Apr 26, 2012 (43.9)

Smoking PG. 3

Leftover funding PG. 4

SFCC’s new smoking policy

Perspectives on ASG slush fund

Computer tune up PG. 6

Tips for keeping your computer running

Volume 43 |Issue 9

April 26 - May 9, 2012

Students to spend $600k in carryforward funds Alicia Villa

Student Fees

The Communicator Associated Student Government (ASG) is opening the floor to student suggestions for campus improvements.

These improvements would be funded by the Associated Students’ (AS) and Instructionally Related Programs (IRP) Carryforward accounts holding just under $600,000.

“One of the projects we are looking at is creating a study space in the math building (building 18),” ASG Academic Vice President Katherine Ridley said. “Students have requested benches outside of the music building and lights in the auditorium need fixing.

“We want to make the campus a better place by solving some of these minor problems.”

Allowing students to determine the use of these funds provides a direct line for students to communicate their needs from the campus. There is no official process for students to make recommended changes to the campus, however ASG fills that void by representing the student voice to administration.

“Our senators speak to fellow students who bring ideas back to ASG, who is always avail-

$30 Placement test fees $20 Graduation petition fees $70 Parking fee per year $40 Tech Fee $10 Registration Fees

Ashley Hiruko | The Communicator

Heather McKenzie WaitE advises ASG on student expenditures. able to hear students out,” said Sean Burright, IRP Representative.

The AS and IRP Carryforward accounts are fed by unused student club funds, which are fed by the Services and Activities (S&A) funds. S&A funds are accumulated from fees charged to the students common-

ly paid at the same time as tuition.

“For the 2012-13 year we are expecting the S&A account to project a six to nine percent increase, taking the account from $779,500 to $910,000 or even $936,300,” said Burright.

The S&A funds are divided

Conner Nuckols

BigFoot Cards will be the future for how students receive their FAFSA checks. The student government has made a deal with Higher One to distribute debit cards to all SCC, SFCC and IEL students with their financial aid on it.

Higher One is a company focused on helping college business offices manage operations and provide services to students. Higher One works closely with colleges and universities to make sure that students receive Financial Aid refunds quickly, pay tuition and bills online and on time, make on and off campus purchases and learn the basics of financial management. They provide services to more than 770 private and public institutions; with an estimated 5.5 million students. Keith Foster, the Chief

Bloomsday training -Page 11

The Communicator

Bryce Gray | The Communicator

Nick Boe

The Communicator

Financial Officer at SFCC explained the card to our student government.

“Students will receive a debit card in the mail with their financial aid on it,” Foster said. “You can use the debit card itself, have the money direct deposited into your account or have a paper check delivered to you.”

There are also some things to remember about how the card works.

For example, when they receive your card students will be advised to use it as a credit card instead of debit card.

“They say that it’s more secure for a student to swipe and sign than it is to use a pin number,” Foster said. “The biggest reason for that is that you get the FDIC Insurance Coverage on your transaction and you’ll get the Master Card coverage.

“We want to encourage the credit card more than the debit for the security features.”

According to Lauren Perry, the Client Relations Specialist for Higher One, students will also need to take note that, like all debit and credit cards, there can be fees for use when making purchases or withdrawing

The five finalists for the position of SFCC President have been named by the SFCC President screening committee. This marks the imminent decision by Chancellor Christine Johnson to choose current SFCC President Pam Praeger’s replacement.

The finalists include Sandy Caldwell, who is currently the associate vice president for planning and improvement at Western Wyoming Community College; Nancy FairSzofran, who is currently the vice president of research at Mt. Hood Community College; Janet Gullickson, who is currently the interim Community Colleges of Spokane district academic services officer; Jim Minkler, who is currently the interim vice president for learning at SFCC and Kevin Trutna, who is currently the vice president for academic and student services at Yuba College.

These finalists were chosen by the SFCC President screening committee, which consisted of four SFCC faculty members, three SFCC classified staff and two SFCC administrators.

One of these faculty members was Kurt Kinbacher, a history instructor.

“It was time consuming, and it was tiring,” Kinbacher said.

“But the process worked the way it was supposed to work.

“The best candidates

FAFSA| Page 2

PRESIDENTIAL| Page 2

FOCUS

Pg. 6 In season produce

For more on this topic refer to our perspectives on page 4

CAMPUS| Page 2

The Communicator

Pg. 4 Budgets

Five pres. candidates remain

Source: Spokanefalls.edu

New system to replace financial aid checks

PERSPECTIVES

Ashley Hiruko | The Communicator

Sandy Cadwell is one finalist for top SFCC administrative position.

CULTURE

SIDELINES

SPR gets makeover

Disc golf

Pg. 10

Pg. 11

509.533.3602

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News

John Lynn | Editor

Banned books collection now available in library Presidential: Alicia Villa

The Communicator

The SFCC library has put up their banned book collection for students to enjoy. The collection contains a wide range of titles, from “Little Women” to “The Satanic Verses,” showcasing the variety of stories challenged, removed and banned all over the world. Here are a few of those controversial books.

“The Catcher in the Rye,” J.D. Salinger According to the American Library Association website, this required reading favorite has been pulled from shelves for content such as premarital sex, underage drinking and profanity.

“Slaughterhouse-Five,” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The ALA site said this book was challenged on the basis that it contains “vulgarities, depictions of beastiality, ethnic slurs and negative portrayals of women.”

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Maya Angelou This particular autobiography’s content of rape and racism made it third on the ALA’s Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books for 1990-1999, and sixth for the 2000-2009 list.

“Howl,” Allen Ginsberg PBS.org said this famous poem was highly criticized for “it’s frank embrace of taboo topics such as homosexuality and drug use.”

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” Jonathon Safran Foer The SFCC library web site said this book was challenged in a language arts class in Richland for profanity, sex and descriptions of violence. “The Satanic Verses,” Salman Rushdie Not only was the Satanic Verses banned in most middle-eastern

Any students with questions, comments or suggestions can visit ASG in Room 17135 or e-mail Academics Vice President Katherine Ridley at acavp@ spokanefalls. edu.

Check out Perspectives on page 4 for more on campus funds.

2

Banned Books “Slaugterhouse Five” -by Kurt Vonnegut “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” -by Maya Angelou “Howl” -by Allen Ginsberg “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” -by Jonathon Safran Foer

Photo illustration by Ashley Hiruko

“The Satanic Verses” -by Salman Rushdie

A few of the books that have been banned around America countries, muslim leaders issued a religious edict that Rushdie and all those involved on the publication of the book had been sentenced to death as the book was “against Islam.”

“Of Mice and Men,” John Steinbeck ALA said this novel has been challenged by parents and teachers on numerous occasions for “blasphemous language” and “morbid and depressing themes.”

