March22010

THENORTHERNLIGHT MARCH 2, 2010

NEWS

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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Presidential search: Regents announce candidates

SPORTS

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WWW.THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

FEATURES

Playoff push:

Both basketball teams in the hunt

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Advocacy:

48-hour airport odyssey

Needs-based grants lowest for Alaskan students

By Suzanna Caldwell The Northern Light

The amount of low-income students attending college in Alaska is 7.9 percent.

It’s the lowest in the nation and has been for the last 13 years.

The latest findings, published by the Postsecondary Education Opportunity in

Feb. 2008, are no surprise to students and University officials who have been lobbying the legislature for years to improve the amount of needs-based grants awarded in the state.

Right now, there is only about $600,000 worth of grants available for low-income students looking for college and vocational school opportunities according to Stephanie

Butler, Director of Operations for the Alaska Commission on Post Secondary Education. That works out to about $1,000 to $2,000 per qualified student per year.

The average cost of tuition for a full-time Alaska resident at the University of Alaska for the 2008-09 academic year: $4,275.

Currently the legislature is looking at Gov. Sean Parnell’s Governor’s Performance

‘Nooks take back cup from ‘Wolves

Scholarship that was introduced in October.

While the program was initially proposed as a merit-based scholarship, advocates are asking legislatures to include a needs-based component as well.

But it’s not a new fight. People across the University and the state have been pushing for years. With the support of the governor see

NEED page 15

Student log-ins to change UAA student usernames will be changing over the March 6 weekend.

This change will affect how students log into Blackboard, Webmail and computer labs. After March 7, students will be required to use their new UA username in order to log onto Blackboard.

No e-mails will be lost from student’s current Webmail accounts. Students will, however, still be able to receive and send e-mails through their current login.

Passwords will remain the same for all of the logins.

For the time being, staff and faculty accounts will remain the same.

For more information visit IT Services’ Web site at technology.uaa.alaska.edu or call them at 907-786-4646.

NICHOLAS MONEY/ TNL

Goaltender Bryce Christianson (Jr) looks at the scoreboard in the closing minutes of the third period. UAF defeated UAA 7-4 at the annual Governor’s Cup at the Sullivan Arena. Feb 26. UAA will face off against Minnesota-Duluth in Anchorage Mar. 5 and 6.

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

The UAF Nanooks swept the UAA Seawolves, regaining the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup. The bid for a fourth-straight series win over the ‘Nooks came up short as the UAA Seawolves had to watch their rivals skate off with the cup. It tilts the overall Governor’s Cup series back into favor of UAF as they

now hold a 9-8 series lead over the Seawolf.

The ‘Wolves didn’t start the series off the way they would’ve hoped as they hosted the first game in their own rink. The Nanooks came through Anchorage and bounced UAA 7-4 on Feb. 27.

It was the first win UAF had over the Seawolves dating back to Dec. 31, 2005.

It snapped a streak of 10 straight victories the green and gold had enjoyed over their northern rivals.

Head Coach Dave Shyiak decided to go with junior goaltender Bryce Christianson in net for the series opener. This choice seemed surprising, as Christianson hadn’t got the nod for a start since back on Dec. 5 against St. Cloud State. However, Christianson was responsible for blanking the Nanooks in both games in last year’s series against UAF. Things looked promising for the home team when senior forward Josh Lunden and see

All-ages dances may face new permit rules

HOCKEY page 09

Proposition for sports complex hits speedbumps with BOR, legislature

By Kam Walters The Northern Light

UAA’s primary athletics facility has served students for the last 32 years, but the complex, built for a community college, is far past its prime.

The Wells Fargo Sports Complex is a minimalist arena with a single practice hockey rink, one basketball court, a pool and a weight room made from racquetball courts. In its glory days the Wells Fargo Sports Complex served as a recreational

facility for a community college with no athletics, physical education program or on-campus housing.

Now, the Complex serves 15,000 students, 11 college athletic Division I and Division II athletic teams and thousands of community members.

“This small facility is overwhelmed and is used every available hour of every day,” Vice Chancellor Bill Spindle said.

A new sports arena has been on the radar at UAA for four years. This upgraded facility will provide the services that the

Wells Fargo Sports Complex has grown too old to provide. This new sports arena, proposed to the legislature in 2006, would be 130,000 square feet. It would include a three-court gymnasium, a gymnastics facility and an additional two-court gym for student and community use. A running track would circle the gym, which would also house a fitness center, training room, academic classrooms and administration offices.

“The (WFSC) is terribly inadequate for the UAA student body and community it see

COMPLEX page 02

LEIGHANN SEAMAN/ TNL

The “Teen Nightclub Law,” passed in Oct. 1996, has forced people looking to host all-ages events to apply for a special permit at least 90-days in advance. Recently, it was cause for a change-ofvenue for a Feb. 13 rave, originally scheduled at the Kincaid Bunker. see story page 16

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TNL

News| March 2, 2010

COMPLEX: $65 million needs to be approved to move forward with planning and construction Continued from COVER have come to a standstill. For FY10 the Board of Regents approved a $65 million construction request for the complex. Gov. Parnell nixed this proposal.

Since the University received so little funding in FY10, the Regents decided to scale back the project list and budget request for FY11, focusing on maintenance of the UA system.

“They decided to focus on only one project, the UAF Life Science Classroom and Lab Facility and asked us to relook at the size of the Arena to make sure it met our overall athletic, recreation and related academic needs,” Spindle said.

The project is currently being resized and the WFSC is being considered for renovation and expansion, according to Spindle.

“The regents had a number of questions, including what will happen to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex,” UA spokeswoman Kate Ripley said. “They felt they did not have enough answers.

The regents really want to do this project, but they want to do it right.”

Proposed sports arena

Elmore Road

(130,000 gross square feet)

Locker rooms for recreational users, athletic teams, visitors and officials Three-court gymnasium/ 3,500 seat performance gym Two-court auxiliary gym One-eighth mile running track Gymnastics facility Academic classrooms Administration offices Conference room Training room

ad

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Fitness center Pro vid enc eD rive

serves,” Steve Cobb, director of UAA athletics, said.

Preliminary planning for this modern sports complex began in 2006, when $15 million was appropriated in FY09 capital budget for design, selected infrastructure and site work.

UAA created a team made up of McCool Carlson and Green with sports arena experts Hastings and Chivetta Architects to prepare the project design and do eventual site work.

In June 2009, the Board of Regents provided the authority for UAA to spend some the complex’s budget on engineering and architecture plans including cost estimates for construction maintenance and operations. Things were moving along.

In December of 2009, the Board of Regents formed a subcommittee consisting of Regents Drygas, Marrs and Wickersham to review the size, traffic access, athletic and recreation needs at UAA and cost and financing options for the complex.

