Wrestlers top PAC for second time
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Vol. 88 No. 16
Sibs ‘n’ Kids event to return this week after 10-year hiatus By Carrie Maier Staff Writer Freshman Chelsea Watson will get to share not only her room with six-year-old cousin Eli Binakonski but an experience she also had when she was his age. Watson is participating in Sibs ‘n’ Kids, a weekend especially designed for the siblings and relatives of students, faculty and staff, for the first time as a host and not a guest. “I came up for Sibs ‘n’ Kids when I was six and stayed with my older sister,“ said Watson, an early childhood and special education major.
By Sierra Shafer Op/Ed Editor Despite a continually struggling economy, university endowments increased by an average of almost 12 percent in the most recent fiscal year, according to the NacuboCommonfund Study of Endowments, released Wednesday. The study also claimed that this increase made up for a large part of last year’s decline.
dance
Cultural
Taking place Feb. 2526, Sibs ‘n’ Kids is being held for the first time in 10 years. “I was inspired by speaking with students who are often the oldest in their families with younger siblings,” said organizer Kelley Hardie. “It’s more appropriate for this generation.” There are many activities planned for the weekend, including a reptile show, pizza party and arts and crafts. “Eli is excited for the magic show and to play in the dorms with the other kids,” said Watson. Hardie said it feels great to revisit Sibs ‘n’ Kids at Waynesburg.
Endowment above national average, VP of finance says According to Vice President for Business and Finance, Roy Barnhart, Waynesburg University’s endowment increased by over 13 percent during the last fiscal year, putting the University in the top quartile of higher education endowments. Endowments represent money or other financial assets that are donated to the University as an investment in the institu-
51 W. College St. Waynesburg, PA 15370
Photo courtesy of Jessica Sarnoskie
Participants in the Semester in Spain program learn to flamenco dance as part of the cultural experience. Jessica Sarnoskie and Shannon Bartley participated in the program last fall.
Students spend semester immersed in Spanish culture By Amanda Silay Staff Writer
Jessica Sarnoskie arrived in Spain, carrying one suitcase and speaking only a little Spanish. Sarnoskie, an education major, had signed up to spend one semester in an unfamiliar country with unfamiliar See ENDOWMENT on A3 people who spoke an
unfamiliar language. “The experience gave me a new perspective on life and everything,” said Sarnoskie, who participated in the Semester in Spain program last fall. “It definitely made me appreciate things more.” Sarnoskie and education major Shannon Bartley spent four
months exploring Seville, Spain, and overcoming the language barrier. “I started slow with the Spanish, and with time, learning made it easier,” Bartley said. Sarnoskie also felt the culture shock initially, but she learned to navigate the city by the end of her trip. “Communication was
such a shock, and you had to be very patient, calm yourself, and relax,” said Sarnoskie, who also has a Spanish minor. Both girls stayed with the same host family while they attended classes at Trinity Christian College. “We stayed with a host family: There was See SPAIN on A4
Class helps man to market prayer kneelers Politics, religion By Matthew Snyder Staff Writer Five seniors have been given a chance to take a one man’s idea and turn it into something much more. A man from New Alexandria has made a living by rebuilding churches physically but now, he is turning to rebuild them spiritually. Dave Long created his business, Anchored in Prayer, because of the growing need for prayer in the home. His company provides kneelers for home use.
“If you are going to walk this walk, you have to be spiritually fit. And the only way to do that is to communicate with God through prayer.” Dave Long Founder, Anchored in Prayer
“It’s just a like a treadmill,” said Long. “If you are going to walk this walk, you need to be spiritually fit. And the only way to do that is to communicate with God through prayer.” Long worked in church restoration until a heart deformity,
which was detected at birth, with prevented him from climbing the scaffolding. “Western Pennsylvania is a mecca for [church restoration] because we have so many churches built from the 1880s and ’90s on up to the 1940s and those were the build-
ings I typically worked in,” Long said. “In the front of those buildings there was some sort of prayer alter that spanned the whole front of the church. Now they want those torn out and replaced with these kneelers.” Long said this is what started the project. He feels these kneelers could be the most important piece in a Christian’s home but no one has them. The knowledge he gained while restoring churches is now being
focus of Friday’s Students Speak By Rachel Brown Executive Editor
Joe Scotti is not afraid to tackle the difficult topics. The senior is one of two students who will lead a discussion about religion and political correctness at Students Speak, which will be held at noon on Friday on the third floor of the See SENIORS on A4 Stover Campus Center.
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SPORTS
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REGION
Nationally ranked St. Vincent bested the women’s basketball team Saturday. See Page C1
The Waynesburg Players will perform ‘Glenside” in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center Feb. 25-26.
The Bowlby Library is collecting pennies for a new gazebo.
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“We will have some articles about faith and political correctness that we will read and use in discussion,” he said. “This is a great time and place for students to be able to speak freely about issues of this sort that affect or will affect our daily lives. It gives us a chance as Christian students to use our edu-
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Campus
BLACK HISTORY
‘Sin is like a snowball’
Trapp Sin causes relationships to break, speaker says presents on slave narratives By Eric Bost Staff Writer
Students in attendance at Chapel were asked to paint a picture in their mind this past Tuesday. Lisa Sharon Harper, Executive Director of New York Faith and Justice, told everyone to close their eyes and imagine a world where everything was perfect, where everything was full of love and where we are friends with God. But she said we are so far from shalom, or peace, today. She referred to Genesis chapters one and two as the last time humans have had the perfect world she described before. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Harper said, quoting Genesis 1:31. “In the Hebraic context good meant a relational goodness, it meant that all the ties between things were well.” She said after God created man and woman, they automatically had a perfect relationship with not only Christ but with the rest of creation. “One day God got the
Photo by Gregory Reinhart
Executive Director of New York Faith and Justice Lisa Sharon Harper spoke today at Chapel about how God fixes relationships. idea to create us for the purpose to get into [a relationship with Him]. And that’s why we were created; to have a love relationship with God,” Harper said. But as with all relationships, at some point they are tested. “In any love relationship, you need to have trust and the ability to make a choice,” said Harper. “God had to create an opportunity for us to
trust God, and God had to create the place for us to choose or it would be slavery.” That opportunity for Adam and Eve was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When they chose to eat from it, the love and trust was not there, said Harper. “I believe God placed that tree in the middle of the garden so we would encounter a place where we would have to choose whether or not we trust-
ed God,” said Harper. “In that choice we disproved our love for God.” She said that we encounter trees in our lives every day such as power, money, lust and exploitation. These trees tempt us to choose our own way instead of God’s way,” said Harper. “The choice will always be whether or not we choose God’s way or choose our way.” Harper said that when
Adam and Eve ate from that tree it had a snowball effect. “What happened was not just their relationship with God was broken because of the lack of trust and that they didn’t choose God, but every relationship that God declared good fell violently down,” Harper said. “You see it in succession. The first thing to go was the relationship between ourselves, then between God as we hid from Him, then between men and women when Eve started blaming everyone else.” She continued on with saying it caused the break in families when Cain killed Abel, and then it started a break in ethnic groups when the Tower of Babel was built. “Sin is like a snowball. It just snowballs through time and gets bigger and bigger.” “But that is not the end of the story,” said Harper. “Jesus came to restore all. He rose from the dead and if Jesus can beat death, then Jesus can beat the break in all relationships.”
Bill to provide low-income students with scholarships By Chelsea Shaffer Staff Writer Pennsylvania legislature is currently working to pass a senate bill to reform its schools. According to the Commonwealth Foundation, Senate Bill 1 offers scholarships to the families of children in lower and middle-income families through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. This would provide low-income students in continually underperforming public schools with a state-funded voucher for scholarships. “The amount of the scholarship depends on the child’s current school district spending. For example, a lowincome student in the Harrisburg School District, which spends $17,000 per student,
Discussion forum planned Continued from A1 cation to discuss issues together as a community of believers to help create culture the way it was intended on by God.” Scotti will partner with senior Environmental Biology major Dorothy Rurak to lead the discussion during Who’s Your Neighbor Week, which is held once a semester. “The idea is to discuss the search for religious knowledge and
“So if more money is taken from the school than is saved by the child leaving, the old school is left worse off than before: poorer and with fewer resources per child for those left behind.” Daylin Leach Pennsylvania Senator
would be eligible for a voucher worth approximately $9,000. The average state subsidy among all districts is just over $5,000 per student,” the Commonwealth Foundation said. This bill has caused much controversy. Although the bill is sponsored by Pennsylvania Senator Jeff Piccola and Senator Tony Williams, others such as Senator Daylin Leach strongly oppose the bill.
“The problem with that is that the old school will not save $9,000 when the student leaves. Most of the costs of running a public school are fixed,” said Leach in a press release. “If a child leaves, you still need the same teachers, you still need to heat the building, pay the nurse, hire a security guard, etc. So if more money is taken from the school than is saved by the child leaving, the old
school is left worse off than before: poorer and with fewer resources per child for those left behind.” Dr. Richard Waddel, professor of Political Science, disagrees with Leach. Waddel believes that the passing of this bill will be beneficial for public schools in the state. He said schools need to improve because, right now, state schools have no incentive to
how certain controversial religious topics form biases based off of some people’s lack of knowledge for the topic,” said Rurak. Students Speak will be formatted in the same way it has in the past, according to Rurak. Students, faculty, and staff will hear a brief, five-minute overview of the topic, and then the floor will be open for discussion. The pair hopes that those who attend the event will openly express their opinion; however, both stressed the need that the opinions be expressed respectfully.
Rurak thinks the event will be beneficial and provide a welcome discussion forum. “Students should attend so that they may share their opinion with others in efforts to quench their thirst for knowledge,” she said. According to Rurak, the event ties in nicely to the theme of this semester’s Who’s Your Neighbor Week: Thirst. Both Rurak and Scotti are members of the Who’s Your Neighbor Week planning committee and worked with faculty, staff and other students to decide this semester’s activities and theme.
Scotti noted the importance of Who’s Your Neighbor Week for students and the community. “[Who’s Your Neighbor Week] works as an attempt for Waynesburg University to come together and be very intentional about the focus on our neighbors—foreign and domestic—that a lot of times we forget about the rest of the year,” said Scotti. “This week creates special opportunities through speakers and activities to better ourselves by gaining knowledge to make changes in the world around us.”
work hard. This will provide that incentive for them. “If it goes through it will help because of the competition,” said Waddel. According to Waddel, the controversy over this bill revolves around funding. Local school districts are worried because it makes their funding a little unstable. Waddel does not believe this issue will greatly affect the schools in Greene County. “I don’t think there will be a mass exodus here,” said Waddel. In Greene County, cyber charter schools are more of an issue, said Waddel, as there are at least 11 cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania. Waddel has enrolled See BILL on A3
By Stephanie Laing Editorial Assistant “God Struck Me Dead: Rethinking the Conversion Narratives from the Works Progress Administration” was Waynesburg University’s latest program in honor of Black History Month. Held in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center last Thursday at noon, Joonna Trapp, chair of the Department of English and Foreign Language, gave the presentation. A University news release said that Trapp was the keynote speaker because she was selected as one of 26 to participate in the “Slave Narratives” seminar at Yale University. At the presentation, Trapp discussed her research in a small collection of conversion narratives of ex-salves. “These wonderful stories of becoming a Christian are interesting because the narrators were mostly illiterate and very aged,” said Trapp. “The stories are very gothic, full of horrible violence, and yet they are often also full of hope and love.” The presentation was followed by a question and answer session. Of those present, Chuck Beiter and Marilyn Roberts, professors in English; Robert Randolph, lecturer in English; Noah Haiduc-Dale, associate professor of history and Elesha Coffman, assistant professor of history, asked questions. Trapp said that she was engaged by her colleagues’ questions and suggestions. “The people at my presentation were warm and receptive and full of questions,” said Trapp. “I so appreciated the support of my department colleagues especially.” Teaching with Primary Sources presented Trapp with the information and resources to give the presentation.
