Opinion: High Park Fire hits close to home| Page 4
PAGE 3
Fighting West Nile CSU and UNC researchers team up on a new drug
THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN
COLLEGIAN
Fort Collins, Colorado
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Volume 121 | No. 4
www.collegian.com
THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891
COLORADO STATE’S FIREFIGHT
Explaining the flames By KAITIE HUSS The Rocky Mountain Collegian
food preparation staff needed to be flexible in its scheduling. “A lot of times we’ve ran out of our main course and we always have to think on our feet and create a backup plan,” King said. Often the kitchen staff will make lasagna or spaghetti due to the small amount of prep time it requires and the amount of calories it can quickly provide. Regardless of what they are served, the firefighters are grateful for a hot meal and a place to sleep after a long day on the front lines. “They have been so thankful for it. It was so cool looking at their faces the first night they came in. I think they weren’t expecting to be provided what they were,” said Courtney Lornz, a sophomore music
A metal structure in North Park lies in pieces, warped from the intense heat of High Park Fire flames. Feet away stands a wooden information booth, unscathed and surrounded by what seems to be a halo of bright green grass. While firefighters battle to extinguish the flames of the High Park Fire— which has burned 83,205 acres as of Monday— others seek to explain it. The fire resulted from a lightning strike, according to fire investigators. Sher Schranz, senior project manager with Colorado State’s Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, said that this tree was actually smouldering for days before the flames broke out. It was the perfect combination of factors: low humidity, copious amounts of dry fuel and abnormally high temperatures that contributed to the spread of the fire. According to Schranz, the current precipitation rate in Colorado is 40% below the normal level and has been low for about seven to eight years. In addition, dead trees from the beetle kill built up a pile of dry fire fuel, according to Schranz. Monique Rocca, an associate professor of wildland fire science at CSU, said the location of needles from the dead pine trees will have an effect on the way the fire burns. “If the dry needles are still on the tree, it’s more likely to torch,” Rocca said. “Needles that have already fallen from the dead trees will burn at the base but not have as much effect on the canopy.” Rocca clarified, however, that beetle kill trees did not cause the fire. This is evident due to the several other fires throughout Colorado not affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle. “This fire would have happened with or without the beetle kill,” Rocca said. One of the biggest instigators to the High Park: temperature. According to the National Weather Service Forecast Office, the Denver-Boulder area of Colorado is currently experiencing temperatures 10-15 degrees higher than average.
See PINGREE on Page 5
See SCIENCE on Page 5
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PAT RASTALL
Pingree Park’s staff poses in Nomex clothing, which is what firefighers wear. They were issued the clothes as a safety precaution due to the High Park Fire.
Pingree students feed firefighters By KYLE GRABOWSKI The Rocky Mountain Collegian After Pingree Park was evacuated on June 12 due to the High Park Fire, CSU senior natural resources major Kelsey King went rock climbing in Crested Butte with nine other staff members. They received phone calls on June 15 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. telling them Pingree Park, CSU’s mountain campus, would be set up as a spike camp to house firefighters and asking if the staff would return to work. “We were so excited to be given the opportunity, so we packed up all of our camping stuff and got back to Fort Collins as fast as we could,” King said. Other employees responded the same way, coming from as far as Lander, Wyoming, and 24 returned to Pingree on June 16 to help however
they could. “Our main mission is to feed and support these fire crews from all over the country,” Pingree Park Director Patrick Rastall said. “They sleep in tents, some of them sleep in out buildings, it’s like a little city up here.” The Pingree staff serves breakfast and dinner in the camp’s dining hall, while the fire crews eat military MREs for lunch. Breakfast is served from 5:30 a.m. until 8 a.m., while dinner begins at 8:30 p.m. and can last until as late as 11 p.m. depending on when the last firefighters return. “They have a basic caloric requirement of 6,000 calories a day,” Rastall said. “They go crazy out there with all of the energy they burn.” Due to the large number of firefighters housed in Pingree at a given time, as many as 180 per meal, the
“That’s probably the best part of it, is when [victims] see their own animals again.” Rene Scalf | Supervisor of Critical Care
Vet school takes in victim’s animals
By MICHAEL ELIZABETH SAKAS The Rocky Mountain Collegian
When High Park Fire evacuees receive news that their houses have been destroyed in the flames, it’s likely they will believe that everything went with it. “A lot of these owners really felt like their horses had been burned in the fire because they had already lost their house and knew they had lost their house,” said Haleigh Lundgreen, a fourth year veterinary student at CSU. “Some of these owners coming in, just going around from horse to horse hugging and crying and just being super appreciative of what we’ve done.” At the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of CSU, more than 130 volunteers,
students and employees have been treating and boarding the displaced animals of the High Park Fire victims. 109 dogs, cats, birds and other small animals have come through the hospital, which has been serving as an overflow shelter for the Larimer Humane Society since June 11. “That’s probably the best part of it, is when [victims] see their own animal again,” said Rene Scalf, Supervisor of Critical Care Services at the hospital. “That’s probably when the most emotion comes out, when the people coming in have no idea if their animal made it out or not.” See VET on Page 5
High Park Fire stalls summer rafting By NIC TURICIANO The Rocky Mountain Collegian CSU alumnus Robert Breckenridge refused to evacuate his home in the Poudre Canyon when the orders were given. He chose instead to defend his home with a garden hose, and though his neighbor’s garage burned, the flames ig-
nored his property. Breckenridge was able to save his home from the High Park Fire, but he’s afraid that he may not be able to save his business from it. That’s because Breckenridge owns and operates A1 Wildwater, his 31 year-old Fort Collins rafting company that’s one of five restricted from running the Poudre
River due to the fire. The closures, now having lasted almost three weeks, make a large impact on an industry whose season is only 100 days long. And the shutdown isn’t only affecting CSU grads, but current students as well. See RAFTING on Page 3
the
STRIP CLUB
Colorado’s largest fires Fire is no stranger to Colorado. In 2000, the state saw a surge in the amount of acres burned per fire. Here are some of the largest wildfires in our state’s history.
