The North Idaho College Sentinel Vol. 66 No.3, Oct 29, 2012

OLD SCHOOL MEETS NEW SCHOOL

NEWS ASNIC senators find inner superheroes | Page 2 FEATURES ‘HalloQueen’ show anything but a drag | Page 11

the Sentinel

NIC wrestling team takes on alumni wrestlers | Page 17

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE MONDAY | OCTOBER 29, 2012

WWW.NIC SENTINEL .C OM

Volume 66| Issue 3

TRUSTEE ELECTION

Tuesday Night Showdown Trustee candidates face public at forum Christina Villagomez News Editor The nervous clicking of a ball point pen could be heard over the gentle murmur of the incoming crowd as board of trustee candidates Paul Matthews, Mic Armon and Fritz Wiedenhoff prepared themselves for the coming battle.

The three men studiously jotted down notes and avoided making eye contact as the other candidates began to file into their seats.

The chairs and bodies belonging to opponents hoping to win one of three open positions on the board shifted uncomfortably away from one another.

Faces remained humorless, as the candidates seemed to try to focus on the messages they hoped to deliver to the waiting crowd whose banal chatter began to grow louder as the room filled.

Within a few minutes would begin a special forum designed to allow voters to get acquainted with eight of the 10 people that will be on the ballot come Nov. 6.

ASNIC organized the two-hour event, which was hosted by student Senator Benaiah Cheevers and divided into two parts.

The first portion consisted of the candidates answering pre-selected questions from a panel consisting of three campus representatives. Cheevers represented students; Erin Norvell, Employment and Training Coordinator, represented the college’s staff; and Philosophy instructor Pat Lippert represented faculty.

The candidates had been allowed to review the questions before the forum took place and had been permitted to select a minimum of one, and a maximum of four, to answer.

Confusion seemed to interrupt at the end of the segment when Cheevers had begun to ask a question and candidate Ron Nilson raised his hand to interject.

“You gave me a choice of questions prior, and the question I write my name along side was ‘what do you see as a major challenge,’” Nilson said. “You know this is the first time in an educational institution I beg for someone to ask me for a question.”

Nilson was allowed to answer his own question, and the problem was later addressed directly.

“Some candidates selected four, and some selected less, and that’s why there was somehow a little shifting in some of the questions,” Vice President for Communications and Marketing Mark Browning said.

Questions from the audience dominated the second half Unlike the previous section where candidates could pick and choose, all were required to answer every given question.

Audience questions ranged from an assortment of topics, from the effect of the Luna Laws to asking candidates how many times they had visited campus before they decided to run for trustee.

With partisanship already playing out to be a hot-button issue this election season, incumbent trustee Judith Meyer drew big laughs from the audience when

Art by Connor Coughlin

FOUR pages of election coverage • NIC Board of Trustees Race • State Senate and House Races • Local Issue Breakdowns

• Follow the Campaign Money • Voter Registration Information • Campus Presidential Poll Results

Coverage starts on page 5

Monster Mash NIC students prowl the night as Scarywood creatures Scarywood Page 15

QUOTABLE

See TRUSTEES | Page 4

“If you can’t control yourself, how could you possibly control so meone else?”

Features Page 12

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

Scarywood...................15

Election....................5

Sports....................16

Perspectives...............9

Games..................19

Features.....................11

Theatre.................20

37

class days left

UNTIL

WINTER

BREAK

News tip? Story idea?

Contact Christina Villagomez

--

cmvillagomez@students.nic.edu

Campus News

PAGE 2

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Aaron Oswald, 26, Spokane

The

Emily Oliver, 18, Maple Valley, Wash.

Kodiak Oak, 20, Hayden

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

Clara Carr, 21, Coeur d’Alene

Brendan Scott, 21, Wallace Gabriel Green/Ethan Schlussler/Sentinel

Faces

of North Idaho College

NIC releases its fall enrollment report and reveals just who the student body really is Christina Villagomez News Editor NIC has released its official fall enrollment report.

According to the report, total headcount was down 2.6 percent, but full-time enrollment (FTE) has increased 1.4 percent from the previous fall semester’s numbers.

“NIC’s fall enrollment numbers reflect trends on the national scale where years of unprecedented growth is beginning to level off,” said North Idaho College President Joe Dunlap.

The Vice President of Student Services Graydon Stanley said that while total headcount fell in line with administrator’s predictions, the increase in FTE was a surprise.

Enrollment in professional

6,574 total enrolled

es have long waiting lists.

“We started looking at it, because the numbers made no sense when you here about the demand for professional technical programs,” Stanley said.

Mike Mires, dean of professional technical and workforce education, said typically the majority of the students are lost from second-year programs and high demand fields such as machining and welding.

Mires said often after students from these programs get a one-year certificate, they will immediately receive offers from a competitive job market and ultimately decide not to continue on to a degree.

The report also showed that the amount of dual credit students on campus had the largest in-

technical programs showed a bigger drop in both headcount and FTE, with 12.9 percent fewer students attending than last year.

“We had two programs in PT [professional technical] department that were grant programs that have ended,” Kylene Lloyd, Student Services Data & Information Analyst, said. “That is were a large amount of out decrease in headcount went.”

Lloyd said that the students that had been enrolled due to these temporary grants had actually inflated the programs numbers, and if they had not been originally counted, the professional technical programs would actually be showing growth this year.

Stanley said that currently, many professional technical cours-

4,601

All numbers for the report crease, with the numbers showing were tallied up on Oct. 15, and a 5 percent increase over the prereleased on Oct. 16, reflecting a vious year.

The majority of these stu- change in educational institutions dents continued to be from Coeur across the state who will no longer d’Alene High School, with Lake be releasing enrollment numbers on the 10th City High day of the seSchool hav“NIC’s fall enrollment mester as was ing the secin previnumbers reflect trends done ond highous years. est number. on the national scale.”

StanStanley ley said the said with change took the steady place in order JOE DUNLAP growth of to more accuNIC President dual enrately represent the inforrollment, mation, which NIC is beginning to look into hosting was often previously skewed by these classes at the high schools late start dates for dual credit to take the logistical pressure students, or by those who might off the campus and to help with withdraw or be dropped from the college’s waitlist problem. various classes.

Racial breakup of the student body

total enrolled full time

5,404 199 71 60 25 Caucasian Students

American/Alaskan Native Students

Asian Students

African American Students

Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Students

678 67.7% 27

NIC students that are dual enrolled

The average student’s age at NIC

of NIC students are from Kootenai County

Top majors at NIC

60% 40%

of NIC students are female

of NIC students are male

2,213

426

234

General Studies

Business

Education

DID YOU KNOW? Water exposed in space will boil rather than freeze, and after the vapor will crystalize.

www.nicsentinel.com

NEWS

the sentinel | 3

Working Class Heroes David Brands Staff Writer

Our heroes gathered to enjoy a meal

(From left to right)Joel Akins, Julie Salinas, Christopher Deane, Duncan Menzies, Joshua Brands, Benaiah Cheevers, and Jantzen Hunsaker

“

As a whole, I think this group functions as a Justice League or as the X-men.

”

Alex Harris Director of Student Development

The dawn of a new day climbed over the horizon as the ASNIC senators suited up for their last mission: heading home.

After an eventful four day leadership conference hosted by the University of Oregon, (U of O) ASNIC senators were ready to return home and exercise the new ideas they had conceived.

The Association of College Unions International (ACUI), a professional organization made up of student service programs, put on the super hero themed event along with Lane Community College (LCC) to help students expand their leadership skills and opportunities, said Director of Student Development Alex Harris.

“The conference was informative, thought provoking, and fast paced,” said Christopher Deane, vice president of ASNIC. “The administrators from U of O, and Lane Community College were successful in filling our days with lectures, activities and performances.”

Deane said that he returned with some interesting ideas from the conference regarding sustainability, in addition to smaller changes that would make a big difference in the college’s energy use.

“I would like to look into reducing the cost of coffee if you bring your own mug,” Deane said. “I also liked the idea of making the roles in student government more defined and focused. I would like to include

more students in ASNIC through the “Students at Large” program and other such efforts.”

Student Senator Benaiah Cheevers said he also had positive experiences at the conference.

“One of the things I took away from the conference was improving the networking between students from other colleges and our own campus,” said Cheevers. “I would like to see NIC achieve better networking between the senators and students.”

When the senators were asked which session of the U of O conference they enjoyed most, they unanimously agreed it was the leadership presentation given by Tyson Wooters, the former Duck mascot of U of O. “He was amaz-

ing,” said Senator Duncan Menzies.

“He was very interactive with the students and the way he conveyed his point was through showing it to us through his experiences—His point was that the mascot (the person behind the mask) is someone you never see, but who represents the school with a servant’s heart.”

Harris commented later that he was approached after the conference by some of his peers and applauded for his senators.

“I had three different people, who are professionals in the profession, tell me that we had by far had the best group of students, as far as being involved and contributing goes,” said Harris.

Harris said he was really impressed with this group of senators and hopes they take up the challenge of putting into practice what they’ve learned.

“As a whole, I think this group functions as a Justice League or as the X-men,” said Harris, commenting on how the senators work together.

“They seem to really connect with each other and work together great. They really are team players.”

CAMPUS SECURITY LOG 5 4

3

1 2

Marijuana confiscated

Administrators may implement a new security program as soon as January. Gabriel Green/Sentinel

Staff seeks security strategies Administrators search for a more efficient way to handle emergencies Nels Carlson Staff Writer This past month NIC has been in the process of updating school security in the wake of the Columbine-like threat made in September by an NIC student.

Spear-heading the effort to update campus security is Vice President for Student Services, Graydon Stanley and NIC Vice President for Resource Management Ron Dorn.

Both Stanley and Dorn met earlier this month to hear a presentation on Rapid Responders, an online program.

Rapid Responders is used to organize emergency protocol and allow emergency responders access to necessary info such as floor plans for the buildings, locations of control panels, photos from vantage points across campus.

“During the gun incident, the administration had to manually reproduce photos and floor layouts.” Stanley said.

All of which, Stanley said, would have been available at the click of a button if Rapid Responder had been in place.

“The program’s use is in turning chaos into something you can manage and work with,” said Coeur d’Alene City Police Officer Jon Spranget.

“It’s better to plan, than to make it up as you go.”

Spranget said a program like this pays for itself with the first incident.

“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Spranget said.

Stanley said the last time NIC looked into the program the price was $62,000 though he suspects the price has dropped since then and that grants will be available from either the state or homeland security.

“Price is always an issue [when] trying to balance what’s right for the college.

Though I’m convinced we’ll invest, you can’t spend to much money to make sure you have a safe place on campus,” Stanley said Stanley said he has also asked staff to research comparable programs and will be looking into reference checks from universities with similar size campuses.

“We want to be a smart shopper, though Rapid Responder is the favorite horse in the race,” Stanley said.

Stanley said the best-case scenario is the program will be implemented in January, worst case July.

In addition, NIC has created a new behavioral intervention team, who met for their first meeting last week.

According to the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NABITA) website, the purpose of behavioral intervention team is to receive reports, target “red flag” students, conduct an investigation, and to then “determine the best mechanisms of support.”

“Our goal is to create a safe and healthy environment,” said Linda Michal, dean of students.

Michal organized the behavioral intervention team.

The team will meet twice a month, except in cases of emergency.

“If it’s an immediate threat were going to act fast,” Michal said.

Michal said administrators have begun to push for updated campus-wide infrastructure.

“It’s a new administration with a new focus on support and preparedness,” Michal said.

1

Police Department and Campus Security were called to the residence hall for marijuana that was confiscated.

2

Oct. 22- Campus Security recieved a report of a medical emergency in the SUB.

3

Oct. 22 - A student reported the theft of personal property from the Meyer Health & Science Building.

Oct. 08 - A parked vehicle rolled from its space and struck another unattended vehicle in the N. Molstead lot.

Oct. 10 - Campus Security was notified that battery chargers were stolen from an off campus storagefacility.

Oct. 16 - The Couer d’Alene

4

5

Other ways NIC is looking into updating campus security Hosting an incident debriefing, Nov. 30, with the NIC President’s Cabinet, CDAPD and Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department. The debriefing will include a discussion about how the situation was handled after the threat was made and how threats in the future can be dealt with better.

Hiring a Campus Resource Officer, who would be a shared employee of both NIC and the CDAPD. Updating addresses of campus buildings.

Currently, NIC has a single address which posses a security threat Spranget said. NIC administration plans to assign addresses to each building so that in case of an emergency, responders can get to the scene of the incident in shorter time.

Campus collision leaves no injuries Christina Villagomez News Editor A collision took place on College Drive between a NIC Physical Plant golf cart and a student’s truck.

Witness Mike Morgan, CITE major, Post Falls, said the cart was coming down College Drive after getting off of Hubbard Ave. at the same time the truck was approaching the parking lot outside the Hedlund building.

Morgan said the collision occurred when the golf cart swerved to the right in a failed effort to avoid the truck.

Both the student and the driver of the golf cart, Director of Facilities Operations Mike Halpern, declined to comment.

Neither party appeared to have suffered injury.

The truck appeared to have minor damage, but the golf cart had to be removed from the scene by a trailer.

NEWS

4 | the sentinel

Goats Alex Rodal-Cubillas Staff Writer NIC hosted a herd of goats for a week in the area around campus.

Twenty-five goats were used along the NIC beach and Spokane River to get rid of weeds and noxious vegetation.

The Coeur d’Alene Street Department contacted Green Goat Rentals to use their goats to dispose of unwanted weeds along the NIC beach.

“It’s a great way to remove the weeds without using chemicals,” said Terry Leigh, Field Supervisor at the Coeur d’Alene Street Department.