Currently, however, the progress on the complex seems to

Alumni Loop

Providence E

to Housing

Loop

LINDSAY JOHNSON/TNL

University of Alaska Anchorage

2010

March 19 and 20

Rasmuson Hall 316 Reel Eyes: Showcase of films by and about individuals with disabilities

Multiple 3/19 @ 1pm

A compelling portrait of a successful actor and director using her wit and humor to come to grips with Multiple Sclerosis and the changes it brings

Presented by

Disability Support Services With support of the

UAA Diversity Action Council

Philadelphia 3/19 @ 2pm

Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington star in a film about a lawyer with AIDS

Free and open to the Community

1 credit Late Starting Course Options (Classes meet from 9-5 on March 19-20) Guidance A104 – CRN 39452 Social Work A490 – CRN 39487

Meds 3/20 @ 10am

Individuals who have been diagnosed with mental illness talk frankly about the challenges and benefits that come with prescribed medications

For more information or to request ASL interpreters contact DSS at aydss@uaa.alaska.edu

Job Opportunity

A documentary about the head injuries common to young men in extreme sports

Wipe Out 3/20 @ 11:00am

Disability Support Services is seeking students with extensive computer experience to work on improving Video and PDF

The lucky Ones 3/20 @ 2pm

Training will be Provided Great Experience for Resume

Three soldiers return from Iraq after suffering injuries and end up on a road trip as they try to deal with the challenges of coming home.

Contact Kaela Parks at 786-4535 to learn more

March 2, 2010 | News

TNL

Former UAA student runs for Anchorage assembly Joelle Brown runs against two oponents for Seat A District 2 of the Anchorage Assembly encompassing Eagle River, Peters Creek

By Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

Joelle Brown is not a career politician. She would like to be elected to the Anchorage Assembly to address specific issues and then continue to promote Eagle River.

“I don’t intend to make (the election) a stepping stone in my political career. This is it,” Brown said. “I think that’s what makes me different.”

Brown (D), a UAA political science graduate and 23-yearold Starbucks employee, is running for Seat A, District 2 of the Anchorage Assembly.

The seat is one of five up for grabs. The municipal election will take place on Apr. 6.

Brown stated her capability to address the district’s special needs stems from her living and working in the heart of Eagle River.

Eagle River is but a portion of District 2. The entire district spans from wPeters Creek, a small community 10 miles northeast of Eagle River, to north Muldoon at the edge of Anchorage. Most of the issues Brown plans to address as an assembly member directly concern Eagle River.

She is adamant about the community’s unique qualities, but she also recognizes it as a part of Anchorage.

“It may not be that detached from Anchorage, but we definitely have our own community identity,” Brown said. “(Eagle River) is just as strong as any community in Anchorage.”

Brown will be competing for her seat against incumbent Debbie Ossiander (R) and newcomer Joshua Roberts (R).

Recent press releases offer little information on Roberts and he does not have an official campaign website or a Facebook campaign page.

Ossiander has represented the Chugiak/Eagle River district for two terms, and until Dec. of last year she served as the assembly chair until she was suddenly voted out of her leadership role. Ossiander is running for her third and final term.

Brown is dissatisfied with the way Ossiander has been representing District 2.

“I would have voted yes on Ordinance 64,” Brown said. “That’s the major thing I would have done differently if I was in Ossiander’s seat.”

Ordinance 64 was hotly debated this past summer. The ordinance would have added veterans and the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) citizens to an already existing list of protected groups to prevent discrimination

in housing, education and employment. The ordinance originally passed, but Mayor Dan Sullivan vetoed it.

Ossiander chose not to be the overriding vote to the veto.

As a school board member, Ossiander supported gay rights. In 2001, she voted, along with the rest of the school board, to unanimously approve language including sexual orientation to protect students and faculty from being discriminated against.

‘We definitely have our own community identity. [Eagle River] is just as strong as any community in Anchorage.’

-Joelle Brown, Anchorage Assembly Candidate

Ossiander introduced a version of Ordinance 64 that the assembly chose not to advance.

She stated her proposal was not as bold a step and it was a hard summer talking with 300 to 400 passionate people on both sides of the issue.

“It was very controversial, and I tried to diffuse controversy all summer by listening carefully to people,” Ossiander said. “I offered a compromise that would have done (Ordinance 64) incrementally instead of all at once, but the assembly said no.”

Brown has long used political activism to push her ideals of feminism and equality. As a UAA student she was vice president of the Campus Action Network, a feminist club whose goal was to bring the word of feminism

to the general vernacular of UAA. Brown was involved with various events for Women’s History Month and helped establish multiple do-ityourself workshops.

“Joelle has a very positive energy about her. She cares very deeply about things going on in her community,” UAA student and former colleague Heather Aronno said. “She always impressed me with how dedicated she was in trying to make others lives better.”

As a Starbucks employee Brown connects with her community daily, hearing their concerns. Her customers are most distressed with public transportation and property taxes at the moment.

Starting March 1, two out of three bus routes to Eagle River will no longer operate. Instead, a new ride share program costing $85 a month will replace the old bus system. Brown wants to ensure that an affordable public transportation system be put back in place. Only 246 people use the bus system in Eagle River.

“The only reason there is less than 250 people is because the system they had in place was not usable. It comes between six and nine in the morning,” Brown said. “It seems like it was catered for one specific group of people and many don’t fit into that.”

Part of the issue is budget.

Finances are allocated based on a scale of the number of people who use the bus system.

People Mover often struggles to make healthy decisions for the community when they are told they must absolutely stay within budget.

One of the most frustrating aspects of the dilemma to Susan Gorski, executive director of the Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, is that there has been federal money for transportation upgrades, but Anchorage has been reluctant to pass a lot of these measures.

“Nobody’s happy about (the bus system) decision,” Gorski said. “To move a community forward in this day and age really requires easy access to public transportation.”

The Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has yet to take an official position on the matter.

Joelle Brown’s stances reach far beyond public transportation. For more information on the young politician you can visit her official campaign website at www.brownforassembly.com.

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STATEWIDE BRIEFS Anchorage FD cutting back rescue teams, services Alaska State Troopers will take over some of the Anchorage Fire Department’s rescue duties as the department cuts back its services because of the city’s budget problems.

Mayor Dan Sullivan said the state agency will now perform wilderness and Cook Inlet rescues, but the city department will offer support and coordination.

Capt. Tom Wescott, president of Anchorage’s firefighters union, said its members can adapt to some of the cuts, but the public will notice the changes.

“If you climb Flattop (Mountain) and you break your leg three-fourths of the way up, how do you get down?” he asked. “Since I’ve been in the Fire Department, the Fire Department went up and got you, whether they carried you or took you to a spot where a helicopter could come in.”

To save $150,000, the department’s wilderness rescue team will be eliminated, and special teams such as hazardous materials specialists, swiftwater rescuers, climbing specialists and the dive team will be scaled back, he said this week.

Sullivan said he chose to reduce the specialty teams rather than cut the department’s core functions.

Senate passes underage drinking bill The state Senate has passed legislation aimed at cracking down on underage drinking.

The bill increases from $1,000 to $1,500 potential civil damages for minors who knowingly enter or stay in bars or other liquor-selling establishments. The increase also applies to those who solicit or buy alcohol for anyone under the legal drinking age of 21 and to those with restrictions on buying alcohol.

Civil courts also could require a minor to participate in an alcohol safety program.

The measure now moves to the House.

Fleeing suspect dips snowmachine in Chena River Alaska State Troopers said a man who fled a Fairbanks robbery didn’t get far.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported his snowmachine sank Feb. 20 in open water on the Chena River. Troopers found the 32-year-old man soaking wet on shore near the Pike’s Landing with his pants around his ankles.

He’s accused of taking $20 from a teenage boy in a restaurant restroom.

Troopers said the man had unsteady balance and slurred speech, but refused to take a field sobriety test. He was charged with robbery, driving under the influence and assault

BOG to consider proposal on Denali wolves A grass-roots organization has gathered hundreds of signatures in support of a proposal to expand wolf buffers next to Denali National Park and Preserve.

