Thursday, November 18, 2010
Vol. 88 No. 11
51 W. College St. Waynesburg, PA 15370
Administrators remember Kenneth Moore, Carl Johnson Moore served as trustee
Johnson called WU master plan ‘most rewarding work’of his life
By Jon Ledyard
When students walk through Johnson Commons, many fail to realize the significance of the name. Over the past 17 years, Carl Johnson acted as campus master planner for much of the construction of Waynesburg University. However, on Oct. 24,
By Jon Ledyard Assignments Editor
Assignments Editor In a time where doing what is popular is more common than being ethically sound, Kenneth Moore, chair of the Board of Trustees at Waynesburg University, was a man who stood for what was
Photo courtesy of University Relations
Kenneth Moore (right) hosts the groundbreaking ceremony with Mike Quinn and President Timothy Thyreen. right over what was accepted, according to those close to him. Moore died at the age of 59 on Nov. 6 at
Valley Hospice North, but not before leaving a legacy of integrity not See MOORE on A3
Johnson died at health wasn’t the age of 84, that good and he leaving an undewas retiring, so niable mark on at first, he didn’t the University. seem interested. “In 1993, our But [we] board needed a brought about good master his eventual planner and agreement to Johnson Carl’s name come up for a came up and it was my weekend and he really job to contact him,” said never left after that.” University President TimJohnson continued to othy Thyreen. “At the time, Carl’s See JOHNSON on A2
ROBERTS CHAPEL
Vice President says roof to be installed by end of December By Rachel Brown Executive Editor Despite the semester winding down, work on Roberts Chapel continues at its normal pace, despite facing several obstacles. According to Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Roy Barnhart, construction on the Chapel is five days behind schedule because of utility locations. “The contractor couldn’t control when the utility companies could move the underground lines that they needed to move,” he said. “The contractor is hopeful to make up for the delay over the next few months.” With the official start of winter almost one month away, Barnhart said that the contractor plans to continue to work on the
Chapel throughout the winter months. Roof tresses will be delivered next week, and the roof should be completed by Christmas, which will allow construction to continue. “If the roof is done in December, they’ll be able to start working on the windows and the steeple,” Barnhart said. “They’ll also be working on the electrical and mechanical system in the basement.” In addition to completing the roof, the contractor also has several other tasks to finish before the first big snowfall. According to Barnhart, the contractor is the process of pouring concrete for the main floor of the Chapel to soundproof the basement. Barnhart also said the first layer of
Photo by Gregory Reinhart
Sophomore Evan Kephart prepares a turkey for the Good Neighbor’s Dinner at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Waynesburg. Kephart is one of many volunteers who help local organizations serve the less fortunate.
FOOD BANKS
Student volunteers serve holiday meals By Aaron Thompson Assistant Sports Editor
Many organizations are giving back by helping people in Greene County find a warm meal. Waynesburg University students have also had an impact in the commuSee CHAPEL on A3 nity during the Thanks-
giving season. Junior Leeann Danley and sophomore Evan Kephart are currently site leaders for the St. Ann’s Catholic Church Good Neighbor Dinner and helped conduct a special Thanksgiving dinner Tuesday night, according to Dave Calvario, director
of the Center for Service Leadership. “Being a site leader at St. Ann’s has meant a lot to me,” Kephart said. “I have met a ton of wonderful people and been blessed by working with some of the most awesome students on campus.”
Kephart became involved with St. Ann’s last year when he visited the site as part of his Bonner scholarship training. One of the students who helped lead the dinners last year asked if Kephart would want to See STUDENTS on A2
Students ‘eradicate ignorance’ during fall break service trips By Alex Hinton Staff Writer Most students are anxious to get home for Thanksgiving break to relax and spend time with their families and friends, but this is not the case for 38 Waynesburg University students, who will spend their fall break doing mission work in Patzun, Guatemala, Philippi, W. Va and
Greene County. Dave Calvario, director for the Center for Service Leadership will lead five students on the 5-day mission trip to Philippi, W.Va. “Generational poverty is high there,” Calvario said. “There is a lack of good paying jobs, so families haven’t had the resources to keep up house payments.” They will be doing housing repair work and
will combine their services with World Servants for the fourth year. “We’re going the first week of hunting season in West Virginia, so kids will be home,” said Calvario. “We get to know them and share stories with them. Relationship building is just as important as the actual construction.” The students will also work with Rustin Seaman from World Vision, who
leads volunteers in manufacturing solar panels for alternative fuels to help families save money. “The best way to raise awareness is students who participate telling their friends,” Calvario said. “A lot don’t like to participate because it’s outside their comfort zone or they don’t have the money, sometimes it See MISSION on A3
Associate Dean of Students Pat Bristor plays with children in Guatemala during a mission trip last year.
SPORTS
REGION
FEATURE
The football team dropped their season finale against rival W&J Saturday. See Page C1
Waynesburg’s Chamber of Commerce will recognize James “Fuzzy” Randolph at its Nov. 20 meeting.
Students and staff competed Saturday for the Dancing with the Staff crown.
INSIDE Copyright © 2010 by Waynesburg University
Photo by Kaitlin Edwards
Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-A4 Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1, B4 Editorial/Op-Ed . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2, B3
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1-C4 Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-D2 Global . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3-D4
See Page B1
See Page D1
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Campus
Fall trips commissioned at Chapel Habitat raises $200 By Andrew Buda
through penny drive
Staff Writer Through words of encouragement, bits of wisdom, jokes and songs, pianist Ken Medema brought a different flavor to Chapel this week as the University prepared for the fall break mission service trips. Energy poured out of this grey-haired man as he bounced up and down while leading the congregation in worship. Although blind, Medema moved about the stage with excitement and encouraged the congregation to clap and dance. Each of the service mission trips received a very special commissioning from Medema through individual songs pertaining to their upcoming journeys. One of the trips will be here in Greene County. The group will work with Habitat for Humanity. “You will be helping people who do not have homes and can’t afford
By Melissa Bosley Staff Writer
Photo by Andrew Buda
Pianist Ken Medema performed spontaneous songs at Tuesday’s Chapel. The fall mission trips were also commissioned during the service. them,” said Medema. His song for these students focused on the idea of home saying, “I want home. I want a place to sleep in peace, to catch my breath, to feel so alive. I want a place to bring my friends, to let down my defenses. I want home.” The second trip will be
For more coverage, see page D1. traveling to Phillipi, W.Va. to work with an organization called World Servants. “You’re going to a place where people suffer,” said Medema. “A place where
people need a helping hand.” The song preformed for this trip focused on holding someone’s hand, saying, “Hold my hand while the wind of change blows. Hold my hand through the wind and through the See MEDEMA on A4
said. The Salvation Army also offers food and produce to the less fortunate each month, but this time it will have a little more meaning. With Thanksgiving just a week away, people had the opportunity to stock up on perishable items so they can have a warm Thanksgiving holiday meal to eat. Once a month, the organization holds a food
bank at the Greene County Fairgrounds, where people from income-eligible households can come to get perishable items. Earlier today from 10 a.m. to noon an event was held at the fairgrounds. Sister Audrey Quinn, director of the Salvation Army Greene County Service Center, said there is quite a need for this type of service. “People line up from
the barn all the way back to the grandstands,” Quinn said. “There are usually people that come from 400 to 500 different households.” According to Quinn, the majority of the people that turn out are from Greene County, but they have a few on occasion come from Fayette County. “If people need food they can come get it,” Quinn said. “We offer
produce to people from income-eligible households.” The Salvation Army serves the needy and homeless of Greene County by meeting basic physical and spiritual needs. The Center also provides an emergency pantry for those in need and provides emergency services in times of disaster. University students have had a big impact of aiding the Salvation Army. Just last Friday sophomore Bonner Scholar students sold Philly-style cheesesteaks as part of a fundraiser. All proceeds from that fundraiser will benefit the Greene County Salvation Army’s Project Bundle-Up. The project was started in 1986 as the organization partnered with WTAE-TV Channel 4 in Pittsburgh. The goal is to provide new winter outerwear for disadvantaged children and seniors throughout the surrounding western
master plans to make the University more aesthetically pleasing. “A lot of his work came through donations, but he would also spend weeks and weeks and weeks coming up with his master plan,” said Thyreen. “For instance, those
walls in the Commons were created for students to sit on. Students probably sit there because they don’t think they are allowed to, but those were originally designed by Carl to be sitting walls.” According to Thyreen, it was Johnson’s ability to think outside the box that
made his work so effective. “He was so creative,” said Thyreen. “He would literally watch how students walked and interacted to be able to create walkways and space in the Commons, and in essence, what he did was create community by making these walkways and causing students to bump into each other more often.” According to Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Roy Barnhart, who first met Johnson in the early 1990s, it was always worth turning a listening ear to Johnson’s advice. “I would always take notes of Carl’s suggestions whenever he and the president and I would go on tours of the cam-
pus,” said Barnhart. “Every time he was here, he would give good suggestions and identify room for growth on the campus. Until him, there hadn’t been enough attention to the aesthetics of the University.” It was Johnson’s dedication to Waynesburg and his brilliant planning that prompted the University to name Johnson Commons after him, according to Thyreen. “During the 17 years that I knew him, we had at our beck and call the world’s greatest master planner,” said Thyreen. “He called it a miracle what happened here at Waynesburg. He’d never seen a campus change so much so quickly. He said it was the most rewarding work of his professional
Students help others Continued from A1 take over and he accepted based on the great experiences he already had volunteering at the site. “It really is a joy to watch students from the University interact with the people in the community,” Kephart said. “We have all developed deep and meaningful friendships with each other and with the community.” St. Ann’s holds a Good Neighbors Dinner each Tuesday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The church offers a free dinner program that is open to anyone because members want to feed people both physically and spiritually. The dinner featured everything one would expect from a Thanksgiving dinner. “We prepared a full turkey dinner including everyone’s favorite sides and desserts,” Kephart
Johnson urged growth Continued from A1 work as the master planner for several renovations of Waynesburg’s campus, creating three
The penny drive for the Habitat for Humanity Student Chapter officially ended on Oct. 29 after a five-day run. The student chapter earned a total of $202.14 since the last jar came in, but Pat Bristor, director of Student Activities, continues to get jars in her office. “The potential is higher than what we did,” Bristor said. “Before we’ve had closer to $500; the economy is hitting hard.” Bristor is in no way unappreciative of the money that was collected from this penny drive. “Are we grateful? Definitely,” Bristor said. “I’m not upset. Some staff members keep jars on their desk waiting for this fundraiser.” Members of the student chapter arrange the penny drive, and each person is assigned a building for collection of the pennies. “The male residence halls were underrepresented,” she said. “Not a lot of guys were at the meeting.” Bristor believes that if more students were involved, the drive would have been more successful. “There were some buildings that weren’t covered,” said Bristor, who mentioned Marisa fieldhouse as one of those buildings. These funds are going toward various mission trips for students in the Student Chapter. This fundraiser has been going on ever since a Wanyesburg student came up with the idea eight to 10 years ago, Bristor said.
Photo by Gregory Reinhart
Waynesburg students prepare a Thanksgiving dinner at St. Ann’s Catholic Church.
Pennsylvania area. Some families in Greene County and the region are struggling with food, rent and other bills and struggle to have funds to purchase winter clothing. Project Bundle-Up affords them the opportunity to provide winter outerwear for infants and children under the age of 18, while also providing for senior citizens 62 years of age or older. According to Sister Quinn, during the holiday season the Salvation Army provides a lot to families and individuals that are in need. The organization offers Treasures for Children, Project Bundle-Up and food banks to those in need. Through the Treasures for Children program, shoppers can go to stores where those tags exist and help children contribute toward buying toys for the holiday season. For more information on how to get involved or donate, contact Quinn at 724-852-1479.
life.” Barnhart noted that Johnson’s character made him easy to respect and work alongside. “He put everything he said into a suggestion,” said Barnhart. “He was so smart but yet so humble at the same time.” Despite Johnson’s death, his work and architectural genius live on in the building of the new chapel, which had a great deal of Johnson’s input far before the construction ever began, according to Barnhart. “It was largely his idea to place the chapel where it is at the focal point and high ground of the entire campus,” said Barnhart. “He was a man who really knew his business and helped us move this campus to where it is now.”
