The North Idaho College Sentinel Vol. 68 No. 7 March 2, 2015

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NIC HOSTS SPEAKERS NIGHT

NEWS NIC plans for new Recreational Center | Page 2 PERSPECTIVE Is Madonna still relevant?| Page 5 FEATURES Molstead compiles old yearbooks | Page 6

Guests discuss Sociological Topics | Page 7

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE Volume 68 | Issue 7

W W W. N IC S EN TIN EL . C O M

MONDAY | MARCH 2, 2015

CAMPUS

Booster *S\I YHMÅLZ off car Toyota restored by NIC collision repair up for grabs Nick Miller Staff Writer

T

he annual Booster Club car raf fle has commenced, and this year’s car is a 1993 white Toyota Camr y. The NIC Booster Club board members star ted this raf fle about five years ago and, due to its success, has continued to hold it. Cal DeHaas, the collision repair technology instr uctor, finds a car ever y year for the Booster Club. The club then purchases the car to raf fle of f. He usually finds a wrecked car, and students from the NIC Collision and Repair program restore the vehicle. “My class enjoys being a par t of this process,” said DeHaas, “It is a win-win for ever yone.” DeHaas has been a Booster Club member for about 30 years and enjoys being a par t of the raf fle. “I love NIC athletics,” said DeHaas. All the raf fle money proceeds goes to scholarships for student-athletes. According to Patty Stewar t, coordinator of athletics, repair costs are covered by the Booster Club. “In previous years, it has been a good project for their program but also a great benefit to the NIC Booster club,” said Stewar t.

Above: The Philosophy and Sociology clubs planned out and put together an exhibit on the homeless. Below: The International Students club put together photos of orphans in third world countries. Thomas Hansen/Sentinel

Footsteps coming to NIC Tyson Juarez Managing Editor The Footsteps: a Journey of Many exhibit returns to NIC with new topics and club involvement. This year’s exhibit, which is themed around poverty, will be held from March 3 to the fifth. Footsteps will feature exhibits from the Philosophy, Sociology, International Students, and Trio clubs. Each exhibit is planned and constructed by these clubs as well as community partners. “I could feel the atmosphere while setting up,” said International Students Club vice president Israel Nehemiah Musonda, 28, psychology. “It’ll be really impactful.”

Students will be put in situations to better understand or experience the struggles of the homeless, those who are discriminated against in the work place, orphans all over the world, and those who are sold into sex trafficking. Times are available throughout the day but students must call to reser ve a time to visit the exhibit. Groups are asked to reser ve tickets. Students with disabilities are encouraged to call Disabilty Support Ser vices if accommodation is needed. Footsteps will be held in the SUB, Lake Coeur d’Alene room. For more information and to reser ve a time, call (208) 769-7761.

Financial Aid director busted A

glum looking Joseph Bekken appeared in court Feb. 19 and is being held in Kootenai County jail with a $100,000 bond. The prosecuting attorney recomJoseph Bekken mended this amount for the former administrator because of his access to public funds despite Bekken’s requests to lower

Cardinals for the win NIC Wrestlers makes his way to the top of NJCAA national tournament Sports Page 10

it. He said he didn’t pose a flight risk because of his wife and four children. Bekken faces five felony charges, including burglar y and attempted procurement of a prostitute, and it was also noted that federal charges may be filed against him. He did not have a lawyer but requested a public defender. Upon review of his financial resources, he did not qualify. Bekken made $73,720 a year and was employed by NIC for six years. Molly Bekken, Bekken’s wife and an instructor in NIC’s College Skills division, filed for divorce about a week after he

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Annie Stonebreaker News Features

was arrested and let go from the college. Bekken’s preliminar y hearing is set for this Thursday. He was arrested after a successful sting operation by the Coeur d’Alene Police, in which they were initially alerted by the FBI to a Craigslist ad in the casual encounter section, soliciting sexual favors in return for NIC scholarship funds. On Jan. 8 an FBI agent saw the original post and sent an email inquiring about the “proposition for NIC students” with which the poster replied, “I have some grant money that I can get applied to your account. I just look for some fun in return.” The post said it was looking

“Remember the photo of Kim Kardashian’s buttocks that was supposed to break the internet?”

Perspectives Page 4

for man for woman, man for man, and man for man and woman. NIC’s resource officer Gus Wessel went undercover with the assistance of the NIC faculty including tight cooperation from some employees in the financial aid department to determine the suspect was Bekken. Wessel created a fake student named Sheryl Roberts, including a fake student ID and several email accounts, and lured the director of financial aid with pictures of women he found online and cropped the faces out of. In the emailing back and forth, Bekken asked to meet at the fake student’s residence and if they encountered each other

on campus after wards they were to act as if they had never met. When Wessel used the undercover identity to say that he was originally uncomfortable with the situation, Bekken replied, “Well, I’m really antsy honestly. I’ve never done something like this and I hope it doesn’t come back to bite me. Anyhow, I hope you are discreet and I will be to. If this works, we can keep it going for future semesters.” They agreed to meet at a specific place at a specific time, after Bekken sent a total of $587 of NIC Foundation Scholarship funds to the fake NIC email address. When the sting was

WHERE TO START News...........................2

Sports.........................9

Perspectives............4

Games................. 11

See BEKKEN | Page 2

class days left

42

UNTIL SUMM

Features..............6

Artist Spotlight.......12

BREAK

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