“Little Women,” Louisa May Alcott In an article published on World. edu, columnist R. Wolf Baldassarro said the reasoning behind challenging such a romantic novel is paradoxical. “...in its own time it was considered ‘too radical’ for insinuating that women could freely choose what they wanted out of life, others today argue that it didn’t go far enough,” said Baldassarro. “The Sun Also Rises,” Ernest

Campus:

Hemingway Banned in parts of the U.S. and burned in Nazi bonfires in 1933 Germany.

SFCC student and “Little Women” fan Brianna Doucet said she was glad to hear about the Banned Books Collection going on display. “I think it will promote reading. I feel as if there isn’t much of that in our school,” said Doucet.

Education Instructor Judy Noel who teaches a seminar on censorship in the Introduction to Education class said the most common causes for censorship are the “three S’s”: swear words, satanism, and sex.

“Students wrestle with the balance between a teacher’s academic freedom, a school board’s efforts to determine curriculum, and a parent’s rights to control influences on their child,” Noel said in an e-mail.

tures would not be allowed on the basis that they qualify as gifted funds Associated Student or do not involve student activities.

“We work to recognize the difGovernment discuss funding ferences between projects fundthe tutoring services at ed by student money and those funded by the state or administraSFCC tion,” Heather McKenzie WaitE, Director of Student Funded ProFrom page 1 amongst three budgets: Special grams and Recreation Center, said .

The use of these funds is not strictly Projects Building fund, the IRP fund feeding all IRP club budgets, and the limited to student activities for the AS fund which feeds all AS club bud- campus, as they may also be put togets. Any club funds left unused, with wards student programs like the Peer Tutoring program. the exception of “The tutoring fundraising, are “The tutoring program here program here pulled forward was funded by a grant that was funded by a into the respec- has run out.” grant that has run tive carryforward -Katherine Ridley out,” Ridley said. accounts.

This Academic Vice President The program leaves students with the AS and IRP Carryforward can be funded by the Carryforward acaccounts that may be used for ac- counts to the extent of paying for tutors, tivities beneficial to students. Al- but not salaries or wages of faculty.

“An example of an impermissible though, all expenditures must be approved by the Board of Trustees. S&A fee expenditure would be pro“The boards of trustees of the viding the salaries of professional state’s colleges and universities have employees in teaching, administrative the express and exclusive author- or clerical positions not directly reity to determine what constitutes lated to the student programs’ operabona fide student activities,” said tions,” according to the “Guidelines.”

Funding the tutoring program in the Guidelines for Permissible Use of Services and Activity Fees. would allow students to ensure that Despite the wide possibility of uses they would not lose this specific serthe AS and IRP Carryforward Accounts vice made available to them. This can be used for, there are limits. The is one of many options ASG looked “Guidelines” said certain expendi- into, and is still open to more.

“Of Mice and Men” -by John Steinbeck “Little Women” -by Louisa May Alcott “The Sun Also Rises” -by Ernest Hemmingway The Banned Book Collection will be on display in the library until the end of May.

FAFSA:

Students will recieve financial aid on new Bigfoot Cards From Page 1

money from non-Higher One ATMs. To prevent the ATM fees the student government and High One have agreed to install Higher One ATMs around campus for students to use.

“We will be placing a Higher One ATM on the SFCC, SCC and Institute of Extended Learning,” said Perry.

“We might be installing more on each campus but we’re not sure. We will know more by the time school starts next fall.”

There will also be a website called mybigfootcard.com. Students will need to go to the website to pick the way they wish to receive their financial aid.

“Students will receive their cards in the mail and once they have the card they need to go onto mybigfootcard.com and type in the code and choose which plan they want to get their money,” said Shoba Lemoine, a Media Relations Representitive from Higher One. “The website can also help the students learn how to use the big-

Did You Know?: It typically takes 1-2 hours to complete a FAFSA.

Source: www.fafsa.com

Five presidential candidates named for top position From page 1

seemed to find their way up.”

The chair of the committee, the person in charge of keeping things flowing and being the head of the meetings, was CCS Public Information Officer Anne Tucker.

“The chancellor has a very hard decision to make,” Tucker said.

Current SFCC president Pam Praeger says that she’s mostly been trying to stay non-opinionated on the presidential candidates, both due to potential biases, as well as personal reasons.

“My inclination would be to try to find somebody who would come in here and go ‘Oh, everything is wonderful!’ So it’s better for me to try not to form a real opinion,” Praeger said. “I did go to the first luncheon, and it was so awkward for me.

“A question was asked, ‘How do you think you can raise SFCC to the next level’, and I thought ‘Awww’, so I think some ignorance is bliss.”

A large part of the information regarding the committee is confidential, such as the exact motivations behind choosing each candidate, and any discussions actually had during the committee.

“Know the committee took its work seriously and considered, although none of us are students here presently, considered the needs of the students in the discussions as well,” Kinbacher said. “As far as committees I’ve been on, this functioned on a very high level.

“If that’s all you have to complain about at the end of that, that’s not much.”

foot card and how and why they get charged certain fees and how to avoid them in the future.”

Bigfoot Cards are also going to eliminate the giant lines to receive students financial aid check. Jannie Loh-Taylor, a clerk in the Student Union Building, said she will be glad that the Bigfoot Cards will eliminate the lines that haunt the clerks during the first week.

“The lines are already formed when we open, and it goes on for the entire first week of school, the lines this quarter went clear into the lounge area. Many of the students get frustrated in the lines,” Taylor said.

“They just want to get in and out, and if we can’t get them their check, they get very upset and we can’t help them and that’s what we are hear to do.”

Perry encourages students to visit the website and Facebook page to look into Higher One. She also wants students to be aware of the benefits from having an account with Higher One. A scholarship is also on the Higher One website available to any student that is enrolled a school that Higher One serves.

The Bigfoot Cards are accepted anywhere MasterCards are accepted and will go into effect in the Fall Quarter of 2012. The cards will also be part of orientation for new and returning students.

news

spokanefalls.edu/communicator

John lynn | Editor

Secular Association open to students All are welcome to join the Secular Association, a haven to freely discuss religion is offered

out there that non-believers don’t have morals, because they don’t subscribe to a religious doctrine,” Marchant said. “We seek to accomplish a little bit of damage control. “(Although,) I don’t want it to seem like we’re an apologist club for Nick Boe secularism.”

The Communicator In addition to community service, “The American electorate would Nicholas Johnson, the other covote for a qualified rapist before founder of the club, said that one of they voted for a qualified atheist,” the club’s main interests is providJackson Marchant, one of the co- ing a safe space to have calm disfounders of the Secular Association cussion regarding religion, open to said, referencing studies done by both those of non-religion, as well the University of British Columbia. as those from religious clubs on “That’s just silly. It’s true, but it’s silly. campus such as the Falls Christian Fellowship Club and the Latter-Day It’s insane even.”