Thursday, November 18, 2010
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Campus
Quit it: Nurse challenges smokers to stop at Smokeout By Amanda Wishner Staff Writer Attention tobacco users of Waynesburg University: Carol Young, nurse director of Student Health Services, and Colleges Against Cancer are challenging you to quit smoking for just one day. The Great American Smokeout is observed on Nov. 18 and encourages students to take their first step in the pursuit of a healthier, smoke-free lifestyle. The American Cancer Society of America is celebrating its 35th annual Smokeout “by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a
plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking” for this day. “It’s a good time in student’s lives for them to make positive changes,” said Young. “They’re making their own decisions for the first time in their lives.” Statistics show that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women. Thirty percent of all cancer deaths and 87 percent of lung cancerrelated deaths are attributed to smoking, yet 43.4 million Americans continue to smoke. An estimated 80 percent of Waynesburg stu-
Infographic by MCT
dents do not smoke or use tobacco. “I believe that this day is beneficial to students
because it is a day where smokers who are wanting to quit but may not know how have the opportunity
Senate discusses plans to go trayless By Gregory Reinhart
Chapel roof to be installed Continued from A1 concrete and insulation have been poured. All that remains is to pour the last four inches of concrete. The soundproofing is part of the process to make the main floor of the Chapel acoustically
Mission trips planned Continued from A1 takes a personal invitation from student to student.” Heidi Szuminsky, director of Alumni Relations, and Brandon Szuminsky, lecturer in the Department of Communication, will lead the 14 students going to Patzun, Guatemala. Those going to Guatemala will be doing
Moore remembered Continued from A1
Staff Writer Student Senate reiterated the difference in the trayless campaign at Tuesday’s Student Senate meeting. According to Student Senate Michael Quinn, Executive Board members want to make the entire campus go trayless—not just on Tuesdays. Quinn said all the gathered information would further aid in the discussion to go trayless. “Spread the word and encourage it,” said Chelsea Cummins, Student Senate secretary, who, with her taskforce, created a Facebook event to gauge students’ reactions. Since Senate only has one more meeting this semester, the Executive Board is rushing to pass the policy before break. They are working to gather results from several residence halls, but no specifics have been provided on the results of the polls. “Nothing has been set in stone,” said Natalie
to come together with other students and help each other quit the habit,” said Kaitlyn Karan, junior
Senate representative Dan Astor (left) and Resident Assistant Jacob Waltemeyer ask Senate for $5,000 to help them with a TOMS Shoes fundraiser in the spring. Photo by Gregory Reinhart
George, Student Senate academic vice president. The polling process started this week with the residence hall’s meetings. “It’s a slow process, and with the hallway meetings coming up, it was good timing to do the polls,” said George. According to George, the methods used to poll commuting students have not yet been established. Also during the meeting, senate representative Dan Astor and resident assistant Jacob Waltemeyer brought forward a
$5,000 proposal. The proposal’s goal is “to make students aware of the situation other human beings are living in across the world and also provide students with an opportunity to support and help these individuals.” Astor and Waltemeyer represent Willison Residence Hall. “It’s [the money requested] to cover the beginning of the fundraising [for the TOMS Shoes fundraiser],” said Astor. “It’s also going to cover
the cost of the shoes and supplies.” Part of the money that is raised for the program will be donated toward mission trip funds on campus. “The Board will take it into consideration and talk about it in two weeks,” said Quinn. Executive Board members also made a decision to award Waynesburg University's Public Students Society of America request for only $150, down from their original request of $300.
correct, according to President Timothy Thyreen. While Barnhart hopes the winter will be mild to alleviate any problems with construction, he has worked with the contractor to make plans in case of snow. “Unless it’s a very large snow, it shouldn’t affect anything,” he said. “If it makes the scaffolding too slick, it will slow things down a bit,
but the workers have factored that into the equation [and prepared accordingly.]” Since ground was broken for the Chapel this summer, the contractors have made considerable progress on the building. “You can get an idea now [of the height,]” said Thyreen at a press conference Monday. “This side wall [facing Ray Hall] will give you
the height. Add a pitched roof, and add to that another 60-foot steeple, and you’ll get an idea of the magnitude of the Chapel.” As construction continues mainly on schedule throughout the winter, Thyreen said the Chapel is expected to open Aug. 1 in time for the baccalaureate service. Kyle Edwards contributed to this article.
programming with children, including arts and crafts, sports, carnival games and music. The group will also be doing manual labor, which could include painting, laying cement or other types of various labor, according to Heidi Szuminsky. While in Guatemala, they will be staying at the Nutritional Center and Home for Children. “This will be my sixth trip to the same place,” said Heidi Szuminsky, “so I’m very much looking forward to seeing the chil-
“...[Mission trips] provide a real, holistic part of your education. With serving, there’s no other way to do it but get your hands dirty.” Dave Calvario Director of the Center for Student Leadership
dren again. I’ve built relationships with them over the years.” Each student has fundraised most of the $1,100 for the trip. They sold Celebrating Home merchandise, collected
change at football games and outside of Wal-Mart, partnered with Bob Evans, raffled a fall-themed basket and wrote letters to family members, churches and friends asking for donations, according to
only at Waynesburg, but also in Greene County. “Kenneth Moore and I went to high school together in 1970, even though he was a few years older than me,” said Roy Barnhart, senior vice president for Finance and Administration. “We were good friends and he was a friendly, reliable guy you could always count on, even back in high school.” Barnhart said that Moore was a great source of encouragement during the time that they worked together. “He certainly provided me with a lot of help and guidance throughout the years, whether it was simply being supportive or giving good advice,” said Barnhart. “With all the changes to our endowment in the fall of 1999 and spring of 2000 we spent a considerable amount of time together and it was clear how well he understood the different aspects of this University.” According to President Timothy Thyreen, it was Moore’s consistency that made him so effective in his position. “We were good friends ever since he was brought onto the board in 1992 where he served for 18 years,” said Thyreen.
Heidi Szuminsky. “Our motto [at Waynesburg University] is Fiat Lux, which means let there be light,” Heidi Szuminsky said. “It also stands for eradicating ignorance, and that doesn’t just include academics. The students will have their eyes opened to how the rest of the world lives.” Sarah Brandstetter, coordinator of the Bonner Scholars, and Jared Kephart, a senior sociology major, will be leading the Greene County mission trip. The group will
nursing student and president of Colleges Against Cancer at Waynesburg University. Young describes the event as a “subtle program” that incorporates the use of inspirational posters bearing antismoking messages and quit kits in its efforts to persuade students to pledge. Quit kits are available year round in Student Health Services and include a wide range of simple items that may help students in their efforts to stop smoking. Students can find these See SMOKEOUT on A4
“When I spoke at his memorial service, I told people what a rock and an anchor that Ken was. He would always try and do the right thing even when it wasn’t popular. He was so steadfast in the midst of change.” Thyreen said that three of Moore’s four children have graduated from Waynesburg, including his daughter Catherine, a 2009 graduate. Catherine started the Kick Pancreatic Cancer event, which has been hosted by the women’s soccer team the past two years in order to raise money to fight the deadly disease, which recently took her father’s life. “When you think about people and the tracks they leave behind, Ken’s character and integrity come to mind first and you see that in his kids,” said Barnhart. According to Barnhart, Moore was a servant to those around him, ignoring his status to benefit the people he came in contact with every day. “Ken never saw a stranger. He would stop to help anyone,” said Barnhart. “He was always heavily involved in Boy Scouts and, despite his [high profile position]), he’d be the one with the chainsaw clearing the land for when the boy scouts would come. He was just a good, good guy and an example to all of us of how to leave the world a better place than what it was.”
be partnering with Greene County Habitat for Humanity. They will be working on repairing buildings in the county for future use and will get to see houses built by Greene County Habitat for Humanity. “It’s good to provide diversity in mission programs,” said Calvario. “It’s an opportunity to take with you later in life, and it provides a real, holistic part of your education. With serving, there’s no other way to do it but get your hands dirty.”
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Campus
Communication Shutdown day raises awareness of autism By Kelsey Bradley
down, people will feel the frustration, isolation and the total feeling of being ‘disconnected’ as people with autism feel every day. This event is not to show that people with autism cannot communicate, but to create awareness of the disease. There are varying degrees of autism, and some are able to communicate just fine, while others are very limited or completely nonverbal. “Of course I would participate in this campaign,” said senior special education major Brittany Wishner. “As a
special education major, I feel that I need to do what I can to raise autism awareness.” Wishner has worked with children with varying stages of autism from ages two to 11. She is amazed at how each stage differs from the other. While some students are open to the idea of a day without social media, others aren’t. “I wouldn’t because that’s how I communicate with friends at other schools,” said freshman Jesse Noble. The concern with some students and facul-
ty is how the social media will be monitored, to see if people are accessing their accounts instead of leaving them shut off. “On a college campus like this, I think it’s impossible,” said freshman environmental biology major Cory Davis. “Nowadays, this generation has Facebook and Twitter on their phones, so they have constant ties with it.” Jen Chajkowski, counselor at the Counseling Center at Waynesburg University also has some experience with autistic children in her
undergraduate and graduate studies. She researched the event and found it interesting and did not know there was such a debate with the event. “Students seem to like to get involved with spreading awareness,” said Chajkowski. “I think a large amount of students would be willing to give it a try.” Chajkowski also believes that monitoring social media networks to make sure students aren’t logging on during the day is a good idea. But, she also believes that students would be
able to hold each other accountable. While participating in the “shutdown,” Chajkowski thinks that it would be beneficial for students to attend a program educating students about autism. This would educate students as to why a “shutdown” is being encouraged. Assistant Director of Student Activities Kelley Hardie feels strongly about the issue and trusts students and their accountability. “I believe many will be truthful since it is a very sensitive and serious issue,” said Hardie. Hardie’s eight-year-old cousin Matthew has severe autism and it affects their family every day, she said. He is nonverbal, so he has never said a word to his mother and father. Because of the severity of Matthew’s autism, his parents decided to not have any more children so they could focus on Matthew and his needs. “I feel this program would promote awareness about autism and would be a great educational program for our campus,” said Hardie.
music leader, was the second of three participants. As Buss shared the difficult story of his six friends in high school passing away in a drunk driving accident, Medema listened and nodded. Composing songs on the spot, Medema’s messages moved the congregation as many tears and many smiles could be seen at different times during his performance. “His lyrics captured exactly what I was feeling,” said Buss. “I remember not wanting anything to do with the cheap clichés offered at that difficult time.” As the Chapel worship leader, Buss was encouraged by Medema’s music. “You have to realize the Holy Spirit is working,” said Buss. “He’s a great musician and extremely creative. But it is God working in him that gives his music validity.” Dave Myers, senior environmental science major and Upper Room worship leader, was also impressed. “It takes a tremendously creative mind to think so quickly on the spot like that,” sad Myers. “I need music and time to think of lyrics. It is wonderful to see how God has blessed him.”
Smokeout held today
the urge to smoke or use tobacco. Students are also encouraged to use the plastic bag to collect money that they would typically spend on cigarettes or tobacco. “One of the main reasons I tell students to quit smoking is because it’s an expensive habit,” said Karan. “Lung cancer is a huge risk, and many people know that, so I skip the lung cancer lecture and just tell them that it’s expensive. There is a laundry list of complications that smoking can lead to, so it’s just beneficial for the smoker to quit if they can.” The quit kit also includes a short questionnaire. Originally inspired by a similar idea derived
from the University of Pittsburgh, the questionnaire is identified as one of the most crucial components of the quit kit. The questionnaire asks students to specify their preferred type of tobacco, attempted methods of quitting and quantity of tobacco used per day. “It identifies what kind of smokers they are, whether it’s out of boredom or the influence of a roommate, and gives ideas of how to work on that,” said Young. “They can come in for a few fol-
low-up sessions, just to talk and see what’s working and what isn’t.” Students interested in receiving additional assistance in their cessation should return the questionnaire to Carol Young by visiting her at Student Health Services or depositing the folded slip of paper in her Stover mail box. Smokers can also call the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s free Quitline at 1-877-7241090 for further assistance.
