Issue Date 10|15|19
02/03
Vol. XVIII
04/05
08/09
06/07
No. 3
12
10/11
ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN DYER
Trump: Can’t See the Forest for the Trees
by Timothy Randall
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Student Senate Keeping Close Ties with President Cassidy
by Celina Simmons
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he Student Senate’s Executive Board members have a lot on their plates, and on Thursday, October 3rd, the team (minus newly appointed Treasurer, Alex Diaz) had the opportunity to sit down with SMCC’s President Joe Cassidy. By the looks of the
pictures, you can see it went fairly well. It was a fun time getting to know the president and we hope he feels the same towards us. The title of president is professional and Joe is as well, but
Photographed Left to Right: Director of Records, Celina Simmons, Director of Public Relations, Tyler O'Brien, President Joe Cassidy, Vice President of Senate, Conner Hudson, & President of Senate, Joshua Parks
(continued on page 8)
ow would you feel if Donald Trump destroyed 1.6 million acres of land in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, all to benefit of the oil, gas and logging industries? And at the cost of your tax dollars! In America’s largest national forest, Trump is looking to drill for oil, disrupting the many species and ecosystems that have been there for over 500 years. The environmental impact would potentially be fatal to many different animals and do more harm than good. Aren’t we looking for ways to reduce climate change and save our planet from potential catastrophic climate events? Donald Trump clearly is not. He and his administration are hoping to lift logging restrictions set in place by the Clinton Administration nearly 20 years ago and it’s all for the almighty dollar. This is our land, America, and we cannot allow the construction of drilling pads, processing plants, miles upon miles of roads and massive pipelines to invade our national forest; our “Amazon,” only to benefit the oil, gas and logging industries. What about our benefits beyond the energy industry? Drilling for oil does not make economic sense. Taxpayers for Common Sense analyzed the land leases and estimated that leasing the more than 800,000 acres would not generate the $2,250 per acre needed to offset the trillion dollar tax bill from 2017. It will be tough to get $2,250 per acre
when the average price per acre for all land in that area has been $53.21—on average— over the past 5 years. If drilling is supposed to help with the $1.4 trillion deficit, then this is really a big joke just like logging in Alaska! Once all the federal subsidies for construction of new roads, reconstruction of last years roads, timber harvest and timber sales are accounted for, the logging program will cost taxpayers $26 million each year returning a tiny $1.69 million, for an average loss of more than $24 million each year for over the last 20 years. That total of $24 million would only be expected to rise if this project goes into operation. The Alaskan forest is one of our greatest carbon sanctuaries and helps us persevere against climate change. Cutting and drilling would not only cost us millions upon millions of dollars but reduce our chances of fighting climate change. We would be moving backwards by emitting more carbon into our atmosphere, sacrificing our land, as well as, the species that reside there for once again, the benefit of oil, gas and logging industries! Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is larger than many states and is the home to caribou, grizzly bears, migratory birds, polar bears and wolves. Drilling for oil threatens not only the wildlife that live there but many people that are native to the land and depend on the natural resources provided by the land. Disrupting and permanently damaging this beautiful landscape would have catastrophic consequences for the animals and the Alaskan people. We need to protect our high-value (continued on page 7)
An Interview With Katharine Lualdi from TRIO Services
by Jessilyn Rich
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ess interviewed Katharine from TRIO Services. The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Name Katharine Lualdi
Managing Editor Celina Simmons Art Director Morgan Dyer Copy Editor Bridey Boyle Chris Hedgpeth Webmaster Molly Pooler Production Manager Michelle Kapschull Graphic Designers Timothy Randall Madeline Rheaume Celina Simmons Illustrators Dan Elliott Chris Hedgpeth Arden Goodwin
What is your position at the college? Director and Advisor of TRIO Student Support Services. (TRIO is a federally funded grant focused on personalized advising to help students meet their goals.) What part of your job do you find most challenging? The most challenging part is that we can only have a 140 students in our program at a time, per the rules of the grant. I wish the program could be bigger, to be able to serve more students. What part of your job is your favorite? My favorite part of my job is working with the students and getting to know them really well; they bring a lot of great perspectives and great goals. What is the best advice you have for a student's, success in college? [Students should] definitely reach out for support, and answers to questions, be as proactive as you can in using the resources
available - this is your college education. Ask questions and seek what you need; self accountability and advocacy is important.
Is there anything else you would like students to know about you? The door is always open at TRIO.
What is the best advice you have ever received? “Take chances and get outside of your comfort zone”
The TRIO SSS Office on the 1st floor of the Campus Center at the South Portland Campus or the front desk at the L.L.Bean Learning Commons at the Midcoast Campus in Brunswick. FMI https://www. smccme.edu/academics/success-programs/ TRIO/ or email: TRIOsss@smccME.edu
What are a couple of things on your bucket list, that you hope to do in the future? I want to hike the whole Appalachian Trail, and visit Alaska. What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of work? Open water swimming, reading, cooking, and speak French. What is something we would never guess about you? I swam from Alcatraz to a beach on the San Francisco coast and I have a PH. D in History. Top 3 favorite books of all time? The Velveteen Rabbit, The Brothers Karamazov and The Phantom Toll Booth. Top 3 favorite movies of all time? Chariots of Fire, Birdman, and Raiders of the Lost Ark If you could live in any book or a movie which one would you choose? A Wrinkle in Time.
It’s just about the midway point and stress levels may be creeping. Why not peacefully puzzle out some patterns, then mindfully meditate on some mandalas?
