Cal Poly Arts announces 2012-13 lineup ARTS, pg. 3
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Volume LXXVII, Number 2
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Student orientation SOARs with changes What’s new:
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNETH MORGAN
During this year’s SOAR, one of Cal Poly’s three orientation programs, students and parents can get to know each other, the campus and San Luis Obispo’s community through dynamic tours, presentations and activities. ANDREA KANG
andreakang.md@gmail.com
A brand-new school year calls for a brand new approach to introducing Cal Poly’s incoming students to their new home. This month, Student Life and Leadership will implement integral changes to SOAR, one of Cal Poly’s three orientation programs. SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising and Registration) is now a two-day event, offers on-campus housing and no longer organizes students by college. It will also include changes such as a tour of downtown San Luis Obispo, access to the Recreation Center and involvement of more faculty, deans and advisers from different colleges. SOAR focuses on familiarizing incoming stu-
dents and their parents with Cal Poly’s academic and social environment, as well as the San Luis Obispo community. It will take place in nine sessions throughout July and part of August. With the changes, the goal is to eliminate repetitiveness and make the program more worth the cost of travel and time spent, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Preston Allen said. “Some of the feedback that we’ve been given over the years about SOAR is that it’s real repetitive,” Allen said. “Some information they’ve gotten at open house, they now are hearing during SOAR. So we took a step backwards and tried to give a purposeful outcome to each of the different orientation programs.” Both major and minor tweaks contribute to the goal of making SOAR a time
where students and parents get comfortable with the campus and community. With the changes, the hope is to leave students and parents with a sense of comfort and belonging to the university and community, Allen said. He said he is confident the changes will prove effective and receive positive feedback from participants. “The frontloading of the information and experience to students will be critical to their next time here at Cal Poly,” Allen said. “You pretty much hit the ground running and I want to make sure our orientation gives them a solid foundation to springboard and launch from. We want to make sure they’re coming away from the orientation experience saying, ‘I did make the right choice, I’m glad I’m here and I will succeed.’”
ANDREA KANG/MUSTANG DAILY
SOAR now includes refinements such as an on-campus housing option and grouping students by personal availability rather than by college.
SPORTS, pg. 6 Day is one of two Cal Poly athletes going to the Olympics
SOAR will now be two days instead of just one
The first major change to the program is that it now lasts two days, which means more activities in exchange for a slightly higher cost. This year’s price is $100 to cover extra programming costs, said Assistant Coordinator of Orientation Programs Jason Mockford, compared to a $75 fee for last year’s one-day program. While the fee did go up, it is lower than what the rest of the CSU campuses are charging for two-day summer orientation programming, Mockford said. For the past two years of one-day programs, some participants gave feedback that it wasn’t enough, Allen said. Two days will give parents more time to learn about Cal Poly’s academic resources and get a sense of how their student will be living, he said. “When we shorten the amount of move-in time, parents don’t have a chance to really say goodbye,” Allen said. “We really wanted them to do that during the summer, not only to say goodbye, but to get them comfortable in leaving their student (in the fall).”
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On-campus housing will now be offered
Director of Student Life and Leadership Stephan Lamb said with families staying overnight, part of the goal is to introduce the family as a unit to the city and university. “This is really the only time that parents are oriented to the campus,” Lamb said. “When they’re on campus, there’s separate tracks (for parents and students); when they’re off campus, they’re a family unit. What we found is that the parents are as excited about being here as the students are.” Participating families will have the option of staying in Poly Canyon Village during SOAR. This is a great deal economically, since San Luis Obispo hotel rates are highest during summer, Lamb said. Both the longer program and on-campus housing options are nothing new to Cal Poly: SOAR was also a two-day program and offered on-campus housing three summers ago. Jessica Lam, an architecture senior, stayed in Yosemite with her mom during this time and said this was helpful in her overall orientation experience. “It helped me get a good sense of what it would be like to live on campus,” she said. The most exciting part of the on-campus housing option this year is that it will be in Poly Canyon Village (PCV), Allen said. “It’s a little bit more difficult to get comfortable in a residence hall for two days,” Allen said. “(In PCV), they’re able to bring their families and supporters … they can actually kind of self-sustain in a little bit more space and privacy. It’s not a five-star hotel, but it is the best camping trip you’ll ever go on.”
Today’s Weather: high Sunny sunny
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Students will not be grouped by college
The program will be available to students based on their personal availability instead of grouping them by colleges. SOAR’s seven orientation leaders from Student Life and Leadership will be in charge of the randomly-grouped students. “We’re trying to reshape college culture so you’re not a liberal arts (major) first and a Cal Poly student second, but you’re a Mustang first,” Lamb said. Lam said she wishes this change had been implemented during her SOAR experience. “For me, personally, I would have liked it to be mixed because I also lived with people I majored with in (the red brick dorms),” Lam said. “Being with other architecture majors, I feel like you don’t get that well-roundedness than if you met people with different interests and with different goals than you. And having it grouped by major made it a very competitive environment.”
