the
Beacon LIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY Southern Maine Community College
Issue Date 10|01|19
06/07
02/03
08/09
08/09
10/11
Your School Counselor is Only One Call Away
10/11
SMCC Partners with Sweetser by Celina Simmons
C
ILLUSTRATION BY CELINA SIMMONS
ollege is not an easy part of our lives, but it is easy for college students to quickly slide down the slippery slope of mental illnesses or even addictions. After almost an entire academic year without a school counselor, SMCC students finally have a healthy outlet to turn to - and it's super easy to do. SMCC partnered with Sweetser, the leading co-locator for counselors in public schools in Maine. Sweetser is a nationally accredited mental health provider that provides services for more than 20,000 children and adults every year. This is available for ALL students, whether you have insurance or not. If your insurance doesn't cover all of the services, SMCC will cover the rest of the cost so that NO student has to pay ANY mon-
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ey out of pocket for help they need. To set up an appointment with one of Sweetser’s counselors, all you have to do is call their Promise Line and identify yourself as an SMCC student. From there, Sweetser will confirm enrollment with the school and you should receive a call directly from the counselor within the next day or so to arrange a time best for an appointment on the SoPo or MidCoast campuses. In cases of more urgency, students can call Sweetser’s 24 hour Intentional Warm Line. This is a “peer-to-peer” phone line that offers conversations with a trained specialist to guide the student through the intensity or struggle they may be feeling in that moment. It’s important that we students know the resources we have available. Not many of us can get through the stressors of college alone. That’s okay and that’s why SMCC is dedicated to providing ALL of their students with some of the best mental health care in the state. Sweetser Promise Line : 1(800)434-3000 Intentional Warm Line : 1(866)771-9276
Central Maine Power & Its Proposed Corridor
by Tim Randall
W
hat would be undeniably fatal to many miles of undeveloped forests and countless ecosystems in Maine? Central Maine Power’s “The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC)” proposal to carry renewable hydropower from the Canadian border through Maine to Massachusetts through a 145-mile corridor. The project would cost nearly a billion dollars and CMP claims the benefits will consist of lower energy costs, reduced rates for Mainers, a decrease in carbon emissions, cleaner air and energy, as well as contributions to Maine’s economic growth. And at Maine’s current 3.0% unemployment rate, the jobs would most likely go to Canadians and out of staters which does very little to benefit Maine. Central Maine Power would cut through 53 miles of untouched forests and ecosystems in the North Woods and would eventually be attached to pre-existing transmission lines that stretch 93 miles from Moxie Gore to Pownal, Maine. The corridor will be 150 feet wide, 145 miles long and would have 850 one-hundred-foot tall transmission towers along the way. That’s a whopping 2600 acres of damage to the environment and it’s many ecosystems! The first 53 miles of the corridor in Somerset County would border the protected Beattie Pond in Franklin County and cross the Kennebec River Gorge. This could potentially hurt future tourism, as well as the many different species that reside there.
The corridor would also intersect the Appalachian Trail and pollute our beautiful Maine views with towers and electrical lines. It would invade 263 wetlands and 115 streams, as well as hurt the habitats of many species including fish, deer, inland waterfowls and wading birds, etc. Earlier in September, the Land Use Planning Commission and CMP agreed that they would bury the transmission line under
University invested in this project TWICE? Are they more interested in making money than preventing damage to the environment? The CMP corridor would lower the average Mainer’s monthly electricity bills by about 6 cents, which is 0.06% of a $100 electricity bill. . That’s like going into a store and seeing a pair of shoes or set of tools at 0.06% off its total price. Not to mention that CMP has yet to define what kind of renewable power it will be. Are those 6 cents worth the destruction to the environment? Today in Maine, CMP is hoping to expand and many Mainers are against the proposed transmission line. Over 20 towns, along with many organizations and environmental groups have voted against its construction. The people of Maine need to gather more than 63,000 signatures by January for a chance to vote on it during the November ballot in 2020. Take action and join the fight to Stop the Corridor by visiting, www.corridorno. com, as well as, nrcm.salsalabs.org/ opposenecec, to ensure Maine keeps Maine, “The Way Life Should Be.”
“If Mainers don’t unite to oppose this project, these unique places and special experiences will be a memory.” Todd Towle, Kingfisher River Guides, Kingfield, ME the Kennebec River Gorge, as well as having the corridor parallel to the Appalachian Trail. Also, CMP revised their proposal on September 19th and said that they would reroute the corridor to avoid the protected Beattie Pond. CMP made sure to mention that they purchased land in Franklin County from Yale University for “$1 cash and other considerations,” but did not say what those other considerations were. They believe that their reroute proposal will satisfy members of the Land Use Planning Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection. Prior to this, Yale University and a company called Eversource Energy proposed a similar transmission line that would cut through northern parts of New Hampshire from the Canadian border to Massachusetts. Yale University and Eversource Energy were shut down by the New Hampshire Supreme Court in 2017. Why has Yale
PHOTO COURTESY OF NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE
campus news Organization Tips for College Students
by Arden Leigh
P
aying attention in class, taking notes and studying frequently does not always cut it in college. Getting organized can reduce your stress as a student, as well as raise your overall quality of life. Here are some tips and tricks to organize your schoolwork and raise your productivity.
the
Beacon
Managing Editor Celina Simmons Art Director Morgan Dyer Copy Editor Bridey Boyle Chris Hedgpeth Webmaster Molly Pooler
Keep handy a planner Instead of relying on your memory, you can free up mental space by putting all of your due dates into a single visual format. Make use of digital calendars as well, such as your Google Calendar or a planner app.
Make lists
Keeping an updated list of the tasks you need to complete for a given day can help you to prioritize them and not let anything slip your mind.
Color code your notes Color coding can help to separate different units or topics from one another, and allow you to refer back to them more easily. This can also help to keep your different coursework separated.
Turn off distractions Make sure to turn off your phone, TV and don’t be tempted to check social media while you are studying. This can help you put your full attention on studying and ultimately help you get a lot more done in less time.
Organize your backpack
Plan out what you’re going to need for the day and make sure your backpack is cleaned, stocked, and ready to go. Always have the necessary materials to get through your class, including snacks and water.
Keep a clean study space
Making your study area neat and clutter free will help you have a clear mind. If you study in your living space, keeping it clean as well will help with concentration. Minimizing blaring noise is ideal as well.
Get enough sleep
Developing a good sleep schedule as well as a daily schedule will help you to function better physically, emotionally, and mentally. Try to plan your study time in correspondence with the times you’re most productive.
Top Left: In Honor of National Voter Registration Day, Tues. September 24, 2019, the SMCC Student Senate co-sponsored a successful voter registration drive in the Campus Center. Here Senate PR director Tyler O'Brien shows what it is all about. Students from at least a half-dozen area towns registered to have their say in Maine democracy. SMCC Professors Alicia Harding and Herb Adams coordinated the event. Mid-Coast Campus Student Senate followed up with a registration drive on Weds., September 25 -- the first joint effort of the two campus Senates in this academic year.