Contributing Writers Timothy Randall Magella Cantara Jessilyn Rich Arden Goodwin Leonid Eichfeld Lauren Ruby Jonathan Sturdee James Little Jade Densmore Chris Hedgpeth Morgan Dyer Daniel Elliott Photgraphers James Little Dan Elliott CONTACT US mbeacon@smccme.edu @thebeacon.smcc @thesmccbeacon @smccbeacon www.thesmccbeacon.com 2 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
Solutions to last issue’s rebuses
long underwear; just between you and me; hole in one;what goes up, must come down; I ate some pie
Photo of Katharine Lauldi
Organization Tips for College Students
by Arden Goodwin
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ast issue, we talked about more conventional ways to organize your school work. Here are a few more supplementary tips to try, focusing on the time you spend outside of class. Choose to implement whichever ones you would like, everyone gets organized differently! Wake up at a certain time every day Pick a time that works for you and try to routinely wake up around then. Oversleeping can make you feel like you’ve wasted your morning, and often the rest of the day can feel chaotic. The same goes for what time you go to bed. Make your bed when you get up! This seems like a simple and pointless action, but it does actually make a difference. Making your bed will make your room look a little more clean and make it harder for you to crawl back in. Clean up before you go to bed Spending at least five minutes clearing the surfaces in your room before you decide to hit the hay can make your desk seem more inviting when you need to study the next day. When clutter is eliminated, the clutter in your mind will clear up a little as well. Set timers when studying Using a timer while working on homework or studying will help keep you accountable and on task. (Try not to) work in your bed Separate your sleeping/relaxation areas from your work areas. Try to always work at your desk, a library, or a cafe. Although if you’re more comfortable reading for a class in bed, there’s no harm in that.
Where's My Advisor?
by Magella Cantara ot every college is perfect or walking the walk. One issue brought up frequently across campus is the lack of availability to set up a face to face meeting with an advisor. Whatever your major may be, you are assigned an advisor specific to your field. For those who may be freshmen or new to the college experience in general, an advisor is someone who simply helps you keep track of where you are in terms of graduating. Your advisor is also responsible for helping you change your major or transfer, if that is the route you’re looking to take. Regardless, your questions as a college student deserve to be answered and heard. There’s just one problem. Advisors on the SMCC campus aren’t doing their jobs as they should be. We all have stuff to do, things to get done, life happens etc. However, when we as students are supposed to rely on our advisors to keep us on the right track, but our advisors all of a sudden aren’t available, where do we go? Do we ask for a different advisor? How can I change to an advisor who will give me what I need to set my future? These are questions that we, as students, should not have to be scrambling around to find solutions and answers to. We’ve done our part in reaching out, now we need the advisors to stay on their game as well. After all, it is their job and what they have signed up to do. We need advisors to make a better effort to work with us and not against us. Here’s an example of this frustrating situation that has occurred on more than one occasion. My sports psychology teacher is also my advisor. We had a meeting arranged before class at 9:30 a.m. I showed up early and when I got there. her response was “I’m supposed to be somewhere else, can we meet up next Tuesday?” This may not seem like the end of the world. However, as a college student, time is of the essence with assignments being done. And the same goes for our teachers - because of these factors it’s likely you both will forget in a week. We are still human with lots on our minds so it’s hard to reschedule something that should have already been discussed. I talked with another student in my class who has the same advisor and she was on the same page as me. She made it clear she was looking to find an advisor she could rely on to do their part, such as responding to emails and verifying they have been received, and to make sure they are committed just as much as students are. As students, when we care more than those who want us to succeed, there is a problem. This shouldn’t be one sided. Where do we begin to fix it?
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COURTESY OF JAMES LITTLE
Aesthetic Photographs Captured as the Culinary Department Prepares for Lunch Services Nursing Club Flu Shot Clinic When: October 15, 2019 Where: HSC Room 124 Time: 12PM-1:15PM
What you need in order to get a FREE flu shot: 1. Your Student ID and medical insurance card 2. If you do not have medical insurance, or cannot present your insurance card, the cost of the Flu Shot is $38. 3. Flu shots will be administered by 2nd, 3rd, and 4th semester nursing students, with faculty supervision. 4. Open to all students, faculty, and staff.
with the Business Club TO SEE WHO YOUR ADVISOR IS GO TO: MYMAINEGUIDE, CLICK DEGREE, CLICK RUN DEGREE AUDIT, THEN VIEW ALL DETAILS the smcc beacon | lighting our community 3
Ride the Bus for Free!
by Leonid Eichfeld
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ID YOU KNOW, as an SMCC student you can ride the bus for free? Show any Metro or South Portland bus driver your student I.D. with an up to date sticker (you can pick one up at the security office as long as you’re taking classes) and you don’t need to pay a thing! Let me tell you just how great this is! You can go from SoPo, to Westbrook, all the way to Gorham and Brunswick. Every bus can hold two bikes on the front rack, with the Breez (Portland to Brunswick) being an exception because you can put a third inside the cabin at the front of the bus- as long as you hold on to it and the bus isn’t totally full. METRO BUS SERVICE INFORMATION The Metro offers ten different routes. Just go to gpmetro.org and click “MAPS & SCHEDULES” on the top of the page and you’ll find just what you need. The Metro Pulse is where paper route maps and schedules can be found, as well as the lovely Metro employees who will gladly answer any questions. The Metro Pulse is located at 21 Elm Street in Portland, right next to Monument Square and the library. The Metro Pulse is open 7am to 7pm Monday-Friday. You can contact the Metro at 207774-0351, or you can contact them via their website (gpmetro.org) - just click CONTACT US on the main page. You can also pick up paper route
maps and schedules inside the bus itself. On average, the busses run as early as 6am, and as late at 11pm, 7 days a week. This varies from route to route, and the Breez does not run on Sundays. Just a little FYI, the Breeze and the newer models of busses have USB chargers underneath the seats. SOUTH PORTLAND BUS SERVICE INFORMATION
South Portland Bus Services offers 3 different routes. Just go to southportland. org/departments/bus-transportation, and click “Bus Schedule” to find what you need. You can contact South Portland Bus Services at (207)-7675556 for any questions. Paper Schedules can be found on the busses, and at the South Portland Hannaford, Shaws, and South Portland City Hall.
On average, the busses run from 6am to 10pm, with limited service on Sundays. Happy riding!
10 Ways to Manage Stress
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ey everybody! Another week with more homework and projects to do! Here are another 10 ways to cool off when the stress gets high:
ents to throw a meal together quicker. 14. Always make copies of important papers Having copies of handouts or notes you get in class and keeping them in different places ensures you have a backup if you lose one.
11. Avoid Negative People Sometimes it is hard to avoid, but hanging around people who are rude and/or condescending can be emotionally draining and can cause way more stress than is necessary.
15. Anticipate your needs It’s important to know yourself and your limits. Don’t push yourself further than you can handle. Talk to someone you trust if you feel like you’re taking on too much.
