The Beacon
Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 79 ◆ Issue 4
Th u r s d ay, O c t o b e r 9 , 2 0 1 4
Student arrested for bomb threat By Nick Arena
Multimedia Editor An arrest has been made for the bomb threat that occurred on Monday morning. Senior Jarret Ferriter was arraigned on Tuesday in Northern Berkshire District Court for allegedly calling in the threat. “It was linked back [to Ferriter] through witness who were in the area of the townhouses who saw him, and subsequently he was interviewed in regards to this matter,” director of the North Adams Police Department (NAPD) Michael Cozzaglio said. A release by the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office stated that Ferriter entered not guilty pleas for one count of willful communication of a bomb threat and one count of willful and malicious communication of false information to a public safety
department. The bomb threat was originally called in to the NAPD on Monday morning. “[The call] said that ‘There are two bombs on campus and they’re going to go off at 10:30 a.m.; good luck,’” Cozzaglio said, paraphrasing the phone call. Vice president of Administration and Finance James Stakenas said that state police were on site, but their primary focus was keeping students away from the campus. “State police were present for securing the campus, so the [bomb-detection] dog was on call, but not deployed,” he said. Ferriter has currently been released on $1000 bail on the condition that he stay away from the College campus and abide by a 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew. Cozzaglio said a court date for Ferriter has been set.
“Ultimately I’m sure there will be a trial of some sort, and we’ll see what the outcome is,” he said. “These are felony charges, so there is a potential for state prison, but it’s unknown; it’s the court’s decision.” According to Campus Police Director Joseph Charon, Ferriter’s position as a student of the College is still to be determined. “This matter, along with any matter that involves MCLA community members who are alleged to have violated the law, will be reviewed by the College administration to determine if college rules and regulations may have been violated and/or to determine if any additional action is warranted,” Charon said in an email. The Beacon will continue to report updates about the investigation as it progresses. To report information, call the NAPD at 413-664-4944.
Middle East residents deserve to chart own future, professor says By Isabel McKenzie Staff Writer
Antrhopology professor Sumi Colligan interacted with diverse groups of people and learned much about the Middle East during a faculty development seminar in August. Colligan traveled to Anman, Jordan for the seminar, during a critical time period in the Middle East. Israel had just invaded
Photo by Kaleigh AndersonThe Beacon
Professor of Anthropology Sumi Colligan visited Jordan for an 11 day seminar in August, and is using her experiences to further her students’ learning.
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Gaza, Syrians were taking refuge in Jordan, and the US started bombing ISIS in Iraq. “Jordan, because it’s sandwiched between all these countries, is making an effort to retain a sense of balance within the Middle East and to bring about changes at a pace that makes sense to them,” Colligan said. Both airlines to and from Jordan refused to fly over Israeli territory for safety reasons. The seminar had also scheduled the participants to go into a Palestinian camp, but the coordinators were afraid to bring Americans there, seeing as the US largely sympathizes with Israelis. According to Colligan, these were the two most visceral ways she experienced conflict during her travel. This semester, Colligan teaches a course on Peoples of the Middle East, and she took much away from the seminar to bring back to her students. “Being a witness to something that many people don’t have the opportunity to be a witness to really brings the subject matter to life,” Colligan said. She feels that first hand conversations and experiences can add more value to classroom settings, in combination with book-learning. The seminar was titled “Women’s Rights in Jordan:
Contesting Voices, Class and NGOization, and Negotiating Foreign Interests.” It was put on by the Council of International Educational Exchange (CIEE), an organization Colligan has had prior experience with. She attended a seminar in Paris last summer called French Notions on Disability and Difference, and liked working with the woman who oversaw the program. She said it was very worthwhile, and started to look into other faculty development seminars. The seminar lasted 11 days, and because of this the program was quite concentrated with an emphasis on panels. Panelists included youth activists, groups of women who had been elected to Parliament, people working to change laws affecting rights of children and inheritance laws, and Palestinians involved in relevant causes. “We tend to be very judgmental of people in other countries. We tend to assume the women are passive, and assume that these countries are completely homophobic, or we tend to assume that these countries are very repressive,” Colligan said. After panels and corresponding question and answer sessions, Colligan and others in the
COLLIGAN continued on page 3
Photo By Rachel Fitterman/The Beacon
Students gather in the North Adams Armory after campus was evacuated around 10:15 a.m. for a bomb threat on Monday.
Two students arrested in drug bust on campus By Nick Arena
Multimedia Editor Two students were arrested on drug charges early Monday morning, shortly before the bomb threats were called in. Juniors William Boos and Korey Scott were arrested as a part of a coordinated investigation, according to Michael Cozzaglio, director of the North Adams Police Department (NAPD). “This was a cooperative effort between the campus police department, the North Adams Police Department and the state police,” Cozzaglio said. “It was those three agencies together that coordinated and made the arrests.” The students were arrested after marijuana, LSD and hash oil were allegedly found in their townhouse apartment. According to Cozzaglio the investigation utilized various informants to determine probable cause. “There were informants that were utilized and there were controlled bodies that were also utilized throughout this process,
New English professor leaves city for rural life
FPA opens with ‘Motherf**ker with the Hat’
Women’s Soccer earns first conference vistory
Scuito plans to teach future courses in African American literature
The show will run tonight at 8 p.m. through Saturday in Venable
Trailblazers took the lead 4-0 against Fitchburg State
Arts & Entertainment, page 7
Sports, page 9
News, page 3
which is a normal course for any type of drug investigation,” he said. “The probable cause was developed and subsequently the two arrests were made.” Boos pleaded not guilty to a charge of class D drug possession with intent to distribute, and Scott pleaded not guilty to a charge of manufacturing a class C drug and class B drug possession, according to an article in the Berkshire Eagle. According to Campus Safety Director Joseph Charon, the officers who carried out the arrests were still on campus when the bomb threat was called in, and they assisted in the evacuation of students. Both Charon and Cozzaglio stated that there does not appear to be any correlation between the two incidents. “It does not appear as though they were [related],” Cozzaglio said. “It’s certainly a logical conclusion and that was certainly thought about, but it doesn’t appear that they were together, or [that one was] in retaliation or something like that.”
News 2-5 Arts & Entertainment 6-7 Sports 8-9 Campus Opinion 10 Local Events 11 Photo Essay 12
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Campus News
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Weekend Weather
SGA to improve smoking policy
Thursday, October 9
By Nick Swanson Senior News Editor
Mostly Sunny High: 59° Low: 39° Precip. Chance: 0%
Friday, October 10
Partly Cloudy High: 59° Low: 40° Precip. Chance: 0%
Saturday, October 11
Members of the Student Government Association (SGA) are working with administration to make improvements to the smoking policy. The smoking policy was instituted this semester and restricts anyone from smoking in places that are not designated smoking areas. “It’s important that we (SGA) broadcast and speak up to those not following the rule,” SGA Treasurer Nicholas Hernigle said. “We are all the voices of this; if you see someone not abiding by the policy, let them know, because more people will see and do the same.” Hernigle said if those who are unhappy with people not following the policy start a movement, the next step could be a completely smoke-free campus. “We are looking for students to embrace this (policy) as a culture and we want them (smokers) to appreciate others’ rights to not be bothered by cigarette smoke,” vice president of Student Affairs Char-
Sunday, September 28
Sunday, October 12
Mostly Sunny High: 60° Low: 43° Precip. Chance: 20%
lotte Degen said. According to Hernigle, MCLA wants to provide more education on smoking and its effects. Degen said the smoking task force committee plans to team up with Students for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and other groups on campus to hold smoking intervention workshops. “Along with the educational aspect, if there are people looking to quit, maybe we can set up programs to help them,” SGA executive vice president Alexandra Kadell said. Kadell is on the smoking task force, along with Hernigle. This year, new benches were added to locations designated for smoking. The committee is working on a map to indicate all the smoking areas on campus. According to Degen, at the next committee meeting they will discuss building shelters over those locations for the upcoming winter weather. College President Search The search committee in charge of finding the new college president contacted SGA President Brendan Peltier to organize an event to help the cause. According to Peltier, administration is interested in what students are looking for and what they would like to see in the next president. During the event a search committee representative will take
Campus Police Logs The week of 9/28-10/04
AM Clouds/PM Sun High: 55° Low: 36° Precip. Chance: 20%
Beacon.MCLA.edu
◆ 10:08 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call regarding suspicious activity at the Flagg Townhouse Apartment Complex. The subject was issued a warning.
Complex. The subject was transported to the hospital. Thursday, October 2 ◆ 4:10 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a 911 call at the Berkshire Towers Complex. The call was determined to be accidental.
Monday, September 29
Friday, October 3
◆ 11:08 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call regarding suspicious activity on Blackinton Street. The call was investigated.
◆ 10:46 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call regarding suspicious activity on Ashland Street. The subject was issued a warning.
Tuesday, September 30
Saturday, October 4
◆ 11:36 p.m. - Public Safety responded to an alcohol offense at the Hoosac Hall complex. The call was investigated.
◆ 11:44 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Hoosac Hall Complex. The subject was transported to the hospital.