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Many students unfamiliar with duties of Academic Affairs By Cori Schipani Staff Writer Many students on campus have only a vague view of what the Provost does. “The title is just not very familiar to most students and, until they have a chance to interact with me, they may not see a need to know what a Provost does,” said Provost Robert Graham. Junior Allie McCall said she never had to work with the Academic Affairs Department or Provost directly. “I would assume he oversees all the professors,” said McCall. But that is only one of Graham’s responsibilities. Graham and the rest of the Academic Affairs Department work with students through surveys like the SUMA evaluations. “Those surveys are part of making sure we’re doing what we think we’re doing,” said
Photo by Amanda Rice
Provost Robert Graham works with Academic Affairs to oversee a variety of departments. He works with the Writing Center, Career Services and Fiat Lux. Graham. “We want to make sure we are continuing to offer quality programs to our students and that the experience students have on campus is a positive one.” Information gathered from these surveys and others is shared with academic departments and various services
across campus to improve the University as a whole, said Graham. “That’s what we continue to work on: How do we apply this information?” Graham said. “If we gather it and it just sits on a shelf somewhere, it’s pointless.” According to Graham, Academic Affairs can also work with students
directly if they have an issue that has not been resolved by meeting with the professor and department chair. Some of Graham’s other duties consist of supervising the deans, department chairs, information technology and other research that takes place on campus. “He has a pretty big
Senate gives Relay $600 for inflatables • The Trayless poll ended with approximately 553 votes with 75 percent saying yes to going Trayless, and 25 percent voting no. • Colleges Against Cancer received $600 from Student Senate for inflatables for Relay for Life. The organization had previously requested slightly more than $2,000 for four inflatables, but the request was lowered. The Executive Board felt that it would be “fiscally irresponsible” to award Colleges Against Cancer the full amount they had request in their proposal. • Student Senate rejected the proposal from the Lamplighter Touring Choir as they said it did not meet the requirements. According to the
umbrella,” said Genna Steele, executive assistant to the Provost. However, Graham wishes he could directly interact with students more. “I really do enjoy working with students, but at the same time, just like we ask students to respect the chain of authority and go through the proper channels, I have to observe the same thing and not jump in the middle of an issue that could be resolved at a lower level,” he said. The Academic Affairs Department has both internal and external responsibilities, according to Graham. “Internally, we make sure academic programs are running properly and have resources they need. Externally, we deal with accrediting agencies to make sure students are continuing to graduate from an accredited institution.”
Graham said the department also oversees various programs and centers that work with students, like the Writing Center, Career Services, tutoring program, honors program, study abroad program, Fiat Lux classes, registrar and Eberly Library. “They’re like a onestop shop,” said McCall when she learned about the Academic Affairs Department’s duties. “They do it all.” Besides accreditation, programs and centers, the department handles curriculum changes. Requests are generated within an academic department, and then the Academic Affairs office looks over the proposal before sending it to the curriculum committee, said Graham. “The overall goal of Academic Affairs is to make this the best institution possible, the best place to study, learn and work,” said Graham.
Bill to affect enrollment
He said they are coming up with a variety of ways to give students what they need, when they would have otherwise been stuck in bad situations. According to Waddel, West Green High School is currently working on a creating a cyber school in order to keep its students. Waddel said more cooperative school districts, like West Greene, are setting up their own cyber schools as if to embrace the change instead of fighting it. Other schools in the area are looking to create cyber schools as well, said Waddel. Although reforms are beginning to take place, Waddel said he does not believe the end of the controversy is in sight. “This isn’t going to go away anytime soon because we’re talking about money and budgets getting tighter,” he said.
Continued from A2
Photo by Gregory Reinhart
Students listen to discussion about the Touring Choir’s proposal during Tuesday’s Senate meeting. The conversation revolved around the meaning of “fundraiser.” Executive Board, the group had not done any fundraising for the event, which invalidated their proposal as it was a requirement. • Student Senate also voted in favor of revising
the Constitution to make the job specifications for the Social Vice President more definite and clear for future applicants. • Because so much time was spent dis-
Endowment increases Continued from A1 tion. The University uses the interest gained from these endowments, but the principle is left untouched. Special projects however, like the Robert’s Chapel, are funded through private donations that are restricted for a specific use. “The new chapel is not an endowment funded project,” said Barnhart. “By definition an endowment exists when a donor donates funds to be held in perpetuity and allows the institution to use the earnings from those funds.” “Dr. Roberts left us the funds for the chapel intending that they not be held in perpetuity but rather spent to build the chapel in memory of his parents.”
cussing the Touring Choir’s proposal, there was not time to meet in the different task forces this week. Task force meetings will resume next week. ~ Brandon Reed
his son, who is now a freshman in high school, in cyber school. He said local schools are working with his family to allow his son to participate in extracurricular activities that are not available through cyber school. Waddel said he is not against public schools, but there are certainly problems within the system. He believes that the vouchers will force public schools to compete by offering better programs. This bill will force public schools to give up their near monopoly on students, he said. According to Waddel, charter and private schools are becoming very innovative.
“By definition, an endowment exists when a donor donates funds to be held in perpetuity and allows the institution to use the earnings from those funds.” Roy Barnhart Vice President for Business and Finance
In some cases, donors will give an endowment that will go towards either a merit-based or needbased scholarship. “Private scholarships aid our counselors to recruit more students,” said Director of Admissions, Sarah Zwinger, “and usually better academic students.” Other donations can be allocated for professorships, making the position more attractive to elite educators and further advancing the University. The Ohio Honors scholarship is one of the university’s largest endowments provided by a private donor. The scholarship provides one
student, who is going into a math or science major that is from Ohio, with full tuition, room and board, for four years at Waynesburg University. “Another example would be our State Scholars Scholarships,” Zwinger said. “This money comes from the institution but is probably funded through gifts from alumni, and allows us to offer high academic students a $2,000 scholarship simply for being from out of state.” By having a strong and increasing endowment, Waynesburg University can ensure financial stability and use the funds to generate future opportuni-
ties to advance the institution. The non-profit National Association of College and University Business Officers also released a recent study based on the data of 850 college endowments. The data demonstrated that 10-year annual investment returns averaged 3.4 percent — a number too low for healthy endowments, according to the study. In the last fiscal year, colleges spent an average of 4.5 percent of their endowments on operating expenses. Schools with endowments of $1 billion or more spent 5.6 percent — an increase from the previous year. So while the study did produce optimistic data for the most recent fiscal year and Waynesburg University ranked above average, national college endowments have not completely recovered from previous years.
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Campus reacts to turmoil in Egypt By Kyle Oland Staff Writer Four months ago, Danie Brush, a senior psychology major, visited Egypt’s Tahrir Square in twice every week as she studied abroad. “There were taxis flying past you, people running across the street, people wearing suits and carrying briefcases, women and children holding hands and talking with friends,” said Brush. “People were shopping and going out to eat. The atmosphere was very city like. Every minute of every day was rush hour in Tahrir Square.” Had Brush visited Tahrir Square last week, it would have been much different from how she remembered it. Over the past month Egyptian citizens have been rioting and protesting against Egypt’s government and President Hosni Mubarak. Tahrir Square has become the base camp for the riots, which have left many dead. “The people are adjusting to the riots in Tahrir Square, building tents and living there. They are building their lives around the riots. They feel like they are getting somewhere with the riots,” said Brush. “Before, it was young men, but now women and children are coming.” After a month of rioting, Mubarak stepped down as President of Egypt on Friday, Feb. 11, to the jubilation of Egyptians. When Brush studied in Egypt, she said she talked to many people who told her that the Egyptian government was corrupt and their leader was a dictator. Brush said that there were many events that led to the Egyptian riots. During Mubarak’s reign, he had plenty of money compared to most of the population, which was in near poverty. The people of Egypt became infuriated that prices in the country were inflating and Mubarak did nothing to help the situation since it did not affect him. Assistant Professor of History Dr. Noah Haiduc-
Dale said, “The people of Egypt are living in poverty and have an education but can do nothing with their education. They can’t get jobs with their education or better their lives.” Brush also said the citizens of Egypt felt the Egyptian police were corrupt. “It’s common knowledge among Egyptians that the police will beat you and torture you until you tell them what they want to hear, then they will let you go,” said Brush. While in Egypt, Brush said she heard one story from an Egyptian reporter who ran a story in the newspaper which ripped the police apart. As a result, the reporter was locked up and beaten until he wrote a more favorable story about the police. Over the past month, stories have been coming out of Egypt reporting police killing unarmed protesters. “When we think of police, we think of American police, but Egypt’s are much different,” said Haiduc-Dale. “The police in Egypt are tightly related with the dictator and do what he wants them to do.” Brush said she spoke to a few of her friends from Egypt after Mubarak stepped down. “They are proud of their people and are happy that he is no longer in control,” said Brush. “However, they know that the next few months, or even years, will not be very easy for them. They have a long way to go and are very nervous for what is about to happen next.” Haiduc- Dale said within the coming months Egypt could hold an election but also said Chief U.N. Nuclear Inspector Mohamed ElBaradei, Google Executive Wael Ghonim and the Muslim Brotherhood are all people to watch for. The changes going on in Egypt have Brush excited. “I would go back. When big things happen, you wonder, what would I be doing in this situation?” she said. “My Egyptian friends are still there, and I would want to be there with them.”
Waynesburg University students Shannon Bartley (left) and Jessica Sarnoskie pose in front of the Torre del Oro in Seville, Spain.
Photo courtesy of Jessica Sarnoskie
Spain full of ‘insights’ Continued from A1
Rosa and her son Juan,” Bartley said. “[The house] was about a 30minute walk from the school I worked at.” At the college, Sarnoskie and Bartley took four four-credit classes and one twocredit service learning
Seniors help local man Continued from A1 put to use in a different way. Long said after surveying people of the different churches he has worked at that most people responded to the surveys by saying they need most help with personal prayer and bible study. He also said 85 percent of Evangelical people never pray together as a family. He said this stems to nine out of 10 kids between the ages of nine and 20 leave the church and do not return. Long says this is because of the lack of action he saw at home. Long hopes his kneelers will bring prayer back into the home and also help revitalize the church-going community. He said that the kneelers are for people
course. Bartley volunteered at a convent and worked with young girls. “The trip was full of cultural insights, and I tend to look at things the U.S. does with a more critical eye,” Bartley said. “Spain is much more relaxed, and this can be seen in the scheduling of classes, which is not as structured as the U.S.” Sarnoskie enjoyed another part of the expe-
rience in addition to the views. “The school had a dance teacher, so while I was in a new culture I wanted to take advantage of that and decided to take flamenco dancing,” she said. Sarnoskie and Bartley believe that their experiences will help them later in life, especially because of their stronger grasp of the language. “I would like to work with the government
and having knowledge of Spanish will help me with job opportunities,” Sarnoskie said. Both girls agree that students should take advantage of the opportunities Waynesburg University offers to study abroad. “Do it. Travel abroad: It is such an experience,” Bartley said. “The earlier you talk to your adviser the better so you can fit it into your schedule.”
of all ages and youth models are available. “One of the forgotten groups in the church, because we are so youth oriented, is the 55 and older crowd,” Long said. “They honestly have possessed the most power in the church. They have a pretty good basis of knowing the Word, so they know how to pray. Instead of feeling like their life is over, I would love to energize that age group in every church to become true prayer warriors. Now he is looking for help from the students to get the product out and into the market. But, a marketing plan is not all Long is looking for from the students. Long said he is also hoping for their own contribution. “I was very interested in their input,” he said. “When I gave the presentation I had a
kneeler down there. I know what I was saying about family life and growing up in the church I think I was talking on a more personal level to the kids that were in the class. In their experience, I really think they understood what I was talking about it because they lived it. I am very interested in their input.” “The students have been gathering secondary research,” said Dr. Gordon McClung, chair for the department of Business Administration. “They have been finding out what denominations kneel, what the market size is and looking at how and where to market the product. They are also thinking of ways to redesign his website and design brochures.” McClung, said that Long contacted him and was looking for help with marketing the kneeler. McClung said when he presented it to the class they took to the idea and wanted to take it on as a class project. The class is still in the beginning stages of the marketing plan but
members are already starting to feel good about their chances. Dave Kerchner, a member of the group working with Long, said that he feels confident that they can develop a marketing plan that will succeed. “If we create an effective marketing plan I don’t see why it wouldn’t take off,” said Kerchner. “His competitors are building their product in their garage one at a time.” Long plans to use the Amish in Ohio to build his product. “The Ohio Amish are the best furniture in the whole Amish group,” said Long. “You’ll find the latest tools. It is kind of funny, there might not be electric in the house but there is electric in the wood shops.” Long says he feels good about working with the Amish. He feels like they understand what he is trying to do and accomplish with this product. The marketing group and Long plan to meet soon to collaborate and begin taking the next steps in marketing the kneeler.