Nancy Bale, president of the Denali Citizens Group, said more than 500 signatures have been collected in support of expanding wolf buffers on the northeast border of the national park. That is where wolf packs tend to venture outside the park and onto state land in search of food. Wolves are not allowed to be hunted or trapped in the buffer zones.

Pebble mine developer to spend $73M on studies The company hoping to develop the Pebble mine expects to spend $73 million this year for studies and test drilling.

Northern Dynasty Minerals ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, said the information will be used next year in permit applications.

The Anchorage Daily News reported the company is facing opposition from fishermen, sportsmen and Native organizations who say the huge mine would threaten two rivers that support Bristol Bay salmon.

Pebble Partnership chief executive John Shively said Alaskans will get a chance to review the development plan.

Supporters said the mine would create hundreds of jobs and supply copper, gold and a steel component called molybdenum (meh-LIB’-deh-nem).

More than 1,300 Toyotas repaired in Alaska Toyota dealerships in Anchorage and Fairbanks have repaired more than 1,300 recalled vehicles.

The Kendall Auto Group told The Anchorage Daily News it has fixed at least 650 vehicles for owners in the Anchorage area, 250 in Fairbanks, plus 425 rental cars. It is gearing up to send mechanics into rural areas.

The company still lacks a complete list of Toyota customers who need the repairs around the state but it is working with the automaker on getting an exact tally, said Peter Wright, Kendall’s parts and service administrator.

The Anchorage Daily News talked to Toyota owners and some said they were pleased with the service, while others said they are still waiting to hear about the recall to fix a sudden acceleration problem with the gas pedal.

Lance Mackey has his ‘Girlfriend’ back Mackey lost one of his lead dogs, a female named Girlfriend, as he took her out of her truck kennel in the parking lot of a hotel on Spenard Road.

The sled dog was spotted by people in the neighborhood near Anchorage’s main airport, including Mackey, but she did not let anyone approach her, apparently because she was scared.

Mackey tells KTUU-TV that employees from Million Air Co. found the sled dog early Feb. 27 near the airport.

He said losing the dog was heart-wrenching and he didn’t know if he would have been able to focus on racing knowing Girlfriend was running around on the streets of Anchorage.

The annual race from Anchorage to Nome begins Saturday.

Compiled by Kam Walters

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TNL

News| March 2, 2010

Regents announce three finalists for top UA spot On March 2, UAA will host three candidates who have applied to be the next president of the University of Alaska. These candidates, who are selected by the Board of Regents, will be on campus for one day only, meeting with various student, faculty and governance groups.

The Board of Regents has announced finalists for the University of Alaska’s highest position.

BOR chair Cynthia Henry said in a press release on Feb. 28 that after a challenging search process with many applications from both in and out of state, the board is excited to hear from stakeholders about the candidates before the board makes their final decision.

Current President Mark Hamilton announced his retirement last June after being at the helm of the system since 1998.

The Regents will discuss the candidates with its statewide advisory council March 4. They will then meet again and possibly name the final candidate March 15. A public announcement will follow after that.

Lisa A. Rossbacher The current president of Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga., Lisa Rossbacher is the first woman geologist to serve as a university president in North America.

As president, Rossbacher has focused on sustainability and has partnered SPSU with the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, a National project that addresses the affects of global warming. Under Rossbacher’s presidency, SPSU also broke ground on a new Engineering Technology Center.

Her experience also includes serving as Executive Vice Chancellor in for the University System of Georgia, Dean of the College at Dickinson College, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Whittier College and professor of Geology at California State Polytechnic University.

As a geologist, Rossbacher has worked as a reporter for NPR and as a writer for Geotimes since 1988. Rossbacher’s various awards and recognitions include Women of the Year Award from the American Association of University Women and a Certificate of Appreciation for Patriotic Civilian Service from the U.S. Army.

What does the president do?

The president serves as the chief executive officer for the University of Alaska Board of Regents.

He or she is a strong advocate for the university.

Chancellors of the system’s major campuses report directly to the president.

The system office plays important internal coordinating roles as well as external advocacy ones.

Its primary ongoing responsibilities are related to maintaining the accounting and management systems including legal, financial, human resources

and information technology; development of annual operating and capital budgets; leadership, coordination and policy for UA fundraising initiatives; public and governmental advocacy for the University of Alaska; and coordination of academic offerings.

Patrick K. Gamble

John R. Pugh

Patrick K. Gamble is a militaryraised family man with more than 17 years of leadership role successes in state and international government positions.

Formerly the Commander of Alaskan Command, Director of Air Force Air and Space Operations and Commander of the Pacific Air Forces, Gambel was promoted to the rank of four-star general. Gambel has 17 years of President/CEO level business leadership and management, currently working as the President/ CEO of Alaska Railroad Corporation. He has distinguished where he is vying for the company to be the first in the U.S. to field a fully operational GPS-based Positive Train Control (collision avoidance) system.

Gamble’s education includes a BA in mathematics from Texas A&M University and a MBA in management from Auburn University.

Among numerous honors and awards, Gambel has received two Defense Distinguish Service

Chancellor of UAS since his appointment by President Mark Hamilton in1999, John Pugh has a long career in public service for the state of Alaska.

The 1970 graduate of the University of Austin at Texas with a Master’s of Science in Social Work was the commissioner of the Department of Heath and Social Services from 1984-1986. There he was responsible for a budget of $302 million and managed the personnel system that included 1,600 employees.

In 1987 he started his tenure at the University of Alaska Southeast as Dean of Education, Liberal Arts and Sciences and later as Dean of Faculty before accepting the position of Chancellor.

Pugh is a former U.S. Air Force captain and served three years at Elmendorf. His background is in Social Work and Philosophy. He was also an instructor at the former Anchorage Community College from 1971 to 1976.

He is currently involved with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is a University of Alaska Foundation trustee.

Medals and two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals.

March 2 schedule of visiting candidates

Who are the Board of Regents?

Cynthia Henry, Chair (2003-2011) Fairbanks

Rossbacher Consortium Library Room 307

Gamble

Administrative Building Room 204

Pugh

Lee Gorsuch Commons Room 106

8:00 - 8:45 a. m.

Governance Groups

Students

Faculty & Staff

9:00 - 9:45 a. m.

Students

Governance Groups

Students

10:00 - 10:45 a. m.

Faculty & Staff

Alumni

Governance Groups

11:00 - 11:45 a. m.

Alumni

Faculty & Staff

USUAA

12:00 - 1:45 p. m.

2:00 - 2:45 p. m.

4:00 - 4:45 p. m.

6:00 - 8:00 p. m.

Alumni USUAA Community reception at Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center

Information compiled by Suzanna Caldwell, Lindsay Johnson, Jerzy Shedlock and Kam Walters

Fuller Cowell, Secretary (2007-2015) Anchorage Carl Marrs, Treasurer (2005-2013) Anchorage Ashton Compton, Regent (2009-2011) Fairbanks Erik Drygas, Regent (2007-2011) Fairbanks Kenneth J. Fisher, Regent (2009-2017) Juneau Mary K. Hughes, Regent (2002-2017) Anchorage Patricia Jacobson, Regent(2007-2015) Kodiak

USUAA

3:00 - 3:45 p. m.