Suzanne Forte, owner of Green Goat Rentals, said the area along the Centennial Trail by NIC is rocky and

Monday, October 29, 2012

on the

green

hard to keep maintained.

Leigh said the main purpose is to help keep the area maintained as well as making it look better When goats eat the weeds, the seeds are naturally sterilized and unable to spread after the digestion process.

“Goats have four stomachs like cows and can consume 25 percent of their body weight each day, so the more goats used the faster it is,” Forte said.

The city has used goats in the past to get rid of noxious vegetation and likes to use this method, as it is an eco-friendly way to dispose of the unwanted weeds.

The goats were placed in the southern part of the Centennial Trail next to the water treatment plant.

Photos by Rachel Single-Schwall

NIC pushes prospective graduates to college completion Administrators push to meet sweeping statewide graduation quotas by 2020 Kaycie Baird Staff Writer NIC is getting involved with a statewide initiative called Complete College America to boost graduation rates.

"Its a huge thing across our state, and all the colleges and universities are being held accountable for making progress toward our goal,” said Graydon Stanley, Vice President for Student Services.

The program has been localized to Complete College Idaho.

Currently only about 32 percent of Idahoans between the ages of 25 and 34 have degrees or certificates that make them eligible to work open jobs in Idaho.

"The goal is, by year 2020, that

in that same age range, 60 percent of Idahoans will have degrees or certificates. That means over the next eight years we have got to push really hard to get students in the system and get them graduated and working," Stanley said. plan to do this with five steps towards success.

The first step is to “Strengthen the pipeline.”

Stanley said this step would be to make the transition from grade to grade smoother.

"Students should be ready for college when they graduate high school," said Stanley To make this possible, high school curriculum must be aligned to first year college courses and there should be support programs in place to ensure students make a

smooth transitions to college.

The second step is transform remediation. In Idaho 41% of all first time full time freshman who have been out of high school for less than 12 months, and 46% of Idaho students out of college for more than a year need remedial services, or extra help for certain classes. To change this, Complete College Idaho wants to revise policies regarding placement, delivery, and evaluation of remedial services.

Possibly creating a new way for the remedial classes to be presented to the students.

"There's this idea of transforming remediation, so that instead of you having to take a whole semester, math being an example, maybe you can take Math Boot Camp this summer, maybe you can take a two

week intense course to bring your math skills up to where they are supposed to be."

Instead of having semester based classes, there would be places where you could get help in short-term training.

The third step is structure for success. Complete College Idaho is creating a state-level student success plan that will help students better identify their career goals, what degree they want so their not changing their major so many times.

"It [Structure for Success] is for helping you identify what your good at and what you want to do, then helping you identify the next step, and to help you get there and get a job in the field you want to go into."

Step four is reward completion. This is where the NIC gives you some incentives to stay in and complete college.

"If you stay in college and you complete this degree, your going to get this amount of money, this kind of recognition, this kind of job,” Stanley said The fifth and final step is leverage partnerships. This is basically how NIC, business, industry, secondary schools, chamber of commerce, government, everything is working together, so that they are all on the same page striving for the same goal.

"We are very actively involved.

Right now we are putting together plans so that we can contribute to that success."

A room of one’s own The veteran’s club gets it’s own space on campus David Brands Staff Writer

A trumpet player named Richard Jacobson appeared on campus on Oct. 12 to spread his message of faith. Gabriel Green/Sentinel

>TRUSTEES from page 1

the subject came up in a question, and she made a pun out of Browning, saying which order the candidates go when giving their answer.

“So you’ve already made it partisan by starting on the left, Mark?” Meyer teased.

Meyer, who has received endorsement from local Democrats, has repeatedly stated that she feels political affiliation should have no place in a trustee election.

Her opponent, Matthews, who has been endorsed by the Reagan Republicans, said he couldn’t disagree more.

“In my answers in my questions today, I’ve tried to give you as much as I can, and give you a little bit of a look into my heart. Maybe that’s overblown, but my background, my thoughts, my beliefs, and, yeah, a part of that is my political world view,” Matthews said.

If Meyer and Matthews stressed their differences in their answers, Armon the other incumbent of the race stressed the fact that he would not be given the opportunity to do the same, due to the absence of his own rival.

“I only regret that my opponent wasn’t here. It’s very difficult to make a decision when you only hear from one candidate,” said Armon, who attempted to point out his opponent Todd Banducci’s absence as a sign of his lack of commitment.

Banducci and another candidate named Jim Ruch were the only two unable to attend the forum.

“We tend to speak in a language of acronyms that most people don’t understand,” said Lawson. “Many veterans need a safe environment that they can control, and if we bring them together, they can succeed together. This increases the veteran experience at NIC and we can’t put a price on that.”

The new space granted for the veterans club has created a community at NIC that other campuses will follow in the future.

Curley Lawson, multicultural and veteran adviser, recognizes that a lot of veterans have “If we bring them been coming together, they can succeed back to college because together.” of the GI bill, and asks what colleges can CURLEY LAWSON do to prepare Multicultral and Veteran Adviser for the veteran population that they anMembers of the veterans club ticipate will grow for some time. also shared their vision.

Lawson said that currently this “From the beginning we’ve campus has the best model that been trying to create a community other colleges will soon take up. for veterans that provides a safe Lawson’s primary focus along with Kecia Siegel, coordinator of veteran services, has been to provide the veterans at NIC with resources to help them complete their schooling to enter into the workforce or move on to a fouryear institution.

“There’s a lot that can be done,” said Lawson. “We want to partner with the agencies of the local community and the resources in local community to provide our veterans with their services.”

Lawson knows that there are still several veterans on campus that have not identified themselves, but hopes that their new club room will become a community where they can go to feel safe and understood.

and welcoming environment,” said member Joey Peña.

Peña said that there has been a lot of good things have come about as the result of this new space that NIC has provided them.

“The community on this campus has really become the template for the Pacific Northwest” said Peña. “We’re about to put together a forum in which we take all of the Pacific Northwest colleges and explain to them what we’ve done here and then have them take that back to their colleges, because the idea is not so much a college base but a veterans base and were helping everyone in the northwest with that so hopefully we grow as a community.”

The veterans club is located on the lower level of the SUB, room 004.

Al

n o i t c e S n o i t The E l ec WWW.NICSENTINEL.COM

PAGE 17

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

The Board of Trustees Race North Idaho College has three of five board of trustee seats up for election. Race A and Race B have long-term incumbents running, and Race C is wide open between six new candidates. To view the full interviews, visit www.nicsentinel. com

the incumbent Judith Meyer

race a

BACKGROUND: Meyer has been a board member for ten years and was also an appointee to the State Board of Education for five years.

Reason for running? Meyer said she’s excited by the college’s new administration and the

progress of the Education Corridor. Meyer also said she is worried about the college’s future if her opponent wins.

Potential projects/policies: Meyer said she’d continue to strive towards balancing the college’s budget, helping Complete College Idaho, and balancing between professional technical and degree seeking students.

Views on transparency: Meyer said she has strong conviction about absolute academic freedom and that she’s felt the board has been very effective in being accessible as a trustee.

What NIC’s mission statement means to the candidate: Meyer said the mission statement is her candidate platform and that she’s lived by it for the past ten years.

Why she wants your vote: “It’s because of students, all of us board members want to be board members, because we believe in the value of education.”

the incumbent

Paul Matthews

BACKGROUND: Matthews is an architect and member of the Rathdrum Chamber of Com-

merce, and Kootenai Planning and Zoning.

Why did you decide to run? Matthews said he wants to bring fiscal conservative perspective, geographic diversity, and clarity to the mission statement.

Potential projects/policies: Matthews said he’s not comfortable on planning specifics until he has a chance to get in office.

Views on transparency in the college: Matthews said that is dissatisfied with the current board in regards to transparency. Matthews referred to a US Chamber of Commerce Leaders and Laggers report where he said that NIC received an failing grade.

What NIC’s mission statement means to the candidate: Matthews said that he feels that the current mission statement is a vague and generic and that it is ineffective.

Why he wants your vote? Matthews said he believes he could bring a taxpayers perspective to the board as well as an openness with the community.

The Education Cooridor P a r t i s a n s h i p experience Service

transparency expansion

Student Success

race B

chair of the board for two years.

Why did you decide to run? Armon said that there’s still much he wants to do.

Potential projects/policies: Armon said one of the projects the trustees are working on is to equalize the cost burden of out of county students. He added that the board is currently looking into adding a rec center.

Views on transparency in the college: Armon said that to accuse the board of not being transparent is ludicrous, and stressed the openness of trustee meetings and approachability of trustees.

Take on the board’s past decisions: Armon said that he considers the Education Corridor one of the things he’s proudest of accomplishing during his time as a trustee.

What NIC’s mission statement means to the candidate: Armon said that to him the mission statement really represents the values of the college, and he always keeps a copy of it on him.

BACKGROUND: Banducci has his bachelor’s in economics from the U.S. Air force Academy,

was a senior officer in the military, and has two sons in college, Reason for running? Banducci said he’s been following the board for several years and disagrees with some of the financial decisions that have been made. He also hopes to bring a fresh perspective in.

Potential projects/policies: Banducci said he would like to see the college focus more on vocational programs and bringing up the graduation rate.

Views on transparency in the college: Banducci said he does not feel the current board is transparent enough, and would like to see “more done in the public meetings and less done in the executive meetings,” and would like the public to feel comfortable approaching him.

Take on the board’s past decisions: “I see a lot of money that’s been spent, I wonder how long it will take to see a return on those expenditures.”

What NIC’s mission statement means to the candidate: Banducci said his time in the military has given him a special appreciation for mission statements.

Why he wants your vote: Banducci said he can give a fresh perspective with no ulterior motives and objective judgments, in addition to him having close ties with the community.

The numbers

$3.00 students get for every dollar they invest at NIC $42,462,558 NIC’s proposed budget for 2013 33% of 2013’s proposed budget that would be covered by property taxes the candidate

Vickie Ambrosetti BACKGROUND: Ambrosetti is a homemaker from Post Falls who has homeschool her children and participated in her community.

Reason for running? Ambrosetti said she is running because she wants to give back to the community which has already given so much to her for the past 19 years Potential projects/policies: Ambrosetti said she would like to work on keeping costs low, particularly in the textbook area and be a good steward of the college’s money.

the candidate Ron Nilson

BACKGROUND: Nilson is a business man with a

successful local company and has worked personally with Gov. Otter Reason for running? Nilson said he feels that the current board is lacking the input of the business community.

Potential projects/policies: Nilson said his focus would be trying to generate programs that would make NIC students more competitive in the job market Views on transparency in the college: Nilson said he believes that the current board has not done enough to be transparent Why he wants your vote? Nilson said he could give students an edge in the job market.

the challenger Todd Banducci

Mic Armon

BACKGROUND: Certified financial planner, Armon has been a trustee for 12 years, and the

STATE FUNDING

TAXATION

{the Election’s buzz words}

the challenger

race c

the candidate

Gary Coffman

BACKGROUND: Coffman recently retired from NIC, after working there for 33 years. Coffman also lived and worked in the residence hall for 14 years, in addition to being involved in various community boards.

Reason for running? Coffman said he’s passionate about helping students Potential projects/policies: Coffman said he would start reviewing programs to make sure they benefit students.

Take on the board’s past decisions: Coffman said he’s generally agreed with the board’s decisions.

What NIC’s mission statement means to the candidate: Coffman said he feels the mission statement is effective.

Why should you vote for him? Coffman said he truly understands students’ struggles in college and he could bring that unique perspective to the board.

the candidate Jim Ruch

BACKGROUND: A mechanical engineer with 36 years experience and ten years teaching experience at the university level.

Reason for running? Ruch said he wanted to make sure there would be someone on the board that could take the college where it needs to go.

Potential projects/policies: Ruch said he would like to see a program instated that would help professional technical students go for their bachelor degrees Views on transparency in the college: Ruch said he feels partisanship is a bigger problem than transparency Take on the board’s past decisions: Ruch said he thinks the current board has done a great job.

won} {ifviathe race waslikes Race A Judith Meyer

Race b

Todd Banducci*

Race c

70 55 27

Ron Nilson*

*Some candidates did not have a Facebook

the candidate

Dean Haagenson

BACKGROUND: The founder and owner of a contractor’s firm, Haagenson is a born and raised Idaho native Reason for running?

Potential projects/policies: Haagenson has said he would like to focus on trying to get the state to increase funding back to historical levels. Haagenson also said his experience as an owner would make him valuable to the board in budgeting matters.

Why he wants your vote? He said that he is excited to work with the board and serve his community with his experience

the candidate

Fritz Wiedenhoff BACKGROUND: Wiedenhoff has been a firefighter at Northern Lakes Fire Department and has been a life-long local.

Reason for running? Wiedenhoff said he just wants to serve his community and has the added investment of children that attend NIC Potential projects/policies: Wiedenhoff said he would want to wait until he had the position before deciding.

Take on the board’s past decisions: Wiedenhoff said he wants to focus on the future.

Why he wants your vote? Wiedenhoff said he would bring a positive selfishness to the board because his children attend the college, and he wants the very best for them.

In the Sentinel’s 2008 mock election, Barack Obama squeaked ahead of John McCain, 46.5 percent to 44.4 percent. This year, President Obama’s popularity has increased among voting NIC students, garnering him 50 percent of the votes, compared to Mitt Romney’s 43 percent.

