The S tate Hornet October 27, 2010 INSIDE THE HORNET CAUSEWAY CUP
C alifornia S tate U niversity , S acramento
O ne C opy F ree
E st . 1949
Kids celebrate fall harvest By Laila Barakat lbarakat@statehornet.com
Find out who comes out on top in Sports.
Sports B3 HAUNTED HOUSES
Ready for Halloween? Check out real haunted houses!
Features B1 GOOGLE’S AUTONOMOUS CARS
Google steps into the future with its test vehicles. Could cars soon become our personal chauffeurs?
Opinion A7 SEXUAL ASSAULTS
Rachel Lotz State Hornet
Maddy scoops out seeds from a large pumpkin during the annual Harvest Festival Thursday morning at the Associated Students Children’s Center.
News A5 BLOOD DRIVE
Did Sac State meet its goal of collecting pints of blood for the third annual Causeway Classic Blood Drive?
Online News statehornet.com
The State Hornet Issue 9 | Volume 63 | No. 9
see Harvest | page A6
Local students Sacramento’s fast-growing have priority in jobs require college degrees fall enrollment By Ken Paglia kpaglia@statehornet.com
Find out what is happening in the campus community and learn about how to keep yourselves safe.
As autumn approaches and the summer leaves turn from green to gold, children at the Associated Students Children’s Center celebrated the harvest season by exploring the insides of pumpkins, playing with hay and carving apple skins. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers participated in this year’s Harvest Festival Thursday in the center’s backyard. “This year’s theme was cultivating community,” said Denise Wessels, director of the Children’s Center. “It is an opportunity for families to not only join their children in exploring nature, but also to share what harvest season means for their culture.” The center’s main goal was to help children feel connected with nature while also connecting with the center’s diverse and multicultural families, Wessels said. “It is a time where nature is changing and our goal is to help children feel as connected to earth as possible,” she said. “We want to take a multicultural approach because we want to honor the culture that our diverse families bring.” The children are split according to their age groups, and each age group had activities in separate yards at the center. “With the children (under the age of 2) there will be a lot of sensory exploration, (like) looking at and feeling the inside of the pumpkin and experiencing corn stalks and hay bales,” Wessels said. “The children (aged 2 and 3) have more hands on activities that will include nature art, cooking and other nature related activities.” The 2- and 3-year-olds also tasted pumpkin seeds cooked different ways and created collages using pinecones, sticks and leaves, while the 3- to 5-yearolds learned to juggle, marble
By Micah Stevenson mstevenson@statehornet.com
During the first week of the application cycle, theCalifornia State University has received 54,362 applications for fall 2011, which are fewer than the record 66,399 received around the same time last year, according to a CSU press release. “That period saw unprecedented demand due to CSU’s closing of the spring 2010 cycle to reduce enrollment in alignment with available funding,” according to the press release. Sacramento State has received 6,638 applications for fall 2011 since the application started on Oct. 1. Of these, 3,517 are incoming freshmen, 2,833 are transfer students and 288 are graduate and second-bachelor’s students. Sac State declared impaction for fall 2011 because it anticipated receiving more qualified applications than it can financially accommodate. This means additional enrollment requirements will be added in order to limit the number of qualified students. The press release also stated 16 of the 23 CSU campuses have declared impaction for incoming freshmen, and 15 of those campuses are impacted at the transfer level for fall 2011. Current Sac State students are
not affected by the campus-level impaction. “If you’re a student in good standing and you continue, you’re not going to be kicked out of the university,” said Sac State spokeswoman Kimberly Nava. “Students here always get first priority. Our goal is to get our students educated, graduated and out into the workplace.” Students applying to Sac State from high schools or community colleges in the Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, San Joaquin or Solano counties – Sac State’s local admission area – will not be affected by the impaction, and will keep the same minimum requirements to enroll. Local transfer applicants have to have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 with at least 60 transferrable units, 30 of which must be from the CSU general education requirements. Applicants must have completed courses in oral communication, written communication, critical thinking and math above intermediate Algebra with a C- or higher. Local first-time freshman applicants must meet the minimum eligibility index score, which is a combination of SAT or ACT scores and high school GPA. see Fall 2011 | page A8
While most job openings in the Sacramento area are for entry-level clerk, cashier and food service positions, the fastest growing sectors require a college degree, according to projections from the state Employment Development Department. There are more than 15,000 retail salesperson jobs in the Sacramento area, according to the department’s data. There are 13,000-plus cashier positions, and almost 10,000 openings for waiters and waitresses. But those positions will not necessarily be sought after five or 10 years from now. The projections show that network systems analysts, computer software engineers, teachers and personal home care aides will instead be in demand. “About two-thirds of the 50 fast-growing occupations in the Sacramento region require a bachelor’s degree or higher,” said Alexander Alvarado, a Sacramento labor market analyst for the Employment Development Department. In 2006, there were about 1,700 network systems analyst positions in the Sacramento area. But by 2016 that number will rise to 2,700 positions – meaning 52 percent more local jobs in the field, according to the data. About a dozen teaching
positions made the top 50 list of fastest growing occupations, including graduate teaching assistants, agricultural sciences teachers, business teachers and elementary school teachers.
The demand for registered nurses will rise from about 13,000 positions in 2006 to about 17,500 positions in 2016
see Workforce | page A8
Source: Employment Development Department
Alicia Palenyy State Hornet
A2
Wednesday - October 27
News Section
NEWS ROUNDUP Sac State’s weekly news briefs and campus events Candidates to participate in Senate District 1 forum
Sacramento State will host the Senate District 1 forum today from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. in the University Union Ballroom. Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Sacramento; Democratic contender Ken Cooley, Rancho Cordova’s mayor; and Barbara Alby, former Republican assemblywoman and current member of the state Board of Equalization will be participating in the forum. Communication studies professor Val Smith will moderate the event.
CSU East Bay president examines current challenges and future opportunities of Afghanistan
Mohammad H. Qayoumi, president of California State University East Bay, will give a presentation about the past, present and future of Afghanistan from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday in Hinde Auditorium. Qayoumi will examine key events and
hold the Veterans Diversity Awareness Conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday in the Union’s Redwood Room. The conference is open to the entire Sac State community so everyone may participate in the discussion of how to create a welcoming campus experience for returning veterans and their families. The conference will also provide workshops that deal different issues such as how to cope with the prolonged absence of a loved one and the physical and psychological challenges that returning vets face. To register, please log on to: www.csus. edu/vets/joinus/diversity_conference.
actions in Afghanistan’s past decade and examine future political and economic prospects of Afghanistan despite being one of “the most war-torn, most corrupt, most fragile and weakest states in the world,” according to the government department.
Veterans Diversity Awareness Conference seeks to educate community
The Student Veterans Organization, along with a number of other groups, will
The State Hornet | Staff Editor in Chief
Assistant Features Editor
(916) 278-6584
(916) 278-5148
Leidhra Johnson editor@statehornet.com Print Managing Editor Katrina Tupper
(916) 278-7300
ktupper@statehornet.com Online Managing Editor Dustin Nosler
(916) 278-5590
online@statehornet.com News Editor
▶◀ ▶◀ ▶◀ Contact Lauren Greenwood in the News department at (916) 278-7248. ▶◀ ▶◀ ▶◀
Robert Linggi
(916) 278-5500
rlinggi@statehornet.com Assistant Photo Editor Julia Keefer
(916) 278-5500
jkeefer@statehornet.com
Graphics Editor Megan Harris
(916) 278-5590
Multimedia Editor Sean McCullough (916) 278-5590
Lauren Greenwood
smccullough@statehornet.com
lgreenwood@statehornet.com
Copy Chief
Opinion Editor
Benjamin R. Schilter (916) 278-5585
Daniel Vasilchuk
bschilter@statehornet.com
opinion@statehornet.com
Advertising Manager
(916) 278-7567
Students have the opportunity to participate in a wellness career exposition from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Ballroom. This is a targeted career fair for students interested in careers in wellness, which is defined by the seven dimensions of wellness: intellectual, socio-cultural, emotional, environmental, physical, spiritual and career and financial, said Ashley Lewis, a Career Center counselor. Students will have access to about 35 community agencies and 10 graduate school representatives. Business attire is strongly encouraged.
Photo Editor
news@statehornet.com
(916) 278-7248
html.
mrascher@statehornet.com
mharris@statehornet.com
Assistant News Editor
Courtesy Photo
Matt Rascher
Kristine Guerra
(916) 278-5590
Career Center organizes wellness career exposition
Courtesy Photo
statehornet.com
Sports Editor
Diane Kauffman (916) 278-6583
Marshall Hampson
ads@statehornet.com
sports@statehornet.com
Advertisement Designer
Assistant Sports Editor
(916) 278-6583
(916) 278-5145
Matt Erickson
Cassie Kolias
ads@statehornet.com
ckolias@statehornet.com
Professional Journalist in Residence & Adviser
Features Editor
(916) 278-5612
(916) 278-5145
Holly Heyser
Miriam Arghandiwal
hheyser@statehornet.com
features@statehornet.com
Main: (916) 278-6584
The first copy of this newspaper is free. Additional copies cost $1. All views expressed herein are the responsibility of The State Hornet and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sacramento State Journalism Program, the Communication Studies Department, administration, student body or ASI unless otherwise noted. The State Hornet is copyrighted, and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of The State Hornet. Signed articles, letters and artwork express the opinions of the authors and illustrators. Unsigned articles are the responsibility of The State Hornet. The State Hornet reserves the right to reject or edit all submissions.
The appearance of an advertisement in The State Hornet does not constitute an endorsement by the newspaper of the goods and services advertised therein. The State Hornet reserves the right to reject any advertisements deemed inappropriate. An advertisement is not considered accepted until publication. Further, The State Hornet shall not be liable for any omission on an advertisement ordered to be published. By written request, The State Hornet will reschedule and run the advertisement at the advertiser’s cost. In no case shall The State Hornet be liable for any general, special or consequential damages. Claims for adjustments of any error must be made no later than three days after publication date upon which said error occurred.
(916) 278-4155
Contact Information
Wednesday - October 27
News Section
statehornet.com
A3
GUBERNATORIAL RACE
Latest poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows Jerry Brown ahead of Meg Whitman 44 percent to 36 percent, with 16 percent of voters still undecided.
McClatchy-Tribune
JERRY BROWN, Democratic Party
McClatchy-Tribune
Source: Public Policy Institute of California, October 2010 survey Megan Harris State Hornet
MEG WHITMAN, Republican Party
U.S. SENATE RACE
McClatchy-Tribune
BARBARA BOXER, Democratic Party
PROPOSITION 19 By Mike Suechting msuechting@statehornet.com If approved, Proposition 19 would allow individuals age 21 and older to grow and possess limited amounts of marijuana. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office report, Prop 19 would allow consumption of cannabis only in private residences and other non-public places, and it could not be smoked in front of minors. The measure, however, would prevent employers from meeting the current federal drug-free workplace rules, meaning they will not be eligible to receive
Source: Public Policy Institute of California, October 2010 survey Megan Harris State Hornet
government contracts larger than $100,000 or receive federal grants, according to a press release from the organization No on Prop 19. Prop 19 would reduce state and local correctional costs, and court and law enforcement costs, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. New marijuana-related businesses would be established, bringing more tax revenue to the state. Furthermore, general, excise or transfer taxes, as well as benefit assessment and fees would be imposed on all authorized marijuana-related sales, according to the report. The organization Yes on 19 calls the measure “Common Sense Control of Marijuana” for several reasons. According to Yes on 19’s website, millions of dollars in taxpayer revenue are being used to enforce a failed prohibition and is wasted on targeting non-violent offenders, while $14 billion in annual marijuana sales goes untaxed. The opposing organization, No on Prop 19, calls the proposition “a jumbled, legal nightmare.” According to No on Prop 19, the measure would force employers to allow their employees to smoke marijuana at work because it prohibits the denial of privileges and rights.