12. Use Time Wisely It’s all about prioritizing. Even when something seems more fun or appealing, consider what will happen later. Will you be stressed later trying to get something else done?
16. Repair anything that doesn’t work properly Fixing things yourself can give a sense of accomplishment, knowing you did something for yourself.
by Lauren Ruby
13. Simplify meal times Start with planning what you will eat a day or two in the future. Prep ingredi-
17. Ask for help with jobs you dislike Having someone help you with certain tasks can make the job go faster and maybe make it more enjoyable to do.
18. Break large tasks into bite-sized portions Splitting large projects and homework assignments over the course of the time before it is due gives you more time to get things done and gives you a manageable workload each day. 19. Look at problems as challenges If you look at something as something you have to do it, there will be a chance of putting it off and adding more stress to your workload. Instead, if you look at it as completing an achievement in a game, you will want to work hard to get it done and get the accomplishment. 20. Look at challenges differently Give yourself a goal when getting homework done - tell yourself that you want to do it instead of having to do it.
Why You Should Try Reinstalling Windows Before Buying A New Computer
by Jonathan Sturdee
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s Americans, we love our tech devices. We just can't get enough of them - be it a cell phone, laptop/desktop, tablet, game console, etc. We use them all the time in our everyday lives and we are constantly buying new ones to play with, such as the newest iPhone or game console. We love to get new things. But computers are a different story. According to ComputerHope.com “studies conclude that users should replace their computers at least every 4 years.” This seems fairly accurate for most people with decent computers, with the exception being people who know how to build them and can simply replace old parts. But for most people (myself included), we don’t know how to replace old parts to keep our computers running fast and usable. We simply wait until our computer gets to the point where it is basically unusable, then go spend $400-500 on another one. Now I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t have that kind of money just laying around waiting for me to go blow it on a fancy new laptop or desktop. I would much rather figure out what's wrong with my computer and fix the problem, and as a last resort scrounge some money together to go buy a new computer. There are numerous ways that you can attempt to fix your computer. You can try an anti-malware software such as Avast or BitDefender, which both have very good free options. Or you can use Windows Defender, which is the default anti-malware 4 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
software for Windows 10 and probably what your computer is already running, unless you installed another anti-malware software. All three are viable options that could help prevent most malware from infecting your computer; they will also scan it to make sure everything is running the way it's supposed to. (My website (http://jonathansturdee.com/) has links for where to download and how to use these anti-malware/cleaning options.) But for older computers this probably won’t make it run any faster, because over time your computer will accumulate a large amount of junk files, slowing it down significantly. A good way to try and fix this is by using a cleaning software designed to remove unwanted files from your computer. The best tool for this job would be CCleaner, a free software that can be very useful in removing unwanted files. But unfortunately, this doesn’t work all the time. So last but not least you should try reinstalling Windows. Luckily, reinstalling Windows 10 is extremely easy. It just takes some preparation beforehand to make sure you’re ready to reinstall. Reinstalling Windows essentially means bringing it back to the way it was when you first bought it, restoring all the factory settings, deleting all the files that have been added since you first started using it. It’s a complete restart, which sounds daunting, but it can work wonders. For example, I recently just reinstalled windows on my HP laptop. I have had it for
a little over 3 years and it got to the point where it was pretty much unusable - it would constantly crash, the screen would freeze up, it was basically useless. I first tried to see if I had any malware on my system. Windows Defender said that my system was completely clean and so I tried using CCleaner, which deleted a bunch of useless files. Alas, my computer was still snail speed. So I decided that as a last resort before buying a new computer, I would try reinstalling Windows - I might as well, I was at the point that was I prepared to go buy a new laptop, so it couldn’t hurt to try. Before reinstalling, you’re going to want to backup all of your important files to a portable USB flash drive or hard drive. There is an option when reinstalling to save certain files, but you might as well be on the safe side and copy them to your USB drive. Once that is complete, you can start the reinstall. After about 6 hours (the time for the reinstall will vary), the reinstall was complete and my computer amazingly was as fast as the day I got it. A tutorial on how to do everything that I’ve just described (and links on where to find the anti-malware/ cleaning options and how to use them) can be found on my website listed below. Jonathan Sturdee is a member of the Information Technology Senior Seminar course and is planning on a career in Information Technology. Website http://jonathansturdee.com/
$1,000 Out of Your Pocket Feeding Your Addiction
recognize it in the future and say, “been there, done that, not trying to go back.” To go back to our previous statement iving with a nicotine addiction is that this isn’t the best resource to help essentially running in circles with no you quit, we are in the process of quitting benefits. It affects the way you breathe, this habit ourselves. But we think that a the way you think, and the overall quality big part of this is realizing that it isn’t just of your life. In some cases, it can go to the you who’s going through this struggle. extent of affecting personal relationships. Anyone who has ever picked up nicotine If you’re like us in that you’ve tried and tried to quit knows how difficult and relentlessly to quit and yet you just can’t frustrating it can be. You may have tried seem to, I can’t say you’ve come to the over and over to quit and just come to the right place, but it’s a good place to start. conclusion you have an addictive personThe dangerous thing about any addiction ality. News flash: we all have addictive is the tricks your mind plays on you to personalities. It’s in our human nature. keep it up. You start to tell yourself you’re There’s one last thing to consider. The ready to quit- you don’t need this. But after Center for Disease Control estimates that only 3-5 hours without it, you begin to a pack-a-day habit of smoking cigarettes think, “Maybe I do need it.” The fact that with the cost of one pack averaging we all love to neglect is that $6.28 (they are typically not we never needed nicothis low around here), can tine to begin with. cost you upwards of Before we get $2,292 per year, or into the “how’s” $188 per month. it’s important For Juuls, if to cover the you’re buying a “why’s.” Why 4-pack of pods did you pick each week, up your first that can add cigarette? up to $1,000. Why did Let’s be honest you rip that with ourJuul? Why did selves, does that we willingly 4-pack last you trap ourselves the entire week? into this vicious Now for the ILLUSTRATION BY ARDEN GOODWIN cycle? Ask yourself “how’s”, since you’ve these questions. Ponder made it this far. We found them. Was it that good ol’ a great website with the top tips peer pressure that brought you in? on quitting and picked out our favorites. Or was it solely your choice? UnfortuTo see the rest of the list, feel free to go nately, we can’t answer that for you, but to https://www.allencarr.com/usa/easyonce you face that cause head on, you can way-stop-vaping/top-tips-quit-vaping/ by Arden Goodwin & Celina Simmons
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Motorcycle Safety
by James Little
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ave you ever thought that you might want to ride a motorcycle because you think it would be cool or because it would be cheaper on gas? Then what I would tell you is that you should look into taking a Motorcycle Safety Foundations course (MSF) to see if riding a motorcycle is right for you. I have seen some people who have taken the course decide it was not for them because they could not get adjusted to shifting gears and using the clutch at the same time. Before you waste your money on buying a motorcycle that you will never ride (or if you already ride), please do yourself and our school a favor and put a pad under your kickstand so that it does not ruin the parking areas. Here is what the MSF courses can teach you as a beginner or even if you are
PHOTO COURTESY BY JAMES LITTLE
experienced at riding but want to improve your riding skills. For the beginners there is the Starting The Ride, which is the Basic Rider course. Then there is the Continuing The Ride, where you can get the understanding on how to ride in urban and town roads. After that, you have the Advanced Rider Course that helps you to improve your skills;V last but not least, you have the Master Riding Course. Here is one location where you can get information here in the state of Maine for these courses: Crystal Falls Banquet Facility, 1269 Eastern Ave, Chelsea, ME. It's State Route 17, just minutes east of Augusta. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact them at 207-445-MOST (6678). (They ask that you please do not contact their training locations directly concerning our training courses, as their offices are not at this location.) You can also visit https://www. msf-usa.org/ for more general information.