Art by Connor Coughlin

1 in 5 voting-age students do not plan to vote

older people more likely to vote

Men 50% Women 50%

}

Men and women equally likely to be undecided

80%

} 26+ years 20%

18-25 years

}

Romney 41% Obama 59%

Younger Voters More Likely to Vote for Obama

The Breakdown: Undecided

COMPLETE RESULTS

Non-Voters

OBAMA WINS NIC Incumbent’s popularity increases among north idaho college students

184 students participated in the Sentinel’s 2012 Presidential Election Poll. The results mirrored those of the Sentinel’s 2008 poll, in which Barack Obama pulled ahead of his opponent, John McCain, by a slim margin. This year, Obama’s popularity has increased among voting students while the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, is less popular than his predecessor among NIC students.

18-25

ELECTION

7 | the sentinel

Monday, OCTOBER 29, 2012

The State Races Use this flow chart to figure out what voting district you belong in.

If you live in

If you live in

If you live in

Shoshone Bonner County East of lake Coeur d’Alene

Hayden Downtown coeur d’alene

post falls St. maries wEst of lake Coeur d’Alene

district 2

district 4

district 3

state representative

state representative

state representative

Position a

Position a Vito Barbieri

Cheryl Stransky

Luke Malek

Dan English

Kathy Sims

Anne Nesse

Shirley McFadden

John Goedde

I

Jeremy Boggess Warren Ducote JR

{Campaign money raised for the US House race}

Raul Labrador Jimmy farris

pro life

robert oates

Raised raised $762,837 $71,493 spent spent $498,988 $61,606 last report last report Oct. 17, 2012 Sept. 30, 2012

raised $5,843 spent $5,843 last report June 30, 2012

raised $0 spent $0 Last report N/A

21.05%

of registered voters in Kootenai County voted in the 2012 primary election with

14,811

Frank Henderson

Ronald Johnson

state senate

Bob Nonini

Kristy Reed Johnson

{Donations to political parties from kootenai county} republicans

Democrats

$244,518 79%

$56,068 18%

ballots cast

Source idaho.gov

Source Center for Responsive Politics

The republican

David B. Larsen

Position B

state senate

state senate

Steve Vick

Ron Mendive

Position b

Position b Ed Morse

Janet Cullen

Position a

us house

Raul Labrador

A conservative Republican congressman Labrador has said he is proud to represent his values as a native Idahoan and stands for fiscal responsibility, limited government and individual freedom.

Labrador said he has fought to defend Idahoans’ privacy from federal government as a vocal opponent of the National Defense Authorization Act and the Patriot Act and is a supporter of reducing the size of government.

Labrador said he has also voted for all measures that would work to reduce Idaho’s tax burden and reform the system.

the libertarian

Robert Oates

Oates said he believes in reducing federal regulation on the medical profession to reduce costs and make doctor visits and operations more affordable. Oates has stated that he is against the drone plan used by U.S. government for surveillance and illegal executions overseas and will work to put a stop to it. Oates believes the “jobs” situation in Idaho will only improve with less government spending and regulation which will in turn encourage private investment and true job creation. Oates said we should end all wars, declared and undeclared, that are consuming countless billions of dollars and destroying lives and families all over the world.

the democrat

Jimmy Farris

Farris said he is working to bring higher paying jobs to Idaho.

Farris has said this is a time for Idaho to move it’s economy and education out of the red ledger to a future that includes well-paying jobs and a quality education system for all Idahoans.

Farris said he supports the United States Constitution’s First Amendment that guarantees individual freedoms and the right to make individual choices. Farris said he believes in woman rights to equal pay for equal work and is pro-choice on abortion.

the independent

Pro-Life*

*Formerly Marvin Richardson

Pro Life is the independent candidate for the U.S. congress in Idaho’s first district and says he will veto all bills that are unconstitutional and the legislature would then have to override with a two-thirds vote. Pro Life says he will promote the usage of gold and silver coins as the only legal currency due to the believe that Federal Reserve Notes are counterfeit according to the constitution.

Pro Life says he is in favor of reduction of the size and scope of the government which could eliminate sales tax and other taxes. Pro Life has stated on his website that he will at time be in the streets in front of homeless shelters, porn shops, gay parades, bars, and Planned Motherhood trying to help those who are confused and in need.

ELECTION

www.nicsentinel.com

the sentinel | 8

Propositions 1, 2 and 3 “The Luna Laws”

Proposition 1 Referendum to approve or reject legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts.

Referendum to approve or reject S1108; relating to education: revising Idaho Code by amending 33-513, 33-514, 33-514A, 33-515, 33-515A, 33-516, 33521, 33-522, 33-1003, 33-1004H, 33-1271, 33-1272, 33-1273, 33-1274, 33-1275, 33-1276 and 33-402; repealing 33-1004G; and, by adding new sections 33-515B, 33-523, 33-524, 33-1271A, 33-1273A and 33-1274A to revise the annual written evaluation process for professional staff; phase out renewable individual contracts; provide that professional staff employed after January 31, 2011 shall not be entitled to a formal review of decisions for not being reemployed; allow school boards to change the length of terms stated in current contracts and reduce the salaries of certificated staff with renewable contracts without due process proceedings; require school districts to disclose to employees a list of professional liability insurance providers; eliminate education support program for school districts experiencing enrollment decreases greater than one percent; eliminate teacher early retirement incentives; restrict the scope of negotiated agreements between school boards and professional staff to compensation and the duration of negotiated agreements to one year; and eliminate provisions for fact finding in professional negotiations.

Shall the legislation limiting negotiated agreements between teachers and local school boards and ending the practice of issuing renewable contracts be approved?

Proposition 2 Referendum to approve or reject legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership.

Referendum to approve or reject S1110; relating to education: revising Idaho Code by adding new section 33-1004I to provide and distribute in fiscal year 2013 state share-based pay for performance bonuses to certificated instructional staff based on a school's median student growth percentiles on state achievement tests and a school's median standardized score on state achievement tests and local share-based pay for performance based on student test scores, graduation rates, dropout rates, percent of graduates attending postsecondary education or entering military service, meeting federal "adequate yearly progress", number of students successfully completing dual credit or advanced placement classes; percent of students in extracurricular activities, class projects, portfolios, successful completion of special student assignments, parental involvement, teacher-assigned grades, and/or student attendance rates, and, in fiscal year 2014 and thereafter, in addition to the aforementioned bonuses, provide incentives for certificated instructional staff in hard-to-fill positions and leadership awards for certificated instructional staff who assume one or more of the following additional duties: instructional staff mentoring, content leadership, lead teacher, peer coaching, content spe-

Don’t know your polling place?

No problem!

Visit idahovotes.gov/YourPollingPlace/WhereDoIVote. aspx to input your address and find out where you need to go in order to vote. You can also check to see if you’re registered yet, find information on absentee registration and voting, and get additional details about the registration and voting processes.

cialist, remedial instructor, curriculum development, assessment development, data analysis, grant writing, special program coordinator, research project, professional development instructor, service on education committees, educational leadership and earning national board certification.

Shall the legislation providing teacher performance pay based on state-mandated test scores, student performance, hard-to-fill positions and leadership be approved?

Proposition 3 Referendum to approve or reject legislation amending school district funding, requiring provision of computing devices and online courses for high school graduation.

Referendum to approve or reject S1184; relating to education: revising Idaho Code by amending 33-125, to provide for a fiscal report card; repealing 33-129 relating to science education matching grants; amending 33-357 relating to a certain internet website; amending 331002 relating to the educational support program; adding new section 33-1002A relating to fractional average daily attendance; amending 33-1004 relating to staff allowances; amending 33-1004A relating to the experience and education multiplier; amending 33-1004E relating to district's salary-based apportionment; amending 33-1004F relating to obligations to the public employee retirement system and social security; amending 33-1020 relating to moneys distributed to the Idaho Digital Learning Academy; adding new section 33-1021 relating to distribution of moneys to school districts for certain math and science courses; adding new section 33-1022 relating to public school technology and expenditures or distributions of moneys for such; adding new section 33-1626 relating to dual credit; adding new section 33-1627 relating to online courses and mobile computing devices and providing certain expenditures or distributions of moneys; adding new section 33-5216 relating to public postsecondary institutions being authorized to operate public charter high schools.

Shall the legislation amending school district funding, requiring provision of computing devices and online courses for high school graduation be approved?

For arguments both for and against Props 1, 2 and 3, as well as for other pieces of legislation on the ballot this year, visit IdahoVotes.gov.

Perspective tip? Story idea?

Contact Kaye Thornbrugh

-- kayethornbrugh@gmail.com

Perspectives

PAGE 9

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

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EDITORIAL

Voting: A Lot Like Love Voting is a lot like love.

In one week, millions of Americans will converge upon polling places and line up to cast their ballots. But that vote isn’t just a mark on a piece of paper. Voting is a right, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Think of politicians as potential suitors. In fact, with all those campaign ads, rallies and debates, their attempts to vie for your vote can start to seem a lot like someone trying to win you over for a date.

Make no mistake: You’re being wooed. Every political overture is a candidate’s way of attempting to capture your heart... and your vote.

Before you step into that voting booth, research candidates and issues with the same fervor you’d use when snooping through a recent date’s Facebook page.

Really, voting is like a ceremony in which you marry yourself to the candidates, ideas and legislation that you cast your vote to support. Voting shouldn’t be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly.

If you feel that you’ve made the wrong choice, it’s okay. Nobody is lucky in love (or politics) all the time. Don’t let that scare you off, though.

While you can’t exactly dump a politician the first time he or she does something you don’t like, with political office terms being what they are, your commitment isn’t exactly “till death do you part.”

When you feel that you’ve chosen the wrong person, just evaluate why you chose him or her in the first place and try not to let your heart lead you astray. Better luck next time.

When it comes down to it, voting really is just a big dating game. All you can do is do your research, make the most informed choice you can, and hope you don’t get your heart broken.

Feminism

Kaye Thornbrugh 

Managing Editor

lives

I want to have a conversation about the F word.

Yes, that F word: feminist.

I’m a feminist. I don’t hear other people utter that sentence very often. In fact, I know many women who cringe at the label, and who often preface statements with, “Well, I’m not a feminist or anything, but…” Why? Is “feminist” really such a dirty word?

Some claim that feminism is irrelevant in today’s world. After all, women already have equal rights, don’t they?

Far from it. There’s still a considerable pay gap between men and women.

Over half of the population of the United States is female, yet women make up a scant 16 percent of Congress. As long as women are forced out of their own conversation, I’ll be worried.

Really, that’s the essence of feminism: Fighting for women’s autonomy; fighting against rigid gender roles and societal expectations; fighting for the equality that seems so simple but has been so difficult to achieve.

During election season, I often think of the women who came before me, the women who marched in the streets, who were dragged to jail, who fought for their rights and suffered in my place.

Through their sacrifice, I have been given the priceless right to vote.

That’s why it is not enough to simply speak the words of the feminist movement. It’s not enough to squander the gift you’ve been given. Cherish it.

Protect it. Use it.

Feminists express their passion through voting— and, oh, are there issues to speak out on this year! Between “legitimate rape” and “binders full of women,” it’s never been clearer to me that the work of the feminist movement isn’t complete.

It’s up to us to clear the way for the women of future generations. This is not the sole responsibility of women: It’s the responsibility of every man who wants the women in his life to enjoy the same rights and opportunities that he does. It’s the responsibility of every person who believes that all men (and women) are created equal.

Now is the time to push up our sleeves and make our voices heard through our words and through our ballots.

It’s time to start using the F word. We have work to do.

theSentinel Awards

Associated Press Five-Star All-American Newspaper National Pacemaker and Newspaper of the Year Three-Time Robert F. Kennedy Award-Winner Society of Professional Journalists National First-Place General Excellence Award National Hall of Fame National Society of Professional Journalists First-Place Online Idaho Press Club General Excellence Award

Contributors Editorial Board

Hunter Allen

Kaye Thornbrugh Managing Editor

David Brands

Jantzen Hunsaker Web Master Christina Villagomez News Editor

Nels Carlson

Kaycie Baird Trevor Brezee Connor Coughlin Christopher Deane Katelynn Eppenstein

Garrett Cabeza Sports Editor

Israel Gonzales

Sarah Munds Features Editor

Thomas Hansen

Ethan Schlussler Photo Editor Benaiah Cheevers Assistant Sports Editor Geoff Carr Adviser

Gabriel Green Andrea Jackson Tyson Juarez Haleigh Kerr-Wissink Chad McIntosh Alex Rodal-Cubillas Isaac Schaefer Rachel Single-Schwall Beau Valdez Jake Wright Martin

Letters to the Editor Policy

T

he Sentinel welcomes letters to the Editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 300 words, sign them legibly and provide a home phone number in order to verify authenticity. Some letters may not be printed because of space limitations, or because they: 1) are similar to a number of letters already received on the same subject; 2) are possibly libelous; or

3) are illegible. The Sentinel reserves the right to edit letters. Letters may be mailed to the paper, e-mailed, faxed or brought to Room 203 of the Siebert Building. The Sentinel’s address is 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814.

You can also fill out a form on The Sentinel’s website, nicsentinel.com, that will upload your letter.

Photo by Ethan Schlussler/Sentinel Photo illustration by Kaye Thornbrugh/Sentinel

DID YOU KNOW? The largest bear recorded in the fossil record was the short-faced bear, which lived around 11,000 years ago.

perspectives

10 | the sentinel

CAMPUS VOICES

Do debates affect how you plan to vote?

Leticia Bloom n 19, pharmacy, Post Falls

“Somewhat.

If you know a lot about a particular candidate, it gives you more information about them.”

Kelcey Griffin n 21, pre dental, Cd’A

“They’re both trying to show their best sides, tell uf what we want to hear, but it does help.”

Monday, october 29, 2012

Battle of the Ballots

Sentinel writers tackle the question: Does voting matter?