The Secular Association is a newly Saint Student Association.

“We would like to welcome them sanctioned student-run club, which seeks to promote humanism, skepti- to come in ... and hopefully not cism and free-thought, according to have an argument that escalates, but Ashley Hiruko | The Communicator their constitution. The club received just have everyone speak their mind, and share their Nicholas Johnson is a co-founder of the Secular Association, a new sanctioned student club. their club sancBoth Marchant and Johnson acopinions,” John- is open to the idea of discussions of tioning from the “Secularism is basically faith, and religious based topics in- knowledge this sentiment, and both son said.

Student Senate For: independence of religious Johnson and volving both of their clubs, and said would prefer to stay away from heat- Meeting times, on April 19.

Marchant are that he believes that the club mem- ed debates, and stick to calm, ratio“Secularism is influence.” location bers he has directly worked with nal discussion. both aware of the basically indeand more, -Jackson Marchant co-founder of SFCC’s Secular Association possibility “Friends, faculty, students, lend e-mail Jackson that would be capable of having calm pendence of relireligious students discussions with Secular Association me your ears,” Marchant said. “We gious influence,” Marchant would love to have you sit in our marchjac000@ Marchant said. “The reason I chose may have no interest in attending members.

“As long it was a calm discussion, meetings, we’d love to talk to you, ‘Secular Association’ rather than these discussions. gmail.com “It would make me sad,” March- that would be great,” Steven Ediger, we’d love for you to know that we ‘Atheist Club’ or ‘Agnostic Club’ is ant said. “I want to talk to them; I current president of the Falls Chris- aren’t amoral cretins. that it’s an umbrella term.

I have confidence that most peotian Fellowship said. “One thing that “An atheist, an agnostic and a sec- want to have the discussion.

“But if they don’t want to, if they I kind of struggle with is debating; ple are able to have a calm discusular humanist all subscribe to secudon’t think they’re capable of it, or for me, I do not really see what it sion. I put my faith in the human larism. We’re all secular.” race to be rational; now, there’s Marchant hopes to focus on vari- they think we’re beneath them mor- accomplishes for any side.

“It gets heated, names may get probably not a whole lot of scientific ous community service projects as a ally, it’s their loss, really.”

Steven Ediger, current president of thrown around, people get angry, and historical evidence to prove that large part of the club’s goals. one, but that’s why it’s faith.”

“I think there’s a misconception the Falls Christian Fellowship Club and they all run out the door.”

New SFCC smoking policy yet to be enforced Jackson Colby

The Communicator

Photo illustration by Ashley Hiruko

The majority of cigarette disposal units have been removed from the interior of the SFCC campus. As a result, there has been a marked increase of cigarette butts scattered on the ground.

SFCC aims to ban smoking from the interior of the campus. This plan has been in the works for 3 years, but has yet to be implemented successfully.

Ken DeMello, campus safety supervisor, said that the new plan will be implemented in the near future.

According to the Associated Student Government (ASG), SFCC could be fined if the restrictions are not enforced soon.

“We’re just enforcing the 25 feet rule right now,” DeMello said. “We will write tickets if we see people smoking within 25 feet of a building.

“I was over at Building 24 three times today and in my walkabouts I didn’t see one person breaking this rule.”

DeMello said that he has only had to issue two tickets for smoking so far.

“They walked out of building 15 and lit up literally 5 feet from the door and stood there smoking,” DeMello said. “One of them said it wasn’t their fault because they didn’t see a sign that said they

couldn’t smoke within 25 feet.

“If you’re driving on a highway and you pass a sign that says 70 mph, once that sign passes out of your sight is it OK to drive as fast as you want?”

When the new policy takes effect, tickets will be given for smoking in the interior of campus. A ticket for smoking is $10, while a parking ticket is $30, according to DeMello.

“The Public Health Department have visited the campus on numerous occasions and are disappointed with how the campus is operated,” DeMello said.

Maria Delane, President of ASG, said that she wishes smokers would come talk to ASG if they have concerns, instead of spreading rumors and making a big deal out of the situation.

“The administration goes back and forth,” Delane said. “They’re trying to be sensitive to the smokers but then people on the other side want to get rid of smoking entirely from the campus.

“Out of all the college campuses (in the region) that have been called to make smoking policy changes, SFCC is the only one that has yet to follow through with it.”

Lyssa Davis, an SFCC student and a smoker, said that a security officer attempted to write her a ticket because she was carrying an unlit cigarette in her hand.

“What bothers me is that they’re wasting money,” Davis said. “They put all those butt boxes by the doors and then, instead of moving them to places that won’t bother nonsmokers, they pay even more money to just have them all removed.

“As a smoker I find it just as disgusting as non-smokers when the ground is littered with butts, but if there’s no receptacles for them then what are we supposed to do?”

Davis said that a large amount of the student body smokes, and that dealing with school is stressful. She said that the last thing students who smoke need is to be harassed for their habit.

“It’s still legal,” Davis said. “Students are the reason the school exists, irritating your customers so much just because you didn’t think things through is bad business.

“If you’re going to run a school like a business, then learn how to run a business.”

Smoking violation ticket costs $10 Parking violation ticket costs $30

Did You Know?: Christopher Hitchens, an outspoken atheist and social activist, died on December 15, 2011.

Source: The New York Times

3

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Perpectives

Making our fees count

The Associated Student Government (ASG), along with the Board of Trustees, handles something they call the Carryforward Account, which comes from Clayton leftover money in Kraft the Services and Activities (S&A) fund, which is a mandatory fee paid at the same time as tuition.

If you’re wondering just how much money might end up “leftover” at the end of 2012, this account is currently coming in at just under $600,000. It’s also projected

by Instructionally Related Programs (IRP) Representative Sean Burright to go as high as $936,000 next year.

That’s right, SFCC is going to have nearly $1 million in an account that’s going underutilized at the same time instructors are taking pay cuts and tuition prices across the country are going through the roof.

Let’s be specific though, lest we mistake the situation and complain about something perfectly reasonable.

For this fee you and I pay $8.88 per credit up to ten and $3.39 per credit after, coming to $105.75 for a 15 credit full time student. Doing the math, that makes the current overage in the fund equal to the total S&A fees of about 6,000 full-time students.

Setting aside money for projects and club needs that are unanticipated can be difficult and going

over is preferable to running out, but it seems those thousands of students would have appreciated not paying a fee that costs as much as many textbooks if they didn’t need to. Everyone knows textbook prices are reasonable though. Right?

“The legislature recognizes that students play an important role in recommending how services and activities fees should be expended, as the majority of members of the services and activities fees committee at each institution of higher education,” the Washington State Legislature said in regards to the S&A fees.

I don’t expect S&A fees to go anywhere soon, so perhaps we should be making better use of our own money if our colleges are going to take it either way. How much better could our clubs be with this kind of funding happening in real time?

