantage. Dandurant and Caney combined once more in the last minute for the 4-1 victory. Bridgewater held a 19-15 shot advantage, while MCLA had a 3-2
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/The Beacon
Brianna Dandurant fights for control of the ball. edge in corners. Heinsohn stopped 10 shots for the Blazers while Condon made three for the Bears. The Trailblazers finish regular season play on Saturday when they travel to Mass. Maritime. Mass. Maritime is looking to earn their first conference win of the season.
Midnight Madness Basketball season kicked off on Oct. 24
All photos by Kayla Degnan
Sports
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Volleyball falls in MASCAC Jesse Collings Sports Writer
The volleyball team had a week of mixed results, winning one game and losing two. On Saturday, the team traveled to Nashua, New Hampshire for a double-header against Becker College and Daniel Webster College. MCLA won the first match against Becker, 3-0, but then fell to Daniel Webster, 3-0. MCLA is now 10-16 overall, with a conference record of 1-4. MCLA began the day strong against Becker, taking the first set 25-17. The team followed it up with a very tight second set victory of 26-24, before finishing off Becker in the third set 25-19. Becker had a two-game winning streak broken, dropping to 5-21 on the season. MCLA was led by freshman Rachel Mills, who had a teamhigh nine kills. Freshman Sam Anderson and senior Julia Christian each chipped in with seven kills apiece. Becker was led by freshman Marissa Turner who had four kills, and by junior Lauren LaVallee who had a team high nine assists. “It felt really good to take the win today and I think we really needed it, too,” Anderson said. “After losing a few games in a row, taking the game against Becker in three really helped boost some of our confidence again.”
Photo by Kayla Degnan
Sam Barbarotta battles at the net. double-header, also defeating In their second matchup of the Becker earlier in the day. day, MCLA was swept by Daniel MCLA was mostly contained Webster 25-9, 25-20 and 25-12. throughout the match, but they Daniel Webster improved to 10- were boosted by the strong play of 12 on the season, and swept their Julia Christian. Christian led the
team in kills, while sophomore Courtney Parent had a team-high five assists. Daniel Webster was led by freshman Samantha Betts, who led all players with 15 kills, while senior Ally Hayden had 22 assists. Daniel Webster was the beneficiary of sloppy play by MCLA. The Trailblazers committed a rough 26 attacking errors in the match. The Trailblazers hosted Westfield State for conference play on Oct. 23, as they fell to the Owls 0-3. Westfield was dominant, sweeping to claim the victory by the scores of 25-7, 25-17 and 25-13. Westfield improved to 1614 overall and 4-0 in conference play. MCLA slipped to 1-4 in MASCAC. With a record of just 3-9 in October, Coach Amanda Beckwith discussed some of the difficulties the team has faced over the last month. “What I believe gets tricky this time of year for our volleyball players are balancing mid-term tests and papers in addition to volleyball,” Beckwith said. “It takes organization, but the team has always found a way to be successful on and off the court. We regularly get a 3.0 or higher team GPA each semester.” The team will close out the season at home against MASCAC rival Bridgewater State, on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Trailblazers go one- Blazer wrap-up for-one this week Golf Chris Oxholm Sports Editor
The Men’s Soccer team had two games this week, splitting the outcome 1-1. They traveled to Bridgewater State for MASCAC play on Saturday, losing to the Bears 3-1, and hosted Sage on Tuesday coming away with a 1-0 finish. The Trailblazers are now 1-41 in the MASCAC. Bridgewater State improves to 3-1-2, sitting second in the conference. Bridgewater controlled much of the play, creating a large 15-3 shot advantage, 9-0 in the second half of the match. The Bears began with a 2-0 lead after scoring in the 19th and 34th minute. Colin Neri put in a rebound off the post to begin the advantage. Craig Shadduck converted a penalty kick in the 34th minute to provide the 2-0 cushion. MCLA would make a mark on the board before halftime when Lucas Prickett scored from just inside the 18, settling a cross from Dylan Pereira. After halftime, the Trailblazers couldn’t muster any offense against the Bear defense. Bridgewater keeper Matt Bagley
didn’t have to record a save while earning the win for Bridgewater. Trailblazer keeper Matt Robinson started and recorded the loss after stopping three shots for MCLA. In the game against Sage, freshmen Kiefer Orzulak scored the game-winning goal in the 60th minute. Sage outshot the home team 8-2 in the first half, but the Trailblazers were able to return to the pitch strong in the second half and convert a winning goal. Orzulak beat Sage goal-keeper TJ Zehner to the lower left corner of the net off an assist by Romeo Grey. The hosts had other opportunities to stretch the lead, however, many of their late attempts sailed wide of the net. The Blazers’ left-back Tyler Guzzi made forward runs twice, but despite his great haste, couldn’t find the net. Sage’s offensive pressure built late in the second half, forcing Blazer goal-keeper Shawn Willis to work. He stopped 8 shots to secure the shutout. The Trailblazers have their Senior Day game on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Mass. Maritime at the Ron Shewcraft Field.