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Students will tour and explore downtown SLO
In the past, trips to downtown have been more associated with Week of Welcome (WOW), but families will be able to get acquainted with it earlier, SOAR crew leader Brittany Cuthbert said. Families will initially be in a group, have lunch together at a restaurant and then explore the streets on their own until a set meeting time when everyone will take the program’s reserved charter buses back to campus. Lam said she believes this component will be valuable to the program and add more appeal to the university. “(Downtown) is very much a part of the community, and that’s what college is about,” she said. “You’re supposed to be aware of your community. If students get to know what it’s like ahead of time, they’ll be more motivated to take the bus and be more active.”
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There will be no more block scheduling
In the past, SOAR has been a time when incoming freshmen would receive their block schedules and review them during an informational session. However, since the program begins in July rather than August, this component was taken out to alleviate pressure on the staff to complete schedules for all new students in time, Mockford said. Students will instead be able to take a PolyLearn tutorial to understand their block schedule in August, Mockford said. PolyLearn will be discussed during SOAR. see SOAR, pg. 2
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
New regulations aim to curb raucous behavior downtown VICTORIA BILLINGS
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victoriabillings.md@gmail.com
New bars and restaurants in downtown San Luis Obispo will face additional regulations, following the San Luis Obispo City Council approval of new use permits in June. The use permits will require that, among other things, new establishments serving alcohol have a manager on-site after 11 p.m., provide extra training to staff serving alcohol and install surveillance cameras on entrances and exits. The regulations are an attempt by the city to reduce alcohol-related incidents at night as well as make city nightlife more welcoming, council member John Ashbaugh said. He said he didn’t think the new regulations would inhibit downtown attendance though. “In the end, what we’re going to see is we’re going to have just as many people coming downtown, probably more,” Ashbaugh said. In addition to special permits for new businesses, existing businesses could face regulations if they are found to be disruptive, Ashbaugh said. Bars and restaurants in downtown San Luis Obispo are currently allowed to operate under their old use permits with a “deemed approved” status. Establishments where police frequently find intoxicated and disruptive patrons could face a review of their old use permit though, Ashbaugh said. “We’re really concentrating on an area where law enforcement has been an issue, or is going to become an issue,” Ashbaugh said. And most of those issues occur after 11 p.m., said San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) captain Chris Staley. The City Council worked with SLOPD to determine when and where most alcoholrelated problems were occurring to craft the regulations,
SOAR Transfers and outof-state students get one day of SOAR
NHD HA/MUSTANG DAILY
Older downtown establishments, such as Mother’s Tavern and The Library (pictured above), will not be affected by the new regulations unless their old use permits must be reviewed due to repeated offenses. Staley said. SLOPD’s information on crime helped to determine the guidelines for new bars and restaurants. “If they want to serve alcohol after 11 p.m. — and that’s when we have most of our problems — we have to have a use permit,” Staley said. Even with general rules, every use permit will be unique and individually reviewed by the city, Staley said. The city will take into account the type of customers each business will attract, as well as their plans for events, entertainment and other features, Staley said. SLOPD was not the only group consulted in the process, though. During the past year, the City Council has also been working with bars and restaurant owners downtown, through the San Luis Obispo Safe Nightlife Association, a coalition of bar and restaurant owners who united to curb alcohol-related incidents on
their own. The Safe Nightlife Association has already had an impact on problems downtown, and SLOPD has seen it, Staley said. “They’ve actually started addressing the problems proactively,” Staley said. The Safe Nightlife Association has done this in part by providing porta-potties for large events such as St. Patrick’s Day and implementing the “One 86, All 86” policy, which ensures that extremely intoxicated patrons are banned from all downtown establishments, said Safe Nightlife Association coordinator Steve Tolley. Though all of the bugs are still being worked out in the “One 86, All 86” system, the policy has already started to curb out-of-control behavior, Tolley said. “It’d be hard to really measure, quantify it, but it’s working,” Tolley said.
“We’re really concentrating on an area where law enforcement has been an issue, or is going to become an issue. JOHN ASHBAUGH SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Now, the downtown establishments serving alcohol face newer regulations, in addition to their own efforts, but the new rules are not a problem, Tolley said. Instead, these regulations help define concrete ways for establishments to minimize alcohol-related incidents, Tolley said. “What it did is lay out more clear guidelines, what the bar owners’ and restaurant owners’ responsibilities are,” Tolley said. The Safe Nightlife Association also had input on the new use permits, after initially being shut out of the approval process. After some protest, the City Council took into account the bar and restaurant owners’ opinions,
and the two groups reached an agreement, Tolley said. There is no bad blood between the city and downtown businesses, because both are working toward the same goal, Tolley said. “It’s a good relationship and there are no hard feelings,” Tolley said. Ashbaugh said he agreed the relationship between bars, restaurants and the city is a valuable collaboration. “If there are problems, we always welcome the help of more responsible bar owners,” Ashbaugh said. “We want to be partners.”
