Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif. Monday FEb. 22, 2010 Vol. 63, No. 15
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Making Qualified cadets undergo the grade rigorous course School officials
INSID E
POLICE TRAINING
SPORTS Fullerton beats down Palomar page
11 OPINION
whyPad?
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ENTERTAINMENT Silverman dishes on upcoming third season page
8 FOCUS
Domestic abuse singles out no one
10 KELLEY FOYT | The Telescope
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yvonne lanot the telescope
It’s 7 a.m. on a Saturday and while most are still asleep, there is one man starting his radio show, putting on records from an era once called the “Greatest Generation.” Doug Best, 84, has been on the air for more than 50 years. Benny Goodman, Louie Armstrong and Patti Page are just a few Swing and Jazz artists Best plays on his “Doug Best Swings” morning show on Palomar’s KKSM AM 1320 radio station. Not only does Best play these artists, he also interviewed them when he started working as a radio DJ. “After World War II, the big bands were coming into San Diego on a regular basis,” Best said. “It was really a thrill to go and talk to these
kelley foyt the telescope
Through a year-long program at the Palomar Police Academy, students undergo rigorous training in order to enter the police force. The 1,200-hour program consists of both classroom work and field training. Students are required to complete a minimum of what is equivalent to 57 units for graduation. Students are at the academy for 25 hours every week: from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for three nights a week and from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. “This program is a little more high stress than others,” said Shanon Dreyer, Palomar’s law enforcement training supervisor. “We want them to operate well on the field.” There are currently 43 students enrolled at the academy. Bill Go, 51, is the oldest student at the academy. He’s a retired lieutenant colonel who said that he’s considering a career change or participation in reserve programs. “When deciding which school to go to, I found that Palomar has the best-run police academy,” Go said. Sean Zappia, 19, is the youngest student at the academy. After graduating from high school, he attended Palomar for a year and a half before attending the academy. After he graduates, he says that he plans on going back to Palomar. “It was my childhood dream to become a police officer,” Zappia said. “I want to make a difference in my local community.” Shelly Maynard is one of the women enrolled at the academy. There are five female officers in training at Palomar, Dreyer said. Women account for only 13 turn to academy page
people because I was able to say ‘Gee, I talked to Harry James and Patti Page’ and then go back to the station and be one of the first people to report, on air, about them and become the ‘Hero of the Week.’” But before Best became a DJ, he wasn’t sure what type of career he wanted. “I struggled in school,” he said. “So, as soon as I hit my 18th birthday I enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force, instead of college.” It was while he was in the Air Force that Best realized he had a radio voice. “While flying as a gunner, we would have to check in with London and our base. The crew elected me as the spokesman for the air,” Best turn to radio page
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complete report on accreditation maggie avants the telescope
As students progress into a semester full of papers and exams, Palomar administrators are busy working on a report of their own. Students may have seen the red accreditation icon displayed on the college’s Web site, but aren’t necessarily familiar with the issues at hand. The function of accreditation is to ensure that colleges meet certain standards. During a routine site visit, a team of representatives found key areas in which Palomar did not meet accreditation requirements. Palomar was placed on warning status. After countless drafts and man-hours, the college is putting final touches on a 54-page followup report due March 15. Ann Hong, president of Palomar’s Associated Student Government, was part of a group that worked on the report. “Everyone should be aware and know about accreditation process,” Hong said in an e-mail. Palomar administrators are hopeful the report will be successful in demonstrating that the college has addressed recommendations. “The faculty and staff have done an outstanding job,” turn to report page
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photo cour testy of do ug be st
Doug Best has been on Palomar’s KKSM AM 1320 for more than 50 years. He’s pictured above in 2010, and on the left in 1959. Best is on air every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon, and plays artists such as Louie Armstrong.