Hayman 2002
137,760 acres 133 homes Terry Barton, a former Forest Service professional, pleaded guilty to arson charges for starting this fire in Southern Colorado.
High Park 2012
87,284 acres 257 homes Originating from a lightning strike in Paradise Park, this wildfire continues to burn, preventing over 1000 people from returning home.
Missionary Ridge 2002
70,485 acres 56 homes A discarded cigarette began this fire that burned outside of Durango.
Yuma County 2006
23,000 acres 0 homes This fire ignited as the result of a downed power line, broken by powerful winds in Yuma County.
Bircher 2000
19,709 acres 0 homes A summer lightning storm began this fire that cost the $5.6 million dollars to finally contain.
Waldo Canyon 2012
15,517 acres ? homes With an estimated 32,000 people currently evacuated from their homes, it is not yet known what started this fire, and it continues to grow rapidly.
To follow the current wildfires burning in Colorado with an interactive map, visit collegian.com. NIC TURICIANO | COLLEGIAN
Brad Modesitt, owner of Mountain Whitewater Descents, and Ben Costello, manager, stand in front of kayaks on their business’ property. Mountain Whitewater Descents has had to close for the first time in its 12 year history.
The Strip Club is written by the Collegian staff.
2 Thursday, June 28, 2012
| The Rocky Mountain Collegian
fort collins focus
NIC TURICIANO | COLLEGIAN
Brandon Rand receives a “taster” while at the New Belgium Brewery tent on Sunday at the Colorado Brewers’ Festival. New Belgium was one of nine Fort Collins breweries represented at this year’s festival.
Community Briefs CSU professor develops implant for human joints
Susan James, a professor of medical engineering at CSU, has developed a joint implant material in connection with BioPoly, an Indiana company. This material has been implanted into a patient in London and is now on the market in Europe. This enhanced material allows people to seek joint
repair at an earlier age and has been shown to last longer than previous solutions. James spent the last 17 years developing this material. In a Colorado State press release James said, “It’s really exciting, to relieve someone’s pain is just really cool.” The patient in London reported knee pain when crossing their legs and walking up stairs before the implant, according to a statement made by Bio-
Poly earlier this month. Four weeks after the surgery, the patient reported being able to ride their bicycle.
CSU Physicist receives DOE Early Career Award
Kristen Buchanan, an assistant professor in the CSU Department of Physics, has been awarded a $762,000 Early Career Award by the U.S. Department of Energy
to improve scientific understanding of spin dynamics in magnetic materials. Buchanan is one of three Colorado scientists and the only CSU faculty member among the 68 recipients of the award for 2012. According to a CSU press release, Buchanan will use light to study dynamic processes in nanoscale magnets. Spin waves can be imagined as ripples in the magnetic state of a material and light will scatter from these rip-
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Lory Student Center Box 13 Fort Collins, CO 80523
This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is an 10,000-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum. It publishes five days a week during the regular fall and spring semesters. During the last eight weeks of summer Collegian distribution drops to 4,500 and is published weekly on Thursdays. During the first four weeks of summer the Collegian does not publish. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page 2. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each. Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Michael Elizabeth Sakas | Editor-in-Chief editor@collegian.com Kaitie Huss | Content Managing Editor news@collegian.com Kyle Grabowski |Produce news@collegian.com Nic Turiciano |Producer entertainment@collegian.com John Sheesley| Producer news@collegian.com Kristin Hall | Contributor news@collegian.com
ples. The scattering process is inelastic, which means that the light loses or gains a small amount of energy in the process.
CSU celebrates 150 years of the Morrill Act
CSU is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Morril Act on July 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm on the west lawn of the Lory Student Center.
The Act was signed by President Lincoln and granted federal lands to every state in order to subsidize education in agriculture, home economics and engineering. The celebration will include information about the Morrill act, free cupcakes and water and a live musical set from the Indulgers, a Celtic rock band.