Wednesday, October 1
◆ 8:37 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a drug offense at the Hoosac Hall Complex. The call was completed.
◆ 1:54 a.m. - Public Safety responded to an alcohol offense at the Berkshire Towers
requests regarding the search for MCLA’s new president. Peltier said more information will soon be available and the event should be organized by next week. Meeting dedicated to Degen Degen was honored for all of her work with SGA at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 6 “Today we can remember as Charlotte Degen Day for everything she has done to help SGA over her 40 years at MCLA,” Peltier said. “I am very proud of SGA and all the good qualities of student government they represent,” Degen said. Sam Gomez Road Race Since last week the number of runners has increased sharply from 12 to 50, according to Kadell. “Many people were able to sign up at the fall foliage parade last weekend, but I am still encouraging more people to take part in the race,” Kadell said. According to Kadell, members from the cross-country team, Pi Upsilon Pi fraternity, and Beta Lambda sorority have agreed to help volunteer on the day of the race. There are still a number of volunteer positions available during the event, according to Kadell. The Sam Gomez Road Race will take place on Sunday, Oct. 19.
SGA ELECTIONS
Students can vote in the Campus Center Marketplace from Wednesday, Oct. 8 through Thursday Oct. 9. STUDENT SENATOR Senate Athlete Seat Svetlana Morrell Senate Commuter Seat Bethany O’Neil Senate At-Large Seat Jamie Burdick Lucas G. McDiarmid Lauren Tomaszczuk Ryan Robison Class Senate Representative 2015 Osakpolo Igiede Class Senate Representative 2016 Sherley Jules Grace Ngobo Toko Class Senate Representative 2018 Jennifer Baptiste Rachel Durgin Elsa Rose Mastico CLASS OFFICERS Vice-President 2015 Osakpolo Igiede Lucas G. McDiarmid Vice-President 2017 Bridget Forson President 2018 Matthew L. Fascaldi Meghan DeLuca Vice-President 2018 Lauren Tomaszczuk Secretary 2018 Shannon Esposito
Sexual assault reported Sun. By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Editor-in-Chief
A sexual assault near the college was reported at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, according to Public Safety Director Joseph Charon. The incident occurred within 24 to 72 hours prior the police being notified. The Crime and Safety report that Charon released to the campus community on Sunday said the assault did not take place
on campus, and did not specify if the victim is a student. The North Adams Police Department is leading the investigation for the crime with Public Safety’s assistance. Any information regarding this case should be shared with North Adams Police at 413-664-4945 or Campus Police at 413-662-5284. The release also suggested students practice safe behaviors, stay in groups, and exercise good judgment while participating in social gatherings.
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Campus News
Thursday, October 9, 2014
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Scuito prefers size of college Advisers passionate for freshman success By Idalis Foster Staff Writer
Along with many other changes in the MCLA community this semester, our campus welcomes a new member: Dr. Jenna Sciuto, English/Communications professor. Sciuto previously taught at Simmons College and was a teaching assistant at Northeastern University. Both schools are located in Boston, a stark contrast to the environment here in North Adams. But Sciuto is no stranger to this quieter, more rural area. “I used to come out to Hancock with my family when I was younger and we’d go hiking, so I’ve got a little experience to draw on in terms of that,” Sciuto said. MCLA’s smaller community intrigued Sciuto and ultimately led to her decision to make the move to campus. “I was drawn to MCLA partially because of its role as a small liberal arts school within the state system; I thought that was very unique,” Sciuto said. “But also the focus on community here drew me in.” Sciuto said she has been taking advantage of the Berkshire’s natural beauty in her free time, as well as attending events on and off campus. “I’ve been going on a lot of hikes and doing a lot of running outside,” Sciuto said. “I’ve been talk-
By Juanita Doss Staff Writer
Photo by Kaleigh Anderson/The Beacon
Professor Jenna Scuito joins the English/Communications department after previously teaching in Boston at Simmons and Northeastern. ing to some of the other profesThis semester, Sciuto is teaching sors in my cohort who are also two first year experience college new, and we want to get more writing courses, an Introduction involved in the local school com- to Literature class, and a Global munity too, checking out some of Anglophone Language and Litthe plays and sporting events.” erature class, which is within her Sciuto earned her Bachelor of specialty since she studied Global Arts degree with honors at Brown Post-Colonial literature in graduUniversity in Providence, R.I., her ate school. Master of Arts degree at Boston In the spring, Sciuto hopes to College in Chestnut Hill, MA, teach about African American and her Ph.D. at Northeastern literature to make connections University, all having some rela- between the global south and the tion to English literature. U.S. south through literature.
Text alert didn’t reach entire campus E-mail and landlines not used in bomb threat alert By Nick Arena
Multimedia Editor The College utilized a text messaging system to alert the campus community of Monday’s bomb threat, but not everyone was notified of the situation. According to Campus Security Director Joseph Charon, the choice to use a text messaging system was determined by a number of variables such as timeliness, geography and population to ensure the best communication to the campus. “In this particular incident, it was determined text messaging would be the most efficient and effective means for communicating to the community,” Charon said. However, by using a text only system, some members of the
campus community whose cellphones were not registered with Public Safety, or had no cellphone service received no notifications or late notifications. The bomb threat alert was not sent to the campus community either by phone or Office 365 email. English Professor Jeffrey McRae was in his office, using the Office 365 e-mail system and unaware of the threat until he called Public Safety. “I was sitting at my desk until about five of 11 and I walked up to Venable and I noticed that the campus was empty and I thought how strange that it was five minutes before class and that nobody was out and around,” McRae said. “I went into Venable and no one was in Venable, so I came back to
Mark Hopkins and HR was empty and the [English department] office was locked so I knew something was up.” Charon said that the response team has received similar reports from other people on campus. “This is information the critical incident response team is reviewing and will address,” he said. The former FirstClass e-mail system was one of the methods that students were notified about last year’s bomb threat, and McRae said that might have been more useful in this instance. “It seemed like with the old email system, FirstClass, we were always getting those pop-ups about campus security and crimes that have gone on and I think that would’ve been useful this time around,” McRae said.
Junior Zachary Page took the main stage as Fabian, who is a servant in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Serving others became more than just a character for Page; it’s an aspect of his everyday life. Last April, Page submitted his form for the first time to become a peer advisor. After having a great peer advisor his freshman year, he wanted to give another student the same opportunity that he had. “I liked my first year being a peer advisor. It was fun and interesting,” Page said. “It was interesting because I was one of the first faces that the freshmen saw.” Page wanted to become more involved on campus, and not just as a member of one club. Advising his peers not only bettered his skills in leadership and time management, but gave him a new learning experience. Page was always one to get help and tutelage from his peers growing up. He said that being the person at the other end of the table gives him a great feeling. “I remember when students would get up bright and early to take part in all the activities First Days had to offer,” Page said. Those same students are just as eager to be involved on campus; some have already taken on leadership roles. Sophomore Tenea Davis has a passion for teaching, tutoring, and mentoring children. She brought that same passion with her when she became a peer advisor. This was Davis’ first time working with students her own age. “I was nervous and didn’t think anyone could get help from me,” Davis said. She was assigned 12 advisees and even though she’s sociable, she found it harder to break free
from her shell. However, being a peer advisor taught her better communication skills. The first time the freshmen stepped foot on campus, Page and Davis were bombarded with the same two questions: “Where are my classes?” and “How do I add or drop my classes?” After First Days, the freshmen are more familiar with their schedules and locations on campus. Director of Student Development Celia Norcross started the program in 2003 to help new students transition to MCLA smoothly. Upperclassmen mentor freshmen and transfer students for their first year and serve as their academic resource. Within the first year, there are two programs in which the advisors and advisees interact with each other. “Our recent research indicates that the students within the Peer Advisor role grow tremendously from the experience,” Norcross said. During training they received the skills to assist other students and often answer questions that new students have about academic and campus life. About 50 students show interest in the position, but only 38-40 are selected, depending on the size of the incoming class. Students who apply are interviewed by Norcross to determine their interest level and reasons for applying. “I always want to make sure that it’s a right fit for those applying, but more importantly I look for students who are willing to challenge themselves and work hard to make a difference in a peer’s life,” Norcross said. “Peer advisors gain valuable life skills,” she added. “They create opportunities for themselves from the self-confidence they gain networking with other departments and knowledge about our campus community.”
Colligan notes Middle East’s need for change COLLIGAN continued from page 1
program were able to join panelists at meals. Some knew English, while others needed a translator for facilitated dialogue. During free time, Colligan and others in the program were able to explore archaeological sites around the city and visit the Dead Sea. Colligan also had dinner one night with a woman in Parliament,
thanks to a connection made with a colleague in the States. When asked what she learned during her experience, she elaborated on the stigma America places on the Middle East due to media influences. “What I learned is that there are a number of people who care deeply about the conditions of their country, whether it’s women activists, whether it’s gay activists, whether it’s people working
to bring about better working conditions, or whether it’s youth activists,” Colligan stated. “The goal is not to model themselves after the US, but to create change in a way that makes sense for them, for their history, their cultures, their priorities; and I think to me that’s a really important lesson. We tend to impose our priorities on other people, but we never really stop to ask them what their priorities are.”