Production Manager Michelle Kapschull Graphic Designers Timothy Randall Benjamin Butler Madeline Rheaume Celina Simmons Illustrators Dan Elliott Timothy Randall Contributing Writers James Little Timothy Randall Lauren Ruby Willow Rines Arden Goodwin Chris Hedgpeth Jessilyn Rich Dan Elliott Photgraphers Lauren Ruby Celina Simmons James Little Dan Elliott Tori Penney
Bottom Left: SMCC student Ivy Sanborn sang beautifully at the Longfellow Park Arts Festival in Portland Sunday Sept. 15, 2019. It was an allstar SMCC day, with poetry and prose readings by SMCC instructors Tim Gillis and Megan Grumbling, and Herb Adams acting as MC. Former Portland City Poet Laureates Steve Luttrell and Martin Steingesser added original poems to the full-day event
CONTACT US mbeacon@smccme.edu @thebeacon.smcc @thesmccbeacon @smccbeacon www.thesmccbeacon.com PHOTO COURTESY OF CLARKE CANFIELD
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Above: If you ever dreamed of being a writer, painter or poet. Join Writ. Magazine to make your dream a reality. Help submit and edit student work into a professional and award wi nning journal. Come for the Art, Stay for the Art.”
campus news
SHHHHHHH... (Best Secret SoPo Campus Study Places)
Second floor overlooking the dining hall parking lot Ground floor lounge; lots of power outlets!
Tons of space, tables with chairs AND couches!
Super duper quiet, with windows!
Cyber Safety
by SMCC Security and IT
R
ecently a student reported receiving an email threatening physical violence unless money is paid to the sender of the email. Fortunately, that email was quickly recognized to be recycled from an old scam and is a hoax. Nevertheless, it was very upsetting for the student, so I want everyone to be aware that fraudulent emails are being sent to students via their student email accounts. With SMCC's encouragement, the student has reported this incident to the police, and SMCC has reported the incident to Google in the event that Google can identify the sender and provide the information to police. If you should receive any threatening emails, please contact
your local police department, SMCC Security (741-5553) and the IT HelpDesk (741-5696) so that we may help. In addition to emails attempting to extort money from you, please be wary of emails requesting personal information. We are seeing increased phishing attacks. In a phishing email, a criminal poses as a college employee - or someone else with whom you do business - and attempts to persuade you to disclose private information, often banking details or your social security number, in an attempt to access funds in your bank account or steal your identity. A message like this will look like it was sent only to you and like it comes from a real person that you are likely to trust. So what can you do?
Hidden Gems at SMCC
Where Am I?
Email your guess to the Managing Editor @ celinamsimmons@smccme.edu to win a Student Spotlight Feature!
Be Smart
Never open and or respond to an email that gets filtered into you SPAM folder. And never forward it to friends, asking for advice.
Be vigilant
Noone at this college or any other reputable business will require you to send otherwise confidential information via email, a link to form, etc. Do not send person information: social security number, date of birth, bank account details, etc. via email or any other insecure means. Be aware that these scams exist because they can occasionally trick people into doing something they wouldn't normally do.
Question everything
If the email looks suspicious, contact the individual by another means to
Talk business, Help invest real money, connect with other students.
ask if they actually sent you the request. Check to see if the sender's email is genuine. For example, if the email is from an SMCC employee, the address should be “@smccme.edu”. If it isn't, question it. Try Googling the subject line or the first line of the email. Often, it will show up in the search results as a known hoax.
Report it
If you are threatened in any way, report the threat to your local police department, to SMCC Security (741-5553) and to the IT HelpDesk (741-5696). If you determine that an email is a scam or phishing attempt, or even if an email is just suspicious, report it to the IT HelpDesk (741-5696) so that we can help. Be safe!
Business Club meets every Thursday, 12:30-1:15PM, Hague Hall, first floor.
the smcc beacon | lighting our community 3
other world
Let's Talk About Text
by Chris Hedgpeth
H
old the phone! Actually, don't do that, because it's illegal now. As of September 19th, a new law proscribes texting and the use of all handheld electronic devices during the operation of a motor vehicle. Several sections of Title 29-A (Maine motor vehicle laws) have been repealed and amended by the comprehensive ban. LD-165, signed into law in June by Governor Janet Mills, does away with §2116 (use of electronic devices by minors), amends §2119 (text messaging), and creates the new §2121, which disallows the use of cell phones and tablets by anyone who is driving a vehicle. LD-165's definitions make clear the difference between "text messaging"
and "using". “Texting” is typing messages into a device, and “using” is any other interaction with a device, other than to activate hands-free features (this distinction will be important later). The definition of what constitutes a "handheld electronic device" does not include the car's operating equipment. If your car has a built-in touch screen, you can still touch it. You can also still use CB and ham radio equipment. Another important definition to consider is what it means to "operate" a vehicle. If you are behind the wheel and you're on a public road, you are operating the vehicle. This means even if you're stopped at a red light, it's illegal for you to touch your phone or text message. There's an exception for contacting emergency services and if you're pulled off the
|CAREER OPPORTUNITIES| -OCTOBER 2019-
Learn more about intership and build your professional network! |October, 1st| Compass Behavioral Health Recruiting, 12:30 in the Campus center
|October, 2nd| American Cancer Society Recruiting, 12:30 in the Campus Center
|October, 3rd| Career Workshop with MEMIC, 12:30 in the Campus Center
|October, 8th| Career Workshop with Wayfair, 12:30 in Brunswick - Room 102
|October, 9th| Career Workshop with Martin's Point, 12:30 in the Campus Center
|October, 10th| Lowe's Recruiting, 12:30 in the Campus Center
|October, 16th| Woodford's Family Resources Recruiting, 12:30 in the Campus Center
|October, 17th| SMCC Job Fair, 10am to 1pm in South Portland Campus Center
(For more information contact Career Services at 207-741-5994 or careers@smccme.edu)
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road, you can text and use your phone as long as the car isn't moving. If you're driving with a learner's permit, the exception for making emergency calls does not apply. In this case, you must pull over or let someone else make the call. So what happens if you break this law? Using your phone while driving will get you a $50 fine. Getting caught using your phone again within three years gets you a $250 fine. Each subsequent violation is another $250 fine. If you get caught texting while driving, the first violation carries a fine of "not less than" $250. If you break this law again within three years, you will be fined $500 and automatically have your license suspended (without a right to a hearing) for 30 days. The next time is $500 and a 60 day suspension, and all
violations after that will cost you $500 and you will lose your license for 90 days. Why is this law so important? Taking your eyes off the road for only a second can be the difference between life and death for you, other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and animals. Your ability to respond to sudden changes in road conditions is hindered when your brain focuses on other activities, even temporarily. Perhaps in the near future we will have cars that drive themselves and respond to hazards faster than our brains ever could. We aren't there yet. As long as we are responsible for our actions as drivers, distracted driving is a danger we can and should avoid. LD-165 enforces this idea and hopefully will help keep us safe.