For a full list of candidates running in California, go to www. uselections.com/ca/ ca.htm. To read about the rest of the ballot measures, go to www.californiapropositions.org.
Source: Public Policy Institute of California, October 2010 survey Megan Harris State Hornet
McClatchy-Tribune
CARLY FIORINA, Republican Party
BALLOT MEASURES PROPOSITION 24
By Ken Paglia kpaglia@statehornet.com The passage of Proposition 24 would affect some corporations’ tax liability, which doesn’t sound like a pressing issue for most university students. But proponents and critics of the ballot measure say it is. Prop 24 would repeal three corporate tax breaks that businesses would be able to take advantage of starting in January. If Prop 24 passed, the tax
Source: Public Policy Institute of California, October 2010 survey Megan Harris State Hornet
provisions would return to what they were before 2008 and 2009 law changes: (1) A business will be less able to deduct losses in one year against income in other years, (2) a multi-state business will have its California income determined by a calculation using three factors and (3) a business will not be able to share tax credits with related businesses, to the California Official Voter Information Guide. Supporters of the proposition say it will prevent $1.3 billion in budget cuts to K-12 schools, higher education and public safety programs in California. “It would go far in ensuring Sac State students wouldn’t see increases in tuition by ensuring $1.3 billion is not cut from the state budget,” said Richard Stapler, a spokesman for the Yes on 24 campaign. Critics of Prop 24 say its passage would hurt corporations that are already struggling in a down economy. That could mean fewer jobs for students nearing graduation, said Scott Macdonald, spokesman for the No on 24 campaign. “It will impose a tax on companies when they expand, build new facilities or hire new people,” Macdonald said. “But the tax breaks would allow companies to get some capital to keep the doors open, or hold onto an employee.”
PROPOSITION 25 By Micah Stevenson mstevenson@statehornet.com Proposition 25, if passed, would lower the legislative requirement to pass the state budget from a two-thirds vote to a simple majority vote. Prop 25 would also prohibit legislators from receiving pay for each day past the constitutional deadline they work on passing late budgets. “In such cases, the measure would reduce state costs by around $50,000 per day until a budget bill was sent to the governor,” according to a summary by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Since 1980, the Legislature
Source: Public Policy Institute of California, October 2010 survey Megan Harris State Hornet
has met its June 15 deadline for sending a budget to the governor five times, according to the summary. At 100 days past the beginning of the fiscal year, this year’s budget, signed Oct. 8, was the most overdue in California’s history. “When last year’s budget was late, California issued 450,000 IOUs to small businesses, state workers and others who do business with the state, costing taxpayers over $8 million in interest payments alone,” according to End Budget Gridlock, which supports the measure. No on 25 Yes on 26 stated California’s budget process would not be improved by lowering requirements. “The real problem is that we have a bunch of politicians controlled by special interests,” according to No on 25 Yes on 26. “We need to clean house in Sacramento and elect legislators who will actually do their job and work together to get a balanced budget – and do it on time.” Lois Boulgarides, interim president of the Capitol Chapter of the California Faculty Association, said she strongly supports Prop 25. “It allows for a more timely budget process, which is really important,” Boulgarides said. “That way we don’t lose more money just from being late.
CAMPAIGNS ON CAMPUS Photos by Jesse Sutton-Hough State Hornet
Supporters of Proposition 19, gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman and Senate candidate Barbara Boxer have set up campaign tables on campus to encourage Sacramento State students to register and vote for their candidates and propositions.
See related editorial on A7
A4
Wednesday - October 27
News Section
Senate District 6 candidates talk about higher education By Laila Barakat lbarakat@statehornet.com Less than two weeks before the election, Senate District 6 candidates came to Sacramento State Thursday to voice their proposed solutions on issues, such as higher education and the economy at Sac State’s University Union Ballroom. The three candidates for District 6, which covers the Sacramento region, are Libertarian Steve Torno, Republican Marcel Weiland, and incumbent Democratic Sen. Darrell Steinberg, who answered audience’s questions about unemployment rates, higher education, illegal immigrants and firearms. About 400 people, most of whom were students and community residents, attended the forum hosted by Sac State and the League of Women’s Voters. “California needs to stop raising tuition. What I really want to know is how all these people are talking about economic recovery when this generation cannot even afford f------ college!” said Sacramento City College student Marianne Silva. “Make college affordable so more people can get an education so that they can work and help the economy grow. Doesn’t seem so hard, does it?” Steinberg, 51, said he is a proud product of California’s public higher educational system; the last thing California
should do is “make cuts” to higher education systems. “As Senate leader, I was successful in negotiating a budget this year, which provided funding above the 2009-10 level that included full funding for enrollment growth and an augmentation of $400 million for our universities and state universities of California,” Steinberg said. Weiland, 20, said he has seen firsthand the need for “affordable” higher education. “As the recession continues to wreak havoc on the personal finances of students and their parents it is now more important than ever to do all we can to limit fee increases in our education system,” Weiland said in an e-mail to The State Hornet. Torno, 36, said he would like to see California universities restored back to “free-tuition” schools because taxpayers are not receiving value for what they spend. “This would increase competition and ensure that the best and brightest are being accepted into our programs,” Torno said. “When I graduated high school only 5 percent of graduating seniors qualified for college-level English. Now the figure is close to 2.5 percent.” Torno said he is running for office because he believes most people are, in fact, Libertarians. “The party suffers from lack of exposure, and I feel obligated to spread the word of limited
Steven Turner State Hornet
Sen. Darrell Steinberg, right, speaks during the voter education forum Thursday in the University Union Ballroom. Beside him are contenders Steve Torno, left, and Marcel Weiland.
government, and increased personal freedom,” he said. “As your state senator, I will fight to cut state income tax rates 5 percent a year for the next four years.” Weiland said there are two main reasons for the current economic crisis. “Overtaxation and over-regulation are the two main reasons businesses are leaving the state of California at an alarming rate,” he said. “The system is broken and we need to fix it. That is why I am running.” Steinberg said his experience, in addition to all the positive things he has done for the state, makes him a good candidate for re-election. “I would use a tax incentive to provide tax credits to business that are willing to connect with public high schools … and train those seeking higher education for the jobs that will be part of the economic recovery,” he said. The three candidates shared similar views on illegal immigration. Each candidate said he would “tighten” up the borders, but also provide ways and options for the immigrants who have not obtained a legalized status to become legal. Students attended the event mainly out of curiosity and eagerness to become politically involved. “I was attracted to the fact that there was such a young candidate running for office,” said junior accounting major Ariana Martucci. “Tonight (Weiland) was able to debate really well amongst his opponents.” Joe Romero, senior government major, said his interest in government and politics is one reason he attended the event. “I have worked with Dr. Richard Pan’s campaign for Assembly District 5 so I have had firsthand experience with being on a campaign. Professors are losing their jobs and state workers are suffering pay cuts. Students are not getting quality education anymore,” Romero said. “I attend events and get involved so I can find out what is going on and what I can do to help these problems not be problems anymore.”
Community encouraged to vote in upcoming elections By Cayla Gales cgales@statehornet.com
Congressional candidate Ami Bera. “This sleeping giant has to be awoken. That is the only way to have your voice heard, it is the only way to get representation.” Only a handful of students attended the forum. Most of the people in attendance were the candidates and members of United Latinos. “We’re few here today, but all of us have our networks, we can talk to our friends and family, get people to understand the importance of this election, the importance of the Latino vote and Latinos in general not to be regarded as a sleeping giant,” said Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont, keynote speaker of the event. The sheriff candidates both said they would work to give people from minority groups a better representation in the Sacramento County Sheriff ’s Department. “In 161 years in the sheriff ’s department, there has never been a Latino captain or above that rank,” Cooper said. “That’s gotta change ... I’m going to change it.”
Although a lot of students did not show up to the forum, this is just the first of many that the United Latinos are hoping to have as an annual event, said Mauricio Leiva, president of the United Latinos’ board. “As far as the voter information forum, this is the first one that student government has gotten involved in, but we really wanted to make an extra effort to encourage students to come because you should be knowledgeable of what you’re voting on, not only that but you’re getting it from the candidates’ mouth what they’re going to do for you,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said students should attend forums like this because they will make the candidates feel the pressure from students and realize the importance of higher education. “The more we show up to certain events to where we have access to candidates or even people who represent us in government, the more that they’ll consider our voice in what they do,” she said.
Local government candidates stressed the importance of voting for students and the entire community during the voter education forum Sunday at Sacramento State’s Alumni Center. Associated Student’s Inc.’s Office of Governmental Affairs and the nonprofit group United Latinos hosted the forum to provide students with information about civic engagement and political involvement, said Laura Gonzalez, director of the Office of Governmental Affairs. “It’s an opportunity for them to network with community organizations. When you graduate from Sac State or from any college, you want to get involved with the community,” Gonzalez said. “Even if you’re not going to be living in Sacramento, it’s a good way to network; it might lead to other things.” Among the people in attendance were candidates for Sacramento County sheriff candidates Jim Cooper and Scott Jones, along with candidates for the Arden City Council, SMUD board of directors, insurance commissioner and 3rd and 5th Congressional districts. Most of the speakers focused on voting by the Latino community, which they referred to as the “sleeping giant” in national politics. “We need every vote across the entire community. This is not about Democrats or Daniel Ward State Hornet Republicans; it’s about Arden Arcade City Council candidate Matt Grey speaks during the people in this comthe voter education forum held Sunday at the Alumni Center. munity rising up,” said
statehornet.com
Wednesday - October 27
News Section
Campus police investigate recent sexual assault cases By State Hornet Staff news@statehornet.com The Sacramento State Police Department is investigating the latest reported incident of sexual assault on campus. According to reports from police, the incident occurred after 8:30 p.m. Thursday, when a female student reported being pulled into a van after getting out of her car in the American River Courtyard’s parking lot. The suspects drove to the south side of the lot, where the student was then sexually assaulted. The suspect is described as Latino, about 19 to 20 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, slender build, with a buzz haircut and brown eyes. The victim described the van as dark in color, possibly red with a driver’s side sliding door, according to police reports. Officials responded by increasing uniformed patrols around the residence halls and the campus at large. This is the third reported incident of sexual assault on campus this semester. On Sept. 13, a female student said that while she was studying on the northeast side of Capistrano Hall, she was approached by a Latino male, described as being 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7 inches tall and having tattoos on the lower part of his legs, according to police reports. “The victim was touched,
These are sketches of the Sept. 13 sexual battery suspect, left, and Thursday’s sexual assault suspect.
through clothing, on an intimate part of the body,” said Sac State Police Det. Scott Christian. Officers are considering the crime sexual battery. Christian said there have been no developments on the case. Christian said there are no connections between the two incidents, nor are there any indications of gang involvement. The second reported incident occurred on Oct. 18, when a female student reported being raped by an acquaintance in the American River Courtyard residence hall. According to The Sacramento Bee, the man accused in that incident, Jonathan Lee, 18, has been released on a $150,000 bail. Christian said the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Lee, and did not com-
CAMPUS POLICE IS AT (916) 278-6851.
ment further on the case. According to a police database maintained by The State Hornet, there have been seven cases of sexual assault on campus since November 2005. Three of which were reported this semester. “In the majority of sexual assault cases, the victim knows the suspect in the case,” Christian said in an e-mail to the Hornet. “Sexual assault cases on college campuses follow the same trends as national statistics.” Jessica Heskin, victim advocate from the Student Health Center, encourage students to always watch out for each other. “Bystander intervention is the key,” Heskin said.
From campus police and victim advocate Jessica Heskin of the Student Health Center
does not look right. 3. Walk to and from classes in pairs or small groups, especially late at night. 4. Avoid wearing headphones and talking on cellphones when walking to and from classes.