Rather than going downtown and doing other recreational activities, the transfer and out-of-state program will focus mainly on their registration for classes, Mockford said. The programs closely precede the first day of the WOW, so additional information about safety and alcohol awareness addressed in July’s SOAR program will not be necessary, he said. The SOAR program for incoming transfer students and families will happen Aug. 13 to 14, while the out-of-state and international program is only on Sept. 12 to provide the convenience of making just one trip before classes start, Mockford said. Throughout the summer, these students can get better acquainted with Cal Poly life through PolyLive, a live video webcast airing every other week. Judging from previous years, PolyLive gets approximately a thousand views per week, Mockford said. SOAR will also provide a special program component within the transfer session for military veterans. The program is working with local veteran services as well as Cal Poly ROTC programs, Lamb said. Veterans will be introduced to San Luis Obispo’s resources for health and job placement, and the program will focus on familiarizing them with financial aid. “We’re recognizing nationally that returning veterans are a population that need special support systems,” Lamb said, “and that the adjustment back to a university may be more challenging.”
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More activities will be offered
To wrap up the day on a good note, university housing activities, Recreation Center activities, entertainment and performances will be available during the evening. The Recreation Center will be available free of charge for SOAR participants. “There’s a lot of opportunity to get creative and explore new places like the Rec Center,” Cuthbert said. “It’s a nighttime program; there’s nighttime activities and they can use some of our facilities more and figure things out.”
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SLO Brew goes punk with Menzingers this weekend SAMANTHA SULLIVAN
samanthasullivan.md@gmail.com
For the first time ever, The Menzingers are coming to San Luis Obispo. SLO Brewing Company (SLO Brew) hosts the punk rock band on July 14, along with the punk band Bouncing Souls. Matt Rice, graphic communication junior, said he’s a big punk rock fan. He’s excited to finally see one of his favorite bands play, he said. “A lot of music is really angry, but they are fun,” Rice said. “I love that they have a really raw and honest sound.” The Menzingers consists of Tom May (guitar and vocals), Joe Godino (drums), Eric Keen (bass) and Greg Barnett (guitar and vocals). Barnett and May are both lead singers for the band, which May said creates an interesting dynamic. May described the band’s sound — without wanting to get too technical — as indiepunk. “We grew up listening to punk and ska music since we were 13 or 14 years old,” May said. “It became a lifestyle choice.” A mystery surrounds the name Menzingers. There’s a story behind the origin; however, the band is staying mum about it. “It means something, but that’s a secret,” May said. Graphic communication junior Sean Garnsey said
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Scranton, Pa. natives The Menzingers hit SLO Brew this Saturday at 7 p.m. Although the band has never performed in San Luis Obispo, they said they’ve developed a devoted fan base in California. The Menzingers have an incredible energy. “It pulls together a lot of great elements in punk and poppunk music,” Garnsey said. The first time Garnsey saw the band was at 924 Gilman in Berkeley while at a show for a different band. He said the crowd was huge but doesn’t think the crowd at SLO Brew will be as large. He said he is excited to see them
again now that he knows all the band’s songs. “It was awesome seeing them the first time and I’m really excited to see them again,” he said. “I think it will be good.” Garnsey’s favorite album from The Menzingers is “Chamberlain Waits,” released in 2010. His favorite song is “I Was Born,” which he called a fun song. He said
anyone who’s interested in getting a taste for the band should listen to that song. The Menzingers released its most recent album “On the Impossible Past” in 2012. On the Independent Albums chart, the CD reached No. 36 on March 10, according to Billboard.com. On the Heatseekers Album chart, “On the Impossible Past” topped at No. 6, according to the
same site. Rice said his favorite song is “Gates,” from the album “On the Impossible Past.” He said it’s somber but the lyrics and music convey a raw feeling. He said it’s a memoirkind-of song. “It’s heartfelt, passionate and catchy,” he said. “It’s a great sing-along song.” The four members grew up together in Scranton, Pa. and
moved to Philadelphia about four years ago. May said the band has big followings in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and California, and it’s getting bigger every time they go back to each place. Recently, the band left their previous label, Red Scare Industries, for Epitaph Records. May said the owner of Red Scare is one of his best friends. The transition to a bigger label was positive for the band, he said. “It’s been incredible. We went from a smaller label to a giant mechanism.” May said the change was not overwhelming and everyone has been very helpful, and that the members grew up wanting to be a part of Epitaph Records. “It’s cool that we’ve come full circle,” May said. The Menzingers are mostly focused on touring currently, May said. However, according to May, the members are always writing new music. He said the process is a collaborative process, with everyone working together to create the music. The two lead singers come up with the bare bones of songs versus the chorus, he said. However, all four of them hash it out. “We’re excited about where we are right now,” May said. Tickets for The Menzingers and Bouncing Souls are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. The all ages punk show begins at 7 p.m.