Why is the Amazon Burning?
by Willow Rines
I
n June of 2019, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais in Portugese, or INPE) reported that Brazil’s forests were burning at a higher rate than normal, with over half of these fires occurring in the Amazon. Throughout Brazil, the rate of forest fires increased by over 80% from 2018 to 2019, with over 80,000 fires having occurred as of the INPE’s last count in late August. In order to understand why so many forest fires are happening in Brazil this year, it’s important to first understand what causes the vast majority of fires in the Amazon every year. For a long time, people looking to make a buck have been cutting down select areas of the Amazon and burning the area to make room for growing animals for meat. This has always been illegal in Brazil, but has never been strongly enforced, and according to National Geographic, these fires have resulted in the loss of 17% of the Amazon from 1968 to 2018. In 2019, however, fires have been an entirely different beast. National Geographic has estimated that somewhere between 25% and 40% of the Amazon is gone as of August 27, with potentially the same amount of damage being done to the Amazon in 2019 as had been done to it in the 50 years before. The reason that there are so many fires in this year compared to previous years is the election of Brazil’s new president, a conservative nationalist named Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is
opposed to pretty much any progressive values, including homosexuality, affirmative action, and in particular, environmentalism. Since being inaugurated, he has eliminated departments of the government related to deforestation and climate change; fired the director of the INPE, Ricardo Galvão; and has generally stopped the country from enforcing environmental protections as much as they did before. Since being elected, Bolsonaro has been constantly making changes that have resulted in the deregulation of the Amazon rainforest- from strategically shifting the power that his departments control, to focusing environmentalist departments of the government on profit by switching out staff members. Of course, it’s not only Bolsonaro’s fault; it’s also the people razing and burning the rainforest themselves for the purposes of agriculture. Bolsanaro has just opened the gates for them to do it easier. The environmental impacts of the Amazon burning are twofold; firstly, the rainforest provides 20% of the world’s oxygen, and razing it and replacing it with agriculture causes us lose a lot of that oxygen. Secondly, 10% of all CO2 emissions are caused by forest fires, so having a huge increase in forest fires in a year will cause more CO2 emissions for the year, which causes our planet to become hotter, which has all sorts of its own consequences. If you want to help restore the Amazon rainforest, you can donate at amazonwatch.com.
A Recent Passing
by Arden Goodwin
M
ary “Cokie” Roberts, influential journalist for the Washington Broadcast, passed away Tuesday September 17th, 2019, at the age of seventy five from complications of breast cancer, which she was diagnosed with in 2002. Working in a field dominated by men, Roberts was a catalyst for women journalists all over America. She was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and her name was added to the list of American Women in Radio and Television’s 50 greatest women in the
history of broadcasting and journalism. Roberts was also a renowned author and historian on the topic of the role of women in American history. She was a New York Times bestseller for a number of books on the subject, her most popular being Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation and Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation, which was turned into a documentary. She will be forever remembered as an important figure for women and has been honored as a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress.
other world
10 Ways to Cope with Stress
3 Avoid tight fit-
by Lauren Ruby
S
ince we are already a few weeks into the semester, and the homework and projects have quickly started to pile up, I thought it would be a great idea to give everyone some tips to relax when the workload feels like too much. New tips will be available in every issue, so make sure to keep an eye out. ;)
1 Prepare for the morning the night before
Plan what you need for the day. Pack your textbooks, plan an outfit and prepare for anything that will happen during the day. This will help you stress less getting ready to go to classes.
2 Get up 15 minutes earlier
If you feel like you are waking up and rushing through getting ready and eating breakfast to get to class, set an alarm for 15 minutes earlier than when you usually wake up. That way, you have extra time for you and there’s no need to feel rushed.
ting clothes
Wearing clothes that you have to squeeze into every single day can restrict blood flow and cause muscle pains, along with other bodily harm. Wearing loose clothing is more comfortable and makes you feel less tired during the day.
4 Avoid relying on chemical aid
It may help in the moment to use chemical aids to relieve some stress, but it can also wear off and leave you with some or even more stress than you already had. Instead of this, do some activities like yoga, meditation or any other physical or mental exercises to relieve the stress.
5 Set appointments ahead of time
To prevent this from happening, have a notebook or whiteboard that you can write down assignments and due dates.
7 Practice preventive maintenance 8 Make duplicates
Save documents and projects in multiple places so there are backups in case one is lost. Also taking notes in class and then writing them out in another form will give you a duplicate copy of notes and helps memorize material for quizzes and tests
9 Say “no” more often Saying no can take the pressure off of pleasing everyone and having the need to do everything in the world. *Keep in mind that school work is mandatory to passing your classes*
10 Set priorities in your life
6 Don’t rely on your memory - write it down
Overall, it is important to know your limits. Don’t let one thing control how you live and interact with others.
Everyone knows how stressful it is when you think you have everything together, then something is brought up that you completely forgot about.
“In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” – Lee Iacocca
Did you know, SMCC partners with Sweetser to provide counseling services to SMCC students?
by Tiffanie Bentley
To access services, students simply need to call the Sweetser Promise Line at 1-800-434-3000 and identify themselves as an SMCC student. Counselors will meet with students on both the campuses. For students who have insurance, Sweetser will bill the student's insurance company directly. Costs not covered by insurance (co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible) or costs incurred by uninsured students will be billed to SMCC so that there is no out of pocket cost to the student. In addition to counseling services, students have access to Sweetser's Intentional Warm Line, which is available toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-866-771-9276.
The Intentional Warm Line is a mental health peer-to-peer phone support program. The service offers conversation with a trained specialist who has life experience with metal health and/ or substance use issues and recovery. For those of you who are unfamil-
iar with them, Sweetser is the leader in co-locating counselors in public schools throughout Maine to support children and families who are struggling with mental and behavioral health issues. Nationally recognized and accredited, their network of care includes a wide array of outpatient, residential and community-based services including, but not limited to, a respected psychiatric team, therapists trained to address substance use disorders and mental health issues, mobile crisis resolution specialists, certified peer support specialists, and experts in eating disorders. If anyone has any questions or concerns regarding accessing Sweetser services, please contact the Office of Student Life at 741-5967 or by email at deanofstudents@smccme.edu.
Where are you going next?
Mark your calendar for these transfer college visits: All of these events are at the South Portland Campus Center, unless otherwise marked University of Southern Maine Wednesday, Oct. 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. University of Maine Augusta Wednesday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m - 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m - 3 p.m. Midcoast L.L.Bean Learning Commons Wednesday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. University of Maine Thursday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m - 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m - 4 p.m. St. Joseph's College Tuesday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Smith & Mount Holyoke College Tuesday, Oct. 8, 12 Luncheon for women to learn about transfer programs for women of nontraditional age. RSVP by October 1 to Margie Fahey at mfahey@smccME.edu or 207-741-5833 University of New England Tuesday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. And don't miss the Transfer Fair on Thursday, October 10 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meet with over 30 colleges and universities in a single visit Questions? Respond to this email or contact us at 207-741-5833
ILLUSTRATION BY TIM RANDALL
the smcc beacon | lighting our community 5
opinions & editorials Janet Mills and Rank Voting
by James Little
M
y question is "why?" I wonder if the people who came up with the idea were thinking of how they could make people feel better for not truly winning in an election or because of the way people were acting and were so upset because their candidate did not win the last election. In rank voting you can choose your first, then second and then your third choice. So, let’s say we have Car, Boat and Snowshoe running in an election. We will say Car got 30% of the vote, Snowshoe got 20%, and Boat got 45%. Additionally, there was11% undecided who did not vote in the first chance. then Car 19% on the second Chance and Snowshoe got 70% and Boat got 0% then Snowshoe would win.