-- Collegian Staff Report
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Kim Blumhardt | Advertising Manager Michael Humphrey | Journalism Adviser
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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, June 28, 2012
3
West Nile drug being Colorado: A state ablaze developed by CSU, UNC By JOHN SHEESLEY The Rocky Mountain Collegian
By JOHN SHEESLEY The Rocky Mountain Collegian
Researchers Brian Geiss and Susan Keenan have found a molecule that inhibits replication in viruses such as West Nile, dengue, and yellow fever.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TODAY AT CSU
UNC’s Susan Keenan, Associate Professor and Director of the School of Biological Sciences
These viruses are pathogens that can be easily transferred from insects to humans. In a family of viruses known as flaviviruses, they cause life threatening illnesses and have few drugs or vaccines available. Dengue alone causes as many as 50 million infections with 20,000 to 30,000 deaths a year worldwide. The National Institutes of Health considers these viruses extremely dangerous and believes they have the potential to be used as biological weapons. Geiss, Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology at
RAFTING | Continued from Page 1
CSU and Keenan, Associate Professor and Director of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado have begun to develop a drug that binds to a type of protein that is critical to the replication of these viruses. This protein allows the virus to make other proteins for replication and protects the virus from being degraded in cells. Without the protein that Geiss and Keenan have focused their research on, the viruses will not be able to replicate themselves and will be destroyed by the cell. The discovery and development of this protein comes at a critical time, as West Nile-positive mosquitoes have been found in Fort Collins. Many are concerned that the early findings of infected mosquitoes mean that this year could have a significantly higher number of
PHOTO COURTESY OF TODAY AT CSU
CSU’s David Geiss, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology
West Nile virus cases, but conditions are not ideal for mosquitos to breed. “The early, warm spring created ideal conditions for mosquitoes as well as for the virus,” said Dr. Chester Moore, a Professor of Medical Entomology in the department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology in an email. “On the other hand, the lack of rain and snow pack in the mountains has reduced the amount of larval habitat for the mosquitoes. It’s anybody’s guess what this season will be like, but it behooves us to be careful and avoid unnecessary exposure to mosquitoes.” The protein and subsequent drug being developed by Geiss and Keenan is not yet ready for use and will undergo additional research to improve its effectiveness against several different viruses. “We’re in the process of testing these drugs against a number of different flaviviruses and trying to improve how well it works in animal models, so there’s a lot more work to get it to the point where it would be used as an investigational new drug,” Geiss said. “However, this is an exciting new finding that has the potential to reduce the suffering caused by these serious pathogens.” See MOSQUITO on Page 5
With a growing number of widfires raging aorund the country, it is easy to loose track of what is burning and where. This map
5: The Springer Fire, 7: The Trout Creek Fire, 11: The Stateline Fire, 12: The CR102 Fire and 13: The Bison Drive Fire. Visual Managing Editor John Sheesley can be reached at news@collegian.com
of Colorado shows the location of each active fire, with the flame symbol corresponding to the relative size of the fire. The fires that are not listed are: 2: The Halligan Fire, 4: The Treasure Fire,
1: HIGH PARK
3: WOODLAND HEIGHTS
6: WALDO CANYON
Started: June 9 at 6 a.m. by lightning Size: 87,250 acres Containment: 55% Damage: 257 homes destroyed, $31.5 million
Started: June 23 at 11 a.m. by a power line Size: 27.3 acres Containment: 100% Damage: 24 buidings destroyed in Estes Park
Started: June 23 at 12 p.m. Cause unknown Size: 4,600 Containment: 5% Damage: no structures, Manitou Springs threatened
2
1 3 13
8 4
7 5
12 6
10
9 11
8: LAST CHANCE
9: WEBER
10: LITTLE SAND
Started: June 25 by sparks from a tire blowout Size: 45,000 acres Containment: 100% Damage: 11 homes destroyed
Started: June 22 at 4 p.m. Human caused Size: 8,500 acres Containment: 10% Damage: no structures damaged
Started: May 13 at 4 p.m. by lightning Size: 22,010 acres Containment: 29% Damage: no structures damaged
Some businesses losing thousands each week
“Not only are the employees working for the companies being affected, because most of us don't have a second job in the summers, but also the companies because June is always a huge portion of when we get tourists coming out to Colorado on vacation,” Amanda Tyler, a CSU student who works for A Wanderlust Adventures, wrote in an email. She hasn’t worked since June 9, the day the fire started. “Well, we’re losing a huge amount of money. I don’t
want to go into how much, but,” Breckenridge estimated it to be about $30,000 per week. “So, yeah, it’s pretty devastating.” “I’ve got huge property taxes. All my taxes and everything are going to stay the same,” Breckenridge said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do and, I’m … I’m starting to freak out a little bit here.” Ben Costello, who manages Mountain Whitewater Descents, last ran the Poudre on the day the fire began. “That day was pretty normal. You could just barely see that there was
smoke starting up on the horizon and, of course, the next day we found out what was really going on,” Costello said. Like Breckenridge, Brad Modesitt, owner of Mountain Whitewater Descents, has never had to shut down during the 12 years that his company has been in business. But the 2012 season has already brought with it two separate closures. The first came during the Hewlett Gulch Fire, which forced the company to close for two days. Modesitt’s company can accompany 120 rafters daily during the peak
season, and with prices for the trips ranging from $49-$109 per person, Mountain Whitewater Descents is losing anywhere from $5,880 to $13,080 every day that the canyon is closed. Jim Clark, CEO for the Fort Collins Convention & Visitors Bureau, says that he can’t speculate as to how much of an impact the rafting industry’s loss is making on the overall Fort Collins economy, but that this year is unique in that, while the rafting companies are currently closed, the hotel industry is thriving due to displaced residents and
firefighters. “I’ve been here 7 and a half years and I’ve never seen it this bad. It probably never has been this bad,” Clark said. This week begins the busy season for the rafting industry, and both owners and employees are hopeful that they can soon get back on the Poudre. “I’m excited to get up there because it’s the only place that you will be able to raft in a fire zone,” Justin Gossard, who graduated from CSU in December and is working his fourth season with A1 Wildwater, said. “So it’s kind of
a unique experience to get up there and just float down the river and see all the power and damage that the High Park fire actually had.” “We’re trying to get the thought out, you know, if we take groups up in the school bus, they’re all contained. One of our stretches that we run is from Poudre Park down,” Breckenridge said. “Even if we could get on the river and run that much of it right now, that would make a huge difference to us.” Producer Nic Turiciano can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com
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Collegian
OPINION Thursday, June 28, 2012 | Page 4
our view
“Keep riding, and keep having fun, but follow the law and be courteous. Fort Collins is a great, bike friendly community. Let’s keep it that way.”