Guest columnist Zac Stacey talks about studying abroad in China and overcoming the language barrier there. Read more on B2
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Monitoring program Water recycling process concerns activists to finish testing of Monongahela River MARCELLUS SHALE
By Sandor Mecs Staff Writer
The recent gas drilling has spurred us economically, but not everyone is happy. The geological formation laid down by dying organisms several hundred million years ago, the Marcellus shale plain extends far beyond southwestern Pennsylvania and contains vast reserves of coal and natural gas. The natural gas reserves rank as the second highest discovered on the planet, according to Marcellus Shale Coalition Spokesman Travis Windle. The estimated store of 516 trillion cubic feet would be equivalent to 87 billion barrels of oil in energy output, he said. “People these days love to overuse words like revolution or game changer – well, this really is that,” he said.
By Marisa van der Eijk Staff Writer
Infographic by Matt Giardina
With 189 wells drilled by 2011, Greene County is the fourth most developed county in the state in terms of gas extraction infrastructure, said Windle. Despite the surge in employment opportunities and gainful livelihoods, not everyone is welcoming the economic phenomena, mainly due to the hydraulic frac-
turing process or fracking. According to Loretta Weir, an activist at Marcellus Shale Protest, the gas extractors first drill down to the shale rock, then pump millions of gallons of water at high pressure to crack fissures into the formation. Up to 20 percent of this fracking water returns to the surface as
“flow back”, a mix of chemicals, industrial sand and water. Weir is protesting the recycling of this water back into local water supplies, a process she claimed is done in 14 municipalities, including Clairton, Pa. “These refinement plants are antiquated,”
Harmful chemicals are drastically affecting the well being of our environment and the health of the population. The Izaak Walton League of America, an American environmental organization, is taking a stand against the pollution with a program called “Citizen Watershed Monitors,” which tests the quality of the water. Started in December of 2010, the program is a response to the threat of Monongahela River being exposed to pollution and a lack of response and interest from the citizens. “It’s time to take
responsibility,” said Ken W. Dufalla, the President of the Izaak Walton League. The main purpose of Citizen Watershed Monitors is to maintain a functioning stream quality warning system and to form a continually updated database of area watersheds. “Prevention is the key to preservation,” Dufalla said. Jim Butler, the program facilitator for Citizen Watershed Monitors, is ready to address the cause of the pollution directly. “There is no excuse for inactivity,” Butler said. “We have a lot of irresponsible actions taking See TEST on B4
See RECYCLING on B4
Cornerstone provides Local hospital finds challenge in nurse shortage lifetime of smiles with new dental plan By Brandon Reed
Editorial Assistant
As the numbers for nurse shortages around the country and world are growing, Southwest Regional Medical Center in Waynesburg is doing its best to keep the staff they have. Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Regional Medical Center Cindy Cowie said, “The biggest challenge in a small hospital is competing against the benefits of a larger hospital, especially when compared to educational allowances.” According to Cowie, other challenges
“One advantage that we have at
Southwest Regional Medical Center is that we are close to home and family.” Cindy Cowie CEO - Southwest Regional Medical Center
include competitive salaries and the variety offered for nursing experiences compared to other hospitals. These shortages typically occur when a small hospital is within driving distance of a large hospital that could potentially “steal” nurses away from the small town
hospital, according to hubpages.com. Hubpages.com also reported that “Obamacare” is the reason 40 percent of American physicians closed their practices. Cowie said, “One advantage we have at Southwest Regional Medical Center is that we are close to home
and family.” Apart from their proximity, Southwest Regional also partners with the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation to help their nurses with scholarships so that they can go back to school and obtain their masters degree, said Cowie. Greene County does have some pretty heavy competition from hospitals in Morgantown and Washington, but Cowie said that their proximity to home and partnership helps them obtain scholarships, which is a large factor
By Kaitlin Edwards Managing Editor
Children have another reason to smile this month. February is Children’s Dental Health Month, and the county’s acknowledgement of this month sheds light on a program that is taking steps to help children and pregnant women properly take care of their teeth. After a census was taken last year, the results showed a significant lack of proper denSee SHORTAGE on B4 tal hygiene, so one
Greene County dental association took steps toward correcting this problem. Cornerstone Care created a program called “Smiles for Life,” which offers dental incentives and benefits for impoverished Greene, Washington and Fayette county residents. According to Richard Rinehart, chief operating officer of Cornerstone Care, less than one percent of the population of the counties was receiving regular dental treatments. See DENTIST on B4
Bowlby Library begins collecting pennies to raise money for gazebo By Natalie Bruzda Social Media Manager Utilizing two important February occasions, President’s Day and Love Your Library Month, the Eva K. Bowlby Public Library began a fundraising effort last week to raise money for a project that needed a little rejuvenation. Lincolns for the Library will raise money for a gazebo that, once built, will be used for outdoor activities. Although the fundraising efforts are only a week old, Bowlby Library has been working to raise funds for approximately two years. “We have plans to build a very large gazebo,” Public Relations
Director Kathy Douglas said. “We already have so much donated to it but we feel like it’s become forgotten and we’re trying to bring it back to the forefront.” Currently, the library has raised $11,000, but because the estimated cost of the gazebo is $20,000, Bowlby Library is $9,000 shy of its goal. According to Director Kathy McClure, she would like to start building the gazebo this summer but construction is dependent on whether or not the library has generated enough funds. “I’m very excited about the project,” she said. “I started the project two years ago and would like to see it come to fruition quickly.”
Bowlby Library has set out two, five-gallon water containers in the Children’s Department and the Circulation Desk, as well as a smaller container in the Literacy Department.According to Douglas, these locations were chosen because of the high traffic they receive. “We chose February because of its connection to President’s Day, but also because a lot of fundraising is done with pennies and we thought people would be more apt to spare their extra pennies,” McClure said. Once the $9,000 is raised and construction is completed, Bowlby Library will utilize the gazebo from spring to fall.
Photo by Amanda Rice
Eva K. Bowlby Library will be collecting pennies to help raise money to build a gazebo “The gazebo will expand room to have outdoor programming,” McClure said. “We will
be able to utilize yard and space. And I also thought it would be a nice thing to do with our
memorial money – a nice thing to have as a See LIBRARY on B4
YELLOW JACKET
Page B2
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Editorial
Banner yet waves We’re not entitled to be entertained Flag on campus should be retired The American flag is a fixture on Waynesburg University’s campus, especially given the town’s historical roots. Nestled between the Stover Campus Center and Eberly Library. The flag proudly flies every day, standing as a symbol of the nation’s strength and unity. Yet recently, the flag has been looking older, as the edges have begun to fray. One stripe—the bottom red one—is torn and beginning to separate from the rest of the flag. This is no way to treat such an honored national symbol. According to flagkeepers.org, the American flag should be retired once it begins to tear, looks worn or is stained. Waynesburg’s flag has proudly flown over the University for some time, but now the University must take the step to retire the torn and tattered flag— especially with President’s Day approaching. Many Boy Scout troops or members of the American Legion of Veterans of Foreign Wars accept these old flags and then perform a dignified ceremony to retire them by burning. The University must honor this tradition and treat the American flag with the respect it deserves by contacting one of these patriotic organizations to retire the flag. President’s Day is the perfect time to remember historical figures and retire an old flag, giving thanks for the sacrifices that others have made for this country.
Wasted space Keep bulletin boards up to date Bulletin boards advertising events, clubs, groups and organizations are located in several locations all over campus. Whether these boards are located in the Buhl Humanities Building, Paul R. Stewart Science Hall, Hanna Hall or the Stover Campus Center, these bulletin boards provide both full-time students and part-time students necessary information about campus life. The information presented is also a recruiting tool for the University and for potential students and parents touring the school. These boards are also invaluable resources when it comes to advertising and planning events, such as the events that the Student Activities Board hosts. Yet these boards are rarely used to their full potential. Many of the boards are not only cluttered with necessary information, but many of the flyers are out of date. Advertisements about events, speakers and singers from several weeks prior are still hanging up in several of the locations. This neglect reflects poorly on the school and does not provide any useful information to students. In other words, these boards can become a waste of space. Without up-to-date information, students and even faculty and staff can be misled about events. Better care needs to be taken of these boards so that they are no longer a waste of space.
I am sorry you’re so bored. I apologize that you are entirely disinterested by class because you chose to ignore the reading assignment for this week. It’s really too bad that you aren’t entertained during lecture or that no one is asking you to sit back and be stimulated by the essay questions on your exam. Oh wait, no one is here to perform for you. This is college. You signed up. Now wake up, grow up and show up. Our generation is dangerously dancing on the
SIERRA SHAFER Columnist
edge of an attitude that says we are entitled to the life we want. Entitled to have things done for us and handed to us. Maybe that’s how you grew up. Maybe your mommy filled out your college applications for you while you chilled in the basement with your bros, dawg. Well, your mommy isn’t here with you now – a fact you’re elated
‘Assessing’a few reasons not to whine Some students dread Assessment Day. It’s a day where all of our classes are cancelled, for tests and surveys. We sit through meetings that help the different departments of Waynesburg University gauge how their students’ educations are going. Whether you’re a freshman getting ready to take the
about when your curfew-free weekend roles around. You enjoy that freedom then. But come Monday morning it’s whine, whine, whine and excuses for work you didn’t do and how you cannot believe how ridiculous that assignment was anyway. What is ridiculous is the growing popularity of the belief that we should get to show up here for four years and get by with the bare minimum. It is ridiculous to think that you can get away with sleeping
KYLE EDWARDS Columnist
University Value Performance Survey, a sophomore preparing to take the math assessment exam, a junior looking to pass the critical thinking exam or a senior readying your résumé for the exit interviews, it all means the same thing. It means waking up early (for some of us) in the morning to face a day full of grueling tests, surveys and interviews that are only there to make our lives miserable, boring and all around
through classes and rolling your eyes at assignments that you can’t be bothered to do because you in all your wisdom have decided they are stupid. OK, we’ve all nodded off to the lulling voice of a monotone professor or blown off one or two assignments that just didn’t do it for you. I’ve done it too. Guilty. But then you recover. You pick up your own slack and get back to work. Because you want this. See TIME on B3
not fun. Only not really. Sure we’re college kids. Sure, we don’t like to get out of bed, especially not to take tests. But Assessment Day isn’t as bad as we make it out to be. In fact, I would much rather go through Assessment Day, than a day of classes. It’s a really big help to the departments because it gives them an idea of how much we students are learning from their classes. From the results of the exams and surveys, they can decide See NOT on B3
China’s great wall: the language barrier I am currently studying abroad at Xiamen University, located in the Fujian province in the South East part of the country. I left for China on Jan. 18 two days later, arrived in Hong Kong. A week in Hong Kong helped us to ease our way into the culture. While in Hong Kong we were allowed to tour the city freely and experience things that we may have never experienced while in the U.S. After being there for a week we left for Xia-
ZAC STACEY Guest Columnist
men. After studying here for seven weeks are going to start the history module of semester and travel around to Xi’ an, Beijing, and Shanghai. The students that are here with me all attend Christian Universities in the U.S. There is a student here that attends Messiah and there is a student here that goes to school
at Azusa Pacific, which is a school in California. So everyone here is from different parts of the U.S. This was our first obstacle as a group that we had to overcome. Just the idea of complete strangers coming together from all over and spending three months together was kind of frightening for all of us. After acquainting ourselves with each other and spending time with each other on a 15 hour plane ride. We pretty much new everything we had to
about one another and all became friends. Once we landed in mainland China the real cultural differences set in for all of us. Not only did we have differences with each other but now we have differences with everyone that we come into contact with. This was another frightening experience, mainly because no one in our group knows how to speak the language and this is all a learning See ADVENTURE on B3
YELLOW JACKET
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Page B3
Op-Ed
Time to start caring Continued from B2
GUEST COMMENTARY
Supreme Court must uphold constitution By Dan Czajkowski Less than an hour after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010, thirteen states filed a joint lawsuit against the federal government in United States District Court, seeking to block the sweeping overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system. Now backed by twenty-six states, the lawsuit has been successful in two Federal District Courts. While a Virginia judge challenged the bill’s mandate that Americans without health insurance must obtain it or face fines, a judge in Florida concluded in January that the insurance requirement is “not severable” from the rest of the law and that its unconstitutionality demands that the entire law “must be declared void.” This powerfully reasoned decision considers the implications that the passage of such a constitutionally unfounded law has for the future of public policy making and the rights of the American people. As is clearly indicated in the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers believed that a monarch, or any ruler, whether a person or a legislative body, should not have the power to force anyone to do anything. Early in the document, the Founders stated that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.” This notion, that the government’s power is granted to it by the people that it governs, is central to the kind of nation that the Founding Fathers envisioned. What the Founders did not want was another “long Train of Abuses and Usurpations” that would “reduce them [the people] under absolute Despotism” as the actions of King George did the
Not worth complaining Continued from B2 which areas they are teaching well in and which areas that they need to improve. Think of it as a report card for your professors. And you’re the one who decides what grade they get. Not only are you helping the faculty better your learning experience, but you are gaining life experience as well. For example.