Staff Writer Imagine total isolation. Imagine opening up to speak, and no words come out. Now think of the frustration and the pain you feel because you can’t even tell your own family how much you love them. That’s how someone with autism feels every day. Though there are many different levels of autism, every level of autism affects people’s ability to communicate with others. The National Autism Association started a global fundraiser for autism awareness on Nov. 1 and called it “Communication Shutdown.” The “Communication Shutdown” is to show people what it is like to be someone with autism, by shutting off Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media for one day. According to the National Autism Association, people are becoming addicted to things like Facebook and Twitter. By shutting these
Medema performs Continued from A2 snow.” The final trip to be commissioned is going to Patzun, Guatamala. “You will be working with a troubled country and with troubled children,” said Medema. “I hope you will gain a new appreciation for people’s suffering and for your ability to help.” The song for this final trip was a prayer for peace in the city, country and world. “We might not all go on mission trips during break,” said Medema. “But we’ve all been taken out of our comfort zone at some point in our lives.” The last part of the service consisted of song writing. Medema asked the audience for a few willing participants who would be willing to share into a microphone a time in their lives when they were pushed out of their comfort zone. After a sentence or two of the participant sharing, Medema composed a song capturing the struggle and growth in each story. Jake Buss, senior music ministry major and Chapel
Infographic by Michelle Naymick
Continued from A3 kits in Stover on Nov. 18 in honor of the Great American Smokeout. The plastic bag contains sunflower seeds, bubblegum, toothpicks, mints, straws, rubber bands, motivational stickers and a pencil and notepad, accompanied by a helpful “how to use” sheet that explains the uses of the various items. According to the “how to use” sheet, students should “chew a piece of gum, a toothpick, a straw or use a breath mint/candy/lollypop” or occupy their hands by twisting a rubber band or doodling when faced with
Guest columnist Brian Davis reflects on his final days in New Zealand. Read more on B2
Thursday, November 18, 2010
University officials finalize purchase of Wiley Armory By Kyle Edwards Region Editor University officials completed the purchase of the John C. Wiley armory Nov. 1. “We have been looking to purchase the armory for two or three years now, ever since it was put up for sale,” said Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Roy
Barnhart. “We were interested in the building because of its proximity to the campus and its association with the Wiley family.” According to Barnhart, there are two ways to go about purchasing a building like the armory. The first is if the building is offered for sale as a surplus by the govern-
ment. The second is if a senator or other legislator introduces a bill to the state government moving to sell the building. “In this particular situation [the second way was used],” Barnhart said. “Senator Bill DeWeese introduced a bill to sell the building to the University at Fair Market Value,
which is $170,000.” Barnhart explained that this is a very good price for the building. “If you sit down and calculate it out, the price comes to around $12 per square foot,” he said. “That is a very good price for a landmark such as this.” Most of the negotiating for the bill took place between President Thyreen and the
state legislators, according to Barnhart. “The President worked very hard trying to get them to introduce the bill,” he said. Barnhart detailed the University’s plans for the building. “We plan to renovate the large exercise room, which is about two thirds the size of an average gym, and
turn it into an auxiliary gym [for the University],” said Barnhart. “We hope it will be focused more towards the wrestling team, intermural volleyball and other groups like that.” That isn’t all they will be renovating, Barnhart said. “We also plan to take See ARMORY on B4
FATAL FIRE
Victim’s father files suit against mother By Stephanie Laing Editorial Assistant The father of an 11year-old boy killed in the tragic house fire earlier this year is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the boy’s mother and maternal grandfather, blaming their negligence for the death. On Jan. 11, Noah Havrilesko died from carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke inhalation and thermal injuries in the house fire at 505 N. Richhill St. in Waynesburg. Another child, Ava Holbert, 13, of Mt. Morris, was staying overnight at the house, and she also perished in the blaze. A police investigative report conducted by the Waynesburg Borough Police Department determined the cause of the fire was accidental, but investigators were unable to determine what caused the fire. James Havrilesko of Richeyville has filed suit against Stacey Havrilesko and her father, John Gatten for their negligence and carelessness, according to the lawsuit. James Havrilesko claims Stacey Havrilesko knew the fire alarms were not properly working, failed to replace the fire alarm batteries, failed to extinguish a lit candle she herself had lit and failed to turn off a stove burner. Attorney Daniel Webster alleged in the filing that Stacey Havrilesko was, in her own words,
Photos by Gregory Reinhart
Thank you (Above) On Veterans Day, Waynesburg honored local veterans in the annual Veterans Day parade. (Right) Dressed in full uniform, Greene County veterans paraded down High Street, before a presentation on the court house step honoring servicemen and women.
“passed out on the couch” as a result of the consumption of alcoholic beverages, improper ingestion of prescribed medication or sleep deprivation. The lawsuit also notes Stacey Havrilesko’s knowledge of the a defective space heater and clothes dryer, knowledge of electrical wiring that needed replaced and failure to turn off a glue gun. The lawsuit also mentions Stacey Havrilesko’s father and his failure to regularly check the smoke alarms. The house belonged to Gatten, who had full knowledge of his daughter’s residence there. Additionally, the lawsuit alleged Gatten “expressed concerns about the ability of his daughter to properly care for the safety of her minor children, but took no action with any governmental agency to have the children removed” or to give his daughter “proper parenting skills.” James Havrilesko has also filed suit against State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, who according to the lawsuit, “is obligated to pay up to their limit of liability for damages for bodily injury caused by an occurrence which arises from the ownership or use the insured premises against any insured.” Bodily injury is defined, as bodily harm and death resulting there See FATHER on B4
Randolph, Falor recognized by Chamber of Commerce By Natalie Bruzda Social Media Manager On Nov. 20 the Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce will recognize its 2010 Distinguished Service Award Recipients at the annual membership banquet.
Two individuals and one organization will receive this honor. The chamber chose James “Fuzzy” Randolph for the individual award while Dr. Stanley Falor will be honored with a posthumous Distinguished Service Award.
The Greene County United Way was selected as the organization winner. “I’m just very honored and in some ways I feel undeserving because I think there’s a lot of people that probably deserve it as much as I do, if not
more,” Randolph said. “It’s a really great honor.” Randolph, Falor and the Greene County United Way will be honored Saturday at Waynesburg University’s Benedum Dining Hall. All three recipients have made extension
contributions to Greene County. Randolph holds a bachelor of arts degree from Waynesburg College, a master’s degree in music from West Virginia University and completed post-graduate work at Rochester’s
Eastman School of Music and at WVU. He also served as a professor of music at Waynesburg College for more than 30 years and founded the Lamplighters in the early 1960s. See PROFESSORS on B4
YELLOW JACKET
Page B2
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Editorial
Holiday cheer Campus hosts holiday events for students With Thanksgiving less than a week away, and the Christmas season right around the corner, Waynesburg University is preparing its final events for the semester. During the last few weeks of the semester, the University ensures that students return home full of holiday cheer by planning events that coincide with the spirit of the holidays. The week before fall break, events are catered to the Thanksgiving holiday, and Benedum Dining Hall’s annual Thanksgiving dinner is the main attraction. The day after students have eaten their fill, Student Services holds its annual Turkey Trot, a two-lap relay around the parks. Upon returning from fall break, students are immediately bombarded with events that get them into the Christmas spirit. Events like Light Up Night, door decorating contest and the Christmas concerts performed by the music program help to lighten the mood for finals week and send students off on a good note. These activities for students are vital in the final weeks of the semester. As a Christian institution, it is the University’s responsibility to give students ample opportunities to experience the season. The event-planners should be commended for providing a safe and fun collection of activities during he holidays.
Senate procrastinates on policy changes As the semester winds down, the homework assignments start to pile up. That research paper you should have started in October is due this Friday. A huge chemistry test is looming. And don’t forget about that other 300-point assignment. Surely you started that. Everything that you should have started earlier is due way too soon. College students are notorious for pushing all sorts of assignments to the last minute, much to the chagrin of professors.
RACHEL BROWN Columnist
It’s called cramming. And it’s not healthy. However, that doesn’t stop some student organizations from following that same pattern. At recent Student Senate meetings, senators have discussed how Waynesburg University could save money by saving resources. For those discussions, Student Senate should be commended.
Midnight showing not ‘More birthdays’ to be missed Join in the Great American Smokeout today
The National Cancer Institute reports that cigarette smoke causes 443,000 deaths each year – including 49,400 deaths caused by secondhand smoke. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and smoking causes 80 percent of those deaths. Today, the American Cancer Society is sponsoring the Great American Smokeout in an effort to curb the cravings and the deadly statistics. By encouraging smokers to think about quitting for the day – or making a plan to quit for good – ACS hopes smokers will take the first step towards a healthier life. While quitting smoking is not easy, it can be done and there are many resources available for those looking to reduce their risk of cancer. While there are countless outlets for resources on quitting smoking and tobacco use – the message is all the same: know what you’re up against and have a plan. So if quitting cold-turkey today isn’t an option, it could be the first day of your plan to make some serious changes. We already know smoking causes cancer. And we know cancer kills. But what about some more tangible consequences? Smoking isn’t cheap. The average smokers spends $1,500 every year on cigarettes themselves – not to mention the increased cost of car and homeowners insurance, increased dental care and the long term costs of health care related to smoking. Smoker or not, take today to remember the Great American Smokeout motto: help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
Friday, Nov. 19 will be a day that changes my life. Once 12:01 a.m. strikes, the anticipation I have felt for the past 10 years of my life will finally be fulfilled. An event so spectacular that it has triggered a response around the globe will commence. Ticket sales began weeks ago and shows are sold
But there’s more to going green than talking. In the past few weeks, members of the Food Taskforce have discussed going trayless. This isn’t the first time Waynesburg has tried to go trayless. Two years ago, Student Senate implemented a three-part process to make the University trayless. The first step involved education. Student Senate members used fliers and table tents to promote the change, explaining how going trayless could save the campus money. After a short time, trays
KAITLIN EDWARDS Columnist
out in many places. If you haven’t guessed by now what I am talking about, the first part of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie will be released into theatres at midnight. Thick, black-rimmed glasses, lightning-bolt shaped scars, cloaks, owls and broomsticks will yet again make appearances at midnight showings of the movie.
would be unavailable for students to use in Benedum Dining Hall on Tuesdays. The final part of the program involved going trayless permanently. Sadly, that aspect never happened. Trayless Tuesdays stopped at the end of the semester and was never restarted. Until now. However, before a similar program can be implemented, Student Senate must poll students for their reactions. The plan, as of last See CHANGES on B3
Okay, so maybe that spiel was a little bit overdramatic, but I am only slightly joking. Harry Potter has been a huge part of my life ever since I was in fourth grade, and apparently I am not the only one. Millions of fans will be attending the debut showing and not just in the United States. People across the world will be staying up late to see the premiere including fans in the United Kingdom and even Australia. I just think it is awesome that people across the world feel the same way that I do about Harry See HARRY on B3
Grateful for a semester of adventure I was thinking; I am about to do something crazy, something that would have never crossed my mind a year ago. I just couldn’t believe that I was about to go through with it, with moving to New Zealand. Those were the thoughts that raced through my head as I hugged my family goodbye, then boarded the Airbus A320 back in July. But now here I am, almost five months later
BRIAN DAVIS Guest Columnist
with a completely new perspective of what it’s like to live more than 8,000 miles from home. Yeah, I did something crazy. On top of the traveling half way around the world, completing my semester abroad has been very satisfying. My time in New Zealand has truly been a blessing from God.
The combination of breath-taking landscapes and the genuine people I have met have made for an incredible experience. I built some great friendships with my kiwi-mates, who I can’t wait to keep in touch with for years to come. It’s funny how you come to a new place not knowing anybody and before you know it you’re hiking through forests, snowboarding down sleeping volcanoes and playing rugby on the beach like you’re
old friends. It is really awesome to see how strong friendships can grow in such a short amount of time. While here I have met two kiwi girls who play for New Zealand’s U-20 national soccer team and have played in multiple tournaments around the world. I also met a kayaker, and now good mate of mine, who paddles for team NZL and just got back from competing in a European tour. See PREPARED on B3
Thursday, November 18, 2010
YELLOW JACKET
Page B3
Op-Ed
Changes need a plan Continued from B2
Haiti continues to suffer, help still needed By Bob Ray Sanders McClatchy Newspapers The poorest country in our hemisphere can’t seem to avoid calamity, which comes frequently and disguised in many viciously destructive forms. Having long endured the plagues of abject poverty, neglect and government corruption, the people of Haiti today continue to suffer from their latest afflictions brought on by earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, mudslides and disease. One wonders how much one people can endure and how much the rest of the world will allow them to suffer. Despite what one selfrighteous televangelist has said, Haitians have not been cursed by God because some people on the island of Hispaniola practice voodoo. They are not evil people who have been damned to unending torment. They have fallen victim to both natural and man-made disasters, and yet there continue to be signs of resiliency in the wake of unthinkable loss and hardship. It is still difficult to
Harry Potter still magical Continued from B2 Potter. I can’t even pretend that I have never attended a midnight showing of Harry Potter before, because I have been to several. The outlandish costumes that people wear to these events is unbelievable. Long beards for Hagrid costumes, fake toilet seats for Moaning Myrtle, and even a rendition of a Nearly Headless Nick costume (although this wasn’t really the best costume ever) were among the outfits that I have witnessed throughout my time as a fan. I will never forget that fateful day when I picked up my first Harry Potter book. Picture this – an elementary school book
imagine the severity of the earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, destroying its capital city, killing well in excess of 200,000 people, injuring 300,000 more and leaving more than 1 million homeless, many of them living in overcrowded, unsanitary tent cities with little left except hope. Their conditions are not likely to change for the better anytime soon. Our nation and people around the world did respond with aid, resources and dedicated volunteers willing to help. The response was so great initially that there was no way all of the assistance could be coordinated through the tiny country’s damaged air and sea ports. I was particularly proud of the many individuals and companies from North Texas who not only sent monetary donations but packed their bags and went down to help. Several teams of doctors from the area went to treat the injured. Church groups that already had missions on the island wasted no time in starting rebuilding efforts, and compa-
nies and giant corporations like AMR (parent of American Airlines) and Alcon Laboratories immediately began shipping food and medicine. There are still many foreign volunteers and relief organizations on the ground in Haiti, but they have been overwhelmed by the need,a need that grows with every approaching rainstorm or hurricane and new epidemic. Our attention span can be quite short, and we tend to shift our focus to wherever the national media direct us. It’s not uncommon for the media to have a “crisis of the week” and, with each new disaster, we forget about the old one even though it doesn’t go away, not for the people who are suffering and dying. While we have been distracted by other pressing stories, some serious and some frivolous, the situation in Haiti is growing worse with the outbreak of a cholera epidemic. There have been almost 10,000 confirmed cases of the disease, which the country has not seen in 50 years. More than 600 people have died since the out-
break. Health officials fear that cholera will continue to spread rapidly through the encampments across Haiti, including its capital of Port-au-Prince, still home to more than 2.5 million people. The pictures of ill children and the elderly being carried to overcrowded hospitals and clinics are haunting. Overworked aid workers try desperately to treat them for their ailments but unfortunately can do little to treat the conditions that help breed the disease. Haiti still needs help from the international community. The great shortages of housing, clean drinking water and medical supplies make it difficult to fight off this latest menace. All I ask is that we not forget these people. We must encourage our government to do more, and we should continue to support those groups like the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders that have people on the front lines of this battle. Pray for them. But also, be a person who will help answer their prayers.