Instead of improving student services with this money the ASG is considering plugging the hole caused from the cut in state funding. Maybe this counts as student services insofar as requirements go, but our student body should be asking itself if we might be better off with smaller fees.

That way students can determine for themselves where their money should go if our school can’t manage the account effectively enough to avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in leftover money. At the very least we as students might want to go ask for new equipment for our clubs, or money for activities.

Remember, if that money doesn’t come to us it’s bound to go somewhere, so join a club and make yourself heard. How do you want your money spent?

For news coverage on this issue see pages 1-2.

Poll results/Upcoming poll for Perspectives

Poll Results:

Next Issue’s Poll:

What do you spend most How often do you attend a music or arts event? of your money on?

A) School - 25% B) Games and Books - 5% C) Travel - 10% D) I save my money - 5% E) Food 35% F) Going out - 20%

A) Every Day B) 2-3 times a week C) Once a week D) Once per month E) Never F) I don’t know

Poll results from The Communicator Online are unscientific and current as of April 25th

4

Did You Know?:

Vote online at www.spokanefalls. edu/communicator

Clayton Kraft | Editor

How it’s Spent

As students at a community college, we should all be aware that a large portion of the costs to run our school come from state and federal funding. This is whether or not you’re lucky enough to have financial aid cover the rest, through which many students are able to attend with little to no out of pocket costs. Still, there are costs to most students through tuition and fees as well, and perhaps we should ask how that money is being spent from time to time.

Most of us probably don’t, but we might be surprised or even outraged to learn the details. Our staff spent some time thinking about these things, and this is what we think.

Learn what tuition money is doing for students Money shouldn’t be sitting around, there is always something we can improve here on campus, from replacing lighting systems in the auditorium to building study areas for Randy students.

Breedlove SFCC is a publicly funded institution for higher learning, with our primary incomes being grants, state funding and tuition from students.

As it stands most state funding currently covers building and repair costs, while tuition mostly covers teacher salaries. With construction of a general classroom building in the works and teachers getting laid off it might seem like funding priorities are mixed up, however this isn’t entirely accurate. A lot of lecture classes are taught in computer labs and teachers are being shuffled through several classrooms in building 24. In response to this the state has given SFCC money to build the general classroom building allowing the college to free up use of the computer labs.

On a smaller scale we have budgets like those that are given to ASG to run clubs and provide materials to students. Leftover funding is placed in accounts like the Instructionally Related Programs (IRP) Carryforward account. This money just sits in the account and grows, this is where

I feel the excess money is wasted.

We could have been using the excess funding to improve campus and help keep things like the recreational center from being downsized. I think that when there is money just sitting around and there are teachers and faculty taking budget cuts something is wrong. I understand that we can’t actually use that money to fund teaching salaries but we should be doing what we can to help students get a better education, be it using the IRP to purchase classroom sets of books to assist students or funding tutoring.

Students are paying roughly $40 in tech fees to pay for things that often are used by students and faculty alike. This money goes towards running a myriad of things like SHIVA, the printer in the library, new computers for the various computer labs around campus and the software that accompanies. A single licence for the most recent copy of the adobe creative suite costs well over $1200.

This is all from the tech fee budget which is currently getting renegotiatied to better suit the needs of the students and faculty.

Here on the news paper learn to manage our own budget and we raised much of our own money in order to pay for majority of our equipment.

Students should make a concious effort to educate themselves on where college funding comes from and how it’s being spent.

Money shouldn’t be sitting around.

Letters to the editor: In Shelby Miltner’s article “Gay Marriage Will Affect Children” she offered no proof that children are adversely affected by their parent’s sexual orientation. Miltner stated that “gay marriage is wrong in the situation of a child,” but presented no evidence to support this claim.

Numerous studies have found that children of same-sex parents grow up to be well adjusted members of society. Additionally, Miltner stated that children of same-sex couples would grow up having the same beliefs, views, and opinions as their parents. Doesn’t this happen to children of heterosexual parents?

A parent’s sexual orientation doesn’t determine what their

The Communicator has been in print since 1968.

children will believe, because as free thinking individuals we aren’t forced to believe what others tell us to.

-Ashley Rowe

The Staff The Communicator, a student-run publication, provides students an opportunity to connect with their campus and enrich their time at SFCC. We hope to maintain a forum in which students are able to voice diverse opinions on campusrelated issues.

The Communicator also aims to inform students about topics relevant to their education.

Editor-in-Chief Jackson Colby Managing Editor Randy Breedlove Web Manager Lauren Miller News Editor John Lynn Focus Editor Allie Roberts Culture Editor Kailee Suender Sidelines Editor Gabriel Dillon Perspectives Editor Clayton Kraft Photo Editor Brad Lewis Multimedia Ashley Hiruko Adviser Jason Nix Marketing Jennifer Bridges Writers Connor Nuckols Nick Boe Alicia Villa Clayton Palmquist Chancellor Smith Tyler Kelsey Riley Armstrong Neva Davies Will Gilman Matt Moffatt Scott Brewster Photographers Jake Hansen Bryce Gray Gina Ochoa Ashley Hiruko Staff members can be reached via email with the following format: sfcc.firstname. lastname@gmail.com

Please Note

The Communicator is an open forum for student coverage and opinion that is entirely student edited and produced, with absolutely no prior review from the faculty or administrators of Spokane Falls Community College.

The content in this publication is the responsibility of the student staff of The Communicator, and as such do not necessarily reflect the view of Spokane Falls Community College administrators, faculty, or the student body.

Individual student contributions to the opinion page or any other section of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or the student staff of The Communicator.

The first copy of an issue is free, additional copies are 50 cents each.

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Focus

Time for a tech tune-up Common mistakes anyone can avoid to keep computers running faster and safer.

Chancellor Smith

The Communicator

Brad Lewis | The Communicator

Simple fixes don’t require opening up your case.

Allie Roberts | Editor

Computers have become a critical part of daily life for many students attending SFCC. Without proper care and maintenance, any computer is subject to hardware failures, open to viruses and malicious software (malware). While the computer has become more user friendly in the past few years, the need for proper upkeep and understanding of the hardware inside a computer is crucial in protecting sensitive information including passwords, bank accounts and social security numbers.

There are a few components of a computer many computer technicians focus on when they provide information to the public when dealing with maintenance of a computer.

Hard Drive: A hard drive is a device for storing and retrieving information your computer requires. All basic hard drives use a disk spun at a specific rotation per minute, normally

7200.

Max Josquin, a IS/CS Instructor at SFCC, spends much of his time around computers and found that hard drives are the most sensitive piece of hardware in towers and laptops.

According to Josquin, The only moving part of a laptop is the hard drive. Moving the laptop around too much can damage the hard drive and cause failures.