Timothy C. Brady, Vice Chair (2005-2015) Anchorage

Bob Martin, Regent (2005-2013) Juneau Kirk Wickersham, Regent (2007-2015) Anchorage STAFF: Jeannie D. Phillips, Executive Officer Brandi Berg, Assistant

March 2, 2010 | News

TNL

Unions are attempting to organize UA employees The Associated Press Two labor groups have spent the spent the past six months trying to organize workers at UAA, and one of them said it has collected enough unionauthorization cards to trigger an election.

The Alaska State Employees Association and the Alaska Public Employees Association are targeting office workers, such as clerks and administrative assistants. Professors and maintenance workers already have union representation.

Valid authorization cards from at least 30 percent of the affected workers are needed for a labor organization to be placed on the ballot as union representative. The ASEA filed a petition this week with the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, stating it has done just that.

The union declined to reveal precisely how many cards it has received. Its business manger, former state Sen. Jim Duncan, said it’s “significantly more” than the threshold.

The petition, however, has not stopped its rival union from continuing to recruit.

Even if ASEA is certified by the state, APEA could still claim enough cards to share the ballot in an upcoming union election.

APEA President Bruce Senko said he’s skeptical that ASEA organizers have collected enough cards to become certified. The rival is hastily filing its petition simply to stake a claim as the leader in the race to represent UA employees, he said.

“We think they filed just to say they filed,” Senko told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

It’s unclear exactly how many UA employees could be affected by the unionization efforts. UA has about 2,700 nonunion employees, but that figure includes people in management who wouldn’t be represented.

If both ASEA and APEA eventually make their way onto a ballot, a majority of voters would need to approve representation by one of the unions or decide to remain unorganized. If a three-choice ballot doesn’t result in a majority winner, a runoff election would be held between the two most popular options.

A previous effort to unionize UA office workers was made in 1998 but employees voted it down.

Duncan said the argument for unionization is stronger today, because of a widening pay gap between UA workers and state employees in the same positions.

UA spokeswoman Kate Ripley said the university plans to stay out of the unionization discussion.

Seward duo kayaks 1,200 miles through Inside Passage

By Cinthia Ritchie The Seward Phoenix Log

What happens when two guys from Seward, Alaska, take off for Seattle in kayaks?

A lot of laughs, according to kayaker and filmmaker Josh Thomas. But not slapstick comedy so much as slices of life that become humorous in their very complexity.

Such complexities sum up the mood of Josh Thomas and J.J. Kelley’s 52-minute documentary “Paddle to Seattle.”

The film chronicles the duo’s 1,200 mile journey through the Inside Passage during what they referred to as the “rainiest summer in 15-years in our continent’s only rainforest.”

So far, it’s racked up awards at film festivals in Port Townsend, Durango, Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis and Anchorage plus received rave reviews from esteemed outdoor publications as “National Geographic” and “Outside” magazines.

The movie includes footage of the pair training in Seward (running down Lowell Point Road), finishing up the touches on their home-built kayaks and practicing out on Resurrection Bay. “We got started late in the season, July 8,” Thomas said. “By the time September rolled around, fall storms were starting to roll in, strong, big storms, and at one point we didn’t know if we were going to be able to finish.”

The kayakers followed the Inside Passage, which kept them within a mile or so of shore at most times, though there were three or four ocean crossings where they were “kind of out there in the middle of it all,” according to Thomas.

The trip took three months, including stops for 20 bad weather days and 15 days in various towns along the way. They carried three video cameras and filmed over 70 hours of footage.

Thomas and Kelley met seven years ago as they both hiked solo along the Appalachian Trail. They later traveled up to Alaska for a bicycle trip from Seward to the Arctic Ocean in 2006. That resulted in the documentary “Pedal to the Midnight Sun,” a hilarious tale of adventure that takes the pair to an Alaska wedding and a visit to Santa Claus at the North Pole.

Thomas isn’t sure why their documentaries are so funny. They don’t intend them to be. Yet there is something so boyishly earnest in their offhand comments, such as when they visit the northern most spruce tree during “Pedal to the Midnight Sun” filming and Kelley says, “I expected it to be alive.”

This offbeat humor continues in “Paddle to Seattle” (even the name is funny – try saying it five times fast). When the two encounter a bear on the beach and yell, “Hey bear, get out of here bear,” it’s laugh-out-loud hilarious since the bear looks equally as wet and miserable.

‘We’re really happy to be out there, we’re living our dreams, and even though things go wrong, we keep a good attitude,’

– Josh Thomas

“We don’t focus on the suffering,” Thomas said.

“For us, we’re really happy to be out there, we’re living our dreams, and even though things go wrong, we keep a good attitude. As we were putting it together, we realized that it’s almost a comedy.”

Kudos also must be given to Ben Gottfried, who edited the film down to fast-paced clip that highlights both Kelly and Thomas’ personalities without distracting from the landscape.

“It was hard to get rid of some of the pieces,” Thomas said. “We captured so, so much, but in the end we wanted the film to focus on the strongest, and I think we’ve done that.”

Their most memorable moment was traveling past the humpback whale migration in southeast Alaska.

“We were surrounded by easily over a dozen whales feeding, and just to be paddling by them, and in the water with them…” Thomas paused for a moment.

“It was the absolute best.”

05

SAY WHAT?

Drunk mom allegedly runs through school with sword MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Police said the mother of an elementary school student drank a 40 ounce bottle of malt liquor before brandishing a sword in her child’s school. The woman, 32, apparently intended to confront the parents of another child who had been in a spitting match with her child the previous day.

According to court records, an employee at Riverview Elementary School in Memphis reported a drunk woman armed with a sword was running through the halls of the school and had threatened to cut her.

Officers who arrived on the scene retrieved a black cane that concealed the blade.

The woman was charged with aggravated assault and having a weapon on school property.

Ala. man attacked with Worcestershire sauce bottle FLORENCE, Ala. – Police said a 38-year-old man was charged with beating another man at a motel with a sauce bottle and a fire extinguisher. Police said the suspect was being held at the Lauderdale County Jail on $6,000 bond on charges he attacked a 43-year-old man who was returning to his motel room.

Officers said that as the man opened the door to his room Feb. 24, the suspect hit him on the head with a bottle of Worcestershire sauce, then grabbed a fire extinguisher and hit him on the head and face.

Officials at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital said the victim was treated in the emergency room and admitted to the hospital, where he was listed in good condition.

NC man violates probation to appear on Springer LINCOLNTON, N.C. – A North Carolina man was sentenced to three days in jail for violating probation by leaving the state to appear on “The Jerry Springer Show.” The Gaston Gazette reported Feb. 24 that Richard Peterson’s probation officer spotted him on the TV program taped in Connecticut. The 30-year-old man and his girlfriend got all-expenses-paid trip to appear on the show, where Peterson boasted about a one-night stand with a stripper.

A video clip shows Peterson running around the stage dodging swings from his girlfriend. While the couple fought, the stripper started twirling around a pole.

The stripper and Peterson’s girlfriend then turned on each other.

Peterson was on probation for possession of marijuana and resisting an officer. He was in the Lincoln County jail Feb. 26. A jail spokesman said Peterson had no listed attorney.

Bikini barista charged with public exposure TACOMA, Wash. – Pierce County prosecutors filed a charge of unlawful public exposure against a 19-year-old barista accused of wearing only a thong bottom and X-shaped pasties on her nipples. Prosecutors filed the misdemeanor charge Feb. 23 against the woman who worked at the Bikini Bottoms espresso stand in Puyallup. A passer-by had complained last October about seeing the woman topless.

When a sheriff’s deputy went to investigate the woman went to the back of the stand, she took off the pasties and put on a bikini top.