Beacon file photo
Junior Zachary Page served as a peer adviser after having a satisfying experience his freshman year.
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Campus News
Thursday, October 9, 2014
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Senator Downing now a Nicoll already learning from students politics in policy instructor by connecting them with community By Nick Swanson Senior News Editor
Mass. State Senator Benjamin B. Downing is now instructing a seminar course called Politics in Policy and Practice, in addition to fulfilling duties as the youngest member of the Senate. Downing has guest lectured before at Boston University, Williams College, UMass Amherst, Berkshire Community College, Providence College, and MCLA, but now he’s been employed as a part-time political science professor at the college. “I knew I wanted to teach and I’ve really enjoyed the experience this far,” Downing said. There’s something in me that brought me here and I’m thrilled that I’ve had the opportunity now to teach.” Downing received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Providence College, followed by a master’s degree from Tufts University’s Department of Urban and Environment Policy & Planning. Downing plans to use skills he developed from his political career to teach his classes. For example, recently the class spent a week focused on campaigns. “I’m able to talk about ideas and theories at a real life study and then bring in my own perspective about the type of decisions from policy makers or the impact of certain political influences on the policy process,” he said. Downing was re-elected for the third time in the Mass. State Senate most recently in 2012. He also was the senior advisor to Congressman John Olver and worked with U.S. representatives in Washington D.C. He currently serves as the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, which is responsible for reviewing all matters concerning renewable and non-renewable energy sources. “If we are talking about the conflicts between local decision making and state wide or about national energy policy goals I will refer to my position as chair of the energy committee,” Downing said, explaining how he can apply his experience to class. “If we are talking about economic development goals, then I can
talk about both my time as chair of higher education and tourism, arts, and cultural development,” He is also vice-chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development and member of the Joint Committee on Higher Education “In particular, the public higher education committee was the committee that allowed me to see that we are lucky in Mass. to have the 29 institutes of public higher education that we have,” Downing said. Downing has had a relationship with the college since he became state senator. “I think it’s one of the most important institutions in the district that I represent and western Mass. as a whole,” Downing said. “It’s a special community and campus and close to my home in Pittsfield.” “One of the things I would like to improve upon is spending more time on campus, but a great thing about my job is that it has made me a good listener,” he said. Downing offered advice to students; “Don’t ever stop pursuing your interests, just because you take a job in one company doesn’t mean to stop thinking about the issues that impact the wider world,” he continued. “We’ve all got to put a roof over our heads, we all need to pay the bills, but that doesn’t mean to stop being intellectually curious.”
Photo by Kaleigh Anderson/The Beacon file
New sociology professor Kerri Nicoll brings a lot of experience in the field of social work to students.
By Nick Swanson Senior News Editor
Kerri Nicoll joined the sociology department as a professor of social work this semester at the College. This is her first full-time faculty appointment, according to Nicoll, and she wasinterested in teaching at MCLA for a number of reasons. Nicoll said one thing that drew her here was the focus on getting students involved with the community and the opportunities that follow. “I’m really interested in getting students engaged in what’s going on out in the world,” Nicoll said. “I will be a proponent of service learning and getting students out there.” Nicoll is currently instructing a class on inequality and social policy. She plans to apply what she has learned from her research, previous work experiences, and interactions with people from other communities. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Creative Writing from Connecticut College in New London, Conn.
After graduating, Nicoll worked for a non-profit organization that ran various social services, one of which was a soup kitchen located in Trenton, NJ. “The experiences I had there were what led me back to school and into social work and made me want to teach other people about these issues within hunger and poverty,” Nicoll said. Before teaching at MCLA she was a primary instructor and teaching assistant at the University Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Ann Arbor, Mich. There, Nicoll taught masters level social work courses and undergraduate level political science courses. She also earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practices in Philadelphia, Pa., as well as master’s of divinity degree from the Princeton Theological Seminary. Recently, Nicoll received a Ph.D. in social work from the University of Michigan’s Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Political Science. “Coming from an interdisciplinary Ph. D program, it’s nice being in the same type of department working with people from many backgrounds,” Nicoll said. She also said that it is common in academia for people to create separate niches within their profession. Sometimes professors are working on similar issues and don’t even know it because they are in different departments. “Something I brought from Michigan is my interdisciplinary focus,” Nicoll said. Last year, she received the Doctoral Fellowship award from the Society for Social Work and Research. The award funded her dissertation called, ‘Keeping Our Heads Above Water: Rethinking Need and Participation in Public Anti-
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Beacon file photo
Senator Ben Downing is now guest lecturing a Politics in Policy and Practice course at the college.
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Today, Oct. 9
Common Folk presents...
Every Friday at 7:30 p.m. Open Mic
Saturday, Oct. 11
Elizabeth and Ben Anderson Scottish fiddle duo at 1:30 p.m.
Wenesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. Karaoke night
Thursday, Oct. 16
Rambling Poets Literary Open Mic + SLAM. Sign ups at 7:30 p.m. All work must be original.
Poverty Programs.’ During the study, Nicoll interviewed 75 different low-income families in Detroit, Mich. She asked them whether or not they seek help from government programs, how they go about making plans for families, and what kind of help they feel they need versus what they are able to receive. Her results found that some problems are complicated to solve. According to Nicoll, there is a two-sided equation when looking at these issues. One side is howpeople feel about getting the help. Her research shows there is a lot of stigma that surrounds people receiving help from government programs, and low-income people are aware of that. She said people in those situations do not want others to look down on them for getting help. Nicoll explained that the other variable to the equation is how policies are structured in the U.S. She said those who need help must go to a number of offices in order to seek sort through the number of different programs. “We have a program to help people with food, medical care, education, and housing. But there is not one program to help a person get out of poverty,” Nicoll said. She added that people have to get around to many locations and keep up with paperwork for different programs, which puts up barriers for people who need help. Next semester Nicoll is teaching a class on community organizing. She plans to organize a project where low-income communities come together and advocate for themselves. “I have a collaborative approach. I feel that I am learning a lot from my students,” she said. “I think getting students out into the community and encountering different issues and people can help them start to think about things from other perspectives.”
US &World News
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Nation and World Briefs Nation
Pittsburgh soccer coach suspended
PITTSBURGH -The Highlands School District near Pittsburgh has suspended its soccer coach and two of the team’s players after an autistic teenager was found duct-taped to a goal post over the weekend.
Yosemite OSX an announcement at upcoming Apple event
LOS ANGELES - A month after introducing new iPhones, Apple invited members of the media to come to its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters on Oct. 16 for another event.
Gay marriage temporarily on hold in Idaho and Nevada WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy issued an order Wednesday to temporarily halt gay marriages in Idaho and Nevada, a day after a federal appeals court declared same-sex weddings legal in those states.
World ISTANBUL — Vice President Joe Biden apologized to the United Arab Emirates Sunday for charging that the oil-rich ally had supported al-Qaida and other jihadi groups in Syria’s internal war, his second apology in two days to a key participant in the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State extremists. IRBIL, Iraq — A former French intelligence officer who defected to al-Qaida was among the targets of the first wave of U.S. airstrikes in Syria last month, according to people familiar with the defector’s movements and identity. GENEVA — The scientist who’s widely credited with discovering the Ebola virus said Tuesday that the world finally was “waking up” to the epidemic sweeping West Africa but that the situation remained dire and was nowhere near being contained. CUERNAVACA, Mexico — Fourteen years after Mexico banned cattle ranchers from using a growth enhancer called clenbuterol, statistics from the federal agency responsible for meat quality show that some Mexican cattlemen just can’t give it up. HONG KONG — China hasn’t said much about Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, other than trotting out its state media to describe the protesters as fringe extremists, small in number, causing chaos in one of Asia’s major trading centers.