Cal Poly Arts announces 2012-13 lineup SAMANTHA SULLIVAN
samanthasullivan.md@gmail.com
The 2012-13 Cal Poly Arts season is shaping up to be the best one yet, according to Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian. “I’m very bullish,” he said. “This is our best line up since I got here.” Lerian said he finally booked shows he’s been trying to get for a long time. He said there will be a strong speaker series and the Broadway offerings are the best they’ve been in a long time. Big performances include the Blue Man Group (April 8 and 9), who Lerian has been trying to get to the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) since he became director. It will be the group’s first show on the Central Coast. Ron Regier, managing director at the PAC for the past 17 ½ years, said he is most excited to see the Blue Man Group. He said to get a big group like them to come to San Luis Obispo takes a few lucky breaks and a degree of persistence from Lerian. “I saw them in Vegas a few years ago and was blown away,” Regier said. Lerian said the Blue Man Group would probably be the most popular amongst students, as well
as British comedian Eddie Izzard (Nov. 3). Izzard recently sold out the Hollywood Bowl. Lerian said he thinks this will be the first show to sell out. “He has a strange streamof-consciousness,” Lerian said. “You don’t know if he’ll come out on stage dressed as a man or a woman.” Other performances coming to the PAC this season include the National Circus of the People’s Republic of China, Elvis Costello, Clifford the Big Red Dog Live!, Irish Tenors, Hair and many more. The full line-up can be found at the Cal Poly Arts website. Delhi 2 Dublin will be a sleeper show, according to Lerian. He said the group is a fusion of Celtic and Indian music and he’s seen the band numerous times. “They can blow the d o or s off the
place,” Lerian said. “I challenge anyone to sit still when they’re on.” The season isn’t the only new thing at the PAC. Regier said the PAC is undergoing a variety of facility improvements, including a new audio system. Harman Hall, the main hall to the PAC, will also receive new seats later this summer. Patrons driving to see performances from off-campus no longer need to pay any additional fees for parking, Regier said. However, parking isn’t free, he said. The PAC is now paying it as a line item in its budget the amount its paying to Cal Poly to provide the service, he said. The PAC operates on an annual $2.5 million budget, according to Regier. He said the PAC earns about $1 million or 40 percent of what it takes to operate. The rest
is made up from allocations from the PAC’s three partners: Cal Poly, the San Luis Obispo community and the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center, he said. Wine and viticulture junior Leah Henry said she was very excited to see Erth — The Dinosaur Petting Zoo (Feb. 14). She said she’s always loved dinosaurs and if her date was OK with it, it might be an interesting Valentine’s Day date. “It would be cool to see them in real life,” Henry said. “Or, at least, what they could look like if they were still around.” Season subscriptions are on sale now through the Cal Poly Arts website. Single ticket sales begin July 31. The initial response to the season has been very positive, Regier said. According to Lerian, sales are up 37
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Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian described Delhi 2 Dublin as a Celtic and Indian music group that’s sure to get the audience moving. They visit Spanos Theater on October 5. percent from last year in the number of ticket sales and on June 30, 6,436 season subscription tickets have been sold — about a 1,700 jump from 2011. Lerain also said around this time last year there were 44 new subscribers. As of July 9, there have been 120 new sub-
scribers. The season begins with Jumpbrush — Pacific Coast Dance Convergence Aug. 8-11 at the Spanos Theatre. It’s a show for anyone interested in dance, watching dance or watching dance being created, Lerian said. On July 31, Lerian said there will be a ticket party starting at 9 a.m. with coffee, refreshments and music. The sale officially begins at 11 a.m. “It’s a drag to stand out there and wait,” Lerian said. “We want to make it fun.”
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The Blue Man Group is one of the many eclectic performances coming to the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) in the 2012-13 season. Hitting the stage on April 8, this percussion-based mix of social commentary and comedy is sure to bring a big crowd, according to Steve Lerian.