9 Scores
Beacon.MCLA.edu
The MCLA golf team wrapped up their fall season last weekend in the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) championships at the Captains’ Club in Brewster, Mass. The Trailblazers finished in 38th place in the 36-hole contest. Taylor Dunn was the top finisher for the Trailblazers. He shot 175 over the two day span. Padraig Dougherty finished behind Dunn, shooting 185. Western New England won the Division III competition. The Trailblazers will compete in the MASCAC Championships next spring in April.
Cross Country Men and Women’s Cross Country had their one and only meet close to home Saturday Oct. 26 at the Plansky Invitational hosted by Williams College. Both squads finished 3rd in the four-team competition. Williams finished first, with team and individual honors in both races. Anthony Cancilla was the top finisher for the Trailblazers, finishing the 5k race in 18:18. He earned 10th place. Peter Mayotte finished one place behind Cancilla, running in at 11th with a time of 18:34. Travis Smith and Brandon Peltier finished 16th and 18th. In the women’s race, Martha Pratt finished first for MCLA, crossing the line in 16th place at 23:29. Monica Conlin was right behind, finishing in 17th at 24:07. Annie Gagnon, Dani Sylvester, and Haley Amenta were the next three finishers for the Trailblazers. The invitational tournament portion of the cross country season is over. This weekend, the teams begin post season racing in the MASCAC Championships at the University of Southern Maine.
Oct 25, 2013 Women’s Soccer vs. Bridgewater W, 4-1 Oct 26, 2013 Men’s Cross Country 3rd at Williams College Plansky Invitational Women’s Cross Country 3rd at Williams College Plansky Invitational Women’s Volleyball vs. Becker W, 3-0 @ Daniel Webster L, 3-0 Men’s Soccer @ Bridgewater L, 3-1 Oct 28, 2013 Golf @ NEIGA 38th Oct 29, 2013 Men’s Soccer vs. Sage W, 1-0 Women’s Volleyball vs. SUNY Cobleskill L, 3-2
Standings Men’s Soccer Worcester St. Bridgewater St. Framingham St. Fitchburg St. Mass. Maritime Westfield St. Salem St. MCLA
5-0-1 3-1-2 3-2-1 1-1-4 2-3-1 2-4 2-4 1-4-1
Women’s Soccer Framingham St. Westfield St. Bridgewater St. Worcester St. Salem St. MCLA Fitchburg St. Mass. Maritime
5-0-1 5-1 3-1-2 2-2-2 2-3-1 2-4 2-4 0-6
Schedules Nov 2, 2013 Men’s Cross Country at Southern Maine MASCAC Championships Women’s Cross Country at Southern Maine MASCAC Championships Women’s Volleyball Bridgewater St. at MCLA 1:00 PM Men’s Soccer Mass. Maritime at MCLA 1:00 PM Women’s Soccer MCLA at Mass. Maritime 1:00 PM
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Opinion
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
What is your favorite thing about Halloween? “Costumes, caramel apples, and scary movies!”
“All the costumes and decorations.”
-Carrisa Sacherski, 2015
-Cassandra Garcia, 2014
The Beacon The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and from ad revenues. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 E-mail: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.
“Watching Halloween movies and then dressing up!”
“Turning off the lights, hiding in dark places, and scaring my friends to the point of screaming.”
-Kayla Quinn, 2016
-Connor Robbins, 2015
Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board. Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters.
“Seeing all of the costumes and post-Halloween candy sales.”
“Decorating and making costumes.”
-Meghan Robertson, 2015
-Sara Bouchard, 2014
Letters must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Contributions Policy The Beacon accepts stories, photos, and opinion pieces for publication. Submissions should be dropped off at the office by Monday at noon or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Advertising Policy The Beacon reserves the right not to publish any advertisement it deems to be libelous, false. or in bad taste.
