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POISONING:
Trial rescheduled for CMU student who allegedly put bleach in roomate’s iced tea » PAGE 3A
ISABELLA COUNTY:
United Way Fund Drive raises $410,000, exceeds goal » PAGE 3A
cm-life.com
Wednesday Feb. 27, 2013
‘I SPEAK UP SO I CAN BE HEARD’
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Controversial pastor makes unconventional, divisive views heard on campus » PAGE 1B
‘Guevara: ‘Goal is to finish’ against Ball State » PAGE 6A
Two students among five charged after trying to steal from Menna’s delivery man By Shelby Miller Senior Reporter
Five men, including two Central Michigan University students, have been charged with conspiring to steal from a Menna’s Joint delivery man last month. The Isabella County Sheriff ’s Department said shortly after 2 a.m. on Jan. 12, five men ordered eight sandwiches from Menna’s, 1418 S. Mission St., without having the money to pay for them. They planned to take the food from the delivery person and take off running. Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewki said police were able to track down the five men through the cell phone number they used to place the sandwich order. Northville sophomore Daniel John Abrahamson, 20, Farmington Hills freshman Joseph Augustin Petrovich, 19, Dustin Edward Cochran, 17, of Indian River and Kyle Elsen Weckesser, 22, of East Lansing, were each charged with one count of larceny from a person, a 10-year felony, and one count of conspiracy to commit larceny from a person, a 10-year felony and $10,000 fine.
All four men bonded out of Isabella County Jail posting 10 percent cash-surety on $10,000. Police said the fifth man, Elija Scott Burr, 19, of Panama City, Fla., has an outstanding warrant for charges of one count of larceny from a person, a 10-year felony, and one count of conspiracy to commit larceny from a person, a 10-year felony and a $10,000 fine. Abrahamson and Petrovich are CMU students, while Cochran, Weckesser and Burr are not, police said. Abrahamson, Cochran and Weckesser are scheduled to be arraigned March 11, while Petrovich was arraigned Friday and has a preliminary examination scheduled for Thursday. The individuals had the sandwiches delivered to an apartment at Deerfield Village, 3400 E. Deerfield Road, even though they did not live there. The individuals waited outside an apartment, and when the delivery person arrived, they robbed him of the food and ran. A MENNA’S| 2A
University President George Ross testified at the state Capitol Tuesday and emphasized the importance of Central Michigan University’s role in educating Michigan students. Ross was in Lansing in order to push for more higher education funding from the state. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education is holding a series of meetings with the presidents of Michigan’s 15 public universities as part of the budget process. “An investment in Central Michigan University is an investment in the state of Michigan, its businesses, residents and families,” Ross said. Ross said CMU’s state appropriations made up 44 percent of the university’s funding in 2003, down considerably from 78 percent in 1983. Now, the university has an annual operating cost of $440 million, with the state government supplying just 14 percent of its funds, which is a 30-percent drop from 10 years ago, when the university received about $3,800 per student in appropriations, according to a 2003 Central Michigan Life article. “The support for higher education has continued to decline, and there is
Playing dirty Players gamble with condoms, play sex-themed games at Condom Casino Tour
Ross tells Lansing: An investment in CMU is an investment in Michigan By Neil Rosan Staff Reporter
PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE BODAK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Macomb sophomore Blake Ryan holds condoms while talking to another player at the gambling table during The Condom Casino Tour Tuesday evening in the Bovee University Center.
By Ryan Fitzmaurice | Senior Reporter
an inverse relationship between it and the increase of tuition. Throughout all of these difficulties, we have strived to make our campus affordable for students,” Ross said. CMU has increased tuition by $41 per credit hour since 2008, including a 1.96-percent hike for the 2012-13 school year, which was the lowest tuition increase of any university in the state. “Over the last three years, CMU has had the lowest tuition increase of any public university in the state of Michigan. We will continue to find a way to be modest with our tuition, even though it brings tremendous pressure to maintain quality on our campus,” Ross said. Ross said financial aid is a popular way students afford school, noting 87 percent of CMU students receive financial aid, and $14 million has been put toward financial aid in the past two years. Ross said CMU has a large impact on the state of Michigan, saying that 95 percent of CMU’s undergraduates are from Michigan, and 93 percent of students enrolled are Michigan residents. Further, 78 percent of CMU graduates remain in Michigan after college.
The two stacks of chips were about equally as high. Macomb junior Blake Ryan and South Lyon freshman Derek Sawle were in a dead heat halfway through their game of Texas Cond’em. Condoms were used as currency to gamble with. Ryan said he was Participants in The Condom Casino Tour play Texas Cond’em while playing for condoms Tuesday an aggressive poker player, and evening in the Bovee University Center. that fact didn’t change now that he in Love Dice, Let It Ride and STD “I’ve been cheating this entire was playing for condoms. Bingo. Each game educated students time,” Ryan said. “Go big or go home, that’s what about the use of birth control and They were taking part in a free I’ve always said,” Ryan said. avoiding sexually risky situations, night of entertainment and sexual Derek Sawle, who was decidthe danger of STDs and the effects education called the “The Condom edly less aggressive, said playing of alcohol on decision-making. Casino Tour,” put on by Central for condoms wasn’t such a bad Brooklyn freshman Kelsey LamMichigan University’s Program transition. son tried her hand at Beer Goggle Board. The Condom Casino Tour “I can see myself doing this at Blackjack, where players played transformed the Rotunda room of home,” Sawle said. “It would be blackjack while wearing glasses the Bovee University Center into a B.Y.O.C.: Bring your own conthat simulate intoxication. sex-themed casino Tuesday night. doms.” Students were able to choose Ryan conceded that he might A CONDOMS | 2A from 10 sex-themed casino games. have had an unfair advantage. Some of the games included Lucky
A ROSS | 2A
MSNBC’s Touré talks racism in society, politics By Samantha Smallish Staff Reporter
CHUCK MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Black History Month keynote speaker Touré speaks to students about the murder of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old African American killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old multi-racial Hispanic American. It was the one-year anniversary of Martin’s death, and many racial allegations surrounded the murder. Touré is a television personality based in New York City. He is the host of Fuse’s Hip Hop Shop and On the Record and is now a co-host of “The Cycle” on MSNBC.
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Black History Month ended last night with the co-host of MSNBC’s “The Cycle” speaking to Central Michigan University students about the prevalence of racism in today’s society. Touré, MSNBC show host and a successful author, spoke to an audience of CMU students in Plachta Auditorium about racial inequity, politics and other social issues. CMU paid $9,000 for his appearance. Touré opened his presentation by talking about the Trayvon Martin murder case. Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary of Martin’s
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death. Touré commented on how he saw race and stereotyping playing a large role in that case. In light of the Martin case, Touré talked about gun control and how the recent growth in gun sales and gun ownership is not beneficial and provides a false sense of safety. “Civilian guns are far more likely to be used on people we know, like (family, friends and ourselves) than to stop criminals,” Touré said. Touré did touch on the topic of politics, including discussing the partisan divide in American politics and President Barack Obama. During the 2008 presidential election, America voted for the “Superman” candidate, Touré said. After Obama’s first term, people saw then
that he was just a normal person. “For a black man to be re-elected after being deemed ‘normal’ is extraordinary,” Touré said. As for the next presidential election, Touré sees former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking Obama’s spot in the Oval Office in 2017. Touré also blasted voter identification laws in place in states nationwide, saying they discriminate against minorities. He said some white politicians use these policies to remain in power, because, based on statistics, whites have the smallest percentage of people without some form of identification. Waterford junior Nicole Fergestrom said she attended the A TOURE | 2A
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