Ride on: bike smart, bike safe, bike often By John Sheesley
At the Collegian I often find myself working late into the evening, putting the finishing touches on a story or interviewing someone after hours. Last week I mounted my bicycle for the late night ride home and, not minutes after leaving the student center, was nearly ridden off the road by a careless bicyclist. If everyone follows a few simple guidelines we can make the bike lanes a safer place for everyone, so here are a few dos and don’ts of bike etiquette: Do: Always use a headlight and taillight when riding between sunset and sunrise. Using a headlight and taillight is a major step to staying safe on a bicycle at night, and it’s not just a good idea, it’s the law according to Colorado Statute 42-4-204. Yes, a light helps you see where you are going, but it also lets others see you. This is especially important in a city like Fort Collins where many bike lanes are on roads and the bike paths are not well lit. Cutting through campus makes my ride home ten minutes shorter, but I’ve begun to avoid it due to careless cyclists. More than once I have come around the corner and almost hit another bicyclist because they were not wearing a light and were therefore very difficult to see. This may not be only to blame on the lack of a light, the cyclists are often on the wrong side of the bike path. Don’t: Ride on the wrong side of the road or turn against traffic. The general rule for bicycle safety and etiquette is to treat your bicycle as if it is any other vehicle, like a car or motorbike. It is stated in Colorado Statute 42-4-1412 that “every person riding a bicycle shall have all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle,” meaning always riding on the left side of the road or bike path. Driving a bike like a car also means signalling before turning, always turning from the proper lane when riding on the road, and passing carefully. Do: Treat the bike path like a road. No one would stop driving a car in the middle of the road upon seeing a friend and commence to have a conversation in the middle of the road while traffic grinds to a halt around them, yet this is a fairly common occurrence on a bike path. A good rule is to treat the bike path like it is any other city street. Look both ways before crossing, don’t stand in the
middle of the road, and keep to the right side of the path as much as possible. Though many people use bike paths to walk, rollerblade, longboard and for all manner of wheel based sports, the bicycle is usually the fastest vehicle present. Therefore those moving slowly are likely to be passed at some point, and should keep to the edge of the path to make this easier and safer for everyone. Don’t: Take up the whole road in a group. I love bicycling with my friends, and with so many great trails in Fort Collins it makes for a great group activity. It is not uncommon to see a large group of bicycles cruising to and from Old Town on a Friday or Saturday night, and an evening ride along the river makes a great date. When riding in a group of two or 20 it is important to be considerate of those riding or driving nearby. On a large path or a wide street there is plenty of room to ride three or four abreast, but it is illegal to ride more than two abreast, and can make you a hazard to others. When in a group I ride slower than I normally would so it is necessary to leave room for cars and other, faster cyclists to pass on the left without crossing the center line. Do: Hang on. Riding with no hands is great once you get the hang of it, and because of the way a bicycle works it is easy to steer without holding on. Sadly, it is also illegal. Colorado law states that “A person operating a bicycle or electric-assisted bicycle shall keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times.” So hang on! But only to the handlebars. It is illegal to hitch a ride by grabbing onto another vehicle, and also terribly unsafe. Don’t: Drink and ride. Because bicycle is considered to be largely the same as any other vehicle by Colorado state law, riding under the influence of drugs or alcohol will result in a DUI just like it would in a car. An intoxicated cyclist is a danger to themselves and others, especially when riding on the road. I love to ride my bike to a party or the bars on a Friday night, and I consider it a wonderful device to lean on as I wander home. For more information on Colorado bike laws see colobikelaw.com/law Visual Managing Editor John Sheesley can be reached at news@collegian.com
Why we love the Olympics Every four years the nations of the world descend on a singular location to test their collective sporting mettle. The Olympics are an occasion to celebrate not only athletic achievement, but national pride and unity. People hurtling through river rapids on kayaks becomes mustsee television. Wrestling evolves beyond a pay-per-view slideshow. The distance of a shot-putters throw makes us hold our collective breath. In the end it doesn’t really matter what sport the athletes are competing in, because at the end of the day they are wearing red, white and blue. When else but late summer can you watch gymnasts hurl themselves through the air, swimmers glide effortlessly under the surface of the water and fencers engage in heated combat? Granted, most of these events
drop out of the collective consciousness during off years, but during the Olympics they are front and center. No matter what
“The Olympics are an occasion to celebrate not only athletic achievement, but national pride and unity. ” sport Americans are participating in, we will watch and cheer for them simply because they are American. These athletes are representing us as a country internationally as some of the most positive ambassadors that exist. Some people will try to make
them political, like recent tension in the Germany-Greece soccer match, but that is not what the Olympics are about. They are about bringing countries together in the name of athletic competition and fostering a sense of global unity. Plus we will be able to experience them in a way never before possible: through social media. For the first time, every event will certainly be tweeted about live around the world, allowing fans to connect, bridging oceans with discussion. Instead of waiting for tapedelayed broadcasts on NBC, fans will know immediately who won and how the rest of the world feels about it. Being able to connect with other people around the world through athletic competition is what the the Olympics is all about, and that’s why we love them.