I think this is wrong for we, who are registered to vote and are 18 years or older, should be able to choose only one Candidate- win or lose. We need to learn that losing is not the worst thing to happen; sometimes it is because when we lose, we grow and learn. Sometimes the person that you did not want to win, does and does things that help the people of the State or the Country. Then we re-vote them in; maybe the person you voted for does win and the opposite happens. When the next election comes you vote them out. Yes, it stinks when the person you vote for does not win yet it is not the end of the world unless you make it that way for you. We must remember that if you do not like any of the Candidates then you still can do a write in vote. I still say that we that can vote should only be able to vote for one person only - not a 1ST, 2ND, or 3rd choice.
Pursuit of Aliens Turns Into a Meme Party?
"Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All Of Us" by Celina Simmons
O
n Friday, September 20, an event was organized that had the potential to change everybody’s life. Luckily for the US government, it became one big meme. What started off as a harmless joke on Facebook became a nationwide event. The Facebook event was created this past June by Matty Roberts, to raid Area 51 in a search for extraterrestrial life. The event was purely comedic, a joke between friends. But with the help of social media, the event went viral. “Who could have predicted this? You make a post at 2 AM with a page that has 62 likes, and now you have thousands of people that are ready to come out to your show… it’s absolutely amazing.” states Matty, just a day prior to the storming of Area 51 in an interview with a local Nevada news station. Over 2 million people responded to the Facebook event saying that they were going and another 1.5 million responded as interested. The event was called “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” and it sounded pretty promising. Just like you’d expect with our generation, the hype was just that- hype. Only 150 people actually showed up for the event and what could’ve been a monumental day turned into a group of people taking videos and throwing a little party outside the gates. Roberts in no way intended for this to be taken so seriously. In fact, once the Facebook event became so big, they disavowed responsibility for any actual attempts occurred and any casualties that could’ve followed. I’d call that a smart move, since three arrests were made for trespassing by the end of the evening. OK, so maybe the raid was just a hoax from the beginning. But businesses across the country took advantage of the huge publicity it was receiving. In Nevada, two music festivals were planned for this date:
Alienstock and Storm Area 51 Basecamp. Frankly what I find most upsetting was that in contrast to the 150 people that actually showed up to Area 51, 1,500 people attended these festivals. I mean come on if those 1,500 people had actually gone to the raid what could’ve happened? And on another note, leave it to media, industries, and businesses to find yet another way to distract people from plans that the government wouldn’t tol-
erate. After all, big money companies work hand-in-hand. I’m really not surprised by how the day turned out. It goes to show that most people tend to dream big and act small. If I had the money to fly out there, you can bet your sweet ass I would’ve been right up coming through those gates. I could have my own pet alien right now, but I guess my cat will just have to suffice.
"...if those 1,500 people had actually gone to the raid what could’ve happened?"
In Defense of Ranked Choice
by Chris Hedgpeth
W
e all remember the 2016 presidential election. The daily news hammers into us the repercussions of the choices we made as a country that fateful November. What’s easier to forget is the bold social experiment we embarked on last year: ranked choice voting. It’s been done in other countries, and other states, but in 2018, we Mainers tried something new. And it worked wonderfully. During the first round of vote counting, Bruce Poliquin lead Jared Golden by about 2000 votes, but neither candidate had the requisite 50% to win. This is where ranked choice came into play. Traditionally, the voters who supported independent candidates Tiffany Bond and Will Hoar would have thrown their ballots into the furnace of the American political dichotomy and gone home. Not on November 6, 2018. Those Mainers’ votes went to their second choice candidates, which nota-
bly boosted Jared Golden from 2000 votes behind to 3000 votes ahead, securing his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Let’s be clear here. This is still a democracy. Rep. Golden won because he got more votes. We merely changed the method by which we count votes. This new method empowers voters and third party candidates alike. Voters are free to choose whoever they want as their first choice without worry of a “spoiling” effect of having, for example, progressive votes split between Democratic and Independent candidates. You may remember this effect from the 2010 and 2014 gubernatorial elections. Only 38% of Maine voters voted for Paul LePage in both elections, yet he won both times. Ironically, Elliot Cutler, who lost to LePage by about 7500 votes in 2010, had ranked choice voting as a platform position. The two party system is smothering new ideas and destroying our sense of unity as Americans. If there is a method by which we can overcome this system, ranked choice voting is it.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAN ELLIOTT
6 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
opinions & editorials
Maine’s Snake Politicians Are Killing Drug Users
A
ll we hear today is “opiates, opiates, opiates.” What a great time it must be to work in “recovery support services.” Republicans and Democrats alike will invite you to talk at their functions. These politicians, snakes in the grass, really don’t care what the speakers say as long as they drop enough fluffy buzzwords like “recovery.” As long as you’re white enough, nobody even cares if what you say is evidence-based or trauma-informed. They just care about their image, being the savior of their white constituents’ children, those who are “strong enough” to make it out of addiction. Where was the compassion for my dead daughter? Where was the compassion for people of color, or for people who freebased cocaine when I was young? Racists and unapologetic self-promoters, the whole lot of them Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches. Where was all this talk of safe injection houses for freebasers? Why are there so many black people in Maine prisons? What the hell is wrong with these Maine politicians, AGs, DAs, and judges who watch “13th” and read “The New Jim Crow”? I love these young people in recovery now- but I disagree with politicians exploiting them to reach their own selfish goals. (a buzz term the suits love to toss around to claim a marginal amount of competence). Politicians and organizations trot these kids out, if they’re white enough, and trick them out and say “look at this success story, we’re doing a great job.” Or “I have friends who are in recovery,” just like “I have friends who are black.” Why wouldn’t they ever say “I have friends who use drugs?” Why weren’t they friends with my dead daughter? Well... Addicts don’t deserve their friendship. No, they don’t even deserve to live. They deserve the chair until they’ve found God’s golden light and been reformed by it. I found that out when I started advocating for “evidence-based practices” (EBPs) such as Heroin-Assisted Treatment, an approach shown to successfully minimize the harms of active drug use. At first the bureaucrats entertained this. They could, vicariously through me, take a brief foray into the “wild side” of public health. They found it exotic and interesting but ultimately too “radical” for their puritan values. When I didn’t stop talking about true health justice, I was disinvit-
These young people are suddenly worthy of being heard because it is now “en vogue” for a young white person to have had a “Substance Use Disorder”