V

oting.

Caught your attention with that one word, didn’t I? It’s a big deal to most people, right?

I don’t vote. It’s not because I’m being a rebel or trying to support anarchy, but because, in order to vote, in my opinion, you should know for whom you’re voting.

You should have at least a semi-educated opinion on them based on things you actually know about them, not just what your friends think, what your parents think, or what the media tells you to think. You would be shocked to know how many people I have asked, “Why are you voting for Obama/Romney?” and the answer I get back is, “Because he is better than Obama/Romney.”

How in the world do you know that? How do you know who is better Kaycie Baird than who? Reporters are dragging Staff Writer skeletons out of both of their closets left and right.

Another factor that affects my choice is whether my vote even matters. Think about it: My opinion on who should win the election is one of 314,165,191.

It’s me vs. everyone who is against my opinion.

While we are on this note, I have to mention that I get a lot of flack for not voting. It comes from every direction, really, even from my family. They say, “You don’t have a right to complain if you don’t vote.” How does that make any sort of sense? If you vote and you elect dishonest, incompetent, blowhards that go and screw up, you have no right to complain. You put him or her there. I didn’t. I don’t choose the person who is elected, so in that respect, I am not at fault, so I can complain.

I also hear the “What about the struggles the American people went through to get that right?” argument. I am well aware of the struggles Americans went through to get us our right to vote, but think about it: Wouldn’t they want us to make an educated decision?

Voting gives you the ability to cause someone to gain or lose a particular post or honor by means of a vote. What if I vote wrong? I’ll catch flack for that, depending on who I voted for. Really, in voting, it’s a lose-lose situation.

That’s why I don’t vote, and I don’t care how you vote. To each their own, right?

T

he 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution states that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude-- The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation” (Amendment XV; Section 1-2, of the Constitution of the United States of America).

I realize that the state of Idaho is generally a Republican state, and that many people, especially the college age generation of today, think that exercising their right to vote in the state of Idaho seems pointless. But I do not believe it is pointless, regardless of which party you decide to vote for.

On May 19, 1919 during the first session of the Sixty-Sixth Congress of the United States of America, a joint resolution of Congress proposing a Constitutional amendment extending Benaiah the right of suffrage to women was Cheevers signed. The resolution was passed by Asst. Sports Editor Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920.

Beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of women’s suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change of the Constitution. Few early supporters lived to see final victory in 1920.

Why should you vote this year? If you’re like me, you may not like either of the candidates for this year’s presidential election; however, that’s not going to keep me from voting.

Are you sitting on the fence like Humpty Dumpty? My advice to you is to make a decision, not necessarily who to vote for as much as just vote.

Why have I decided to vote? I am voting because if I was to sit on the fence like many Americans do, preventing me from making a decision, I would probably just not vote.

But unlike Humpty Dumpty, I don’t want to have a great fall.

I choose to vote because I believe our country can slowly, but surely turn things around if more people stopped sitting on the wall and made their voices heard.

Art by Connor Coughlin/Sentinel

David Glenn n 25, history, Cd’a

“Yes. It puts the candidate on the spot and allows them to make a fool of themselves.”

Andrew Gibson n 18, psychology, Albuquerque, N.M.

“A little bit.

They help me decide to like somebody.”

Idaho wage laws unfair L

Young employees worth minimum wage

employees, and in return, they get their required work done, ately I’ve been lending an ear to a dear friend of mine costing them close to nothing. who is having some troubles at her job. From the stories My friend was hired a week before the businesses busiest she has told me, her main issues don’t concern things weekend of the year under these provisions. She was forced such as hazardous conditions or harsh hours. Instead, to work nine-hour days, without tips, receiving her issue is with the rate of pay she is receiving. lower than minimum wage.

According to Idaho’s labor laws title 15, secIt’s so easy for an employer to do this. If they tion 3, an employer may pay an employee $4.25 want to, they could even let go of the employee bean hour for a 90 day period if he or she is under fore the 90 days is up. In my opinion, this kind of the age of 20. Currently, my friend has been emaction ought to be criminal. ployed under these conditions.

This law affects even adults between the ages of Now, I have heard of more than one business 18 and 20, and they are not even minors. All workers doing this, but the more I think about it, the should have the right to be paid the state’s minimum more I feel that this law is indeed, unfair. wage, no matter what job it is or what kind of reLet’s start with the basics. quirements there are in the training period.

The definition for the word “minimum,” acTyson Juarez An employee deserves to get fair pay for the cording to Google, is: “The least or smallest Staff Writer time he or she spends at his or her job, whether it’s amount or quantity possible, attainable, or retheir first week or their last. If an employee gets quired.” Idaho’s minimum wage is $7.65 an hour. anything less than the state’s minimum wage, it should be If this is true, then no employee above the legal working considered criminal. age of 16 should receive any less than the state’s minimum A 16-year-old that has the same tasks as an adult over 20 wage. Isn’t $4.25 lower than $7.65? years old deserves the same rights as the 20-year-old, and This creates conflict, and in my opinion, this law is comthey deserve fair pay for their time. pletely unjustifiable.

I know this is a law, but just because something is law Having the ability to employ a person under these laws doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right. gives the employer the ability to take advantage of younger

Readers Write: Ryan White n 23, general studies, Salt Lake City

“They affect my opinion.

You learn to hate everyone this time of year, both left and right.”

Kaye Thornbrugh Managing Editor

n

Beau Valdez Staff Photographer

Educators endorse candidates Meyer, Armon

As retired instructors with 362 collective years of experience at North Idaho College, we strongly support the re-election of Judy Meyer and Mic Armon to the NIC Board of Trustees.

Our recommendation is based on our having worked shoulder-to-shoulder with students to help them build a successful future. Judy and Mic have also worked diligently and creatively to support this critical mission of the college.

Over the last 14 years, and among numerous successes achieved with other board members, Judy and Mic have acted to: (1) acquire the former DeArmond mill site property and develop it into the education corridor, which serves not only NIC but the University of Idaho, Lewis Clark State College, Idaho State University and Boise State University as a means to expand exponentially opportunities for student advancement and success; (2) establish satellite campuses to serve students in Post Falls, Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry and Kellogg and most recently to purchase land on the Rathdrum Prairie; (3) service all northern Idaho communities through the use of computer technology for distance learning courses; (4) partner with K-Tech to establish a professional tech-

nical feeder high school; (5) provide visionary leadership that saw a 45 percent student enrollment increase between Fall 2007 and Fall 2011.

Not only are these two candidates key in advancing the mission of NIC, they are immersed in our community. Mic Armon is a member of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce---its chair in 2000, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Rotary Club, a member of the EXCEL Foundation and a member of the 271 School District long-range planning committee. Mic has worked as a financial planner for 33 years.

Mic’s professional experience is most valuable to the NIC Board’s budgeting process.

Judy Meyer was a co-founder of Hospice of North Idaho, the former chair of the Idaho State Board of Education, an elected board member of the Community Library Network, a member of the advisory board for Idaho Public TV and a successful businesswoman as co-owner of Parkwood Properties.

Their vision, close connection with communities in the region and achievements on behalf of northern Idaho citizens make Judy and Mic the clear choices for re-election to the NIC Board of Trustees.

Laureen Belmont Jim Cultra Jeanne Emerson Dr. Virginia Johnson Len Mattei JoAnn Nelson Kay Nelson Tony Stewart Rolly Williams Sheila Wood

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Features

s e g n i n l i r s e s d o r c gen

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PAGE 11

COMMENTARY

I despise male gamers

s n e e gs u Q Kin g ra t d d n a SA h i s e G u t p a ow e lin sh to th

The boys club of online gaming has to stop

HalloQueen!

Christina Villagomez News Editor

It can take as long as six hours for a drag queen to get ready. For the experienced, it can take as little as a half hour.

There’s the ritualized scrubbing, brushing, waxing, and buffing to high shine, and the careful painting of the face. There’s tugging, plucking, and taping. With a little cellophane and elbow grease, a good drag queen can entomb themselves in a glistening corset as sturdy as any whalebone.

“Not a lot of people know how much goes into become a woman. To go back in those

dressing rooms before the show while they’re getting ready is just incredible,” Tobe Daniels, a local drag king said.

But a group of local queens and kings showed that beauty isn’t just skin deep as they turned out in full force to help out at NIC’s Gay Straight Alliance’s HalloQueen fundraiser on October 25.

The group, which consisted of performers from local drag clubs, played to a packed room and raised over $500 by the end of the night.

The show featured risqué adult-themed humor, ranging from drag king Daniels performing as Justin Bieber, a piano ballad about a gay man’s

dream to be a housewife, to a Taser-accented finale involving a nun, studded lingerie and a group of young men in their underwear.

What was perhaps the biggest crowd pleaser of the night took place shortly before the second set of performances.

In honor of the hit show RuPaul’s Drag Race, two audience members were selected to “Lipsync for your life” to the Lady Gaga song Born That Way. After being selected to compete, the two men, Tre Keough and Alex Palmer, made their way to the stage, but it quickly became apparent Trey was the clear winner after he performed a flawless and complicated

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

dance routine to the song that brought the delighted audience to its feet and his opponent fleeing.

“It was fun, interesting, [and] a little embarrassing,” said Palmer, who had been selected from the audience due to his obvious heterosexuality.

As it turned out, Keough was neither a stranger to dance nor Lady Gaga, with his life’s dream involving a career as her backup dancer.

“I’ve been dancing for ten years, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, you name it,” “I felt a burst of energy was coming towards me up there. I felt like I could be myself, a shining star.”

Many of the performers of the Gay Straight Alliance’s HalloQueen Drag Show have walked the runways of the drag circuit before. Drag shows in Spokane and Moscow are hot spots for Queens and Kings. The GSA holds their own version of this gender-crossing event twice a year. Gabe Green/Sentinel

Sarah Munds Features Editor About a month ago, I bought a shiny, high-tech, beautiful new Playstation 3 headset so that I could talk to online players during Call of Duty matches. After the first day of using my headset, I decided that I was never going to use it again.

Why? Apparently, all Call of Duty online players are 14-year-old sexist, forever-alone, no-lifers who have nothing better to do that verbally harass any female who dares venture onto the Playstation network. I doubt they’ve ever even interacted with a woman who wasn’t their mother. I have no doubt their behavior has permanently repelled every single woman who ventured even close to their basement nerd lair.

I played three rounds of Black Ops Nazi Zombies online with my headset. I spent three rounds listening to how my time would be better spent in the kitchen making a sandwich.

After hanging up my headset and changing my Playstation network username into something manly, I decided never to reveal my gender to gamers again.

All-in-all, this video-game boys club isn’t really funny anymore.

I’m tired of playing Nazi Zombies alone in my house. I’m tired of having to hide my femininity from a group of (mostly) men who treat online gaming like a man cave. I’m tired of not being taken seriously when I play co-op. I’m tired of no one believing me when I tell them my game stats. I’m tired of being turned into an object the moment I mention that I not only have female reproductive organs, but also play video games.

Seriously, guys. I know that Call of Duty is essentially the Coors Lite of video games, but we live in 2012 where sexual equality isn’t exactly a new concept. I’m not asking you to treat me like a princess. I’m not even asking you to like me. Honestly, I just want to be able to log on, play a round of Zombies, and not have the primary game chatter centered on my breasts.

At least the Battlefield players have the decency to not bring up my gender. But Battlefield doesn’t have a Zombies side-game. I cannot kill hordes of the undead level after level in an unending Nazi apocalypse on any other game platform.

In November, Black Ops 2 comes out, paired with sexy new Zombie maps and features. When that time comes, I’m dusting off my headset and heading back online. I’m going to change my username back to the most disgustingly-feminine title I can think of, because it’s really going to sting when a player named “ThugLyfe4eva420” gets beat by a girl named “xxPurpleUnicornPrincessxx.”

Sarah Munds is an editor for The Sentinel. Her opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Sentinel. Respond to this column online at nicsentinel.com.

DID YOU KNOW? While men in drag are “Queens,” women who dress as men for drag are considered “Kings.”

Features

12 | the sentinel

Monday, october 29, 2012

Service in society

Medical dog trainer explains the value of service dogs for disabled Sarah Munds Features Editor

“I spent a year working with disabilities in the worst cases.

With the worst of the worse. I walked next to a man, he’d been in three wars, vomiting in the middle of the mall because he was so afraid to be around people. His dog, Ollie, who had one eye, drug him to the bathroom.

That’s what a service dog does.”

Chaun Stevenson Gause trains the dogs that pull veterans suffering from PTSD to the bathroom. She trains the dogs that take off a teenager’s socks because he has been paralyzed from the neck down. She teaches animals to listen, with all their senses, to those who suffer from disabilities. While she currently trains diabetes alert dogs for those who suffer from Type One Diabetes, Gause has been involved in all aspects of the service-animal field for the last several years of her life.

Last year, the federal government announced that men and women suffering from PTSD would have access to federallyfunded service dogs. According to Gause, the degree of disability caused by those suffering from PTSD has called for the disorder to be considered a disability in the realms of service animals.

Dogs trained to aid those suffering from PTSD are true embodiments of the service, as well. “[PTSD sufferers] can get lost, get disoriented. They can panic.

We qualify these dogs as service dogs because they provide a very important service. It’s not a feelgood dog, not a companion dog, not a therapy dog. It’s a service dog,” Gause said. “And a service dog has free right. Any place where the public is welcome, a service dog must be also be allowed in. [A person’s] ability to function in society depends on that dog, based on safety and health. That dog, that could save his life, is considered a service dog.”

Gause is passionate about society’s education regarding the rights and use of service animals.