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TV review: ‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ AHS new season ranked ‘awful’ in review, before season opener
MCT Campus THE SHOW: “American Horror Story: Freak Show” WHEN: Wednesday at 10 p.m. on FX WHAT IT’S ABOUT: In 1952, television is about to become king, which means a whole other world of popular entertainment is about to become toast — or more specifically, the freak show, that bizarre and ancient form of amusement in which “biological human rarities” were paraded on stage for the masses. Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange), proprietress of one such show, is seeking her version of a “killer app,” or a rarity so bizarre that people just have to turn up at her own freak show to see it. She believes she has found the perfect thing, in conjoined twins, Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson). Meanwhile, a maniac is on the loose in the town of Jupiter, Florida, where brutally murdered victims are piling up and where Elsa’s Freak Show just happens to have decamped. Could Elsa’s Freak Show have something to do with this mayhem? And
if Elsa is forced to pull up stakes, which some of the locals would very much like, where will she go and what will happen to her beloved other stars, like Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates), the Bearded Lady, or her son with the very special hands, Jimmy Darling (Evan Peters)? MY SAY: There are few returning series that make as awful — in the best sense of the word — a first impression as “AHS,” and in the case of “Freak Show,” that even happens before the fourth-season opener (“Monsters Among Us”) gets underway. The appalling splendor is right there in credits, as a menagerie of creatures hop, crawl, slither across the screen, or disembody themselves for a unique effect. Credit sequences are an “AHS” specialty, but the FX franchise pretty much outdoes itself with this one. And that’s even before we meet the homicidal clown, who looks like the third member of Insane Clown Posse, or Dot and Bette, the fabulous twins who can read each other’s thoughts but who have radically different personalties (one is fun-loving, the other Calvinist, both psychotic). She/they are Paulson’s
most amazing “AHS” character(s) to date, and present a real conundrum for Emmy voters if she should somehow score a nomination for this role. (Whom to vote for — Dot or Bette? Or will Paulson end up splitting the vote?) The special effects are so seamless and Paulson’s performance so memorable that it’s not a completely incidental question. Then, of course, there’s Lange, who’s found a whole new career in “AHS,” and who has also discovered a way to play an entirely different character each season — while playing exactly the same one, too. For “Freak Show,” she is Elsa Mars, a refugee from Weimar Berlin, with an accent, style and couture that falls somewhere between Marlene Dietrich of “Blonde Venus” and Madeline Kahn of “Young Frankenstein.” It’s hilariously campy, especially when she sings a rousing, full-voiced rendition of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” to an empty house. Why is Elsa singing a song that was released in 1971 on a show that’s set in 1952? Welcome to the world of “Freak Show,” where a “don’t ask (or think too much)” policy is advised.
Fired Illinois prof. lashes out at administration MCT Campus Controversial professor Steven Salaita, who lost his job offer from the University of Illinois after criticizing Israel on social media, lashed out at university administrators Monday for overreaching in their decision not to hire him. Salaita, in a wide-ranging, 40-minute speech at Northwestern University, the first of several talks planned at Chicago-area campuses this week, focused on academic freedom and the recent conflict in the Middle East. He made comparisons between his own situation and the subject of colonialism that he studies, saying that the university was suppressing a minority position. “Watching my own firing happen publicly on the Internet was surreal, but not just for me,” he told a largely supportive crowd that filled most of a 300-seat lecture hall. “Anyone who tuned in could see how the corporatization of academe functions in real time.” In early August, U. of I. chancellor Phyllis Wise revoked Salaita’s job offer, a tenured position in the American Indian studies department, weeks before he was to start and after a series of controversial tweets he posted over the summer about Israeli military action in Gaza, some of which contained vulgar or inflammatory language. The U. of I. board of trustees backed her in an 8-1 vote, a decision which led to criticism from faculty nationally who say U. of I. is violating free speech and academic freedom. Salaita, a Palestinian-American who studies colonialism and the Middle East, on Monday criticized U. of I. board members, who he said “have zero qualifications to evaluate my teaching or scholarship,” and universities more broadly for everything from “siding with Israel” to high administrative salaries and reliance on part-time adjunct faculty. He said he
is not anti-Semitic, as some have said, but that he “opposes the policies of the state of Israel.” Salaita has described his tweets as “passionate and unfiltered,” and many of the ones preceding his job revocation focused on the number of children killed in the conflict this summer. One of his more controversial posts was written in June, soon after three Israeli teens were kidnapped and later found dead. He wrote: “You may be too refined to say it, but I’m not: I wish all the (expletive) West Bank settlers would go missing.” Marc Feldman, who said he drove five hours from Cleveland to attend Salaita’s speech, challenged Salaita on his views about Israel and those who support the country. Mirroring comments he made on Twitter, Salaita responded: “It is impossible to support Israeli policy without also implicitly supporting the deaths of those children. The two things go together. I don’t feel like you can separate them. It is those policies of the state that led to the deaths of those children, the murder of those children.” Salaita canceled a scheduled appearance Tuesday at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a possible sign that he and the university are discussing a financial settlement. He also is scheduled to speak this week at the University of Chicago, Columbia College and DePaul University. “Because of Professor Salaita’s desire to work with the students, faculty and administration at Illinois, we believe it is in his best interests at this point to avoid any perception that speaking on campus could be viewed as antagonistic,” said Salaita’s attorney, Anand Swaminathan, of the Chicago law firm Loevy & Loevy. Swaminathan said he is preparing a lawsuit against U. of I. for violating Salaita’s constitu-
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tional rights to free speech and due process as well as breach of contract. He said Salaita “remains steadfast in his desire” to have the tenured position at U. of I., “whether it is done voluntarily or through the legal process.” Salaita, 38, resigned from his tenured job at Virginia Tech University last spring in preparation for the move to Urbana-Champaign, and now he and his family live with his parents in the Washington, D.C., area. The groups organizing his speaking tour this week — Students for Justice in Palestine and the group Gay Liberation Network — have been collecting funds to offer him an honorarium. U. of I. spokesman Thomas Hardy pointed Monday to statements made by university officials when they declined to hire Salaita. “Professor Salaita’s approach indicates that he would be incapable of fostering a classroom environment where conflicting opinions could be given equal consideration, regardless of the issue being discussed,” President Robert Easter said last month. “I am also concerned that his irresponsible public statements would make it more difficult for the University and particularly the Urbana-Champaign campus to attract the best and brightest students, faculty and staff.” When asked Monday by an audience member whether he advises others to “shut up and not make waves” in light of his situation, Salaita said there are many ways to advocate for change. “There are ways to be active, to work for change, that don’t necessarily involve being public. You don’t have to run your mouth on Twitter like I did,” he said. He then concluded: “I chose to do what I did. I am still, sitting here, happy with the decision.”
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Poet mesmorizes audience at Gallery 51 Visiting poet and author John Murillo read as part of the Creative Writers-in-Residence Series
By Nicole L’Etoile
Arts & Entertainment Writer This past Monday, poet John Murillo performed a poetry reading at Gallery 51. It was funded by the Hardman Special Initiatives Fund and organized by the English/Communications department. English/Communications professor Zach Finch introduced Murillo to the audience and provided some background about Murillo and his writing career. “John Murillo is an impeccable craftsman of poems,” Professor Finch said. “The awards he has received are too numerous to name.” Murillo is currently an assistant professor of poetry at Hampshire College. The first poem that Murillo read was not given a title, but he jumped right into the reading when Professor Finch finished his introduction and read for about five minutes straight, mesmerizing the audience. After a short introduction of himself and a warm welcome from the audience, Murillo went on to read about a dozen poems. The second one he read, titled “Enter the Dragon,” and was dedicated to numerous people, one of whom was Trayvon Martin. Each poem that Murillo read
Photo by Nicole L’Etoile/The Beacon
John Murillo read works from his book ‘Up Jump the Boogie’ to students and faculty at Gallery 51 on Monday night. was spoken with such tangible emotion and an unparalleled amount of performance incorporated into it. While there was no consistent rhyming pattern to the pieces, they were all as rhythmic as listening to music. In between reading a cou-
ple of pieces, Murillo talked about a time after he graduated high school when he recorded some rap tracks and tried to sell them to a record company. “When I was a kid I didn’t go to many galleries or museums, but the one art form that I
had access to was music,” Murillo said. “And Marvin Gay was like a soundtrack to me.” Throughout all of the pieces that he read, the one common theme in all of them was the presence of musical influences. Musicians such as Marvin Gay and Sugar Ray
Murillo’s work is still evolving “Everyone comes to the page with their own story, and you can’t teach that.” By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Editor “I love Keats, despite what people think,” laughed poet John Murillo, who visited the campus earlier this week as part of the newly implemented Creative Writers-in-Residency Series. Murillo shared his writing wisdom with creative writing and advanced poetry classes, and gave a reading from his book “Up Jump the Boogie.” Murillo, who was born and raised in southern California, started writing poetry relatively late in his life, he said. “I was nearly thirty when I started, but I was an essayist and a rapper before that, so by the time I got to poetry I had a long background of the essential devices: rhyme, literation, assonance, metaphor, simile. When I started writing proper poems, I was about 27 or 28,” he added. “I didn’t know I was writing poems at the time. I didn’t know what I was writing—maybe unrhymed raps if you will,” Murillo said. “It wasn’t until I started hanging around a group of poets in D.C., where I was living at the time, and they gave me a reading list [of poets], that I started workshopping with them. That was when I started actually tak-
Photo courtesy of John Murillo
Poet and author John Murillo was an essayist and a rapper before turning to poetry in his late twenties. ing [poetry] seriously. Once that happened, I just threw myself in and decided, I’m going to give everything I have to this and see where it goes.” Murillo said that though he is “old in years,” he is still a relatively young poet, and his work is still evolving. “I hope I don’t happen upon my actual voice [as a poet] for another 20 to 30 years or so. That’s what I’m working towards,” he stated.
