2009-02-16

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THE BG NEWS Proud to be an American citizen

Monday

February 16, 2009 Volume 103, Issue 102

CAMPUS

WWW.BGNEWS.COM

There when you need ‘em Computer labs cater to the students needs by providing several services | Page 5

FORUM

Obama not proving to be any different Columnist Joel Berry believes that Obama, like Bush, is using the politics of fear to get his stimulus plan to pass | Page 4

WASHINGTON

O NPrisoners

PHOTO PROVIDED

FORENSICS: Alesha Gailhouse and Katie Hodgdon perform a duo interpretation.

ETHAN MAGOC | THE BG NEWS

Falcons clinch early MAC East division title

Classes should do more

PHOTO PROVIDED OF LEO ALMEIDA

By Andrew Harner Sports Editor

PATRIOTISM: Leo Almeida is enjoying U.S. citizenship.

Univ. junior is Brazilian by birth, American by choice

Money will help mines

The stimulus package to be signed in by Obama is expected to help clean up some mines that are leaking cyanide | Page 9

It was a night to remember for the Falcons women’s basketball team. After a 94-79 win against Central Michigan and a Kent State loss to Toledo earlier in the afternoon, the Falcons clinched their fifth straight MidAmerican Conference East division title. The team also won their school-record 22nd straight game, besting the old record set by the 1986-87 team which started 6-2 and didn’t lose until the NCAA Tournament. Not only that, sophomore Lauren Prochaska set the school-record for points in a game with 43. But for coach Curt Miller, the early clinching of the division championship trumps either of the accolades. “It’s a special win. It really is,” Miller said. “Anytime you clinch a championship ... a championship is a championship.” Prochaska also said it was a great day for the team, not wanting the focus to be her achievement. “It’s an exciting day,” Prochaska said. “It’s a really good feeling.” But for as exciting as the day ended, it didn’t start nearly as well. After winning the opening tip, Jen Uhl, starting

By Ella Fowler Reporter

Industry, farmers suffer NATION

Taking

FOCUS: Women’s basketball team huddles up during the game.

Despite a recent focus on Ohio’s education, columnist Joel Playl thinks more needs to be done to avoid mediocrity | Page 4

The recent salmonella outbreaks have caused major problems for both peanut farmers and the peanut industry | Page 11

Hockey splits home series

SPORTS

ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community

An unlucky pair of bounces cost the Falcons their first game of the series, but they were able to come back the next night and finish strong | Page 7

For junior Leo Almeida, everything he has done has led him to this point. He sits among 45 others in the early morning on Friday. Family and friends crowd into the small Clay High School auditorium in Oregon, Ohio — anticipation filling many of their faces. “This is something [Almeida] has wanted for so long,” said Jennie Hartman, a friend of Almeida since high school. “He is always supportive of me. I wanted to be [here] to support him.” In August 1992, just before Almeida turned five, he and his mother made the trek from Puerto Alegre, Brazil, leaving friends, family and belongings behind. “When we came here we weren’t planning on staying here. We were coming here to see if we liked it,” Almeida said. “There were a lot more opportunities for me here than in Brazil, and that is what my mom really valued.” The decision to stay here in America started Almeida’s long journey for American citizenship and early Friday morning, his wait

See CITIZEN | Page 2

See BBALL | Page 2

RECORDBREAKING GAME: Lauren Prochaska shatters scoring record in women’s basketball game with 43 points in BG’s win.

AT BGNEWS.COM: Check out bgnews.com for video highlights of this weekend’s men’s and women’s basketball games.

Forensics excels in speech and debate By Stephanie Spencer Reporter

The Falcon forensics team didn’t make it to finals in Quebec by racing other college teams in fingerprint dusting or fastest D.N.A. retrieval from decaying corpses. Their passion is much scarier. Public speaking has been named the number one fear among Americans in the past, and the word forensics, before it defined crime scene investigations, meant “speaking in an open forum.” For the brave few who compete at the University level in categories like informative, persuasive and interpretive speeches, public speaking is a permanent fixture in their weekly schedule. A microcosm in itself, members of the speech and debate team on campus endure weekly coaching sessions, hours of research and rehearsal leading to the ultimate prize-winner at the Collegiate Forensics Association Tournament Championships. This year the championship was held Jan. 28-Feb. 1, and the pressure to succeed internationally was, as Tyra Banks might say, “extra fierce.” Just one year ago the publicspeaking powerhouse was hitting its stride traveling throughout Ohio and other states in the region and out-speaking their peers regionally every chance they had. But as the end of spring semester in 2008 squeezed the life out of even the most academic in academia, eight senior members of the team had put in their dues and received their commence-

See SPEECH | Page 2

Campus police dispatch is the hectic ‘heart of the University’ PEOPLE ON THE STREET

By Theresa Scott Reporter

Why did you come to the University?

Five phones ringing off the hook, alarms buzzing on four different computers and a line of students out the door; this is just a typical day in the life of a campus dispatcher. Police dispatchers Jan Schaller and Steve Shaner, who have both been working with the University police for four years, said they have gotten used to the hectic and fast paced workplace over the years and even grown to love it. On any given day the police dispatchers deal with a number of problems ranging from 911 calls, to fire alarms, to leaky pipes in Olscamp. Schaller, who

NATHAN ERINS Junior, IPC

“They had the best looking girls on the flyer.” | Page 4

worked as a dispatcher with the city of Bowling Green for 14 years, said that the University is much more service-oriented than the city. The dispatch center, which is located next to the parking and traffic office in Commons, is a sight to see. Post-it notes and clipboards and pieces of paper wallpaper the office walls. Computer screens are scattered across the table space and a video monitoring system hangs in the corner, allowing the dispatchers to see everything happening on campus. Schaller and Shaner truly are the eyes and ears of the University, Shaner said. Most of the time there is only one dispatcher working on a shift, so every dispatcher needs

to understand how to turn the small dispatch room into an efficient working machine, Schaller said. “We have a system and it works for us,” Shaner said. After 6 o’clock the dispatchers are also responsible for campus maintenance in addition to their regular duties. “We are the heart of the University,” Shaner said. Amongst the computer screens and the video monitors and camera feeds, the two most important pieces of equipment are still the phone and the radio, Schaller said. The phone, which is constantly lighting up with

See DISPATCH | Page 2

LAUREN STEFANOV | THE BG NEWS

UNIVERSITY POLICE AT WORK: University dispatcher Steve Shaner helps a student during his shift yesterday.

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