Editorial Board
Photos compiled by Emily Boughton
Three’s company
By Michael Dahlroth Web Editor
The self-driving car might not be such a distant dream for consumers, in light of recent announcements by some of the industry’s biggest names. First, Google claimed that their self-driving cars can drive better than humans can. The announcement, made at the robotics conference RoboBusiness last week in Santa Clara, Calif., cited two studies which used thousands of miles logged by self-automated cars on public roads in California and Nevada. The first study showed that Google’s self-driven cars braked and accelerated much more smoothly than humans did. The second study revealed that the cars were also better at maintaining a safe distance from the cars in front of them than human drivers. Also at RoboBusiness, Google unveiled a dashboard display which shows users the decisions
the cars are making, and indicates when to intervene. Then, Tesla Motors announced the hire of Apple Development Executive Doug Field, one of the leading developers of the newest line of MacBooks. This pick-up may signify that Tesla, currently known for its luxury electric cars, is committing itself to making electric cars for a wider range of consumers. Tesla also plans on producing 90 percent self-automated cars within the next three years. On Monday, attention was drawn to both Apple and Tesla when investment analyst Andaan Ahmad wrote an open letter to Apple, calling on the company to purchase Tesla. While Ahmad’s letter is exploratory in nature, it raises concerns about Apple’s lack of investment in the high-tech car industry. These developments seem to indicate a shift in thinking in the high-tech car industry. Google is dismissive of any solidified plans to take their self-driving car to market, but are clearly optimistic about their car’s performance. Tesla’s new addition has some hopeful for an “iCar.” Apple, however, while normally the game changer, seems to have become a side note in the future car race. Nevertheless, these announcements show that the big names in high-tech cars are looking toward a marketable selfdriving car.
Cool places!
Each week, look for a local place to visit in the area
Editor-in-Chief Jess Gamari Sports Editor Christopher Oxholm
Photography Editor Kayla Degnan Web Editor Michael Dahlroth
A&E Editor Shannen Adamites
Senior News Editor Ryan Flynn*
Copy Chief Marc Latour
Managing Editor Nick Arena*
Staff Staff Writers
Photographers
Nicholas Arena* Emily Boughton Jesse Collings Gabriel Kogel* Candice Crow Amy Modesti Ryan Flynn* Sam Thomson James Hunter Gabriel Kogel* Design Team Raanan Sarid-Segal Hannah Sterrs Shannen Adamites* Nick Swanson Nick Arena* Jess Gamari* Nicole Ngoon Copy Editors
Avery Finnivan Rachel Fitterman Advisers
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Jim Niedbalski
Videographers
Adam Larson Aloysius Street Advertising
Darcie Sosa
*Holds more than one position
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Taconic Trail From Route 7 in Williamstown, Mass., turn onto Route 2 west at the Taconic Park Restaurant approximately half way between the store at Five Corners and the Wlliams Inn. At the top of the hill, there will be a large parking area on the left. Park there, and head south to Berlin Mountain by hiking up the trail leading up the hill at the back of the parking lot.
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11 Now accepting applications! Rising out of the valley Check it out! Local Events
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
As you plan your spring semester, consider joining the Beacon! Fill out an application outside of the Beacon Office, located on the first floor of Mark Hopkins, room 111.
Upcoming events on campus Today, Oct. 31
Happy Halloween!
Now accepting positions for:
Staff Writers* Arts & Entertainment Writers* Sports Writers* Columnists Copy Editors Photographers Videographers *Indicates course requirement: Writing and Reporting the News I
Green-up Day Info Table Amsler Campus Center 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Intermurals Tabling Amsler Campus Center noon-2 p.m. Anime Club Bake Sale Amsler Campus Center 12:30-3:30 p.m. Photo by Gillian Jones/ North Adams Transcript
Visit the Transcript Gallery at 85 Main St. tonight for the opening reception of “Steeple Study.” The Transcript Gallery is hosting Gillian Jones’ “Spires of North Adams: Steeple Study.” Complimenting the Berkshire Hills, the steeples of downtown North Adams rise out of the valley reaching into the skies. These steeples are a staple in many New England towns and certainly
a trademark in the City of North Adams. These church towers have witnessed history, announced historic moments, and stood the test of time. Many of the churches they stand above are now vacant, as their initial purpose has changed. The question of their preservation, as
well as the buildings that supports them, now stands in question.” This gallery will be on display from Oct. 31 through Dec. 31 at the Transcript Gallery, located at 85 Main St. North Adams. Opening reception tonight, 5-8 p.m.