colonists. Thus, it is a fundamental principle of American government that its power be limited and that it be unable to force any course of action upon any citizen. However, by passing a bill that requires Americans to purchase healthcare at the risk of being fined, the government has trampled on the fundamental notion of federalism and exceeded the powers granted to it by the United States Constitution. Still, defenders of the new law point to a constitutional provision that they believe empowers Congress to enact such legislation. That provision, commonly known as the Commerce Clause, is an enumerated power found in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. The clause states that Congress shall have the power “To regulate Commerce… among the several States.” Thus, supporters of the bill claim that because the Commerce Clause grants Congress the power to regulate activities that have an effect on interstate commerce, the act is fully legal due to the fact that health insurance is such a unique product that even “the act of not purchasing it constitutes involvement in interstate commerce.” This, however, is a radical and significantly flawed interpretation of the Commerce Clause because while the Supreme Court has broadly interpreted the clause in the past, it has never claimed that the clause allows Congress to force people to engage in specific commerce. As Judge Roger Vinson, the Florida Federal District Judge who ruled on the case states, “The power [claimed by the administration] is simply without prior precedent.” Additionally, considering that every decision an American consumer makes to buy or not to buy something has an effect on commerce, Congress would be able to
Freshmen students in the Department of Communication are required to create a résumé detailing all of their present and past experiences, both in and out of the department. They then sit down with all of their professors and discuss what they’ve learned in their first year at Waynesburg. This gives them a small taste of what legitimate job interviews will be like after they graduate. The same thing can be said for the seniors in the department. Although they may
regulate more than just healthcare because rather than simply regulating activity, Congress would be allowed to compel it. In his own findings of the case, Federal Judge Henry E. Hudson of Virginia, wrote, “The mandate doesn’t regulate commerce, as the Constitution allows, but instead regulates ‘a virtual state of repose - or idleness - the converse of activity.’” If the mandate is allowed to stand, then the ruling would grant Congress the power to regulate all human activity or inactivity, giving it essentially unlimited power. That is exactly the kind of power that the Founders never intended the government to have. If the Founders had intended such power, they would not have listed enumerated powers within the Constitution. The threat to the future of public policy making and to American freedom itself is clear. The Affordable Care Act is in blatant violation of not only the Constitution, but also the fundamental principle of the Declaration of Independence. It is, by far, the worst piece of public policy legislation to ever pass through the halls of Congress. While many Democrats are rushing to declare the plan a human rights victory of sorts, they seem to be oblivious to the inevitable result of their action: an America where the government is able to tell you what to do and when to do it. America was not meant for that sort of power and any law that grants it such limitless authority must be overturned. The issue will undoubtedly be decided in the Supreme Court and when it is, the Court must uphold the founding principles of this nation. Dan Czajkowski is a sophomore criminal justice administration major.
have already had plenty of job interviews in the past, the portfolio review that they are required to do gives them a chance to look back on everything they’ve learned and all the experience they’ve gathered from it, which will help them to create a better resume for their future job interviews. By participating in Assessment Day, you are helping yourself. You’re bettering the education you are recieving and will recieve from Waynesburg University. And it’s better than a day of classes.
So, Tuesday, when Assessment Day rolls around once again, don’t moan, whine, complain, gripe, groan, cry, pout or anything like that. Get up. Take the tests and surveys. Go to the meetings. Gain the life experience that this day is meant to offer you. Go out and help the University to better your education. Assessment Day may seem like it’s only there to make your life miserable, but in reality it’s a necessary part of each school year. And it’s better than a day of classes.
You want to be here. Even if mother dearest signed you up, you showed up and now here you are. And we need to do more than just show up. It’s about being present. It’s about getting involved. Go ahead, argue with me. Tell me that you’re doing just fine with your C average and that graduation is a sure thing. I’ll agree. You’re right. You can come and go around here, do as little work as possible, get your degree and move on. But see me in ten years. Chances are you’ll still be getting by, but just barely. I’m not telling you to sign up for a club, run for Homecoming queen or even vote in any online polls. I don’t even care if you do your homework. What you do with your four years here is your choice. It makes no difference to me. But it should make a difference to you. Life is tough. We all have to do things we’re aren’t stoked about and take classes that we think we’ll never pass and never use. But we do these things because it is all part of
Adventure ahead Continued from B2 experience for all of us. When we at first got here, simple things like trying to order food or ask where something was located was very difficult for us. As expected, thee language difference was a huge obstacle that we are still trying to overcome. Although, it is becoming a little easier because we are taking our Chinese language course so we are learning a little at a time. It’s a slow process, but we’re getting there. As everyone knows it is sometimes difficult being away from home, especially when you are on a completely different continent. The main thing that I have to say about this is I am very thankful for Skype. If there is ever a time that I am getting a little home sick I call home or even try to talk to my
the package deal, and really, it’s probably good for us. A little adversity never killed anyone. Toughen up. Like I said your mom’s not here. No one is going to tuck you in your little academic bed and read you a bedtime story. This is your education, your time to step up and earn something. Sure, you can probably get away with less. But no one is going to hand you anything great. Mediocre, sure, you might get some freebees there. So if mediocre is your thing, hang out in lazytown. Go ahead and join the rest of the students who are over there complaining about how they’d love to have a higher GPA but heck no, they aren’t going to class or buying any textbooks. Not a compelling arguement really. If you really wanted to do better, you’d do better. When we really want something, we make it happen; we go get it. We are not here to be babied or entertained. We are here to be advocates for our own education. So wise up. Or a few years from now you could find yourselves working for your former classmates; the ones who weren’t entitled to anything, but who earned it.
friends at school whether it is on Skype or on chat. I am very thankful for this way of communicating. In the next few weeks we are going to be travelling around China for a history module. In that we are going to get to see the Great Wall, the Terracotta Soldiers, the Forbidden City, and some other areas of China. I am very excited about that. opportunity to travel. Another thing that I am excited about is after touring around China we come back to the university and I get to take a Chinese cooking and painting class. So that is also something that I am looking forward to do. All of these opportunities futher motive me to adjust to a whole new life and learn a new language. Slow but steady, we’ll get comfortable eventually. Stacey is a senior international relations and political science major.
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Page B4
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Region
Humane Society begins taking donations for ‘Have a Heart’campaign By Amanda Wishner Editorial Assistant The local community is coming together in support of the Humane Society of Greene County, and, not to be overlooked, free ice cream. The student-organized “Have A Heart” campaign is currently underway as of Monday, Feb. 14 and continues until March 14. Residents of Greene County are encouraged to visit the Humane Society to donate money and food for the misplaced animals. In return, contrib-
utors will be rewarded with a coupon to the local Dairy Queen for a free small sundae. Lucia and Barry Kovell are happy to participate in the “Have A Heart” campaign. The couple has owned the Waynesburg Dairy Queen for 21 years and feel compelled to serve the community whenever they can, said Lucia Kovell. “I think it’s a different avenue for us to take,” she said. “We were happy to try to branch out. In helping the Humane Society, it also helps people who can’t
Photo by Amanda Rice
Lucia Kovell and her husband, Barry, own the Waynesburg Dairy Queen and say they are more than happy to help. afford to keep their animals or keep them in the right conditions.” Waynesburg University students Kelsey Bradley, Brent Heckel and Marsha Opacic con-
tacted the Humane Society as part of the curriculum for their Advanced Public Relations Strategies class, but since then, it has turned into much more than a class proj-
Regional Political Updates • After a public meeting Monday evening, Woda Group LLC, a development company with plans to build in Franklin Township, has withdrawn its application for the project. Woda Planned to build 50 single-family homes for low-to-moderate income families. Residents strongly complained, fearing lowered property values and higher crime rates. It is unknown if Woda will resubmit an application or give up the project. Craig Patterson, Woda V.P., said he hopes the community will eventually accept the project.
Recycling draws protest Continued from B1 she said “Plus, these guys are switching water from trucks marked ‘hazardous’ and putting them into trucks marked ‘residual’ and just putting it in our water.” She believes that current government oversight is corrupted and that only a grassroots pressure movement could preserve public health. “They’re buying everyone up. DEP is in bed with the gas compa-
River tests to begin Continued from B1 place and we have the technology to track it.”
Upcoming public meetings: •Commissioners’ Agenda Meeting: 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 2 •Assessment Board Meeting: 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 2 •Commissioners’ Board Meeting: 10 a.m. Thursday, March 3 Salary and Retirement Board Meeting: 11 a.m. Thursday, March 17 •Election Board Meeting: 11 a.m. Thursday, April 21. -By Stephanie Laing
nies. Our political arena has come to save the face of organized crime,” she said. However, Windle insisted that advocacy groups such as the Marcellus Shale Coalition are very much community minded, citing the coalition’s successful lobbying for increased well permit fees to provide funds in the event of any ecological mishaps. “We’re okay with that; we’ve nothing to hide here,” he said. “We want more inspections. We’re interested in educating people and not stooping to name calling.”
Shortage irks hospital staff to keeping nurses in Waynesburg. “In addition to these reasons, small hospitals offer great opportunities to highly motivated nurses because they can truly make a difference,” said Cowie. In many cases, those differences made by small hospitals are immediately visible to the nurses and that just motivates them more, she said. “Other challenges moving forward for us
is the age of nurses currently,” said Cowie. “Nursing is a physically challenging program and takes its toll as nurses get older.” Nurses are already in high demand around the country and world, and the more experience one has the older and more likely to retire they become, said Cowie. “Nurse shortages have not hit Southwest Regional truly hard,” said Cowie. “Because we have opened a new services line that offers diversification, this has brought people back to the area.”
Citizen Watershed Monitors uses trained volunteers who are already members of the Izaak Walton League, said Butler. The volunteers are individuals who are concerned with the pollu-
tion and want to protect the environment. “When a person is part of something, they take pride in it,” Dufalla said. There are currently 21 sites along the Monongahela River. By March, Dufalla plans to reach 31
sites. At each site, volunteers gather four important pieces of data: pH, temperature, total dissolved solids and conductivity, Dufalla said. Finally, when all the information is gathered,
Continued from B1
ect. “No words can describe how I feel about this organization,” said Bradley, a sophomore public relations major. “My group and I want to help them as much as we possibly can, and we really want students, faculty and members of the community to feel as compelled as we do.” Bradley says the response from the community has been more than helpful. “I was extremely happy to see how willing store managers were to put these little flyers in
their windows,” she said. “It made me feel like we were actually achieving something and people were listening.” Bradley, Heckel and Opacic will be selling paper hearts in the Campus Center Stover from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday of every week until the end of the campaign. The hearts cost $1. According to the Humane Society of Greene County, $5-8 dollars can feed one kitten for up to one week.
Lincolns for the library
on the lawn, as well have some built-in seating. Furthermore, the library will be targeting Continued from B1 all age groups. “We have a good summer reading program, as memorial for those who well as an after hours have donated to the program for children library.” ages seven and up,” Although the overall McClure said. “We look of the gazebo has won’t be able to use it yet to be decided, during the winter McClure knows that it months but it will be will be electrified to host able to expand some of events like movie nights our services a little.”
Dentist helps create smiles Continued from B1 “This program identifies a great need within the community,” said Rinehart. “We are working so this program will be able to help as many people as possible within these counties.” According to Donna Simpson, rural outreach coordinator for Cornerstone Care, participants can join the program at any point and can continue seeing their regular dentists as long as they decide to participate in the program. Members of the program have to follow the
the league can then send the data to different organizations in hopes of generating changes in the water quality. The data obtained from the site must be accurate, said Butler. “The creditability of the data is very important,” he said. Organizations such as the EPA and the DEP, decide whether the quality meets the states’ standards. It is very important to keep our water clean,
dentist-recommended treatment plan throughout the course of a year to be eligible for any of the prizes and giveaways. According to Simpson, more than 300 children and pregnant women have participated in this program. “We are working as hard as we can to educate people on the importance of taking care of their teeth,” said Simpson. “By having healthy teeth, people can also eliminate other health problems that might arise. Prevention is the best possible way to treat anything, and an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”
said Dufalla. “Once you get the ground water contaminated, there is no way to clean it up,” he said. “It’s in our constitutional rights to have clean water.” The league is concerned about the Monongahela River in particular because of its importance to the region as it drains the western slopes of the Allegheny Mountains in northern West Virginia, Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. It is also a major barge route, carrying coal, iron and steel. Dufalla said communication is very important. If there are going to be improvements in the environment, then the mining industry must listen to the people, he said. By listening to people, the condition our surroundings are in will improve drastically. “I see a wave of change coming,” Dufalla said.