fair in a small art classroom. Rows of books everywhere. A nine-year-old with a love for reading. I had my eye on another book, but my mom convinced me that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone would be a great option. Who knew that my lifelong obsession would begin as I sat at a cafeteria table that evening and began reading? My battered paperback version of the book still sits on a place of honor on my bookshelf despite that fact that I am now 20 years old. Since that first encounter, Harry Potter has taken the world by storm causing chaos in its wake. Debates on morality, ethics, spirituality and humanity and social structures have all stemmed from this book. Although I personal-
ly have never delved too deeply into the philosophy behind Harry Potter, it is interesting to see what people believe is written inbetween the lines of text. Unless you feel that passion for a fantasy world involving witches and wizards struggling with good versus evil, you will never understand the reasoning behind the massive amount of fans and the crazy stuff they do in support of their cause. I suppose that’s why I never understood Star Wars fans. Personally I think they are a complete bunch of oddballs, but that’s just me. I feel as if I am always busy, and that I am always running to accomplish some task or another. Whether I am attempting to finish my schoolwork or racing to meet a deadline for the newspaper, I am allowed very few pre-
cious moments to relax and simply enjoy life. Without an outlet of escape and some place to forget all the problems that plague us, without those moments of pure bliss when Harry Potter flies on a hippogriff or he catches the golden snitch for the first time, life is nothing but work and worry. And to be honest, life is about a lot more than that. It’s about love and adventure and family and friends and passion and taking a stand for what is right. That’s what Harry Potter means to me. He stands for everything that is good and right, and that’s why I will be standing in lines hours before my movie showing. So much time has passed, and yet I am ready to pay and wait in unbelievably long lines to enjoy a few hours of pure magic.
meeting, was to conduct these polls at the mandatory hall meetings before break, according to Student Senate Academic Vice President Natalie George. George also admitted that, as of Nov. 9, Student Senate had not been in contact with any residence life staffs about the proposed polls. One problem. Some residence halls had meetings scheduled for that night. Exactly how is this supposed to work again? Surely Student Senate doesn’t expect residential students to vote on a policy without having any information about the subject. And don’t forget the commuters. While they may not eat every meal in the dining hall, they should have some input about going trayless. The current polling plan doesn’t account for them. At the most recent Student Senate meeting, Executive Board members admitted the current plan did not include commuters and did not have a solution for that problem. Commuters often complain how they feel ignored. Don’t rub salt in that
Prepared to head home Continued from B2 And I can’t forget about the kid who lives just down the street from me who is one of New Zealand’s top triathletes. It’s pretty sweet the people I have met while down here. Along with meeting heaps of cool people on the islands, my classes have been most excellent as well. Studying at Massey University has been rewarding, but definitely had its ups and downs. It was filled with stressful moments racing to get assignments finished, followed by embarrassing ones too. Like the time I showed up twenty minutes late to my first exam. My professor knew straight away I was from America and we shared some laughter and exchanged some stories of the homeland after the exam.
wound. To get the University to go trayless by next semester, Student Senate has a lot of work to do in a short amount of time. Student Senate had an entire semester to plan to go trayless. And yet, everything seems crammed into the last few weeks of the semester. As a member of Student Senate, I understand that Senate deals with a variety of issues every week. I see firsthand the process an idea goes through in order to be implemented on campus. However, I also see taskforces that have no report week after week. There can be slow weeks; I understand. But I can’t fathom why week after week some taskforces don’t seem to be doing anything. And I certainly can’t understand why Student Senate is trying to throw together such an important decision such as going trayless in what seems to be about a month. Not much can be done this semester. After all, it’s too late to cram in anything else at this point. However, make a change for next semester. Identify the big picture and work toward that all semester. Don’t wait until the last minute.
Despite my embarrassment in front of the entire class, I still managed to pass that test. I have learned many new things outside the lecture halls of Massey too. My professors have been very helpful in directing me when I needed guidance and the kiwi friends I have met have influenced me with their “sweet as” lingo and kiwi lifestyle. New Zealand has a very interesting heritage and an astounding culture. It has been fun learning and adapting to how things roll down here. As my days here quickly wind down, I am looking forward to returning home to my friends and family whom I miss and love so much. New Zealand will always hold a place in my heart. Chances are, I’ll be back again. Until then, I am thankful for the friends I’ve made and the adventures we’ve shared, and I cannot wait to come home with more stories.
YELLOW JACKET
Page B4
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Region
Consol Coal charged with dam’s repair By Sierra Shafer Op/Ed Editor The Department of Environmental Protection is requiring Consol Pennsylvania Coal Co. to pay for repairs to the dam at Ryerson Station State Park. According the Park, the damage to the dam was caused during mining work by the company. Repairing the dam will cost Consol $20,291,340. The company has also been ordered to pay the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources $1,042,625 for work required to develop
Photo by Gregory Reinhart The dam at Ryerson Station State Park was allegedly damaged by Consol’s mining.
repair plans. According to Katy Gresh, spokeswoman for DEP, this process began almost two years ago in November of 2008. DCNR filed suit with DEP after the concrete
structure was compromised, allegedly due to the mining work of Consol. “From what I understand, there is a lot to be done,” said Gresh. “It’s hard to tell how long it will take because [the
Department of Conservation of Natural Resources] have to wait for a project engineer to design a plan. Then we’ll be able to estimate how long this will take.” These costs will be reimbursed by Consol at the completion of the new order. DEP has receive any notice of appeal from Consol, according to Gresh. While DCNR has gone ahead and made some repairs, there is much more to be done including the application of engineering plans and permits for the repairs.
Father files lawsuit Continued from B1 from, in the lawsuit. The word “occurrence” means an accident according to State Farm Fire and Casualty Company policy. Because the police were unable to determine the cause of the blaze, the fire qualifies as an “occurrence” under the subject policy. As a result of the negligence, the father has filed suit on behalf of the son for multiple reasons including the pain and suffer-
ing Noah Havrilesko endured before his death, the monetary loss the son would have received if he had lived a normal life expectancy and James Havrilesko’s loss of enjoyment for life. As administrator of Noah Havrilesko’s estate, the father claimed wrongful death damages for reasons such as, “the loss of monetary contributions that Noah James Havrilesko would have made to his parents and others entitled to take under this action,” according to the lawsuit. James Havrilesko is demanding $50,000 plus interest and costs for his son’s wrongful death.
Armory purchased Continued from B1
Photo by Andrew Buda
James “Fuzzy” Randolph will be the recipient of the individual Distinguished Service Award.
Professors recognized Continued from B1 However, when asked to expound upon his most favored accomplishment, Randolph said the Paul R. Stewart Museum. Currently, he is working on a doll display for the Christmas season. Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melody Longstreth said that award nominees will be kept on file for three years in the event that the individual does not receive the award with the first nomination. According to Randolph, this was the first year he was nominated. “It’s very tough to choose the award recipient,” Longstreth said. “Being in a small town, we all know these people. There’s no way that you don’t know these individuals and that’s how it should be. I’m very thankful that I don’t have to choose because it’s very difficult.” Falor attended Ohio University and graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor of science degree in anatomy and a certification in physical therapy. He also graduated from George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences with a Doctor of Medicine degree. Falor practiced in several area hospitals including St. Clair, Canonsburg and Brownsville. In 1974, he began at Greene County Memorial Hospital as director of the emergency/outpatient department, a position he held until his retirement in 1992. He also served as
the physician for the Greene County Jail until the time of his death. According to Longstreth, Falor is the sixth person honored posthumously, with the first posthumous award in 2002. “It seems like we have set a little bit of a precedent, however, it’s not something we plan on doing each year,” Longstreth said. “The past posthumous recipients have been on our list of potential awardees but we want to recognize them while they are still with us.” The Greene County United Way is an autonomous nonprofit formed by the people of Greene County in 1979 to organize and coordinate its community resources to address human service needs. The organization is working to advance the common good by focusing on the building blocks for a good life for all in the local community. Last year, programs funded in part by Greene County United Way provided service to more than 15,000 local residents. “I’m honored to be recognized by a group of peers in our community,” Greene County United Way Executive Director Amy Widdup said. “It’s certainly something that we’re proud of.” According to Longstreth, the chamber is already looking toward next year. At least a dozen have already been nominated for the individual award along with six for the organization award. “We still have a lot of good candidates to choose from and it would be nice to pick more than one but this is how we started it back in 1988,” she said.
the office section of the building and move the IT department into it,” he said. “The basement area we hope to move the student health center into, as its current location has run its course.” Barnhart went on to explain that the University has no plans to add on to the building, but extensive renovations will have to be made. “The building was constructed in 1913, and in 1962 there was an extensive modification done to it,” said Barnhart. “What we want to do is get the building back to its
Infographic by Matt Giardina
basics. We want to tear out some walls and ceilings to try to open up some more space.” Pete Mahoney, executive director of Information Technology, feels that the move will be a good fit. “In terms of the change factor, I do think it’s going to be a
nice change,” said Mahoney. “One of the things they were struggling with is working around the renovations in this building [Stewart], and we will definitely be able to fit into the armory with room enough for everyone.” Mahoney explained that although the
department will be farther away from campus, there will be no major changes to the way it operates. “We should be able to fit down there appropriately,” he said. “The department will still be able to serve the students the same as it always has.”