The Collegian Editorial Board is responsible for writing the staff editorial, “Our View,” and for the views expressed therein. Letters and feedback in response to the staff editorial can be sent to letters@collegian.com. Michael Elizabeth Sakas | Editor-in-Chief news@collegian.com John Sheesley | Visual Managing Editor news@collegian.com Nic Turiciano | Producer entertainment@collegian.com
Kaitie Huss | Content Managing Editor news@collegian.com Kyle Grabowski | Producer news@collegian.com Kristin Hall | Contributor news@collegian.com
High Park Fire hits close to home be honest a little twinge of anger. It was then that I realized that if this single memory of a trip with my dad could evoke such a strong response within myself, I couldn’t even imagine the magnitude of emotion that must be felt by those who have lost their homes, their animals, their loved ones and the memories that
By Kaitie Huss For the past three weeks, I’ve been covering the High Park Fire. During that time, my focus has primarily been “get the facts, get the updates, get the stats.” Consequently, it’s caused me to wake up in a nervous sweat multiple nights due to fire-themed nightmares involving no, not fires, but rather missed press releases. Last Friday, however, forced me to wake up in a more traditional sense. I was escorted into the burn area alongside other reporters by Larimer County firefighters. We went to four different locations: Missile Silo Road, Picnic Rock, North Park and Gateway Park. I felt the fire most at Picnic Rock. It had come through the area in patches, raging through spots to a crisp and leaving other “islands” of greenery, pristine and untouched. Last summer I had made a trip to this same area with my dad for a tubing adventure. It had been a fairly overcast day and we had managed to wind an inflatable ducky down the “fun-sized” rapids of the Poudre. Details of that actual day aside, the intensity of the memory that rushed through me as I stood staring at the charred area shocked me. It was filled with sadness, disappointment, and to
Collegian Opinion Page Policy The columns on this page reflect the viewpoints of the individual author and not necessarily that of The Rocky Mountain Collegian or its editorial board. Please send any responses to letters@collegian.com.
coincide. It made me realize how placebased our memories and experiences actually are. For the first time, I felt incredibly close to the city of Fort Collins both as a community and as a home. Content Managing Editor Kaitie Huss can be reached at news@collegian. com
Kaitie huss | COLLEGIAN
Fire restrictions at Picnic Rock Recreaion Center limit many of the summer’s traditional activities. Picnic Rock was one of the four locations shown to reporters last Friday.
Letter submissions are open to all and are printed on a first-received basis. Submissions should be limited to 250 words and need to include the author’s name and contact information. Anonymous letters will not be printed. E-mail letters to letters@collegian. com
The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, June 28, 2012
“These people are heroes. To be able to do one small, tiny part by giving them hot meals feels incredible.” Kelsey King | senior natural resources major
pingree | Continued from Page 1
Focusing on service
education major at the University of Northern Colorado and member of the kitchen staff. “It’s cool just seeing the smiles they give to us at the end of a very long work day.” For many of the students working at Pingree, it’s being able to make this kind of difference that matters. They are being paid for their time, but made the volunteer effort to return out of want to help in any way possible. “It was really frustrating being in town and feeling like there was nothing you could do about [the fire]. You could drive five minutes to the West and
watch the flames take over the mountain, feeling so insignificant like there was nothing you could do,” Lorenz said. “We’re not out there with the hoses, but we’re here waiting with food and beds for the people who are out there doing that. We share that attitude as a staff and it’s a really amazing thing.” The staff of Pingree Park came back with the goal of helping firefighters, and the administrative staff beams with pride at their effort and enthusiasm. “It’s been extremely impressive to see how they’ve stepped up into this role. They volunteered for a big adventure with a lot of uncertainty and ambiguity,”
said Seth Webb, assistant director and CSU alumni. “They have operated under demanding, intense conditions in unusual circumstances. It confirms for us that we have an excellent staff for this season.” Working long and busy hours has made the staff grow closer together with the feeling of a collective purpose. “These people are heroes. To be able to do one small, tiny part by giving them hot meals feels incredible,” King said. “It’s something that is a once in a life opportunity and I’m really grateful to have the feeling of doing my part.” Producer Kyle Grabowski can be reached at news@ collegian.com.