Jessi Drayer has made a positive impact since her midseason transfer. Read more on C2
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Reversal J - 146, T - 107, W&J - 45.5 TWICE AS NICE comes Wrestling team captures second straight PAC crown full circle ACKETS
HIEL
By Dave Floyd Sports Editor
Dave Floyd Sports Editor
At the 2008 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships, the Waynesburg University wrestling team had just about hit rock bottom. A local kid, Waynesburg Central graduate Nick Garber, picked up two first-period falls en route to his first individual league crown and the PAC Most Outstanding Wrestler award. But other than that, the Yellow Jackets’ accomplishments were next to nothing. Just two grapplers finished as runners-up, and Waynesburg sent wrestlers to the mat in only six of the 10 weight classes. In addition, coming into the tournament, the Jackets’ dual match record stood at a dismal 011. Flash forward to the present day. The PAC Championships returned to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse this past Friday for the first time since that brutal showing three years ago. Again, that local kid scored two falls and took home individual PAC gold. However, it’s what the rest of the team did that’s worth noting. In those ’08 championships, the Jackets sent six wrestlers to the mat. This past Friday, the Jackets won six individual crowns. Talk about a turnaround. It didn’t take long for current head coach Ron Headlee and top assistant John Yates to change the course of the program for the better after taking over in 2008. In their first season at the helm, the Jackets went 10-4 in dual matches, including a sweep of PAC foes Thiel and Washington and Jefferson in the regular season. Last season, the coaching duo helped guide the Jackets to the first PAC wrestling title in school history. They also had two wrestlers win regional championships and qualify for nationals. One of them, that local guy again, became the first Waynesburg grappler to garner All-American honors since 2001. The other came up just a match shy. Nowadays, it’s almost cliché to talk about how remarkable the 180 truly
Last season, the Waynesburg University wrestling team ended Thiel’s 10-year run as Presidents’ Athletic Conference champions. This past Friday at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, the Yellow Jackets started their own streak. Waynesburg used six individual titles to break away from Thiel in the final round and capture their second straight league crown in the 2011 PAC Championships. “The way [our guys] wrestled was beyond what I thought [they would do],” head coach Ron Headlee said. “I just thought it was a total team effort. I didn’t think we had a bad effort on the mat in any of the three rounds.” The Jackets received some unfortunate news before the event even began. Freshman heavyweight Brandon Fedorka, the favorite at 285 pounds, learned he would have to miss the tournament due to an illness. Enter fellow freshman Marty Kisla. Kisla had been the starter at the beginning of the season when Fedorka was still with the football team, but he sported just a 5-9 record. “I told our guys I thought we could run away with the tournament and maybe that just made it a little bit closer,” Headlee said. “I had all the faith in Marty, though, to be able to step in and [perform well].” That’s just what Kisla did. The Houston, Pa., native took eventual champion Will Ringer of Thiel into multiple overtime periods before finally
Photo by Dawn Yates
(Above) Freshman Luke Lohr controls W&J’s Tyler Berger in the 149-pound championship bout. Lohr won the match, 7-1, earning himself his first individual PAC title. (Left) The entire wrestling team poses with their first place trophy after successfully defending their Presidents’ Athletic Conference crown. Waynesburg broke away from Thiel late to win it. dropping the bout, 6-4. He then put a fitting cap on the evening by defeating a former PAC heavyweight champion, Taylor Potts of Washington and Jefferson, 4-1, in the final match of the evening. Kisla’s victory brought Waynesburg’s final tally for the tournament to 146. Thiel finished in second with 107, while W&J was a distant third with just 45.5 points.
The only title Waynesburg scored before the final round went to senior Nick Garber. He clinched his second career individual PAC crown by pinning Thiel’s Jeff Hart in just 1:17 in the second round. The Waynesburg native prefaced this by scoring a fall against W&J’s Chris Leva in 6:18 after being hampered by an injury for much of the match.
“We just told him, ‘I know you’re injured, but you’re that much better than this kid; you got to find a way to get it done,’ and he did,” Headlee said. “He went out, came back with two pins and got the bonus points that we needed.” At the start of the third and final round, the Jackets held just a five-point edge on Thiel. However, Waynesburg picked up
five of their league-best six individual titles in that third round to clinch the championship. Waynesburg sophomore 125-pounder Alex Crown started off the round in dominant fashion, pinning Thiel’s Tyler Pier in just 1:28 to secure his second straight individual PAC crown. Then, three matches See WRESTLING on C3
SAINT VINCENT - 64, JACKETS - 57
Second-half lead evaporates, upset bid falls short Jackets drop to 0-4 against ranked teams By Aaron Thompson Assistant Sports Editor
When the Waynesburg women’s basketball team took the floor Saturday afternoon, it was looking for more than just its 17th win of the season. The Jackets, in the midst of their best season since 1994-95, had a chance to upset nationally ranked Saint Vincent and earn a signature victory. The contest was back See TEAM on C4 and forth for the entire 40
minutes, but in the end it was the No. 17 Bearcats (21-2, 13-1) who held off the Yellow Jackets (9-6, 16-7) and earned a 64-57 victory at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Bearcats junior forward Savannah Hardy converted a layup to break a 57-57 tie with 1:15 to go in the second half. Saint Vincent then tacked on five free throws as they scored the final seven points of the game. Turnovers and uncharacteristic poor shooting eventually became too much to overcome. Saint Vincent forced Waynesburg into a season-high 29 turnovers. “It was a combination
of things. We played sloppy, and our offense wasn’t moving like it usually does,” junior guard Hannah Hunter said. “Saint Vincent plays a zone defense that was difficult to penetrate. It’s unacceptable, and we can’t expect to win games if we take care of the ball like that.” Against the Bearcats, the story of the first half the series of scoring runs both teams were able to put together. Saint Vincent raced out to a quick 5-2 lead, and then Waynesburg answered with a 6-0 run to take an 8-5 lead. The Bearcats found a better shooting stroke and See RANKED on C2
Photo courtesy of Saint Vincent College Sports Information
Waynesburg freshman Elaine Hasek defends Saint Vincent’s Melissa Mansur in the teams’ game Saturday.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sports
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SAINT VINCENT - 82, JACKETS - 62
Drayer makes Men’s basketball loses 11th straight lead at positive impact Jackets half, outscored since joining team by 21 in second By Jon Ledyard By Brandon Reed Editorial Assistant It’s game night in Waterford, Ohio; that means no stores are open, no one is walking the streets, everyone is at Waterford Elementary School to see their Lady Wildcats play basketball. Jessi Drayer, a sophomore exercise science major, came from this small one stoplight town and is now making a big splash in the Yellow Jacket lineup this season. Drayer is already second on the team in assists (2.7 per game) and among the top five in scoring (9.9 ppg). She has scored in double figures in nine games, including a season-high 18 points against Westminster Feb. 2. “I feel like I haven’t played like this since high school,” Drayer said. At Waterford, Drayer is the school’s third all-time leading scorer with 1,331 career points. Drayer joined the Yellow Jacket team during the Christmas break from Mount Vernon Nazarene College. Her first game was Dec. 16 versus Hiram College. Drayer said that one of the main reasons for her transfer was her lack of playing time at Mount Vernon. Drayer said that when she decided she was going to transfer, the only person she thought of was Waynesburg’s head women’s basketball coach Sam Jones, who had recruited Drayer the summer before her freshman year at Mount Vernon. Drayer said Jones was a big reason she came to Waynesburg, for he helped make the transferring process a lot easier.
Ranked team bests Jackets Continued from C1 gained a 16-10 lead after an 11-2 scoring surge. However, the Jackets fired back by outscoring their opponents 12-5 over a five-minute span to regain a 22-21 edge. Ultimately, Waynesburg was able to hold off Saint Vincent to control the lead for the remaining minutes of the first half and held a 30-27 advantage at the break. The second half started out well for Waynesburg, but the Bearcats didn’t let Waynesburg gain further separation and had an answer for every Waynesburg run as the second half wore on. After Waynesburg junior forward Paige Pearce made a layup to stretch the lead to 36-28, the Jackets went cold, and the Bearcats slowly cut into
“I just made sure the girls took care of her, and I was very personal and made Drayer sure her transition was as simple as possible,” said Jones. Drayer said that she didn’t even know she was transferring until a few days before the fall semester at Nazarene ended. “I was thinking about it all weekend, then decided on Wednesday, told my team on Thursday and was driving here on Friday,” said Drayer. Drayer said that she finds it easier to play here, and that it is a different style of play. “I feel like it would be hard to add someone to your team like this,” said Drayer. “They have great team unity.” Jones said that Drayer adds to that team unity and is a great team player. “She is grateful for any opportunity she gets; she’s a great teammate,” said Jones. Not only does Drayer like the basketball atmosphere, she had a lot to say about the quality of education at Waynesburg as well. “I didn’t realize what I was missing,” said Drayer. Drayer said she wants to be a personal trainer with her exercise science major and really likes the program that Waynesburg has put together. She also said that her goal for the rest of the season is to make a deep Presidents’ Athletic Conference playoff run. “I want to stay focused and want to win,” said Drayer.
the lead. Over the next five minutes the Jackets were outscored 14-2. During that run the Bearcats got four points apiece from senior guard Maria Baroffio and junior forward Brittany Sedlock. Saint Vincent would keep a stranglehold on the lead until Waynesburg point guard Hannah Hunter gave Waynesburg a two-point lead on a three-point play with 8:28 remaining. The lead was short lived as Bearcats guard Emily Fenton put Saint Vincent back in front once again. Waynesburg kept within striking distance and tied it several times but could never regain the lead and fell to defeat in the final minutes. Sophomore Brittany Spencer and Hunter were two players in specific that struggled with turnovers for Waynesburg. Spencer collected 13
Assignments Editor As the buzzer sounded for halftime, Waynesburg clung to a one-point lead over the visiting Saint Vincent Bearcats after a first half that nearly mirrored the one the teams played back in January. Unfortunately for the Jackets, so did the second half. Despite leading 33-32 at halftime, the Yellow Jackets were outscored 50-29 by the Bearcats in the remainder of the game to give Saint Vincent (167, 8-4) a 82-62 victory Saturday and complete the season sweep of Waynesburg (5-18, 2-11). In their first matchup of the season, Waynesburg trailed only 28-25 after the first period of play before being outscored 45-22 in the second half. “We started off the game with great ball movement and were getting guys like Jeff [Young] the ball and allowing them to generate offense,”
Photo courtesy of Saint Vincent College Sports Information
Waynesburg junior forward Jeff Young (right) tries to score past Saint Vincent’s Dennis Bassich in the teams’ game Saturday at the Marisa Fieldhouse. said Waynesburg head coach Mark Christner. “We were not as good throughout the second half. We were good in spurts, but our ball movement wasn’t as good, and we didn’t get as many baskets in transition either.” Young led the Jackets in scoring with 16 points but only scored one point in the second half while shooting 2-7 from the free throw line. The Jackets as a team got to the charity stripe 26 times in the sec-
ond period but only made 13 of their attempts. It was the third game in the last four that the Jackets had shot under 60 percent from the line. “Jeff had pretty good energy in the first half, getting some steals and getting some baskets in transition,” said Christner. “In the second half we didn’t move as well without the ball offensively, and that hurt us. But Jeff missed [four of his five] free throw attempts
in the second half, so he was getting his shots; he just couldn’t knock down his free throws.” The Jackets struggled under the basket again, getting outscored 38-18 in the paint and outrebounded 51-35 by the Bearcats. “Rebounding has been a problem all year,” said Christner. “Some of it is that when you’re shooting a low percentage, there are a lot more rebounds See LOSING on C4
Men’s tennis set to begin 2011 season Jackets start campaign with just six on roster By Dave Floyd Sports Editor After finishing second in last year’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships, the Waynesburg University men’s tennis team is set to open their 2011 campaign. The Yellow Jackets begin their new season this Saturday in Erie,
Pa., against Penn State Behrend. Match time is yet to be determined. Waynesburg will look to build upon their runner-up finish with only six players on their roster. That list includes four returning starters, one returning reserve and one newcomer. Last season, numberone singles player Peter Mally teamed up with number-three singles player Emile Khoury at first doubles. That tandem is back again this season, Mally a junior and Khoury a senior.