ed from these weasels’ establishmentarian meetings. At first I was sad, but I soon realized those meetings are just where bureaucrats go to stroke their egos- it’s a veritable orgy in those perverted meeting rooms- and showing off their latest grant- I could practically see them foaming at the mouth. I don’t need my ego stroked by a bunch of sick people; I need my daughter to be alive. I need to see these politicians get off their ass and prevent the needless death of more of my daughter’s generation. These politicians should be ashamed of themselves. They are grimy disgusting snakes who deserve prison. By advocating for the health of active addicts, rather than the perverted platonic ideal of the person who quit drugs, I had become a thorn in the side of the establishment. My soul had been entirely obliterated by the overt obstreperousness of the State-nonprofit-industrial-complex. I had been depressed, demoralized, and destroyed by its disgusting dereliction of the most disadvantaged. I suppose I was too naive and optimistic to understand why all the “public servants” were acting with such reckless disregard for the impoverished people they claimed to serve. The State of Maine issued decrees that served as the final nails in the coffins of addicts. Down south, in the state’s largest city, Portland, there was some sad joke of a municipal task force- the “Overdose Prevention” Task Force- that embraced policies that caused more overdoses (you can look it up), and then, when put under the microscope, it shamefully disbanded. They should pay taxpayers back the money they wasted, and they should bring my daughter back from her early grave. Is this a game to them? Some of us had erroneously assumed that when a critical mass of discussion had been generated, bureaucrats and activists alike would be aligned in the pursuit of justice. Instead, the bureaucrats continued to resist righteousness, and the activists acquiesced. The suits had overwhelmingly signaled that those who “wanted recovery enough” deserve to live, but the most oppressed ought to die. Politicians ride into office on a ticket of “combating stigma,” but they are disingenuous from the start. They uphold stigma by only implementing those laws and policies that mostly preserve the
status quo. The inevitable conclusion is that the status quo is preferable to one in which people live and get better. The heat on Maine’s snake politicians has been turned up as of late, now that suburban white kids are dying… These kids’ parents are the snakes’ donors, brokers, and attorneys. Their parents invite these snakes to their garden parties and feed their serpentine souls sustenance. But as high as the
“Some must die for others to live,” we were told, even though this claim is continuously refuted by literally all scientific literature." heat is turned up, Maine’s sick serpentine slaughterers devise more monstrous methods of masquerading their murderousness. It is repulsive how they have taught us to loathe our sick and suffering children; how they have convinced us that the stigma-reinforcing law is just and proper; how they have convinced us parents that some of our children deserve to die- that there is no solution for them. I am embarrassed to say that I live in Maine, whose state motto is “the way life should be.” Peeling back the illusory veneer of civility exposes the more evil, but equally-as-probable, explanation for why Maine politicians remain complicit in the genocide of *some of* their children’s generation. Fentanyl eases gentrification. Maine’s trying to create a master race of infallible Mainers who won’t succumb to “heroin addiction” or “crystalline meth.” That’s only for poor people. “They’re more trouble than they’re worth.” A real Mainah does something wholesome like pick fiddleheads or uphold the white supremacist patriarchy. Those are the ones we want to keep around as we wage this campaign of cavalier callousness against already oppressed people… This… This is “the way life should be.”
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Fall 2019
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by The Snakehunter & Tina in Traffic
ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAN ELLIOTT
LIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY the smcc beacon | lighting our community 7
arts & features The Secret Keeper of the Sea
by Jessilyn Rich
I
watch the blue flames of the stove burner, tapping against the black iron of the kettles sides, in the darkness of the night. It hypnotizes the darkness with its motion, captivating the kitchen into silence. There are probably much better uses for my time than to watch the flames splash against the sides of the kettle and wait for it to boil, but here I sit upon the kitchen island, watching and waiting. It is my moment to be invisible, my moment to hide from the day in the shadows of the night. It is my moment to try to forget the secrets we keep. I catch the kettle just before the whistle wakes the house. The transfer of the steaming hot water into an old chipped white cup feels, for some reason, the most therapeutic part of this whole endeavor. It’s all a pointless effort for a cup that will grow cold on the end table before it’s paid much attention, but I need the moment in the dark and the quiet far more than I have ever needed the tea. The two flight climb to the attic always leaves my legs feeling like lead, a reminder of the weight that gets carried up to the top floor each night. The heaviest burden that will ever be carried is the one in which you carry alone. I hesitate just before the top stair of the first staircase, my foot hovers over the loose step, moving to just the right spot to keep the mocha wood from moaning into the night. An ironic situation that plays out within the walls of an old house filled to the brim with a lifetime of secrets, all while setting traps for anyone who wishes to make new ones. What a cruel master an old house can be. I pause for a moment in front of the mahogany door in the middle of the hall; its glass door knob is ice cold in my hand. I listen to the creaking of the old house with bated breath, begging it to keep this secret once more; I wait until I feel it’s agreement in the silence. Every night the long walk leads to me to bargain for these secrets, secrets I never wanted to keep in the first place. The click of the door latch as the attic door returns to its frame behind me fills me with relief. The journey to my sitting room each night floods me with a rush of mischief and guilt, as if I were a small child creeping from bed to sneak a cookie. The moonlight paints the room with the rich colors of the night, lights and shadows splashing against the walls. I throw open the window at the end of the room and the white sheer curtains whip back and forth in the sudden breeze. My muscles relax in the darkness as I descend my tired bones into one of the oversized arm chairs beside the open window. My fingers prickle from the mixing of the cold night air as they try to stay warm around the sides of my old china cup. I perch the cup of tea beside me on the table, rubbing my tired eyes with my warm fingertips. I should be wrapped beneath the covers downstairs, but the night air smells fresh and cool, and the skies are just too clear. Tonight could be the night I have been waiting for. I watch the tiny
8 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
ships move slowly across the harbor, barely recognizable at this distance as more than just tiny lights, but still I watch them go. People going about their normal day, with no idea of the world that watches from the windows or the night air that doesn’t hide them. The lighthouse beacon whips around in circles, placing a spotlight on the landscape around it, occasionally flashing the silhouette of a ship that comes near. On a night as clear as this you can hear the ships miles out from the great bay, massive horns warning passing ships of the possibilities of great disasters. A warning that plays at the beginning of every sea captains nightmare. The smell of the sea air has rusted the latch on the window, leaving me patiently waiting for the day it ceases to be of use and the window opens and shuts as the wind pleases. I am less the owner of this old house, and much more the caretaker; I learned long ago it’s hard to call yourself the owner of something that carries a mind of its own. Every night I sit here wondering when the latch will finally cease to be of use, and take on a life of its own. Maybe one of these days I will get around to fixing it, but I have far greater things to worry about than the little latch. For the time being it continues to assure me of its loyalty and I must wait; I have gotten so very good at waiting. I reach for the chain of the old stained glass lamp I found at an antique store on the mainland. It served a single purpose, to keep me company in the evenings while I waited. A lamp who had once been cast of, shows great loyalty to someone who rescues it from dark and dusty shelves. It seems foolish to think of a house and its contents carrying a mind of their own, but if you don’t believe it, you have clearly never lived in a house that holds its own secrets. The lamp clicks to life, illuminating the glass flowers upon the shade, splashing the room with light and color. The walls filled with cabinets and bookcases, comprised of dark rich wood, books, scattered papers and unusual trinkets. I seem to specialize in the unusual. In a house such as this, you certainly couldn’t specialize in the ordinary. I can’t tell you more than this, not now, not here. Maybe someday, but for now the house keeps the secrets of the night, and the caretaker must wait. I will hide away from the world until I fall asleep beside the window, or succumb to my burning eyes and slip downstairs to my bed. One night this great bay will set me free from the window, but for tonight I am its secret keeper. ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN DYER