Apart from poetry, Murillo has written essays and plays, including the 2011 choreo-play “Trigger,” which blended dance with words. Although Murillo stated that he was only responsible for the text in the show, he had worked on similarly collaborative projects. “In the past, I’ve worked on a piece where I would bring a poem [to the dancers], they’d cut it up, and each of the dancers took a line, created a movement around the it and then I wrote in response to that movement. It was really an interesting way to approach a work. In the end result, the text was probably the weakest thing in the production,” he laughed.” As for his poetry, Murillo said he has a foundation laid in tradition and narrative storytelling. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about tradition, and how we kind of look into a tradition. The first poets I came to were narrative poets, storytellers, poets whose work would be considered realist, so a lot of my early writing was colored by that. And I still have that foundation. I’m now trying to move toward more lyrical modes, and I’m taking a little more risk with realist and surrealist imagery, juxtapositions, things like that,” he said.
“I go through many drafts [for each poem], few of which end up becoming anything. There’s a lot of throwing away, a lot of discarding. There’s been a few times when a poem will come fully formed, but it only happens if I’ve been struggling for weeks and weeks. Poems come slow, and even when they do come, I’m very reluctant to show them, or send them out until I’ve been going over them for a while. The process is real slow,” he added. Murillo also teaches creative writing at Hampshire College, and noted that although he can teach his students the tools used in the craft of writing, self-motivation remains the primary part in becoming a poet. “You can teach how lines work, you can teach how rhythm works, progression, how an image works, all these things are things can be learned. The thing that can’t be taught is the drive,” he said. “Everyone comes to the page with their own story, their own narrative, their own experience—that can’t be taught either—but what’s really necessary to become a poet is that sense that you’re never going to give up, that this is something that you want to do with your life, even if the larger society doesn’t reward you for it.”
were mentioned in the poems. Murillo also told the audience that he didn’t begin writing poetry seriously until he was about thirty years old, but he had been writing essays and raps for about seventeen years. “Having the history of writing and recording raps really gave me the ear for poetry and helped me learn how to make it all sound nice,” Murillo said. The last piece that he read was titled “Ode to the Crossfader”, which was read more like a rap and was read as if it were a record on a mixer, which was different than the way he read any of his other poems and was interesting to hear. When he was finished with his readings, he opened it up for questions from the audience members. One student asked Murillo if he had any history with performing because he seemed so comfortable in front of a group of people. “I don’t think I would do you any service if I came up here and read my poems as you would at home, so I try to give a little something extra,” he said. Murillo ended the night by taking questions from the audience and providing some wisdom to students, professors,
DON’T MISS
Common Folk Presents:
Local Night at the Parlor Cafe Tonight @ 8 p.m. Featuring local artists and live musicians:
Nate Rodgers Seth Brown Jeb Barry Phoenix Mr. Lei Pavlov’s Dogs and more! In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Mohawk Trail, Common Folk Artists Collective will also be hosting a scarecrow-making workshop all night. Scarecrows will be on display for the anniversary celebration weekend starting October 18.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
FPA MainStage opens with ‘Motherf**ker with the Hat’ By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Editor The Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) department opened their first MainStage production last night with Stephen Adly Guirgis’s dark comedy “The Motherf**ker with the Hat.” The show will run at 8 p.m. through Saturday in Venable Theatre, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday as well. Tickets are free for students, $5 for faculty and staff, and $10 for general admission. “The Motherf**ker with the Hat” explores the themes of infidelity and self-transformation as it follows the story of recovering addict Jackie, played by senior Brendan Jennings and his relationship with Veronica, his girlfriend, played by sophomore Victoria Fernandez. The play is set in modern-day New York City, and will be performed in the round, arena-style. “This is a play that’s so intimate that it didn’t seem like being a voyeur and sitting far away would serve it as much as actually being in with the actors, experiencing everything first hand. It’s very electric in that way,” guest director Sara Katzoff said. Katzoff is currently the artistic director of the Berkshire Fringe theatre festival, and was invited by FPA
Photo courtesy of Crysta Cheverie
Brendan Jennings rehearses as Jackie in FPA’s production of ‘The Motherf**ker with the Hat,’ above. department head Laura Standley to come to the campus and direct the play. “I come from a theatre back-
ground with a lot of nontraditional, original work, so this was a great opportunity for me to go back to my original training as
a director and revisit a scripted play,” Katzoff explained. “The Motherf**ker with the Hat” teeters between comedy and tragedy, Katzoff continued, and because it is performed in the round, audience members can see the play more than once with a different experience each time. “If [audience members] sit in different places, they can see the play from different vantage points, and have a completely new experience with the performers,” she said. The unique staging has opened up opportunities for the actors, as well. “We’re used to acting outward, and now we’re doing a show with a 360 view, so you have to make sure you have your good face on all the time,” senior Helena Kemper said, who plays the wife of Jackie’s parole officer. “It comes with so much more responsibility as far as owning who you are and what you’re doing on stage, but it’s nice knowing that I can turn my back to some of the audience and not feel bad about it because there’s another part of the audience that needs to see me,” she said. Fernandez added, “It feels very freeing.” Junior Marcus Neverson, who plays Jackie’s cousin Julio, remarked that it helps to create a more realistic environment.
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“We’re not playing out to an audience, we’re playing to an audience all around us. It makes the characters feel more real,” he said. Kemper stated, “The biggest challenge is always getting into character, being able to embody the character, where they’re from, learning how to use the dialect that they speak. We’re always adapting to working in new spaces, and [being in the round] helps with that.” According the Katzoff, “The Motherf**ker with the Hat” is an ensemble piece, although it isn’t billed as one. “There are definitely main storylines, but every [actor] is such a part of it. We did some preparations and a lot of text work at first, but very early on the actors were on their feet and rehearsing right away,” she said, adding that the ensemble works incredibly well together. Jennings added, “Everyone’s put in an equal amount of work and determination. The amount of dedication that comes from the actors and directors and everyone involved is sky high.” Neverson agreed, stating, “This is one of those pieces where we need everyone to be firing all cylinders, and everyone has been. We’ve been pushing each other too. We all feed off each other’s energy.”
‘The Source’ combines theatre, technology By Christopher Johnson Arts & Entertainment Writer
No one will or should forget when Chelsea Manning released classified and disturbing files that for some confirmed their worst fears and for others gave a surprise resounding enough to start reconsidering this country’s ethics. Tomorrow, October 10, at 8:00 p.m., Mass MoCA will house the musical theater production “The Source” which is a production by Beth Morrison, best known for her work with operas by David T. Little. However, this project of hers involves music composed by Ted Hearne and is directed by Daniel Fish, whose most recent project is called “Eternal” and involves actors performing the final scene of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” continuously. The libretto in this case is made up of the IM conversation between Manning and former hacker Adrian Lamo, portions of the leaked documents, and the media’s response to Manning and Julian Assange, the editorin-chief of Wikileaks. The use of four singers is meant to present a chaotic flow of information, similar to the way Mozart combined voices or sections of the orchestra
or the way many musicians like Elliott Smith will do multiple layers of their own voice. A work like this could not be timelier. Even with the constant barrage of political and social oppression, many people in the US maintain a sense of passivity and apathy. Hopefully, works like this will convince many people, especially young people, to be upset about the situation and think about ways to alter the current situation in the US. The artists involved in putting this together have contributed to the revolution and reworking of thoughts about how people live in this country think about their home. It is certain that the new assemblage of purely objective pieces of information will acquire a new meaning once shown in a consecutive strand of time. Ideally, those who view this and other artistic reprises of Manning’s work will find the information useful and applicable to their own lives no matter how passive they felt about such issues before the show. In the words of Julian Assange, quoted in the news release for “The Source,” “There will be a thousand more Chelsea Mannings.”
The Source Produced by Beth Morrison
Friday, Oct. 10 @ 8 p.m. Mass MoCA Hunter Center $5 members $10 advance $15 general For more info:
massmoca.org Photo courtesy of Mass MoCA
‘The Source’ (above) is a musical produced by Beth Morrison that follows the story of famed hacker Julian Assange.
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Sports
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Fair territory
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Tennis rushes into conference playoffs By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
Baseball Chemist By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
While baseball is technically considered a team sport, a lot of the time the chemistry of the game is completely lost. Sure, you win and lose as a team, but baseball is often a team game being masked as a sequence of one-onone matchups. Unlike most team sports, it is incredibly possible for a baseball player to have a charttopping season on a terrible team. Giancarlo Stanton was owning the National League leaderboard before he was injured in September, but that didn’t help the Marlins get over .500. In the NFL, how often is the league’s top passer or rusher on a losing team? Or in the NBA, how often is the league’s leading scorer on a losing team? Although every sport has the motto that “talent doesn’t always win”, in the NFL and especially in the NBA, talent pretty much always wins. The teams that win the championship are often the teams that have the most talent. Teamwork and chemistry are still important, but talent still wins out. In baseball however, because one player can only have such a limited impact on the team’s overall performance, the game becomes much more about the collective results of the entire team, instead of just one or two individuals The MLB playoffs marked a large difference between talent and the overall team result. In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles squared off against the Detroit Tigers. Detroit had gone all in on this season, spending a lot of money and prospects to assemble an expensive team rich in name and in pedigree. Baltimore had relied on smart free-agency bets and a strong farm system. On paper, Detroit had more talent, and they still do, but they are sitting at home while Baltimore is headed to the American League Championship Series. Baseball plays more games per season than any other sport. Because teams are traveling and working with each other more often, chemistry amongst the team assumes a greater importance. Last season, the “Boston Strong” Red Sox may have been just a clever marketing campaign, but it really drove the clubhouse and the team to new heights, propelling them to the championship. The on-field action is still driven by one-on-one matchups, but the chemistry of the team off the field and in the clubhouse is just as important, and when a team clicks, it can overcome large gaps in talent.