She has been denied access to restaurants and events multiple times while training service animals. For those who rely on a service dog to guard their life, this sort of discrimination, Gause said, is baseless.

“It’s intolerable, but you can’t get mad at them because they haven’t been where I’ve been and seen what I’ve seen.”

The scope of a dog’s service

extends to more than just opening doors.

“What that dog does for that person emotionally is bigger. If you live in a wheelchair and your only sense of independence is given because you have a dog, we don’t see what that dog does at home emotionally and physically.

We don’t see that dog put clothes in the laundry. We don’t see that dog pick up the remote control or cell phone or bring you your keys. We don’t see emotion gratification that that person, who has lived alone in their house because they’re afraid to get out, gets from the dog. And courage to get out.

Maybe guy wouldn’t have courage to go to school if he didn’t have dog. Maybe that’s not the sort of thing that’s visual. Society needs to recognize that and stop thinking that dogs are just dogs,” Gause said.

Gause stresses the important differences between companion animals, therapy dogs, and service dogs. During her time as a service animal trainer, Gause has seen the line between the roles of these animals blurred.

“I have a problem with Mrs. Jones who brings her little poodle into a restaurant in her purse and calls it a service dog. It’s a companion dog, or even a therapy dog, but not a service animal,” Gause said. “ We need to start clarifying, defining the differences, and respecting the differences of a service dog, because it is given highest level of respect in society.

It would be like calling a lifeguard a Navy SEAL. That would be dishonoring what the Navy SEAL has to go through to get that title.”

“Mrs. Jones, who has a dog because the doctor prescribed one for depression, needs to stop pushing the ticket, because she’s not honoring what service dogs are trained for,” Gause said.

Gause describes the training process of true service dogs as rigorous. At sixteen weeks, puppies know 30 commands. At the end of their two-year training, the dog will understand how to perform over 100 different services and tasks. Service animals must also be taught to respect and honor social politeness and codes of conduct. A service dog can’t run off and chase cats, Gause said. The service dog can’t bark or threaten people in society.

“It would not be right for me to train a diabetic alert dog and not train him as a service dog in society,” Gause said. “That dog will be

DOG continued on page 14

Once only a garage band, the Vagabonds now play at various venues in the area. Beau Valdez/Sentinel

Local metal band moves out of garage and onto stage

The four headbangers formed in Coeur d’Alene with the help of Koerner and Schneberger who recruited Spilker and Paulson while they were working at their day jobs.

Their character and unique music styles make them an upcoming band to beat. They are an energetic and laid back group of young rockers that have a strong chemistry that allows them to craft very original and good

cess of some of our songs.”

The band spends its time in the outskirts of Cd’A practicing in Dakota’s garage preparing for shows and posLocal Coeur d’ Alene rocksible recording opportunities. ers The Vagabonds aren’t They have been in contact your run-of-the mill metal with many local independent band. They are the creators recording companies of an off-the-wall sound, mixDuring their practice sesing southern influence with sions, a sense of showmanpunk metal. The band is a ship comes over the band as breath of fresh air for the curthey jump around and headrent Cd’A rock scene. bang to their songs, showing NIC students Dakota Kotheir intense and energetic erner, guitars, and Conner stage presS c h n e b e r g e r, ence. Their bass, create the southern fried punk metal mixed overall charcomplicated yet acter and heavy rhythms and melodies with heavy rhythms and good chemistry performance shows the that progress band’s love for music the band’s sound forward. music.

The band plans on expandVocalist Ryan Spilker creThe Vagabonds plan on ing in the next few years, ates the band’s strong lyrics making a name for themhoping to draw a much larger that express their concerns selves in the Spokane and following. The rockers dream Coeur d’Alene area, competand disagreements with the about traveling to Portland or ing against many generic government and current Seattle and eventually look to metal bands. times. Drummer Cody PaulThe band takes on an iden- permanently base themselves son is an animal on his kit, in Texas. tity of “southern fried” punk throwing arms everywhere, The Vagabonds are curcreating complicated and fast metal, reflecting bands such rently spreading their name as Vanna and Every Time I beats. by playing locally. They have Die. “Metal used to be a joke played five live shows at the “Those were some of the around here about four years Grail and various house parbands that really influenced ago,” said bassist Conner ties, including a recent show us,” said Koerner, “we had Schneberger. ”Now it’s a big that they played on October them and other bands in deal and we are finding our 21st at the Hop. mind during the writing proplace in all of it.”

Tyson Juarez Staff Writer

Finding peace, self-acceptance in the communal universe

Buddhist nun teaches lessons of love, relatedness Andrea Jackson Staff Writer As Todd Hall began to buzz with people walking in, the simplicity of a single chair placed in the front of the room, covered in an orange drape surrounded by bouquets of flowers and a small wooden table set serenity to the tone of the evening.

Venerable Thubten Chodron, the American Tibetan Buddhist nun and founder of the Sravasti Abbey, shared “Buddhist Advice for a Better World” in the Molestead Library, on October 12.

The Buddhist Monastic Community, Sravasti Abbey’s slogan, “creating peace in a chaotic world” reflected in the atmosphere as people paused the hastiness of life to gather together, connecting to their breathing in a guided mediation before Thubten Chodron began.

When Thubten Chodron spoke, her serene energy and wisdom shined in her eyes.

Thubten Chodron asked the audience to reflect inwardly on their intentions and motivations for Photo-illustration by Sarah Munds

coming to the event and, on a larger ing that she continues to struggle scale, their intentions in their own the most with making peace with the lives. fact that she cannot control everyA range of topics were discussed, thing. including the pressures of being “If you can’t control yourself, how what others want you to be, the negcould you possibly control someone ative effects of comparing oneself to else?” Thubten Chodron said. others, coming to peace with growHer eyes lit up as she talked ing older, forgiving yourself, the about these pressing topics, makeffect of the media on self-esteem, ing many laugh with her; honesty, the victim mentality, and in the great wit, genuine inner spirit shining outrelief of accepting oneward. self. discussed “If you can’t howChodron Each topic had a it felt when she first control common goal, to make created the Sravasti Abbey one’s actions as comover thirty years ago; as yourself, passionate and kind as she was jobless on a large how could property in the middle of possible.

Monastic commu- you possibly nowhere with two cats, she nity “strives to embody began to doubt herself. control the Buddhist values of Chodron kept focused, someone non-harming, mindremembering her intentions, fulness, compassion, and now travels worldwide else?” inter-relatedness, and teaching the Dharma, trainrespect for nature, ing in the Tibetan Buddhist and service to sentient Thubten Chodron tradition, and has written beings—all directed several books, including her Buddhist Nun towards the enlightlatest, “Don’t Believe Everyenment of all beings,” thing You Think. according to Sravasti For more information Abbey. regarding the abbey visit to www.

Chodron didn’t hide the fact that sravastiabbey.org, and for more inshe too will always have more behav- formation about Thubten Chodron ior she can change in order to bego to www.thubtenchodron.org. come more compassionate, confess-

FEATURES

www.nicsentinel.com

the sentinel | 13

Big Bangs, Breaking Clays

NIC shotgun club opens, offers scholarship opportunities Jake Wright Martin Staff Writer

It was a Wednesday, it was far too early in the morning, and I was a day late and a dollar short as usual. I was coming to this interview on the spur of the moment after having played phone tag with the club president. I had only maybe a half hour before my next class.

I walked into the Club Fair in the SUB and saw a couple associates of mine from the paper. After getting the down-low from them about this maelstrom of a fair I had walked into, I found the booth I wanted. Larkin Henkel, the president of NIC’s new shotgun club Breaking Clays, sat at a booth behind me. She wore a sweatshirt and jeans and had a couple flyers about the club lying on the table.

After the introductions got out of

the way, Henkel laid out the club’s story.

NIC has a gun club? Yes, you heard right. NIC is now the proud home of Breaking Clays, a student shotgun club through the Scholastic Clay Target Program which offers training and reduced prices on ammunition and clays.

President Henkel works at the Coeur d’Alene Skeet and Trap Club in Hayden, where the club practices.

Shooting coaches are available to give instruction in all disciplines of shooting, including trap, skeet, and five stand.

There will be a tri-state tournament this November; college and high school clubs from Idaho, Montana, and Washington will be competing for club endowment money and a $1500 endowment for all participating clubs.

With the creation of this club, NIC is now able to compete in a whole dif-

ferent arena of extracurricular activity, giving students another way to get some scholarship money. You don’t even need to own a shotgun; there are guns available at the range, but members are still free to bring their own guns.

“If you shoot, and if you’re good at it, then you can get a really good scholarship to a four-year school,” Henkel said. “I know a lot of girls that got…full ride scholarships just because they’re a pretty good shot.”

Henkel, founder of Breaking Clays, also founded the first student shotgun club in Idaho at Lake City High School.

There is a $15 fee to register through the Scholastic Clay Target Program to become a member of Breaking Clays. The club has flyers up around campus with contact information for the shooting coaches and Henkel.

black students feelin’ learning groove board: as online education grows Haleigh Wissink Staff Writer

Blackboard. We all use it.

Whether you’re a teacher or a student, the use of Blackboard is inevitable.

“Blackboard provides a virtual classroom environment where instructors and students can do virtually everything they do in a traditional face-to-face classroom,” said Jamie Green, NIC director of eLearning and Outreach.

When Blackboard came out in 2004, it was a single management system called Learn. Two years later, Blackboard merged with WebCT, and later, in 2009, merged with an online system

called ANGEL. ANGEL, acronym for A New Global Environment for Learning, was created at Indiana University in 1996. Our very own NIC began our long relationship with online learning here with the system of ANGEL. Many newer students may now know about ANGEL; NIC recently decided to move onto a different and more user-preferred feature at the beginning of the Fall 2012 semester: Blackboard Learn 9.1 Next Generation.

“NIC’s eLearning department strives to provide best eLearning tools possible in support of student success, educational excellence, and community engagement. Blackboard Learn is

the leading educational system worldwide and is a platform that continues to evolve as online education continues to evolve,” said Green.

Some students and instructors prefer Blackboard to ANGEL because of the suit of upgrades, greater mobile access, a robust multi-media environment, improved social networking capabilities, and enhanced communicational tools. These features provide significant cost-savings to NIC. “The difference between Blackboard and ANGEL are like the differences of Chevy and a Honda,” said Green, “both are decent vehicles, but there will always be something newer and

“I’m indifferent about it. I don’t dislike or love it,” said Forest Lun-

Melanie Strom, 18, business, remarked.

“I don’t hate it,”

“It’s a great way to get notes if you miss a class and get in contact with your teachers,” Katie

strum, 20, undecided.

“I just wish we didn’t rely on technology as much as we do. I sort of miss doing assignments and tests on actual paper. It’s easier that way for me.”

O’Dowd, 18, business, said.

Ethan Schlussler/Sentinel

shinier on the road. However, never underestimate the importance of reliability and a knowledgeable mechanic.”

Green also states that it shouldn’t be a matter of Blackboard vs. ANGEL. “[Education] is all about what you see and do along the journey and arriving at your destination in a safe and timely fashion,” Green said.

Blackboard has also announced several new enhancements to be seen by the end of this year.

Instructors can look for ward to a new content editor and enhanced assessment question analysis. Students can look for ward to enhanced social net-

“I think Blackboard would be great…if it actually worked,” said Sarah Metz, 18, psychology. “Half of the time we don’t get Wi-Fi in the dorms so it’s pretty much impossible to do online assignments through Blackboard.”

working integration. College administrators can anticipate a built-in course evaluation tool.

All users will have access to a new at-a-glance interface called “My Blackboard.”

“One of the biggest improvements that eLearning is making is the formation of an eLearning Advisor y Council. This council will be comprised of full and part-time faculty, administrators, staff, and students. We are currently seeking student volunteers. See the Blackboard log-in page announcements for more details,” said Green.

For more information and all things Blackboard contact Jamie Green at 208-769-5906 or jlgreen@nic.edu.

your thoughts about online education?

Katelynn Eppenstein/Sentinel

Surfing NIC’s waves of concrete Longboarders hit pavement with new means of transport Tyson Juarez Staff Writer Clack! Clack! Clack! Such a noise is common on the NIC campus as many longboarders cruise across the pavement, making their way to their various classes.

One example of such a boarder is NIC student Andrew Steiner, 19, Spokane.

He says he is constantly swooping around campus, surfing across the concrete ocean on his four-wheeled contraption in hopes of getting around more efficiently and obtaining a feeling of freedom and peace of mind.

“That’s my favorite part about it,” said Steiner. “Sometimes I’ll just take a break from studying in the middle of the night and I’ll go ride around my neighborhood to clear my mind.”

A longboard is a bit different than the average skateboard. A longboard is a surfboard-shaped skateboard that is used for long distance traveling. Traditional skateboards are used more often for doing tricks and they are smaller than most long boards.

Longboarding has become quite Beau Valdez/Sentinel

the trend on campus. Many students, its way back as a popular fad around including Steiner, decide to make many college campuses. A majority their surfboard-like apparatus their of students have given up their tradimain source of transportation. Some tional skateboards and have made students even park far away from an investment in longboards.

“I prefer a longboard over the campus just so they have a chance to traditional skateboard even though ride their boards.

The trend started the previous I used to skateboard,” said Steiner, fall in 2011 and has stuck ever since. “you feel more in control, and it’s just a better Steiner had start“Sometimes I’ll just take way to get ed riding early in around.” the summer of a break from studying in The 2012 after he did the middle of the night trend has research on what and I’ll go ride around my come a kind of board to long way invest in. neighborhood to clear my since the “Beginners mind.” old days. should really take All sorts the time to look ANDREW STEINER of people into what kind of longboard rider young and board they want,” old, male said Steiner. “The boards that are a bit more expensive or female, now take part in an evergrowing fad that has had a large are worth the money.” impact on college life.