TIPS TO QUIT
1. Look forward to the quality of your life once you quit and the idea of not having to rely on nicotine to get through the day.
ing. You should confront the white elephant in the room and be proud of your new non-smoking lifestyle.
2. Keep your cool with the withdrawal, it is very slight and passes quickly. It typically takes 72 hours for nicotine to be flushed from your body. Try counting down those hours.
4. Don’t use substitutes!!! “It’s like advising a heroin addict who’s smoking the drug off foil to start injecting it instead.”
3. Don’t try to not think about vap-
5. There’s no such thing as just one vape or cigarette - when you quit, you’ve quit. No ifs, ands, or “butts” about it.
Wanna see more Egg-Dwar?? Check out our Facebook or Instagram page @eggdwar! the smcc beacon | lighting our community 5
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here is the job market going to be in the future? I have one answer and two reasons. My answer is that within the next five years or so, the US will have a labour surplus but it may be one of the few (if not the only) country to have such. Long term, there will be a labor crisis or shortage across many various countries. Reason number one: by 2030 the baby boomers, who are a significant portion of today’s labor force, ages 30-65, will have retired. Quite frankly there are not enough bodies to replace the ones that will be lost. Germany specifically will face the reper cussions of a labor shortage, as they don’t have enough women in their workforce. In order to properly counteract this crisis, they will need to integrate more women into their workforce and raise the retirement age. The number of women in the workforce has consistently grown over the past decade(s) and will most likely continue to increase; however, that
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alone will not stop the labor shortage. Reason number two: My next reason is that based off the article I read before completing this piece, we face a large number of long-term unemployed people, and the longterm unemployed are less likely to receive and maintain a permanent job or career. We faced a high rate of unemployment during the recession of 2008 and even though the economy has been recovering, the unemployment rate did not follow suit as quickly. Another thing to look at and note is the full employment of today. US expansion has economists thinking that we are at or near full employment. Not everyone has a job, as can be demonstrated by taking a walk around Brunswick and looking at the various businesses hiring one or more positions. However, it appears that our current rate of unemployment won’t cause inflation, or at least that’s what we are all thinking. Overall the labor force is going to vastly decrease within the next twelve years and there are plenty of things that the economy, and individuals, can do
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about it. With automation and technology, this may become an issue. We as a society and government can counter that by focusing on education to
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from non-nicotine vapes can spark a ban on all vape juice and vaping products as a whole, how many deaths will it take to ban cigarettes? It’s estimated that over 480,000 people die from cigarette smoking every year. Just because these people dying aren’t high-schoolers, they clearly aren’t as important from those government’s standpoint. And where do these governments and parents think their children are going to turn to once vapes are gone? I mean, let’s face it, their kids are hooked on an addiction that is potentially stronger than that of cigarettes. Some may quit altogether, but I’m willing to bet most will find some way to keep the addiction alive, be it cigarettes or more sketchy vapes purchased illegally. Going back to Massachusetts for a minute, the vape crisis has just claimed a new casualty- vape store owners, and they are not happy about it. Because of a four month ban prohibiting the sale of vape products to in-state purchasers, some store owners, like my friends’ bosses, are being left with over $80,000 in inventory that is now illegal to distribute. Store owners are turning to New
Seeing Into the Future of Unemployment
by Jade Densmore
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assachusetts: vape shop owners are done. Oregon: emergency six-month ban. New York State: emergency 90 day ban, then revoked? Even the Trump administration is hopping on the “banned” wagon. It’s happening all over. State governments are placing emergency bans on vape juice and other vape products, but why? And where is this back and forth controversy coming from? Confusion, pure confusion. At least 18 deaths have been reported so far in 15 different states from “vape related illnesses,” according to a Washington Post article posted on October 8th, 2019. Since vaping is such a new phenomena and no one really knows what the risks are, people got scared. An uproar was created through word of mouth and thus, the ban was born. But who has looked into the details? Numerous articles have reported that upwards to 78% of these “illnesses” have been caused from THC-containing vape cartridges purchased off of the black market- not nicotine vapes. Yes, you read that correctly. Those fun little “dab carts” everyone has been loving, are not so fun anymore.
