Dragons end football season strong
Drag show at Stringer Page 4
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Photos dazzling night
Up next: Salt City Bowl The student voice of Hutchinson Community College
www.hutchcollegian.com
November 15, 2019
Vol. 61 Issue 8
Too early For ChriStmas?
By Tabitha Barr Editor in Chief
‘Twas a month before Christmas, when all through college, not a student was sleeping, as they were overwhelmed with knowledge. Not exactly a college student’s dream holiday wish, but
sadly, for many, a reality. Students are bustling to get through what’s left of the semester while winter is kicking in. With the weather granting Hutchinson some sub-freezing temperatures, it feels more and more like the holiday season. The community is already starting to join in on the joyous spirit as decorations and lights are displayed around town, even before Thanksgiving arrives. Some might say that it’s too early, but others disagree and continue putting up their Christmas lights. There’s a debate circulating social media of when it’s too early to start celebrating and decorating, but is there a right answer? According to Cindy Keast, Hutchinson Community College Endowment Director, “Anytime after Hallow-
een, I think it’s a go.” The first thing she puts up in her house is her snowman village. That is followed by not one, but two trees decorated top to bottom. Christmas lights are a must because her “neighborhood is very festive.” Talking about Christmas seemed to make Keast’s whole demeanor light up. Selena Oronia, a Scott City sophomore, said she enjoys watching other people get into the holiday spirit. “It always makes me happy to see all the bright colors, and even the cute jumbo inflatable decorations they have out,” Oronia said. “I mean, have you seen how cute the penguins are?” Even this early, people, businesses, stores, and even schools have started displaying their holiday cheer, Oronia being one of them. “I always like putting
up the little lights around my apartment,” she said. Her cat, Maggie, seems to be an early Scrooge. “She likes to attack the strings,” Oronia said. But Oronia doesn’t let that stop the twinkle lights around her apartment. The only thing Oronia is not about is the early start of Christmas music. While some people love hearing the tunes that repeat during the holidays, others think they’re overplayed. Oronia said that her dislike of early Christmas music, “came from working retail.” No matter how a person celebrates the holidays, there’s no specific date or time to start decorating. It’s whatever brings the most happiness. To those that refuse and don’t like the early celebration, Keast said, “you gotta celebrate Christmas all year long.”
Photo by Emily Branson/Collegian Stores around town already have decorations crouding the isles. Red and green dazzle all throughout.
Whether people jump into it and decorate after Halloween, or wait until after the Thanksgiving feast, Oronia said, “put up the cute lights though please.”
By doing so, college students can study in the twinkling lights of the holiday season. A happy early holiday to all, and to all a good night.
Paul Waggoner speaks at campus Town Hall
By Aaron Strain Web Master
Representative Paul Waggoner hosted a Town Hall sponsored by Hutchinson Community College’s Student Publications Tuesday night at the Justice Theatre. Waggoner represents Kansas’ 104th House District, which includes
northern Hutchinson, the HutchCC campus, and northeastern rural Reno County, including Buhler. He spoke on a wide range of issues facing the state in front of about a dozen people.
Earthquakes
Being a Hutchinson native, Waggoner said
Courtesy Photo
Upcoming events Nov. 19 — Men’s basketball vs. Hesston 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Nov. 21-23 — A Midsummer Night’s Dream 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Nov. 27-29 — Thanksgiving Break
the two 4.0-plus-magnitude earthquakes residents felt in August were “the last thing to expect,” but not “anything to freak out over at this point.” Waggoner listened to local forums, led by geoscientists with the Kansas and United States Geological Surveys. He said the loud booms and shaking during the quakes were “pretty freaky” but only caused “superficial damage,” according to a local engineer at one forum. The scientists pointed to the increase of oil and gas wastewater injection in southern Kansas as a potential cause of increased seismic activity. As the increased fluid pressure expanded northward, faults outside of Hutchinson became more susceptible to quakes. KGS observes the state’s seismic activity with two permanent and several temporary monitoring wells. Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, proposed a bill to drill 10 additional permanent
wells. Waggoner said the plan “could be overkill,” considering the KGS called for only six to eight in a 2015 master plan. “But,” Waggoner said, “if you get repeat 4.0 earthquakes, then you got something different,” prompting further action.
Second Amendment
Waggoner was asked about his relationship with the National Rifle Association. He said he has “a good relationship with the Second Amendment,” and that viewing the NRA as “a political boogeyman is bizarre. The only power of any politically active group is in their membership and whether people care about the issue.” The Kansas NRA endorsed Waggoner during his 2018 campaign.
College Education
Waggoner spoke about his educational experience. He gained a bachelor’s in business and a master’s in history without much parental assistance, but with a strong work ethic and
The happenings around campus
Next Town Hall Meeting Student Publications is sponsoring another Town Hall meeting with Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Shears Technology Center’s Justice Theatre. The event is open to HutchCC students and the public, and audience participation is encouraged.
work-study jobs. He said that cultural, parental, and educational focus should shift towards gaining a marketable technical degree over a four-year degree that may not pay as well. When deciding on a degree, students should research the costs and benefits of gaining one. Students need to be aware that when they choose, they accept the debt that may come with it. HutchCC faculty in attendance questioned his positions. Cindy Hoss, Vice President of Academic Affairs, agreed with his sentiment. “Kansas has always wanted their children to do better than they did. We wanted everybody to get a four-year degree,
Blue Dragons weekend forecast
Friday — High: 57 Low: 35 Saturday — High: 59 Low: 40 Sunday — High: 57 Low: 36
and that’s not necessarily the best path,” she said. Hoss also said that, “students don’t come with parents with money behind them … so they’re on Pell Grants and work study, and they’re working hard – but they’re still ending up with debt.” Jason Knapp, political science instructor, said, “trade schools were demonized for a long time, now we’re getting to the point (of) demonizing four-year education. Nurses and people in those fields do make more, but teachers here have a master’s degree or higher, and we’re not making that kind of money, but I think we contribute too and love our jobs. See Paul, Page 3
Inside Scoop
Opinion: Page 2 - Emily Branson writes about Christmas shopping tips Campus: Page 3 - The debate of Christmas music in November Campus: Page 5 - HutchCC Zach Shanline talks about his officiating career