science |
5
Fickle nature of fires
Continued from Page 1 Weather forecasts through the weekend predict a continuance of these temperatures as well as afternoon thunderstorms. The summer months also bring storms. However, these storms are unlikely to provide the needed amount of rain but rather provide powerful winds, according to Schranz. Schranz is currently researching the feedback effects a fire such as the High Park might have on the local weather conditions. According to Schranz, satellite imaging indicates that the smoke from the fire has prevented clouds from forming overhead. This could potentially have an effect on the overall atmospheric temperature in the area; however, this is still being looked into, according to Schranz. High Park firefighters also have access to the FX-
Net technology, according to Schranz, which allows them to receive live weather updates. This will allow them to better predict the fire’s behavior in the presence of abnormal weather conditions. Though the fire has torched much of the landscape, it has left other places, such as Gateway Park, untouched. “You can see a lot of the property was saved. What we were trying to show is the fickle nature of fires that they can go through an area, burn certain things for some reason for a number of factors and then not even touch other items,” said Patrick Love, of Poudre Fire Authority while escorting a group of journalists into the burn area. Rocca said these islands of unburned vegetation will aid in the regrowth of the forest. “It all depends on how severely and to what ex-
tent the trees have been burned,” Rocca said. Trees growing in the higher elevations of the mountains can actually benefit from the burn, according to Rocca. Fires in this area release seeds from these trees which can then begin regrowth of the forest. However, lower elevation trees such as the ponderosa pine will not re-seed if burned too severely. At a press conference during the beginning days of the fire, Larimer Sheriff Justin Smith told the media, “Mother Nature is running this fire.” While much of the fire can be explained by science, an even higher percentage remains unknown to fire scientists. While tragic for those involved, for the landscape, a wildfire is a natural process. Content Managing Editor Kaitie Huss can be reached at news@collegian.com
mosquito | Preventing
bites and infection
Continued from Page 3
Michael Sakas | Collegian
Fly, a one-year-old Border Collie, sits in his kennel at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. His owner, Ashley Mueller, works as a technician at the Hospital and has been evacuated twice since the fire began.
vet |
Students gain emergency experience
Continued from Page 1 Currently, every animal at the CSU vet hospital has been matched with their owners, including the one bearded dragon. “He’s quite the character,” Scalf said. 2008 CSU alumna Ashley Mueller is a technician at the teaching hospital. Living in the Hewlett Gulch sub-division, she has been evacuated from the High Park Fire twice. Her pets are being housed at the hospital. Once put on pre-evacuation, Mueller and her husband understood how quickly they would have to leave their home if the orders to vacate were given. “As soon as we got the pre-evac, we brought the chickens, the cats and the dogs down,” Mueller said.“And then while we were on pre-evac I’d bring them down during the day while I was working and I’d leave them in the kennel. And then I’d bring them home at night, and then bring them
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down the next morning for fear that if I was in town and 45 minutes away I couldn’t get them out.” Mueller has experienced emergency evacuations before, but the High Park Fire is still shocking. “I’ve never seen anything this extreme...You could just see it jumping from ridge to ridge to ridge to ridge,” Mueller said. “We pretty much assumed that our house was gone, but somehow the firefighters were amazing and they saved it.” Scalf also has past experience with animal evacuations, working in Missouri during the 2011 Joplin tornado, as well as at Louisiana State University during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “I never thought I’d be doing this in my own backyard,” Scalf said. The last time the teaching hospital experienced an event similar to the High Park Fire was the Spring Creek Flood in 1997. “We did a very rapid intake for one night, and then it was resolved pretty quickly
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and things could go back,” Scalf said. “So this is a much longer situation. We know we’re in this for another week or two at least.” While the teaching hospital has been taking in smaller pets, the Ranch in Loveland has been supplying medical attention and boarding for llamas, donkeys, goats, sheep and more than 200 horses. CSU students and faculty have been working at the Ranch as well. “We had the large animal ambulatory team from CSU go out and help with any medical issues there,” Scalf said. Dr. Brian Miller, head of Equine Field Service at CSU, has been working at the Ranch along with four fourth year veterinary students. “It’s been good to see them work and letting them be veterinarians,” Dr. Miller said. “They get to react to emergency cases… interact with the owners, which is pretty important from that standpoint I think. I think they’ve really enjoyed mak-
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ing some decisions, and it’s been good for them.” Lundgreen, who is one of the four vet students working at the Ranch, agrees. “The biggest help has been what I learned in class and having the experience,” Lundgreen said, “and really I have to give a lot of credit to Dr. Miller and Dr. [Brittany] Bell because they were just awesome… they let us do a ton and actually do the veterinary work instead of just watching.” Animals being held at the Ranch will be moved to different locations by June 30. The largest intake the teaching hospital has seen in a single day was 26 animals, which was this past Saturday when the fire grew. “A lot of [the animals] were really hard to see when they came in really beat up...” Lundgreen said. “It’s amazing how these animals can actually survive. They have an ability to survive, and did really great.” Editor-in-Chief Michael Elizabeth Sakas can be reached at news@collegian.com
A provisional patent has been filed with CSU Ventures so that the technology may be commercialized and mass produced when it is ready. But until the new drug is further developed it is vital to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that may be carrying West Nile Virus. “There are many things we can do to avoid infection: avoid being out after sunset in areas where mosquitoes are likely to be found; use repellents to prevent biting; wear longsleeved shirts and long pants; wear lighter colors rather than darker colors; make sure door and window screens are in good
condition so mosquitoes can’t enter the house,” Moore said. The research being done by Geiss and Keenan is supported by the Rocky Mountain Regional Center of Excellence at Colorado State University, one of only 10 centers supported by the National Institutes of Health nationwide that focuses on developing diagnostics and treatment against emerging infectious diseases. The research that has been performed by Geiss and Keenan will appear online this month is the peer-reviewed Journal of Virology. Visual Managing Editor John Sheesley can be reached at news@collegian.com
6 Thursday, June 28, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
What to do without fire
“It felt like some awkward singles mixer event where the room is silent...”