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So, why are we banning vape juices? Last year, I lived with four individuals who work in a vape company’s warehouse making the juice, bottling it, and distributing it. These individuals have literally been eating the juice to test the flavor/quality, spilling the stuff all over themselves, and, of course, vaping it day in and day out. Don’t you think that if anyone were to get sick from nicotine juices, it would be them? Yet they are perfectly healthy and continue to vape because they know what is in their product, and they are actually taking the time to look into this “epidemic.” But because a couple news articles are deeming their product as “murderous,” they are at risk of losing their jobs. Weren’t people complaining just yesterday about losing jobs in this country? And now they want to get rid of hundreds to thousands more? Makes sense. One side of the argument is that vape products shouldn’t be banned at all. There are plenty of things that we do, regardless of the risks, and many believe that vaping shouldn’t be treated any differently. If we know the risks and still want to participate, we should be able to do so. On that note, if 18 mysterious deaths
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by Celina Simmons & Jade Densmore
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The “Banned” Wagon & What’s Really Killing the Children
ILLUSTRATI
Hampshire to see if they can sell their products across state lines to save not only their business, but their paychecks and the paychecks of their employees as well. The fact of the matter is that nobody knows all of the facts. If a nationwide ban occurs, some public health experts worry that it could potentially destroy one of the biggest public health opportunities in our time. I suppose that’s just a risk that some people are willing to take. Check out the Other World section for more information on vaping and nicotine addictions and tips on how to quit.
ensure that the labor force has the skills needed to work alongside this new technology. We also need to continue to encourage having women in the workforce.
From the Desk of the Managing Editor
by Celina Simmons
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ately more than ever, the world has been very messy. Politicians are running around like children (what else is new?); climate scientists say we have only 20 years left; flavored vape juice is deemed “murderous;” and on top of all of that, homework is still piling up! As if there wasn’t enough to worry about. Sometimes it’s impossible to settle down and focus with all of this happening, as life gets pretty blurry in the mix and we can’t help but stress about things out of our control.
(Quick side note: check out the Other World section for 10 great ways to manage stress!) I’ve taken note over the past couple of weeks that the majority of people I’ve come in contact with that have been feeling the weight of the world more than usual. I’m intrigued as to why and how so many people are feeling the same way at this time. And it’s not just students feeling this. I’ve spoken to faculty, my friends who aren’t even in school, and my parents, all of whom feel run down. Is this because we’ve been pushing too hard for so long? Or is there something more in the mix that we have incidentally been looking over? I’m always one to advocate awareness in what’s happening in the world around you, but at this time I feel it’s of more importance to touch base with yourself. By that, I mean when you start feeling overwhelmed, stop what you are doing, sit alone, and ask yourself, “what do I need?” Sometimes we don’t realize how much these things we hear about on the news affect us in a subconscious way. It’s as if the media keeps feeding us negativity on top of negativity, and when we get handed our own plates of responsibilities, we feel as if we’ve bitten off more than we can swallow. Yes, it’s important to be informed in our society. However, it's more important than ever to be informed on your own needs. Take time to listen to yourself. It doesn’t have to be a spiritual experience. Just listen and help yourself for once, be selfish for once, spoil yourself one goddamn time because you of all people know how much you need it.
Vaccinationland
by Chris Hedgpeth
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id you know George Washington inoculated the Continental Army against smallpox? In 1777, then Commander Washington set up a program to infect America’s troops with a weakened version of the smallpox virus to give them immunity to the disease. Back then, people had about a 1% to 2% chance of contracting smallpox from the treatment, known as variolation. Modern vaccination methods don’t carry this same risk of infection. For example, only about 1 or 2 people out of a million experience serious side effects from the flu vaccine. Despite the relative safety, there’s a large number of people who are convinced vaccines pose a threat to us. Much of this fear of vaccines stems from a discredited former physician named Andrew Wakefield, whose fraudulent 1998 study linked MMR vaccines to autism. Unfortunately, it took about a decade to debunk Wakefield’s study - time enough to fuel a global “anti-vaxxer” movement. The spread of misinformation by this movement has led to several measles outbreaks in the U.S., including one in 2017 that affected Minnesota’s Somali-American community. Among the 75 people infected, the median age was two years old. Anti-vaxxers often claim to be fighting for children, but children, along with the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, are the ones their lies hurt the most. For vaccines to be effective at stopping the spread of infectious disease, we need at least 95% of the population to be vaccinated. In Maine, over the past few
ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS HEDGPETH
years, our children have gradually exceeded a 5% vaccine opt-out rate. I shouldn’t need to do the math for you there. In response to this disturbing trend, Maine lawmakers crafted a bill, LD 798, that eliminates religious and philosophical exemptions from school vaccine requirements. On May 24th, Governor Mills signed this bill into law. In September, a group opposing mandatory vaccines calling themselves “Mainers for Health and Parental Rights” led a campaign to collect signatures for a citizen’s veto of LD 798. If the state accepts their signatures as valid, we will most likely be voting on the fate of mandatory vaccines on March 3rd, 2020. Bodily autonomy is something I value, but not when it’s callously used to harm others, and especially not when parents use it as a means to deny their own children protection from easily preventable diseases. Superstition and whimsy have no place in matters of public health, and informed consent is not a shield for ignorance to hide behind.
ILLUSTRATED BY QUENTIN CURTISS
The Negatives of Size and Beauty
by James Little
W
hy is it that this world thinks the only way to be beautiful or happy is to be skinny? We all have seen celebrities endorse products such as SlimFast, Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, and the South Beach Diet - just to name a few. Then there are the pills that supposedly boost your body into hyperactiveness and your body will just lose the weight, or that it will just melt away. Hogwash!!! And if you do lose it, when you stop taking the pills, the weight will come back and more. Then we have the doctors who let us know that we should lose weight for health issues but do not give us instructions on how to do so, other than to diet and exercise. That can not help you if you have physical limitations to working out. If you were very active then not able to do the intensive workouts anymore, then that weight loss does not happen.
I have been around for a long while and I have been all over this great world and I have seen and been around people from all over that were skinny and big. Both are beautiful and ugly, happy and sad. I have seen that one person that was wow! drop dead gorgeous, yet they were the ugliest person I have ever met and others whom were not as pleasing to the eye but the most beautiful, due to their demeanor and their inner beauty that transcended outward. So, be happy with yourself and who you are, this way your beauty shines through. Why is it that we care for the way people see us? How is it that we think that if we lose the weight and become skinny that people are going to think that we are beautiful and happy? I believe that it will not make us happy unless we lose it for ourselves and are happy for whom we are, and for the others, if they do not like us for who we are, we do not need their approval at all.