Tip-off time Women’s basketball opens season with win. Read more on C2
Thursday, November 18, 2010
So close, C Jacket yet so far Swingle breaks Waynesburg record women ... again run in regionals Dave Floyd ROSS COUNTRY
By Matt Paris Staff Writer
Sports Editor
It doesn’t get much more heartbreaking than that. As part-time Jacket quarterback Ryan Williams was brought down short of the end zone Saturday in overtime, the Waynesburg football team saw another close game slip from its grasps. Sound familiar? It should (especially if you glanced at the first two paragraphs of my commentary a week ago). Different week, same story. So close, yet so far. Waynesburg finished the 2010 campaign with a 6-4 overall record, but only lost those four games by a combined 15 points. Take away just a few mistakes, missed opportunities and bad breaks, and 10-0 doesn’t seem all that far off. Let’s start by looking at the game this past Saturday against rival W&J, a perfect microcosm of the Jackets’ entire season. Picking up the action with the last play of regulation, All-PAC sophomore kicker Jon Storck had the opportunity to win the game for Waynesburg with a 39-yard field goal. Storck’s kick had plenty of leg, but sailed just right, pushing the game into overtime. It certainly wasn’t a bad mistake, for the pressure of the situation seemed almost palpable, and the kick was by no means a chip shot. Nonetheless, it was a missed opportunity at a crucial time. On the very next play, which was the first snap in overtime, W&J quarterback Gino Rometo attempted to swing the ball out to his left to receiver Jordan Roycroft. Waynesburg defensive lineman Brandon Fedorka reached his right hand into the air and got a piece of the pass; however, somehow the throw still managed to settle down right in the arms of Roycroft. The Presidents’ leading receiver proceeded to take it all the way into the end zone. We’ll call that a bad break. Then, when the Jackets scored on their ensuing overtime possession, Waynesburg head coach Rick Shepas elected to go for the two-point conversion and the win. Instead of sending senior quarter-
This past Saturday at Cooper’s Lake, in the final race of the season, a new school record was set for the Waynesburg University men’s cross country team. Senior Adam Swingle, in the final race of his collegiate career, set the fivemile record after placing 152nd in the 309-man NCAA Division III
Mideast Regional Championship race. Swingle broke the record by four secSwingle onds. “He ran the race of his life on Saturday,” said head coach Chris Hardie. “Before the race as the team was going through their normal team preparation and prayer, he con-
fidently predicted that he would break the school record.” Swingle posted a time of 28:19.2. “Adam has been a source of inspiration for this team all season,” Hardie said. “He earned the honor as fastest runner in school history, but what was so special about him this season was his devotion to the program. “He exemplified what a captain should be,”
Hardie added. “And because of that devotion, I respect him much more as a man after the last three months of this season.” The Jackets as a team finished 32nd in the race. “The team performed By Nicole Forte about as well as they Staff Writer could have,” said Hardie. “We ran into a few speed Freshman Bre Paul led bumps the week leading the women’s cross counup to the race which prob- try team to a 28th place finish in a 42-team field as See SWINGLE on C2 it closed out its season at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Mideast Regional Championships. Carnegie Mellon hosted the race at Cooper’s Lake in Slippery Rock, Pa. “I think our performance at regionals was pretty solid,” said head coach Chris Hardie. “I was proud of the team and how they competed. The team worked hard and is already focused on bettering their ranking next season.” Paul, the Irwin, Pa., native, placed a team-best 87th in a 314-woman field, finishing the race in 24:43.2. Junior captain Michelle Naymick put together a strong performance for the Yellow Jackets as she ran a time of 25:14.6. Naymick finished 115th overall. “I feel like I ran a Photo by Tim Jackson respectable time, but lookJunior running back Jamelle Bowers (6) is brought down by a host of W&J defend- ing back at my mile splits, ers in the Jackets’ 31-30 overtime loss to the Presidents Saturday at Wiley Stadium. I wish I would have run a faster third mile,” said connected with sopho- said. “I did change the get on the board first to Naymick. “I lost a lot of more tight end Adam play after they called start the game before Jack- ground on my competitors Moses for a 21-yard touch- timeout. It’s something ets kicker Jon Storck during that stage in the down to make it 31-30. we practice every week. answered with a 24-yard race.” Instead of kicking the We felt good about either field goal to tie the game Freshman Tiffany 3-3. Waynesburg got its Onifer rounded out the extra point to try to force play really.” According to Shepas, first lead when Dawson top three for Waynesburg. a second overtime, Waynesburg head coach Rick the other call would have connected with freshman The Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Shepas elected to try for been a play action pass tight end Mike Ferraro on native finished the race the two-point conversion with Dawson as the quar- a six-yard touchdown. with a time of 25:41.6, The Jackets held that lead good for 140th place overterback. for the win. However, Shepas said until the third quarter. Washington and Jefferall. That is when the Presison called timeout to pre- he can’t really second Going into regionals dents took over and Hardie set a goal for is his pare for the final play of guess the call. “We had our chances to scored 21 unanswered team to place in the top the game, and Shepas decided to insert junior win in regulation,” he points in a nine-minute 20. Although the team Ryan Williams to play said. “W&J came out and span. didn’t quite reach that Rometo capped off a mark, Hardie appreciates quarterback in the wildcat had a great third quarter. formation. Williams was They came out and went seven-play, 69-yard drive the effort put forth by his stopped short of the end up two touchdowns, and with a one-yard touch- team during the race. down run to make it 10zone on an option keeper. we came fighting back.” “Top twenty would Washington and Jeffer“We made [the decision] right away,” Shepas son kicked a field goal to See FOOTBALL on C3 See PAUL on C2
Stopped short
Failed two-point attempt in OT seals Jackets’fate against rival W&J By Aaron Thompson Assistant Sports Editor Trying to rebound from a tough loss the Waynesburg University football team suffered last week to No. 10 Thomas More was a laborious task, but this past Saturday’s loss against archrival Washington and Jefferson may sting even longer. Just like last week, the Yellow Jackets (4-3, 6-4) were on the cusp of earning a signature victory over one of the top two programs in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Waynesburg had several chances but ultimately fell to Washington and Jefferson 31-30 in overtime at John F. Wiley Stadium. The Presidents (7-1, 82) struck first in overtime when senior quarterback Gino Rometo connected with sophomore receiver Jordan Roycroft on a bubble screen, and Roycroft outraced the Jacket defense 25 yards into the end zone for the touchdown. Washington and Jefferson added the extra point for a seven-point lead. Then it was Waynesburg’s chance, and they needed a touchdown. The Jackets were facing a third-and-six when senior quarterback Brad Dawson
Wrestling continues hot start with 3-0 weekend By Steve Hullings Staff Writer
Presidents’ Athletic Conference wrestler of the week Jared Roberts, along with sophomore Alex Crown and senior Nick Garber, all led the Waynesburg University wrestling team to a 3-0 record at the Duals at Hershey this past Saturday. “I thought it was really good for the team because everyone contributed,” said Garber. “We wrestled really well as a team, and I was really impressed.” See SO on C3 The three wrestlers all
went 3-0 on the day against tough opposition from Johns Hopkins, York and Division II Shippensburg. The Yellow Jackets pulled off a victory over York 18-17 after winning the first two matches against Shippensburg and John Hopkins, both by a score of 21-12. “It was pretty nice going 3-0, but I’m not wrestling my best, so I wasn’t too happy with the way I wrestled,” Garber said. “I did win all my matches, but I wasn’t too happy with it.” Roberts won three very
notable matches, winning all of them by pin fall. One pin was recorded in one minute and 28 seconds into the match against Jeff Goldhagen of York. This put the Jackets up 18-7. Garber defeated former University of Pittsburgh starter (transfer) Chris Albright of York in a hard fought 5-3 match. “When I wrestled Albright, I wrestled OK,” said Garber. “I still didn’t wrestle very good, but I did wrestle better than in See THREE on C4
Photo by Dawn Yates
Sophomore 125-pounder Alex Crown, 3-0 on the day, controls one of his opponents Saturday in Hershey.
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sports
Jackets erase early deficit in victory Men’s basketball wins scrimmage, readies for opener By Steven Iser Staff Writer
The Waynesburg University women’s basketball team opened its season Tuesday with a 69-48 victory over Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus. The Lions, though, controlled the tempo from the tip, getting out to an early 14-2 lead. Offensively, the Lions were able to connect on their first three attempts beyond the arc. Penn State Fayette went on to shoot 40 percent from behind the arc in the first half. The Lions were able to hold the Jackets to only two points with 13:43 remaining in the first half. Waynesburg was having no problem attempting field goals, but struggled to make them in the first half, shooting 9-46 from the field. The Jackets’ aggressive rebounding allowed them to attempt 21 more field goals than their opponent. “We need to be more consistent,” head coach Sam Jones said. “We have to remain calm when we are missing shots.” Down 12 points with 13:43 on the clock, Jones called a timeout. “I told my team we were playing flatfooted and getting outworked,” Jones said. “To get back into the game we had to match their intensity.” The Jackets did just that, going on a 13-0 run after the timeout. Waynesburg’s defense held the Lions scoreless for nearly eight minutes during its run.
Photo by Tim Jackson
Junior point guard Hannah Hunter dribbles in front of a defender in Tuesday’s game at the Marisa Fieldhouse. “We realized we needed to communicate on defense,” senior captain forward Elisha Jones said. “When we communicate and start talking to one another, everything comes together for us.” The Jackets fought their way back and trailed by only one, 30-29, at halftime. Waynesburg stayed in the game by shooting 83 percent from the free throw line. They connected on 10-of-12 from the charity stripe. Penn State Fayette shot 40 percent from the field to protect its lead. The second half was a
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Area schools hope tradition continues By Matthew Snyder Staff Writer As fall begins to fade away and stadiums are closed up for the winter, gymnasiums gain popularity as high school sports move indoors for the winter season. There is no doubt that Greene County maintains a strong wrestling tradition as five of the 19 wrestlers who have won four individual titles in the WPIAL come from the area. Last year all three teams competed in their respective section team tournaments and class tournaments. This year Waynesburg Central High School’s wrestling team looks to better its second-place finish in the section from last season. Waynesburg entered the section team tournament with an overall record of 5-1 and a section record of 4-0. Waynesburg faced off against Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the section team championship but lost by a score of 40-30. Waynesburg competed in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA Team Tournament but fell short against North Allegheny.
Waynesburg wrestles in the WPIAL Class AAA Section 4B along with Trinity, Peters Township, Mount Lebanon, McGuffey and Bethel Park. Jefferson-Morgan finished second place overall in the WPIAL Class AA Section 2 Team Championship after ending with a record of 3-1 in section matchups. Jefferson-Morgan beat Charleroi to make it to the championship but was beaten by Yough. Jefferson-Morgan made it through the preliminary round at the WPIAL Class AA Team Tournament, only to be defeated by Burgettstown. Jefferson-Morgan will compete against Avella, Bentworth, Bethlehem Center, Washington and West Greene this season. West Greene’s year ended with a fourth-place finish in the WPIAL Class AA Section 2 Team Tournament and a loss in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA Team Tournament. West Greene went 3-1 in conference and 0-1 out of league play before entering the section team tournament. Teams will begin their seasons in December.
different atmosphere for both teams. The Jackets opened the half with an 11-0 run, taking the lead and stretching it to double digits with 13:58 remaining in the game. “We need to focus on the little areas we can fix,” Coach Jones said. “We saw glimpses of what we can be when we are playing with intensity and focus.” The Jackets further pushed their lead to 17 with 8:57 remaining, but the Lions battled back. With six minutes left, a strong take by Penn State’s Jennifer Thomas cut the lead to single digits. On the following pos-
session the Jackets committed a turnover, giving the Lions a chance to make it just a two-possession game. A great defensive play by freshman Elaine Hasek and then an assist from Hasek to junior captain point guard Hannah Hunter on the other end of the court swapped the momentum. After that, it was all Jackets. Waynesburg shot nearly 44 percent from the field in the second half of the game. The Jackets outrebounded the Lions 62-33 in the contest. Three-time All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference selection Elisha Jones led the Jackets with a game-high 16 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and a game-high four steals. Hunter chipped in nine points and eight rebounds. Sophomore forward Paige Pearce and junior guard Morgan Hoone each contributed eight points. Kaitlyn Novak, who had 13 points and five rebounds, and teammate Kasey Ruble, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds, led the Lions. It feels great to get off to a positive start,” Hunter said. “We had a few flaws with our intensity early, but when we kept our energy and intensity up, we played well.” The Waynesburg women take the court again Friday against Alfred University in their first of two games in the two-day Allegheny Invitational.
By Emilee Wagner Staff Writer The Waynesburg University men’s basketball team edged Muskingum College in a scrimmage Saturday, 71-70. “Comparing to last Friday’s scrimmage, we grew in many areas,” head coach Mark Christner said. “Defensively we improved our early helps and positioning. Offensively we moved the ball well in the first half and shot great from the perimeter again. We continued to really compete and play hard.” The Jackets shot 12-for21 from beyond the arc in the victory. “Coach Christner and [assistant] Coach [Mike] Fatigante have helped us maintain confidence, and it shows in our ability to shoot in the last two scrimmages,” senior guard Steven Iser said. “We have also shown improvement in our understanding of Coach Christner’s defensive system. Our mental toughness late in the fourth quarter was excellent and won us the game. Every one of my teammates left it all on the court, and that’s what we need to do to beat teams in our conference.” Moving forward, Christner believes that the team needs to focus
Paul leads Jackets
Swingle sets new record Continued from C1 ably dropped us about five spots in the regional rankings.” Junior Kam Schaefer, who was the top finisher at last year’s Mideast Regional, was injured dur-
See JACKETS on C4
and close the gap.” A senior from Oil City, Pa., Sarah Beth Rood ran
the last race of her collegiate career Saturday. Finishing the race in 28:16.5,
she placed 247th overall. The team ran a strong race to send off their seniors. “I think it was a good race to end the season,” said Paul. “The results from this race have really opened my eyes to what could be done in the next couple of years. We’re going to miss our seniors next year, and I really hope that we made this season a memorable one for them.” Johns Hopkins took the team title after placing three runners in the top 10 and a total of five athletes in the top 30. The Blue Jays also took top individual honors. Junior Cecilia Furlong won the race with a time of 21:57.2.Delaware Valley senior Caitlin Dorgan placed second, finishing the race in 21:57.3.Rounding out the top three for the race was a sophomore from host Carnegie Mellon. Emily Wobb recorded a time of 22:00.3.
ing the week, which cost him a top finish. “Kam injured his foot leading up to the race,” said Hardie. “He ran courageously, but he lost a minute or two in his fivemile time.” Freshman Jonathan Blatt followed Swingle with a 190th-place finish. “I think my race went really well on Saturday,” said freshman Jonathan
Blatt. “With such a big race, it was really easy for me to get boxed in.” Blatt posted a time of 29:07.2. “I really wanted to break the 29-minute barrier, but I ended seven seconds over it,” said Blatt. “I was pretty mad after the race, but I realized that I’m still a freshman, so I have three more chances at it.”
Waynesburg’s top three finishers were rounded out by another freshman. Justin Angoti posted a time of 29:48.9. Haverford won the team title in dominating fashion. The Fords placed five runners in the top seven, including senior Anders Hulleberg, who won the race with a time of 24:59.7.