Tell Me What You’re Thinking
An Art Review by Leonid Meichfeld
Y
ou walk into a stark white room. Paintings and photographs of masterfully crafted women line the walls; a granite figure bends over to the left of the room, so poised as she adjusts the drapery over her naked body. They’re invisible. You’ll lock eyes with her, I promise you. The almost life size photo portrait demands attention. Vibrant and busy fabric patterns take up most of the space as to frame her dark skin, and large hair. She lays in an odalisque fashion, but her face doesn’t convey any sort of passivity that is usually associated with such a pose. This expression is very purposeful, and seeks to empower the model. Mickalene Thomas’s “Tell Me What You’re Thinking” is a strong commentary on the objectification of women in art, and specifically the representation of women of color. When looking at this in the museum, I was surprised to hear (admittedly, I was eavesdropping) two viewers comment, “It’s so busy, isn’t it?” as if this were some fault the photograph had. To me, that's where the mastery of the composition lies. Its vibrancy carries through the painting, the variety of animal and floral patterns create a chaotic unity. Thinking about this comment I imagine what this photo would look like tame, and I just get bored. Not to say it doesn't have other intriguing elements that make this a strong composition, it just wouldn’t pack the punch it does. Near the bottom of the photo there's a whole lotta’ cheetah print, each individual splotch creates an appealing cutout as they’re layered on top of each other. The subdued light yellows and browns with black of these prints transitions to a bold flower print with the same color pallette. There's an interesting break in this consistent warm block of yellow funky print - a painting of a woman stand-
ing in plants glares at the viewer in the background. I feel like I want her to be an afterthought in the overall composition, and she is. But she has a lot of impact all the same, she needs to be there. There's something to be said when you suddenly notice a second pair of eyes looking at you with intensity. Even with this break in pattern, and added oomph, she remains true to the colors I've described around her. Together the flowers, animal print, and woman all create this pieced together block of yellow warmth. I love that. Then the focal point of the photo, the woman lying on this yellow funky bar of fabric, is wearing a bold floral dress. It has this interesting “conversation” with the flower pattern below. It acknowledges that, yes, there's this harmony with having that in common, but there's no other sort of conformity to it. It’s abruptly black (which creates a lovely zone of negative space), and has complementary red and green feeding off each other to be very loud. But because of the texture of the dress (it of course being made of fabric) it still blends with the textiles around enough to allow me to focus on the woman's bare skin. Her face especially stands out. While there's a physiological effect which make eyes something we’re immediately drawn to, the main emphasis is by contrast. Her Afro acts as a circle of negative space around her. It’s a big jump in value (a nod to the negative space of her dress) that frames her face to make it more vibrant. To digress a bit, I think it's wonderful how it echoes the round shapes of the cheetah print. I’m telling you, go see this photo. It’s at the Bowdoin Art Museum in Brunswick (it’s free to the public might I add). The picture of it in this paper does not do it justice. Hell, you might even disagree with me, but you really need to look at it in person to truly make your decision. And if you’re still not convinced, Bowdoin’s bound to have something else you’ll like.
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10/13/19
arts & features
Poetic
License
All Roads lead to home
All roads lead to home Mesmerized by the sights Ride to the east Ride to the west Ride in the moonlight Ride with no-one in sight All roads lead to home Ride to the mountains Ride to the shore Ride and watch the Eagle sore Get off the bike after the ride and walk towards the door All roads lead to home
by James Little
The sun is shining Wind in my hair The roar of the engine Rubber on the road Turn to the left turn to the right All roads lead to home Facing the world without a care Ride to the north Ride to the south Ride in the sun Ride in the rain
The Golden Woman
by Arden Goodwin
I remember not so long ago I went for a walk And came around it status quo Lo, behold, I shuffled to the west, catching an orange orb go down on the flesh of freshly fallen leaves, I chuckled, I deviously glee’d, At the beautiful death of the summer stench When I lifted my eyes An element of surprise As a lady from the left From the trees’ shadows she lept/ and shuffled a pace near equal to mine/ A ways up the hill, her shadow on me still Couldn’t tell if young or old But as she eclipsed the sun/ the titan turned to gold Lo, beholden, A holy mantle golden A foe then? No then A fluorescent omen As our paths were parallel, I didn’t follow her way I didn’t cross the street or say, ‘hey lady, we’re star-crossed, you walk as far as I may’ I did not follow her or say, we just
happened to be going the same way The Golden Womans celerity perpetuated parity, A glorious polarity, she was the one one one My brain tried to play the magistrate To tell me she was not my soulmate But I was having none of it Because I was desperate Sadly, society Kills me A culture of victims has never thrilled me I wasn’t bold enough I wasn’t lone or cold enough To catch up and fess up I was afraid she’d think me stalking in my pleasant walking Though she hadn’t noticed me thus far My action was subpar A last glance from afar As I turned to take an alternate path I’d hoped to find the taps of her running shoes along my laps But I saw the whole grid And saw only blues Lo, behold, Beholden I’ve been The Golden Woman Left the buildin’
Rubyfruit Jungle: Queer Women in Popular Culture.
A Book Review by Morgan Dyer
Y
ou can know something without knowing it. I knew queer women were underrepresented in the media, but I didn’t know it. This past summer I read Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown. It’s hard to put words to how much this book affected me. The story is set in rural Pennsylvania. Molly Bolt is a poor working class white girl living with her adoptive family on their potato farm. She doesn’t conform to her family’s expectations of femininity, and this creates tension between her and her mother, Carrie. When she gets older, she doesn’t conform to Carrie’s expectations of heterosexuality either. I want to let you know how the book made me feel, without giving away too many of the details. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing yourself for the first time. I don’t think it can be said enough how important it is to see yourself represented in popular culture. If you do not belong to any minority groups, you might take this for granted. Even in this enlightened age, in this progressive city, I had never read a book about a queer woman that showed her full depth of humanity. In my experience, queer women are sidekicks, or they are the butt of a joke, or they are defined by their relationship to the protagonist, and then they disappear offstage into obscurity. There are just some things you miss, and if you don’t find them in others you
might start to think you’re alone in your strangeness. When I was growing up, I had all the gay male representation in the world, and I’m very grateful because if I didn’t know other LGBTQ people, I might have never gotten to know that part of myself. But, there are just some things you miss when you don’t have full representation, and there are big differences between individual LGBTQ people. Those identities are also fluid and they intersect, and it’s confusing as hell. Regardless of all that, I know that this book mended something inside me that was broken. Reading the story of Molly Bolt gave me a more complete picture of our story. Seeing how she navagated her world showed me how I might navigate mine. I’m grateful to writers like Rita Mae Brown for giving us the rest of the story.