Trump: Can’t See the Forest for the Trees (continued from page 1) natural resources and our wildlife habitats; we need to explore new ways to not only benefit us, but benefit the world around us. Of the 157 bird species in Alaska, it is said that about 69 of those species would go extinct over an 85-year period as a result of the project. It would also hurt the population of caribou, polar bears and seals. The search for oil would pollute the peaceful, unspoiled beauty and solitude with a massive amount of noise
from machinery, planes and drilling. You can help stop Trump and his administration by visiting: https://act. nrdc.org/letter/af-arctic-refuge-170925 or by going to Google and searching: “Help Stop Trump’s Plans to Drill in the Arctic Refuge,” to ensure our largest National Wildlife Refuge stays green and clear from pollutants and irreversible, life threatening destruction.
ILLUSTRATED BY DANIEL ELLIOTT
the smcc beacon | lighting our community 7
The Secret Keeper of the Sea
Part 2
by Jessilyn Rich
M
y heart lurched in my chest as the blast of the horn pierced the night and ripped me from my sleep. My startled arm sent my tea cup flying from the end table, it smashed into the floor, sending the cold contents all around. I had fallen asleep in my arm chair, a common occurrence in this house, as I waited each night, hoping, praying it would never come. The sounds of the bells from lighthouse bounced off the shoreline of the bay, clouding the quiet and clear night air. I paused for just a moment, my hand pressed securely over my mouth, trying to silence the pounding of my heart as I listened closely. Could tonight really be the night, was it happening again? The screams of the rescue boat taking off into the darkness, sliced through the night with such accuracy that I believe my heart stopped beating all together. I scrambled from my chair, dumping an oblivious old tabby from my lap. He paid little care to the world outside the window, unless it was to taunt a bird on a near by branch, part of me envied his ignorance. The night air struck my face like freezing rain as I threw the window open. The window that I didn’t remember closing or latching in the first place. The wind of the sea, threatened to pull me out of the frame and dump me onto the ground far below. I regained my balance as I continued to lean over the edge, squinting into the darkness, a light fog was now setting in as I listened for another whistle to blow. I could see the
red lights of the rescue boat disappearing into the fog, their flashing red fading into a pool of gray. I held my breath, chipped paint tearing into my skin as I gripped the window frame. A whistle sounded, before the cannon of the flare struck the
night air, lighting the night sky like a firework that no one had wanted to see. Fishermen ripped from their beds, poured down the docks in disheveled clothes that had been hastily thrown on their backs. They raced for their boats,
shouting to one another a chorus of planning and prayers as they pulled the vessels from their slips. Groups of women wrapped in blankets and house coats, gathered on the wooden planks at the waters edge, some crying, other praying, they all suspected the same thing. It was happening again. Oh dear god it was happening again. I pulled myself from the window, slipping in the spilled tea as I ran for the door. My feet pounding like horses hooves on cobblestone, descending the stairs in rapid succession. My trembling fingers fought with the lock on the backdoor. I pleaded with old damn house to let me out, I needed to be on the docks. Oh dear lord, it’s happening again, why is it happening again? The house finally released me and I tumbled through the screen door, my knees colliding with the wooden slats of the back porch. I looked towards the water, my eyes trying to adjust to the bitter darkness. The troop of boats tore out of the bay, all of them headed towards where the fireball had disappeared into the night. My aching knees pulled me upright moving me closer to the growing crowd. I listened from a distance as the hurried whispers became their own hum against the waves, before silence fell on the crowd. The voice of the Harbormaster’s wife broke through the night like a rock through a window. “Herbert said it was a child’s voice on the radio call” she stammered, staring out toward where the troop of boats had disappeared. No one spoke for a long while after that, for at that moment we all knew. It was happening again.
Student Senate
there, he knew every student by name. Although he loves his new home and job, he misses the connections he was able to create within such a small campus. He hopes to create more of that sense of trust and familiarity here with our students. I mean, who wouldn’t want to chill with the president? We look forward to keeping up communications with President Cassidy. He is easy to get along with and quite funny, but above all, I couldn’t get over how much he cares about his students. It was refreshing to see someone who looks at us with as much hope and faith as he does. We need more faculty like that.
(continued from cover)
when you get past the professionalism, you meet someone who is just like us. The Student Senate plans to maintain this connection and hopefully create more meetings like this to better communicate student wants and needs. We had lots of laughs as he walked us through how he came to be the president of our community college system and how he adores the atmosphere of SMCC. Before moving to this campus last year, Joe was the president of two community college systems in northern Maine. That sounds like a handful, and it was, but those schools were much smaller than ours. He said that by the end of his time
8 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
DEATH
by James Little
Poetic
License
Untitled
by Maggie Cantara
Reach inside my chest Peel out this beaten Heart of mine place Her in the hands of A table not for surgery For exposure To vulnerability Grab the neck Of a whiskey bottle Smash it against Her like CPR This is how sacrifice feels shards cut Away every sad smile Any guilt Any kiss Every taste Connect the wires You took from her Flood them with bleach Clean up this Murder scene Dating back to The death of a friend Don’t fear blood dripping from My knuckles Just to Watch it fall To Watch her fall Send a reminder fight this That we do this to survive embrace Courage We don’t cower Under pressure invite it in
No need for a kickstart She’s made immense progress Since Her first arrest There will be no Struggle for breath like Stranded fish Under a rock Tie the seaweed Into a bow captivate her beauty She’s taken hits like this For a lifetime But she will never Allow herself To die because You couldn’t stand to See her live a life Full, and happy Without you.