Continued from C1 have been a great thing for this young team,” said Hardie. “We picked that placing as a lofty goal. The team did the best they could, and we are proud of how they raced.” The Jacket women have struggled to do one thing all year, and that is to close the gaps in a race. A few Jacket runners were able to do so in this final race. “It is a goal of ours to bring all of our runners together during the race,” said Hardie. “That is one of the challenges that faces each Waynesburg runner. How do I catch the girl in front of me? A few of the girls did that this weekend, but for us to be successful, the whole team must embrace that challenge
on improving their defensive rebounding and limiting turnovers. Also, he knows that they will continue to grow in their knowledge of his defensive system. “Offensively, we want to run the floor really hard, then be able to settle down and make the right reads,” Christner said. “Our bodies are going a little too fast all the time right now, but I’d rather have that then our guys moving too slow.” The Jackets will open their regular season Friday when they travel to LaRoche College to take on the Penn State Beaver Nittany Lions at the Crons Classic. “Penn State Beaver is a program coming off of back-to-back 20-win seasons,” Christner said. “They will be athletic, mix it up defensively and really look to attack offensively. “Our guys are ready to play and continue to learn,” added Christner. “Learning and winning is always better than learning and losing.” On Saturday, the Jackets will take on with the host Redhawks. “LaRoche is a good, fundamental team with athletic guard play. They compete in the competitive Allegheny Mountain
Photo by Tim Jackson
Freshman Tiffany Onifer was the third Jacket to cross the line in Saturday’s regional race.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
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Sports
Men’s soccer looks back on ‘disappointing’ 2010 campaign By Dave Franczak Staff Writer At the outset of the 2010 season, the Waynesburg University men’s soccer team had to become acclimated with new faces and personnel. Head coach Sean McCarthy was starting his first season leading the Yellow Jackets. The Jackets worked hard under McCarthy in preseason; however, the Jackets dropped their season opener 6-0 to Muskingum College. “It [having another season like 2009’s 3-15-1 campaign] certainly popped in my head,” said junior captain Dave Floyd about losing to Muskingum. But I knew it was
only the first game and there were plenty more, so we just moved on.” The Jackets went into the Defiance College Tournament with their heads up. The team went 0-1-1, losing to a national tournament qualifier, Greenville College, 1-0. After the tournament, the Jackets were able to find a pattern, winning one game then losing the next. Coming down to the end of non-conference play, the Jackets hosted Hiram for their second home game of the season. At this point in the season, Waynesburg had already surpassed their win total from 2009, and their record sat just one game below .500.
“We’ve got to look to get better. We’ve got to be able to perform” Sean McCarthy Head soccer coach, Waynesburg University
The Jackets were able to defeat Hiram to improve their record to 55-1 heading into Presidents’ Athletic Conference play. “Before the Hiram game, I didn’t know if we would show up or choke,” said McCarthy. “After the game, I remember saying to some people, ‘Finally we’re ready.’ We were battled tested and ready for conference play.” Before conference play
began, off the field events forced the coaches to strip the captains of their leadership position, and new captains were voted on. “It was tough. Leaders were not showing leadership off of the field,” McCarthy said. “We wanted to develop a new culture of hard work, dedication and decision-making. “The switch needed to be done.” A tough road was ahead
Jersey retirement ceremony caps emotional ’10 season
Jackets win scrimmage
By Yellow Jacket Staff
Collegiate Conference and won 13 games last year,” Christner said. “Both games will be a great challenge for us, and
An emotional season for the Waynesburg University football team came to a conclusion Saturday and was marked by a fitting ceremony prior to kickoff. Waynesburg honored the late, great Mike Czerwien before the game by retiring his No. 29 jersey. Czerwien, a 2008 Waynesburg graduate, holds the NCAA alldivision record for sacks with 53.5, was 2007 PAC player of the year and was a fourtime All-PAC selection. Czerwien also served as a graduate assistant during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, Czerwien’s sudden passing in July was not the only obstacle Waynesburg was forced to overcome throughout their season. They also had to deal with the effects of Clint DeRosa’s tragic death in late April. DeRosa was a freshman defensive lineman
Football falls in finale Continued from C1 10. Presidents sophomore running back Tim McNerney then scored on a two-yard run and busted loose a 55-yard touchdown run. When the third quarter was all said and done, the Presidents had a 24-10 lead. Waynesburg didn’t wilt and had a run of its own left in them. Dawson led the Jackets on a 10-play, 66-yard drive that was capped when he connected with senior receiver Kyle Kyper for a 24-yard touchdown to make it 2417. The Jackets tied the game shortly thereafter when freshman running back Dom Moore scored from one yard out. Both teams missed
Continued from C2
So close, yet so far Continued from C1
Photo by Cami Abernathy
Rick Shepas and Skip Noftzger bow their heads during the jersey retirement ceremony of Mike Czerwien. on the 2009 squad. “To be honest the team has been through a lot with the loss of Clint Derosa and Mike Czerwien,” said Shepas. “The guys handled
field goals on their final drives of regulation. Storck missed the potential game winner from 39 yards out as time expired. Waynesburg outgained Washington and Jefferson 418-395. Dawson finished with 299 passing yards and three touchdowns in his final game. McNerney finished with a game-high 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Presidents head coach Mike Sirianni gave his team credit for battling through the injuries they have had throughout the season and said he would be glad to be playing in an ECAC bowl game this weekend. The win does keep the Presidents streak of 12 straight postseason appearances alive. Washington and Jefferson was selected by the ECAC and
these tough situations very well and played very well for these occurrences happening. The upperclassmen showed great leadership, and the young guys stepped up.”
back Brad Dawson out onto the field, who earlier in the game eclipsed 6,500 passing yards for his career at Waynesburg, Shepas chose to go with his wildcat offense. W&J stopped Williams short of the goal line on an option keeper and walked away from Wiley Stadium with a 31-30 victory. Sure, it is impossible to know for sure that the Jackets would’ve been successful with different personnel or a different play call. But it’s nearly as difficult not to question the decision to take the ball out of Dawson’s hands with seemingly an entire season on the line.
of the Jackets as they started PAC play against the top three teams from last season: Westminster, Thomas More and Washington and Jefferson. The Jackets lost all three contests. The next game was critical for their conference standing. The Jackets could not capture a win against Saint Vincent, dropping a 1-0 decision. That loss nearly put the team out of playoff contention. “We needed to win that game,” said McCarthy. “We weren’t out of it, but it felt like we were out.” Waynesburg was unable to win another game throughout the remainder of the season, leaving their final record
at 5-13-1. “It was disappointing,” added Floyd, who only has two wins and a tie in PAC play in his entire career at Waynesburg. “I measure what I’ve done by team success. I have only one more year, [so] I have to make a change [in order to help the team improve].” The offseason is now upon the Jackets, and they now begin to prepare for next season. The team will only lose one senior and expects to have the rest of their starting lineup back for next season. “We’ve got to look to get better,” said McCarthy. “We’ve got to be able to perform.”
we are excited to open our season.” Both games are set to tip-off at 6 p.m. Following the Crons Classic, Waynesburg will travel to Ohio to take on Oberlin in a road contest Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Then, the Jackets will make their home debut Dec. 1 against Hilbert at
the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. Three days later, the team will travel to West Virginia to take on Bethany in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference opener for Waynesburg. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. The Jackets were predicted to finish eighth in the PAC this season.
If just one of those plays goes in Waynesburg’s favor, the Jackets would still be practicing in preparation of an ECAC bowl game Saturday. They didn’t, though, and that seemed to epitomize Waynesburg’s season. Against Thomas More, the Jackets had an opportunity to recover a late Saint fumble and clinch a Waynesburg upset, but Williams and fellow safety Bryan Gary couldn’t corral the loose ball. Thomas More held on for a 14-10 win and clinched their third straight PAC title. Versus Wilkes, Waynesburg turned the ball over five times and racked up 78 yards in penalties. Cut down those numbers, and the Jackets probably leave Edwardsville, Pa., with a victory. Now, it’s
that Wilkes team, also at 6-4, preparing for said bowl game, not Waynesburg. A brief conversation I had with Dawson in passing Monday afternoon may have summed it up best. I asked the senior signal caller, “So I saw [the team got snubbed] from that ECAC bowl, huh?” His response: “Nah, I wouldn’t say that. We didn’t really deserve it. We had our opportunities, but we missed [them].” He’s right. While those few mistakes, missed opportunities and mistakes could’ve gone a different way, they didn’t. As a result, the Jackets didn’t go 10-0, win the PAC or even get invited to an ECAC bowl. But they sure were close, and that was certainly exciting to watch.
Photos by Tim Jackson
At left, junior receiver Jeff Young makes a leaping catch on the sideline of Saturday’s game. Above, junior running back Jamelle Bowers hurdles a defender. will host Franklin and Marshall College (6-4) at Cameron Stadium on Saturday. The victory also furthers the Presidents’ dom-
inance over the Jackets in the teams’ all-time series. Washington and Jefferson holds a commanding 35-5 edge, and they have now won the past seven
matchups over their rivals. Waynesburg was eligible to be picked for one of the possible ECAC bowl games but was not select-
ed. Four teams with the same overall record as the Jackets were selected by the ECAC for bowl games.
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sports
PAC ALL-SPORTS TROPHY
Decade dominated by three schools By Katie Rihn Staff Writer Although it may not seem like it, the past decade of athletics in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference has been dominated by just three league members. The factor of dominance and consistency is determined by who is awarded the PAC AllSports Trophy. Within the past decade, dating back to the 2001-02 season, the three schools in the PAC that have captured the titles are Washington and Jefferson, Westminster and Grove City. “The All-Sports Trophy, I couldn’t even begin to pinpoint the exact year it began,” said PAC Executive Director Joe Onderko. “I’ve been in the conference going on 10 years now, and it’s been in place for many decades. Whether it’s been in place since the beginning of the conference, we’re not 100 percent sure.” The PAC All-Sports Trophy is presented at the end of the school year to the schools that have demonstrated the highest level of consistency in both women’s sports and
“We have quite a few people who take tremendous interest in this. It’s an interesting measurement of our schools.” Joe Onderko Executive Director, Presidents’ Athletic Conference
men’s sports, by way of a point system. Points are awarded to each school for each sport competed in. First-place receives eight points (seven points for the men), second place receives seven points (six for the men) and so on down the line until the last-place team is reached in which case they are awarded one point. According to Onderko, the purpose of the trophy is to measure the overall strengths of an athletic program by seeing how schools do in PAC championships across the board. In other words, every sport carries an equal amount of weight, and one is not greater than the other. Washington and Jefferson has shown tremendous consistency as of late, either sharing or having sole possession of the title for the past six sea-
sons on the men’s side. “The ability of any sports program to maintain consistency over a period of years is the goal that I believe is a measure of the entire program,” said Washington and Jefferson Director of Athletics Bill Dukett. “It is disheartening to have programs that are up and down every year with no rhyme or reason. In my opinion you do not have a program unless you show some consistency over the years.” On the flip side of the PAC All-Sports Trophy, the Westminster women’s program has won the title for the past four years, and six overall. “It is particularly gratifying to see the consistent effort and successes of our women’s teams each year in all PAC sports across the board,” said Westminster Director of Athletics Jim Dafler. “I know the coaches and student-ath-
letes work hard, and it is great to see their efforts rewarded. “If we cannot maintain the consistent standard we have achieved in the past, I don’t think it will be for lack of effort,” added Dafler. Waynesburg University was unable to capture the award during the past decade and did not finish above fourth place in this time frame for both men’s and women’s sports alike. In that time the Yellow Jackets have won just four PAC championships. Football and volleyball won in 2003, with volleyball following that up with another conference title the next year in 2004. The most recent PAC title belongs to the wrestling team, who captured the crown last season. Onderko believes this tradition is something that will continue on into the future for many years to come. “We have quite a few people who take tremendous interest in this,” said Onderko. “It’s an interesting measurement of our schools, and by putting that together and seeing how teams perform across the board is what I think will keep it going.”
PAC awards - For the second straight week, a Waynesburg University grappler was honored as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week. Junior Jared Roberts picked up the honor after going 3-0 this past Saturday at the Duals at Hershey. The Washington, Pa. native won all three Roberts of his bouts by pin. Those falls were key as the Yellow Jackets earned hard fought victories over Johns Hopkins (21-12), York (18-17) and Division II Shippensburg (21-12). Two of the pins came in the first period, including a fall in 1:28 over Jeff Goldhagen of York. - The All-PAC teams were chosen earlier this week in football, men’s soccer and women’s soccer. Waynesburg was represented in all three of the sports. Named to the first team in football were juniors defensive back Sean Hunt, defensive tackle Darryl Moore Jr. and center Nick Hanley and sophomores defensive back Bryan Gary and tight end Adam Moses. Senior offensive tackle Melvin Warrick and sophomore kicker Jon Storck garnered second-team laurels. Snagging honorable mention were seniors quarterback Brad Dawson and return man Troy Garove, junior defensive back Ryan Williams and sophomore defensive lineman Matt Krause. In men’s soccer, junior Erick Burke received second-team honors, while classmate Dave Floyd was tabbed as an honorable mention selection. Women’s soccer juniors forward Courtney Ebersole and goalkeeper Katrina Kelly were first-team picks. Senior midfielder Danielle Danhires and freshman defender Victoria Shepherd earned honorable mention status. Look for more coverage of all of these league honors in the next issue (Dec. 2) of The Yellow Jacket.
Three go 3-0 at Hershey Continued from C1
Garber, Crown still nationally ranked Two of Waynesburg’s best wrestlers were recognized by D3Wrestle.com in its latest set of national individual rankings. After being ranked third at 133 pounds in the website’s preseason rankings, senior Nick Garber was listed as the seventhbest 141-pounder in all of
Division III in the most recent listings. The Waynesburg native has opened up the year at 6-0 at 141 with two wins coming by fall and another coming by major decision. Last season, Garber finished seventh in the 133pound bracket at nation-
als to become the first Waynesburg All-American since Shawn Whyte in 2001. Sophomore 125pounder Alex Crown remained in the rankings as a “contender” for the top 10 spots. After two weekends of competition, Crown is 6-1 with his
only loss coming to Will Bentley of Elizabethtown in overtime at the Messiah Invitational. Bentley is also listed as a “contender” at 125. At the 2010 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships, Crown won Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Event.
my other matches. I was happy [to win] without wrestling my best.” Also contributing for the Jackets were freshman Levi Hosselrode, junior Garret Johnston, freshman Sam Lambardo, junior Alex Evanoff, sophomore Cody Catalina and sophomore Marty Kisla who each won one match, as well as freshman Luke Lohr who won two matches.