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Get your buzz on: coffee shops of SLO SAMANTHA SULLIVAN
samanthasullivan.md@gmail.com
When your second round of midterms hits, the library might not cut it as a prime study spot. After all, spending dozens of hours scrunched between books (which may be older than your parents) and a guy blasting Tyga from his headphones won’t help the chemistry formulas stick. Below are a few cafés around town that are suitable study spots for any subject. So ditch your dorm, throw that chemistry book in your backpack and explore the city. Starbucks in Barnes & Noble 894 Marsh Street Sean Headland has worked as a barista at the Barnes & Noble Starbucks since January. He said during spring finals week all the seats were full of students with their laptops out and books open studying for hours. According to Headland, this Starbucks is a great place to study because it’s right next to a bookstore — a reliable source of information. The coffee house is generally quiet, he said, and fortunately, the loudest sound is when the baristas steam milk. “Everyone who works in the café can point out books if someone needs them,” Headland said. The café has lots of seating and a low noise level. There are also big windows that let in a lot of natural light; however, these windows look down onto a busy pathway (between the Barnes & Noble and another Starbucks). Sitting by these windows makes it too easy to distract oneself with people watching. Other than studying, Headland says he sees
SAMANTHA SULLIVAN / MUSTANG DAILY
Sally Loo’s sits in the quiet and historical railroad district on Osos Street. Although it’s a few miles from campus, the bright atmosphere and fresh baked goods are a perfect compliment to a few hours of solid studying. house has at least two shows week, most often three. Tuesday nights the café hosts a singer/ songwriter series with low-key performers. Shira said their best drink is their iced coffee, though he admitted he was biased because he’s the one that prepares it everyday. He said
SAMANTHA SULLIVAN / MUSTANG DAILY
Formerly located on Monterey Street, the new larger location of Kreutzberg, CA has helped the business blossom as one of the most popular coffee shops in town. people simply buy a drink along with their book or magazine, and read. “You can come enjoy a snack or lunch,” he said. “A popular idea is people come after they’ve eaten for the sweets.” Headland said the caramel macchiato is a very popular drink, as well as the African autumn tea. However, Starbucks recently introduced the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino, which has also been popular, he said. Kreuzburg, CA 685 Higuera Street Kreuzberg, CA was inspired by a neighborhood in Berlin where owner James Whitaker spent two years abroad. He said you could get a cappuccino at 10 a.m., a sandwich at 2 p.m. and a beer at 8 p.m. all in the same place. “I wanted to bring that to SLO,” he said. Mitchell Shira, shift leader at Kreuzberg, CA, said he definitely sees lots of people coming to study. He said Whitaker emphasizes making a place where students could study. The café, centrally located on Higuera Street, has a lot of space. Shira said approximately 100 people could fit comfortably in the café if all the tables and patio were full. The space allows anyone to come in with a group, reserve the conference room, or find a nook or corner and study. The café is full of comfy, mismatched chairs that somehow work with the room and atmosphere. There are also two nooks on either side of the main entrance with chairs and loveseats. Upstairs there is another nook for a more private gathering. The café is full of artwork of all variety and bookshelves full of any book one could imagine. Kreuzberg, CA also has chessboards and pianos for entertainment. While the café has a very casual and friendly environment, the music is a little loud. Like other cafés, Kreutzberg, CA frequently hosts concerts at night. Shira said the coffee
Kreuzberg, CA cold brews five pounds of coffee for 48 hours. Shira said the iced coffee is delicious and people love it. “Everyone likes to think they have the best coffee, but we don’t want to shove that down your throat,” Shira said. “We want to pour it gently down your throat.” Kreuzberg, CA doesn’t just serve coffee, but a wide range of food and alcoholic beverages. Brunches and mimosas are served on the weekends. Shira said he sees a lot of different types of people in the café. Most are using their laptops, but others come to hang out and play games.
from scratch and serves true European-style cappuccinos, she said. Black Horse Espresso and Bakery 796 East Foothill Boulevard On the corner of Foothill Boulevard and North Chorro Street stands a giant horse statue, marking the third and newest location of Black Horse Espresso and Bakery. Emily Bartram, a barista at Black Horse, said students study at the café all the time, especially during finals week. “You know how people find the library during finals?” she said. “People find Black Horse too.” Though mostly inside, the whole café has an open, airy feel. There is plenty of seating inside the building, as well as on the patio. There is also a greenhouse-like room filled with plants. The café has many big windows as well, filling the café with natural light. Bartram said the café is a good place for groups to meet up, and the noise level never gets too loud. People come to Black Horse to do more than study and use the free Wi-Fi, Bartram said. She said a writer for Forbes magazine comes to the café frequently, and people tend to meet there for interviews. People come and hang out because they like the vibe, she said. Black Horse is also starting to host music bands and artists, Bartram said. “We want to involve the community more,” she said. Black Horse’s most popular drink is the Caramello, a caramel latte, because the caramel is homemade. Bartram said something most people don’t know is that Black Horse baristas can create drinks on the spot. For example, a cus-
tomer may ask for a triple tasty, which is three shots over ice of whatever the barista wants to make. Sally Loo’s Wholesome Café 1804 Osos Street The first noticeable thing about Sally Loo’s Wholesome Café, found in the historic railroad district on Osos Street, is the bright green door welcoming its customers. Next, customers notice how spacious the café appears. Sally Loo’s has plenty of seating on both wooden chairs and tables and couches and armchairs. There are also a few tables outside the front and along the side of the café. The amount of students at the café seems true to their class schedule, manager Emily Mayfield said. There are blocks of people in the mornings, they all leave for class, then come back in the afternoon, she said. The café also offers Wi-Fi to those who purchase something and has quite a few outlets, Mayfield said. Those staying at the café and using the house mugs get to enjoy house coffee refills for a dollar. Sally Loo’s is just far enough away from the downtown area that it’s more low-key and a good place to study, Mayfield said. She said the café hosts lots of SLO natives (SLOcals) as well as people from the neighborhoods close by. “We like being a local neighborhood café,” Mayfeild said. “We love our regulars.” If you know to ask, there is a secret menu item the barista’s keep “up here,” Mayfield said while gesturing to her head. It’s called the Rayof-Freakin’-Sunshine. Mayfield described the drink as an orange infused soy cappuccino. “We appreciate people who appreciate quality food and beverage,” Mayfield said.