It come and it goes It is near it is far It comes nomatter where or who you are It comes for him it comes for her We wonder when we wonder where We wonder if anybody cares Will tears fall will laughter rain Will they scream or will they sing Does it make them happy or does it make them mad? Does my soul go up or down or does it stay right there in the ground? I lived my life the best that I could I did right and I done wrong I helped others get along Life has been easy Life has been hard I laughed I cried I love I
Persistance: All Ways Butch and Femme
A book review by Morgan Dyer
T
he book Persistance: All Ways Butch and Femme, edited by Ivan E. Coyote and Zena Sharman, is an anthology by various Queer writers, all of who have found a home in the dichotomy of or terms Butch/Femme. This anthology comes at the terms from many angles and a diverse set of experiences and gender expressions. The book takes its name from the LGBTQ classic The Persistant Desire: a Butch Femme Reader (1992) and presents itself as the next generation’s imagining of all things Butch/Femme to them. It delves into the historic meaning and importance of roles, what it meant, and what it might mean going into the future. I enjoyed this book a lot. I particularly liked how the editors included people of all gender expressions and how they might interact with the terms Butch or Femme. The stories in this book illuminate the truth that there is no right way to be Butch or Femme. The people who inhabit these labels are as diverse as everybody else. From trans men who will always have a special place in their hearts for the word Butch, to lesbians in a Butch/ Femme dichotomy, to lipstick and stone butch lesbians and voices that don’t conform to any static form of gender expression, this is a great collection of stories and I recommend you to read it.
the smcc beacon | lighting our community 9
Boards, Buttons and Buffalo Chicken Pizza A Night With the Midcoast Gaming Club
by Dan Elliott
W
hat's the best way to spend a gloomy, dreary night inside? With games, of course! Students of the Brunswick campus gathered together last Thursday to do just that, as the Midcoast Gaming Club held its weekly meeting. With the sun setting and the weather turning wet and drizzly, students enjoyed lively rounds of board and video games in Orion Hall's multipurpose room. This blend of mediums is just the sort of thing that gives the club its signature flair, and poses such allure to students looking for a platform to unwind from a week of classes. “Any and all games are welcome during the meetup” says John Penney, club president and fellow gaming enthusiast. Throughout the meetup, it was not uncommon to see groups of students breakup and reform around many different activities—club members were not opposed to going solo in their time during the meeting, producing such consoles as the Nintendo Switch, DS, and even doing a little gaming on smartphones. First up for the Gaming Club was a round of Cards Against Humanity, a party game in which each player tries to out-do the others in being the most offensive and politically incorrect. Students did their best to fill in such zany blanks as “Today on Maury: Help! My son is ___”, “Hey Guys, I know this was my idea, but I'm having
serious doubts about ___” and the always oh-so exploitable “What's that sound?”. Many laughs were had as players sneaked showings of possible cards to one another, and the sounds of music intermixed in the background. While the game unfolded, another member began a new game in Spyro Reignited Trilogy from a television borrowed from the Captain’s Closet. As members settled in for a round of Trouble, a phone order for pizza was placed by Mark LaBranche. LaBranche was elected by members of the club as the new Vice President that very night, and made the prudent decision to make sure his fellow gamers were properly nourished as alliances were formed and shattered over the course of successive dice rolls. After failing to resolve an issue arising from creating a Borderlands 3 cooperative playthrough (all three players were in control of a single playable character), the club chose to take a break from gaming to watch an episode of Futurama while enjoying the recently-acquired pie. The episode, of course, was centered around video games. Overshadowing the fine cuisine and humor was a sense of inclusion often not seen in typical online gaming communities. If a student didn't know the rules to a certain game, they were encouraged to jump in anyways, and other students were happy to help catch them up. “JUST ROAST 'EM” called a Trouble player to the student currently engaged in Spyro, as another
Check Out These Activites That Happen On Midcoast ◊◊ ◊◊ ◊◊ ◊◊ ◊◊ ◊◊ ◊◊
Activities Committee Student Senate Rainbow Landing Club Open Mics Gaming Club Dungeons & Dragons Club Prom Committee
10 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
student began a round in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 on a recently-procured second television. Despite a variety of activities occurring all simultaneously, a collective feeling of belonging emitted from the group. The Gaming Club hopes to hold a few events in the coming future, informs Penney. Of the possible ideas being considered for the upcoming holiday are a Halloween-themed Escape Room activity and perhaps even a haunted hayride. The group plans to migrate to the Academic Building's auditorium for a Mortal Kombat tournament scheduled soon which, given the venue, will be sure to offer students a unique gaming experience. Because the Club's activities are so engaging, and perhaps because the mem-
bers genuinely enjoy being together, the departure time is a little relaxed, with students hanging out until as late as eleven at night. It is not uncommon to see students coming in for a few games and depart, giving the club a more casual and fluid atmosphere. Students are encouraged to bring in any game—boards, dice, controllers, etc. to share with the group. Because really; games are the best when they bring us together, aren't they?
PICTURE COURTESY OF DAN ELLIOTT
SeaWolves Baseball Squad Wins Fall Invitational (contnued from back page) his second start of the season, pitching a one-hit complete game shutout. The right-hander collected the win, the second of his career. Mustang pitcher William Bean was taxed with the loss. The scoring flood gates would open for the SeaWolves in the bottom of the third as the Wolves would take advantage of wild pitches and free bases courtesy of walks. Colby Gunter opened the inning with a walk which was followed by Ernesto Mora’s single to center field. A CMCC wild pitch would advance Gunter and
Mora to second and third leaving first open which Stauber would occupy via a wild pitch which also allowed Gunter to score and Mora to take third. With Mora on third, Stauber would steal second base further rattling the Mustang’s as Mora would score on a wild pitch, and Stauber would take third. Miller would follow with another walk, setting the stage for a Paisley three-run homer. Paisley’s homer and SMCC’s scoring barrage chased Bean from the hill. After SMCC’s O’Donnell and Bowlen flew out and struck out, the Wolves would tag two more runs on as Gunter and Mora
collected RBIs with singles to left field. Cameren Cousins and Jayco Pena would gain base on an error and single setting up the RBI opportunities for Gunter and Mora. Cousins finished his day with three RBIs and a stand-up triple. Bowlen finished the outing with a 2-hit, 2-RBI game highlighted by a first-inning double. Alexander Miller would cross homeplate three times, connecting for a triple, as Gunter would be perfect at the plate (2 for 2), adding a walk and a run. Head Coach Dave Walsh would state after the match-up, “We pulled out all the stops today, a perfect way to
go into the break. Rinaldi pitched his heart out and the offense showed why we can compete in any ballgame.” The Sea Wolves squad has scored 114 runs and tallied a .334 batting average with a .451 on- base average over the course of the 12 games they played this fall season. The Beacon would like to give a hearty shut-out to the SeaWolves baseball team for a game well over the course of the fall season. The Beacon looks forward to picking up our coverage of the Wolves in the spring.