Spiderman, dinosaurs, doctors and Toy Story characters were at Safetyville USA’s 19th annual Halloween Haunt on Saturday. More than 1,000 adults and kids dressed in Halloween costumes, played games, ate cotton candy, apples and popcorn to celebrate the Halloween. Sac State Serves, a community service program at Sacramento State, sent 67 students and staff to volunteer as cartoon characters and parking attendants, among others. “I don’t even have costumes that good,” said junior cultural anthropology major Angelina Samayoa, a volunteer at the event. She said two of her favorites were a girl dressed as a princess and a boy dressed as a green dragon. Katie Lohrengel, a Sac State Serves student assistant, said the event is safer than trick-ortreating because the kids are not walking around a neighborhood and to strangers’ doors. “You do not know what’s in the candy or who is answering the door,” said Terry Polvado, vice president of the Safety Centers children’s division. Kids played games such as ping-pong toss, mini bowling, miniature golf and others. In a game that involved
searching for gold, kids tried to find a “gold” coin in a plastic pool filled with sand. When they found the coin, they were awarded with a piece of candy. In playing the Hula-Hoop Ringtoss, kids tried to toss a hula hoop over a construction cone. Kids also played a spin-thewheel game where they learned a few kitchen safety tips. The colors where the arrow of the wheel stopped represented the colors of the cards that had questions for the kids. Examples of questions were: “How could you extinguish campfire coals?” and “In the kitchen, how should cords to cooking appliances by kept?” They were rewarded with a packet of pretzels after correctly answering the question. Activities other than games were a bounce house and face painting. “Face painting is really nice (because) kids like to pretend different characters and match the characters,” said Melinda Galloway, an employee of Maya’s Playhouse. In addition to games, attendees entered a raffle where they could win tickets to play laser tag and miniature golf at Golfland, attend Kovar’s Satori Academy of Martial Arts, visit the California Automobile Museum or win a Hello Kitty
helmet. Safetyville planned to raise $15,000 from the event. Money from ticket sales and the raffle will benefit Safetyville USA’s educational programs, such as tours where kids learn bicycle riding tips, how to cross streets and others. The first Halloween Haunt was held 19 years ago on Oct. 31, but to not interfere with church and community events, the event has since been held a week prior to Halloween, Polvado said. Visit Sac State Serves at www.csus.edu/cec/volunteer/.
Daniel Ward State Hornet
Christian Glau, 2, is dressed up as a green dragon at Safetyville’s Halloween Haunt Saturday.
STATE HORNET CLASSIFIEDS
TIPS FOR STUDENTS 1. When out partying, have not only a designated sober driver, but also a designated friend who will watch out for others. 2. When at a party or other social situations, intervene when you see something that
A5
Sac State Serves volunteers time with kids at Safetyville By Michelle Curtis mcurtis@statehornet.com
Sacramento State Police Department
statehornet.com
5. Take advantage of the Hornet Night Shuttle and contact the police department for an escort if one is needed. 6. Go to a safe place and call the police department when you see you see any suspicious person or activity.
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Audited financial statements for the period ending June 30, 2010 for each of the following auxiliary organizations operating on the Sacramento State campus are available at the University Library. Audited statements for prior years are available as well. Associated Students of California State University, Sacramento Capital Public Radio University Enterprises, Inc. University Enterprises Development Group University Foundation at Sacramento State University Union Operations of California State University, Sacramento
A6
Wednesday - September 22
News Section
OneCard office to relocate to Lassen Hall this winter By Cayla Gales cgales@statehornet.com
cluding California State University campuses, to handle campus card fees and student fees in one The OneCard office, located in office. She said the OneCard Brighton Hall Annex, will relooffice is hoping to complete its cate this winter break to Lassen relocation within the first week Hall and share office space with of January. the Student Financial Services Once the office has been reloCenter. cated, staff will not have to close Gina Curry, university bursar the OneCard office if someone and director of the Student is on vacation or calls in sick unFinancial Services Center, said til they find someone to fill in. the relocation would offer a “That won’t happen any longer one-stop shop where students because we have enough staff can pay their university fees and to be able to keep the operation take care of OneCard-related running,” Curry said. business, such as buying and Curry said the cashier’s office replacing their campus cards, has room for a new OneCard taking photos and changing center, and it seems to make names and status, in one office. more sense to take care of On“You’ll be able to put money eCard needs and financial needs on your OneCard, buy your in the same place. OneCard,” Curry said. “You’d There are also security issues be able to do all that and at the with the current location, Curry same time take care of any fees – said. there’s not two locations.” “Typically when there’s cash Curry said it is common handling - we like to have a among college campuses, inbuilding that has more distance between customers,” Curry said. “There’s always a risk whenever there’s an easy flight off campus, with anything that handles cash, so you want to be careful with staff and security.” David Proschold, OneCard system administrator, moving the OneCard office to Lassen Hall will have positive and negative effects. “It would be Becky Bell State Hornet good to have The OneCard Center, located in Brighton the OneCard Hall Annex, will be moving to Lassen Hall office serve as this winter.
more of a ‘one-stop shop,’” he said. “This location is outstanding, but we are kind of isolated here.” However, staff will have to assist students from behind glass barriers. This is in comparison with the office’s current location, where students can walk in and the office clerks are right there, able to talk to students and explain things easier, Proschold said. “It’s bad for the students. But it’s something that has to be done,” Proschold said. The OneCard office originally planned to move in the middle of fall, but Curry said they were not expecting to have spring orientation this year due to the uncertainty with the budget. Now that Sac State is expecting to admit about 3,000 students for the spring semester, the orientation will begin sometime next month, which would have interfered with the OneCard office’s transition. Curry said they did not want to be in the middle of transferring buildings while also preparing for spring orientation. “So we hope that when we start fresh in spring, we’re all here (in Lassen Hall),” Curry said. Because the relocation is still in its planning stages, the official announcement has not been made yet. But when they are ready to start moving from Brighton Hall, notification emails will be sent to students via MySacState messaging, Curry said. Curry said this move would greatly benefit the students by giving them the comfort of being indoors to handle their OneCard businesses, whereas in the Brighton Hall location, long lines could cause students to have to wait in the rain, cold or intense heat.
statehornet.com
Harvest: Center encourages connection to nature for kids Continued | page A1 paint, make pancakes and explore the insides of pumpkins. Children appeared most intrigued by the pumpkin exploration station, where they scooped out pumpkin seeds into a tray that would later be salted and roasted for everyone to enjoy. Logan, who said she was “almost 4,” rolled up her sleeves and stuck her hands into the largest of the five pumpkins at the station. “Ewww, this is slimy!” she said. “One time, at my dad’s house, we carved a pumpkin and it was slimy, too.” At the marble painting station, children chose among harvest-colored paints, such as yellow, red, brown, green and olive green. They placed a beige piece of paper inside a plastic container, squirted paint colors on it and rolled marbles around, creating abstract designs. Quinn, 3, said he chose all the colors because they were “right there.” “I like blue,” he said. “But there is no blue so I picked these colors instead.” The juggling station was called Juggling with Jacob. Children watched intently as “Jacob” juggled three medium-sized balls. The children juggled with multiple sheer, neon green, pink, and orange scarves. “The first step to juggling is catching,” Jacob said. After much observation, Caleb, 4, made his first attempt at juggling. “Like this?” he asked, as both of his scarves fell on the ground. Floating bubbles fascinated the children in the Bambini yard, which consisted of children aged 2 and under. Most of the children were not of speaking age; however, their squeals of excitement and smiling faces assured parents and Children’s Center volunteers that they were
Rachel Lotz State Hornet
Ethan scoops out pumpkin seeds during the annual Harvest Festival Thursday at the Children’s Center.
having fun. Parents took pictures of their children holding pumpkins and playing with hay. Children passed pumpkins back and forth, making noises of disapproval if the other held onto the pumpkin for too long. Meanwhile, the 2- and 3-yearolds played with corn husks, told stories, ate apple skins and had their faces painted. “My flower is red and it is yummy,” said Noor, 2, who had a flower painted on her left cheek. Volunteer Daija Joe, junior psychology major, said the face painting was a good way for
kids to have fun. “The whole point of being a kid is to be free and have fun,” she said. Stories about pumpkins, authored by children at the Children’s Center, hung from a nearby tree. Colin, 4, wrote a story about the “Three Little Pumpkins.” “Once upon a time there was three little pumpkins skating down a mountain,” he wrote. “Then one hit a bump and he did a flip. Then, he did a spin. The end.”
A8
Wednesday - September 22
News Section
statehornet.com
Fall 2011: Professor optimistic about impacted programs Continued | page A1 “For students that are outside of our local area for admissions, they may have to meet slightly higher criteria,” said Ed Mills, associate vice president for student affairs, enrollment and student support. “We’re working on that with the faculty senate at the moment, so I can’t tell you what that criteria would be, but it’s likely to be a slightly higher GPA.” About 90 percent of Sac State’s students come from the local region, Mills said. Specific programs at Sac State are also impacted. Similar to the campus-level impaction, the programs declared impaction because they had too few resources and staff to accommodate the number of qualified students. The undergraduate programs for nursing, interior design, and graphic design have been impacted since fall 1997, fall 2006, and fall 2004, respectively. Undergraduate programs under the College of Business Administration will be impacted starting fall 2011. These programs require
Source: Office of Institutional Research Alicia Palenyy
supplemental applications and higher GPAs for students to be accepted. “Supplemental criteria vary among programs and could include a minimum GPA requirement, completion of prerequisite courses or a minimum test score identified by the department,” said Lakshmi
Malroutu, special assistant to Provost Joseph Sheley. Interior design professor Jim Kenney said he is optimistic about his program’s impaction because it has resulted in higher academic standards for students. As an impacted department, interior design requires an
annual portfolio review of all pre-interior design students’ work from lower division courses before allowing them to take upper division courses as official interior design majors. The department also saves resources by encouraging interior design marketing majors, who focus on the business aspect of
the field, to avoid enrolling in studio classes that would not benefit them as much as lecture classes with a higher student-to-teacher ratio, Kenney said. “I think we’re doing one hundred times better now than we were before impaction,” Kenney said. “We should be the model for other programs on campus.” Kenney said Sac State’s interior design program is impacted only because it is such a highly sought-after degree. “The nursing proState Hornet gram, for example, is also impacted,” Kenney said. “All that means is that lots of students want to be nurses. That’s a great thing.” Kenney said he is in an enviable position to be part of an impacted program. “When we talk amongst faculty, there’s a bit of jealousy because we’re impacted,
because we can apply secondary criteria,” Kenney said. “We can control our growth in a professional and creative way, whereas other programs are still having spikes in enrollment, so they’re still trying to figure out the right amount of sections each of their classes should have. We however, don’t have these worries; we’re sitting pretty.” The word impaction, Kenney said, is negatively misleading and falsely implies a state of failure toward students. “Impaction is like if you have an impacted tooth that’s painful,” Kenney said. “I really don’t like the word. This is a positive thing that is associated with a negative term. Who wants an impacted tooth? Therefore, who would want to be in an impacted major? We need a new word to describe this state we’re in. If someone could magically rephrase it somehow, I’d buy into it in a heartbeat.”