“Against Saint Vincent we beat ourselves with turnovers. We turned it over at inopportune times and had a lot of unforced errors. We know now what we need to do to improve.” Sam Jones Head women’s basketball coach
points and seven rebounds but shot just 5of-15 from the field. Meanwhile, Hunter finished with just six points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Hunter had eight turnovers and Spencer turned the basketball over five times. The duo combined to miss all five three pointers they attempted. “Against Saint Vincent we feel we beat ourselves with turnovers,” head coach Sam Jones said. “We turned it over at inopportune times and
had a lot of unforced errors. We know now what we need to do to improve.” Senior Elisha Jones scored a game-high 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead Waynesburg. She also recorded six blocks. Sedlock had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Bearcats, while Baroffio tallied 14 points. The loss was the Jackets second in a row (the Jackets fell earlier in the week to Thomas More 93-
Head coach Ron Christman will also welcome back another doubles team from last season. Sophomores Jason Logan and Jon Anderson, who played together at third doubles a year ago, return for the 2011 campaign. In 2010, Logan played at number-five singles, and Anderson played at number-six singles. Sophomore Joe Kromer, who is returning for his second year in the men’s tennis program, and freshman Nate Huffman fill out the rest of the Jackets’
roster. Lost to graduation from last year’s team are Jeff Canning and Adam Woodruff, who played together at second doubles. Canning performed at numbertwo singles, while Woodruff was Waynesburg’s numberfour singles player. After Saturday’s match at Penn State Behrend, the Jackets have over a month to prepare for the rest of their schedule. Their second match is not until March 23 at Marietta.
65), and that meant their record fell to 0-4 against ranked teams this season. Both No.1 Thomas More and No. 17 Saint Vincent swept the Jackets this season. “We showed up to the Thomas More game, myself included, not focused and definitely not ready to play,” Hunter said. The good news for Waynesburg is that they did clinch a home game in the first round of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament that is fast approaching. The tournament starts Tuesday, Feb. 22 and will mark the first time the Jackets have hosted a playoff game since 2004-05. “Everything is going pretty well right now, and I’m sure everyone involved with the team is proud of what we’ve done so far,” Hunter said. “But, we can’t just settle for a good season.” The Jackets were set to try to bounce back this
week. On Wednesday, they faced off with Washington and Jefferson. The results of that game were unavailable at press time. The Jackets complete their regular season Saturday when they travel to Beaver Falls to take on Geneva College. Waynesburg hosted Geneva at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse back on Jan. 19 in the teams’ first meeting. The Jackets forced 24 turnovers and used a 17-6 run at the beginning of the second half to propel them to a double-digit victory, 64-54. In the game, Jones just missed out on a doubledouble, pouring in a game-high 22 points and pulling down nine boards. Spencer did notch a double-double by scoring 14 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. The Jackets and Golden Tornadoes will tip off at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
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Sports
Johnston, Schubert honored as Athletes of the Week By Jon Ledyard Assignments Editor The women’s track and field team’s third trip to Morgantown, W.Va., this indoor season produced this week’s Yellow Jacket Women’s Athlete of the Week in thrower Carly Schubert. The junior defeated nine other women in the shot put, including West Virginia University thrower Chelsea Carrier, with a throw of 11.79 meters (38’ 8.3”) Saturday at the West Virginia Gold/Blue Meet. Schubert’s toss was a seasonbest and earned her first place in the event. The performance came after placing eighth in a 44-woman field at the Jim Wuske Invite one week earlier.
Above photo by Dawn Yates, File Photo at right
(Above) Junior 157-pounder Garrett Johnston controls his opponent in a bout earlier this season. (Right) Carly Schubert won the shot put Saturday at the West Virginia Gold/Blue Meet. There were no team scores at the Gold/Blue Meet. Waynesburg track and field teams are back in
action again Saturday when they travel to Marietta, Ohio to compete in the Marietta Open. Junior wrestler Garrett
Johnston picked up the Yellow Jacket Men’s Athlete of the Week award after his dramatic pin of Thiel’s Alec Miller in
overtime all but clinched the conference championship for the Yellow Jackets. Johnston’s thrilling victory came
Wrestling repeats
Jackets return to national rankings
Continued from C1 later, Waynesburg freshman 149-pounder Luke Lohr continued his impressive campaign by handling W&J’s Tyler Berger 7-1. Crown had only defeated Berger by a score of 2-1 in the two teams’ dual match earlier in the season. “All year, he’s fun to watch in the practice room, he’s fun to watch out on the mat,” Headlee said. “You know he’s going to give you 100 percent. Just watching him on his feet and his style, he’s just a lot of fun to watch.” The 157-pound championship bout proved to be the backbreaker for the Tomcats. That match pitted Waynesburg junior Garrett Johnston against Thiel’s Alec Miller. Johnston had only bested Miller in the teams’ dual match, 3-1, with a buzzerbeating takedown, so each team knew it would be a pivotal bout. Tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, the match went into overtime. There, Johnston used a pinning combination from a defensive position to score a fall at 9:37 and take home his first individual PAC trophy. “I knew my match was the [deciding factor] if it was going to be close or if we were going to pull away,” Johnston said. “I just kept going. I knew it was going to be close, and there [wasn’t] really any room for a mistake. I just remember thinking to myself the last time we
with the two 157pounders tied at 1-1 after regulation. It was Johnston’s second victory by fall after he pinned Washington and Jefferson’s Roja Stephenson just before the end of the first period in the second round of the tournament. The victory gave Johnston his first Presidents’ Athletic Conference title and helped the team win their second in as many years. Waynesburg finished the tournament with 146 points, while Thiel ended up with 107 and Washington and Jefferson had just 45.5. Waynesburg is next in action when they compete in the Midwest Regional on Feb. 26 at Wasbash College in Indiana.
Photos by Dawn Yates
(Above) Waynesburg’s six individual PAC champions pose after the tournament Friday night at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. The Jackets repeated as conference champions by besting Thiel and W&J. (Left) Freshman 285pounder Marty Kisla, who filled in for regular starter freshman Brandon Fedorka, battles W&J’s Taylor Potts in the final bout of the evening. Kisla won the match 4-1 to place second in the heavyweight bracket and fittingly cap the Jackets’ second straight PAC title. went on our feet in overtime, ‘I’m going to take him down; I’m going to win it right here. “To get that pin, that was just lucky,” he added. “It happened, but the takedown was really what I wanted.” At 174 pounds, Waynesburg junior Jared
Roberts had the opportunity to clinch the tournament title for his team with a win and enough bonus points. Roberts did just that, scoring the fastest fall of the night in just 54 seconds over W&J’s Eric Kohr. It was Roberts’ second fall of the evening, and for his efforts, he was named the PAC Outstanding Wrestler Award. “It’s been a goal of mine all year long,” Roberts said. “I feel like I could have gotten it before in the past couple years, but things just did-
n’t go my way. I think hard work really paid off.” In the next bout, Waynesburg sophomore 184pounder Cody Catalina claimed the Jackets’ final individual title of the night, defeating Thiel’s Billy Roosa to the tune of a 6-2 decision. This was after he had already beaten pre-tournament favorite Stefen Firmstone of W&J, 4-2, in Round Two. “I told Cody, ‘[Firmstone’s] coming off of a loss, starting to doubt himself a little bit, so it’s the perfect time for you to
wrestle him,” Headlee said. “I thought that was one of the better matches Cody wrestled.” Along with Kisla’s second-place finish, two other Jackets picked up runner-up honors. They were junior 133-pounder Rico Borz and freshman 165-pounder Sam Lombardo. Borz wrestled well in defeat in the 133-pound championship bout against Thiel’s Corey Brown. Brown, a two-time All-American could muster only a 6-4 decision over Borz. Lombardo won his first match of the night, defeating W&J’s David DiBenedetto, 3-1. After the competition had ended, Headlee learned he had won his second straight PAC Coach of the Year award.
After a brief hiatus from the National Wrestling Coaches Association team rankings, the Waynesburg University wrestling team returned to the Division III top 30 with its highest ranking of the season when the latest listings were released. The Jackets end the regular season as the 27th-ranked team in the country, according to the NWCA. When Waynesburg was last in the rankings in January, they were ranked 30th in all of Division III. The Orange and Black dropped out of the listing despite going 12-2-1 on the season and going undefeated since mid-December, a stretch that included seven-straight dualbout wins and two tournament championship. Waynesburg sits one slot ahead of SUNYBrockport, a team the Jackets bested at the Baldwin-Wallace Tournament in Berea,Ohio, Feb. 5. Interestingly enough, York College (Pa.) is ranked 14th in the team rankings. York has a worse record (19-4-1) and lost to the Jackets earlier in the season (The two teams did wrestle each other twice, but they tied the other match). Along with Waynesburg’s team success, sophomore 125pounder Alex Crown also rose in the NWCA individual rankings, moving up from ninth to eighth in the country. Crown is currently 25-2 on the season and has won 15 straight bouts, including individual titles at the Waynesburg Invitational and the John Summa Memorial Tournament.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sports
Track and field sets six school records Athletes compete at WVU in Blue/Gold meet
Continued from C2
By Nate Regotti Staff Writer The Waynesburg University indoor track and field teams traveled to Morgantown, W.Va., Saturday. The men and women competed in the West Virginia University Blue/Gold meet. There were no team scores at the event; it was an individual competition only. Senior Trale Merz led the Yellow Jacket men in the track events with a first-place finish in the 200-meter dash. He just missed out on beating his own school record with a time of 24.03 seconds. Just behind him was junior sprinter Jordan Wrask with a time of 24.14 seconds, while freshman Steven Snow rounded out the top-three Waynesburg finishers in the event with a time of 24.90 seconds. Wrask also set a new school record with a thirdplace finish in the 60meter dash. Wrask completed the event in just 7.3 seconds. Merz also set a new program record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.09 seconds. Merz and Wrask
Team makes turnaround Continued from C1 was. But after the most recent chapter of the story, it’d be difficult not to mention. Especially when one considers where the program was the last time it
Losing skid reaches 11
File Photo
Senior Trale Merz, shown here in a previous year’s outdoor meet, placed first in the 200-meter dash at Saturday’s West Virginia University Blue/Gold meet. teamed up with freshmen Justin Angotti and Ethan Smith to set a Waynesburg record in the 4x400 meter relay race. The quartet won the event with a time of 3:38. Freshman Matt Giardina took home second place in the one mile run on the day. He crossed the finish line in 5:01.27. The men also turned in school record performances in the field events. Freshman David Cobb broke the three-year-old school record in the long jump with a distance of 5.94 meters (19’ 6”). Sophomore Doogie Sanner, who was one of the team’s top javelin
throwers last season, shattered the program record mark in the triple jump by almost a full meter after recording a leap of 12.44 meters (40’ 9.8”). The women’s team set a few school records of their own. Sophomore Rhea Huwe set a new Waynesburg mark in the 60-meter dash. Huwe turned in a time of 8.58 seconds and was the top finisher among competitors who were not from WVU. Senior Mikey Macosko set the new women’s record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.84 seconds. Macosko joined fresh-
man Kayla Shacklock, senior Maria Shepas and freshman Bre Paul to compete in the 4x400 for the Jackets. The group placed second in the event with a time of 4:28.97. Shacklock finished sixth in the 200-meter dash. She ran a time of 28.26 seconds. Waynesburg was led in the field events by junior thrower Carly Schubert, who bested nine other women to win the shot put with a throw of 11.79 meters (38’ 8.3”). Both teams will be back in action this Saturday when the Jackets head to Marietta, Ohio to take part in the Marietta Open.
hosted the league’s biggest event. On the same stage it faltered on three years ago, it thrived on this time around. In ’08, the Jackets lost by nearly 100 points. This season, they bested W&J by over 100 points and even separated themselves from secondplace Thiel by almost 40. It’s all come full circle
for the Jacket wrestling program. The talent’s there, the depth’s there and the mindset is there. Said junior Jared Roberts, this year’s PAC Most Outstanding Wrestler: “I think right now winning the PACs is a pretty big deal, but eventually, as coach keeps building up the program,
it’s just going to be a common thing. Winning regionals and placing high at nationals, that’s going to be what’s the big deal.” Maybe that starts earlier than Roberts is projecting. Headlee believes his squad is one of four who can win the Midwest Regional, which is only nine days away.