Besides failures, cleaning a hard drive of unwanted programs and performing routine disk defragmentation will keep a hard drive in good condition.

Security: Even when the hardware in a computer is working, the risk of a failure will be present in the form of crippling viruses and malware.

Josquin learned over the years a few things necessary in protecting a computer from viruses.

Josquin said that there is an antivirus on every computer, but the software is not always kept up to date so the computer still contracts viruses.

Updated software for an operating system, antivirus and malware programs provide most of the protec-

tion needed for users to be safe from most threats, but social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have redirect links that send you to third party sites and create new threats.

There are a few components of a computer many computer technicians focus on when they provide information to the public when dealing with maintenance of a computer.

Backups: Documents and files backed up on cloud devices or external storage devices add an extra layer of protection from hardware failures and corruption from viruses and malware.

Aaron Start, a computer technician who works for Computer Business Solutions, has emphasized backing up data to his customers for years.

“People don’t keep a backup for their data, that’s the biggest issue,” Start said. “Their hard drive dies.

“People just assume it’ll always work.”

External hard drives or thumb drives are suitable for many computer users in giving themselves added protection from hardware failure.

Fuzzy understandings of HD radio

Gina Ochoa | The Communicator

Tammy McQuaig of Clear Channel Radio

Radio Timeline 1903: Radio’s first news broadcast to sailing ships.

1933: Two-thirds of American households own at least one radio.

1939-1945: Radio journalism establishes itself during WWII. Source: faculty.uml. edu/sgallagher/

6

Tyler Kelsey

The Communicator As technology advances newer, better versions of products are released. In this case basic analog radio has a new little sibling. HD radio is simply a device that converts the normal analog radio signal into a digital one. The sound quality is supposed to be clearer than normal radio, hence the HD part.

The basic attempt at better sound quality that HD radio provides is AM frequencies to sound more like FM frequencies, and FM frequencies to sound more like the quality of an iPod. Depending on the receiver, HD radio also can display the song title, the artist name and the station ID. “Costs are from $129 to $1200,” said Patrick Mauro, the customer

service rep at Snow’s Auto said.

“We do not move (sell) very many.”

If there was a greater knowledge or interest by consumers maybe more of this product could be sold.”

“You’re taking one signal and turning it into sound, instead of analog that uses multiple signals,” said Bryan Davis, sales associate at Aspen sound.

It is similar to HD television, where the picture is delivered all together in one image. In normal analog television the picture is delivered in many different signals.

“It is just as easy to install as a normal radio,” Mauro said.

This means that the customer does not need to completely alter the dash of their vehicle. In that case it is around the size of any other radio out there.

HD radio is not just for vehicles.

There are also units for the typical household or even hand held ones as well. Some Mp3 players even come with the HD radio application without the user actually noticing its presence.

“HD radio removes the other frequencies,” Davis said. “Filtering out background noise and giving a more legitimate frequency range.”

Without the interference of other frequencies the sound becomes clearer.

Normal analog radio waves are clustered or laid next to each other.

That makes the frequency harder to distinguish and creates the background static noise. HD radio tries to single out those other frequencies; with less interruption it makes the sound quality clearer.

Springtime flavors

Bryce Gray | The Communicator

Fresh vegtables are comming into season for quality flavors.

Allie Roberts

The Communicator Squeezing, sniffing and sampling. At least, that’s how the pros pick their produce. Especially when it comes to seasonally grown fruits and vegetables.

“We have a lot of markets here open to the public, so it’s easy to tell what’s in season based on what’s being sold,” said Candice Craft, experienced cook and former culinary student.

When eating local it’s important to know what’s seasonally grown.

In addition to reducing the amount of energy, which is known today to mean oil, put into shipping produce from farms to across the county eating locally ensures the freshest food available. With northwest weather finally defrosting and gardens budding, it seems just in time to address just what produce is in season, how to pick it out, and even better still; what to do with it.

Peas - Should have firm, smooth pods, and be without any overy light or dark areas.

Asparagus - Should be firm and crisp, without any mushiness to their spears. The larger sizes tend to be tough and stringy.

Mushrooms - Should be uniform in color and without soft spots.

Spinach - Should be washed thoroughly in cold water, soaking for 5 minutes.

Cauliflower - Should be clean, creamy white, with compact heads.

“Chlorophyll is what makes plants green, some plants like asparagus can grow without it,” Craft said. “White asparagus is really tender and melts in your mouth like butter.” (according to simplesteps.org)

Grilled Asparagus -Asparagus -Olive oil -Salt & Pepper -Lemon juice (optional) Heat grill (or preheat oven to 425 F). Prepare the vegetable by cutting off the bottom ends, coat with oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Grill (or bake on foil-lined cookie sheet) for 5-10 min.

Did You Know?: Hop shoots, a spring vegetable, are the most expensive in the world.

Source: Smithsonian magazine

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Culture

Classroom to market

Kailee Suender | Editor Local venues Brews Bros.

734 W Sprague Ave 6am-8pm Mon.-Sat. 6:30am-6pm Sun. Saranac 25 W Main Ave 12pm-5pm thurs.

12pm-8pm Fri.- Sat. Chairs Coffee 113 W Indiana 8am-9pm Mon.-Sun. 10am-5pm

Local students find unique ways to get recognized

Riley Armstrong

The Communicator An evening spent admiring the expressions of Spokane’s contemporary artists gives community cooperation visual meaning. The artistic collective in Spokane are committed to inspiring a vibrant atmosphere which involves an ongoing dialogue with the community at large. Whether it is a business such as Brews Bros., which serves as both an espresso lounge while at the same time providing a public art space, or a collaborative art venue conducted by professionals such as Saranac Art Projects whose presentations involve community outreach, there are many ways at the heart of Spokane that artists are reaching out to the community.

Saranac is a nonprofit organization primarily composed of college educators, SFCC Interior

is considered to be professional.”

Design Instructor Margot CassteBut other student expressions vens has been an acting member are not absent from Spokane’s art at Saranac for the last 2 years. culture, in the case of Brews Bros.

“When I had first heard about downtown on Sprague Ave., they it (Saranac), I was actually at a come naturally. Owner and operashow in the Chase gallery” said tor of Brews Bros. Julie Mosey Casstevens, “and a friend of mine bought the location two years had just came from Saranac. And ago, and was almost immediately he was raving, borderline angry approached by a couple of artists about what they had up there.” looking to ocCasstevens becupy some wall came interested “Spokane has a quiet space. “ I enjoy after witnessthe atmosphere ing her friend’s art scene, but its up and that the art adds response, coming,” -Alex Leyk to the space” inspired by his Barista at Brews Bros. said Mosey “you excitement. want to decorate my wall, go Currently 23 of the usual 24 for it.” One of the earliest artists positions are occupied, Saranac is featured at Brews Bros. exhibited located on Main Ave. and usually furniture sculpted from spoons maintains 24 positions so that two and other utensils. artists can show per month. “Each Every Thurs. between 8 p.m. member can also choose to exand 10 p.m. Brews Bros. behibit another artist if they want”, comes the setting of Be Open Mic said Casstevens, “So it is possible Night, a weekly poetry slam that that the occasional student has an just celebrated its first anniversary, exhibit, as long as the artist’s work

but the content is by no means limited to poetry. Performing artists of varied mediums perform poems, songs, or even ramblings.