Linnaea’s Café 1110 Garden Street Linnaea’s Café opened in 1984 by Linnaea Phillips. The locally owned café can be found tucked away off the bustling Higuera Street on Garden Street, across the street from SLO Brewing Company. According to Chaz Daum, a barista at Linnaea’s, the café encounters students coming to study all the time. She said the café is so full during finals week they actually cancel the music that plays overhead. Linnaea’s is full of individual tables that can be moved around, allowing students to study in groups or by themselves. Daum said the café has free Wi-Fi and lots of outlets both inside and out in the beautiful garden. “Lots of people don’t know we have a garden in the back,” Daum said. “It’s like a SLO secret.” Besides studying, Daum said she also sees lots of language groups coming to meet at the outside tables. Further, the café is good for families because there are toys and books around, she said. The koi pond in the garden entertains kids, she said. Linnaea’s most popular drink is their homemade chai latte, Daum said. She said the drink is popular because it’s unique and they make it themselves. Linnaea’s also makes its caramel
SAMANTHA SULLIVAN / MUSTANG DAILY
While the inside of Linnaea’s Café is reminiscent of a coffee shop one might find in Seattle or Portland, the outdoor patio is a quiet and sunny place to enjoy SLO’s sunshine.
MD sports 5 MUSTANG DAILY Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
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BASEBALL continued from page 6
where to play is largely made via talks with a player’s college coach and prospective team’s managers. “For most players it’s needed for them to develop,” Lee said. “It’s great for (the players) to get away from us as coaches and figure some things out on their own.” While many returning players from Cal Poly’s roster are on a diamond this summer, some are playing in more prestigious leagues than others. In a well known hierarchy of summer leagues, Cape Cod League is considered to be the premier destination for top college prospects. The Mustangs have sent several players through the
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Thursday, June 28, 2012 Volume LXXVII, Number 2
©2012 Mustang Daily “I was updating my status, that doesn’t autosave.”
until she competes in the Olympics, Hoyt has her doing serious technical workouts with a lot less volume to keep her fresh and ready to peak on game days. During the regular season, Day trains for four hours a day which includes technique work for the seven heptathlon events, sprint, endurance, strength, flex training and yoga sessions for general stretching. She also has a weekly massage with a physical therapist to loosen her muscles back up. All her hard work is culminating in the 2012 London games, where she will touch down ten days before her event to adjust to the time change and continue her practice routines. She has been to London previously to
Thursday, July 12, 2012 Massachusetts-based outfit, which is likened to high-A Minor League Baseball, including current right-handed closer Chase Johnson. Johnson, who tied for third in the Big West Conference with eight saves on the year in 2012, sports a 2-0 record and a 3.24 ERA in 8 1/3 innings of relief with the Orleans Firebirds this summer. “It’s really tough competition out here,” Johnson said. “Playing against some of the best players in the country in college is a really great experience.” The level of competition that Johnson faces every game forces the hurler to rely on pitches other than his esteemed fastball. He notes that he’s had to rely on off-speed pitches in conjunction with the heat to get “all-star” level
hitters out. “It’s kind of making me a more elite pitcher, I think, compared to last season where I was relying on my fastball a lot,” Johnson said. The veritable Cape Cod League has often acted as a conduit for players on their way to Major League Baseball (MLB), and has hosted notable players such as Kevin Youkilis, Evan Longoria and Ryan Braun. It boasts the most alumni playing in baseball’s top tier, which is no surprise considering MLB has partially funded league operations for over forty years. Similar to other leagues, the Cape Cod League has 10 teams, each vying for a shot at a league title. This brings about a point of contention for many college coaches, according to Lee, as pitchers
tend to get overworked when their summer team is in the hunt for a championship. “We send out players to develop, but there are teams out there that play too much to win,” he said. “That’s why relationships (between college and summer league coaches) are important.” Currently, 16 total Mustangs are participating in summer collegiate baseball. Infielder Denver Chavez is having a breakout summer. He’s hitting .355 with 22 hits and 13 RBIs for the Conejo Oaks of the California Collegiate League. He’s joined by pitcher Braden Young, who has posted a 1.77 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 13 innings of relief for the Oaks.
compete in an international track competition held there just before the 2008 Olympics in China. The U.S. team coaches will film Day’s Olympic practices, and Hoyt — who will meet her in London a few days later — will watch the video link and return communications over the internet during her practice until he arrives in London. Throughout the year, she attends invitationals throughout the country. She travelled to Austria in May to compete against the best female track stars in the world, providing her the opportunity to scope the international competition she would face during the London games. Though she meets her competitors at various events held during the year, she finds it most important to focus on her own mindset and game plan. Day’s fiance, Dan Monroe,
will cheer her on from the stands in London and said Day was the most competitive person he has ever met. “She wants to win so badly, she is going to compete all the way through whether she is in first or in last,” he said. Monroe said he is probably more nervous than she is when he sits in the stands because he knows how hard she has worked for this opportunity that only comes along every four years. Her second Olympic experience reminds her of the first, in which she was able to attend opening day as well as several different sports competitions during her time in Beijing. She said there was so much going on at the Olympics and she enjoyed all the new experiences she was able to take in, including a trip with her family to the Great Wall of China.