“I think I’m wrestling pretty well for the beginning of the season,” said Hosselrode who took third in his weight class at the Messiah Invitational. “There’s still some things I need to improve on, but I think I’m wrestling well so far. It’s a big change going from high school to the college level, even in a Division III school, but I think I’m wrestling well.” The Jackets return to action this Saturday when they travel to York for a quad-match with the host Spartans, Division II Lake Erie College and Messiah College, who they saw earlier this season.
Washington state agency bans caffeinated alcoholic beverages. Read more on D3
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Pianist incorporates audience into spontaneous songs By Eric Bost Staff Writer Singer/songwriter Ken Medema performed a solo concert at Waynesburg on Tuesday, but to Medema, it’s not really a solo act. “I am really convinced that people need to act together,” Medema said. “I believe an event like
this is an event that we do together. So I want to surrender some of the control to the people. I want them to work it with me because if we work it together, it builds the community. It’s a conversation is what it is. A concert like this is a conversation with music.” Medema has been blind
from birth, but he has a different kind of vision. “I see God in people around me,” said Medema. “I see God in the loving action of people who give themselves away, loving other people who take risks so that somebody else can have a better life.” Medema also explained
how God is in and has affected his music and what he does during his concerts. “Everything I write or sing is a reflection of my wonderment of the mystery of God. Sometimes I mention God directly, sometimes not,” said Medema. “There wasn’t a whole lot of Jesus talk
except in the stories that people told because I think that when people who are God’s people, who are in a constant state of prayer, live their lives and look at the stars or dance on the dance floor, they’re reflecting God’s love. So you don’t See MEDEMA on D2
Creative Writing
Local students to attend workshop By Sarah Bell Staff Writer
Pair wins Dancing with the Staff competition
On pointe
Photos by Gregory Reinhart
Kaitlyn Karan and Steve Bauthier won the Dancing with the Staff competition held on Saturday.
By Carrie Maier Staff Writer Waynesburg University senior Kaitlyn Karan and resident director Steve Bauthier won Saturday’s “Dancing with the Staff” competition based on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” The event featured four students paired with staff members who competed by performing dances. “It was a lot of fun,” said Karan. “We were looking to have fun, not be technical. It’s a bonus that we won.” Winners were chosen by audience members, but participants received critiques from judges, who included the 2008 victor Shane Peters, 2009 runner-up Jennifer Brusstar, and event coordinator Kelley Hardie. The event was hosted
by professor of Communication Lanny Frattare in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center. “I thought it was entertaining very funny,” said junior forensic accounting major Jess Malingowski. “People
have talent.” Participants were required to perform the samba, a Brazilian dance originating from Africa, in groups of two.
Look at a simple object. An apple. Describe the apple. Can you write a piece of fiction about it? What about a poem? This is just one example of a task that visiting high school students may have to complete on Nov. 18 at Waynesburg University’s Creative Writing Workshop. “We bring students to campus to have a day that is completely set aside to experience the power of writing,” Cockroft said. “Each student has a voice; writing is a vehicle for that voice.” High school students from the region visit campus to participate in numerous workshops, hear a speaker and present their work at an open mic night, which takes place as the day closes. Workshops are categorized into poetry, fiction or non-fiction. There are ten workshops that will be presented this year. Martin Cockroft, assistant professor of Creative Writing, believes that the event is about the High School students that participate. English teachers have a large load of work to cover in their classes, so some-
See FOUR on D2
See WORKSHOP on D2
Low-key concerts end on high notes
Steve Means plays Hawley returns for encore performance during Coffeehouse By Kaitlin Edwards Managing Editor
By Brandon Reed Staff Writer On Nov. 11, Waynesburg got a taste of the next big thing in the music industry. Steve Means, a singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tenn. made a stop in the Beehive as part of his three week tour of the Northeast. Steve plays a blend of funk and pop using an acoustic guitar and a complicated pedal board to loop his beats. “My acoustic guitar is my favorite instrument,” Means said, “I do all my shows live and by myself using the pedal board to keep the beats.” Means made the atmosphere fun right off the bat with a few covers
With catchy lyrics and sweet melodies, Caleb Hawley returned to campus for a second visit to play for the Noon Tunes event held on Monday, Nov. 15 in the Benedum Dining Hall. “Well, after performing here in January of ’09, it was definitely different to be here for the Noon Tunes event,” said Hawley. “There were definitely more people here, but it was harder to engage the audience as everyone was eating lunch. But I did like the big crowd.” Hawley played several tunes including, “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz and “Let it Be” by the Beatles. “He has a lot of feeling See MEANS on D2 in his voice and singing,”
just so everyone could get used to his style of music. He covered Maroon 5, Oasis and Iyaz, just to name a few. He also got a lot of laughs out of the crowd with his cover of the bed intruder song from the popular YouTube video. According to Means, he had a great set list of his own music as well, including the songs “Runaway” and “Do Something.” During the show, Means said that he had just got done opening for the Script and Maroon 5 all along the south and east coast. “It was crazy playing for 10 to 15,000 every night,” Means said. “It
Photo by Amanda Rice
Caleb Hawley performed in the Benedum Dining Hall during lunch on Monday. He played several cover songs including “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. said Christina Hecker, junior nursing major. “I really like his song choices, and they seem to fit his style and voice very well.”
While performing, Hawley incorporated different beats in addition to playing guitar and singing with some of his songs.
“I think he is pretty good,” said Danielle Tustin, sophomore crimiSee HAWLEY on D1
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Feature
Workshop held today Continued from D1 thing simple like the students having the opportunity to express themselves without grading becomes an enriching opportunity, Cockroft said. The workshops are taught by both professors and students. Some of the workshop leaders are from off-campus and are currently enrolled in a graduate program. Students are encouraged to volunteer to help out with the Creative Writing Workshop. Cockroft said he prefers students in the Department of English to volunteer because of their experience with the topic, but any student that expresses interest is welcome to
Means called a ‘favorite’ Continued from D1 was hard not to get used to that.” Means said that he does about 90 shows a year and loves to perform his newest songs right after he has laid them down in the studio. His management company is responsible for getting him the Maroon 5 gig as well as the tour he is currently on through the northeast coast. Mean’s first live performance in front of people was in junior high; his dad asked Means to play drums before 40 kids in his church’s youth group. That’s a slight difference from the 10,000 or more he has played for in the past.
Four couples compete Continued from D1 The first group included couple Melissa Folman and Dan Astor with couple Lauren Friday and Rea Redd. Halie Theriault and Luke Payson made up the second group with Karan and Bauthier. “I didn’t like how the dances in the beginning were the same,” said freshmen athletic training major and pre-physical therapy major Mariah Dylina. “But the end was entertaining. I liked the different music.” Contestants chose their own music after performing the mandatory Samba. Songs consisted of everything from Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” to a mash up featuring The Black Eyed Peas’ “Imma Be,” folk song“Cotton-Eyed Joe” and others. Karan and Bauthier danced to “You’re the One That I Want” from the 1978 film, “Grease.” “We just finished it [that] morning,” said Bau-
“I think it is important to start helping now... While I still have many things to learn, I maintain the ability to help others.” Amanda Hill Freshman English major
help. The only students who will be instructing workshops are juniors and seniors in the department, but students at any level can volunteer. Freshman English major Amanda Hill said that as a passionate writer, she has a need to help other writers develop their skills. “I think it is important to start helping now because, even as a freshman, I know that I have a voice as a writer,” Hill said. “While I still have many things to learn, I maintain the ability to
Means has also worked with T-Pain recently and even attended the rapper’s 26th birthday party. “It’s awesome,” Means said. “It has some doors for me in the hip-hop and urban side of the business. I never could have imagined being here.” Along with Means taste in music, his taste in fashion has attracted a good bit of attention. “All the ladies love him,” freshman Carrie Grove said, “He’s my favorite.” Steve Means currently has three CDs out, which were on sale at the coffeehouse on Thursday. The titles are “Now or Never,” “Do Something” and “Rescue Me.” Steve also had shirts and posters for sale at the coffeehouse, which he graciously signed immediately following the show.
thier. “We just kind of threw the ending in there.” Karan and Bauthier said they practiced one hour a week for five weeks on their dance and devoted two hours on Tuesdays to the Samba. “I think more people should do it,” said junior elementary and special education major Catherine Wyslchanski. The event was created by Director of Student Activities Pat Bristor, who plans to hold the event again next fall. “Since Kaitlyn is a senior I’m looking for a new partner for next year,” said Bauthier. “Hopefully we can get more people to sign up for next time.”
help others.” According to Cockroft, the high schools that get invited to the workshop are those who are on the list of past participants. Outside schools or students may find out about the Workshop and express interest. Students who are home-schooled are also invited. “One thing we would like to do a little better is expand our invitation to schools within Greene, Washington and Fayette counties,” Cockroft said. “We are limited in the number of students we want to host, we don’t
want more than 120 because it gets huge and hard to manage, so we contact the schools on the list first.” Joonna Trapp, chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages, said that the students should volunteer to work at the Creative Writing Workshop because it is a good experience. “It takes a level of maturity to work with high school students, which is hard,” Trapp said. “It is important for the high school students as well, because sometimes traditional writing instruction can diminish the love of creative writing.” The speaker at the workshop this year is Sam Swope, a teacher and writer from New York City. Swope will be doing a presentation for the teachers that come with the high school students.
Medema plays concert Continued from D1 have to say a lot of God words, you just have to be a God person.” During the concert, Medema incorporated the audience in a lot of the songs, like dancing and singing along. At the end of the show, Medema asked some viewers to give their own story, and then he created a song about that particular story off the top of his head. “I don’t know how he does it,” said junior business management major Sam Miller. “The fact that he’s been blind since birth and he can do that on the spot, how he knows the rhythm and the words and puts them into a song that fit. It’s incredible.”
Medema has a specific format through which he creates his songs. “It’s two things,” said Medema. “One is it’s a gift, like a person who has a gift for writing poetry. The other part is that the gift has been developed and honed. I’ve read so many poems and song lyrics, and I’ve analyzed and memorized lyrics that when it comes time to do it I have song lyrics in my head. For me it’s like a conversation, except in a dual language.” This is Medema’s fourth visit to Waynesburg. “Every time I have been here, there is a really sweet spirit of community,” Medema said. “This school feels like a community where people are really aware and sensitive to each other. There is a real loving, fun, lighthearted, but serious atmosphere here.”
Photo by Amanda Rice
Cold and flute season From right to left, Tiffany Franck, Amy Mina and Emily Roper performed at the final Chamberworks concert of the semester held at noon on Thursday, Nov. 11 in the Benedum Fine Arts Center as part of the flute ensemble.
Hawley plays Noon Tunes Continued from D1 nal justice major. “He seems to be really creative with the way he created different beats to go along with his songs while he was performing them. I thought that was pretty awesome.” After growing up in Minnesota, Hawley began playing music when he was 12-years-old. Despite starting out with a love of metal music, Hawley eventually added the genres of pop, jazz and folk to his repertoire. “When I was younger,
my parents would take me to film festivals all the time,” said Hawley. “They must have eventually rubbed off on me because whereas I used to solely focus on heavy metal music, I now perform a lot of acoustic pieces.” He graduated from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Jazz Composition. Currently, he lives in Manhattan in New York City. Hawley can play several different instruments, which include guitar, piano, bass and percussion instruments as well as singing. “I try to choose music that can span a lot of time
as well as appeal to a diverse crowd,” said Hawley. “I like to choose music that is unique, but also something that the audience can relate to. That is one of the most important things - to be able to relate to the audience.” His latest release is an album titled, “Steps,” which was released in October of 2009. He has also released another album titled, “Greatest Hits,” which was released in July of 2007. Some upcoming shows for Hawley include Rutgers University on Nov. 30, two shows in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 2 and a show in
Phoenixville, Pa. on Dec. 3. He has even opened for some big name bands such as the Dave Matthews Band. “As cool as it is to play for big groups and huge audiences, I think there are benefits to playing for smaller audiences,” said Hawley. “Not only [do I] get to perform to everyone on a more personal level, I get to really be able to interact with the audience and make them feel as if they are a part of the show.” Hawley has won a few awards including the 2009 John Lennon Songwriting Contest and a winner for the New York Songwriter’s Circle contest for both 2008 and 2009.