out there to get. We always talk about turning and looking to find someone to box out; however, the rebounding errors continue, and its something we still need to keep working at.” The Jackets got another strong performance from junior forward Lou Galante. Galante knocked down four three-pointers for 14 points, the same amount he scored the last time the two teams met. After scoring 18 and 16 points respectively against Thomas More last Wednesday, it was another rough day for Waynesburg captains Steve Iser and James Allenby, who combined for only six points and five rebounds against the Bearcats. For the second straight game freshman point guard Nick Herman did not knock down a single shot from the field. However, he did finish the game with five assists and no turnovers. “Nick has had a really nice year stepping in and starting every game with Ben [Altmeyer] being hurt,” said Christner. “He needs to pick and choose his spots and he’s done a better job of distributing lately and playing some strong defense against [B.J.] McGill, one of the better players in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. “Our offense isn’t equal opportunity, and Nick does a nice job of getting us set offensively and not turning it over.” McGill, Saint Vincent’s senior point guard and top scorer, was held to only four points, well under his season average of 16 points per game. However, the Bearcats found their offense in other
ways, getting 28 points from guard Dennis Bassich and 18 points and 12 rebounds from forward Tauvon Pettiford. The Jackets have now lost 11 straight games and are still winless at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, dropping 12 in a row at home dating back to last season. However, according to Christner, spirits are still high, and the team continues to work hard at improving. “Guys have bought into the team aspect and are putting forth great effort off the court to hang out,” said Christner. “You want guys to have a good experience and wins are definitely a part of that. The team is playing hard together, and we just have to keep trying to make enough plays to be on the right side of the scoreboard.” Waynesburg’s next contest was Wednesday at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse against their archrival Washington and Jefferson College (9-14, 6-6). The Presidents embarrassed the Jackets when the teams met in January, defeating them 86-45. Results were not available at press time. The Jacket’s regular season finale is Saturday in Beaver Falls against Geneva (17-6). The Golden Tornadoes won the teams’ first matchup of the season, 81-66. Just like in their game against Saint Vincent, Waynesburg held a onepoint edge at halftime in that contest; however, Geneva shot 59 percent from the floor in the second half en route to the 15-point victory. Young led the team in scoring with 12 points. He also came just one rebound shy of a doubledouble with nine boards. Tip-off for the second meeting is at 7:30 p.m.
After Mubarack’s resignation, Egypt gets back to business. Read more on D4
Thursday, February 17, 2011
‘Striving for Justice:’ Tutu preaches equality
Serious comedy
By Jessica Schinkovec Staff Writer
Photos by Lisa Jaeger
“Glenside” is an original one-act play written by Eddie Powers, associate professor of theatre. The play will be performed on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center.
Original play to be performed by alumni
Striving for Justice, Seeking Common Ground On Valentine’s Day, Naomi Tutu spoke in Alumni Hall as a part of Who’s Your Neighbor Week. Naomi Tutu is the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work for freedom and human rights. Tutu spoke on the topic of “Striving for Justice.” She said in order to find common ground some people believe that society must admit that everyone is the same, and if they admit that everyone is all the same and will get along. Those people believe that society should be like children because they do not see differences, but that is not the case at all. Tutu said that children, in fact, do see differences, but it is that children are not afraid of the differences. “We are all human, made by an image of God,” Tutu said when speaking of how people may not all be the same but are all people. Tutu spoke very strongly on how people should not judge others based on race or gender. “It is so easy to label and to decide that you know someone based on the way that they look,” said Tutu. “When you decide that you know someone based on See TUTU on D3
By Rob Griffith Staff Writer A group of Waynesburg University students, alumni and faculty have the unique challenge of bringing a facultyauthored play to the stage for its first performance. The Waynesburg Players will present “Glenside” in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26. The play is a one-act drama, originally written by Eddie Powers, associate professor of theatre, and the public is cordially invited to attend both performances. “We have a playwriting class, and we’ve had some success with our students,” Powers said. “It’s very exciting for students to have their work performed on stage and I just thought it’s about time somebody around here sees some of my work.”
The play tells the story of two older men, who after losing their wives, have a chance meeting while visiting their wives’ graves in the same cemetery. They bond over a shared sense of loss and find solace in each other’s help, Powers said. Despite the subject matter, Powers hopes audiences will find some laughs and light-heartedness. “The interesting thing is, when I started writing, I wanted it to be a comedy. But it turned out to be serious,” Powers said. “It’s a drama, but we hope it has some lighter moments in it.” Powers originally wrote the play as a graduate student and drew on experiences from his youth when developing the play’s themes and setting. “When I was a youngster I grew up next to a cemetery,” Powers said.
Steel drum group to perform Feb. 27 By Alex Hinton Staff Writer
“When I was given the assignment to write a play, I recalled some things that happened in my youth in the cemetery, and thought it would be an interesting setting to write a play.” Powers has a dual role, working simultaneously as the play’s director and as one of its leading actors. “It offers a couple challenges: the challenge of adapting my words, but also performing,” Powers
said. “I started out as an actor, and I still have the actor in me. I still feel the need to get on-stage myself, and this turned out to be a nice balance.” Alumni and current students are also taking part in the play. Returning alumni Matt London and Dan Wozniak, and last year’s star of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” Sable Griedel assisted with the production. See PLAY on D2
Students will have a chance to travel around the world through cultural music and escape the stress of the day without actually leaving campus next Wednesday, according to Dr. Ronda DePriest, director of the Music Program. The world renown steel drum jazz group Resonance will perform as part of the Performing Art Series on Feb. 27 in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center. It is open to the public. The cost is $5 for nonstudents and free for students.
“I think it’ll be one of those concerts the audience can really get into,” DePriest said “They can feel transported.” According to the group’s website, www.resonancesteel.com, Resonance blends the sounds of Trinidadian calypso and soca, West African drumming, Brazilian bossa nova and samba, Jamaican reggae and American jazz and funk. Members of the ensemble have also performed and studied on five different continents, contributing to their global knowledge of music. “They’re very reggaeSee JAZZ on D2
WWJD Center offers opportunities to students, praise services By Jason Logan Staff Writer The acronym for the WWJD Center, located at 325 Third St in Waynesburg, stands for West Waynesburg Jesus Distributor, and distributing compassion for Jesus is exactly what the center is doing for this community. “Our mission is taking the heart of God into the heart of the community,” said Pastor Cathie Carpenter. Carpenter has been with the program since it began in 1995. “[The WWJD Center] offers Christ in a real way,” said Carpenter. “It has brought hope to the West Waynesburg
area.” Although the center is its own church with a congregation, Carpenter said WWJD is much more than solely a congregation that meets on Sunday morning. The center remains active throughout the week with programs every weekday, including a praise and prayer service, two afterschool programs, a bible study and even dart ball. With such a busy schedule of activities, Carpenter
needs help to reach this community. Approximately 25 to 40 students from
the University volunteer with the WWJD center, said Carpenter. Sophomore middle
school education major, Colin Wilson is involved with the Kids Café program.
Photo courtesy of Sarah McCoy
“This is a great opportunity to help kids and See CENTER on D2
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Arts & Life
Students invited to perform original works at Open Mic Night next Tuesday By Sarah Bell Editorial Assistant Music, poetry and free food are available for students who attend Muse and Stone’s Open Mic Night on Feb. 22, said Martin Cockroft, advisor of Muse and Stone. Students are invited to read their work, play a song or listen to other students and faculty members perform. “I think sometimes that once you get hooked on participating, you per-
form and it gets in your blood to kind of go and do it again,” Cockroft said. “I think any event that encourages student artistic pursuits is very important for the life of an academic community. And this is one of those kinds of events.” Sarah Rizzi, Muse and Stone executive editor, agrees that there are some people who perform at each event. “It’s a lot of fun and a good place to be if you are a writer or musician
because you can get your stuff out there,” she said. “There are a lot more talented people around here than people realize and it is cool to see what they have been working on.” The event will take place in the College Town Diner from 8-10 p.m. as of presstime. Members of Muse and Stone, Waynesburg University’s journal of literature and art, are hosting the event. According to Cockroft, it is beneficial to
hold the event off campus. “I realize there are places to hold these events on campus, but we enjoy supporting local businesses and getting students off campus. I think that some of the spaces on campus are stale and lifeless and we try to find a venue that doesn’t feel that way,” Cockroft said. “We have held events at College Town Diner now twice See OPEN on D3 Photo courtesy of Sarah McCoy
The WWJD program provides the participants with opportunities to go on excursions to various places.
develop friendships,” he said. “It has really opened my eyes to the poverty of this area and the families in need.” The Kids Café is an afterschool program where college students provide tutoring, games, snacks, dinner, mentoring and an overall healthy Christian atmosphere for elementary and middle school students in the Waynesburg area. Children are taught teamwork, proper manners and social skills. “It is really good to know that we’re making a difference one kid at a time,” said Wilson. Another major part of the WWJD mission is that of their newly acquired building, which was a for-
mer bar, West Sides. “I don’t feel we own the building, God does,” said Carpenter. This building is located just down the road on Route 21 from WWJD’s primary location. It houses numerous activities and programs including Youth in Action, a group that provides children from sixth grade and up with a safe, Christian environment where students can meet to talk about teen issues and how to deal with them, Carpenter said. In addition, West Sides also hosts a recovery group based on Alcoholics Anonymous and even doubles as the church’s social hall. “It is truly an exciting place to be,” said Carpenter in regards to the WWJD program as a whole. “It’s amazing to see where it started and how it has grown with God’s work.”
the student crew and returning alumni and of the bonds shared by people working together in live theatre.
“It’s a small cast, but the camaraderie is what I’ve always liked about it,” Bush said. “I’ll miss it when it’s done.”
Center helps children Continued from D1
Photo by Greg Reinhart
Ace of Hearts During the Noon Tunes performance in the Benedum Dining Hall by Mikal on Feb. 14, students decorated heartshaped cookies in honor of Valentine’s Day.
Play to be performed Continued from D1 “When I first began, I was just reading lines with him,” Griedel said. “And then it kind of morphed into me being the assistant director. So now at almost every rehearsal, I watch and give my input, and basically make sure everything’s running smoothly.” According to Griedel, the play is written in a clever and enjoyable way. “It’s different because our director, who we’re all used to, wrote it,” Griedel said. “But comparing them to other one-acts, it’s
probably my favorite. Even though I’m not acting in it, the writing is really charming.” Perhaps the most unlikely member of the play’s cast and crew is Dr. James Bush, professor of mathematics, performing on stage in a lead role for the first time in 20 years. “This is a much bigger and more central role than anything I’ve ever, ever done,” Bush said. “I walk on stage two or three minutes after the play begins, and don’t leave until the play ends. No breaks. I have to be on constantly.” Though new to lead roles and top billing, Bush has an acting background. He performed in student productions as a professor at Chatham University.
Bush performs regularly as a host of WCTV’s “Math TV,” but finds live acting to be an entirely different experience.
“In stage work, there’s no room for error,” Bush said. “You can’t say ‘cut,’ or edit or reshoot it.” Bush spoke highly of
Thursday, February 17, 2011
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Arts & Life
‘Women and Media’ workshop to be presented by TPS Waynesburg University’s Teaching with Primary Sources will host a topic-specific Level I professional development workshop titled “Women and Media: A History through Primary Sources,” Thursday, Feb. 24. The workshop will be presented by Dr. Elesha Coffman, assistant professor of history at Waynesburg University. The workshop will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. in room 104 of the Center for Research and Economic Development. A light dinner will be provided. Workshop participants will gain Library of Congress resources and information related to the study of women’s history, with a special emphasis on media representations of and by women. Prior to graduate school, Coffman spent time as a magazine editor and her research addressed the role of print media in creating social networks and community identity in the early twentieth century. She also teaches women’s history. Following the presentation, participants will engage in small group discussions focused on primary sources from the Library of Congress’ online collections, including “Women of Protest,” “Women Come to the Front,” and other readyto-implement classroom activities. Certified teachers in Pennsylvania are eligible. Other educational professionals are eligible as space allows. Participants will earn three Act 48
activity hours. To register for the workshop, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3ZMPRFX. Teaching with Primary Sources is funded through the Library of Congress and is administered through Waynesburg University. The Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program was initiated at Waynesburg University in 2004 as a pilot and was officially launched by the Library of Congress in 2006. Waynesburg University TPS continues to serve educators throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Waynesburg University Teaching with Primary Sources program is a professional development provider for in-service and pre-service educators. The TPS program works with schools, universities, libraries and foundations to help teachers use the Library’s vast collection of digitized primary sources to enrich their classroom instruction. Founded in 1849 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Waynesburg University is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, with three adult centers located in the Pittsburgh region. The University is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and is one of only 27 Bonner Scholar schools in the country, offering local, regional and international opportunities to touch the lives of others through service.