Workforce: Stats show rise in percentage of available jobs Continued | page A1 – an increase of 34 percent, according to the data. About 200 more education administrator jobs will be available by 2016, an increase of almost 33 percent. Veterinarians, pharmacists, industrial engineers, database administrators and surgical technologists will also see 30 percent-plus rises in demand, the data states. But students should not be overly optimistic about the fastest growing jobs, Alvarado said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean there are a lot of those jobs, it just means there’s a big jump in the jobs percentage-wise,”
Alvarado said. Plus, total employment statewide is expected to rise just 1 percent over the next two years, Alvarado said. “In this recession it’s definitely a less encouraging picture,” he said. At Sacramento State, students can go to the Career Center to prepare themselves for success in today’s tough market. The center offers help with resume development, career counseling and can help connect students with employers. Career Center Recruitment Manager Eva Gabbe said despite the poor economy, there are jobs out there for the well-
prepared graduate. Jobs in sales, marketing, accounting and insurance are now in demand, Gabbe said. “Sales is the bread and butter of any company, so those jobs are always going to be around. It could be in wholesale, distribution, pharmaceutical or really any product,” Gabbe said. “Across the board, sales jobs are very strong.” Kohl’s recently announced a nationwide plan to hire additional sales staff for the holiday season, which is surprising given the cuts often reported in the media, Gabbe said. Students with any major can get a sales job, she said.
“It’s all about attitude and personality,” Gabbe said. She said the sales component of marketing is an especially promising field right now. Accountants are typically in demand “because of government regulations,” Gabbe said. Opportunities in the insurance field, including claims, underwriting, bond representation and sales are also growing, Gabbe said. Green technology is another growing labor market. “Green jobs are really in their infancy right now, but Sacramento is at the heart of it. We’re helping students get connected to clean technology jobs,”
Gabbe said. While the Employment Development Department does not directly track jobs that are declining in popularity, Gabbe said jobs tied to construction and building are now less in demand. “The recession has affected the real estate and housing job market. That’s understandable,” Gabbe said. Many engineering jobs, especially those tied to building, have been affected by the slow market, said Career Center Director Beth Merritt- Miller. “Engineering was high in 2006 and 2007, but it’s been lower in the past couple years.
Engineering graduates are not getting multiple job offers anymore,” Miller said. Gabbe encouraged students to visit the Career Center sooner rather than later. Those who find internships during their freshman and sophomore years are far more likely to find a professional job upon graduation, she said. “We can’t say enough about internships. It’s a starting point for all students, and it takes less time for a company to train interns once they’re hired,” Gabbe said.
A7
THESTATEHORNET
Opinion
www . s tat e h o r n e t . c o m
O ctober 27, W ednesday
| F a l l I s s u e 9 | S a c r a m e n t o S tat e
EDITORIAL
Your vote does count
In the wake of an upcoming election, the main topic of discussion among college students has been Proposition 19, the marijuana legalization initiative. But students should not forget there are other propositions on the ballot. While it is possible that this election period will break records in terms of college student turnout (ahem, probably because of the weed, dude) The State Hornet would like to remind you that your voice is vital and needs to be heard on Election Day. We are not living in a college bubble – what is happening in the state of California in terms of politics affects us directly. We are the ones who will be graduating and getting on with our careers sooner or later. The propositions that are enacted or turned down now will surely have a huge impact on our future. Do not let other members of the public, some of whom have already retired from their careers, make these decisions for you. Your vote matters just as much as theirs. But they might not be making decisions about California’s laws in the way you want them. Sure, politics might seem like corrupt games and you might not want anything to do with them. The fact of the matter is, we represent our generation through voting, and our voice needs to be heard regarding all of the propositions. Take for example Prop 21, which would provide funding for state parks from an $18 annual vehicle license surcharge. In total, an estimated $500 million a year would be raised because
of this fee, according to californiapropositions.org. All the funding from this surcharge would go toward state park operations and would mean that anyone who payed the annual fee would be able to park for free at beaches and most state parks. Prop 25 is another important initiative on the ballot. It seeks to try and put an end to the late budget periods that California has been through. State lawmakers would be forced to forfeit their pay until they pass a budget. If state lawmakers were compelled to pass a budget quicker and more efficiently, the California State University would be making decisions on enrollment and admission with a concrete budget at hand. Also on the ballot is Prop 22. If passed, it would help balance the state budget by preventing the state from taking funds typically used for transportation and local government projects and services. Here is some more soup for the soul. If approved by voters, Prop 20 would transfer the power of redistricting from the state Legislature to a Citizens Redistricting Commission, composed of five Democrats, five Republicans and four nonpartisan voters. And there are even more propositions. Prop 26 would prevent voters from being hit with hidden taxes by requiring their approval. Prop 27 would eliminate the 14-member state commission on redistricting and voters would be able to vote on district boundary maps.
And let’s not stop there. Prop 24, if approved, would repeal certain corporate tax loopholes, like tax credit sharing and carrying back of losses. Prop 23 would suspend AB 32, the air pollution control laws that require major polluters to reduce carbon emissions. Then there are the gubernatorial candidates. Besides the two popular party candidates, Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman, who have been actively campaigning, there are those who might not have been getting as much limelight. Carlos Alvarez, for example, is representing the Peace and Freedom Party in the election. According to californiality.com, some of the important things he has proposed in his campaign are a $15 per hour minimum wage, free college education and voting rights at 16. Then there are Chelen Nightingale with the Independent Party, Dale Ogden with the Libertarian Party, and of course, Laura Wells with the Green Party. There are many choices in this election. Whether the propositions pass or fall through depends on you, the voters. Change the status quo that exists about our generation – that we do not usually come out and vote. Get out there and vote; and if you already submitted your absentee ballot, more power to you.
Please send your comics or letters to the editor to opinion@statehornet.com.
Editorial cartoon courtesy of McClatchy Tribune
STATE HORNET OPINION ONLINE Election? Candidates? Propositions? Who cares? We tell all. The opinion staff gets together to discuss what is going on in the world of state politics. Check it out at statehornet.com.
See related news story on A3
Google paves way to future Keeping credit
By Cole Mayer cmayer@statehornet.com
Google’s autonomous cars, or cars that drive themselves, are to automobiles what the jet plane’s autopilot system is to the Wright brothers’ first flying machine. Google has outfitted six Toyota Prius vehicles and an Audi TT with equipment that allows the cars to essentially drive themselves after having an address input into a GPS unit. It is secretly testing them on streets and highways. A rotating laser sits atop the car, spinning fast enough to create an image of what is around it. It can detect pedestrians and other cars, as well as traffic signals. This amazing artificial intelligence is essentially a selfaware computer, a program that makes decisions much like a real driver would, making the car autonomous, or not needing a driver. The test vehicles generally have two to three people in the car. One person is at the steering wheel in case something goes wrong, and another one or two people are monitoring the artificial intelligence and map software, making sure everything is running smoothly. By the time the public gets their hands on the cars, driving yourself might begin to be a thing of the past. According to an article in the New York Times, the test cars have driven 1,000 miles with no assistance, and a staggering 140,000 miles with only minor driver intervention – when the test driver had to brake, for instance, when a pedestrian suddenly entered a crosswalk.
Interestingly, in all those miles that the cars have travelled, the cars have only been in a single accident – one of the Google cars was rear-ended by another car. It is ironic, but a testament to just how well Google’s cars can drive themselves. Many people have questioned the legality of having the car make decisions on its own. But with a driver behind the wheel, it is perfectly legal. The system is much like an advanced form of cruise control. Fethi Belkhouche, engineering professor, believes these cars are far more important, both in concept and what it means to those in the robotic industry. “It’s way more than super cruise control,” Belkhouche said. “It’s a fully autonomous vehicle, a dream in the intelligent transportation community.” Google cars are powerful computers that can make advanced, human-like decisions. This includes such decisions as when and where to turn, when to pass other cars, and whether to be an aggressive or defensive “driver.” It represents a leap forward in closing what the industry calls the “uncanny val-
ley” – the divide in human intelligence and a robot’s ability to mimic it. The root of the car is the sensory system, detecting what is happening around it and making snap judgments. “You need a powerful system to get data from the environment in real time,” Belkhouche said. “You need redundancy; lasers and radars are good.” He said that in 1998 a group of Germans had a system similar to what Google has created. Their system could drive cars in urban environments but lacked a GPS system. Google’s advancement is arguably far more important; with the inclusion of GPS, the car will find the best route and take its passenger there, obeying speed limits and even alerting occupants when a crosswalk is coming up, in case the driver needs to take control. “It’s a very big step in the future,” Belkhouche said. “Most car companies will go in that direction. Cars to take kids to school, drive the elderly, the disabled and people who are tired. There’s many applications, and it’s going to be a reality in 10, 15, 20 years.” Robert Maier, senior
Graphic by Alicia Palenyy State Hornet
electronic engineering major and president of the Competitive Robotics Club on campus, also thinks Google may be on to something. “The idea shows promise, computers don’t get tired and they don’t have to take their ‘eyes’ off of the road to text message or change the radio,” Maier said. He said the car will also eliminate most human error. Of course, computer error is still a possibility, but these testing stages are meant to weed out most of the software bugs. While Google’s system could mean less road rage from people being cut off, Maier also pointed out a pitfall of the AI that could cause problems. “Computers are not as smart as people like to think they are,” he said. “And when your car runs into a situation it wasn’t programmed for, it will either make a bad choice because it couldn’t read the situation or it will freeze up and require human input to move on.” While this could be bothersome to some, it could be a cure for boredom in rush hour. And if something should go wrong in terms of the car’s reaction, the driver is still in full control. The robot revolution is upon us. It is an “I, Robot” future, where Will Smith’s character would let his car drive him to work while he made video calls. Hopefully, it will not turn into the Skynet-controlled dystopia that the Terminator movie series paints, where robots rebel against the human population. Rather than causing accidents, a smart, careful “driver” can take over. Those who hate driving and those who simply cannot drive will have a reason to get back into the car by themselves. It is time to let computers take over cars, letting drivers relax while a computer does the hard part for us. Welcome to the future.
history is vital
By Talecia Bell tbell@statehornet.com
Establishing a credit history is essential to achieving financial freedom in the future. But there are still those people out there who, for whatever reason, are without a credit history. Claudia Buck, financial columnist for the Sacramento Bee, said not having credit typically means there is no credit history about you from the three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. “It’s usually because you haven’t entered into any transactions like renting an apartment, obtaining a credit card, paying utility bills, et cetera,” Buck said. “Those are the kinds of transactions that help build a credit history.” Today some of the most simplistic forms of billing accounts require a credit history. When I first started living by myself, I had never had anything in my name prior to that. I wanted to get satellite television. I contacted a cable company thinking I would automatically be set up for services; however, I was denied. I did not get the cable service because I did not have a credit history. Lenders and service providers always look at your financial history to determine whether or not you will be able to repay future debt. Sarah Thurston, junior business major, said she applied for a car loan when she was 19 years old, but was
denied. “I had no proof that I’m accountable,” she said. “It just made me feel immature.” The more established record of on-time payments you have, the better your credit history. But taking charge of your finances can be easier said than done. The trick to having a good credit history is keeping your spending simple and to a minimum because there are also pitfalls to establishing credit. Opening too many accounts under unreasonable billing agreements can ruin a good credit history. If you are only working between 20 to 30 hours a
McClatchy Tribune
week at minimum wage and managing the cost of independent living, do not agree to that $2,500 line of credit your bank is offering you. In doing so, you are setting yourself up for failure. Realistically, you do not make enough income to support a line of credit that large. Even though you do not have to pay back all of your credit debt at once, maxing out your credit card can become a problem. Credit history may not be on the top of your list when you have a paper due Monday, a midterm on Wednesday, and you still need to find something to wear for your date on Friday. But establishing a credit history is just as important as academics. Get ahold of your financial future and avoid worrying later.