The audience enjoys some coffee and listen.

Under this city’s brick and steel surface, there is a living art scene, nurtured by the community and its college campuses. “Spokane has a quiet art scene, but it is up and coming.” said Alex Leyk, a barista at Brews Bros. “There are a lot of cool places if you look.”

Spokane features many resources for artists such as Spokane Art Supply, and artistically oriented events such as First Friday. But there is an abundance of art and culture to experience during the rest of the month as well. Ceramics Instructor at EWU and member of Saranac Lisa Nappa said “The city has a lot to offer of both visual and performing arts, but the visual aspect could use more attention.”

Alex Leyk and Amelia Alberts show off thier musical talents at Brews Bros. one of many possible venues for local artists to display thier talents.

8

Did You Know?: In addition to coffee, Brews Brothers also serves beer and wine.

Source: experiencespokane.com/brewsbrothers

Spokane art supply 1303 N Monroe 8:30am-6pm Mon.-Fri. 10am-5pm Sat. 12pm-5pm Sun.

Source: experiencespokane. com saranacartprojects. wordpress.com www.chairscoffee.com www.myartsupply.com

Bryce Gray | The Communicator

Culture

spokanefalls.edu/communicator

Kailee Suender | Editor Spokane pride parade

Show your

pride

Where: Wall St.between Main St. and Riverside When: Saturday, june 9 12pm Participation and fees:

Parade provides a safe place to speak out Jake Hansen | The Communicator

Neva Davies The Communicator When Spokane Pride started in 1992, there were only a few people who marched. The parade itself wasn’t started until 2004, the year during which 300 people got involved. In 2011 those 300 people became 5,200. Spokane Pride is an event put on every year at Riverfront Park by OutSpokane, a volunteer-led, tax-exempt organization. Several groups come together showing support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community by putting on music and a parade. This year,

the parade is on June 9 and the theme is Stand Up! Speak Out! Spark Change! The Spokane Falls Community Alliance club holds events showing support for the LGBT community every year, raising awareness and showing students that they are visible on campus and the Spokane community at large. Club members come to the Pride parade, wearing bracelets and shirts to show their support. Just recently, the club held an event at SFCC during which they talked about the day of silence, and the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, an LGBT-related riot, which lasted for three days.

The Pride festival is a commemo-

Where stars get thier starts Will Gilman

The Communicator Many people dream of standing in front of a crowd, and bringing them to their feet. For a few SFCC students, this is step one.

The Black Student Union is giving the students of SFCC an opportunity to show off what they can do.

Many students auditioned for the show which occurred on April 25th in the café. Many talented students showing off what it is they love to do.

Some danced, some sang songs, some told jokes… some felt they failed, and some felt they succeeded. It was also a wonderful reminder of how diverse the campus SFCC truly is.

What is the next step for talent folks like these? Some would say it is “Spokane’s Got Talent” Spokane’s Got Talent is a talent contest started by Kris Kilduff and Taylor Fhyrie of Red Eye Promotions. It started back in 2009.

That year the finals of the contest occurred at the Ichiban Sushi House. In 2011 it had grown to include text voting from the audience, and a final performance at Bing Crosby Theatre.

“Spokane’s Got Talent started because nothing like it existed here.” Co-founder and co-producer Kris Kilduff said, “There was no talent show, especially not one that had 800 people

attending, and could vote by cell phone. My company, Red Eye Promotions, host a variety of large scale events that bring new exciting events to unexplored niche markets” Last year’s show attracted bands, comedians, even fire dancers. It all lead up to Mark Shirtz winning his chance at America’s Got Talent.

“I had a great time performing.

The best part was the opportunity to showcase my talents in front of so many other talented people.”

Musician Tommy Gantt said, “I loved getting to make so many new friends, many of whom I stay in regular contact with.”

Tommy competed in 2009, and 2010, but another gig left him out of the 2011 show.

“I will never forget the experience” Comedian Jared Munson said, “I couldn’t believe it, looking out and seeing all of those people” Will the winner of the SFCC talent show go on to win Spokane’s Got Talent? It’s too soon to say, but they are open to new ideas all the time.

They look for, “Anyone who has amazing talent. We specifically are looking for the rare, weird talents.. something that we haven’t seen before.” Kilduff said, “the crazier it is, the better chance you have of making the show!”

ration of the Uprising, and is the reason why the festival is always held in June. Barbara Williamson is and has been the advisor for Alliance since it was started in 1999. “We aren’t sure as yet what we will be doing,” Williamson said. “We do know that we will be in the parade and will have a booth. ”The Alliance club is also planning on bringing t-shirts to keep at their booth. “Because I was Grand Marshal two years ago, we had a float. But this year, it is very likely we will be toning down during the parade,” Williamson said. “However, the booth will still contain rainbows of color. “In a country where many people have

deep seated issues with the LGBT community, the Pride festival is an important event because it gives a voice to those who can’t speak up or have pride in themselves. The pride festival is also important to the members of the LGBT community who, in 1969, didn’t have visibility or a voice strong enough to make a difference. According to OutSpokane’s website, Spokane Pride brings together old and young to create a safe world in which the LGBT community can be who they are. Spokane Pride allows allies and LGBT youth alike to meet and get to know each other in a friendly environment.

To participate, a parade application will need to be submitted by midnight on Sunday, May 27.

Any application submitted after this date will be subject to a $20 late fee. Parade registration on the day of the parade, will be accessed $25 cash before you will be added to the back of the parade processional.

Source: www.outspokane. com/pride_parade1. html

Get Focused on Student Life

After hitting the books, unwind by working out at the fitness center or joining a rec sports team. Dodgeball, anyone?

Join us for a campus tour!

Monday - Friday, 3 p.m. www.uwb.edu/tours

425.352.5000 | www.uwb.edu Get Focused on Your Future

est.

1861

Did You Know?: Seven states in the USA allow gay marriage, in addition to Washington, D.C. Source: improvcomedy.org

9

Culture

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Out with the old, in with the news

Ashley Hiruko | The Communicator

Verne Windham inside the Spokane Public Radio jazz music library

Spokane Public Radio stations 90.3 FM KPBZ 91.9 FM KSFC 91.1 FM KPBX Wait Wait... don’t tell me Car talk This american life Radio lab Source: www.kpbx.org

John Lynn

the Communicator Spokane Public Radio is moving from their historic north Monroe location after more than 30 years.