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
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Global News
Washington state liquor agency bans caffeinated alcohol By Andrew Garber The Seattle Times OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington state Liquor Control Board on Wednesday approved an emergency ban of caffeinated alcohol drinks, the type of beverage that sickened nine Central Washington University students last month during an off-campus party. Board members said they took the action because of public health and safety concerns. The ban will take effect Nov. 18 and remain in place for 120 days while the board goes through rulemaking procedures for a permanent ban. The state Legislature also is expected to consider passing a law early next year banning the drinks. “We have been concerned for some time about the dangers posed by alcohol energy drinks. At my request, the board this morning voted to ban this new breed of alcohol drinks in the state of Washington,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said at a news conference after the vote. “The Liquor Control Board has a duty to protect the safety of the people of Washington state. It has fulfilled that duty by banning these drinks.” Gregoire said she had been concerned that caffeinated alcohol drinks were targeting young people. “Reports of inexperienced or underage drinkers consuming them in reckless amounts have given us
cause for concern,” she said. “With hospitalizations and near-lethal blood alcohol levels, many of these young folks were unaware just how drunk they had become. ... Quite simply these drinks are real trouble for our youth.” The six women and three men who became sick at the Oct. 8 house party in Roslyn, Kittitas County, had consumed Four Loko, a product some people have dubbed “blackout in a can.” It is among some two dozen such products on the market that combine a stimulant with alcohol. All of the students who became ill were under 21 and had high blood-alcohol readings. One woman nearly died, officials said, noting that consuming a single, 23.5ounce can of Four Loko, which is 12 percent alcohol, is considered comparable to drinking five or six beers. Since the incident, various groceries across the state have pulled caffeinated alcohol products from their shelves. Jim Halstrom, a lobbyist for Phusion Projects, the maker of Four Loko, objected to the action during the board meeting. “No one is more upset than we are when our products are abused or consumed illegally by underage drinkers. But we also believe curbing alcohol abuse or underage drinking will not be See STATE on D4
NEWS IN BRIEF
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New Path service limits users to 50 friends
Facebook plans to launch new ‘social inbox’
SAN FRANCISCO – Anthropologist Robin Dunbar has a theory that the number of people with whom one can maintain a close relationship is limited to 150 . With high rollers on Facebook boasting up to 5,000 friends as a measure of their status, digital friendship has become increasingly indiscriminate. And that keeps some people from feeling comfortable sharing the more intimate details of their lives. That’s the motivation behind Path, whose service launches Monday and bills itself instead as a “personal network.” Path lets each user designate only 50 friends. Path, which is designed to help people capture personal moments and share them only with people they trust, isn’t meant to replace Facebook or other social networking services, but rather to “ride alongside them,” he said.
SAN FRANCISCO – Facebook announced Monday its plans to launch a new communication platform intended to unify e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging and the social network’s existing message system. The new system will allow Facebook members to send e-mail from within their Facebook page to any external e-mail address. But it also will allow people to see incoming e-mail from outside Facebook or a text message sent from a friend’s smart phone on their Facebook page, all integrated within a “conversation” assigned to that one single person. The system will also allow essentially unlimited archiving of the ongoing conversation with a particular person.
2 Rate of hungry households stays steady WASHINGTON – After a record one-year increase from 2007 to 2008, the number of U.S. households facing food shortages increased only slightly last year to roughly 17.4 million, according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The share of households with members who went hungry or cut their food intake because of money also held steady in 2009. That stabilization in the growth of “food insecurity” was the silver lining in the otherwisebleak report, “Household Food Security in the United States, 2009.” The annual survey found that 85.3 percent of U.S. households had enough food for all their members in 2009, about the same share as in 2008. But more than 16.6 percent of Americans had problems getting adequate nutrition last year. The rates varied widely across states depending on economic conditions.
4 Protesters accuse security of torture and rape MADRID, Spain – Several thousand people protested in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday, accusing the Moroccan and Spanish governments saying that they sat back and did nothing about the violence in Western Sahara. The Moroccan government has reported that 12 people died, including 10 police officers. Additionally, 163 people were allegedly arrested. The Western Saharan independence movement Polisario spoke of at least 19 dead, 700 injured and more than 150 missing. It accused Moroccan security forces of torture and rape.
5 Mexico government dismisses gang treaty MEXICO CITY – One of Mexico’s major narcotics gangs reportedly offered Wednesday to disband if the government would intensify security in the state of Michoacan, the cradle of its drug empire, and keep rival drug gangs out. The federal attorney general’s office dismissed the offer. The government “cannot make deals with criminals,” spokesman Ricardo Najera said. The author of the 500-word statement lashed out at the central government, playing off intense regional loyalties.
Scientists examine climate change effects on ocean waves By Les Blumenthal McClatchy Newspapers WASHINGTON — It’s one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world, where 1 million cubic feet of water a second collides with 20or 30-foot ocean swells over a four-mile stretch of shifting sand. A small band of pilots braves often-treacherous conditions to guide ships across the Columbia River Bar. The pilots who work the “Graveyard of the Pacific” have a deep respect for the relentless forces they face daily as they ride out to tankers, bulk carriers, car carriers, and cargo and passenger ships standing offshore. They commute in 72-foot self-righting boats that can roll over 360 degrees as winter gales and sometimes hurricane-force storms blast out of the North Pacific. The pilots also confirm what marine scientists have just started talking about: Ocean waves are becoming bigger and more powerful, and climate change could be the
Photo by Brian Harrison/Tacoma News Tribune/MCT
Waves crash on the shore at Cape Disappointment in Washington on Nov. 5. Sailors and scientists are finding that waves are becoming bigger and stronger and have witnessed the increase throughout the past few years. cause. “We’ve been talking about it for a couple of years now,” said Capt. Dan Jordan, who served in the merchant marine for 30 years before becoming a Columbia River Bar pilot. “Mother Nature has an easy way of telling us who is in charge.” Using buoy data and models based on wind patterns, scientists say that the waves off the coast of the Pacific North-
west and along the Atlantic seaboard from West Palm Beach, Fla., to Cape Hatteras, N.C., are steadily increasing in size. And, at least in the Northwest, the larger waves are considered more of a threat to coastal communities and beaches than the rise in sea level accompanying global warming. Similar increases in wave height have been noticed in the North
Atlantic off England. Unclear is whether the number and height of “rogue” waves beyond the continental shelf have increased. The existence of such freak waves, which can reach 100 feet or more in height and can swamp a large ship in seconds, wasn’t proved until 2004, when European satellites equipped with radar detected 10 of them during a three-week period.
According to some estimates, two merchant ships a month disappear without a trace, thought to be victims of rogue waves. “Obviously, this is an issue we are interested in,” said Trevor Maynard of Lloyd’s of London’s emerging risk team, which tracks global climate change developments. “We are seeing climate change fingerprints on a lot of events.”
Since the mid-1970s, buoy data show the height of the biggest waves off the Northwest coast has increased an average of about 4 inches a year, or about 10 feet total, according to Peter Ruggiero, an assistant geosciences professor at Oregon State University and the lead author of a study published recently in the journal Coastal Engineering. Ruggiero and his colleagues also estimated how high a 100-year wave might be. These would be the largest waves expected to come along every 100 years. The estimate has increased 40 percent since the 1970s, from 33 feet to 46 feet. Some calculations estimate a 100year wave might be 55 feet high, taller than a five-story building. “We are assuming the trends will increase in the future,” Ruggiero said. The future already may be here, however. Jordan, the Columbia River pilot, said a 44-foot wave was recorded off the river in October. In a See SCIENTISTS on D4
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Global News
Spacecraft provides close-up look at Hartley 2 comet By Amina Khan Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — Hours after the Deep Impact space probe flew within about 435 miles of comet Hartley 2 Thursday morning, images beamed back to Earth revealed a body shaped rather like a peanut or an overturned bowling pin, with two bulbous, roughened edges and a smooth band in between. The images coming in were “just amazing,” team scientist Jessica
Sunshine of the University of Maryland said in a news conference. The collection of ice and debris that make up a comet are thought to be leftovers from the solar system’s early development, when the planets were still coalescing, said astronomer Michael A’Hearn of the University of Maryland, the mission’s principal investigator. Thus, learning about their composition could help reveal what our early solar system looked like. The fly-by was only the
“Try to interpret any of the data from a fast fly-by will invariably take a lot longer than the flying.” Michael A’Hearn Astronomer at the University of Maryland
fifth time a spacecraft has had such an up-close and personal look at a comet and each of those encounters has provided new information, the scientists said. Hartley 2 was not the spacecraft’s original tar-
get. The Deep Impact spacecraft, operated by engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge in Southern California, shot an 820-pound copper impactor into the comet
Continued from D3
State rules on alcohol Continued from D3 accomplished by singling out a lone product or beverage category,” he said. “We think the true answer lies with increased education and awareness by all and with respect for the law.” After the meeting, Halstrom said, “We’re concerned about the haste with which this was addressed. We understand that much of the impetus for this came out of the Roslyn
several weeks, and it has already surprised researchers by spitting out cyanide for eight days. What may have caused the outburst remains a mystery. “Trying to interpret any of the data from a fast fly-by will invariably take a lot longer than the flyby,” A’Hearn said. The spacecraft will continue to collect data about Hartley 2 until Thanksgiving. By that time, scientists plan to have taken 120,000 images.
State Supreme Court upholds state law for illegal immigrants
Scientists study waves major spring storm in 2007, a 54-foot wave was recorded. “After that the buoy quit recording,” Jordan said. On the East Coast, a yet-to-be-published study also has showed that average wave heights have been increasing, by a couple of centimeters or so a year. “The averages aren’t very exciting,” said Peter Adams, an assistant professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Geological Sciences who used wind data from the past 20 to 30 years to develop a wave height model. “Given that there are 3 million waves a year, one wave every 10 seconds, it’s not so alarming.” Adams said he finds it startling that the height of the biggest waves has increased nearly a foot in 10 years. “In a lifetime, that can be profound,” he said. A scientific debate is raging over what’s causing the increase in wave size. Possible causes include changing storm tracks, higher winds and more intense winter storms all signs of global climate change. “While these increases are most likely due to Earth’s changing climate, uncertainty exists as to whether they are the product of humaninduced greenhouse warming or represent
Tempel 1 five years ago in an effort to determine its composition. After the mission was completed, NASA officials decided to send the intact spacecraft to another comet. Hartley 2 was chosen because its small size - it’s total volume is about 100 times smaller than that of Tempel 1 - and its propensity to shoot out relatively large amounts of gas and dust made it quite different from other closely observed comets. Scientists have been observing Hartley 2 for
By Howard Mintz San Jose Mercury News
Jackie Burns looks through a spotting scope at the water off Cape Disappointment in Washington on Nov. 5. Strong waves continue to crash along the shoreline. Photos by Brian Harrison Tacoma News Tribune/MCT
variations related to natural multi-decadal climate cycles,” Ruggiero’s study said. Among the weather phenomenon that could be affecting wave heights in the Pacific, Ruggiero said, are El Nino - warmer surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific - and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation - 20to 30-year patterns of warmer or cooler surface
temperatures in the Pacific. “There is a lot of speculation, a lot of reading of tea leaves,” he said. Others are skeptical about any link to climate change. Richard Seymour, the head of the Ocean Engineering Research Group at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, said any connection between increased
wave height and climate change is tenuous. In fact, Seymour said, there isn’t enough data on wave heights to provide the “statistical reliability” to predict any trends. Seymour and others said too little is known about the oceans. “It always struck me as odd we know more about the surface of Mars than the floor of the Pacific Ocean,” he said.
event. What we have seen from the police reports ... our product was not identified as at fault. “I’m not saying our product was not consumed. I’m saying we’re not at all sure that our product was the one that created the significant problems,” he said, referring to the students becoming ill. This month, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission banned Four Loko and dozens of similar drinks. Last year, 25 state attorneys general, including Washington state Attorney General McKenna, asked the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration to examine the beverages. Washington state liquor stores do not carry the products, but many convenience stores do, according to
the state Liquor Control Board. Critics say the hefty dose of caffeine in the drinks masks the effects of the alcohol.
SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court on Monday upheld a state law that enables illegal immigrant students to pay lower in-state tuition at public colleges and universities, rejecting arguments that the policy unfairly discriminates against students from other states who pay higher fees yet are U.S. citizens. In a unanimous ruling, the justices concluded that the state provision providing tuition aid to undocumented students does not run afoul of federal laws restricting public education benefits to illegal immigrants, and emphasized that it is not up to the courts to address how the issue fits into the broader debate over illegal immigration. “This court does not make policy,” Justice Ming Chin wrote for the court. “Whether Congress’s prohibition or the Legislature’s exemption is good policy is not for us to say.” The case has attracted widespread attention across the country as another legal battleground over illegal immigration, and the ruling is being closely watched because a num-
ber of other states have similar laws that are expected to come under legal attack by groups that consider such policies as public encouragement of illegal immigration. The ruling is expected to affect hundreds of students who currently benefit from lower instate tuition at community colleges and in California’s state university and University of California systems. But the decision may ripple into those other states that provide lower fees to immigrant students. A group of non-California residents sued in Yolo County to block the state law in 2005, arguing that it violates a 12-year-old federal law that bars states from providing benefits to illegal immigrants based on their residence. A state appeals court sided with that argument, but the state Supreme Court overturned that ruling. Among other things, the Supreme Court concluded that residency is not the sole factor in providing the benefit to undocumented students, noting that the law requires a student to attend a California high school for at least three years to qualify for the in-state tuition, as well as satisfy other criteria.