B1
THESTATEHORNET
Features
www . s tat e ho r n e t . c o m
Real,
O ctober 27, W ednesday
| F a l l I s s u e 9 | S a c r a m e n t o S tat e
local spooks
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Robert Linggi State Hornet
McClatchy Tribune Courtesy Photo
Sacramento Bee Courtesy Photo Jesse Sutton-hough State Hornet
Top left: Dyer Lane has been haunted since the 1930s when the Ku Klux Klan may have performed lynchings there. Bottom left: Dorothea Puente prepares for her court trial. Center: The home of Dorothea Puente on 1426 F St. This home is where authorities found up to seven bodies buried in Puente’s backyard. Top right: Arcade Wesleyan Church, where serial killer Richard Trenton Chase left one of his victims in a small body box near the parking lot. Bottom right: Chase arrested inside police station. This photograph remains the property of The Sacramento Bee and is protected by copyright and may not be released to any other publication or individual. DYER LANE Located off Watt Avenue and Tan Woods Road is the first haunted location, Dyer Lane. According to the Sacramento Press, Dyer Lane has been a place of horror since the 1930s when it served as a place of possible lynching for the Ku Klux Klan. Since, then it has been the scene of numerous automobile accidents including one that occurred in 1972. Two drunk drivers got into their cars and began to race each other down the road; one of swerved off the road and smashed into a tree. Sacramento Press reported the driver had been ejected from the car throught the windshield head first, crushing his head against a tree. Legend has it that a man
ARCADE WESLYAN CHURCH
1426 F ST.
walks up and down the lane with a crushed skull and blood dripping down his face. Another legend is if you stop the car in the middle of Dyer Lane with the ignition left on, the car will turn itself off. Dyer Lane is also where Bill Mullen, a Rio Linda High School student, was beaten to death by a gang in the mid1980s. But the lane’s most notorious legend may be one of a police officer who was killed on the road. Some claim to see a police car speeding down Dyer Lane, and then vanishing into thin air. Similar sightings include a ghostly tractor that disappears whenever someone waves at its driver, among others, according to the Sacramento Press.
Dorothea Puente ran a boarding house in the ‘80s in her 1,834 square-foot home at 1426 F St. She rented the rooms to mostly elderly and mentally challenged people. In 1988, authorities searched her home looking for a missing homeless man and discovered the bodies of seven people buried in her yard. After poisoning her victims, Puente continued to cash their Social Security checks, which authorities believe was her motive for killing. According to Serialmurderscalendar. com, her various murder cases included one in 1982, where she poisoned 61-year-old Ruth Monroe by giving her an overdose of Codeine and Tylenol. Puente told authorities that Monroe was depressed because
her husband was terminally ill. The authorities ruled Monroe’s death as suicide. In November, 1988 a body was found on Puente’s lawn. Puente was convicted of three murders in 1993 and sentenced to life in prison. She is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility. Still alive at the age of 81, News 10 and the Sacramento Bee reported late September that she has been transferred to an outside hospital and is dying of cancer. A collection of files from her court case are at the Center for Sacramento History at 551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd. Puente never admitted to any of the murders and insisted all her victims died of natural causes. The house where she committed these crimes remains vacant.
In the late 1970s, Richard Trenton Chase, “The Vampire of Sacramento,” was convicted of brutally murdering six people. His former apartment on Watt Avenue as well as the houses of the people he murdered are said to be haunted. He reportedly drank his victims’ blood and consumed some of their organs after killing them. In January 1978, Chase committed a series of brutal murders. On Jan. 27, four days after murdering a pregnant woman, Chase entered a woman’s home and slaughtered four people. Evelyn Miroth, 38, had a friend over named Dan Meredith, 58, and was babysitting her 6-yearold son Jason and 20-month-old nephew. Meredith was found in a hallway with a gunshot wound
to his head. Miroth was found naked on her bed, her stomach ripped open and intestines pulled out. Her son Jason was found on the other side of the bed with two gunshot wounds to the head. The 20-month-old’s body was not found until March, after Chase was arrested. A janitor at the Arcade Wesleyan Church found the body in a small box near the parking lot with his head severed and a bullet wound to the head. According to the Sacramento News and Review, the addresses of the homes where the killings took place were changed and the home on Merrywood was torn down. Chase died when he overdosed on prescription pills.
Halloween attractions, activities
Courtesy Photo
Graphic by: Alicia Palenyy
Courtesy Photo
Dave’s Pumpkin Patch is the only fall-themed corn maze in the Sacramento Area. Disclaimer: The photo above is not of Dave’s Pumpkin Patch’s corn Maze.
“Zombie Train” will begin at 6:28 p.m. Friday at Regional Transit’s Sacramento Valley light rail station and continue until the end of the line at the Folsom station.
An employee at the Pumpkin Farm takes a group of kids around on a tour. The Pumpkin Farm has many Halloween attractions that are suitable for families.
DAVE’S PUMPKIN PATCH
ZOMBIE TRAIN
THE PUMPKIN FARM
Dave’s Pumpkin Patch, at 3010 Burrows Ave. in West Sacramento, is also offering some fall-themed attractions. The farm is open until Sunday. The Patch is open from 10 a.m. to dusk Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Attractions include “punkin chunkin,” where pumpkins are shot 500 yards through the air, a chickensville and petting zoo, face painting, several types of corn mazes, jump houses and pig races. An unlimited day pass giving access to all attractions costs $10 per person. Dave’s Pumpkin Patch has the only full-sized themed corn maze in the Sacramento area.
“Zombie Train,” a zombie flash public event on Friday, will feature participants dressing up as zombies and taking the light rail to the Night of 1000 Pumpkins event in Folsom. The event is free. The zombie group will board the light rail at exactly 6:28 p.m. at the Sacramento Valley station in downtown. The group will get off on Sutter Street in Folsom for the Night of 1,000 Pumpkins, where participants will light 1,000 jack-o’-lanterns along the street. The zombies will go on a bar crawl afterward, where special drinks will be made for those who dress as zombies. The event is appropriate for people over 21 years of age.
The Pumpkin Farm, located at 7736 Old Auburn Road in Citrus Heights, offers attractions such as a haunted barn, tower slides jumping castle, pony rides and a farm zoo. It is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Sunday. A great place to take the family, the Pumpkin Farm features more than 200,000 pumpkins. Admission is free, parking is $4 and the attractions cost $2.50 each. Every year, the Pumpkin Farm holds a contest to see who can build the best and most creative scarecrow, awarding the winner with $1,500. Giant pumpkins are a new attraction at the farm, and one featured pumpkin weighs more than 800 pounds. Reporting by Tzahuiztil Sanchez State Hornet
B2
Wednesday - October 27
Features Section
statehornet.com
Art exhibit portrays social injustices in American culture By Leia Ostermann lostermann@statehornet.com Art commonly represents culture, but Evri Kwong does more than that. Kwong captures the social injustices of our culture, said Cat Xia, social justice art intern at Sacramento State’s Multi-Cultural Center. “This art show questions ongoing social justice issues such as racism, homophobia, and
abuse. I think the hope is that people will be inspired by these cruel societal realizations and therefore motivated to search for understanding and act with compassion,” Xia said. Kwong’s art show, “I Like American but America Does Not Like Me,” is on display in The Center. Kwong will also be giving a lecture at 1 p.m. on Thursday in The Center about
the content, context and origin of his art. Kwong is a professor of art and painting at Sac State. He uses oil painting and Sharpie markers as the medium for his art. The mixture of a passive medium, violent Sharpie strokes and cartoon features in his art captures his purpose, Xia said. “Since Evri Kwong is an assistant professor here, it’s really
Jesse Sutton-hough State Hornet
Artist Evri Kwong stands in the Multi-Cultural Center, where his art exhibit, “I like America but America Does Not Like Me,” is being displayed. Kwong will be giving a speech at 1 p.m. Thursday at the exhibit.
great for Sac State to showcase the faculty’s talents so students can truly appreciate their educators. The exhibit’s controversial subject matter will promote students to be aware of and discuss the importance of social justice issues that no one really talks about, but really should,” Xia said. Kwong said his art is for the for all people who feel alone. “The other day I was looking around in my painting and drawing classes and I noticed that around half of the students are non-Caucasian. Yet among the studio art faculty, I am the only full-time American-Chinese/non-Caucasian faculty. The art world is definitely a white man’s world, always has been, and still is. I try not to let that get in the way because I know I have important work to do and I believe in what I am doing,” Kwong said. “You could say my work deals with the problems of all humans, the indignities and the struggle to overcome.” Because the theme of his art is so powerful, the artistic style is sometimes overlooked, he said. “People don’t realize that my paintings are just as involved with the sense of color and textures as abstract painters,” Kwong said. “People just grab onto the content because that is the easiest thing to read.” One of Kwong’s favorite pieces is the Sharpie sketch rendered in an ink-howdy-doody-style showing a white puppet riding
a Native American puppet like a horse. The stick figure sketch shows an ideal landscape strewn with puppets that interact to represent a darker reality. The inspiration behind Kwong’s work is the day-to-day injustices that he sees or reads about, he said. “I started looking around and thinking about the things that bothered me in the world. In response to them, I wanted to do something positive. This message is a gift,” Kwong said. Kwong said that the process of his artistry is meditative, starting with a mark or a color on a canvas and then letting the images evolve from there. “The painting will be what it is going to be,” he said. “I let the emotions dictate me instead of me trying to dictate them.” As a child, Kwong was always drawing but he did not become a serious artist until his undergraduate years at the San Francisco Art Institute. From there he went on to earn a master’s degree and develop his personal artistic style. Kwong said he did not begin painting about social justice issues until around 2001. Now his students help inspire him to continue this theme, he said. “The students inspire me to keep taking a chance. To keep doing work. To experiment and try and go beyond my normal comfort zone,” Kwong said. Kwong said The Center was a perfect place for him to
exhibit his work since it deals with diversity and social issues on campus and in the world. The message in his art is for all underrepresented students, Kwong said, whether or not students like his art is not the issue, it is whether or not they remember it. “You go to so many exhibitions and after awhile, everything starts looking the same. When you take things to the extreme as an artist, people will remember it. Whether they love it or hate it I don’t care. I just don’t want people to be in the middle. I want to get a response,” he said. Kwong’s art is also on display in the Gallery Godo in Seoul, South Korea. This show contains many of the same art pieces and also includes some larger scale works that contribute to a more thorough picture of America, he said. “My art definitely refers to American injustices, but that would be a limited reading. It is about humanity at large. Humanity is full of contradictions – horror and beauty and hypocrisy, but also good,” Kwong said. “I have so much work to do in the realm of compassion.” Kwong said it is important to him to be a role model in his community, whether that is to his students or other artists. “I want to reach a place of compassion in my art and in my life,” he said.
