THE SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER | Volume 8 • No. 2 • SEPTEMBER 25, 2012
November is Coming and so goes a Season of Changes all the way to Washington… By Donna Chapman harlie Summers has an Olympian size task in front of him this election year, as he is running for US Senate, the seat that has become open with the announcement of the retirement of Olympia J Snowe. There is no doubt about it, Charlie Summers (R) who is running against Former Governor Angus King “Of the Mountain” (I), and Cynthia Dill (D), has what may seem an insurmountable mountain to climb, but it is not impossible. Summers our current Secretary of State is not without his own political accomplishments. He was Appointed as the New England Regional Administrator, (Region 1) for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 20052007. He was elected to the Maine Senate in 1990 and became the first Republican to represent Maine’s 31st Senate District. His wife Ruth Summers is currently running for State Senate, they have 3 children. Charles Summers was Olympia Snowe’s State Director from 1995-2004. Filling Senator Snowe’s seat is a tall order considering that, in 2006, she was selected by Time magazine as one of “America’s 10 Best Senators,” such is the reputation of beloved Senator Snowe, a hard act to follow. Senator Snowe never lost an election in 35 elections, remaining well respected throughout her career. In 2008 TheWhiteHouse Project named her as one of the “8 in 08,” a group of eight females who could possibly be elected as President in 2008. How does one follow those footsteps, one would hope that the professional relationship Charlie Summers had with Senator Snowe would benefit him in this task. Consider that Olympia Snowe did not always vote a party line, as she pledged to be bipartisan, especially with health care reform and energy. In 2010 Senator Snowe opposed cutting loans through Small Business Administration and helping to reduce insurance costs to small businesses through legislation. A subject very well regarded to this candidate. In a recent phone interview I asked Charlie Summers a few questions in regards to his candidacy, his service to our Country and what it will be like going into a seat vacated by Olympia J Snow his former employer. Charlie, you both have similarities in SBA, what would you continue to advocate for in small business? “97% of businesses in Maine are small business and they need access to funding to start and grow their
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businesses, most would rather work 18 hours a day for themselves than 8 hours a day for someone else. Programs like SCORE and CEI offering training and support to individuals starting a business or expanding one, they are vital. Small business includes agriculture and farmers are a huge part of our economy in Maine. They need access to funding for growth. We are not going to tax our way out of this economy we need to grow our way out. Small business provides opportunity for families to support themselves and help support government.” As a Small Business advocate and business owner of Charlie’s Beverage Warehouse you have some first hand experiences of business ownership in Maine, understanding that community colleges, small business and the trades are cultivating a working partnership, how would you improve on that relationship to ensure skilled workers are developed in the health care and trades industry, when we currently have an 18% graduation rate with adults? “Schools are doing a great job, I had not heard of the 18% adult graduation rate and would look into policies to help community colleges sharpen their focus on retention rates. College is expensive, but the value in the education in trades provides a great and healthy opportunity for success upon completion of a degree program, or going onto another higher degree program. A lot of small businesses hire community college grads trained in the trades, I was at D & G Machine yesterday and they hire a lot of community college graduates. We need a strong community college
system to train or prepare students for a higher-level degree. I was a community college graduate myself.” If Mitt Romney wins the election for President, he mentioned cutting the Pell Grants. A mounting concern for students enrolled in higher education. If you are elected, would you consider revising the Pell Grant system or cutting it? “I would not cut the Pell Grant System” People may not realize this but Charlie Summers has been in the Navy and served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and most recently in Afghanistan as a public affairs officer in 2010. Should he be elected he would increase the number of Veterans in Washington, which is at the lowest level since World War II according to CNN U.S. Although the number dropped, the Veterans Affairs budget went up 16% two years ago, which only makes sense if you look at the mass numbers or returning from war. It is interesting to note that this was the largest increase in the VA budget in 30 years. We have had conflicts in the past, President Clinton’s involvement in Kosovo, yet no increase in budget? Should voters ensure our veterans a voice by electing a veteran to Congress from Maine? How important is that to our state? With the 16% veteran population of Maine it should be a consideration. Continued as “November” on page 11
Flower Power! By Mary-Alice Mercier n many cases the term flower power is the promotion of peace and love, but in this case it is quite literal. The instructors of the Horticulture Department use this term quite literally. They use flower power to fuel their success by selling the arrangements that were taught to, and made by the floral design class! I was able to speak with one of the instructors in depth about where the money goes from these sales, to loosely quote Instructor David Palm, “We use the money we earn from this to cover the cost of
I 2 Health Beat GI BILL 3 Free Money Culinary Chronicles 4 Elemental Distress Notice to Both Sides 5 Soul-Making Pepper Club 6 Volunteering George Carlin 7 Voter Fraud, Why Wa? 9 Let’s Rethink This Music Review 10 Poetry Scene, Paleo Diet 12 Soccer Profiles Patriots
These flower arrangements are sold to the SMCC Community almost every Thursday at the bargain price of only $15!
the flowers.” Think of it in the same terms as a choir putting on a concert to fund a music department. The costs of flowers today are expensive so when I heard this I found that it was an amazing idea! “We sell the arrangements for fifteen dollars and we keep them in the cooler over nights which help preserve them longer.” The arrangements I was shown amazed me. I could not believe that students did these seductively beautiful arrangements! “We are all flower nerds here.” Palm said with a laugh. “At this beginning of the course I was simply astounded at the arrangements that were presented.” Head of the Horticulture Department, Cheryl Rich, informed me that the arrangements are available Thursday and Friday mornings normally around nine. Palm also mentions “Anyone interested should feel free to come in, even when there is a class; someone is bound to get up and take care of them if the instructor is busy.” That being said, the arrangements are very lovely and are different each week based on what the class is doing as the arrangements are available on Thursday mornings and are really a lovely sight, not to mention they smell fantastic too! So if you are looking for a gift for that special someone, or are simply wanting to bring some brightness into your week, you should definitely pick up one of these ever-changing arrangements!