The News Tribune of Tacoma reported the deputy confiscated the pasties as evidence.

Virginia couple’s German shepherd found in Florida DELAND, Fla. – A Virginia couple has been reunited with their German shepherd, which was found hundreds of miles from home in Florida. Pamela Holt, of Stuart, Va., said she thought DeLand Animal Control Officer Gary Thomas was playing a “mean trick” when he called to say he found 18-month old Deacon. The dog had been missing since December. The Holts thought their dog had died.

According to police reports, a convenience store clerk saw Deacon and another dog running in traffic on Feb. 18. The clerk called authorities and the dogs were taken to a kennel.

Deacon had a microchip implanted, which helped Thomas track down the Holts. The couple arrived in Florida to pick up Deacon this weekend.

Ohio police officers get drunk – on purpose DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- Law enforcement officers in southwest Ohio were chugging down alcoholic drinks this week as part of a training exercise on how to give field sobriety tests. Several police officers and deputy sheriffs in Montgomery County volunteered to drink so colleagues could practice conducting the tests given to suspected drunk drivers.

Dayton officer Will Wright says officials wanted officers to drink until they had slurred speech, glassy eyes and a lack of coordination.

One test required intoxicated officers to walk heel-to-toe down a line and then hold up one leg to demonstrate balance.

-COMPILED BY KAM WALTERS

SEAWOLF AWARDS SEAWOLF AWARDS SPRING~2010 The Seawolf Community Service Award is bestowed upon a student who exhibits an exemplary commitment to volunteer service.

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SPORTS

08

Both basketball teams in thick of the playoff push

Senior guard Tamar Gruwell defends as UAF Nanook Alexandra Melonson tries to drive the ball. UAA beat UAF with a final score of 98-46 at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, on Feb. 27.

The Seawolves huddle together during a time-out to strategize.

Seawolf and Nanook players look to grab a loose ball late in the second half. UAA had an 81-78 victory over UAF at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex on Wednesday, February 24th.

Seawolves basketball teams finish up regular season and look to head into West Region postseason

By Taylor Hall Photos by Daniel Jackson The Northern Light

The clock is winding down toward midnight for GNAC conference play with teams trying to establish playoff positioning for the big dance. And you can bet, both the Seawolf basketball teams are hoping the glass slipper fits when all is said and done.

Both teams are in the heart of the playoff pack for the West Region playoffs set to start next week. However, both teams are looking at different playoff positioning scenarios.

For the 13th ranked women, they are currently ranked 4th in the West but can move up the rankings with a strong showing this weekend at home. They face Northwest Nazarene Mar. 4 and then Seattle Pacific Mar. 6 in the season finale.

The matchup with SPU has postseason implications all over it and is one of the few teams that UAA looks up in the West Region rankings. Needless to say, a win over the Falcons would in all likelihood catapult the ‘Wolves (20-3, 10-2 GNAC) into a better playoff seeding.

The men, on the other hand, need a great

showing this week to get into the region playoffs. They also play NWN and SPU this week as the nightcap games on both dates.

The Seawolves (15-8, 6-6 GNAC) currently sit in 9th in the West and are on the outside looking in.

The Seawolf men will need to defend their home court when the Crusaders and Falcons invade the Wells Fargo Sports Complex if they look to return to the postseason under Head Coach Rusty Osbourne.

“We got to come out with a sense of urgency,” Osbourne said. “We’ve got to defend, we’ve got to buy into that concept.

(It’s) what we’ve done all year to be successful.”

A loss this week will greatly jeopardize their chances to get into the second season.

Both teams will look to continue to frustrate opposing teams on the offensive end. Both the men’s and women’s teams lead the GNAC in scoring defense holding the opposition to 63.0 and 53.6 points per game, respectively.

Also, the ability to dominate the boards has been a trademark for both squads.

The men come in leading the GNAC with a positive 7.9 rebounding margin. Just as

impressive is the ladies coming in with a positive 9.7 rebounding margin, also good enough for first in the conference.

The women continue to be without star senior guard Kiki Taylor who remains out with a broken foot. But the team has pulled together and is getting more out of the usual scorers and leaders. More importantly, the Seawolves are getting big contributions from new faces who have come up huge for the ‘Wolves.

Leading the charge offensively is senior forward Nicci Miller. Her 14.5 points per contest rank her 6th among other leading scorers in the GNAC. She also is taking down 6.5 boards a game and 2.0 steals on average.

Sophomore Hanna Johansson continues her strong play on both ends of the court.

The Swedish center is draining .571 percent of her field goals, which is first in the GNAC. On the other end of the court, she is also getting it done with 2.1 steals per game as well as 5.2 rebounds per outing.

Back over to the men’s side, junior guard Brandon Walker has been the anchor all year and will need to keep providing strong numbers for the Seawolves to see success.

Walker comes into the week averaging

15.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. His leadership has been there all season as he has started every game for the ‘Wolves and averaged 34.3 minutes per game.

Another key to Seawolf success may rest in the play of their kunior forwards Casey Robinson and Nick Pacitti. Robinson is averaging 11.0 points per game while also pitching in with 3.9 rebounds and has also started every game for the green and gold.

Robinson knows that the push for the playoffs won’t be an easy one.

“Tough games up ahead,” Robinson said.

“We’re going to have to bring everything we got.”

Meanwhile, Pacitti has undoubtedly been the sixth man for the Seawolves this season. He comes off the bench and provides the Seawolf with a double-double threat as he has already had four on the year. His averages of 8.3 points and 6.8 boards per game will need to continue this week in a critical home stand.

“That’s why we play the game, it’s what college basketball is all about,” Osbourne said with an excitement much like a child on Christmas morning.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

March 2, 2010 | Sports

TNL

09

HOCKEY: 4-peat bid stopped short, Cup switches hands Continued from COVER

Defensemen Curtis Leinweber and forward Tyler Currier attempt to dismantle UAF's powerplay late in the second period.

junior forward Tommy Grant teamed up for a pair of power play strikes midway through the first period.

However, the ‘Nooks responded with three goals of their own to end the period on top of things 3-2. Tallying the goals for UAF were Andy Taranto, Ron Meyers and Derek Klassen.

The scoring spree continued when UAF was awarded a penalty shot at 5:57 of the second. Brandon Knelson converted the backhander and gave the ‘Nooks a 4-2 lead, much to the delight of the Fairbanks fans in attendance.

But senior forward Kevin Clark got the Anchorage crowd back in spirit when he got his first goal of the night at 8:02 of the second period.

The momentum seesawed back in favor of the Nanooks when Dustin Sather scored on the power play and gave Nanooks a two-goal lead headed to the intermission.

The third period began with the ‘Wolves continuing a carry over power play and, yet again, their leading scorer stepped it up.

Clark scored the third power-play goal on the night for the green and gold when he deflected home a shot from the point by junior defenseman Luka Vidmar.

Unfortunately, that was as close as the Seawolves got, as Taranto scored two goals within a 12-second span to put the game on ice. He earned himself the hat trick of the

The Seawolves look on as forward Kevin Clark’s deflection winds up in the net in the third period.

night finishing with four points (3-1) while line mate Dion Knelsen matched with four points (1-3) of his own.

Despite the 27-19 shot advantage UAA enjoyed, the teams still had to head north for the second game.

After the game, Clark, an assistant captain and leader for the team, knew that the Seawolves would have to regroup quickly in order to get back into the series. “(We’ll) need to be a little more disciplined,” Clark said.