‘Super High Me’ producer Paul Benson comes to CSUS By Leia Ostermann lostermann@statehornet.com Smoking pot is not only Doug Benson’s favorite hobby; it is also the punchline to many of his jokes. “Doug defies a lot of stereotypes because he smokes a lot of weed but he is sharp and completely on top of his game. I don’t smoke ‘cause I just turn into a blithering idiot,” said Keith Jenson, a Sacramentobased stand-up comedian. Benson will be performing a free show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the University Union Ballroom. The event is open to all ages so that people can just come and have fun, said Zenia LaPorte, programs adviser for UNIQUE events. Benson has been a standup comedian for 23 years. He produced his own documentary, “Super High Me,” which is a pot parody of “Super Size Me.” In 2006, High Times named Benson “Stoner of the Year.” He was also a creator and star of “The Marijuana-logues,” which is self-explanatory. Many of Benson’s media interviews focus on his open use of pot, but Jenson pointed out that none of Benson’s wit ceases when he is high. “He is so productive and such a quick mind,” Jenson said. Graham Elwood, the opening comedian, said that college students are always fun to
perform for. In an interview with UL Magazine, Benson said: “Young people are completely down with pot, whether they smoke it or not. As a result, my college shows over the last few years have been among my favorite. “ Jenson said that Benson excels at adapting to audiences, especially ones to which he can connect. “Sac State is an audience full of people a little more likely to pay attention and a little less likely to be drunk. At a comedy club you mostly face an audience that is just looking for funny people to make them laugh while they drink,” Jenson said. This is not the comedian’s first time in Sacramento, but it is his first time at Sac State, LaPorte said. Benson was last in Sacramento filming his documentary “Super High Me” with Elwood. In the documentary, Elwood asked Benson not to smoke weed in his car, but Benson just tries to be secretive. “He said ‘no problem’ and then sat in the back seat and smoked. I got all mad,” Elwood said. Elwood said that he is very good friends with Benson but their acts, and lifestyles, are completely different which makes for a good show. The comedy night will start off with Elwood’s high energy, observational and physical com-
edy. Then Benson will come on as the stoner comic, Elwood said. Elwood said he loves being a comedian and he loves complementing Benson. “I knew at a very young age I could never hold a real job. Then I realized that all the things that got me sent to detention in school I could probably use on stage,” Elwood said. When he was growing up, Benson never thought that he would be a comedian. He began his career on a dare from a friend. Then he became a part of the Comedians of Comedy, a touring stand-up comedian group. Now Benson is a professional comedian and busy working on a new movie and mingling with the comedian community. The first time Jenson met Benson, he pretended like he knew him. Jenson said he could see the comedian scrambling to remember his name. “I said to him, ‘No, it’s OK you don’t actually know me’. And Benson said ‘Oh thank God,’” Jenson said. Jenson said he knew it was unlikely that Benson would have actually forgotten his name, high or not. “Benson has a sharp memory and is a cool and approachable type of guy, which comes across on stage,” he said. Benson has a unique voice, he connects with his audience on an observational and relational
level, building a repertoire with them until he is loose and comfortable on stage, Jenson said. “Comedy is a unique art form and a lot of the development happens in front of the audience. You have to try out a joke several times and really polish it before it starts to sing. It’s like super charged creativity and you can only try to write on that level at a coffee shop,” he said. “Live audiences add the funny.”
The process a comedian goes through to develop jokes is pretty universal, Jenson said. “You have to carry a notepad around with you at all times. When you get an idea you have to get it down immediately. It could be new takes on an old joke, new ideas or something that you witness. You jot it all down and then try it out,” he said. Jenson said that comedians
like Benson truly shine when they are on stage. “Words just come out of your mouth and then you think, ‘What the hell did I just say?’” he said. Benson’s goal is to make people laugh, and if they are laughing then he is happy, Jenson said. “What do I think about Doug Benson? He is a god among men,” Jenson said.
Courtesy Photo
Comedian Paul Benson will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the University Union Ballroom. Benson is known for his work on VH1 and his own documentary, “Super High Me.” Admission to Benson’s show is free.
B3 Sports Updates
THESTATEHORNET
Sports
www . statehornet . c o m
O ctober 27, W ednesday
| F a l l I ss u e 9 | S a c ra m ento S tate
Keeping up with the hornets
MOUNTAIN LIONS at FLORIDA TUSKERS
OCT. 21
W 21-17 vs. HARTFORD COLONIALS
OCT. 30
@ 4 P.M. FOOTBALL at NO. 8 EASTERN
WASHINGTON OCT. 23
L 28-24 at NORTHERN ARIZONA
OCT. 30 @ 3:05 P.M.
VOLLEYBALL vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA
OCT. 22 W 3-2
(22-25, 25-12, 25-17, 16-25, 15-13)
vs. NORTHERN COLORADO
OCT. 23 L 3-2
(15-25, 33-31, 23-25, 25-17, 16-14)
ALUMNI MATCH OCT. 30 @ 2 P.M.
at PACIFIC
NOV. 2
@ 7 P.M. Graphic by Megan Harris State Hornet
MEN’S SOCCER at DENVER UNIVERSITY
OCT. 22
T 0-0 2OT at AIR FORCE
OCT. 24
L 1-0
vs. NEW MEXICO
OCT. 29
@ 4 P.M. vs. UNLV
OCT. 31
@ 1 P.M. WOMEN’S SOCCER at IDAHO STATE
OCT. 21
L 0-1
vs. WEBER STATE
By Brad Schmidt bschmidt@statehornet.com Sacramento State women’s basketball head coach Jamie Craighead has carried over a successful, up-tempo style of play that was developed midway through last season. And doing so for all the right reasons. Last year’s women’s basketball team had a season that included both lows and historic highs. After starting the season just 4-12, the team changed its gameplan. With the new style
of play, the Hornets finished the season strong winning 11 out of their final 14 games, which included a seven-game winning streak. “Our team came together at the right time, pieces fell into place, and everyone bought into how we were going to play,” Craighead said. “Once those things happened, the scoreboard was in favor of the Hornets.” Last year’s 15-15 regular season record was the best in school history for the Hornets at the Division I level and they
OCT. 24
By Alyssa Huskinson ahuskinson@statehornet.com
at PORTLAND STATE
OCT. 29
@ 4 P.M. MEN’S GOLF BILL COLLUM INVITATIONAL OCT. 25-26 (SIMI VALLEY, CALIF.)
BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIPS OCT. 30 (SPOKANE, WASH.)
and want the score to be up in the 80’s, 90’s and 100’s even.” The team has been running drills like the eight second shot clock scrimmage to improve the their ability to run the court. The drill consists of two teams of five, each having only eight seconds to put up a shot before they must forfeit the ball. “We like to think that our team is in better shape than any of our competitors,” said senior guard Tika Koshiyama-Diaz. “Our goal is to tire out our opsee Women| page B6
Steven Turner State Hornet
Senior Emily Christensen shoots the ball at practice.
Davis takes lead of Causeway Cup
W 3-1
CROSS-COUNTRY
made it to the Big Sky Conference playoffs as a No. 3 seed. “Every team member played their role and doing so, the 2009-10 team made some history,” Craighead said. “It was a great way for our seniors to finish up their careers.” This is going to be Craighead’s second season at Sac State and she has brought with her a new strategy for both the offense and defense. “We run a fast break offense and a full court defense,” Craighead said. “We are looking to get up 85 to 90 shots a game
File Photo State Hornet
Senior Leah Larot goes for the ball against rival UC Davis. The women lost to UC Davis 1-0 on Aug. 20.
While the Causeway Cup is about a third of the way completed, UC Davis currently leads Sacramento State 17.5 15.0 in the overall standings. The season continues until the end of the upcoming spring semester. As anticipation about which school will claim the cup continues to grow, plenty of action is still to come. Since 1954, Sac State and Davis have been rivals. The 2009-10 athletic year marked the return of the Causeway Cup to UC Davis and tying the
series 3-3. This year Sac State is eager to take back the cup. “I think Davis is a good team,” said men’s assistant soccer coach Matt McDougall. “We always put a lot of emphasis on the game because they are our local rivals, and the game is what we call a derby game. The game is played with a tremendous amount of energy and passion.” When the cup was born in 2004-05, Sac State and UC Davis have continued to compete ever since. The cup is awarded annually to the school which accumulates the highest point total in regular-season meet-
ings. “Since its inception, we are tied 3 to 3,” said Kathleen Raske, director of track and field/cross-country. “This means that we are a good match up and it makes it even more exciting.” The competition between the two schools include 18 sports. Each sport is assigned a point value and when the teams play just once, the winner of that game is awarded all the points. In sports where there are multiple meetings, the points are awarded based on each game. see Causeway| page B5
Freshman receiver Classy and trashy sports now a team leader DOUBLE COVERAGE
MEN’S TENNIS SENIOR KIRYL HARBATSIUK BECOMES FIRST PLAYER IN SCHOOL HISTORY TO WIN ITA NORTHWEST REGIONAL SINGLES TITLE.
weddings gain followers
HARBATSIUK ADVANCES TO ITA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., ON NOV. 4-7.
By Cassie Kolias ckolias@statehornet.com Here comes the bride, all dressed in whi… a jersey? That’s not right. Rather than opting for a traditional black-tie, white wedding full of lace and diamonds,
each year many couples opt for something a little sportier. Fever Pitch-like diehard fans get married too, and some of their significant others are quite understanding of their infatuation - and that is how sports-themed weddings were born. Here are two sport-themed wedding ideas, both classy and trashy. Classy Lakers-themed wedding: If you love the Los Angeles Lakers, this might be the wedding for you. With a gold and purple theme, it is easy to have a classy affair, while still show-
By Marshall Hampson sports@statehornet.com
ing love for your current NBA Champions. Reception Décor- You can get creative with the décor for your Lakers wedding. The chairs should be covered in white, and tied with a purple satin bow behind them. From the ceiling you could hang gold and purple ornament-type chandeliers. And to top off your tablescape, you could serve purple cocktails. Bride- The bride should wear a rich royal purple satin dress. The bridesmaids should have dresses that are also made of satin, but should be gold. The
It would hard-pressed to find a reason why Sacramento State wide receiver Morris Norrise would not be a part of the football program. Norrise has 302 yards and leads the team in touchdowns this season with five, including an 80-yard touchdown in the homecoming game against Northern Colorado University. But all of his success this season almost became the success of a Southern Utah University receiver. Norrise said a last-minute change of heart, a scholarship offer and a phone conversation from head coach
see Wedding| page B6
see Football| page B5
File Photo State Hornet
Freshman wide receiver Morris Norrise catches the ball in the endzone against Montana State University on Oct. 2.
B4
Wednesday - October 27
Sports Section
statehornet.com
Rowing team seeks success this season via early practices By Matt Harrington mharrington@statehornet.com While many Sacramento State students are still in bed at 5 a.m., a group of athletes are hard at work preparing for their upcoming spring rowing season. “We wake up at five in the morning, some of us at 4:30 a.m. to get here on time. We are busting our ass for two hours and then we go to class all day,” said team co-captain Rebecca Woolston. “And then we have
File Photo State Hornet
The Sac State women’s rowing team pulls their boat up aside the dock after a scrimage on Feb. 27 against Cal at the Sacramento State Aquatics Center.
practice again for another hour.” The Sac State women’s rowing team will be looking to carry the momentum from two lateseason wins in the 2010 season into the upcoming 2011 season. Last season, the women’s rowing team won the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Conference Championship for the varsity eight boat. The team then took that momentum to Philadelphia and won the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta for just the second time in school history. The Dad Vail was founded in 1934, and is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States. Over the week long event, over 100 schools compete from various colleges and universities including some from Canada. This year the Dad Vail has a little bit more importance to it, said team co-captain Jessa Carlson. “The Henley Royal regatta is held on the River Thames every year,” Carlson said. “This year, the sponsor of the Dad Vail regatta will sponsor the first-place varsity eight men’s and women’s heavyweight boats to travel to London and compete in the regatta.” Sac State was invited to go last year but was unable to attend due to lack of funding. For now, the Hornets will be practicing six days a week at the Sac State Aquatics Center in Gold River, 25 minutes east of
Sac State on Highway 50. Head coach Mike Connors said the goal for the team is to get the newer rowers on the team up to speed to compete in the spring. “Our focus in fall is all about development - getting our younger rowers to improve technically and physically,” Connors said. “Especially this year, we are a little younger. We returned two rowers and a coxswain from last year’s varsity eight boat.” Connors said he remains optimistic as the team will have the entire junior varsity eight and four boat teams and several novices returning this season. “We have a lot of material to work with. However, it is just a little less experienced than what we had last year,” Connors said. “The good news so far and based on how they are doing on their ergometer work this fall, there is definitely a lot of potential.” That optimism is shared by Carlson, as she said there is a strong core for the team to work with this year. “I think we are pretty lucky that our entire junior varsity will be returning. And we also have two rowers from last year’s varsity eight that returned as well,” Carlson said. “So there is a good foundation of rowers that will be able to help continue the momentum of training into the spring.” With so few varsity rowers
returning, Connors said he will be leaning on those rowers who have been in the program three to four years to step up and help direct the newcomers. “Jessa was our coxswain last year and our captain this year. She has been showing a lot of great leadership so far,” Connors said. “And our other captain, Rebecca, she is a fouryear rower and very solid.” As the senior coxswain on the rowing team, Carlson said she believes that having an agenda for the development of the other coxswains on the team will help the program thrive. “I carry the responsibility of setting the bar high as the returning varsity eight coxswain. We are really fortunate to have coxswains who are pretty proficient in their skills,” Carslon said. “Personally, I am working to make sure that the less experienced coxswains feel comfortable and proficient and confident as I do when I get on the water.” For Woolston, she sees her role as co-captain of the rowers as being more hands-on. “When we do our ergometer sets, I feel there is a lot of expectation and pressure that I put on myself to do well. Because they are really important for fitness and if you don’t have a fit squad then the team won’t be fast,” Woolston said. “And some of the younger girls, when I am in the boat, I will help them their
File Photos State Hornet
Above: Sac State rowers push through the rain during a scrimage against Cal at the Sacramento State Aquatics Center on Lake Natoma. Right: The women’s crew team packs up their equipment after the scrimmage against Cal. technique. But as captain of the rowers, I have to keep a positive attitude even if the set is bad.” The rowers start out the season Saturday at Lake Natoma for the Head of the American meet. Carlson said the turnover will benefit the team in the long run and not paying attention to the critics will be the best plan this season. “I think it’s really important that we continue to expect good results from our team and not just hope good results because
we are in a rebuilding year,” Carlson said. “And others outside the program like to put that label because we lost six people out of the varsity eight. But as an athlete I think it’s important to remember that a rebuild is a just an opportunity to refresh and grow.”
