The Daily Northwestern - Oct. 22, 2012

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The Daily Northwestern DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM

Monday, October 22, 2012

Find us online @thedailynu

City considers new rec center By Rachel Janik

the daily northwestern

Evanston city officials are considering proposals for a new Robert Crown recreational center to be built and managed by a private owner because muchneeded repairs for the old center would be too costly a burden for the city. The city is entering the final stages of selecting a proposal from one of several possible offers and is currently considering plans from two groups. Ald. Don Wilson (4th) said that officials are not satisfied with either of the two proposals yet. “We’re hoping to work with these two,” Wilson said, “to try to get something up to the level we’re looking for.” The current Robert Crown Community Center and Ice Complex, 1701 Main St., is in need of significant repairs and is due for demolition upon completion of the new building. Gladys Flores, who has worked at the community center for five years, said that the building has problems in the bathrooms and the locker rooms, adding that when it rains, there are leaks everywhere. “A lot of different things need repairing,” she said. “Actually, really it’s just the entire building that’s got problems.” Wilson said issues like widespread disrepair were the main reason for constructing a new building. He said the conditions of the facility were dilapidated due to long-term “benign

neglect,” adding that the city could not afford to foot the bill for so many issues. “It’s hard to justify putting money into a building that’s so broken,” he said. The new center would also add new facilities equipped with two full ice rinks and one smaller ice rink, called “studio ice.” Wilson said that the city plans to maintain community areas, like a gym and a daycare center, at the center as well. There have been a few neighborhood grumblings about the new center, which Wilson said he attributes to some misunderstandings. For example, some residents complained about a new center being built over baseball diamonds and other sports fields in the park. Wilson said that Crown Park and the ball fields on the property will remain on the site, but will be “scooted over.” On the other hand, Flores said she is excited for the new building because it will give community members more opportunities to use the ice rinks, and the facilities will be much more convenient. Wilson said he hopes the city will be able to meet with the two groups putting forth proposals Monday. His realistic expectation for the project’s end, when residents can “lace up their skates” at a refurbished Robert Crown, is in two and a half years. racheljanik2015@u.northwestern.edu

Rafi Letzter/Daily Senior Staffer

splash of color Weinberg junior Demetrios Elias reacts as other students pour paint over his head at the Homecoming Color ROAR celebration Sunday. Nearly 100 students showed up for the paint powder fight.

Homecoming hosts paint fight

By Stephanie Haines

the daily northwestern

Gusts of powdered color exploded in the air as nearly 100 Northwestern students engaged in Northwestern Homecoming’s first-ever charity paint fight, The Color ROAR, on Sunday. Primal drums rumbled as the rhythm and dance group Boomshaka counted down for the fight to start on Lakefront Field. The 2012 Homecoming Court led

DM expands committee spots Increased applications lead to restructuring of existing committees By Stephanie Yang

the daily northwestern

After receiving a record number of applications, Northwestern’s Dance Marathon committees have restructured to increase efficiency and include as many students as possible. This year, DM committees accepted 336 students, said DM co-chair Matt Larsen. Larsen said the size of the DM committees has increased by about 10 percent, noting slightly more than 300 students were accepted last year. The increase in students accepted for DM follows an increase in applicants. While Larsen said he could not release the exact number of applications, he said it exceeded 500, compared to slightly more than 400 last year. Committee members must reapply every year, and all applicants use one general DM application. Weinberg senior and DM cochair Katie Amys said most cochairs restructured their committees prior to applications “to make sure everyone on a committee can use their talents.” She said the number of members

Daily file photo by Rafi Letzter

NEW demand for dancing Dance Marathon committees are bouncing to new heights this year with an increase of applicants, thanks to continued enthusiasm for the charity event.

selected was predetermined, but some committees later increased their sizes to accommodate the high number of applicants. Amys also said the increased number of applicants shows a general enthusiasm for this year’s event. “We really want to make sure that Dance Marathon is a year-round cause,” she said.

Serving the University and Evanston since 1881

This year’s primary beneficiary is The Danny Did Foundation, an organization that works to increase epilepsy awareness and improve technology and preventative care. The Evanston Community Foundation will also be a recipient of funds raised by participants. The event is » See DM, page 6

the NU Fight Song before the activities began. Homecoming hosted The Color ROAR to kick off this year’s Homecoming Week. Students who registered were given powdered paint packets to throw at one another during the fight. Lakin Davis, community service chair of Homecoming executive board, said the idea for the The Color ROAR came from events like the Color Run, a nationally coordinated charity event where colored paint is thrown at runners completing

a 5k race. “We wanted to kick off Homecoming Week with a big celebration,” the Weinberg sophomore said. “That’s why we chose this first.” In past years, Homecoming hosted Make a Difference Day, a day of community service, but Davis said participation numbers for the event were declining. Instead, she said Homecoming decided to host The Color ROAR to raise money » See COLOR, page 5

George McGovern, NU alum and U.S. senator, dead at 90

George McGovern, former threeterm U.S. senator, 1972 Democratic presidential nominee and notable Northwestern alumnus, died Sunday morning at the age of 90. A statement from his family confirmed his death, according to The New York Times. The article stated he had been in hospice care after being treated for health problems and injuries following a fall last year. McGovern (GWCAS ‘49, Ph.D, ‘53) was born in Avon, S.D., and went to Dakota Wesleyan University before becoming a student minister at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on NU’s campus. Before pursuing a master’s and a Ph.D. in history from NU, McGovern was inspired by a lecture he heard from NU professor Ray Allen Billington, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln website. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1956 before joining the Senate. The South Dakota senator is remembered for his unabated liberalism and his landslide loss to Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election, winning just 17 electoral votes to Nixon’s 520. McGovern’s presidential campaign focused on a platform of ending the Vietnam War. But McGovern told the New York Times that his staff did not work enough toward creating an anti-war image during the campaign.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

IN MEMORIAM George McGovern signs books at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in 2009. The Northwestern alumnus and U.S. senator died Sunday morning at 90 years of age.

“We were more interested in ending the war in Vietnam and getting people out of poverty and being fair to women and minorities and saving the environment,” he said. According to The New York Times, President Barack Obama released a statement referring to McGovern as “a champion for peace” and a “statesman of great conscience and conviction.” As a visiting professor, according to University archives, McGovern most recently delivered the annual Richard W. Leopold Lecture at NU in 2000. — Paulina Firozi

INSIDE Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Forum 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8


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