With fire bans in place for the entire state of Colorado, what summer fire based activity will you miss the most?
Allie Cheroutes | senior journalism major
Roommate Roundup: the hunt continues By KYLE GRABOWSKI AND MICHAEL ELIZABETH SAKAS The Rocky Mountain Collegian
Has sleeping in the study cube and showering in the Behavioral Sciences building for the fall semester become a possibility? For those concerned about their future living situation, Off-Campus Life will be hosting Roommate Roundup on Friday, June 29 from 4 p.m. 5 p.m. in room 208 of the Lory Student Center. It primarily functions on a speed-dating model, where students that are looking for a residence wear red nametags while those looking for roommates wear green nametags. “Those who are looking for a roommate can come to one location, walk around and get to know individual people in an environment where everyone else is kind of doing the same thing, to see if there are any good matches,” Emily Allen, assistant director for Off-Campus Life said. There weren’t any good matches for senior journalism major Allie Cheroutes. “It felt like some awkward singles mixer event where the room is silent until one person stands up and walks across the circle and introduces him or herself,” Cheroutes said in an email. “It just felt really desperate and there weren’t that many other [people] there and that kind of made me uncomfortable.” The size of the group can vary from 10 to as many as 60, according to Off-Campus Life Public Relations Coordinator Kelsy Enderson, but the size of the group matters less than the quality of the
individuals searching. “As a student I guess you should expect to step out of your comfort zone and mingle with people and get to know people and really confront someone that maybe you’re not comfortable with and tell them, this is me, this is who I am and find out if you’re a good fit for that other person to live with,” Enderson said. Despite Cheroutes’ unsuccessful Roundup experience, she still sees the program’s value to students. “Even though I didn’t find anyone I think it’s a really cool opportunity that CSU offers. I wish more people knew about it. With a few modifications and some more participants I think it would be more successful,” Cheroutes said. “If the roundup were held in a more open place like the Oval it wouldn’t feel so enclosed and uncomfortable. Providing something like punch or lemonade might have helped.” Off-Campus Life will hold Roommate Roundup this Friday, along with several dates in July and August to help students who are looking for places to live. “I think it would be amazing if I could meet my roommates before I moved in with them, maybe you have something in common, maybe you both just want to sit in your room and not talk to each other and you guys are totally happy about that,” Endreson said. “I think it’s a huge benefit and you don’t necessarily have that risk.” Producer Kyle Grabowski and Editor-In-Chief Michael Elizabeth Sakas can be reached at news@collegian. com.
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Fireworks
Both
S’mores Let’s cut to the chase. Dessert is all you’re really going to miss.
You’re sweet tooth comes calling at all times of the day or night.
Do you like sparklers the best?
Yes
No No Yes
Would you consider yourself artistic?
When you are at the beach do you like to play beach volleyball?
You love gazing into the blazing flames of a campfire.
No
Yes Solution: Release your inner creativity with glow in the dark chalk.
No
Yes Solution: Let out you inner child and buy a bottle of glow in the dark bubbles.
Solution: Put glowsticks in your balloons for hours of fun after dark.
Solution: Give s’mores bars or s’mores tarts a chance. They are easy and best of all can be prepared in the oven.