“We (kind of) played into their hands. We’re going to feel a lot better tomorrow.”

It proved to be a more tightly contested game on Feb. 27 when the teams met up again in Fairbanks.

The Seawolves turned back to senior Jon Olthuis to man the pipes while UAF, to no surprise, went back to Scott Greenham.

The game was much more defensive than the night before as both teams only managed one marker in the first.

Joe Sova lit the lamp for the Nanooks, but was answered by a goal from junior defenseman Kane Lafranchise.

After a scoreless and uneventful second stanza, the teams played a stronger third period.

Knelsen put the ‘Nooks up 2-1 when he struck on the man advantage at 6:53 of the third.

Soon after that the wheels started to come off for UAA. Twelve seconds after going down a goal, sophomore

PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS MONEY/ TNL

blueliner Brad Gorham received a five-minute major and game misconduct for contact to the head.

To make matters worse, Grant found himself with a short-handed breakaway soon after. It appeared that he was hauled down on an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, though there was no call on the play.

Shortly after, Shyiak was tagged with a game misconduct and unsportsmanlike penalty of his own when he threw a water bottle on the ice. This was part of his obvious frustrations with the referees.

Now down two men, the Seawolves faced a big hill to climb out of. To have any chance, they had to hold strong on the penalty kill.

Insert Nanook sniper Knelson, who struck seconds later.

His goal was ultimately the nail in the coffin, as the Nanooks held on to win 3-2 and hoisted the cup in front of their home crowd.

Olthuis stood on his head most of the night and kept the ‘Wolves in it by stopping 27 of 30 shots he faced.

UAA will look to rebound back, and quickly, as they host Minnesota-Duluth Mar. 5-6 at the Sullivan Arena in their final conference series. It is the last chance the team will have to better their playoff seed before they begin the WCHA playoffs in two weeks.

OVERTIME

Alaskan athletes continue to shine nationally Current athletes from state continue to pave way for new Alaskans to make it big nationally

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

The success level of Alaskan athletes is growing and continues to make the future bright for local stars to get their chance to make it to the majors.

First, we must talk about some of the pioneer athletes that this state has produced.

We’ll start with the likes of Tommy Moe from Girdwood.

The three-time Olympian was the first American skier to win multiple medals in a single Olympics. His gold in the Downhill and silver in Super-G made his 1994 Lillehammer performance that is still talked about throughout Alaska.

How about Mark Schelereth?

This Service High School graduate went on to be quite successful. His 12-year career saw him play for the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos while earning two Pro Bowl selections and three Super Bowl titles. Even to this day, Schelereth can be seen on a different field of play. He is a NFL analyst for ESPN and has found success in that as well.

Of course, the list could go on and on, but we only have so many lines we can fit.

Therefore, let’s look at the Alaskans who are currently building on this states athletic reputation.

The NHL features the biggest contingent of athletes from the Last Frontier.

None are bigger than Scott Gomez, an East Anchorage High School grad who skates currently for the Montreal Canadians. His resume is chalked full: two Stanley Cup’s, two all-star selections, a Calder Trophy (top rookie) and a US Olympic skater in 2006.

Matt Carle, a defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers, is one of the league leaders in

plus-minus and skates on the top defensive pairing for the Flyers.

Brandon Dubinsky, who recently signed a two-year deal for 3.7 million, remains a stall worth for the New York Rangers and is a rising star in the big apple.

The 49th state is also well represented on the NBA courts by the likes of a Blue Devil and Jayhawk.

Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer continues to be a force for opposing teams to deal with in the paint. The former Juneau and Duke University standout continues to be a nightly threat to score a double-double. He also is a two time Olympic athlete including a part of the 2008 gold medal winning “redeem team.”

Mario Chalmers, the Bartlett High School prep star, first made waves nationally while being part of the 2008 National Champion Kansas Jayhawks. He now plays for the Miami Heat in the same backcourt as Dwayne Wade. He started every game for the Heat last year in his first season as a rookie and has continued his strong play into his sophomore season.

We can’t go any further without bragging about the 2010 Alaskan Olympic athletes.

Nordic skiers Kikkan Randall, James Southam and Holly Brooks all raced well for the red, white and blue. Snowboard cross competitor Callan Chythlook-Sifsof became the first Alaskan Native to compete for the US Olympic team.

Also joining in the winter games were biathletes Jay Hakkinen and Jeremy Teela as well as Kerry Weiland with the US women’s hockey team.

All of the athletes mentioned join a growing list of Alaskans who continue to represent our state proudly. But their accomplishments are not only for themselves. They have opened new doors for the next crop of Alaskans looking to make it big.

So we say thanks for representing us so well and we will continue to cheer you on in your accomplishments.

10

TNL

Sports| March 2, 2010

SPORTS BRIEFS UAA posts program-best 2nd place The Alaska Anchorage posted a program-best second place finish at the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Championships / NCAA West Regional Championships on Feb 27. The Seawolves registered six top 10 finishes in the final day, including two podium finishes for the record-breaking day.

The Seawolves started the day in third place and remained in that position after the conclusion of the freestyle race with 562 points.

Going into the slalom race – which was competed at night – UAA trailed second-place Denver by 54 ½ points. The Seawolf Alpine team responded, posting identical 101 points in both the men’s and women’s races, for third and second place, respectively.

Leading UAA on the slopes was sophomore Halfdan FalkumHansen, who skied to third-place finish with a time of one minute, 15.15 seconds. Freshman Andreas Adde was in good position for a podium finish, but crashed in the second run for a two run time of 1:17.51.

Junior Ryan Wolosyn (1:43.06) rounded out the final scorer for UAA in 21st place at the Steamboat Ski Resort.

After missing half of the season due to an iron deficiency, AllAmerican brothers, Lex Treinen (sophomore) and Max Treinen (junior) posted season best finishes in the freestyle. L. Treinen was 12th with a time of 55:35.6, while M.Treinen was 17th with a time of 56:41.9.

Following the meet, the Seawolves qualified 11 of the possible 12 athletes to compete at the 2010 NCAA Skiing Championships that are held at the same venues, next weekend on March 5-6.

#13 UAA women rout UAF in record fashion Junior Nikki Aden dished 11 assists and the 13th-ranked Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team dominated throughout Feb. 27 in a 98-46 victory over Alaska Fairbanks at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

The Seawolves (22-3, 12-2 GNAC) also got 16 points apiece from forwards Kelsie Gourdin and Nicci Miller to post their largest margin in 81 all-time meetings against their rivals. The previous mark was set in a 77-29 win in 1991.

The Nanooks (2-23, 1-13) were led by 17 points and seven rebounds from forward Lakeshia Levi.

Tied 2-2 after one minute, the Seawolves went on a 13-0 run to blow the game open, establishing a 34-13 lead just midway through the first half. A steal and layup by Miller made it 51-20 with 2:48 showing and UAA would lead by at least 30 the rest of the way.

The 58-25 halftime advantage was UAA’s largest ever in a conference game and marked the 8th-most points scored by a Seawolf team in the opening stanza.

Aden also had a career-high-tying four steals and committed just one turnover as she dished the most assists for a Seawolf since Tiffany Massey’s 13 against Saint Martin’s, Jan. 6, 2001.

Aden was one of four Seawolves to tie or equal career-bests Saturday, joining Kodiak freshman Alysa Horn (7 points, 6 rebounds), sophomore center Viki Wohlers (6 points) and former Nanook Sarah Herrin (7 rebounds).