“Living in the village and being surrounded by world class athletes for two weeks was really cool,” Day said. “You never really get to experience that.” Although she didn’t become an elite athlete over night, she received much recognition during her college career. Conover said that the qualities she possessed in college are exactly what make her the Olympian she is today. “She was always a leader that led by example,” Conover said. “She quietly went about her business, but did so in a way that was a role model for all the rest to follow.” Conover said Day possessed a tunnel vision towards achieving excellence and did everything right in order to achieve her specific goals.
FERMIN continued from page 6
Outside of his game on the court, Fermin can thank his fluency in Spanish, his native language, as another reason for his new professional contract, Kirby said. “He gets that dual citizenship, which is very important when you play overseas. That’s one of the things that agents and team owners look for. Playing for the (Dominican Republic) national team is a real big accomplishment in every way,” Kirby said. “For his program, for his family, for his community and for Cal Poly.” During a summer tour to Costa Rica the team took last year, Fermin acted as the team’s translator, Callero said. He talked to officials, fans and scorekeepers during the game as well as his duty of starting point guard. “That just showed our entire team how worldly he is,” Callero said. “Most of us are pretty arrogant in that we only speak one language ... but he was able to be a great leader for us on our international trip.” Chris Eversley, a junior and teammate of Fermin, agrees Fermin was a team leader in many ways and helped develop the team’s skills and positive attitude. “He was always one of the better players,” Eversley said. “It was good because we could learn from him because he had been through a lot already. He wasn’t afraid to call people out and make us work harder.” Callero said he would have liked to have Fermin on the team for longer than his short time at Cal Poly.
MD op/ed
Year-round school could solve summer fiscal woes ANNE MICHAUD Newsday
Ah, summer. Lazy, grassy afternoons, damp towels, the scent of chlorine. It's a sweet scenario, but for working parents, summer is a treacherous season, filled with wrangling and expense over how to fill the 10-week break with worthwhile activities and good supervision. Like many full-time working parents, my husband and I spend more than $7,000 a year on day camp for our two children. We employ an afternoon baby-sitter, too, who also has to be paid. Every October we start saving to meet the cost. And we're among the lucky families. Pat Lenehan, a single father in Deer Park, told Newsday that he may have to leave his 11-year-
old home alone if Suffolk County eliminates the family from its subsidized child care program. High demand and lower state funding may force the county to drop 1,200 children this month. Yet increasingly, children are being raised in homes where all the adults work. In 2010, nearly half of households with children were headed by two working parents, and another quarter were single-parent homes. The answer isn't more child care, it's more school. That would solve a much bigger problem than what to do with the kids during the summer: the need to improve education. Most students lose academic skills over the summer. And
we've known since 1964, when standardized tests began comparing students worldwide, that our kids rank poorly — currently in the bottom half among 30 developed nations in problem-solving, reading, math and science. Many school reforms have rolled through our classrooms in the past four decades, but one thing we haven't tried on a large scale is more time in class. At 180 days a year, Americans have one of the shortest school years. Germany, Japan and South Korea average 220 to 230 days. By eighth grade, American students have spent roughly 400 fewer days in school than kids in those countries. Not coincidentally, perhaps, middle school is where Americans begin to
fall behind their peers. Low-income students tend to suffer more summer learning loss, according to sociologists from Johns Hopkins University who tracked 800 Baltimore students over 20 years. But the lower-income students in the Baltimore study fell back. Researchers blamed summer breaks for two-thirds of the achievement gap seen between low-income students and their better-off peers by ninth grade -- a persistent and debilitating drag on American public schools that often translates into Hispanic and black students doing worse than whites and Asians. Some cities have organized summer learning programs for low-income kids. Summerbridge in Pittsburgh is high-energy and hands-on — which must be a nice
contrast with the regular classroom. In Indianapolis, 11 charities pooled $3 million to create a summer program that builds on the city's patchwork of day camps, community centers, sports camps and summer jobs programs. It is staffed by volunteers from fire departments and 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, a group that mentors young people. Long Island could make similar use of our recreational abundance. Better yet, we could do it in cooperation with school districts. That sort of innovation would require thinking collectively instead of every parent for himself or herself. For some kids, summer breaks can be lonely, boring and even dangerous. We should put our imaginations to work to find better solutions for those lazy, grassy afternoons.