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midcoast Teacher Feature: Michael Branca
by Dan Elliott
R
ecently, I had a chance to sit down with adjunct art instructor and self-proclaimed “Midcoast guy” of the Fine Arts program, Mike Branca. Discussing such topics as artistic identity and community involvement, Mike explains his growth in his multiple roles as a teacher and as an artist in his chosen home of Maine. What follows is are select portions of the interview transcript. Q: What led you to become an instructor here at Southern Maine Community College? I have been at SMCC since 2004, and at that time it was the second year of Southern Maine Community College, having recently transitioned from Southern Maine Technical College. A lot was going on to change the school into more of a liberal arts institution, and not just one focused on the trades. The school got a federal grant to take on an artist-in-residence, one each year for the first five years of the community college time period, and I was the second artist-in-residence. At the time that I did that I had no teaching experience at all, and don't know if you remember me being pretty green (chuckles), because I had you in class in my second year or something. It wasn't entirely clear at the beginning what the school was even looking for in the artist-in-residence, and the different people at the school I asked about it, everybody gave me a different answer. But I remember when I was being interviewed, it wasn't clear to me that it was going to be a teaching position, and when I was in the interview, I was asked 'If you got this position, would you want to teach an art class?', and of course I said 'Oh yes, definitely'. And went home terrified, thinking 'If I get this job, I have to teach! What's that gonna mean?' But it was great. It was a really neat way to start off, because I ended up developing the first course—it was Introduction to Drawing and Visual Art. At the time it was perfect, because we didn't have anything: There was one experimental art class that was taught the year before by the previous artist-in-residence, otherwise there hadn't been anything. I had a studio at the South Portland
campus, I did outreach with people in all different departments, ranging from nursing to early childhood development to English classes to...you know, anyone who wanted me to come to their class to do something with them. It was interesting because I came to that position being a resident artist making art on campus, working with people bringing a different perspective to SMCC, something that really hadn't been there before, and I've basically grown as a teacher here, and went from something like 'yeah, that sounds interesting' to something that I can't imagine not doing now. Q: You've had the distinction of working at many different campuses while teaching at SMCC. How have these geographic differences shaped your experience as an instructor?
For me, when I started off in South Portland, I was living down there, and shortly afterwards, within the end of that first year, I moved to Bath, and so for me there's the commute element. When the campus in Brunswick opened, it was a no-brainer to sort of plant my feet here. Obviously the South Portland campus is spectacular, and I haven't taught a summer class there in a long time, and that's what I miss about teaching in South Portland, is teaching summer classes, because in the summer, you can just step out onto the beach and say 'go ahead and find something to draw' and people are gonna find something and it’s fun, and you got the great views with the art buildings down near the water. What my perspective is now, being the Midcoast guy, is this campus is so small and intimate and everybody kind of knows each other here, parking is never a problem, all the logistics are easy here. And I really like the community of this small campus, because we don't offer that many art classes, and I teach more of them than anybody else does at this location, I have the luxury of getting people cycling through my classes more than I think South Portland instructors do. I have a pretty diversified course load. Where there's five different courses I teach, I only teach three at any given time. And I can also work with students over time in a way that, as a two-year school, we don't have a lot of advanced level art classes, and
Mike currently teaches Drawing I and Painting I for the fall semester at the Brunswick Campus. He holds a BFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a BA from Colby College, in addition to studying abroad. Mike enjoys spending time with his daughter, and often ventures out to Katahdin for family getaways. so there's a constant cycle of teaching intro drawing and intro painting. But one of the things I feel that is really great about my position here is that I also teach 2D Design, and I also teach Intro to Visual Art, and I teach the Art of Maine, and so a lot of the students—they'll take two or three or four or maybe even five classes with me— and those students I get to see their work develop and continue to help them grow as artists and get to know them as people. Q: Recently, you had a chance to work with local business leaders to bring awareness to community issues. What was that experience like for you? Fantastic. That was just a really cool project. So, I recently did a pair of murals for the Hannaford Supermarket in Brunswick, and this was part of a project that was spearheaded by Brunswick Public Art, and it had three components: There were my paintings, there's a series of twelve smaller
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panels that were painted by Brunswick High Students, and then there's another work of art that was painted by a collaborative art-making group called The Artists' Rapid Response Team—ARRT. The idea was Hannaford was working to renovate that store, and Brunswick Public Art approached them with the idea of 'hey, maybe you could include some fine art in the expansion'. To me, it’s kind of a radical idea: You don't expect to go into a supermarket and see original, fine art. You might see it in a health food co-op, but it’s kind of an unusual idea. They were very receptive to it, and really interested in this idea of engaging with community, addressing the issue of food security, and also just making their store better by having some original artwork there. The Brunswick Hannaford has a relationship with the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program, which is a great organization. Midcoast Hunger does a lot of great work; they have a food pantry, and a soup kitchen, and they have a backpack program for kids for getting kids in need food. The ideas that were presented to me for this project were to kind of think about those issues, as well as local agriculture, supporting the local food movement, and just make some joyful art. If you sort of think of the big box culture, and how many towns have lost their identity, with that energy there comes a lack of community identity, you lose track of who you are, what makes you unique. Maine has a lot of community identity, it has a lot of towns that have really retained it, Brunswick is one of those towns. It has a great downtown, and it happens to have a supermarket downtown. And when you walk into that supermarket, you're supposed to feel like you're in any supermarket anywhere in the country, right? But in this case, now, you don't. I really hope it’s just the beginning of something, because it would be great to see them do that in all of their stores, if every store had something that made it unique.
SeaWolves Look for Breakout Round on the Links
by the Beacon Sports Staff
W
ith one more match slated on the 2019 fall season schedule for the SeaWolves golf team before the Yankee Small College Conference Championship at Pease Golf Course in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the SeaWolf squad seems poised for a breakout round. New to this year’s squad are freshmen, Sam Winslow, Ethan Laverriere, Chase Locke and Connor Ward, who have been scoring in the 80’s, 90’s, low 100’s and north of 110 by a few strokes respectively. Robert Caron is the only returning golfer from last years squad which struggled to find their game on the course and has posted rounds in the low 90’s and north of 100.
The squad, which carries nine golfers also includes: Guy Tink, Dylan Pooler, Benjamin Clifford and Tucker Dineen. To date, the best outing the team has posted was at Augusta Country Club on September 21st, when they posted a team score of 365 falling 20 strokes behind New Hampshire Technical Institute (345). Sam Winslow posted his lowest score for the season, tallying an 85 for 18 holes, as Ethan Laverriere followed with an 89 and Robert Caron carded his lowest score of the season a 91. This past Saturday, the SeaWolves hosted the third tournament of the season at Purpoodock Country Club in Cape Elizabeth. The Wolves would finish the day shooting a team score of 379 as Winslow carded an 87,
Laverrierre a 92 and Caron and Locke 100’s. While the result was not what the team and coach Ott had set their sights on, the Wolves will continue to work on aspects of the game which should open the door for that breakout round. The next few weeks leading up to the YSCC Championships at Pease Golf Course should set the stage for a breakout round. When asked for a comment regarding the development of this year's team, coach Ott shared these thoughts: “considering that the YSCC is a competitive league in golf, both NHTI and Paul Smith’s College field fundamentally sound teams whose players score in the 70’s and 80’s, we need to focus on eliminating shots which pad our score in the wrong direction.”
sports Ott continued his thoughts by stating: “I believe that this squad has the potential to move closer to NHTI and Paul Smith’s team scores and to even sneak in and leapfrog one of those schools. But for that to happen, we need to have two solid weeks of practice focusing on hitting targets, staying focused, staying out of trouble and recovering in the best possible manner when we find ourselves in trouble. I’m excited about the possibilities.” After an off weekend, the Wolves host one more tournament at Purpoodock Country Club on the 13th, and then head to Portsmouth on the 19th.