SPR is planning to break ground on a new $9.8 million state-of-the-art studio in downtown Spokane, at Pacific Avenue and State Street, within the next year.

The current location is on the top floor of a 100-year-oldbuilding on Monroe. It has leaks in the roof, noise from the road outside, improvised studios and it is overcrowded.

Steve Jackson, host of

Morning Edition, faces daily interruptions from people walking past his office.

“We are literally jammed into what used to be a conference room,” Jackson said. “I’m constantly getting interrupted by the flow of people through this area, and I’m trying to edit pieces and edit stories a lot of times and there’s a lot of distractions going on.”

Some of the problems stem from the lack of sound deadening equipment between rooms.

Footsteps of people walking by can often be heard from inside the recording studios.

Many of the rooms also have windows that cause visual distractions.

The current building is leased,

Kailee Suender | Editor so structural changes to it are not possible.

“It’s an old, kind of rickety building,” said Nathan Weinbender, who volunteers as film critic for KSFC and co-host of Movies 101. “It seems like they don’t have quite enough space for the amount of stuff that they’ve got and the size of staff that they have. It does always seem like it’s pretty crowded in there.”

Weinbender recalls having to record in a studio that he and the other co-hosts could barely squeeze into.

“I think that a new venue and more updated equipment could only be beneficial for them,” he said.

Spokane Public Radio consists of KPBZ (90.3 FM), KSFC (91.9 FM) and KPBX (91.1 FM). All three radio stations produce their content in the same building. The new building will house the three stations much more efficiently, and will help them put out the best content possible. The new address will be 19 West Pacific.

Verne Windham, SPR Program Director and Classical Host, believes that having their studio in the heart of the University District will benefit the community greatly.

“You always hope that you’ll just have a lot of stories right close to you,” said Windham.

“Between the University District and the kind of arts district around the community building and frankly even the social service things. . . will be much more connected to so many aspects of the community.”

Windham said the new building will also help serve new listeners better.

“The studio will open right out

onto the street so that it really will welcome people into what we do.”

One of the plans for recording live music will be to have a studio ready to go, with microphones already hung in place. This will allow local artists more opportunities to play live on the radio.

The project involves purchasing an existing building at the site that will be turned into offices.

The studio building will be built in an adjacent lot that is currently unoccupied. Of the $9.8 million budget, 61 percent will be spent on site acquisition and construction, and another 13 percent will purchase new equipment.

The project will be funded by multiple sources. 36 percent is coming from New Markets Tax Credits, National Transportation & Information Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Washington, 21 percent from foundations, 11 percent from corporations and 32 percent from individual donors.

The groundbreaking and renovations will begin when approximately 65-75 percent of the necessary funds are available, which is estimated to be in 2013.

“There’s an increasing expectation in the Internet generation and the Facebook et cetera generation,” said Windham.

“They’re not going to be satisfied with just one nice funky old radio station trying to be all things to all people.

“And so we absolutely have to keep up with this exploding expectation of the world, so that way we can be the radio station for 2025.”

hour Slam 50 Make a six-minute film in 50 hours. Ready, set ... GO!

Slam films Showing

Magic Lantern Theater 25 W Main St. April 6 7pm Source: www.50hourslam.com

Will Gilman

the Communicator

The clock is ticking, and with only 50 hours to create an entire short film Mark Easton and his crew have no time for errors.

“If you don’t get it, you can’t use it.” Easton says as he checks his list of shots.

Hours previous he was given the list of criteria that he and his team had to use to write their film. The teams assembled at the Magic Lantern Theatre on April 6th in order to discover these secret criteria. Most timed festivals of this nature have this element to ensure that a team is not producing a film they had written previously. They have to do

something new.

Last year, the criteria involved the Spokane Sculpture Walk, and songs by local filmmakers. This year was different.

“We chose four poems, and randomly assigned them to the teams,” festival co-organizer Juan Mas said.

“We also said they had to visually include the number 50, and choose one of 10 historic buildings or structures within the downtown area on the Spokane historic register.”

Following the kick-off event, the teams disburse to go write, shoot, and edit their film. Hoping to get it turned in on time.

“I got to learn a lot and had a great time doing it. The key really was that we had an awesome team.”

Rebecca Cook said. Her team,

called Relentlessly Awesome, was one of the few that turned their films in on time.

The teams had until 9 p.m.

Sunday night to get their completed films into the hands of the festival. Complications along the way included weather, availability of the buildings, availability of personnel, and of course the fact that Sunday was Easter.

How does a filmmaker succeed?

“Lots of Redbull and 5 hour energy drink, stay away from the donuts... you will only crash. Have a good team in place, do as much preproduction work that you can. Locations, actors, crew etc. Remember that you are not going to sleep and if you turn in a finished film no matter what it is like you have succeeded.”

Did You Know?: The first Spokane Public Radio show hit the air Jan. 19, 1980.

10 Source: spokanepublicradio.org/history

Easton said.

Making the movie is only half the festival. The next step comes the screening. The top 15 films will be screened at the Magic Lantern Theater on May 13th. The teams anticipate the announcement.

Cue The Donkey films was one of the top 15 last year, Mark Easton and his crew would like to repeat that same feat.

Following the screening, all of the films are uploaded online, and the public selects their favorite of the festival. “Croaked” won last years festival… and now a new crop of movies will vie for best of the fest.

Mark Easton’s Cue The Donkey Films, turned in their film “Except Me” on time… and now like everyone else he waits.

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Sidelines

Throwing for fun

Brad Lewis|The Comunicator

Tyson Ridgeway sends his disc flying toward the basket for par at the Downriver Disc Golf Course near Riverside state park.

What you need to disc golf: Driver disc Mid range disc Putter disc A disc golf course

Disc golf offers activities for a diverse group of people of all skill levels Scott Brewster

The Communicator A disc golfer walks up to the first tee with a drink in one hand and a disc in the other.

They reel back their arm, launch the disc and as it slices through

the air veering slightly to the left it bounces off a tree and flys off course.

This is a reality for all disc golf players when playing at the Downriver Disc Golf Course.

"Downriver is much more woodsy when compared to a regular golf course," Casey Russell, a 19-year-old disc golfer, said.

The course has 18 holes like a regular golf course but instead of using clubs and getting a ball in the hole, disc golf uses many different types of discs and you try to get the disc into a basket.

Disc golf is a fairly inexpensive game for people of any age or skill level to play.

"To get started the person should get a set of three starter discs that are about $25," Russell said.

Gordy Crafts, Treasurer of the Spokane Disc Golf Association (SDGA), was a part of the group trying to get a disc golf course in Spokane.