The Trailblazers traveled to Colby-Sawyer on Sunday with a chance to secure a regular season championship in the North Atlantic Conference. Unfortunately, Colby-Sawyer overwhelmed the Blazers, 9-0. Colby improves to 8-5 overall and finishes the season 6-0 in conference play. The Blazers fall to 7-6, and 4-2 in conference play. The Blazers were trumped in doubles competition, with only the team of freshmen Emily Deaso and Mariza Sfakianaki being able to put any real pressure on Colby, but they fell to the duo of Oxana Tkachenko and Lauren Blanchard, 8-4. In singles play, MCLA didn’t fare any better, as they were unable to win a single set, ensuring the shut-out. With the loss, MCLA settles into a third place position for the conference tournament. They will face the second seeded Castleton State team on Saturday, at ColbySawyer. MCLA lost a nail biter to Castleton State on Sep. 13, 5-4. The winner of that match will play the winner of Colby vs Thomas College later that day. MCLA hosted its final conference game of the regular season against Johnson State on Satur-
Photo From MCLA Athletics
Freshman Emily Deaso follows through on a forehand. Deaso, along with fellow freshmen Mariza Sfakianaki and Sarah Mikutowicz have supplied a huge boost to the MCLA tennis program. day. Heavy rain forced the team and Emily Deaso had the clos- come out victorious, 6-3. The to move its game indoors to the est battle, but they were able to Blazers fell behind early, as Anna Berkshire West tennis courts in dispose of their opponents in a Maria took the top two doubles Pittsfield, but despite the change hard fought match, 9-7. In singles matches. The Blazers were able to in scenery, the team came out hit- competition, the Blazers were earn a solitary point from doubles ting on all cylinders and swept even more dominant, not allow- play, as Waterhouse and freshman away the visiting Badgers, 8-0. ing Johnson to win a single set en Anna Despart won, 8-0. In singles MCLA got off to a fast start, route to their victory. play, MCLA was able to turn the sweeping the doubles matches. On Friday, MCLA battled Anna tide, as they won five out of the six The team of Rebecca Waterhouse Maria at home, and were able to matches to secure the victory.
MCLA stays above .500 Volleyball team improves to 9-8 overall after thrilling non-conferece victory By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
MCLA was able to fend off visiting Mitchell College on Tuesday, winning a competitive match, 3-1. MCLA rallied back from an early deficit to take the first set, 25-21. In the second set, Mitchell came out looking to even the score, but once again the Trailblazers were able to beat them back, 25-23. Mitchell would finally break though in the third set, edging out the Trailblazers 25-23, to make the game 2-1. However, MCLA was able to block Mitchell’s attempt at forcing a deciding fifth set, as they trumped Mitchell in the fourth set, 25-19, to take home the victory. The Trailblazers were led by Sam Anderson, who led the team with 12 kills, while freshman Tayler Wiese continued to make the most of her playing time, leading the team with 16 assists. Mitchell was led by Amanda Garcia, who had 15 kills and three blocks on the day. The Volleyball team traveled north to Norwich, Vermont to take place in a doubleheader on Saturday, and returned to Massachusetts with two more losses and a bad taste in their mouth. The team opened the doubleheader against Anna Maria College, who they dropped a nail biter to, losing the match, 3-2. Anna Maria assumed control in the first set, taking the opening bout,
25-15. The Trailblazers would rebound in the second set, knotting the game at one apiece when they took the second set, 25-20. In the third set, Anna Maria took control of the match, winning a close one, 25-23. With their backs against the wall in the fourth set, MCLA was able to gut out a victory by the slimmest of margins, winning 28-26. That led to a tiebreaking set, where Anna Maria was finally able to put the Blazers away for good, 15-7. The Blazers would immediately jump into their second match of the day after their game against Anna Maria. Doubleheaders are common on the weekends in Division III Volleyball, and coach Amanda Beckwith talked about some of the challenges they create. “Two games back to back can be a challenge when you have injuries or people unable to play. We had 4 people missing from the first match yesterday, then five in the second,” Beckwith said. “This scenario causes different line ups and reminds us how our big team can feel small when key players are missing.” The Blazers would head into their second match of the day against Norwich University and continue to battle in tight sets. Norwich opened the game by taking a narrow victory in the first set, dumping the Blazers, 28-26. Norwich would take the second set 25-17, and were able to close out MCLA in the third set, 25-21,
Photo by Jesse Collings/The Beacon
Junior setter Courtney Parent winds up for a serve on Tuesday. to secure the 3-0 victory. After winning 5 straight matches, the Blazers have lost 5 of their last 6 games, and are now 8-8 on the season. Junior Courtney Parent and Beckwith talked about the teams recent struggles. “We need to provide our own energy. We are a team that plays so well when we’re having fun and being loud,” Parent said. “The biggest thing that will help us get a win is if we can finish a game. These last few that we lost have
been close games, but we just couldn’t finish.” “Saturday was a mental challenge for our team,” Beckwith added. “We will continue to work on it and bring our next game this week. Next weekend we have some much needed time off before our tri-match on Columbus Day.” The team will travel to Mass. Maritime on Monday for a doubleheader against Maritime and Becker College
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Men’s Soccer keeps pace in MASCAC By Tyler Bacon Sports Writer
On Tuesday, the Trailblazers took a tough loss when they visited SUNYIT 1-0. The SUNYIT Men’s Soccer team received a late goal in the 42nd minute in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into halftime. Bryan Kilpatrick’s scored his first goal of the season as SUNYIT controlled the ball for most of the first half as they outshot the Blazers 8-2. The Wildcats had a chance to extend the lead to 2-0 in the 44th minute but Vincent Seruhungu’s shot hit the crossbar and the score remained 1-0 at the half. The Trailblazers were more balanced in the second half as they were able to take 7 shots in the period but they were not able to score the equalizer. SUNYIT held a slim 8-7 shot lead in the closing 45 minutes. MCLA drops to 6-5 with the nonconference loss and with the win SUNYIT improves to 5-5-2. The Men’s Soccer team leaped into a four-way tie for first place in MASCAC play on Saturday with a win at Fitchburg State 2-1. “The MASCAC in men’s soccer is extremely tight so it was crucial to get a win away from home,” Coach Adam Hildabrand said. “Every team has either a 2-1 or 1-2 record. We need to keep playing to our potential.” The Trailblazers’ Anthony Basile scored two goals including the game winner in the 78th minute to secure the big road win. Basile gave the Blazers the lead in the 31st minute when he scored off of a Tyler Vona pass. The score would remain 1-0 until halftime, even though Fitchburg State held a 10-7 shot advantage. Basile talked about what the team did well
Saturday to earn the victory. “One thing we did consistently for 90 plus minutes was fight until the final whistle. That’s one thing that has hurt us in the past,” Basile said. “All 31 of us came together and supported one another to keep the fight throughout the game.” Fitchburg kept the pressure on MCLA and tied up the game in the 58th minute when Steven Martinez passed the ball to Simon Vikoler, who knocked a shot past MCLA keeper Matt Robinson. Fitchburg would continue to pressure, however they could not get the go ahead goal past Robinson. Basile would put the Blazers in the lead for good in the 78th minute. He scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season, unassisted. Robinson held the lead by collecting a pair of saves down the stretch. Senior Ryan Baker talked about what this means for the team moving forward. “We are going to take this game and learn from the areas we need to work on. We’ll tune them up to prepare for future competitions,” Baker said. “We are very excited about the victory and ready to go back to work in practice.” Basile also talked about what it means to prove all of their critics wrong. “In our locker room on the bulletin board is a piece of paper with the favorites to win the MASCAC. We are picked to finish 7th out of 8 teams,” Basile said. “I believe that we have what it takes to bring glory where it belongs, to MCLA! This means we are ready to prove people wrong.” The Blazers improved their record to 2-1 in conference and 6-4 overall. Meanwhile, Fitchburg’s loss drops them to 1-2 in conference and 5-5 overall.