Steiner spent countless weeks So as Steiner rolls down the drooling over a cool bamboo Santa street on his board, he is a part of Cruz that was at his local skate store, something bigger than himself.

Zumies. He visited at least once a week and eventually walked out of the Longboarding is simply a lifestyle.

“It’s a really good feeling,” said store with his prized possession.

Steiner. “Longboarding is someLongboarding has been around ever since the early ’70s and has made thing I would recommend.”

FEATURES

COMMENTARY

Dorm Life

Dorms offer opportunity to meet new people

Andrea Jackson Staff Writer The three-story building holds approximately 300 college students.

Blank white walls are covered in fliers about upcoming events and little individual mailboxes are numbered in rows.

I referred to this building as my home the other day. It has been nearly two months since I moved into the dorms and, to my surprise, not very much has changed since then.

I think I finally grasped that this is where I actually live now. At first, it was almost like staying in a bizarre hotel.

Residence Assistants, otherwise known as the RAs, play the role of peacekeepers on campus. Paula Czirr, the Resident Life Manager, is the head honcho of these people.

In a Residence Hall full with a varied and bountiful crowd of strangers who are paired up and roomed together, RAs are most definitely needed in order to avoid living in a freefor-all, topsy-turvy zoo of students.

My roommate Amanda Razzaia, from Walnut Creek, Calif., got it right when she said, “There is never a dull moment on campus. There is always something going on and people of all walks of life you can meet.”

Everyone has their own unique story, speaking of all walks of life. I have met one particularly interesting person named Tarah Baguio. She is a 34-year-old majoring in Medical Billing and Communications.

“I am originally from Hawaii. I lived in a small town called Wahiawa, located on the island of Oahu, where the capital city Honolulu resides in.

I’ve also lived in Wailuku, Maui. Altogether living in Hawaii for 32 years to living in Coeur d’Alene two years, November 1st has been a big step.

We’re talking about year-round warm weather; the coldest Hawaii as a whole would get is lower 50’s to cold Pacific Northwest, at first I thought what the hell am I thinking?” Baguio said.

Baguio misses Hawaii, the beaches, her family and friends, and the weather.

“No matter where my life may take me, Hawaii is home in my heart, but my journey has started for me and my future. I don’t know where my roads may lead me, but it will be worth going through this,” said Baguio.

She feels that living on campus is convenient.

“Living here on campus is cool considering I don’t have to rely on everyone else in my family to take time out of their busy schedules from work or home life to take me to school or to pick me up because I don’t drive. Since I am a full-time student who also works on campus,” said Baguio.

Baguio has made a few friends. “I have a handful of them. I’ve met people from other states other than the neighboring states and Idaho.”

Baguio dislikes the fact the hours are shorter in the SUB on the weekends and that they don’t serve dinner on the weekends either.

She also dislikes the unreliable internet.

“A lot of students here are in hybrid or online classes and the internet tends to flicker on and off.”

Baguio takes pleasure in being one of the few older residents here and having the respect from the younger students in the dorms.

“I am known as “Troubles” and pick on people in a good way, they know how I roll. I’m like the big sister to some of the residents,” said Baguio.

The more I contemplate my roommate’s comment that each of us has our own personal story, the less strange these strangers seem to become.

Now I can’t help but wonder who else I will come across, during my stay living in the Residence Hall, and what touching or intriguing stories they might hold.

Andrea Jackson is a writer for The Sentinel. Her opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Sentinel. Respond to this column online at nicsentinel.com.

upcoming event: Oct. 31

14 | the sentinel

Monday, October 29, 2012

Painting faces, lighting candles, and offering food are all a part of Day of the Dead ritual. Latino Club members, Alex Rodal Cubillas, Ana Sagastume, Patrick Mayer and Juan Cuabarrios. will construct a traditional alter in honor of loved ones passed. Traditional food, as well as a Day of the Dead memorial, will be open to students Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the SUB. All students are invited to bring photos of deceased family members and light (electric) candles while learning about the history behind this celebration. Beau Valdez/Sentinel

DOG continued from page 12 with that person around the clock and should meet all levels of social manners.”

Service dogs aren’t trained on a person-to-person basis, though, except for diabetic alert dogs. At any time, a facility might have 18 to 25 dogs ready to be paired with an owner.

Gause has seen matches of a multitude of service animals, from PTSD companions to ani-

mals specializing in the ultimate patient, a quadriplegic.

“We watch the relationship. We watch the interaction.

The dog responds to them and they’re responsive to the dog,” Gause said. “It’s like a shoe store. You have many shoes and you see what fits you, what you walk in comfortably, what feels good, the size, the color you like.”

Sometimes, the dog-tohuman pair blossoms into a unique and highly-personal relationship. One of her service

dogs, Chrissy, was sent to a teen in Spokane who was paralyzed from the next down during childhood. After a several months of service to the teen, Chrissy alerted caregivers that her ward was slipping into a coma several minutes before it happened.

“That’s something you can’t train,” Gause said.

Gause is currently training a shelter dog to respond to the needs of a diabetic patient.

“The dog that I have now, they found him roaming with

a bark collar and rope around his neck- Now he’s going to become one of the most fantastic diabetic alert dogs.”

“We already have an issue with people who think dogs are dogs–stick them in the backyard,” Gause said. “I think people need to really understand the time that went into training that dog–we’re talking about two years of training–and not be so ignorant to think ‘it’s just a dog.’

I don’t care if he sheds all day long. Because when you weigh this, that dog is so much more.”

Roundabout sculpture series complete Installation art describes history, culture of NIC’s landscape and people Connor Coughlin Staff Writer Spirits were alive and well on a dreary and rainy October afternoon at NIC. A crowd of onlookers huddled together in the cold, greeting each other with hugs and words of friendship.

A large metallic sculpture stood facing the crowd, its surface glistening in the rainfall. Two large flowing arms lifted up from the ground, holding a circular form in the center.

The sculpture, entitled “The Gift” by C.J. Rench, was one of the three inhabiting NIC’s educational corridor being dedicated that day, alongside Michael Horswill’s “Trilogy” and Allen Dodge’s

circular saw piece.

“This is the most ambitious project the Arts Commission has taken on,” said Steve Anthony during the opening comments.

Funded by the Coeur d’Alene Arts Commission, the three pieces were chosen by a selection committee out of 35 submittals. Each of these potential pieces was given the task to communicate the special nature of the surrounding area.

In Horswill’s piece, three totems capture the essence of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the students and faculty of NIC, and the community of the area as a whole.

Rench’s piece, on the other hand, displays the importance of Lake Coeur d’Alene to the area with its

aquatic figure and organic shapes.

Harkening back to the days when a sawmill inhabited the area near NIC, Dodge’s sculpture is simply a representational circular saw and banner covered in native beadwork, describing the historical marriage of the two lifestyles on the land.

“It’s funny… The sawmill is gone, but the natives are still here,” said Dodge.

The highlight of the event was the blessing of the art and grounds by Cliff SiJohn, an elder and spiritual leader of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

“Everything has life, even rock,” said SiJohn, “Rock in the form of sculpture using hand, spirit, and mostly heart has been given life by these men.”

SiJohn then said his blessing in the native Coeur d’Alene language, asking that the crowd gathered there on sacred land as friends and as relatives to be blessed by spirits in heaven.

With that, Coeur d’Alene welcomed three new pieces of art into its community, bringing the count up to 54 public sculptures in the area, according the Arts Commission.

“It’s spectacular to be a part of a community who values fine and performing arts so much,” said NIC President Joe Dunlap.

Through the work of the three artists, the spirit of NIC and the city as a whole is now evident for the world to see for a great time to come.

The dedication of the two sculputers pictured above mark the completion of the roundabout art series in NIC’s education corridor.

Selected from 35 entries, these installation represent Coeur d’Alene’s historical past. Rachel Single-Schwall/Sentinel

15

Cameron Dietz, 25, computer science, Riverside, Calif., blacks out his teeth in preparation for a night at Scarywood as Sparky the Clown. Several other NIC students prowl the park as creatures.

Creatures of NIght, brought to light

Kaye Thornbrugh  Managing Editor Photos by Ethan Schlussler

J

esus Nunez gives new meaning to the phrase “odd job.”

He works in a swamp that teems with lizard women and animatronic frights. Beyond the butcher shop, past the crowd of feasting cannibals, near the crackling electric room where victims fry—that’s where you’ll find him.

It’s a fifteen-minute tour of terror.

Guests only visit Nunez’s domain for about thirty seconds, but he always makes an impression.

He’s the Man with the Pipe—a scarred, growling creature, one of the numerous performers working at Scarywood Haunted Nights—and he loves it.

“I get paid to scare people,” said Nunez, 21, biology, Cartagena, Colombia.

“It’s awesome.”

Nunez initially auditioned to be a clown at Scarywood, Silverwood Theme Park’s twisted counterpart that exists only at night in October. He ended up in Blood Bayou.

“Not to brag,” Nunez said, with a sly grin, “but it’s the most popular haunt.”

While he might not be the most physically imposing person around, Nunez said, his costume helps in that department: His jumpsuit, makeup and mask give him an instant air of menace. Stuttering strobe lights turn his haunt into a surreal netherworld, adding to the effect. But the scares don’t just come from Nunez’s surroundings. His guttural growls, wide-eyed stares

and head movements are what really sell the scare.

If guests could glimpse Nunez between groups, they’d be surprised. When he has no one to scare, Nunez occupies himself by practicing sign language and dancing around with his pipe, twirling it like a cane.

Nunez said that Scarywood performers have some training sessions, though they don’t focus on how to terrorize guests.

Instead, they learn how to avoid getting injured by frightened, flailing guests.

It was during the “dry run” week before Scarywood opened to the public that Nunez started discovering the persona of the Man with the Pipe. Employees from one half of the park visited the haunts of the other half, and vice versa, sampling the scares and practicing their technique.

As for his technique, Nunez says that he just “wings it.”

“I just kind of switch it on,” he said. “‘Time to be scary.’ That’s all I think.”

Scarywood performers are told to keep their eyes peeled for “suspicious behavior,” Nunez said—people who appear to be drunk, or who look like they might become violent.

But the guests sometimes surprise him.

“I’ve learned not to judge people,” Nunez said. “Sometimes it’s the opposite of what you expect. The people you think are nice can be the rudest.”

Scarywood Haunted Nights was scheduled to close Oct. 27, but, due to popular demand, will remain open Nov. 2 and 3.

For more information, visit www.scarywoodhaunt.com.

Jesus Colom Nunez, 21, with bia, walks biology, Ca the P the n ipe. ight a rtagena, s the Man

, awaits Rathdrum al studies, p. Her clown perer en g , 9 tte, 1 makeu Kyra Wille es on her ing touch the finish ed Daisy. sona is nam

ring, Rathdrum, lulls guests Bryce Woempner, 18, enginee remaining perfectly still, by rity secu of e into a false sens life. to then suddenly leaping

rcew enfo , 20, la ds his nights r u h t r n cA ers.

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Sports tip? Story idea?

Contact Garrett Cabeza

-- gmcabeza@students.nic.edu

PAGE 16

Sports WWW.NICSENTINEL.COM

COMMENTARY

Giants continue to impress

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

Firing on all cylinders at right time

Tigers lagging behind battle-tested Giants

Garrett Cabeza ■ Sports Editor The World Series began with a bang last Wednesday with the San Francisco Giants dominating the Detroit Tigers 8-3 at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Once I found out that the Tigers were going to face the Giants in the Fall Classic, I picked the Tigers to win it all, especially the first game.

Detroit sent their ace and the best pitcher in baseball in my opinion, Justin Verlander, to the mound in the first game to face a Giants team that just overcame a 3-1 National League Championship Series (NLCS) deficit to the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Giants tied the 1985 Kansas City Royals for most wins facing elimination from the playoffs with six after their Game Seven win over St. Louis.

But Verlander struggled mightily, giving up five runs in four innings pitched in the opening game of the World Series.

I do not know how to describe Verlander’s meltdown besides that Giants’ third baseman Pablo Sandoval did his homework on him, smacking two of his three home runs in the game off of the Tigers’ ace pitcher.

Up until Wednesday night, Verlander’s earned run average (ERA) for the postseason had been lights out.

The momentum was in his favor and his confidence must have been riding high going into the big game. He was on another level, maybe on another planet from everybody else, but Sandoval, who fans call “Kung Fu Panda,” brought him back to planet Earth.

I was shocked on almost every level of the turnout of Game One. I certainly did not expect the Giants’ offense to come alive like it did. Although their offense had been improving, I still did not have faith in them to put up enough runs to win the first game facing such an elite pitcher.

Above all, I thought that the Giants’ luck would run out after winning six elimination games.

Perhaps one of the Tigers’ problems was the five day layoff between sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and playing the Giants.

I think the Tigers proved that they were a little too rested, perhaps rusty, which I did not expect.

After playing 162 regular season games and additional playoff games, I assumed a nice five day rest would do wonders for the Tigers and ultimately play a huge advantage over a team that just came off a seven-game series. But I was wrong.

Meanwhile, the Giants had their backs against the wall and rattled off three consecutive wins against the Cardinals to gain great momentum coming into the World Series.

Nonetheless, I figured the well-rested Tigers led by Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera would create offensive fireworks, and if that failed, they could rely on Verlander to shut the Giants out.

But the Giants quickly reminded me of their recipe for success-outstanding pitching and timely hitting.

Although the Giants’ offense displayed a lot more than timely hitting in Game One. They proved to the Tigers that they are a dual threat with their excellent hitting and pitching.

