The Appalachian
TheAppalachianOnline.com
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Vol. 86 No. 27
AppalCART cuts hours for State Farm route by ABBI PITMAN Intern News Reporter
AppalCART has cut hours for the State Farm route on weeknights through the end of the semester, AppalCART officials said. From Monday to Friday, the State Farm bus now runs until 10:24 p.m. instead of 11:24 p.m. Weekend hours have not changed. State Farm is the last of the ten in-town AppalCART
routes to be shortened. The new hours went into effect Jan. 17. AppalCART’s operating budget lost $77,000 and other financial sources did not increase funding, Transportation Director Chris Turner said. “We have had federal cutbacks before, but this is the first time we’ve had a cutback in this particular program,” Turner said. Both federal and state government programs fund AppalCART, Finance Director Mike Norwood said. He added that cuts to the State Maintenance Assistance Program, which
provides funding for transportation systems in urban areas, resulted in AppalCART’s “biggest hit.” The new AppalCART shuttle hours will save money because they reduce fuel and mechanical costs, and shorten drivers’ and dispatchers’ work hours, Norwood said. Turner said there is not typically a high demand for the State Farm shuttle after 6 p.m. Students who need service to State Farm lot after AppalCART’s hours can use Safe Ride, which operates from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Freshman takes semester off to campaign against Amendment One by MEGAN WRAPPE Lifestyles Reporter
F
reshman Ian O’Keefe won’t be in school next semester - he’ll be busy fighting for marriage equality. O’Keefe, a political science major, plans to take the semester off to campaign against the proposed amendment to the state’s constitution as the deputy director of campus outreach for Protect NC Families. “I got my start on the state level when organizers from Protect NC Families came to Boone, and we were able to discuss the first stage of the effort to fight the passage of the amendment,” O’Keefe said. The amendment, which was passed by the North Carolina House and Senate Sept. 14, 2011, proposes a constitutional ban on samesex marriage within the state of North Carolina. The amendment is up for a vote in May - but for now, O’Keefe will travel across the state to coalition-sponsored events, trying to raise awareness on college campuses. O’Keefe said he feels the amendment, which only recognizes marriages between men and women, limits the rights of some United States citizens. “Those unable to marry or avoiding marriage are treated as second-class citizens, with the inability to receive healthcare coverage for loved ones, have rights to children, or receive domestic violence protections,” he
said. For his friends - including his roommate, freshman theatre arts major Luke White O’Keefe’s work with the coalition has been an encouragement. “Ian and I met toward the end of senior year,” White said. “I had heard that he was going to App and that he was the president of his high school GSA. I’m gay, and I wanted a roommate that was cool with that.” “Now that he’s working with the coalition, I think it’s so cool that my roommate is fighting for my rights.” O’Keefe also works as an ally in the LGBT Center. “Ian came in early first semester after club expo,” said Mark Rasdorf, the center’s graduate assistant. “He was very dedicated and volunteered for one or two events. This job with Protect NC Families is a great experience for him in his early career.” If Amendment One passes after the May 8 vote, O’Keefe said he believes serious consequences are in store for North Carolina citizens. “The passage of this amendment would spell out the fact that the great state of North Carolina believes one group of people is better than another,” O’Keefe said. “We as voters will get to decide on May 8 if we will impose the will of the majority on the minority. I think that if passed, it would show the world that we are too fearful of difference to embrace the diversity of our neighbors.”
Courtesy of Ian O'Keefe
Senior political science major Lia Poteet, junior political science major Katherine Patterson and freshman political science major Ian O'Keefe participate in the 2011 College Democrats and College Republicans debate. O'Keefe is taking this spring semester to work with Protect NC Families, an organization campaigning to register individuals to vote against Amendment One on May 8, 2012.