MD sports 6
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Baseball isn’t out for summer STEPHAN TEODOSESCU stephanteodosescu.md@gmail.com
LEAPING TO LONDON
Day readies for Summer Olympic Games HILLARY KAISER hillarykaiser.md@gmail.com
When considering Sharon Day’s long list of accomplishments at the collegiate level, the Olympic Games seemed almost like the natural progression for her athletic career. The London games will be her second time competing in the Olympics, but this time around she, along with fellow Cal Poly alumna Stephanie Brown Trafton, will take part in the two-day heptathlon event scheduled for Aug. 3-4. “We got a lot of experience at what professional track and field was like early on,” Day said of her time at Cal Poly. “We got to go to a lot of bigger competitions and met a lot of international teams
while I was still at school.” A dual-sport athlete, the soccer and track star said she graduated from Cal Poly in Spring 2008 with a degree in kinesiology before beginning her professional athletic career. Playing two varsity sports in college is almost unheard of, but Day played sports year round growing up and wasn’t ready to choose between her two passions. “Soccer was my first love,” Day said. “When I came to college I wasn’t ready to give it up yet, and that is why I looked for a school where I could do both.” Day has run track since she was 7 years old and competed for school teams since junior high. At Cal Poly, she
played soccer and ran track for four years. “I had an experience that not many college athletes get to have,” Day said. Day, who high jumped in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will treat these games with the same intensity and focus she maintains at every other competition. “She is a great competitor, but does it with a greater demeanor, even keel and treats it in a very businesslike fashion,” director of track and field Mark Conover said. “She does all the little things correctly.” It was those qualities that allowed her to expand her abilities past competing in solely the high jump to becoming the best at the heptathlon.
Her coach Jack Hoyt said she wanted to make the transition from one event to all seven in the heptathlon, and she was good at it. “She is a professional; It is is her job and she is very serious about it (heptathlon),” Hoyt said. The heptathlon is a sevenpart track and field contest split into two days where each contestant competes in the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin throw and 800 meters. Because the heptathlon is so extensive, during training they try to touch on each event twice per week. With under a month left see DAY pg. 5
While the sound of aluminum bats hitting baseballs can’t be heard following the end of the NCAA season, college baseball doesn’t finish when school gets out for summer. For many college players, summertime means the beginning of an entirely new season, one that is short on the aluminum and long on the opportunities. Summer collegiate baseball is considered to be the bridge between a player’s collegiate season in the spring and the following school year in the fall. Hundreds of players participate in nearly 50 amateur leagues peppered throughout the nation every summer, allowing them an opportunity to develop the stamina needed to play professional baseball. For Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee, the idea of yearround baseball gives his players a chance to face stiff competition in the offseason and an opportunity to hone their baseball skills. “A lot of it is like Minor League Baseball,” Lee said. “Some of these leagues they play a majority of days over the course of a week and it prepares them for, if they’re good enough, down the road to play professional baseball.” It also gives younger players time to develop and an opportunity to face more college level competition before the next NCAA season. “It’s kind of a confidence booster,” former Cal Poly pitcher Kyle Anderson said of playing throughout the summer. “It’s time for you
to get away from schoolwork and just focus on baseball and pretty much have some fun.” Almost all the leagues involved in summer ball require the use of wood bats to mimic the playing conditions of the pro ranks. For position players, this offers a sense of hitting at the next level while it helps pitchers keep potential home runs in the ballpark, Anderson said. Players are unpaid and often play in leagues far away from their home university. Much like studying abroad, they stay with volunteer host families in their team’s home city and are chartered to away games. League rules often require that these players have played one collegiate season and have at least one year of eligibility remaining to be considered for a spot on a summer team roster. The decision of see BASEBALL pg. 5
MUSTANG DAILY FILE PHOTO
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN BARNHART
Fermin heads to Dominican Republic for professional ball ANDREA KANG andreakang.md@gmail.com
Amaurys Fermin is going pro. Fermin, a former Cal Poly men’s basketball point guard, recently signed a professional contract with San Pedro de Macoris in his native country of the Dominican Republic. He is the fifth Cal Poly player under fourth-year head
coach Joe Callero to head into the world of professional basketball. Fermin played one season at Cal Poly, coming in as a junior college transfer from Hagerstown College in Maryland. He had a chance for two years with the Mustangs, but the East Coast native tore his ACL during the 2010-11 season and came back his senior year to
lead Cal Poly with 119 assists in 33 starts. With Fermin, the Mustangs went 18-15 (8-8 Big West). And despite the setback of injury, Cal Poly’s season hinged on the health of their starting guard. As did Fermin’s basketball career. Callero said if he hadn’t recovered so well from his ACL injury, Fermin prob-
ably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go on to play professional basketball. “He’s pretty relentless and has a real high spirit and competitiveness,” Callero said. “When he was injured and out for an entire year, he really had to work at staying in shape and he actually lost weight ... he really looked at his diet
and nutrition. If you want to be a pro someday, you’ve got to start acting like a pro while you’re in college.” That’s what Fermin did, and sometimes he took the game too seriously. Assistant coach Sam Kirby, said at times they needed to keep Fermin off the court to keep him on it for the long haul.
“He was one of those guys that, because he’s recovering, you have to tell him to get off the floor because you don’t want him to reinjure it,” Kirby said. “That’s how much he really loved the game; he wanted to get back on the floor as soon as possible.” see FERMIN pg. 5
MUSTANG DAILY FILE PHOTO
Former men’s basketball guard Amaurys Fermin averaged 9.8 points and 3.52 assists per game with the Mustangs last season. He also shot 68 percent from the floor.