Tonight, “The Great Community Pumpkin Carve” This Halloween on Thursday, Oct. 31, join the College, DownStreet Art and Kidspace at Mass MoCA as Holden Street is closed down to clear the way for a “Great Community Pumpkin Carve” as part of the final DownStreet Art event of the season: DownStreet Art Fight Night. In partnership with MCLA’s Arts and Crafts Club, DownStreet Art will offer the “Great Community Pumpkin Carve.” This event – which is free and open to the public – begins at 5 p.m., with festivities to include performances, gallery opening and much more Halloween-themed fun. Up and down Holden Street, a sea of tables full of pumpkins will be set up for people to whittle, sculpt and shape into whatever they please. Afterward, people can light candles and place them inside to make Holden Street
glow with the newly created Jack O’Lanterns. “The Great Community Pumpkin Carve” will take place from 5-8 p.m., followed by the pumpkin lighting. Pumpkins and tools will be provided. “Thanks to our partnership with Kidspace and the Arts and Crafts Club at MCLA, we can make something incredible like this happen. People should come down for what will, guaranteed, be an activity that the whole family can enjoy,” said Janette Santos, executive intern for the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC). In addition to “The Great Community Pumpkin Carve,” visitors to the downtown this Halloween can expect a plethora of other macabre delights, Santos added. According to Jennifer Crowell, BCRC program coordinator,
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT AVOID A HOLD ON YOUR SPRING REGISTRATION! Please check with the Financial Aid Office and Student Accounts to make sure your paperwork is complete. A HOLD on your account will not allow you to register for classes! ***************** SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY Hispanic Scholarship Fund/General Scholarships Dec. 15, 2013 deadline Apply at www.hsf.net
“These events are always a great part of DownStreet Art. Not only do we get to celebrate together as a community, but we get to create together, too.” DownStreet Art is a project of MCLA’s Berkshire Culture Resource Center, partnering with the City of North Adams, Develop North Adams, the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Orbit Visual Graphic Design. The program is made possible through lead sponsorship support provided by Excelsior and Greylock Federal Credit Union. Additional support is provided by Brewhaha!, Sushi House, China Buffet, Berkshire Emporium and Antiques, Mediterra, I Got Good-
ies, Eagle St. Music, Shear Madness Salon, Bark-N-Cat, Shima, Verizon Wireless Zone, Public eat+drink, The Hub, Freight Yard Restaurant and Pub, MASS MoCA, The Party Place and Persnickety Toys. An initiative of MCLA’s BCRC, DownStreet Art is a public art project designed to revitalize downtown North Adams. By harnessing existing art organizations and events and transforming vacant and open spaces into art destinations, DownStreet Art defines North Adams as a cultural haven, driving tourists and community members.
Good Vibes Yoga Amsler Campus Center 8-9:45pm MCLA Presents! Rewilderment with Ryder Cooley and friends 8:30 p.m. On All Hallows Eve, Ryder Cooley proudly returns to MCLA Presents! having last been seen in her full length work, XMALIA. Ryder and friends will cap off the final DownStreet Art Thursday of the year. Friday, Nov. 1 Community Transition Program Venable Gym 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Anime Club Bake Sale Amsler Campus Center 12:30-3:30 p.m. Halloween Dance Amsler Campus Center 8-10 p.m. Rocky Horror Halloween Movie Night Amsler Campus Center midnight- 2 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 SAC Bingo Venable Gym 8-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 Tricks of the Trade: Capturing Your Art Today Gallery 51 6 p.m. Tricks of the Trade November Session: Capturing Your Art Today for the Audiences of the Future Wednesday, Nov. 6. Tricks of the Trade: The Art of Social Media Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, Pittsfield, Mass. 6 p.m.
12
Photo Essay
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
On Monday night, hundreds of children and their families from the area visited Berkshire Towers for trick-ortreating and a Halloween party with games and snacks.
Justin Piani, 19 months old, dressed as Bugs Bunny for Halloween. His brother behind him, Joe Piani, 7, is dressed as the Scream.
Boo Bash Party Photos by Jess Gamari
Junior Desiree Grant, dressed as a Greek Goddess of Love, compliments Jazlene Chappell, 5, on her witch costume. From left, freshmen Rachel Valarie, Harmony Birch,and sophomore Andrea Martin hand out candy to trick-ortreaters on the first floor. The girls dressed as a flapper girl, a gypsy, and a sugar skull. Gabby Heller, 6, dressed as a witch, reaches for a piece of candy at the sign-in table. At left, Keyaria Gazaille, 4, dressed as a princess, tries to pin the nose on the pumpkin. She was spun by freshman Samantha Kipp., who dressed as a baby. At right, Emily Schiavoni, assistant to the Resident Director, signs in trick-or-treaters while dressed as Cookie Monster. Junior Osakpolo Igiede, dressed as a nerd, serves candy to Kendi Burdick, 4, dressed as Batman.