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volume 69 Issue 14
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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5, 2012
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Fiscal Cliff
Cuts loom for student job program Simultaneous federal tax increases and spending cuts that could occur if a number of laws go unchanged, a concept also known as the “fiscal cliff,” are set to take effect Jan. 1, unless the federal government intervenes. Quinn Western Aubrey Crosby Orion Staff
If Congress doesn’t avoid the “fiscal cliff,” 3,000 students could be out of jobs. Federal spending cuts and tax increases scheduled to go into effect Jan. 2 will cut $34 million in federal funding to the California State University system. This would reduce all federally funded CSU programs by 8.2 percent, said Miles Nevin, the executive director of the California State Student Association, which is made up of student representatives. Affected programs include Federal Student Aid, Federal >> please see CUTS | A3
the orion •PHOTOgRAPH BY Nicholas Kinoshita
pump dump The weekend storm blew over the metal canopy that used to shelter the gas pumps at the Highway 32 Mini-mart Sunday morning. Students flocked to the buses to avoid the storm that caused power and Internet outages throughout the weekend.
Storm kills power, fills creeks, breaks branches
WREC staff saves unconscious student employment training. in air but not expelThe employees used ling it. “I was just a couple an automated external Keenan checked of machines over. I defibrillator, which is a Bassetto’s weak pulse looked over and saw portable machine that on his wrist and uses electrical therapy to neck, said Laya, a Mike on the ground.” diagnose irregular heatsenior communicabeats, said Kimberly tion studies major. His TrOy Keenan Scott, the recreation breathing suggested senior sustainable manufacturing major sports director. WREC to them that he hadn’t staff is trained in CPR and just fainted. in the use of the AED. Laya grabbed the first-aid kit and the WREC staff members Katherine Nicca, AED, the machine that saved Bassetto’s Josh Faylor, Shelley Laya and Troy life, Faylor said. He and Laya popped Keenan immediately came to Bassetto’s the machine open and checked the stuassistance and checked his pulse. dent’s vitals, but didn’t find a pulse. “I was just a couple machines over,” “All of the sudden his breathing said Keenan, a senior sustainable man- stopped completely, and we determined ufacturing major and an off-duty EMT. that we needed the AED,” Laya said. “I looked over and saw Mike on the They took off his shirt and prepared ground.” to use the device. Bassetto’s friends were trying to The staff members stood back while pick him up, but WREC staff members the machine analyzed Bassetto’s heart pushed them away, said Faylor, a senior function and shocked him, Laya said. business management major. At that Laya began CPR, Faylor said. It took point, Bassetto was having agonal res- about 66 seconds from the time Laya pirations, which means he was sucking >> please see RESCUE | A4
Katrina Cameron Staff Writer
Two ambulances, a fire truck and a Chico police car with sirens blaring turned the corner near the Wildcat Recreation Center, where they came to a halt. Ten minutes prior to the emergency vehicles’ arrival, a WREC staff member called the emergency code word “Wildcat,” summoning all employees to the first-floor weight-lifting area. There they found a student unconscious and breathing shallowly. Mike Bassetto, a freshman exercise physiology major, was lifting weights Nov. 26 when he had a cardiac arrest and fell to the ground. “As soon as I dropped the bar down, I felt super light-headed,” Bassetto said. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh wow, this is bad.’” Four Chico State students rapidly worked together to bring Bassetto back to consciousness and save his life by using the skills learned in their
safety
Butte Hall custodian seeks workers’ compensation after elevator drop After an elevator in Butte Hall malfunctioned in March, sending custodian Tyson Thomas to Enloe Medical Center, the university shut it down. It is to set to be replaced along with the others in the building this summer. Pedro Quintana Staff Writer
Chico State custodian Tyson Thomas says he still feels sharp pain from injuries he suffered in March when the Butte Hall elevator he was in dropped, knocking him unconscious. Thomas had entered the elevator to go on break when the doors slammed shut behind him, the lights went out and it dropped to the ground floor. “It reminded me of Tower of Terror, but much faster,” he said. Thomas says he blacked out after hitting the ground and doesn’t remember how he got out. He was transported to Enloe Medical Center and examined. Thomas has since filed for workers’
compensation for his injuries and will be diagnosed in the coming weeks. The university can’t comment about the injury situation because of privacy reasons related to employees and the fact that workers’ compensation cases are confidential, said Joe Wills, director of public affairs and publication. Curtis Daniels, another custodian who works in the building, says the elevators break down frequently in Butte Hall. Several other custodians have been stuck in the Butte Hall elevators, leaving them trapped for up to an hour and a half. Chico State has put the center elevator in the building offline and will replace all of them in the summer, Wills said. The facilities management and services department had taken several elevators temporarily offline earlier in the year because of other spontaneous malfunctions that left employees and students trapped in Butte Hall and Meriam Library. The cost of replacing the elevators is approximately $1.2 million, as reported earlier in The Orion. Thomas is still working as a >> please see INJUry | A3
INDEX
Oct. 31, 2011
The elevators in Butte Hall are inspected by the Elevator Ride and Tramway Unit from Cal-OSHA. The unit doesn’t find anything that warrants the shutdown of the elevators.
March 2012
An elevator in Butte Hall drops with custodian Tyson Thomas inside. He is examined and released from Enloe Medical Center.
Summer 2013
The university will replace the elevators in Butte Hall. While they are out of service, staff and faculty members will have alternative offices so they don’t always have to use the stairs.
SOURCEs • Neil Nunn, chief engineer for facilities management and services Lorraine Hoffman, Vice President for Business and Finance Joe Wills, Director of Public Affairs and publications Tyson Thomas, custodian
the orion •PHOTOgRAPH courtesy Nancy Mantle
Saved Mike Bassetto, who fell unconscious and collapsed while lifting weights at the Wildcat Recreation Center on Nov. 26, embraces Josh Faylor, who helped revive him. The entire WREC staff rushed to help Bassetto.
No fines after month of new noise rules Laura Hass Staff Writer
There have been zero citations issued since the new noise ordinance went into effect Nov. 1. The major change to the ordinance allows officers to issue fines within 180 days of a first warning. Previously, violators could only be fined within 72 hours of their first warning. First-time offenders of the noise ordinance have to pay a $250 fee, second-time violators pay a $500 fee and third-time offenders pay a $1,000 fee. “As of this point we have zero citations,” Chico police Lt. Linda Dye said. “This would mean the noise complaint was either a first-time warning, within 180 days, or if it fell within the exceptions to the warning.” Those against the noise ordinance said there was already enough enforcement and it was working for them, assistant city manager John Rucker said.
There have been 47 verbal warnings given for noise complaints but zero citations issued, according to police. People in favor of the amendments to the noise ordinance say there was previously no incentive for repeating noise violators to stop because they only had to be quiet for 72 hours before they were clear from being fined, Rucker said. There are two exceptions to the general requirements that permit a citation without a warning. One is if the responding officer has received two or more complaints regarding same location, activities or circumstances. The other is if the noise occurs between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Sunday through Friday or between 12:01 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. “This is an ordinance we’ve been working on for a year,” Chico City Councilman Bob Evans said. Laura Hass can be reached at lhass@theorion.com
INSIDE
World News
A2
Sports
B1
Weather
A2
Directory
B3
Police Blotter
A4
Features
B5
Opinion
A6
Sex Column
B6
Sports
TODAY
58 49
high
The Rowdy Red shoots for a revival.
low
Story B2
full week A2 >>
Features
Opinion
An HIV/AIDS positive Chico State alumna returns to campus to share her story.
Women’s magazines seem to attempt to please men more than women.
Story B5
Column A7