Freshman cross country star Area’s Hall of Fame reflects finds hope in her new sport on Sacramento high schools By Alyssa Huskinson ahuskinson@statehornet.com
By Andres Perez sports@statehornet.com
Ever since freshman Lauren Mugnaini started to play soccer in fifth grade, soccer was all she could think about. Nine years later, she finds herself on the Sacramento State cross country team. Mugnaini is a Sacramento native and a recent graduate of Rio Americano High School. She was the first Rio Americano female since 1996 to qualify for the California State Cross Country Championship during the 2009 fall season. During her freshman year at Rio Americano, Mugnaini joined the cross country team to condition for soccer in the spring, but instead she became a year-a-round runner. “My (cross country) coach Gordon Hubble converted me into a runner,” Mugnaini said. “I would not be running if it was not for him.” Mugnaini said Hubble managed to convince her to quit playing soccer and become a cross country runner by implementing positive reinforcement and having faith in the abilities she exhibited. During her time in high school, Mugnaini became a proficient runner. She won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II title and also won both the 1,600 and 3,200 meter race as she was crowned Capital Athletic League champion. She said she struggled to let go of her aspirations of becoming a soccer player, while trying to focus on running. The debut of her Sacramento State career took place on Sept. 11, while racing in the annual Sac State Hornet Jamboree at Granite Regional Park. In the 5k race, she placed 13th overall and second on the team with a time of 18:17. Seven days later on Sept. 18, the team traveled to Riverside to attend the UC Riverside Cross Country Invitational. At the UC Riverside Invitational, Mugnaini placed 41st with a time of 18:02.5. “She has been a real blessing for our program,” said head coach Scott Abbott. “We are really fortunate she made the decision to come here and since day one when she stepped foot in the program, she has been on a roll.” On Oct. 16, in Sunnyvale, the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational was held at Baylands Regional Park and she continued to lower her 5k time, finishing with a
Olympic gold medalist and former Sacramento State swimming coach Debbie Meyer was one of the 55 inducted into the inaugural California Interscholastic Federation Hall of Fame at center court in Arco Arena on Sunday. The Hall of Fame included 54 other athletes, coaches, administrators and media members who grew up in the Sacramento and San Joaquin districts and made an impact on high school sports in California. “It’s hard to believe 42 years ago, I got a medal like this in the Olympic games,” Meyer said. Meyer won three gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City when she was 16, but never competed for a swim team at her high school, Rio Americano. Meyer coached swimming at Sacramento State in the late ‘80s. She said she is glad women today are seen as competitors who can succeed as student-athletes. CIF Communications Director Will DeBoard said he began researching possible inductees this past summer by going through old newspaper clippings and record books and compiled a list of more than 600 possible inductees. DeBoard said the list then went to two separate committees, which narrowed the list to 55. All but three inductees were present at the ceremony or had someone present in their place. In a speech Meyer presented, she said Title IX, the education amendment passed in 1972 that guarantees athletic opportunities for females, has helped women’s sports, but is not perfect. Meyer said the intention of the amendment was to bring women’s sports to the level of
Brittany Bradley State Hornet
Top Left: Lauren Mugnaini, freshman distance runner, concentrates on keeping the form of her stride at early morning practice. Top Right: Mugnaini focuses on keeping pace during practice. Muguaini currently has a personal best time of 17:57.2 this season in the 5k run. time of 17:57.2 and placed 45th in the invitational. In a little over a month, Mugnaini is already seeing her 5k time drop dramatically. A total of 20 seconds has been cut from her 5k time and will have the rest of this season and track and field to lower her times. Recently her parents have told her it is almost like she is addicted to running. She said she is not addicted, but wants to keep running as long as she can. She looks forward to both her scholastic and athletic career at Sac State and said being a part of the cross country team makes school a hundred times better. “When I came on my official visit to Sac State, I knew after coming here, I wanted to stay,” Mugnaini said. “I thought to myself, everything I want is right here.” With the support of her family and coach Hubble, Mugnaini said the transition from high school to college has been easy. Abbott said he has seen the team captain and senior Erin Lewis connecting with Mugnaini, not only as a teammate, but as a mentor. “She has already become a great addition to the team and made an impact,” Erin Lewis said. “We are lucky to have her.” Lewis posted a season-best time of 17:53.2 at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational - only four seconds lower than Mugnaini’s time of 17:57.2. Mugnaini said she began to get to know her new teammates during the summer training camp in Mammoth, Calif. She said she remembers she was
scared when she first arrived at Sac State to join the team. But since then, the teammates have been welcoming of the new recruit. During the progression of the season, the team continues to be cohesive as they not only spend time together on the track, but off the track as well. The team has weekly pasta parties, movie nights and goes on team road trips. In the spirit of Halloween, the girls are going to a local corn maze. Mugnaini said she continues to enjoy running on the bike trails close to campus, just like she did in high school. But every now and then, the team travels to Lake Natoma to practice on the trails around the lake. Even though she said likes to run on the bike trails, it is also a nice change of pace to be able to run at the lake. Mugnaini said running 60 or 70 miles a week has become routine for her. With that amount of running, Mugnaini said she is used to it now and can put herself on autopilot. “The sky is the limit for the freshman,” Abbott says. And as Mugnaini continues to progress this season, she will compete Saturday at the Big Sky Championships in Spokane, Wash. Mugaini said she made the right choice by switching from soccer to cross country. “I would not trade what I’m doing for anything,” Mugnaini said. “I have no regrets of my decision. I love what I’m doing, especially being a part of the cross country team.”
men’s, but because of it, some male sports have been unfairly cut. “I don’t want to see boys athletics suffer because of girls athletics,” Meyer said. “Please do not let high school sports
become a great athlete. “It gave me an opportunity to blossom,” Baker said. Baker said the Hall of Fame ceremony will enlighten people of the great athletes produced in Northern California.
Photos Courtesy of Andres Perez
Above: Steve Amstutz, Jerry Manuel, SJS executive committee member Debbi Holmerud and Pete Saco pose for a photo. Left: Kevin Johnson receives his CIF Hall of Fame induction award.
fade away.” Meyer and Cincinnati Reds Manager Dusty Baker were the two inductees chosen to address the audience on behalf of the inaugural class. Baker said his father used to take him to the top of a hill near Candlestick Park to watch Bobby Bonds play baseball. He said watching Bonds motivated him to pursue baseball and
Photo Courtesy of Andres Perez
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson high-fives the inductees during the CIF San Joaquin Section Hall of Fame.
“(The Hall of Fame) is a lot more famous than you realize,” Baker said. The inductees also included Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson from Sacramento High School. Johnson played basketball during high school and led all California high schools with 32.5 points per game. Johnson said it was very humbling to share the stage with the inaugural class. He said he recalled memories of working hard in the regular season for a chance at the playoffs, although he said those efforts came up short. Johnson went on to play point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns in the NBA before he was mayor. Nick Piacentini was a lesser-known inductee who was recognized for 48 years of football officiating. Piacentini’s son and fellow official, Danny Piacentini, described his father as a “lawyer on the field,” who used to quiz him on the rules regularly. “It was a complete surprise and an honor,” Nick Piacentini said. “I put a lot of time into (officiating).” DeBoard said inductions will take place every two years and those who graduated on or before 1994 will be eligible for the next induction.
Wednesday - October 27
Sports Section
statehornet.com
B5
On Second Thought: Costume and athlete pair Which sports athletes have a fitting Halloween costume? Who could dress as the Punisher?
By Brad Schmidt bschmidt@statehornet.com There is no doubt Chad Ochocinco is in love with himself. The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver thinks he is the best to ever play the game and is not shy about voicing his opinion. He speaks about himself as if he
walks on water. For every reason just mentioned, I would enjoy seeing Ochocinco dress up as the Dos Equis’ “Most Interesting Man in the World” character for Halloween. If Ochocinco were to mail a letter without a postage stamp, it would still get there. Even Ochocinco’s enemies list him under their emergency contacts. Ochocinco’s charm is so contagious, vaccines were created for it. Although I certainly don’t think Ochocinco is the most interesting man in the world, I must say he is funny. He is just one of those athletes who needs the spotlight on him and makes sure he is the hot topic on sports talk shows.
By Alyssa Huskinson ahuskinson@statehornet.com Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. What’s better than wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, watching horror films and no excuses to not eat massive amounts candy?
Picking an athlete and what he or she should be for Halloween is pretty entertaining. I picked quarterback Brett Favre and because of his allegations. He should be a “flasher” for Halloween. How could he not be a flasher for Halloween? He already completed step one and sent X-rated pictures of his you-know-what. Favre should definitely be a flasher. He needs to capitalize on his X-rated allegations. This is his opportunity to show off his “goodies,” - after all, he will have easy access. I don’t think Favre would care, especially at this point in his “flashing” career. He would look great in a trench coat.