Whatever issues the Tigers are having, they better find answers fast because they are now down 3-0 to the Giants going into Sunday and pending last night’s game, might already be hoisting World Series hardware.

Garrett Cabeza is an editor for The Sentinel.

His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Sentinel. Respond to this column online at nicsentinel.com.

Freshman forward/midfielder Emille Cordon (2) takes a knee to the stomach from the Western Wyoming Community College goalkeeper Oct. 19 at NIC. The Lady Cardinals shut out Western Wyoming 6-0. Gabe Green/Sentinel

NIC women’s soccer extends unbeaten streak to nine games, on to Districts Garrett Cabeza Sports Editor Chad McIntosh Staff Writer The North Idaho College women’s soccer team drew with Gonzaga University’s club team 1-1 Saturday in Spokane for the last regular season game of the year for the Lady Cardinals.

The Lady Bulldogs struck first with a header by Lauren Bonck off a corner kick from Amanda Minter in the 57th minute.

NIC responded twenty minutes later with a header by freshman midfielder/forward Ellie Engel. Freshman midfielder Kellsi Parson was awarded the assist.

NIC beat the Lady Bulldogs 1-0 in Coeur d’Alene Sept. 29.

With the regular season be-

hind them, the Lady Cardinals look forward to the NJCAA District B tournament in Cheyenne, Wyo., and facing Laramie County Community College Friday in a semifinal match.

The weekend before playing Gonzaga, the Lady Cardinals beat the Washington State University club team Oct. 21 at Bill Eisenwinter Field on the NIC campus 2-1 amid cold temperatures and off-and-on showers.

The Lady Cardinals prevailed on their final home game of the season thanks to a goal by sophomore forward Anna Valentine in the 78th minute, set up by Kellsi Parson.

Parson maneuvered the ball up the field, passed it to Valentine between two Cougar defenders and Valentine put the ball in the net.

“It felt good,” Valentine said. “It was a really great ball from Kellsi. It was perfect.”

Freshman Ellie Engel started the scoring for the Lady Cardinals in the first half of the game with a goal in the ninth minute.

Valentine passed the ball to Engel, who was in front of the net, and Engel converted on her goal-scoring opportunity.

Washington State’s Roslyn Pontius tied the game in the 31st minute with an unassisted goal and the two teams headed into halftime at a 1-1 tie.

Two days prior to beating Washington State, the Lady Cardinals defeated Western Wyoming Community College of Rock Springs 6-0 at NIC. It was a cold and windy day for most people, but for NIC, things began to heat up as they shut out Western Wyoming.

Parson scored in the 28th minute of the first half when she was awarded a free kick after being tripped up by West-

ern Wyoming’s defense. Emille Cordon later scored in the 48th minute on a fast break.

“The pace of today’s game was definitely what we have been working towards-finding people faster, making decisions faster and having one to two touch passes,” said head coach Dan Hogan.

Aubree Mercier scored in the 58th minute of the game after defeating the goalie to the ball to put the Lady Cardinals up 4-0 late in the second half.

Elli Kiselica and Morgan Kuehl also scored to seal the victory for the Lady Cardinals.

NIC (9-3-2) defeated Western Wyoming Community College 4-0 in their first regular season game of the season in Rock Springs.

The NJCAA National tournament will take place in Melbourne, Fla., Nov. 12 through Nov. 18.

Cardinal spotlight NIC volleyball star shines on court, classroom Isaac Schaefer Staff Writer “Honestly, there isn’t one thing she is weak at in the game of volleyball,” said North Idaho College volleyball coach Kandice Gregorak, when asked about her star sophomore, Yang Yang. “She is truly a coach’s ‘dream-come-true’ player.”

The six-foot international student is now in her second year at NIC, and has helped lead the Cardinals to a 20-4 record.

Yang said the biggest change in moving from Yong’an, China to North Idaho was priorities.

“Before I came here, when I was in China, volleyball was always the most important thing,” Yang said. “My coach was like, ‘It’s ok; you don’t need to worry about school.’

But here, we focus on school first, then volleyball.”

Though this change in pri-

orities was initially a struggle for Yang, she said that she appreciates NIC’s emphasis on pushing their athletes to not only excel in sports, but also in their studies.

Yang started playing volleyball when she was twelve years old. Moving to the United States for her education, Yang admitted she had decided to not play volleyball anymore.

“I really just wanted to focus on my school,” she said.

However, when she learned that NIC had potential scholarships for international student athletes, she reconsidered. After learning more, she committed: “I will do it,” and she’s never looked back.

Gregorak cannot say enough about how impressed she has been with the way Yang has conquered many challenges.

“Coming from a different

See Yang | Page 18

Sophomore middle blocker Yang Yang has played a huge role for the Lady Cardinals the past two seasons. Gabe Green/Sentinel

DID YOU KNOW? In 1993, a total of 20 red cards were shown in a soccer game between two teams in Paraguay.

Sports

17 | the sentinel

Monday, october 29, 2012

NIC ends superb regular season Volleyball team now 20-4, prepares for regionals at CSI

Benaiah Cheevers Assistant Sports Editor Garrett Cabeza Sports Editor Brooklynn Bradbury led the Lady Cardinals (20-4 overall, 6-4 conference) with 26 assists in victory over Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC). NIC won the match 25-5, 25-19, 25-12 Saturday.

Yang Yang had 14 kills in the match while Kaitlyn Molloy and Bradbury had 10 digs each.

“Our first set today was great because we only made one serving error and one hitting error,” head coach Kandice Gregorak said. “We need to play our best games at regionals. It could go any way and if we play Salt Lake we will be the underdog.”

This was the last home game of the season for the Cardinals and for sophomores, Bradbury, Yang, Molloy, and Shelby Lausen, it was their last home game in a NIC jersey.

The season has been really good despite quite a few ups and downs,” said Lausen. “As the season has gone on we have gotten much better. We have a tough game coming up against Salt Lake next Friday deciding if we will go to nationals so we just have to prepare for that.”

The Cardinals will travel down to the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls for the Region 18 Tournament Wednesday and play CNCC Friday at 10 a.m. If NIC defeats CNCC, the Lady Cardinals will play Salt Lake at 4 p.m. the same day. If NIC wins that game,it will go on to play in the national tournament.

The national tournament will be held in West Plains, Mo., Nov. 15 through Nov. 17 on the campus of Missouri State University.

NIC sophomore setter Brooklynn Bradbury sets the ball to sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn Molloy Saturday at Christianson Gymnasium against Colorado Northwestern Community College. NIC won in straight sets. Beau Valdez/Sentinel

Two days prior to the CNCC game, the eighth-ranked Lady Cardinals overcame a first set loss against Utah State UniversityCollege of Eastern Utah to go on to beat the Lady Golden Eagles 3-1 with scores of 21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19.

Yang had 22 kills and 10 digs, freshman outside hitter Marissa Verduci added 10 kills and freshman setter Allison Meehan

led both teams with 30 assists.

“That girl (Yang) keeps our team together,” Gregorak said.

“She plays her heart out.”

On Oct. 19, NIC lost their match to the No. 3 College of Southern Idaho (CSI) Golden Eagles 25-20, 25-23, 25-20.

“After the match I told the girls to keep their heads up,” Gregorak said. “We played a really good

match, but there was was one rotation where we let about a six to eight-point run against us.”

At the time, the win clinched at least a tie for the Scenic West Athletic Conference title for the Golden Eagles (23-1, 8-0). The win also earned CSI the right to host the Region 18 Tournament at Twin Falls.

Yang had 12 kills and 10 digs for NIC. Rosie Robinson had 13 digs

and two aces, Bradbury and Meehan 14 assists apiece, and Lausen three blocks for the Cardinals.

“This was a big game, and even though we didn’t win we played so much better than the last time we played them (CSI),” Bradbury said.

NIC’s four losses this season have come to Salt Lake Community College and CSI, losing two games to each school.

North Idaho local kickin’ it at NIC NIC soccer player playing huge role as freshman, seeking appearance at Nationals Hunter Allen Staff Writer Kellsi Parson, a midfielder for the Lady Cardinals’ soccer team, is feeling right at home here at North Idaho College.

A natural athlete, she has been playing soccer since she was about four years old and playing collegiate level soccer has always been a dream and goal for the freshman.

She has played many other sports but soccer is the one that she was most drawn to. Parson was even offered a spot on the school’s Fastpitch softball team as an outfielder but decided to focus on soccer.

Parson said that the “team aspect” of the game and the fact that “it takes everyone to come

up with a goal,” are major contributing factors to her attraction to the game.

She also likes the fact that soccer can be a “somewhat contact sport.”

While recruiting Parson, NIC women’s soccer coach Dan Hogan said her “athletic ability in the midfield and ability to read a play and make decisions,” impressed him.

Parson chose NIC as her college destination because it is fairly close to home. Only about a two hour drive separates her from her home and family in Lewiston.

Another factor in Parson’s decision to attend NIC was that it offers a criminal justice program.

The scenic NIC campus was also an influence in her decision to attend school here, along with

the athletic program of course.

After her time here at NIC, Parson plans to return to Lewiston and attend Lewis-Clark State College and finish her degree in criminal justice.

Parson noticed a few differences between high school and college soccer.

The biggest difference Parson has noticed is in the classroom.

Grades have become more important, are checked more often, and athletes are held more accountable for their academic performance than they were in high school.

Parson has also found that the team has to be more of a unit on the field, a vital factor for college level soccer.

“It can’t be a one-man team,” she said. “Everyone has to come

together to make a great team.”

One of the goals Parson set for herself going into the season was to be in the starting lineup, a goal she has accomplished.

A current goal Parson has for her and her teammates is to finish the season at the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) women’s soccer nationals in Melbourne, Fla. Parson said one of her favorite aspects of the season so far has been their success.

The Lady Cardinals finished the regular season Saturday with a 9-3-2 record.

She also has enjoyed her teammates.

“They are a really fun team and we always have a great time,” she said.

NIC freshman Kellsi Parson has helped lead her team to a 9-3-2 record. Ethan Schlussler/Sentinel

Blood, sweat, but no tears NIC alums return to mat, wrestlers battle for starting spots Chad McIntosh Staff Writer

Two NIC wrestlers get tangled up in a Red vs. Grey match Oct. 18 at Christianson Gymnasium. Gabe Green/Sentinel

A Grey team wrestler braces his fall with his left arm as he is taken down by a wrestler from the Red team. Gabe Green/Sentinel

The North Idaho College wrestling team took on former NIC wrestlers in an NIC Alumni Match Oct. 20 at Christianson Gymnasium with the Alumni winning 44-12.

The Alumni took a 6-0 lead before the event had started after NIC head athletic trainer Randy Boswell ran onto the mat and was declared the first winner because NIC head coach and announcer for the event, Pat Whitcomb, jokingly claimed that none of the NIC wrestlers could defeat him.

Redshirt sophomore Brock Banta responded for the current NIC team by defeating a member of last season’s team Joaquin Calderon with a takedown in the final seconds of the third period. Freshman Zach Mahaney tied the score at six in the following match with a 7-5 win in overtime over Mike Reyes, who last wrestled for NIC in 2000.

The Alumni would win eight out of the next 10 matches including pins by current NIC assistant wrestling coach and 2003 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national champion Keri Stanley, 2002 NIC wrestler Mike Bundy and current NIC Booster Club President Jon Parson, who last wrestled for NIC in 1993.

“I wrestle him (Jake Lindell) almost every day or every other day, so I know what he’s going to do, and he knows what I’m going to do,” Stanley said.

The matches lasted three minutes as opposed to the usual seven minutes in duals, and there were no weigh-ins.

“If there was a weigh-in and it was a full length match, I think the score definitely would have been different,” sophomore All-American wrestler Jarrett Morrill said.

“But doing three-minute matches

See Wrestling | Page 18

A wrestler from the Red team picks up a Grey team member.

Gabe Green/Sentinel

www.nicsentinel.com

Sports

the sentinel | 18

Mix of experience, new talent No. 3 NIC women’s basketball returns seven players, adds 5 Benaiah Cheevers Assistant Sports Editor NIC’s women’s basketball team is ready for another season.

The 2012-2013 year for the Lady Cardinals looks promising.

The team has seven returning players from last year’s Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship team.

Sophomore Katie Buskey, who earned ALL-SWAC honors last season, is joined by sophomores Angela Woods, Tori Davenport, Aimee Durbidge, Mollie Kramer, Hannah Love and Danika Johnson.

“Katie was the only freshman to be All-League last year,” said head coach Chris Carlson. “I think she’s matured a lot as a guard. She has to keep maturing. She needs to learn how to keep her head in the game no matter what the situations are in front of her.”

Carlson said the rest of the sophomores are also expected to play big roles this season.

“I just think their chemistry and experience is the biggest thing,” Carlson said. “I think all of our sophomores at one point or another already have shown so much maturity and all of them are

going to be key contributors to the team this year.”

This year’s team is hoping to beat last year’s overall record of 23-6 and SWAC record of 12-3.

Durbidge said that this year’s team is planning on staying focused and working hard to not just win another SWAC title, but go even further.

“We won the SWAC title last year and then we didn’t make it to nationals,” Durbidge said. “So it was a massive learning experience for us and we have high expectations of ourselves. But we know what we have to do and we know what it takes to get there this time.”

There are five new players on this year’s squad.

Transfer Kabri Emerson has joined NIC after one season at Montana State–Billings.

Two Australians, Georgia Stirton and Renae Mokrzycki, have come up to North Idaho from down under to join the Lady Cardinals.

“We picked up I think three freshmen that are all capable of starting,” Carlson said. “So far I’m not ruling out any freshmen, but Georgia Stirton and Renae and Kabri Emerson have really been

playing well so far.”