On The Pitch
(continued from page 11)
PHOTOS BY JEFF LAMB UMA ATHETIC DEPARTMEMT AND BEACON STAFF
Baseball Gears Up (continued from page 11)
stop who erred on a throw to third base allowing two more SeaWolves to cross the plate as Miller and Stauber scored padding the Wolves lead by five runs. (7-2). The Wolves would plate three more runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings build a 10-2 lead. Beacon shout outs to Jayco Pena going 4-4 at bat and sophomore captain Peter Stauber for a 2-3 day, collecting two Runs Batted In and scoring one himself and to Juan Subervi for driving in his 15th and 16th RBIs of the fall. The SeaWolves return to SMCC for their last home game on October 2nd when they take to the diamond against Northern Essex Community College with the first pitch slated at 4pm. The Wolves will end out the fall season when they travel to Central Maine Community College on October 5th for the Yankee Small College Conference Fall Classic.
Seawolves Blake Collins (top), Ethan Laverriere (left) and Logan Prey (above right) in recent action. The SeaWolves athletic teams are having a successful fall season as the golf team is finding it's footing and the soccer teams are dominating.
the remainder of the first half, second half and two extra periods. Head coach Ethan Wells would comment after the game that: “Today lived up to what it was supposed to be. These are the games you look forward to as a player and get up for. What a fun rivalry in the making, both teams respect each other and play hard.” SMCC outshot NHTI 21 to 17, landing 15 on goal. SMCC’s first year goalkeeper, Calley Baker turned away eight shots in 110 minutes of work. Since the tie with NHTI, the Lady SeaWolves would defeat Central Maine Community College (2-0) and win on the road against the Community College of Rhode Island (2-0). The Wolves would fall to Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse (3-1) this past Sunday in a non-conference match up. After spotting Bryant & Stratton a three-goal lead, Callie O’Brien would collect SMCC’s lone goal at the 42:35 mark. O’Brien leads the Lady SeaWolves offense with 9 goals and 1 assist. On the Men’s side of the pitch, SMCC would follow the Lady’s double overtime draw by besting NHTI 4-nil. The win would be the fifth one in a row for the men Wolves, as well as notice to the defending YSCC champions that there’s a new face in town. The Wolves didn’t waste any time getting on the board as first-year Mohamed Matan found the back of the net at the 6:24 mark. A half an hour later, Matan would find the back of the net again after controlling a pass from
striker Keto Tchiputo. The goals would be the sixth and seventh for Matan. SeaWolf Joel Musese would pad the lead to three seven minutes into the second half, as center back Hussein Hassan would redirect a corner kick with hias herad to round out the scoring for the SeaWolves. Head coach Brian Dougher would state after 90 minutes of play, “After a late arrival and a quick warm-up, we did a great job to play from the kickoff. At this point in the season, we’ve nearly reached our goal total from last season while logging another clean sheet. We’re trending in the right direction—Friday will be another test.” The men SeaWolves would follow the win in Concord with wins against Bridgton Academy (3-1), Hampshire College (10-0), and the Community College of Rhode Island (2-0). The Lady SeaWolves travel to Massasoit Community College on October 6th and then to Unity College on the 10th before returning home for two games against the University of Maine-Machias on the 12th and Central Maine Community College on the 15th. On the men’s side of the pitch, the SeaWolves travel to Unity College on October 2nd, and then to Massasoit Community College on the 5th before returning home for matches against Bowdoin’s JV squad on the 8th, the University of Maine-Machias on the 12th and Central Maine Community College on the 14th. Both squads will play a Yankee Small College Conference play-in game for a spot in the YSCC Final Four Championships in Concord on the 26th.
PHOTO BY BEACON STAFF
Hayden O'Donnell keeps his eye on the ball and makes contact putting the ball in play against Great Bay Community College. O'Donnell is batting .238 with 6 rbi's and 5 runs in 7 games. the smcc beacon | lighting our community 11
Sports
On the Pitch: SeaWolve Squads Post Impressive Record
by the Beacon Sports Staff
S
ince the last Beacon the women and men’s soccer squads have secured six wins and one tie. The women’s squad took on Yankee Small College Conference rival New Hampshire Technical College in Concord on September 18th, battling the Lynx to a 1-1 tie that lasted through two extra play periods. Entering the contest, both the Lynx and the SeaWolves were undefeated, as the Wolves had allowed one goal to date and the Lynx had held their opponents
from finding the back of the net. It would only take the Lynx seven minutes to score the contest’s first goal of the match as NHTI’s Maura Hart ruffled the netting for the Lynx. A rare Lynx miscue on the defensive side of the pitch would lead to the SeaWolves goal as Logan Pray would anticipate the Lynx clearing kick setting up a one-on-one showdown knotting the score at one all. The contest would stay equalized at one a piece for
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Blake Collins (top left) goes airborn against Hampshire college. Collins has connected for 5 goals this season.Katelin Bennett (top Right) gets a shot off against Vermont Tech. Bennett has 3 goals and an assist this season. Peter Strauber (right) slides in before the tag is made against Great Bay Community College. In 11 games Stauber is batting .375 with 20 runs and 6 RBIs. PHOTOS BY BEACON STAFF
Finish Your Degree at UMA
Baseball Gears up for YSCC Fall Classic
SeaWolves compile 10-1 record by the Beacon Sports Staff
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he SeaWolves baseball team has started off the 2019-20 Yankee Small College Conference season in grand fashion. While the Wolves have only dropped two out of the 13 games, they have played (one of the loses was in an exhibition game against Holyoke Community College), the Wolves have plated 99 runs while their opponents have scored 44 runs. Since the last Beacon, the Wolves have collected 7 wins while dropping two. The two weeks started off by sweeping Central Maine Community College on the 17th, 9-3 and 9-2. The Wolves then dropped a game against Bridgton Academy 16-5 on the 18th and rebounded on the 21st with wins against Great Bay Community College 12-0 and New Hampshire Technical Institute 13-3 before dropping the final game of the day to Holyoke Community College 6-1. The Wolves started their current win streak on the 22nd, besting GBCC 12-3 and CMCC 5-1 on the 22nd. A few days later, the Wolves would best CMCC again as the Wolves belted out 10 runs while allowing 2 runs. Heading into Sunday’s games against American International College, a Division II team in Springfield, MA, head coach Dave Walsh commented, "Any phase of our game can win a ball game for us. Whether we need a pick-me-up from our offense, a big play from the defense, or a dominant inning from our
bullpen, we are getting it. This weekend will be a good test for our guys—getting exposure to NCAA division 2 baseball." In last Wednesday’s action against CMCC, first-year pitcher Brayden Bartlett took to the mound lasting three-innings, giving up two earned runs in the top of the third inning. Sophomore Cole Lawrence took over in the 4th inning, pitching four solid innings while allowing only one hit. Tyler Mitchell and Jake Sullivan, both freshmen, pitch scoreless closing innings. The SeaWolves bats would start the scoring in the bottom of the second, when Jayco Pena drove in two SeaWolf base runners with a single. The fourth inning would prove to be a breakout inning for the Wolves as they would score five runs. After a strike out by Hayden O’Donnell, Cory Gunter would reach first base on an error by the CM shortstop and advance to second on a passed ball. Jayco Pena would single to centerfield, advancing Gunter to third and bringing Peter Stauber to the plate. Stauber’s single drove Gunter across the plate and advanced Pena to second. Alexander Miller would follow Stauber with a walk, which subsequently filled the bases for the Wolves as Miller would take second and Stauber would take third. Joshua Paisley would also gain first base via a walk, pushing Pena across the plate and keeping the bases loaded. Juan Subervi would single to the short
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