Compiled by Taylor Hall

HERE!

Winter Olympics are bringing forth more extreme sports Ski-cross comes to winter games, offers hint of future events

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games ushered in a new era when they brought in the new sport of Ski-cross into the spotlight. The newest action packed sport becomes the third new discipline the Olympic committee has added over the last three winter games.

Each new Olympic sport has added its own unique flavor to the games as well as bringing a new audience forth. These sports have also mixed in well with the more traditional events featured at the games and opened the door to other sports.

So the question to ask before the next Winter Olympics is which one of these sports may be on tap for us to cheer on come 2014?

“I think snowboard and ski big air,” Zach Sterling said, undeclared junior. “They did that at the X-Games and it was so much fun to watch.”

The trend does suggest another action sport may be next up for the Sochi Olympics.

In the past Winter Olympics, the world has seen the introduction of Snowboard Halfpipe in 2002 at the Salt Lake City games. It was

then at the 2006 Torino games that Snowboard-cross burst onto the scene. Already this year, we saw the inaugural competition of Ski-cross.

All three events had very similar attributes. Action sports being introduced into the Olympics and they all became major events in terms of television viewing to the American public.

This helped push the number of events in this year’s Winter Olympics to 86 and participants to an eye-opening 2629 athletes.

The 1912 Chamonix Winter Olympics, which was the first year the Olympics were featured in winter, saw a total of 16 events with 258 total competitors. A steep increase has continued every year and it’s hard not to credit the newer action sports for fueling that fire.

And it may not stop with just athletes and their skis or snowboards.

Rosalyn Lloyd, a sophomore who has been watching the Winter Olympics every night, suggests that maybe it’s time for an even bigger event to makes its way into the competition.

“They have snowmachining in the X-Games,” Lloyd said, “and I figure if they’re doing it in the

X-Games right beforehand, why not in the Olympics?”

The Winter X-Games features many sports and athletes that could one day be putting on their countries colors and battling for the medal stand in the Olympics.

Considering the action sports movement in the past decade, is it any surprise that the new rise of action sports and its star athletes are beginning to take over the Winter Olympics in terms of television viewing and American recognition?

Of course it doesn’t hurt to have the likes of American favorites such as Shaun White, Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsay Jacobellis. All burst into super stardom, something that had been unrivaled when compared to athletes in the summer installment of the Olympic games.

If nothing else, this trend has definitely shown America and the world an unquestionable fact. The new generation of Americans is geared toward the excitement of the new and bored with the old.

And what better place to voice their opinions than on the biggest stage the world knows.

THE

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Express yourself through UAA/APU Books of the Year Art Exhibit! No experience needed. Students, faculty and staff, plan now to submit your work for this First Friday exhibit based on 2009-10 Books of the Year theme— Responding to Climate Change in Alaska.

PHOTO CONTEST Contest Rules:

• Subject of photo should be a representation of the UAA landscape or architecture. Images of people will not be accepted. Images must be in color.

• Horizontal photos are preferred or photos may need to be cropped.

• Images must be submitted in digital format such as jpg, tif, etc...

• Email submissions should be no larger than 4”x5” and 72 dpi. If your photo is selected, a larger version of the image will need to be submitted.

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• A maximum of three entries per photographer will be accepted.

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Art Exhibit Deadline: Tuesday, March 30

Win an iPod nano!

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Winning Pictures will be used on the 2010-2011 Parking Permits

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Additional winners will receive a semester parking permit.

Video Contest Deadline: Monday, March 22

Submissions must be received by March 19, 2010

For questions contact Erin Dagon Mitchell UAA Business Services Marketing Manager • 786-1591 or erin@uaa.alaska.edu

For more details, visit www.uaa.alaska.edu/ books-of-the-year or contact Liz Hilpert, APU, at liz@alaskapacific.edu or Christina Gheen, UAA, at booksoftheyear@uaa.alaska.edu or (907)786-6374.

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FEATURES

USUAA lobbies for scholarships, 13 students stuck in airport trying to reach foggy capital

14

House Education Committee passes needs amendment, 48-hour in transit frustrates advocacy team.

By Joshua Tucker The Northern Light

The UAA and UAF Juneau advocacy teams had planned to lobby the state legislature for more needs-based scholarships on a five-day trip Feb. 19-23. However, low hanging fog prevented planes carrying both teams and several legislators from landing in Juneau. Instead, the thirteen UAA students on the trip, mostly members of USUAA, spent 48 hours in a near-sleepless marathon attempt to reach Alaska’s capital on four separate flights.

The only UAA student who made it to Juneau was USUAA Senator Peter Finn. He flew in several hours early during an opening in the fog, to prepare for a conference of student advocacy teams from across the state. Finn also serves as Speaker of the Coalition of Student Leaders, which brings together Alaska’s student governments to lobby the legislature with one united voice.

Three of the conferences’ other principal speakers did not arrive because of the fog, so Finn led all four of the conference workshops on Sunday “When students go down (to Juneau) they normally have two or three meetings with legislators, (but) because UAA and UAF couldn’t make it down we spent Sunday night rewriting the schedule so each student had a minimum of six meetings with legislators,” Finn said.

As plans changed, delegations from smaller campuses including Kenai and Ketchikan took the lead.

Students simultaneously lobbied for two separate amendments, each adding more needs-based scholarships to

the Governor’s Performance Scholarship. The amendment accepted by the House Education Committee was put forward

by Gov. Parnell. The Senate education committee put forward a full committee substitute of the scholarship plan with a stronger needs-based component.

“If you had $5,000 of unmet need with the Governor’s amendment you would get $1,500.

If you had $5,000 of unmet need with the Senate education version it would be completely covered,” Finn said. “After the testimony we gave, the House Education Committee quickly went ahead and passed (the Governor’s) needs-based amendment.”

Unable to reach Juneau, USUAA President Michaela Hernandez, Speaker Ryan Buchholdt and Government Relations Director Nick Moe testified to the House Education Committee by speakerphone.

The USUAA advocacy team’s next hurtle is making sure the House Finance Committee passes the Governor’s Performance Scholarship with funding for the needs-based amendment and ensuring it does not remove any other components of the plan, according to Finn.

State Senator Johnny Ellis (D) of Anchorage, a strong supporter of the needs-based scholarship component, agreed, calling the House Finance Committee the potential “stumbling block.” Both versions of the scholarship plan will eventually head to a House and Senate Conference Committee to negotiate the differences in the bills’ needs-based components.

Moe, Buchholdt and Finn have each been coordinating advocacy efforts for needs-based scholarships for at least two years.

They are monitoring the process closely and will return to Juneau during spring break along with many students who failed to arrive on the first trip to continue shepherding the needs-based component to the scholarship plan through the legislature.

“A lot of people who have been involved on this issue and creating it are now on the inside working on it,” Buchholdt said, citing former USUAF President Jake Hamburg who currently works as a legislative aid to State Senator Joe Paskvan (D) of Fairbanks and time spent by Moe working for Senator Ellis.

“This team of student leaders working on needs-based scholarships is the strongest I have seen in 23 years in the legislature,“ said Senator Ellis, who was a USUAA Senator himself and traveled to Juneau to lobby for a new library for UAA in 1973.

The airport odyssey that prevented the USUAA’s advocacy team from reaching Juneau, had students “sleep deprived and starving,” Buchholdt said.

