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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19, 2012 |
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volume 69 Issue 16
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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19, 2012
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safety
Chico officials debate sex crime rise One in four women are sexually assaulted during their time in college, Peart said. The Clery Act, a federally mandated security report, requires California State Universities to record all crimes that happen on or around campus. Assaults that happen off campus are not included in the report. The most recent report, from 2011, shows four sexual assaults on campus. In 2005, one assault was reported. “I definitely think the perception is that we have seen a really big shift, but I don’t really trust numbers when we are talking about sexual assaults,” Peart said.
if the change is representative of an increase in sexual assaults or an increase in reported attacks. Experts estimate about 5 percent of sexual assaults are reported, which makes Emily Peart is the director it difficult to accurately of Safe Place, a estimate the number support center of attacks that take for sexual assault survivors. place, said Emily Peart, the director of Safe Place, a support center for sexual assault survivors.
Juniper Rose staff writer
A college-aged woman was walking alone in the south-campus area when an unknown man grabbed her, shoved her into a car and sexually assaulted her. The attack took place in the early morning on Sept. 22 and was the latest of 10 similar attacks reported to Chico police in the past year. More recently, two female students were sexually assaulted on campus the morning of Dec. 6. The number of assaults at Chico State appears to be rising, but police question
It is hard to tell whether sexual assaults are increasing or not, said Chico police Sgt. Scott Franssen, supervisor of the crime detective bureau. Chico police alerted the campus community to the series of assaults throughout the past year. The intention was to encourage community vigilance and prompt people to report similar crimes and any additional information about the assaults. Since the press release was sent out in September, there has not been any additional information or similar attacks reported, Franssen said. >> please see ASSAULTS | A4
Departments ask students to refrain from bar crawls following critical injury Pedro Quintana Staff Writer
The Orion • PHOTOgRAPH BY Frank Rebelo
’Cats on verge of setting new record
Served Wildcat guard Monnie Davidson-Mays drives toward the basket during Saturday’s win against Cal State Stanislaus. The Chico State basketball team has tied the program’s 8-0 season-starting record. See “In case you missed it” on B2.
Seniors in the nursing program cancelled their social event after Chico State student Brandon Fisher was hit by a truck following a bar crawl. Brandon Fisher, a Fisher senior con- A Chico State construction struction management major remains in managecondition ment major, serious after being hit by was trans- a truck Dec. 8. ported to Enloe Medical Center after being hit the morning of Dec. 8 by a Chevrolet truck at Walnut and West First Streets, according to a Chico Police Department press release. He remains in a coma. Chico police are investigating a lead that Fisher was participating in a bar crawl with his fellow peers, Chico police Lt. Linda Dye said. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of negative press lately with many tragedies regarding alcohol, senior nursing major Kendal
hit and last saw him at MadiMendenhall said. “We had T-shirts already son Bear Garden, he said. “He’s progressively getmade, but we are not going to wear them,” he said. “As ting better every day,” said a program that emphasizes Charles Blizinski, Fisher’s health, we want to promote roommate. The construction managethe health of our students.” Bar crawls present an ment group visited bars such image the department didn’t as The Oasis Bar, Joe’s Bar, Riley’s and Madison Bear want to display, he said. Many celebrate gradua- Garden, Yee said. Fisher was in critical contion with a bar crawl, but for the 38 nursing students, dition last week but has caneling it was a way to show improved to serious as of said Christina respect for the university Monday, and students who died this Chavira an Enloe Medical Center spokeswoman. semester, Mendenhall said. The driver, Butte College Carol Huston, the school of nursing director, sent an student Matthew Lambert, was arrested email to gradon suspicion uating seniors of driving reminding “The whole campus under the them to be is trying to address influence professionals the alcohol problem. I in a nearby and to celedon’t want another parking lot, brate safely according during the student to die.” to the press last days of release from school. CAROL HUSTON Chico police. “The whole school of nursing director Lambert, campus is try20, played ing to address the alcohol problem,” Huston baseball for the Butte College said. “I don’t want another Roadrunners as an outfielder, Butte College Athletic Direcstudent to die.” Alex Yee, a senior con- tor Craig Rigsbee said. After last season, Lambert struction management major, participated in the bar crawl decided to take time off from with Fisher the night he was >> please see ACCIDENT | A3
Friends mourn student, remember him through art Pedro Quintana Staff Writer
More than 30 Chico State students drove to Palo Alto High School Sunday to pay their final respects to Thomas “Tommy” Byron Kramer. Kramer, a sophomore art major, took the fall term off to work on a fishing boat in Alaska to earn money for school, said Kinsey Avery, a junior liberal studies major and friend of Kramer. He began attending Chico State in 2009 and planned to return in the coming spring semester. Kramer had worked as a fisherman in Alaska over the past three summers. Avery remembers when he would call her and talk about his experience
working in harsh weather conditions, she said. Kramer was a great artist who would have gone far in his life with his talent, she said. Avery described him as someone who was Thomas like a brother to her, Kramer someone who was honDied Dec. 8 in Palo Alto. He had est and would give her taken time off advice whenever she from Chico State and planned needed it. to return in the “Getting to talk to spring semester. him was special,” she said. Her friend’s death was very sudden, so it was difficult for Avery to realize
INDEX
they wouldn’t be able to have anymore fun experiences, she said. Many friends and family members spoke of their experiences with Kramer at the memorial, and some friends recited Jimmy Hendrix lyrics, because Kramer was a big fan of his music. Students in the Chico State art department made stickers of Kramer’s art and passed them out during the memorial service, she said. The intention was to have his art inspire others who would see the sticker, she said. The flag on the Kendall Hall lawn was lowered Monday in his honor. Pedro Quintana can be reached at pquintana@theorion.com
Photo courtesy of Kara Mandel
San francisco dreaming Stickers of Kramer’s artwork were handed out at his memorial service.
INSIDE
World News
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Directory
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Police Blotter
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Features
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A6
Sex Column
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TODAY
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full week A2 >>
Chico State professional snowboarder lands career and diploma after seven years of college. Story B3
Features Study abroad student shares experience and culture shock visiting America. Story B5
Opinion Orion columnist smokes out reasons why pot smokers are lame Story A6