Football: Humorous personality and hard work ethic balance for success Continued | page B3 Marshall Sperbeck brought Norrise to Sac State. “It started as they recruited me, but they didn’t offer me,” Norrise said. “On the last day, the coach offered me and I was still hesitant because I already committed to Southern Utah. We talked for a long time and talked about how he buttered me up like a biscuit and left me to the side. But in the long run, it all worked out.” In high school, Norrise played receiver and defensive back for Berkeley High School, but Norrise said he only wanted to play receiver when he got to Sac State. Norrise came to the program and found out the transition to college football was not as easy as it seemed. “Freshman year, I sat out the first game and had a chance to play the second game, but then I got cut from the traveling team,” Norrise said. “So I had to start working hard. I played against the starting defense every day and learned how to run my routes better. I learned how to be coached too because you have to listen to the other teams’ plays and run your routes perfectly.” Even though Norrise was not able to travel with the team and was redshirted, Sperbeck and the rest of the coaching staff focused on getting him to where he needed to be. “Well one, he had to work harder and two, he was only a freshman,” Sperbeck said. “He had to get bigger and stronger and learn what we’re doing. It’s hard for any freshman to come in and play, so the year redshirting really helped him grasp those skills and develop.” Spending a year with the rest of the team not only made him a better player, but gave him enough time to let his personality come out. After practice, on the sideline and in the locker room, Norrise always finds time to crack a joke and get his team-
mates to laugh. “I can get funny at times. I tell jokes and I like to have fun,” Norrise said. “I like to not be serious all the time because I can have fun and play well at the same time. I’m loving the people around me and the atmosphere. Everybody is making it fun.” Norrise’s mindset is holding true. Norrise experienced the greatest game he has ever played, in the 64-61 overtime loss to Montana State University - dating back all the way back to the beginning of high school. “It was lovely. The feeling I had after the Montana State game was amazing, it was incredible,” Norrise said. “We lost, though. So the feeling is still good, but bad after the game. From high school to now, that was the most touchdowns I’ve ever scored in a game.” Norrise had three catches that game for 76 yards and three touchdowns. Forget calling it the greatest game he has ever played, call it the greatest quarter. All three of his touchdowns and catches came in the third quarter and helped the team rally back from a 24-point deficit at halftime. Quarterback Jeff Fleming has been making opportunities like these possible. In the last three games, Fleming connected to Norrise 10 times for 218 yards and four touchdowns. Fleming said Norrise has a talent for making the most of opportunities on the field. “I can always count on him. I just know that if it’s a bad ball, he can either get to it or make a big play and get up
there and grab it for me,” Fleming said. “Even if he’s covered, just put it up there and he’ll grab it.” Fleming said the two working together every practice, running routes and correcting timing issues, has trans-
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is a charismatic figure on his team and is the emotional leader who keeps the Ravens going. His intro dance looks something like a full-body seizure and is a must-see when the
Causeway: Winter sports look to take back lost points try are a part of the cup and we take it seriously,” Raske said. For example, if baseball plays “We look forward to the Causetwice, each game is worth 2.5 way Classic track and field dual points. If the games are played meet each year.” three times, each game would The women’s volleyball team be worth 1.67. Each game has walked away victorious on an impact on the scoring sysDavis’ home turf after a 3-2 win tem no matter how many times on Sept. 14, tying the Causeway the schools compete. score at 15.0. The women’s golf Aug. 20 marked the kickoff teams played in Vail, Colo., a of the cup between the two few weeks later during a three schools, women’s soccer ended day challenge on Sept. 26-28. up losing to Davis 1-0. The women fell to Davis giving This year, there are nine wom- them the lead at 17.5, to Sac en’s sports worth a total of 55 State’s 15.0. points and seven men’s sports In preparation for basketball totaling 45 points. season, the rivalry continues as “It’s always nice to beat Dathe Sac State men’s basketball vis,” said Michael Linenberger, team begins their season on men’s soccer head coach. “We Nov. 12. were pleased with the results. It “The Causeway Cup is always was the first win of the season a big deal,” said Brian Katz, for us, and the first win against men’s basketball head coach. Davis in a few years.” “The last two years we have On Sept. 10, the men’s soccer been able to beat them.” team was the first to defeat The team hopes to expand Davis, winning 2-1 and obtainthe two-game winning streak ing the first five points for the against Davis on Nov. 23 at Hornets. home. Since the beginning “I felt we played very well for of the Cup, Sac State’s overall the majority of the game. We record against Davis is 4-2. were able to maintain possesWhen asked about making a sion throughout the match, prediction on the season coach and come out with the win,” Katz had no comment, but said McDougall said. “I was very the team is constantly improvhappy to see the boys get a well ing. The men shoot better, are deserved win over our Causemore athletic and are playing way friends.” smarter basketball. Where that A day later leads the on Sept. 11, team, Katz CAUSEWAY CUP the men’s and does not UPDATE women’s cross know, but he country teams OVERALL STANDINGS said he looks TIE 3-3 battled at the forward to Hornet’s stathe upcoming 2010-11 STANDINGS season. dium. Davis UC DAVIS: 17.5 took the lead Sac State SAC STATE: 15.0 for the cup football had 15.0-5.0, after a victory last they beat the season as it women’s team 2nd-3rd and the beat Davis in the Causeway men’s team 1st-2nd. Track and Classic 31-28. The final attainfield will compete against Davis able Causeway Cup points for on April 2, 2011. fall are up for grabs when foot“Track and field/cross-counball plays on Nov. 20 at Davis. Continued | page B3
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Above: Wide receiver Morris Norrise goes up for a catch. Left: Norrise celebrates in the end zone.
lated well to game days. “He’s really making some great plays on the field, especially as a freshman,” Fleming said. “He’s great to have out on the field. He’s a guy who can create separation and find open zones.” Fleming came onto the team as a New Mexico State transfer and knew no one on his offense. But Fleming said Norrise’s sense of humor allowed Fleming to create a bond between the two. “He’s a little character, he’s pretty funny,” Fleming said. “He can make everybody laugh and it’s good to have that in the
By Matt Harrington mharrington@statehornet.com
locker room because he can make everybody smile.” As the team passes the halfway point on the season, Norrise is well on his way to breaking his mark of six touchdowns and 500 yards in a season, a record set during his senior year of high school. Even though he still carries team-leading stats, the team and the coaching staff will always get a laugh in and acknowledge his work ethic as a freshman. “I’m glad he has fun. He should have fun playing football and he likes to come out to practice and work hard at it,” Sperbeck said. “I think he enjoys the guys and the guys enjoy him. He’s fun to coach and brings a good personality to our team.”
teams are being introduced before a game. If he could be in any Halloween costume this year, it would have to be as the Marvel Comics character the Punisher. Ray Lewis and the Punisher are the perfect match because Lewis goes out every game trying to get to the quarterback, thus punishing the offensive line for not using the right blocking scheme against him. In Marvel’s The Punisher, Francis Castiglione’s family was murdered after witnessing a mafia hit in New York’s Central Park. After this tragic incident, Castiglione goes after each person involved, eliminating them one by one. And on the field, Lewis goes after the quarterback, one by one.
B6
Wednesday - October 27
Sports Section
statehornet.com
Women: New set of seniors shoot for a playoff appearance Continued | page B3
Steven Turner State Hornet
Top Left: Senior Emily Christensen goes up for the tip off during a recent practice. Top Right: Senior Tika Koshiyama-Diaz takes a shot during an offensive drill.
ponents and we achieve this by rigorous preseason conditioning.” Craighead feels that by teaching the girls to play at a faster pace, they will have an advantage each time they step on the court. “Other teams are going to hit a wall, that they won’t know how to push through and our kids will because of the conditioning,” Craighead said. “Anytime you can have your opponent engage in your style of playing you immediately gain the upper hand and can force them into making mistakes.” Along with the new system Craighead has put in place, the Hornets have also added some new faces to the team. The young squad has only three seniors, two juniors and only two starters return - senior forward
Emily Christensen and senior guard Tika Koshiyama-Diaz. “Coach Craighead recruited a lot of athletic girls which plays into our strengths,” Christensen said. “Youth won’t be a drawback this season as long as they watch what the upperclassman are doing and so far they are doing great.” The team is also welcoming in two new assistant coaches, Jourdan Willard and Michelle Augustavo. Willard has been a player, student assistant and director of basketball operations here at Sac State. Willard’s major responsibilities are focused in recruiting, wing/ trail post play and coordinating team travel. “She was a great leader as player here, but was hampered by injuries,” Craighead said. “Sometimes the ones who have had their playing careers cut short have a lot left to offer and
give back.” Augustavo played college basketball at the University of Washington and spent last season working on the Seattle University women’s basketball coaching staff. Augustavo works primarily with the shooting guards and helps with recruiting, guard play and coordinating the teams summer camps. “She is a great addition especially being from the Northwest, which is a very big recruiting area for us,” Craighead said. “She has always wanted to coach at this level and has been pursuing coaching since graduation from the University of Washington.” This year, the team will also be going without three graduating starters from last season - Ashley Garcia, Erika Edwards and Charday Hunt. The three combined for 38.1 points per game last season
with a shooting percentage of .386. Craighead said she is confident that this year’s team will carry the momentum that was built during the strong finish of last year’s season. “I have high expectations every year and this year is no different,” Craighead said. “There is a level of excellence in our athletic department that is expected among all of our sports teams. We do our best to be a part of that standard. We want to represent the university well. Win or lose we will be exciting and will be competitive.” The Hornets open regular season play on the road Nov. 12 at the University of the Pacific. The first chance to see them at home will be Nov. 14 against Fresno State, who is picked to finish first in the Western Athletic Conference, according to the Media Poll.
Wedding: Lakers and White Sox as a way of creating vows Continued | page B3 bouquets for the bridesmaids and the bride could be made with yellow roses, and peppered with violets. Under her dress, the bride should wear a Lakers garter on her leg. Groom- In order to keep the class in this occasion, the groom should still sport the traditional black tuxedo, but add some Lakers flair. Add a gold tie, and Lakers monogrammed cuff links. The boutonnieres for the men could be made not with roses, but instead with a mixture of sunflowers and violets. Depending on how diehard of a fan you are, there are Lakers engraved silver wedding bands. Trashy Lakers-themed wedding: A trashy Lakers wedding was when Lamar Odom married Khloe Kardashian shotgun-
Photo Courtesy of McLatchy Tribune
style. Oh wait, you wanted to know a trashy Lakers-themed wedding, not a Lakers wedding. Reception Décor- Having your wedding reception on a high school basketball court, (because obviously you couldn’t reserve the Staples Center) filled with Lakers memorabilia is stretching it a little bit. The only way that you could make that wedding reception look trashier is by having a full menu of just chicken wings and beer. You could also play party games like pin-the-really-expensive-ringon-Kobe’s-wife-to-apologizefor-cheating. I’m sure that every man in the building would be pleased. Bride- Instead of going with
the gold and purple colors scheme, if you want to have your wedding be even trashier, you could have a traditional white dress with a twist. Well of course every bride wants to glow on her wedding day, and that is what you can do, literally. An almost painfully awesome dress is sold that is filled with yellow Christmas lights. Add a purple bow and boom! Lakersthemed bride. Groom- Wear a full Lakers uniform, basketball shorts and all. The groom can be Kobe, and all of his groomsmen can be the other players. It’s like Halloween … but on your wedding day. Classy Chicago White Sox wedding: Every wedding is almost like a White Sox wedding because they have the classiest and most traditional wedding colors ever - black and white. Reception Décor- Well, un-
like Staples Center, the U.S. Cellular Field where the White Sox play might be easier to get into. Not that you should have your actual reception there, but you could get into the dugout and on the field to take your post-vows wedding party pictures. Since you could pretty much do anything with the black and white theme, you can make name-cards that are emblazoned with the Sox’s logo, and you can make your cake White Sox themed. You could probably even get a funny cake topper. Bride- Obviously the bride should wear a traditional white dress of her choice, but she could add a black bow to make her dress not only different, but also she would be wearing both the team’s colors. Her bridesmaids could do the opposite by wearing black dresses with white bows. The bouquets could be made of white and black roses.
Groom- The groom should wear a black tuxedo with a white tie, along with White Sox cuff links, and the groomsmen should wear white suits with black ties. One way you could still be classy and incorporate the team’s colors a little more is by having the groom’s party wear Converse All-Stars in black.
Photo Courtesy of McLatchy Tribune
Trashy Chicago White Sox wedding: Reception Décor- Go to the park and roast weenies. Pretend that you are tailgating at a game and require all your guests to sport jerseys. You could even serve garlic fries to give it an authentic feel. Bride- If you want to go over the top with your theme, get a stretchy white tube wedding dress (like one you see on girls at the club), and get a White Sox decal on the front. The bridesmaids can wear referee dresses, with black and white stripes. You could probably get a deal from a local Halloween store if you buy in bulk. Groom- The groom should wear his favorite player’s jersey with black slacks and a suit jacket over it. The groomsmen should wear crisp white buttondown shirts with baseball pants. White Sox theme fulfilled? I think so.