Cross Country races in Keene Invitational The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams were both in action on Saturday, as they traveled to New Hampshire and competed in the Keene State College Invitational. Out of the twelve colleges competing in the men’s race, the Trailblazers finished in tenth place. Senior Brendan Peltier paced MCLA with a total time of 30:44, good enough for 53rd place overall. Freshman Drew Weisse finished less than a minute behind Peltier, with a time of 31:30, finishing in 63rd place. Fellow freshman Michael McAndrew was hot on his heels, finishing in 65th place with a time of 31:50. Brandeis University won the team competition, and Brandeis junior Jarret Harrigan was the first place finisher in the individual competition, finishing in 26:23. He edged out his teammate, freshman Ryan Stender, by a single second, for the top slot. Hayden Patterson of Keene State, Thomas Paquette, who ran unat-
tached, and Ryan Brady, also of Keene State, rounded out the top five. The Women’s team had a similar day, finishing 13th out of 14 teams. Freshman Caroline Couser was the first Trailblazers across the line, finishing in 65th place. Senior Martha Pratt came in closely behind Couser, finishing in 67th place. Senior Annie Gagnon was also closely behind Couser, finishing in 70th place. The Women’s race was won by Keene, and the individual race was also won by Brandeis, with Maddie Dolins finishing in first and Kelsey Whitaker right behind her in second.Samanathan Goldsmith of Keene finished thrid, Mount Holyoke’s Rebecca Rogers finished fourth, and Kait Wheeler of Keene finished fifth. Both teams will be back ina ction this weekend, as they head to Westfield State to compete in the James Early Invitational on Saturday.
Sports
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Women’s Soccer picks up first conferece victory
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Scores Women’s Tennis Thursday, October 2 MCLA vs Ann Maria 6-3 Saturday, October 4 MCLA vs Johnson State 8-0 Sunday, October 5 MCLA @ Colby-Sawyer 0-9 Volleyball Saturday, October 4 MCLA vs Anna Maria 2-3 MCLA @ Norwich 0-3 Tuesday, October 7 MCLA vs Mitchell College 3-1
Photo by Jesse Collings/The Beacon
Senior back Rachel Niddrie fires a pass across the playing field.
By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
The Women’s Soccer team earned its first conference victory in a big way on Saturday, hammering Fitchburg State at home, 4-0. MCLA improved to 3-6-1 on the season and 1-2 in MASCAC play, while Fitchburg fell to 2-8-1 overall and 0-2-1 in the conference. Heavy rain pelted both teams for most of the game as they battled the elements as well as their opponents. The teams remained locked at 0-0 until the 28th minute, when junior Alexi Anderson was the recipient of a pass from sophomore Nicole Zacchio. Anderson charged into the box and beat Fitchburg keeper Kelsey Ford to put the Trailblazers in front 1-0. Anderson would make it 2-0 shortly after, outmuscling a defender for a ball in the box and again beating Ford in the 35th minute. It was a breakout game for Anderson, who began the season as a defender and now finds herself at the top of the formation, and she was happy to help pick up MCLA’s first conference victory. “I think I speak for everyone when I say I’m happy to have a conference win under our belt, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season brings,” Anderson said. Coach Deb Raber talked about Anderson’s versatility and her im-
pact on the season so far. “We moved her from outside back to center back to a holding center-mid to now up top. We put her up top in the first game of the season to get a boost with speed and it paid off when we tied Regis late in the second half,” Raber said. “Her speed, tenacity, and work ethic is what makes her a very successful and versatile soccer player. I think we could put her in any field players position and she would give all she could to do her best.” The scoring continued, as sophomore Jackie Dwyer knocked home a loose ball in the 42nd minute to give the Blazers a commanding 3-0 lead headed into the break. The second half was tough sledding for both squads as the rain continued to pound down onto the field. Things would break open again for MCLA in the 79th minute when Zacchio converted a cross from Anderson to make the score 4-0. The Blazers dominated the game on both sides of the field, outshooting Fitchburg 20-11 and forcing 10 corner kicks while holding Fitchburg to zero. Sophomore keeper Katy Daly had a strong outing, finishing the day with 4 saves to earn her third clean sheet of the season. MCLA hosted Western New England University on Wednesday, and will continue conference play on Saturday when they travel to Framingham State.
Basile named player of the week MCLA sophomore forward Anthony Basile was named the MASCAC Player of the Week on Monday. Basile was coming off of a big game against conference rival Fitchburg State on Saturday, scoring both goals in the Trailblazers 2-1 victory. Basile gave MCLA the lead in 31st minute with a goal off of a
Tyler Vona pass. After Fitchburg had tied the game 1-1, Basile scored a late goal in the 78th minute to secure the victory for MCLA. Basile leades the Trailblazers with five goals on the season, and is also tied for the team lead with two assists with five other Trailblazers.
Women’s Soccer Saturday, October 4 MCLA vs Fitchburg State 4-0 Men’s Soccer Saturday, October 4 MCLA @ Fitchburg State 2-1 Tuesday, October 7 MCLA @ SUNY-IT 0-1
Schedules Saturday, October 11 Golf MCLA @ ECAC Championships Noon Cross Country MCLA @ James Early Invitational Women’s Tennis MCLA vs Castleton State @ Colby-Sawyer 10 a.m. Women’s Soccer MCLA @ Framingham State Noon Men’s Soccer MCLA vs Framingham State 1 p.m. Sunday, October 12 Golf MCLA @ NAC Championship Noon
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Opinion
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
How were you notified about the bomb threat? “I received the text message while I was in my townhouse, then the fire alarm went off. My housemate and I went outside and we were told by a Public Safety Officer that we needed to evacuate to the Armory.”
“My girlfriend told me while I was off campus at Drury High School. I received the text message shortly afterwards.” – Aaron Perkins, 2016
–Rhea Werner, 2015
“I was notified during class. I did not receive a message.”
“I wasn’t notified by text about the bomb threat. I was in a meeting and someone walked in and told us we needed to evacuate.”
–Taylor O’Neil, 2017
– Kraig Page, 2015
“Someone in my residence area told me about the threat.”” –Matt Allen, 2015
Photos compiled by Osakpolo Igiede
Liquid Courage By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Editor-in-Chief
For some students, the weekend starts on Thursday, but for others, it may begin late afternoon Friday. What’s one of the first things that come to mind at the start of a relieving weekend? Beers, shots, parties, funneling, shot-gunning, or any way to get drunk quickly. Of course your college years are the best time to experiment with being a free spirit, and to find yourself (or maybe grow up), but it seems like most students prefer blacking out every weekend and poisoning their body as a form of experimentation. With alcoholism running through my family’s veins, relatives never stop reminding me how dangerous drinking is. Drinking is both a relaxing, social event and a hazard to the health, and there are wrong and right ways to get drunk. Limit the shots and liquor.
Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 Email: 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. 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 must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or emailed 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 emailed 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.
-Issac Wood, 2017
One of the most effective ways to control your alcohol intake is to alternate a drink with a glass of water. This prevents hangovers and also helps your body keep up with your mind. When it’s the end of the night and there’s just enough time to order cheesy bread, you’ll still be sober enough to refuse late night munchies and save your gut some room. Limit the beer to once a week if you’re a true partier and be careful of seasonal beers that contain more sugars and calories. If you’re not a beer person, well, that’s probably better. I’m not here to regulate the calories of weekend beverages, but I am here to give a student perspective on how to save your health ahead of time. Binge drinking is a more dangerous activity than the regulars believe, and I don’t doubt that peer pressure can be a part of that; party environments are the master of that. A stat from collegedrinkingprevention.gov’s recent survey reported that 19 percent of college students ages 18-24 met the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. 5 percent of these students sought treatment for alcohol problems after taking the survey, and 3 percent thought that they should seek help but did not do so. Of course not everyone who drinks on the weekends is an alcoholic, but coming from a family surrounded by these issues, my advice is to think about your weekend alter-ego and who you affect in that mode. This might all be a part of becoming an adult.
The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College’s community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department, and ad revenues.
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.
“I was sitting in Venable and saw students coming out of the classrooms and I was told we needed to evacuate. I did not receive the text message until I was halfway to the Armory.”
Bigger than biceps
The Beacon
In my humble opinion...
Equality issues in the NFL By Nick Arena
Multimedia Editor Last week’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots has sparked yet another controversial conversation in the NFL. On Sept. 29, the Chiefs took down the Patriots with a score of 41 – 14, which is depressing enough as is for any Pats fan. During the game, Hussain Abdullah, a safety for the Chiefs, received a penalty for excessive celebration after he picked off a throw from Tom Brady and ran it into the endzone. This isn’t unheard of in the NFL; good sportsmanship is something to be promoted after all. The problem here is what was considered excessive. Upon arriving in the endzone, Abdullah (a practicing Muslim) fell to his knees and prayed for a grand
Editorial Board total of approximately three seconds. The act of praying itself is considered excessive celebration. This is not what I have a problem with. The thing that I have a problem with is the amount of times that someone like Tim Tebow, a practicing Christian, was penalized for falling to the ground, bowing his head and then pointing up to God in thanks: not once. Shortly afterwards, the NFL released a statement saying that Abdullah should not have been penalized, while the referees argued that prayer isn’t allowed and more confusion ensue. But that isn’t the point. The point is that no one once penalized the Christian, just the Muslim. That’s not even where it ends. Sure people made fun of Tebow for his signature move and most fans, myself included, didn’t even bat an eyelash when he did it. But the criticism of Abdullah doesn’t stop with his penalty. The slews of comments on an article posted on sbnation.com not only argue that Abdullah is the problem and not Tebow; they lash out violently against Muslims in general. “And do you realize that America is not a Muslim country? You are scum of the earth and the most hated race on the planet. Be thankful we don’t exterminate that entire race of garbage,” one comment read. The problem here is this complete lack of tolerance and understanding in a country that was founded on the freedom of religion. If you want to penalize Abdullah, fine, but people like Tebow should get the same punishment.