"Downriver opened in 2002 after we successfully approached the Spokane Parks and Recreations Department about a disc golf course in 2000," Crafts said.

Bloomsday training helps runners prepare Gabriel Dillon

The Communicator

It’s that time of the year again. Bloomsday is right around the corner Bryce Gray|The Communicator

Bloomsday is a 12 K road-run (7.62 miles) with over 50,000 participants this year. Bloomsday has been hosted in Spokane on the first Sunday of May every year since 1977. This year it will take place on May 6.

“I want to push harder, but I can’t risk an injury,” Steven LeClaire said, a five time veteran of Bloomsday.

“It’s a balance I have to keep, between training hard and not overdoing it.”

Breathing hard, a steady dose of rage against the machine pumping into his ear holes courtesy of his ipod, feet pounding the pavement, sweat dripping down his forehead burning his eyes, and he only has 20 miles logged onto his runkeeper

11

The training clinic participants, going for six miles on their sixth week app on the Android for the week.

This may be a few of the many things that are running through your head as the days to the big race are counting down.

This ‘balance’ is something that every runner must take into consideration. If one pushes too hard before a race they take the risk of not racing at all due to an injury and all the hard work that you put in will have been for nothing.

“I’m on the Sasquatch Soccer Team so I’m constantly running,” Ian Graves said. “Aside from that, I run the trail at Medical Lake about 3 times a week.” This will be Graves’ second year running Bloomsday.

“Bloomsday is something that’s important for me to do every year,” said Leclaire. “If I were to injure myself in any way that prevented me from running, I would be a very unhappy person.”

For the past six weeks there has been a Bloomsday training clinic that is being held at SFCC. It is being put on by Anne M. Mckeon, the Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for Providence Health Care and Carol Ann Cochran from Group Health Cooperative. “It’s our signature event,” said Cochran. “Our motto is safety first.”

These clinics are free and start at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings with

Gabriel Dillon | Editor The SDGA maintains not only the Downriver course, but also Highbridge Park in Spokane, and Sunnyside Disc Golf Course in Pullman.

"The type of maintenance we do to Downriver is we clean up the park and replace things that people steal like the tee mats and in an extreme case we have had to replace a basket," Crafts said.

Travis Bublitz, a 23-year-old avid disc golf player who has been playing for three years, talks about the different types of discs.

"There are four different types of discs, they are a putter disc, mid range disc, fairway drivers and long range drivers," Bublitz said.

Before Downr nbiver opened in 2002 Mike Bubash, 25-year-old disc golfer, did not have anywhere to play but that did not stop him and his buddies.

"My buddies and I would play on the street I lived on as a kid and find random trees or trash cans and use that as our goal," Bubash said.

Although one similarity that both Golf and Disc Golf share is the scoring system of strokes. A stroke is recorded when you throw your disc. So for example a score of three occurs when it takes the golfer three throws to get the disc into the basket.

A difference that Disc Golf has from Golf is that you can play anytime and anywhere you want to.

"At night in the summertime here at Downriver I put glow sticks on my discs and play with a bunch of friends and we have a blast," Russell said.

lectures from a health care professionals. McKeon said that the clinic teaches participants how to improve their nutrition, exercise patterns and how to dress appropriately for the run.

“We are teaching people to train properly,” Mckeon said. “They learn about safe ways to stretch to avoid injury.”

This is the first year SFCC has hosted the clinic. It began the year after the first Bloomsday when some orthopedic specialists noticed a lot of injuries resulting from running the race. They decided to do something to help people to prepare. It had outgrown all the previous places that have hosted the clinic in the past.

This year 860 people have signed up for the clinic.

“To put this on we need a lot of volunteers,” Cochran said. “We have health care professionals on bikes to help out in case of emergencies, they are essential.”

“I’m on the Sasquatch Soccer Team so I’m constantly running,” Ian Graves said. “Aside from that, I run the trail at Medical Lake about 3 times a week.” This will be Graves’ second year running Bloomsday.

Those who don’t have a training routine of their own can use the Smartcoach on runnersworld.com, the basic version is free. It will help you create a custom training program for any body type and fitness level.

Did you know? Bloomsday runners will now have electronic race chips attached to their race numbers to get more acurate race times.

Source: Spokesman Review

Late race sign up Late race registration can be done online from the Bloomsday official web sight for $35. You can also register on Friday May 4 from 11:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Spokane Convention Center during the Bloomsday Trade Show. The trade show is a show case of fitness products, activities and events admission is free to the public.

This is also where you can pick up your race number.

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Sidelines

Gabriel Dillon | Editor

High-flying sport fraught with hidden dangers Matt Moffatt

The Communicator

Jake Hansen|The Communicator

SFCC pole-vaulter, Mitch Kamstra plants the pole and takes flight during practice

Pole vaulting is a very demanding track event. Just ask the athletes that pole-vault for the SFCC track team.

McAlister Buchanan, one of the two women on the pole-vault team, explained what exactly they need to do to prepare for this upper-body demanding event.

“We do a lot of different things,” Buchanan said. “We focus on slide boxes, which helps with your run and your plant (of the pole).”

Buchanan said other practice days they do full pole-vault runthroughs, along with sprinting and lifting weights.

Buchannan, who’s been polevaulting for seven years, said she started vaulting originally because her dad did it and she wanted to try it.

Lexie Adams, who is the other half of the women’s pole-vaulting team, also started because of her dad.

“My dad was a decathlete,” Adams said. “He said I was crazy enough and athletic enough for it (Pole Vaulting), so he threw me in there, and I ended up being crazy enough for it.”

Kyle Stone, a member of the SFCC Men’s pole-vault team, did what most high school freshman track athletes did when they were not told to do something by their coaches, but an event caught that

athlete’s eye.

“I was bouncing around between events,” Stone said. “I saw the polevaulter’s in the corner pole-vaulting, so I wanted to go out and try it.”

In terms of team points, according to pole-vaulting coach James Powell, one athlete winning the pole-vault event could earn your track team 10 points. That may be the deciding factor of placing second or being crowned champion at the NWAACC Track and Field Championships.

Pole-vault is not just planting a stick in the ground and landing on the other side. There are dangers that these athletes encounter every day.

“You can break your ankle if your foot lands in the box,” Buchanan said. “There’s always a danger of flying off the side (of the mat) and hitting the standards (the area around the mat).”

“When you plant (the pole),” Adams said. “If your hand slides a bit, the pole will come back and hit you in the face.”

Spokane track and field, for both men and women, are powerhouses when it comes to the last meet of the season in the championships.

That’s no different from the polevault pool of competitors.

“It depends on the year,” Powell said. “But it’s usually (between) Spokane, Lane Community College, and then Clark Community College (for who wins).”

Did You Know?: The men’s world record pole vault is 6.1 meters, held by Serei Bubka of Ukraine.

Source: Guinness Book of World Records

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