Soccer Squads Prep for the YSCC Playoffs (contnued from back page)
Coach Ethan Wells commented, "We are putting together the concepts offensively that will make us a force moving into tournament time. I was thrilled to see Lilly and Calley score their first goals and our defense pitch another scoreless outing." The SMCC men’s soccer team would take to the pitch 45 minutes after the conclusion of the lady’s match, working through a goalless opening period under semi-clearing skies. With less than two-minutes remaining in the first period, SMCC’s Mohammed Matan would find the back of the net putting the Wolves on the big board. Less than five-minutes into the second half, Joel Musese would match Matan’s goal doubling the Wolves lead over the Clippers of UMM. Prior to Saturday’s match-up against UMM, the men’s soccer team would win their 9th game in a row with a 2-0 win against Unity College. The win would set a new program record for the men’s soccer team. The SeaWolves goals would come courtesy first year forward Keto Tchiputo who netted both goals for the Wolves. Tchiputo’s goals would match the number of goals netted by teammate Mohammad Matan, 12 a piece, and place them in a tie for most goals scored in the YSCC. Joel Musese and Dylan Weyeneth assisted on the goals. Head Coach Brian Dougher stated in a post-game interview, "Getting a conference result on the road is especially important at this stage. We are focused on playing our best soccer as postseason nears—we'll be tested again this weekend against a talented Massasoit squad." The SeaWolves would ruffle the
netting against Massasiot with a goal from Mohammed Matan in the 10 minute mark. Matan’s goal would push him back into the lead for most goals in the YSCC at 13. SMCC’s one goal lead wouldn’t stand as Massasiot would find the back of the goal three times in the first half and one more time in the second half. Head Coach Brian Dougher stated after the match, "We started well, we just didn't finish well. I'm looking forward to changing the momentum this weekend at home." The Lady SeaWolves finish their regular season this afternoon against the Mustangs of Central Mainer Community College. Kickoff is slated for 3:30. The men’s team finished their regular season against Central Maine Community College on Monday. Coverage of that game and the YSCC post-season play will be in the next paper. Both games will take place at Wainwright Recreational Complex off of Highland Ave. in South Portland.
Sereyreach Dy and Blake Moran join the scrum while the UMM goal keeper controls the ball
Joel Musese looks to control the ball against the UMaine Machias Clippers as Alvaro Coto sprints up to help the smcc beacon | lighting our community 11
SMCC Sports Soccer Squads Prep for the YSCC Playoffs
Teams have eye the championship by the Beacon Sports Staff
W
ith the Yankee Small College Conference soccer playoff slated for this coming weekend, the SMCC’s soccer squads took to the pitch this weekend to play the University of Maine-Machias. The regular season ends on Tuesday when the Wolves take on Central Maine Community College at Wainwright Recreation Complex in South Portland. Both teams will honor the senior players before the start of the games Tuesday. Saturday’s game against UMM saw the number two and three teams in the YSCC go at each other with higher seeding for the YSCC championship series at stake. The winner of the Saturday’s women’s matchup would secure a bye from the play-in match. Saturday’s match-up between the Lady SeaWolves and Lady Clippers would remain knotted at nil – nil until the 9:26 mark of the second overtime period at which point Katelin Bennett would secure the win and a bye for Southern Maine. The Lady Wolves outshoot the Lady Clippers 42 – 5, placing 27 shots on goal as UMM only placed 2 shots on goal. SMCC also had 8 corner kicks to UMM’s 1. Below; Logan Pray fights to control the ball inside the UMM's deffensive zone as Ryleigh Lord looks on.
Katelin Bennett in action against the Clippers of UMM.
The Lady SeaWolves have compiled an 8-1-1 overall record and a 4-0-1YSCC record over the course of the fall season. The men have posted a 9-2 overall record while remaining undefeated in the YSCC. Prior to Saturday’s matchup, the Lady SeaWolves saw action against Massasiot Community College in a non-conference matchup. The Wolves would post a 3-0 win on the road and follow that win with a 7-0 win at Unity a few days later. Junior captain Callie O'Brien lead the scoring as she netted her third hat trick of the season. O’Brien would net her first goal in the first half, and find the back of the net twice in the second half. First-year midfielder Lilly Voye scored her first collegiate goal when she redirected a crossing pass from sophomore winger Katelin Bennett putting SMCC up 2 - nil after 45 minutes of play. SMCC continued its scoring drive in the second half against Unity as first-year players Logan Pray and Desiree Veilleux scored with goals that found their way through the slot pushing the SMCC lead to 4 – nil. Calley Baker would finish off the Lady Wolves scoring when she finished off a thru-ball from Paige Lord. After the match, Head (contnued on Page 11)
SeaWolves Baseball Squad Wins Fall Invitational
Blank Central Maine 15-0 by the Beacon Sports Staff
L
ast Wednesday the SeaWolves baseball team traveled to Auburn to take on the Central Maine Mustangs in the Yankee Small College Conference Fall Invitational Championship. The SeaWolves would only need five innings to dispose of the Mustangs.
The invitational would also be the 30th win for coach Walsh against 6 loses. The Wolves would score first in the bottom of the first on a bases loaded two-run double off of the bat of Jackson Bowlen. Alexander Miller would gain first base via a walk after Peter Stauber started off the game with a ground out to third. With one out and Miller on first,
“We pulled out all the stops today, a perfect way to go into the break. Rinaldi pitched his heart out and the offense showed why we can compete in any ballgame.”
Joshua Paisley's three run homer would spark a six run second inning against Central Maine Community College. Paisley in action against NHTI.
The championship match-up would mark the sixth time the Wolves would take to the diamond against the Central Maine team, it would also be the sixth win for the Wolves against CMCC capping off a fall season sweep. The fall season for the Wolves has been a successful one as the SMCC squad compiled an impressive 11-1 record.
Joshua Paisley would be hit by a pitch sending him to first and Miller to second. Hayden, O’Donnell, the fourth SMCC batter of the inning would also be walked loading the bases for Bowlen. Sophomore pitcher Nicholas Rinaldi would aid the SeaWolves cause in (contnued on Page 11)