Editor-in-Chief Makayla-Courtney McGeeney
Sports Editor Jesse Collings
Web Editor Jenna O’Connor
A&E Editor Rachel Fitterman
Senior News Editor Nick Swanson
Copy Chief Avery Finnivan Multimedia Editor Nick Arena
Design Editor Meg Gugarty
Staff Staff Writers
Photographers
Isabel McKenzie Idalis Foster Juanita Doss Christopher Johnson
Osakpolo Igiede*
Nicole L’Etoile Tyler Bacon
Agnella Gross
Design Team
Osakpolo Igiede*
Copy Editors
Advisers
Brittany Gallacher Caitlin O’Neill
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Jim Niedbalski
Advertising
Ryan Robison Angel Baez
Videographers
Kaleigh Anderson
*Holds more than one position
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Facebook.com/MCLABeacon Twitter.com/MCLA_Beacon
Thursday, october 9, 2014
Check it Out!
Upcoming events on campus
Today, Oct. 9
Intramural Sports,Venable Gym 6-11:30 p.m. The Motherf**ker With The Hat Venable Theater 8 p.m. STAGE Meeting,CC 324A 7-8 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 10 Voter Registration, Marketplace 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Events, Announcements & Horoscopes Student Government Association is looking for more student runners for the Sam Gomez Road Race on Oct. 19 at 11:30 a.m. Race is a 5 k or 1 mile optional walk Top finishers recieve prizes
STUDENTS RACE FREE courtesy of the intramural program
Beef stew served after the race
Artist Association, Murdock 218 6-8 p.m. The Motherf**ker With The Hat Venable Theater 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 11 Saturday Night Chat, Sullivan Lounge 7-9 p.m.
To sign up, apply in the SGA office on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center
Horoscopes Thursday October, 9 Aquarius (1/20-2/18): When it comes to matters of love and romance, you may need to tone things down a bit, Aquarius. An aggressive approach now may drive your loved one further away from you instead of drawing him or her closer. Remember that love is a two-way street. Don’t just do things the way you’d like to do them. It’s crucial that you consider your partner’s thoughts and feelings every step of the way.
find that things eventually come around your way.
Pisces (2/19-3/20): You may find that your love is incredibly magnetic now, Pisces. All you need to do is be yourself and suddenly people flock your way. There are terrific opportunities for you to strengthen the bonds you have with the people you care about the most.
Cancer (6/21-7/22): If you aren’t involved with someone now, you should find that you’re in a good position to make a move toward someone you feel strongly about.
Taurus (4/20-5/20): Romantic relationships may not exactly be going as well as you’d like, Taurus, but don’t get discouraged. Hang in there and you will
Success depends on your thoughts On Oct. 7, 2014 I went to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with Miss Jenn Smith, a reporter for the Berkshire Eagle. Here we were to visit the department of English/ Communications. I was introduced to the professor Jenifer Augur and the department’s staff and took two different classes with the students. Both sessions were interactive and I shared my point of view and experience in journalism. I saw this college as very organized. The classes were well facilitated. This department had its own weekly newspaper, where students write for it to get experience. They prepare reports regarding social issues and publish them in their newspaper. The college also had a radio station for the students. Thus students were given many opportunities to get education and experience simultaneously. The professors, staff, and students were loyal to their professions and responsibilities and this lead to the success I saw. This
Letter to the Editor
Sunday, Oct. 12
Aries (3/21-4/19): Consider taking a more conservative approach to your actions today, Aries, as well as to the way you dress. Others may be rather put off by something that comes across as too flashy. Fashion is apt to be a significant concern for you now, which is fine. Don’t underestimate the power of personal appearance.
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point highly impressed me. The facilities which I saw in a college of Berkshire county in a small city, cannot be seen in the University of Balochistan, Pakistan, which is for almost 8-9 million people of the province. It reflects a love of education, and it is felt in US that education is the only way to compete and defeat the challenges which create the hurdles in the way of your success. I understood that those nations which are developed just like the United States, are that way just due to their commitment and continuous diligence. They prefer to work instead of taking rest. So such nations, who care about their tomorrow, always get respect among the other nations. Sincerely, Abdul Bari Mandokhail Abdul Bari Mandokhail can be reached at @bari_mandokhail on twitter and on email: bari_mandokhail@yahoo.com
Improved campus access a must
The Motherf**ker With The Hat Venable Theater 8 p.m.
Good Vibes Yoga, Dance Complex 8-10 p.m.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Gemini (5/21-6/20): It could be that you’re trying to communicate with someone in a matter regarding love and romance and it simply isn’t working. You’re apt to feel like you need a translator in order to get your message across. Both you and your partner need to share responsibility for making sure that the lines of communication remain open.
Leo (7/23-8/22): Make sure that you aren’t telling someone lies just because you know that that is what he or she wants to hear. A true friend is someone who is honest at all times, even if it means that you may temporarily hurt that person’s feeling Virgo (8/23-9/23): It’s critical that you not try to gain the love and appreciation of another by controlling their decisions, Virgo. It’s time to let the people around you set their own rules and boundaries. Give that special person space to decide what’s best, then you can take action accordingly. Libra (9/23-10/22): You might need to put on the brakes today
when it comes to love and romance, Libra. Don’t think that this means you have to break off any sort relationship that’s in the works, but realize that you may need to take a more realistic approach to how you handle it. Scorpio (10/23-11/21): Things should be going quite well for you today, Scorpio, and you will find that aspects of your life that may have felt disconnected in the past are finally slipping into place. Have faith that all your painstaking planning and organizing is finally going to pay off. Sagittarius (11/22-12/21): Restriction and discipline might not be your forte, Sagittarius, but realize that this may be exactly the type of thing that you need the most. Try not to expend your energy in too many directions. Focus and channel your efforts into the things you consider the most important. Capricorn (12/22-1/19): Appreciate the good things you have today, Capricorn. Don’t let another day go by without really paying homage to the people who’ve helped you grow along the way. Take a walk. Climb a tree or help a child build a tree house. Horoscopes.com
My name is Morgan McCarthy. I am 20 years old and I am a junior, English Communications major concentrating in Public Relations with a minor in Sociology. I am known to be very friendly and outgoing. I participate in many of the campus activities; managing Women’s Volleyball takes up a lot of my time. If you’ve never met me, I sound like your standard college student. Although what you read above is true, I cannot keep my biggest secret private. Everyone can see how much I try to make living with a neuromuscular disorder easy. By definition Cerebral Palsy (CP) affects my brain’s ability to process information. CP affects everything I do every minute of every day, including walking, dressing, sleeping and personal care just to name a few. Luckily, MCLA and its accepting academic and social atmosphere have helped me thrive into a very strong, smart individual as much as a young woman could be. However, the troubles I face maneuvering campus makes things difficult. The Church Street Center parking lot makes it difficult to get to shows, not to
mention the uneven sidewalks on the way there. The double doors on the handicapped bathrooms in the Campus Center make it difficult for me to use public restrooms. The handicapped buttons on all the buildings need to work at all times as well as the elevators that includes the ramp on the side entrance of Murdock without a button on the door. I am more than willing to physically show you how difficult these tasks are. I should not have to sacrifice my independence to get in the POD or Subway. I’ve emailed people, called and everyone I go to sends me to another person. Please help me get the attention of President Mary Grant. These changes are valuable transitions to MCLA because I do nothing but promote the college to my friends in my demographic that are looking for a college accessible to their needs as well as a healthy, non-judgmental social environment for them to just be college students. If it does not change, I will feel like I’m lying and misrepresenting myself and the values I believe in. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Morgan McCarthy Class of 2016
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENTS REFUNDS WILL BE OCCURING IN A FEW WEEKS. DON’T DELAY YOUR REFUND!! CHECK WITH STUDENT ACCOUNTS AND THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE TO MAKE SURE YOUR PAPERWORK IS COMPLETE! INTERESTED IN TAKING A SEMESTER ABROAD OR A SPRING BREAK TRAVEL COURSE? CHECK WITH FINANCIAL AID TO SEE WHAT ELIGIBILITY YOU MAY HAVE TO HELP PAY FOR IT! START YOUR SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH NOW FOR NEXT YEAR! REGISTER ON FASTWEB.COM FOR A FREE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH.
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
59th Fall Foliage Parade Members of the Drury High School marching band played a number as they marched in the parade.
The annual Fall Foliage Parade took to the streets of North Adams on Sunday. The theme of this year’s parade celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Mohawk Trail and the cultures surrounding it. Photos by Agnella Gross
Smokey Bear, perched on top of a Massachusetts Forest Fire Control Car, greeted the crowd.
Below: Bagpipes rang out during the marching procession towards Ashland Street.
Above: Members of Springfield’s Melha Shriners performed a number of stunts on derby cars throughout the parade.