CASCADES RENOVATION STUDENT RESPONSES Cascades Cafe opened Jan. 11 after undergoing renovations. Since the new renovations, Food Services has seen additional sales in Cascades - part of the reason it was renovated, Food Services Director Art Kessler said. Additionally, with the new updates and renovations to Freshens, six student shifts were added. Jessica Paratore, junior electronic media broadcasting major, prepares a smoothie in the newly-renovated Cascades Cafe.
Kelli Straka | The Appalachian
“I’m really happy about Cascades reopening. It’s definitely more spacious and it’s good they replaced Scoops with something a little more hip and healthy.” Lucy Ballard, sophomore religious studies major “I like the colors and the food is still good as last semester, and I’m pumped to try the new frozen yogurt.” Liz Pray, sophomore nursing major “I really can’t see that big of a difference. Everything else pretty much seems the same, but the yellow does make it brighter. And the On-The-Go sign is pretty cool.” Jordan Laws, freshman undecided major “I think it feels more open and that’s nice, because it can get crowded in there - especially during lunch time.” Jordan Hall, sophomore undecided major “I like it and at the old Freshens, the line used to get long and where it is now prevents it from getting too crowded.” Emily Martin, senior urban planning major Information compiled by | Kelli Straka
housing CONTEST
ON CAMPUS
2012-2013
Students recall encounters with arrested door-to-door magazine salesperson by ANNE BUIE Senior News Reporter
After Boone Police received complaints about magazine salespeople using “overbearing, high-pressure sales tactics,” several Appalachian State University students have come forward to speak about their experiences with the door-to-door solicitors. Salesperson Jerad Michael Arnold was arrested Wednesday, after police received numerous complaints about salespeople acting suspiciously Jerad Michael and refusing to Arnold leave residences when asked. A female resident reported Wednesday that Arnold refused to leave her residence unless she either submitted to drug use and sexual activity or bought a magazine subscription, according to police. There has been an increase of complaints about door-to-door solicitors over the past two weeks, Sergeant Matt Stevens said. “The victim in the case contacted the police and she knew his name,” Stevens said. “She had purchased a subscription to get him out of her house, so she got a name and a good description. Then police officers got another call about a suspicious person selling magazines and they were able to catch him.” During the last week of November, senior healthcare management major Lindsay Mayer was in her room when she heard an exchange between her roommate, Caldwell Community College student Alisha Koepf, and two magazine salespeople. After seeing a news article about Arnold’s arrest on Facebook, Koepf now realizes one of the men was Arnold. The two men gave Koepf a spiel
about magazine sales and said if they sold a certain amount, they would get to go on a cruise. Koepf said she immediately felt uncomfortable. “Someone selling something after 5 p.m. seemed really sketchy,” she said. Koepf tried to close the door several times, but the men wouldn’t leave until she slammed the door in their faces. “I was lucky they were only pushy about magazine sales and not anything else,” Koepf said. Mayer said she heard the men knocking on doors all over her apartment complex. Arnold continued trying to make magazine sales up to the week of his arrest. Junior public relations major Erin Wood was alone in her apartment Tuesday, when Arnold knocked on her door. Wood said he looked “like a normal college student” in a flannel shirt and jeans. “I’ve had neighbors knock on doors to borrow stuff, so I didn’t think much of it,” she said. Arnold first told Wood he was a new student and was trying to meet the neighbors. Eventually, he changed tactics and told her he was trying to gain points to win a trip to the Virgin Islands. Arnold told Wood he could gain points by selling magazines. “That’s when I kind of caught on that it was more of a sales pitch than him really trying to meet people,” Wood said. “I told him I’m a college student and I don’t have a lot of extra disposable income, so I wasn’t able to buy any.” Arnold became more persistent after Wood turned him down, so she chose to shut and lock her door. Wood saw the news articles about Arnold’s arrest on Facebook and realized it was the same man who had tried to sell her magazines. “I was very, very shocked that I had opened the door on someone who tried to have sexual advances with other girls,” Wood said. “I’m really lucky.”
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