The Saint :: Issue 8

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Flu season is here Aquinas’ Health and Wellness services gives tips on how to avoid the bugs floating around campus.

Party like its 1999 with the Lions | 4 page 2

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 Volume 31, Issue 8

Why the SEC should not win | 4

theSaint We ask the questions that no one can answer.

>>NEWS Welcome, Episcopalians | 2 The Catholic Church opens up a new order just for Episcopalian converts. However, the order is controversial among some Catholics.

Rick Snyder cuts, again | 2 In an effort to bolster Michigan’s floundering economy, Rick Snyder announced a new set of benefit cuts over break.

>>A&E B.F.A. on display

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The AMC is currently displaying art from two of Aquinas’ own graduating seniors. Reporter Dale Domer checks it out.

Disney in 3D

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Saint reporter Sam Swartout watches some childhood classics with extra dimensions. But is the ticket price worth it?

>>SPORTS Break action at AQ

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The Saint brings you highlights from Aquinas sports that you might have missed.

Pitiful Pistons

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Reporter Brian Kalchik looks at how Detroit basketball is shaping up. Or rather, not shaping up.

Searching for answers Police still not sure about cause of death for body found in Willowbrook Pond

By Matt Kuczynski Editor-in-Chief Two student workers discovered the body of Nathanael Pelkey, 29, in Willowbrook Pond, along Robinson Road, on the Aquinas College campus Wednesday, Jan. 4. Pelkey’s body was found over winter break, when few students were on campus. There are no known witnesses of his death. According to Aquinas College Campus Safety Director Kevin Kwiatkowski, the body was discovered around 2:00 p.m. Emergency services were called to the scene to investigate and remove the body, and all campus personnel were notified. I n ve s t i g a t i o n s a t t h e s c e n e revealed that a set of tracks led from Robinson Road to the pond. Although foul play was considered at first, investigators quickly ruled it out. “You always suspect [foul play],” said Kwiatkowski. “You can’t rule anything out until you have facts.” Investigators are still waiting on the results of a toxicology report on Pelkey’s blood. “ We k n o w t h a t h e w a s o n foot, and we know that Mr. Pelkey stumbled into the pond,” said Sgt. Chris Postma of the Grand Rapids Police Department, “but other than that, the real reason how he ended up inside the pond is of question. “That’s why we’re waiting for a toxicology report,” he continued. Some Aquinas students were

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE / THE SAINT

Found: Nathanael Pelkey’s body was discovered in Willowbrook Pond, pictured above, by Aquinas College student workers who were on the job January 4. taken aback when they heard of the Zylstra. “ It just didn’t make sense.” start, with plans to enroll in college body found on campus. “I was very Police publicly identified the and find a job. shocked and surprised,” said senior b o d y o n T h u r s d a y, J a n . 5 , a f t e r His family did not know exactly Charles Merkel. “My initial reaction Pelkey’s family was contacted with where he was living at the time of was, ‘ I don’t know what to say. This n e w s o f h i s d e a t h . Pe l k e y wa s his death. is messed up.’” he added. originally from the St. Joseph area of Funeral services for Pelkey were “My first thought was that he western Michigan. He had moved to held on Jan. 9 at St. Gabriel Catholic was murdered,” said senior Joel Grand Rapids searching for a fresh Mission in Berrien Springs.

news update Republican primaries heat up World Opposition to al-Assad continues, Greece By Laura Farrell The Saint Reporter

After the increasing involvement of young adults in the 2008 presidential election and ups and downs of President Obama’s first term, the 2012 presidential election has been highly anticipated. There was no doubt that the 2012 Presidential elections would prove to be very competitive in the GOP and so far, the presidential primaries have proved just that. The Iowa GOP primary, which took place on January 3, brought high hopes and anxiety as Michigan native and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney beat second place finisher Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania senator, by a marginal, but victorious 8 votes.

Ron Paul, Texan member of the House of Representatives, rounded out in third place with a respectable twenty-one percent of the votes. Last Tuesday, the primaries in New Hampshire were held with a very different result. Mitt Romney took the lead with almost forty percent of the total votes. Ron Paul came in second this time with Jon Huntsman, former governor of Utah, just behind in third place. Rick Santorum took a dive into fifth place with around nine percent of the votes. With several more GOP primaries to go, the next in South Carolina on January 21, there is still question as to whether or not Romney has secured his spot. There is room for Santorum to become more consistent at the top.

After the success of President Obama’s 2008 campaign, where social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter played a vital role, his 2012 campaign will have to be just as fresh in order to compete. With most of his 2008 campaign crew back again, Obama is well underway with his campaign after he announced his re-candidacy. With things like the Occupy M o ve m e n t s a n d t h e r e m o va l o f troops in Iraq on everyone’s minds, voters will turn to specific points in the candidates’ agendas on issues like the economy and war. The Michigan Presidential Primary Election will take place on February 28 with the registration deadline on January 13.

In Pictures:

Aquinata Hall to be converted into assited living facilities

in financial turmoil, Four dead in cruise liner fiasco By Dan Meloy Sports Editor

Syria:

Protests continue against Syrian leader President Bashar al-Assad and his government. Assad and h i s g o ve r n m e n t a r e a c c u s e d o f continuing violent crack downs on dissenters. More than 5,000 people have died since the protests have begun. Demonstrators are demanding an end to al-Assad’s regime which began in 2000. On December 26, the Arab League sent in monitors to observe the Assad regime’s actions in the country. However since the monitors were sent into Syria, 400 people have been killed. President Bashar al-Assad

Greece:

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE / THE SAINT

Italy:

The cruise liner Costa Concordia hit a reef last Friday night, creating gash in the ship’s haul causing the cruise liner to sink and resulting in six people dying. Problems arose when the ship’s

>> SINCE ARAB LEAGUE MONITORS WERE SENT INTO SYRIA, 400 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED << made an ‘impromptu’ appearance in Damascus where thousands of people attended in support of al-Assad. Critics of al-Assad said that the rally was not impromptu but only a ploy by the Syrian government to make it appear that he has support.

Something different: Aquinata Hall, a former Aquinas College dormitory on the Marywood campus of the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters, is slated for a $4 million renovation to create an elder care facility that will serve both nuns and the public.

outstanding loans given to the Greek government. Without the funds from the EU and the IMF, Greece may be forced to leave the European Union. The Greek government has been working on some austerity measures at the request of the EU and the IMF in order to make the country more financially solvent. However these measures have been met with domestic unrest throughout Greece.

The Greek government is currently in talks with the International Monetary Fund and the European Union over a deal that would have the IMF and the EU bail out the bankrupt Greek government. In return the Greek government would have to agree with its private lenders to write off 50 percent of the

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captain Francesco Schettino piloted the ship close to the shore of Giglo Island off the coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. After the crash, Schettino abruptly abandoned ship and made it to shore while passengers will still trapped on the sinking ship. Costa Cruise’s CEO stated the captain deliberately changed the course of the ship to show off the ship to people on the island. The Schettino is currently being detained on charges of manslaughter. As of press time, seven deaths have been reported and 28 people still remain missing from the incident.

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