Tutu visits campus Continued from D1 race or gender, you close off the opportunity of actually getting to know that person.” She told a personal story that showed how easy it is for people to judge based on first impression and how they can miss an opportunity of being blessed by those people and their experiences. “As long as we are comfortable with simply labeling others, then we set ourselves up to being comfortable with that when those people are present,” Tutu said. Tutu spoke of her hero Nelson Mandela. When he was in prison people told the guards to be prepared for a violent man
Jazz band set to play Continued from D1 jazz oriented. I love reggae music,” DePriest said. “I’m looking forward to the rhythmic elements. I think it’ll be really upbeat.” Resonance has been performing in southwestern Pennsylvania for the past eight years, the website said. The group consists of five members, including Dan Meunier
Open Mic scheduled Continued from D2 and we are going to do it at least two more times
Photo by Amanda Rice
Naomi Tutu spoke as part of the Who’s Your Neighbor Week celebrations on Feb. 14 in Alumni Hall. She is the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. who hated white people. When those guards were interviewed, they said that he was very respectful, how he asked about their lives and families and cared about their well being. “It is important to let people know that we see them as human beings, people of God. It is impor-
tant to treat people with respect so you can have the chance to hear their stories,” Tutu said. When Tutu finished speaking she gave time for questions. Tutu said, if you fight back it will be a never ending fight. “If we say we strive for justice and want to live in a just community then we
are challenged to recognize the humanity of all,” Tutu said. Sophomore Criminal Justice major Annastasia Hartnett said; “I really enjoyed listening to Naomi Tutu speak; she was amazing. Everything that she said really made me think of how easy it is to judge someone.”
and Phil Webster both on steel drums and percussion, Jay Weaver on guitar, George Elliott on bass and Subha Das on drums and percussion. DePriest said that Webster, who was recently a Waynesburg University faculty member, is the reason she and the Student Activities Board found out about Resonance. Webster was part of the percussion ensemble at the University. He also taught percussion lessons. Along with being a part of Resonance, Webster is in the River City Brass
Band, which is on tour this semester. “I hope we have a big turnout. Phil [Webster] is great,” DePriest said. “Students have really enjoyed him. He has a good sense of humor that I think they’ll see it on stage.” According to Pat Bristor, director of the Student Activities Board, the Performing Art Series is part of SAB’s planning. The SAB has a committee called Performing Arts and Culture, which plans the on-campus concerts as well as theater trips.
They plan three programs per semester, Bristor said. Bristor said she has worked with her staff and DePriest for the past several years to identify potential groups for the Performing Art Series. DePriest and Bristor both stressed that this is an event that they hope many students will attend. “It’s an opportunity for students to experience another night of fine music,” Bristor said. “I wish there was another way to get more students to come.”
this semester; we are really happy with the location – it feels lived in.” Cockroft also believes that events should be held in off campus locations because it not only impacts the students, but
the local community as well. For this reason, Muse and Stone events have been held in downtown Waynesburg rather than on campus for years. “My impression is that students rarely explore downtown Waynesburg. As this campus tries to become more residential, which it has over the last 10 years, I think there needs to be more support of the local community,” Cockroft said. “When choosing our location we try to stay in walking distance of campus, but I think students need to walk, they need a change of scenery and the local businesses of Waynesburg really need to see students. They need to
know that students are visiting downtown Waynesburg and supporting local businesses.” Muse and Stone is a bi annual publication; it is printed in late fall and late spring. The journal consists of student submissions of poetry, fiction, non-fiction and art, but there are also submissions from writers across the country. Recently Muse and Stone started co-sponsoring art related events. Next year there are plans to start a ‘reading series’ where authors will come to campus to read and have students read as well. “We are trying to do whatever we can to promote the arts,” Cockroft said.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Arts & Life
Algerian police use show of force to discourage protests By Houria Ait Kaci and Clare Byrne dpa ALGIERS, Algeria — Algerian police on Saturday cracked down on prodemocracy demonstrators in the capital Algiers and other cities, in a show of force aimed at discouraging a revolt that contradicted the government’s recent promises to allow more protests. In Algiers, an estimated 2,000 demonstrators gathered on the central May 1 square for an unauthorized march through the city to protest the government of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. But they quickly found themselves hemmed in by a huge contingent of riot police, who baton-charged protesters, barred all routes out of the square and made dozens of arrests, forcing the organizers to eventually call it off. “It’s a peaceful march. We won’t use force to march,” Mustapha Bouchachi, president of the League for the Defense of Human Rights and spokesman for the Coordination for Change and Democracy - the coalition of opposition parties, trade unions and human rights groups behind the protests told reporters. Demonstrators also tried to march in the second-largest city of Oran in the west, Annaba in the east and the coastal city of Bejaia, among others, but in each case were barred by police, Bouchachi said. Those marches were banned despite the gov-
ernment saying recently that protests in all cities but Algiers were allowed. Bouchachi listed the protesters’ demands as being “the immediate and effective lifting of the state of emergency (in place for 19 years), democratic reform and a change of regime, not a change within the regime.” Some youths in Algiers directed their frustration directly at the president of 11 years. An elderly woman who attended the demonstration with her husband told the German Press Agency dpa that she had “come to demonstrate for the Algerian people, for my country.” “I have no demands for myself - I am retired, my children are grown up and live abroad - but we want the best for our country, which has plenty of resources,” she said. The League for the Defense of Human Rights said police had arrested some 200 people, including a number of opposition politicians, in Algiers and several more in other cities. The protests came one day after mass demonstrations forced Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to step down after 30 years in power, and one month after demonstrators across the border in Tunisia toppled their longtime leader, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. The tumult in those countries has rattled the government in Algeria, where many people fear that large-scale protests could plunge the country back into bloodshed.
NEWS IN BRIEF
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1 One killed, one injured on Mexican border
Violence in Sudan kills at least 175 people
MEXICO CITY – Gunmen fired on a vehicle carrying two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Tuesday afternoon as they drove north of Mexico City, killing one and seriously wounding the other. It was the latest attack on U.S. officials following the killing last March of a U.S. employee of the American consulate and two others in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico’s deadliest. Janet Napolitano, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, issued a statement calling Tuesday’s shooting an “unconscionable crime.” “Let me be clear: any act of violence against our ICE personnel, or any DHS personnel, is an attack against all those who serve our nation and put their lives at risk for our safety,” Napolitano said.
JUBA, Sudan – An alarming wave of violence has racked Southern Sudan in the two weeks since its upcoming independence was announced, raising worries about the long-term prospects for the world’s newest nation. The most recent fighting, in which a dozen people died, took place Saturday. It came after a series of seemingly unrelated clashes that together have killed at least 175 people since Feb 3. The unrelated nature of the disputes heightens concern in a country where a culture of violence has become deeply embedded during decades of civil war and where centralized rule traditionally has been weak or nonexistent.
2 Haitians still waiting for government help PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – On a sprawling dusty terrain on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, that about 40,000 Haitians settled on expropriated land. The government announced some months ago that it acquired property for the homeless, so people came in droves from the capital and countryside to clear trees for roads and pour concrete for houses. They built it, but the services did not come. “For us here, we cannot say the aid money sent to Haiti was well spent, because here we are taking care of ourselves,” said Val Samson, a member of a neighborhood committee. “We don’t have anything. No government or aid group has come here. I wonder: Why doesn’t the government want latrines here?” More than a year after the massive earthquake hit Haiti, the settlers who have taken root in a vast area half the size of Port-au-Prince still lack basic services, such as drinking water, bathrooms and electricity. Water must be purchased, so those who cannot afford it, must go without.
4 Study links youth drinking to early alcoholism LOS ANGELES – A questionnaire called the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index is used to assess drinking-related problems among teenagers. In the new study, researchers looked at whether those scores predicted anything about the future drinking behavior of a person. The people who were experiencing drinking-related problems at 18 were more likely to be diagnosed with alcoholism at age 25. Overall, the study found there was a 74 percent chance that adolescent scores were higher among people diagnosed with alcoholism at age 25 than for those who were not.
5 Biomass plants fined for state’s pollution FRESNO, Calif. – Two biomass plants, intended to help the San Joaquin Valley clean up the air, have been tagged with one of the state’s largest air-pollution fines in recent history. Global Ampersand of Boston was fined more than $800,000 for excess ozone-related emissions and other violations. The fine is among the largest in the San Joaquin Valley and California over the past several years, say officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Officials said fines of nearly $1 million are unusual in California.
Mubarak resigns, revamped Egypt gets back to business By Jeffrey Fleishman Los Angeles Times CAIRO — The metalworkers beneath the overpass hammered tin and cut steel, smiling and making a big noise. Ladies hurried to market where sheep waited for slaughter. Boys, sensing something new in the air, ran through alleys, trailing flags. “I woke up with the idea that we can do something. Democracy. Freedom. Do something we haven’t done for 30 years. We got the country back and it’s time to reshape it,” said welder Ragab Abdou, tools at his feet, a rim of grit beneath his eyes. “For too long, we got the least of what was available. This revolution is for our children. Who could have imagined what has happened?” Millions of Egyptians awoke Saturday, different from the day before. It was as if a dream had bloomed in the waking world. President Hosni Mubarak was gone. But the rhythms of this ancient ragged city endured: minibuses rat-
Photo by Michael Robinson Chavez/Los Angeles Times/MCT
Celebrations continued throughout Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday, Feb. 12, after President Hosni Mubarak stepped aside following 18 days of protests. tled to life, dogs slept, soldiers stood guard and the Cairo sky was clear enough to spot the pyramids rising in the desert distance. Beautiful. This nation had been on the brink for 18 days of protests. To the wonder of many, the will of the people didn’t buckle and Mubarak’s hold was broken. Tahrir Square, the epicenter in the country’s battle for change, remained vibrant Satur-
day with songs and speeches. Thousands came to be near the now hallowed patch of earth to celebrate, to dance, honor and remember. But much of Cairo returned to its ways, as if it had been out of its skin for too long and needed the comfort of the ordinary: traffic, praying, strolling the Nile, whispering through the smoke of shisha pipes. And work. A man who celebrates too long is a
man who loses a day’s pay. Abdou and the men and boys in his metal shop had little time to contemplate what comes next. How long will the military stay in power? Who will be the next president? How will they rename all the buildings, libraries and highways honoring Mubarak? “I was eager to get to get to my job today,” said Amr Mohamed, a blowtorch at his side. “We
have a lot to do. We’ll start soon finding out about all the government’s corruption. How bad it was. I don’t want to see Mubarak go to jail. I just want us to get the money back his people stole and give it to the poor.” Carpenters and boys with nails were rebuilding the nearby flea market as men sat at stalls of old stoves, refrigerators, mirrors, stereos and busted suitcases. Traffic thickened on the overpass and men on rooftops released flocks of homing pigeons that wheeled over the Nile, circled and returned. “I’m free. I can feel it more today,” said Abdel Alim Fawzi, a junkman with a mustache. “You know how I can tell? Every time I loaded my truck to come to this market the police would stop me and force me to pay bribes. Not today. No police. No bribes.” He laughed in disbelief and took a call on his cell phone near women bickering over a used bathtub. In a country where boys grow into jobless
men too poor to marry and more than 40 percent of the population lives on $2 a day or less, broken and old things find new lives. “One day,” said Mahmoud Shaaban, who earns $50 a week selling windows on a patch of dirt, “I suppose Mubarak would have died. I didn’t think he’d go out the way he did. I wanted him gone, but he left in such a shameful way. He did some bad things and some good things too. He kept us out of war. What happened is a message to other politicians. If you’re corrupt, watch out.” The sun climbed. The revolution had been good for the country, but not so great for business. Boys ran down the street with national flags, mothers carried bags of groceries. And around the corner, the poor, far from the music of Tahrir Square, surrounded a state building protected by an iron fence, shoving their arms through spaces, hands holding slips of paper promising subsidized electricity.