The team has also added two local talents in Jansen Butler and Maggie Kirscher.

Butler was a starter for Lake City High School making 33 threepointers as a senior last year.

Kirscher joins the team from Sandpoint High School. She was named to the Idaho 4A All-Inland Empire League Team for a third time in a row after leading the league in scoring at 15 points per game and jumping for six rebounds per game last year as a senior.

“I expect a lot out of my team, especially since last year ended how we didn’t want it to end at Salt Lake,” Buskey said. “So we have a lot of revenge out and I think that we are preparing ourselves well in practice and going hard at each other.”

NIC is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation according to the National Junior College Athletic Association polls.

The Lady Cardinals will tip off at home against the North Idaho All-Stars in an exhibition game Nov. 3 at 5:30 and they will then hit the road to face off against Williston State College in Williston, N.D., Nov. 8 at 4.

Guard/forward Aimee Durbidge is one of seven returning players expected to play a huge role this season for NIC. Ethan Schlussler/Sentinel

Stars shining for men’s hoops All-Region selections Middlebrooks, Lewis, Sherman return Chad McIntosh Staff Writer

Sophomore forward Michael Middlebrooks earned All-Region first team honors last season. Gabe Green/Sentinel

>Yang

from page 16 country, there are always a lot of obstacles foreign athletes face, not the least of which is English,” Gregorak said.

Despite the fact that Yang was not fluent in English, her proud coach boasted, “She still got a 3.23 GPA!” In addition to the challenges Yang has encountered, there have been some new things she really enjoys about living in the United States.

For Yang, nothing beats playing volleyball. But, she also has a passion for football.

>Wrestling from page 17

and no weigh-ins, it kind of tips the scale in favor of the alumni a little bit.”

Before the Alumni Match, freshman Kit Major and Morrill squared off to determine which wrestler was going to fill the 141pound starting position for NIC. Morrill won the match 6-2.

Morrill beat Major Oct. 17 at Mead High School in Spokane, but Major answered by defeating the All-American the next night at NIC in the closing seconds of the match. Since they beat each other once a piece, they had to wrestle again to break the tie.

The current Cardinals team has six returning All-Americans, but one of them, Ryan Zumwalt at

“Football is one of my favorite sports to watch,” Yang said.

Yang follows some of the local college football teams and has fun watching games whenever she gets the chance.

Reflecting on her favorite moment playing volleyball for NIC, Yang said it was last year in their first home game against the College of Southern Idaho. The Cardinals had a thrilling come from behind victory in which Yang was simply unstoppable as she helped her team to a win.

Yang wants to continue her volleyball career at the next level by going to a four-year school.

“I want to play,” Yang said. “I

the 157-pound spot, tore his LCL after the national tournament last season. Whitcomb said he might get cleared to wrestle after Christmas, but the timetable for his return is uncertain.

Whitcomb also said that this season’s squad probably has more experience than any other team he has coached at NIC and that his expectations are high.

“I would say we feel good about making a run at that 14th national title,” Whitcomb said.

Morrill also is setting his sights on the NJCAA national title.

“I don’t think there’s any reason we shouldn’t win nationals,” Morrill said. “We just got to put in the work, get better between now and nationals, but I don’t think top to bottom anybody’s as solid as we are.”

The NIC wrestling Grey team

Head coach Jared Phay and assistant Corey Symons have high expectations this year for their men’s basketball team with AllRegion selections returning and freshmen and transfers joining the NIC program.

The Cardinals have three returning All-Conference players in 6-foot-9inch forward Michael Middlebrooks, 6-foot-2-inch guard Keon Lewis and 7-foot center Kaj Sherman.

Symons said they are three really good players who know what the league is about, what to expect and what it takes to win in the conference.

Middlebrooks led the conference in blocked shots and was fourth in the nation with 3.7 a game last season. He almost averaged a double-double in points and rebounds while shooting 62 percent from the floor last season, which also led the conference.

Middlebrooks comes highly recruited having Division I schools

plan to go to a four-year school and to keep playing.”

While she is still unsure what uniform she’ll be wearing next year, Yang said she is considering both Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont., and Irvine Valley College in Southern California.

With regionals beginning Nov. 1, Yang is focused on trying to help her team make another postseason run in her final year as a Cardinal.

“I hate to think she won’t be playing for me next year,” Gregorak said. “But, whoever gets the opportunity to coach Yang is one lucky coach. She is about as wonderful of a person as she is a volleyball player.”

defeated the NIC Red team 22-17 Oct. 18 at NIC. 133-pounder and returning sophomore Michael Rodriguez, a four-time state high school champion in Oregon, defeated his opponent, Casey Scheidt, 11-5.

“The whole team did really good,” said Grey team coach Jamelle Jones.

Caleb Rivera, a 184-pound returning sophomore had the only pin of the night, pinning his opponent Chris Kramer in the first round.

“I think my team showed a lot of heart,” Jones said. “As the season progresses, we expect nothing but the best from our team.”

NIC opened its season in Havre, Mont., Friday with a 25-18 win over Montana State Northern but lost Saturday to the University of Great Falls in Great Falls, Mont., 17-15.

like Gonzaga University, the University of Nebraska and the University of Utah looking to recruit him for next year’s season.

“We have high expectations both physically and academically for our players,” Symons said.

In fact, NIC athletes in general average a 2.8 grade point average while non student-athletes at NIC carry a 2.5 GPA. The Cardinals’ men’s basketball team was an Academic All-American team last season averaging a 3.0 GPA. Phay and Symons both return for there eighth seasons and both coaches said they have great expectations for their offense this year.

Guard Chris Sarbaugh won a state championship at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Wash., and went on to play for Gonzaga University.

Middlebrooks and freshman James Webb III from Augusta, Ga., are two of the most athletic men in the nation, let alone the conference, according to Symons.

Symons also said they have a few strong wings, who he knows

will get the job done.

“First we want to get the ball and run, pushing it up the court,” Symons said. “Once we get our half court set, we want to pound the ball inside, and then work inside out.”

The Cardinals have led the conference for a few years in defensive field goal percentage and are ranked 16th in the nation defensively. Phay emphasizes disciplined defense.

“This year’s team has a lot of heart and chemistry offensively and defensively,” Middlebrooks said.

“Once the new guys learn the plays, I feel really confident about our team as it progresses this season.”

Phay and Symons feel this year’s team is more of a mature team and a great group of guys who work really well together and have each other’s backs on and off the court.

NIC plays Tohono O’odham Community College Nov. 1 and Arizona Western College Nov. 2. Both games will be played in Yuma, Ariz.

The team will come home Nov. 13 to play Gonzaga’s club team.

Briefs Men’s soccer The NIC men’s soccer team kept their season alive Oct. 21 with a win over the University of Idaho club team in Moscow. With the win, the Cardinals reached a 6-6-3 record and qualified for the district playoffs. NIC will play in a district semifinal Nov. 2.

Women’s basketball All-state women’s basketball player Kara Staggs announced her early commitment to the North Idaho College 2013-2014 recruiting class this week. Staggs is a senior at Okanagan High School in Washington, where she earned 1A State Tournament MVP honors as a junior while leading her team to a state championship.

Last season, she averaged 20 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists per game. In addition, she was named Associated Press 1A All-State first team, Caribou Trail League MVP, team MVP, team captain and was a Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Player of the Week.

Men’s basketball Basketball fans can win two tickets for one of two upcoming men’s basketball games at NIC against Gonzaga University’s club

team courtesy of Business Professionals of America.

The winners will be able to watch the game from a couch, enjoy free food and a complimentary NIC blanket.

Raffle tickets are $6 each or two for $10.

For more information, contact Philippe Valle at pfvalle@nic.edu or (509)768-1858.

Assistant men’s basketball coach Corey Symons rounded up three of his players to load and unload thousands of bags of clothes into and out of a U-Haul truck last week to support the $10 Stuff a Bag for Charity Sale put on by Beau Monde Exchange in Coeur d’Alene. The sale raised $4,531. $3,531 will go to Open Arms Pregnancy Center and the other $1,000 will benefit Lake City Food Bank.

Movie Premiere NIC students will present The Snow Show, a ski and snowboard movie premiere Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. upstairs in the Student Union Building on the NIC campus.

4FRNT’s team movie “Dang!” and Burton’s team movie “Thirteen” will be shown.

The price of admission is $5 and prizes will be given afterthe show.

All proceeds will be donated to the Brian Williams NIC Memorial Scholarship and the Resort Recreation Management program at NIC. For more information, contact Matt at mboles1014@gmail.com.

www.nicsentinel.com

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

GAMES

the sentinel | 19

Horoscopes LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21).

You’ll need more encouragement than you usually do. Think of something positive to say to yourself, and pep yourself up with it at least 50 times throughout the day.

You’ll be on the lookout for chances to be useful. Where others see only a problem, you’ll see an opportunity -- and a good one at that. You’ll enjoy everything that goes into finding a solution.

Many people make the mistake of not doing enough research before jumping into a project or business. Not you. You’ll put a great deal of effort into learning, and this will be well worth your time.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).

There are things you think of often and speak of never, and basically you would enjoy keeping it exactly like that. The only problem is that someone close to you would very much like to be part of your inner world.

You don’t have to imitate someone to learn something new. You only have to observe, and you’ll soak in the stimulus, processing it like a lesson downloaded to the hard drive of your brain.

Since you know that you cannot persuade anyone to your point of view without first understanding where they are coming from, you’ll spend most of your day trying to figure that out.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18).

Your offbeat sense of humor emerges. Be aware that not everyone shares it, but those who do will chuckle for years to come about the many ways you’ve delighted them lately.

Your goal is clear. All you have to do is want it, believe you can have it and know that you are worthy of it. When those three factors are congruent, you’re all set for achievement.

You’ll experience the heavenly convergence of a successful team. All it takes is one or two people who share your purpose and whose hearts and heads are in harmony with yours to create astounding results.

CANCER (June 22-July 22).

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20).

You may not have been able to give someone what they wanted in the past, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to help in the future.

Keep in touch.

To ensure consistent results, you must create a system that works and a habit of using that system every time. Otherwise, you’ll be swimming upstream, struggling for the meager results you achieve.

Anyone trying to hide feelings or motives should just avoid you. You see all. Your current superpower is incredible emotional sensitivity. You just know how people are emotionally wired.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21).

MAZE

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niC12

20 | the sentinel

THEATRE

Monday, October 29, 2012

Actors bring Shakespearean comedy to NIC stage

I

Cole Durbin’s character, Benedick, swears he’ll never marry, but that changes when he falls for Beatrice, played by Josy Wegner.

Hero, played by Georgia Eto, is humiliated on her wedding day, while her father, Leonato, played by Chris LeBlanc, looks on.

Josey Wegner plays Beatrice. Like Benedick, she’s uninterested in love, until she’s tricked into believeing that Benedick loves her and falls for him.

Photo Illustration by Kaye Thornbrugh/Sentinel

Andrea Jackson  Staff Contributor Kaye Thornbrugh  Managing Editor Photos by Gabriel Green

t’s amazing how, in love, things get blown out of proportion.

NIC’s theatre department presented William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” Oct. 25-27.

This comedy is about two pairs of lovers. One pair, Benedick and Beatrice, first deny their love for each other then, later, reluctantly admit their love. The second pair, Claudio and Hero, fall in love almost immediately and must overcome the obstacle of accusation.

“These men, the Prince and the Count, accuse her [Hero] of being unfaithful,” said Josy Wegner, 21, who played Beatrice.

“They try and discredit her. Everyone believes them, they’re men of a high position. The Fryer, Benedick and I are the only people on her side.”

Wegner said she could identify with her character.

“I think Beatrice is the best female character in Shakespeare; she’s such a strong character and so independent, which I love,” Wegner said. “She doesn’t depend on a man at all. I am a lot more romantic than Beatrice is. I fall in love very easily and I develop crushes very easily. I’ll see couples holding hands and I’ll go aww; Beatrice, not so much. She’s fine without having a man in her life. In fact, she’s happier at first or maybe she’s pretending to be happier not having “Playing this a man in her life. She’s so self-sufficient and I wish I was more like her.” character Additionally, Wegner said she also consort of nected with the other female lead characbrought ter, Hero, in many ways.

“I understand the societal pressures of out some being a female,” Wegner said. “Obviously, of my own it’s nowhere near the extent that it was in Shakespeare’s time, but it’s still relevant personal insecurities.” today.”

Duncan Menzies played Claudio, a soldier who works for Don John, the play’s DUNCAN MENZIES villain.

“Claudio” “[Claudio] is a person who holds honor and integrity close to his heart….emotion controls all his actions,” said Menzies, 19, music, Spirit Lake. “Playing this character sort of brought out some of my personal insecurities. I learned a lot about myself.…it made me more aware of my actions.”

Before stepping into the shoes of his character Boraccio, actor Gustave Lester said he had only about two weeks to study up and learn his lines before the play opened. Even with that short time to prepare, Lester said he was able to understand and connect with his character, a drunkard who doesn’t care much for royalty.

“I think everybody has a moment when they have dislike for a certain person or group,” said Lester, 19, general studies, Caldwell, “whether it’s political or something else, to the point that they feel like acting out against them physically or violently, even if that’s not always the best option.”

“Much Ado about Nothing” was written around 1599, when it was a man’s world. During this time, women lacked a voice and were not allowed on stage. Men played all the roles. The directors, Joe Jacoby and Crystal Bain, took it upon themselves to reverse the gender roles, casting women in male roles for the clown characters in the Watch.

“Much Ado About Nothing” will also be performed Nov. 1-3 in Boswell Hall.