Yes
Soluton: Try smart phone apps like GazeHD or Firework Display Maker. DESIGN BY KRISTIN HALL
The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, June 28, 2012
7
Welcome to Falling Rock
Daily Horoscope
Josh Shalek
Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement
Today’s Birthday (07/28/12). This is the year to explore the world through travel and education. Home and family provide a solid anchor. A springtime career boost leads to busy time at work, with communications challenges later in the year. Follow your heart. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Phil Juliano
Best In Show
Tim Rickard
Brewster Rocket
Tony Piro
Calamities Of Nature
Jeff Harris
Green Apples
Aries (March 21-April 19) ––7–– Listen to others and learn. New opportunities show up when you’re open to change. Attend a social event, but keep your finances private. Fix up your room a bit. Taurus (April 20-May 20) ––6–– Get your message out by whatever means necessary. Come from the perspective that you’re providing a service. Get some physical exercise and rest deeply. Gemini (May 21-June 20) ––7–– The weekend offers great opportunities to grow in your relationship. You can move mountains! Talk about everything, but remember to listen. Try not to arouse jealousies. Cancer (June 21-July 22) ––8–– You have a thousand wonderful ideas and would love to explore the unknown and the mysterious. Deadlines may just be annoying. Nonetheless, get them done first. Leo (July 23-August 22) ––6–– Adding play to your day increases the odds for success. The trick is to have fun and be productive at the same time. With patience and attention to detail, your credit rating is improving. Virgo (August 23-September 22) ––7–– Something is just not right, and the surprise is spoiled, but there’s no reason to be upset. Look on the bright side of the problem. You may find the answer in a dream. Libra (September 23-October 22) ––6–– Access creative powers from deep inside and inspire others. Focus on the greater good, even if it costs extra time or money. Your status is enhanced by your actions. Scorpio (October 23-November 21) ––8–– You’re brilliant now, but don’t be blinded by fool’s gold. Build a good structure for your dreams, and for those of others. Working together you can get farther. You’ll be glad you did. Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) ––8–– Reassess your assets, and go for the gold. New financial opportunities show up, but money saved is money earned. Passion is possible now, and opens new doors. Your friends are happy to teach you. Capricorn (December 22-January 19) ––7–– Puzzle pieces click into place. Curious discoveries may lead to commitments. Words fall out of your mouth naturally, as you’re excited about what’s created. Schedule to maintain existence. Aquarius (January 20-February 18) ––6–– Accept a nice bonus. Spend more imagination than money, and simplify the process. Remember your dreams and entertain someone at breakfast. Pisces (February 19-March 20) ––6–– There’s support even in disagreement now, although necessary adaptations may be required. Make a promise you’d love to keep. There could be unexpected loss in travel.
RamTalk compiled by Nic Turiciano Daily cartoons and games available online at Collegian.com. Send feedback to design@collegian.com.
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
I keep seeing this truck in the parking lot with stickers on it that say, “Extreme Ram.” I really hope thats Tony Frank’s car. Is it weird that I can hear everything that goes on in the study cube restrooms when someone is in it?
”We didn’t start the fire should be CU’s fight song. If we’re both still here, we should get a drink sometime. That awesome moment when you realize anything you submit to summer ramtalk will probably be printed.
Text your rants to 970-430-5547. Want more? The first RamTalk Book is officially in stock at the Student Media office in the Lory Student Center. Buy your copy for $10, or get one online for your Kindle or Nook.
Find out if you got in! “Like” us on Facebook. Search for The Rocky Mountain Collegian.
Follow us on Twitter @RMCollegian.
Submit RamTalk entries to ramtalk@collegian.com . Libelous or obscene submissions will not be printed. While your comment will be published anonymously, you must leave your name and phone number for verification.
Across 1 [I’m shocked!] 5 “Who’s on First?” catcher 10 Ad writer’s award 14 __ of passage 15 Coeur d’__, Idaho 16 Miami hoopsters 17 Concept, in Cannes 18 Contemporary of Byron and Shelley 19 Points the rifle 20 Shrine to wild animal parks? 23 Red __: cinnamon candies 24 “__ Room”: old TV show for preschoolers 28 On the beach 31 Econ. measure 32 Mimic 33 Cows’ reactions to having their hair and makeup done? 36 Place for a margarita’s salt 37 Reel-to-reel medium 38 City area, briefly 39 451, in old Rome 40 Haile Selassie’s land: Abbr. 41 Trashing toilets in London? 45 Regret 46 Prov. bordering Quebec 47 Round gaskets 48 Guard at the gate 50 “Let’s call __ evening” 51 Bake mud pies? 57 Ivy, e.g. 60 Roo’s mom 61 Cookbook author Rombauer 62 Nefarious doings 63 St. __ fire 64 Grandma 65 Be a snitch 66 Run-down 67 Smooth-tongued Down 1 “True __”: John Wayne film 2 Classroom assistant 3 Wineglass feature 4 Way to see through a door 5 Go on a break 6 Bread spreads 7 Refusing to listen 8 1998 animated bug movie
9 “Make up your mind!” 10 Deep cleft 11 Waikiki welcome 12 Sam-__: Seuss character 13 NBA tiebreakers 21 Petty of “Tank Girl” 22 Klutz’s cry 25 Convict’s absolution from the governor 26 Literary postscript 27 Negligent 28 Colorful fall flowers 29 Michelangelo’s David, for one 30 31 Mongolian desert 34 Sudden wind 35 “The A-Team” muscleman 39 Desperately hanging on 41 NYC division, briefly 42 Disconnects, as oxen 43 Like “bein’ green,” to Kermit 44 Mardi __ 49 Immune system lymphocyte 50 Coin phrase beginning 52 Curly cabbage 53 “My treat!” 54 Spoken 55 Prefix with potent 56 Swedish automaker 57 Nov. 11 honoree 58 “__ had enough!” 59 ZipAcross
Today’s solution
Colorado - Ins Trending topics for Coloradans
collegian.com/category/coins
8 Thursday, June 28, 2012
| The Rocky Mountain Collegian