the
Corsair
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
SMC Alumni awarded
www.thecorsaironline.com
Volume C, Issue 29
Airport noise creates controversy
Shanon Culiner Staff Writer
On Tuesday, June 14 at Santa Monica College ’s Corsair Field, the SMC Foundation will be honoring SMC math professor Terry Green and Co-Founder of King ’s Seafood Company-entrepreneur, Martin Jeffery “Jeff ” King with Alumni Recognition Awards. Green will receive the award for “Distinguished Community Service, ” and King will receive the “Outstanding Professional Achievement ” award. “We ’re always excited about recognizing the achievements of our alumni, ” said Charles A. Potts Jr., Interim Executive Director of the SMC Foundation. “Our representatives this year are great examples of the success our students can achieve. ” The SMC Foundation, as Potts described, is a foundation that raises money from individuals, nonprot organizations, and corporations for oncampus programs such as scholarships and grants. “We are the charitable arm of the college, ” said Potts. King has served as a Board Member of the California Restaurant Association (CRA). In addition, he was a Board Member of the Los Angeles Convention and Visitor ’s Bureau, the Santa Monica Convention, the Visitor ’s Bureau, and the Northern Arizona University Hospitality Program. Currently, King sits on the Board of Directors at the Collins School of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona. The recipient of a number of honors, King has accepted the City of Hope Lifetime Achievement Award, Nation ’s Restaurant New Hot Concept Award, and the Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award.
[See Awards, page 2]
Lisa Weingarten Contributor
A jet takes off Saturday at the Santa Monica Airport. The increase in jet trafc has become an issue over the last several years as more residents complain about the noise. Miles Arnold Sports Editor For years, the sound of planes taking off and landing at the Santa Monica airport has been a topic of discussion and debate for the residents of Santa Monica who live near the runway. In 1984, the city of Santa Monica adopted an aircraft noise ordinance as part of the airports municipal code that states, among other things, “No aircraft shall exceed a noise level of 95 decibels, ” and while some neighbors are upset about the noise levels, others who live in the area don ’t seem to mind too much. Donna Rosescu, who has lived on Marine Street at the end of the runway for the last ten years, says the noise doesn ’t bother her too much because she works during the day. However, she does admit there are a few downsides to living there. “Every now and then when it is overcast or cloudy the jets can be pretty loud and the smell of jet fuel is in the air, ” said Rosescu, “but aside from that,
the noise isn ’t really an issue for me. ” Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, lives on Navy street just one block south of the Rosescu house. She grew up in the neighborhood some 50 years ago and has lived there most of her life. Rather than seeing the airport as a problem, she wonders why people move into the neighborhood, knowing there is an airport nearby, or in this case, at the end of the street. “I grew up in this house, ” she said. “I have never had a problem with the noise, why would I live here if I did? ” Stephen Mark, who is a current member of the Santa Monica Airport Commission, and his wife Ellen also live on Navy street and have been bothered by the noise ever since they moved in. “The jets are the most upsetting in terms of the noise, ” said Mark. “You really have to love airplanes to love the noise. ” While the sound of the smaller, single engine planes aren ’t cause for too much
complaint, the increase in jet trafc has become an issue over the last several years. The most recent noise report presented by the Airport Commission at their May 24 meeting showed that not only is jet trafc responsible for only ten percent of the overall trafc at the Santa Monica Airport, but that jet trafc had decreased ve percent from a year ago. The Commission also reported that the ten noise violations that were reported in April was a 29 percent decrease from a year ago, and also reported that there has been a 99.9 percent compliance with the noise ordinance. Night landings and take-offs, which don ’t happen often and are always approved by the airport, have been a problem for residents who want the neighborhood quiet at night. But as it turns out, night departures are at times necessary. Joe Justice, who has owned and operated Justice aviation at the Santa Monica Airport for 20 years, explained
[See Airport, page 2]
Debate Team argues their point Vera Hughes Staff Writer
Krista Bonelli Corsair
The leader of the opposition, Morgan McLoughlin, talks with his team mate, Dominic Ameneyro, about why “Alcohol should not be banned from all sporting events. ”
Members of the public were invited on Thursday, May 26, to watch Roberto Lopez and Monica Ross face off against Morgan McLoughlin and Dominic Ameneyro in a debate over whether alcohol should be banned from all professional sporting competitions. All four debaters are members of Santa Monica College ’s Speech and Debate team, a team that has not yet been ofcially recognized by SMC since its creation in 2005. “We have no budget, ” said Nate Brown, SMC speech professor and founder of the debate team. “We could not have existed without the Associated Students. Other colleges ’ teams have a budget they can count on. A lot of college teams start the way we started, and eventually the colleges take over and want to support it. ” But as of yet, SMC hasn ’t held out a
helping hand for the ery members of the speech and debate team. With the combined help of the Associated Students and the Global Council, the Speech and Debate team was able to travel to Vermont to compete in the national championship last March. In order to get to that competition, and in order to go to any of the tournaments they attend throughout the semester, the debate team needed to raise half of their budget on their own. To meet the difference, the Associated Students agreed to supply the debate team with 50 percent of whatever budget they presented as necessary for their team agenda. Still, the team has dealt with quite a difcult time raising funds. “It ’s what eventually burned me out: raising the money, ” Brown explained. “I was good at it, but it ’s draining. ” After being the one and only SMC debate coach for six years now, Brown is nally stepping down and handing
the reigns over to Communications professor, Marcia Regina. Global Council, another sponsor of the debate team, recently encouraged the team to hold exhibition debates, and to invite the public to watch them take each other on over various issues. The most recent debate produced a passionate argument over the allowance of alcohol in sports arenas. In lieu of the recent attack on the Giants fan Bryan Stow in the parking lot of the Dodgers ’ stadium, the four aforementioned team members went head to head over how these types of violent incidents could best be prevented. Lopez and Ross, the Government side, argued that a complete ban of alcohol was the only way to truly solve the problem. McLoughlin and Ameneyro vehemently disagreed. As each side made their points within their precisely allotted times (typical of any formal debate), one could hear the
[See Debate, page 2]