The University arranged hotel rooms for the team in Sitka and Seattle, but both times they were called back to the airport after only a few hours of rest because of Alaska Airlines policy of automatically rebooking passengers on the next flight to their destination.

The team circled over Juneau on four separate flights, including two attempts on a regular flight called the ‘milk run’ that had them waiting as the plane stopped in several rural towns. However, the fog over the capital never allowed them to land in Juneau.

“Nick Moe and I were the two lead travelers. We were trying really hard to accommodate

LINDSAY JOHNSON/TNL

Advocacy teams from UAA and UAF circled over Juneau on four separate flights in an attempt to make it Juneau. The advocacy teams were supposed to be in Juneau on Feb. 19 to lobby the legislature for needs-based scholarships.

everyone, to calm people down,” Hernandez said describing 48 hours of travel that was only planned to take an hour and a half.

Needs-based scholarships have gained a unique level of traction in the state legislature this year in part due to USUAA’s heightened lobbying efforts from

Anchorage. Since the beginning of the semester, students led by Moe, have had eight letters to the editor published in the Anchorage Daily News, made over 500 phone calls to state legislators, sent over 600 e-mails and submitted 856 petition signatures in support of needs-based scholarships.

Fifteen years in, ANSEP works for brighter future

By Erik Judson The Northern Light

If you were a Native student sitting in Dr. Herb Schroeder’s Intro to Engineering class 15 years ago, you would have been one of several students he approached and asked, “Do you know about ANSEP?” The Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), got its start in 1995 after Schroeder, working on village sanitation in the early 1990s, saw a problem with how the needs of the communities were being met.

“One of the problems was that the engineers going to the villages were coming from outside,” Schroeder said. “There were no Native engineers. So I said, ‘We can improve the situation by having Native engineers,’ and I never met one. I worked on this project for two years and I never met one.”

Unwilling to let the situation continue, Schroeder decided to take matters into his own hands. He began recruiting as many Native engineering students as he could find, meeting with them in an engineering

classroom to plan their college careers.

Fifteen years later, ANSEP has its own building and has graduated 149 Native engineers from UAA and UAF. Several graduates of the program have returned to work with ANSEP and are helping more students receive their college education. Michele Yatchmeneff, ANSEP’s Deputy Director, is one of these returning students.

“I went to work for a while, and Herb and Tracey, who had my position before me, asked me to come back,” Yatchmeneff said.

“They asked me to come visit with them and told me they wanted me to come work here, and that’s how I came back. I wanted to help Alaska Native people and knew I could do that with this position.”

Students in the program take their engineering, science, and mathematics classes together, and work in groups to better understand the topics covered.

Summer internships with ANSEP’s partners range from Department of Fish and Game research and interning with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to diverse opportunities in the oil industry. The

photo courtesy of ANSEP Herb Schroeder, with students in the ANSEP building

students gain valuable experience working on engineering projects and earning money to help pay for their tuition.

More importantly, students like Timothy Eby, junior Mechanical Enginerring, feel a sense of belonging.

“ANSEP is, to me, kind of a small community within the whole body of UAA. We’re all just trying to pass our classes and go get jobs,” Eby said. “It’s good all

being in the same area; it’s really helpful.

You have friends who passed their classes, friends in classes with you and you just help each other along.”

As important as that sense of community is, Dr. Schroeder sees a deeper factor in Native students’ success that needs to change.

“The primary challenge is educating people on the capabilities of Native students,” Schroeder said. “That’s the primary barrier. Of course there’s the funding barrier. But if you could make all the biases people have towards Natives go away, there wouldn’t be any problem.”

Solutions to that problem are being put forward by the Indigenous Alliance, a group of 12 higher education institutions in nine states working to benefit Indigenous college students.

Schroeder presents donors to ANSEP with Inupiaq snow goggles—used to prevent snow-blindness while hunting.

“We’re presenting you with these snow goggles, because the students’ futures are so bright.”

TNL

March 2, 2010 |

NEED: Needs-based program unfunded by state until 2005

15

SNAPSHOTS If you could bring any music artist or group to Anchorage, who would it be?

With Governor’s Performance Scholarship being debated, needs-based grants are considered as an amendment.

Continued from COVER and scholarships on the minds of legislators, the push is now even stronger.

basis,” Butler said.

Needs-based in-flux

Right now there is already a merit-based scholarship program available through the UA scholars program.

Set up by President Mark Hamilton in 1999, the program offers an $11,000 scholarship to Alaska high school students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class.

University of Alaska spokeswoman Kate Ripley said that it’s unusual that a university president would set up such a program. She said that often the University is accused of not providing enough needs-based scholarships, but that it’s not a University issue, it’s a state issue.

“Most Universities aren’t that ones that set up the financial aid,” Ripley said. “Those are public policy issues that the states decide.”

With the debate over the GPS including a needs-based component, the debate over needs based grants has increased.

“It’s something as a society we set up. It’s a question to ask the public policy holders. We need a lot more,” Ripley said. “It sometimes falls on deaf ears. It seems like it has some traction now.”

constitution that mandates a strong public education system including a strong university system, there’s a disconnect.

“This state doesn’t like spending a lot of money on giving people the opportunity for access to education,” Buchholdt said.

He said that because scholarship and grant programs don’t have an immediate pay off – unlike the construction of a new building – lawmakers seem less interested in spending.

“You know, you invest money in a student and it’s going to be four, six years before you see a return in that investment,” Buchholdt said. “It still takes them a couple years in the workforce to generate it back. I don’t think people look that far out.”

UA and the need

Alaska had a needs-based program 30 years ago called the State Student Incentive Grant, but after the oil markets crash in the 80s, the state issued budget retractions. Funding for the SSIG was cut.

There was no needs-based grant program until 2005 when the state was required, under the federal Leveraging Education Assistance Program, to match the federal funds available for need-based aid. The Alaska Student Loan Corporation decided to not just match the $40,000 in federal funds, but overmatch it by $500,000, in essence, reinstating the SSIG under the new name of the Alaska Advantage Grant Program.

On average, that makes about $600,000 available to qualified students. Because the amount of money that comes in fluxuates,, the amount of needs-based scholarships available changes from year to year. Butler said that some years there are more; some years there are less.

Last year, former Gov. Sarah Palin approved $2.5 million in general funds to fund the grant program. According to Butler, the money will expire after the 20102011 academic year.

Unless more funds are found, it is possible the program could go unfunded. It may also be difficult for the Alaska Student Loan Corporation to continue matching the LEAP dollars.

“We cannot guarantee in the current fiscal environment that the student loan corporation will be able to do that on an ongoing

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When Parnell introduced the scholarship, he and other legislators have cited other meritbased plans around the country.

Currently there are 22 other states with some sort of scholarship plan.

Buchholdt, a junior dual global logistics management and business management major, researched the different plans. He found that of the 22 cited, 14 offer a needs-based component included alongside the merit based part.

As a USUAA senator, Buchholdt said that students ask him about increasing taxation – the rising cost of tuition, of books, of student fees. He said they often don’t look at the other side of that – how to pay for it. Something that needs based scholarships can assist with.

“They help fill the gaps created by that rising tuition,” Buchholdt said. “More students come up, but it definitely doesn’t jump to the forefront of the mind.”

Long time coming Ryan Buchholdt has been trying to get more needs-based grants available to students for the last three years.

A USUAA senator, he said he had a desire to make college more accessible for those living in poverty. He started doing research and was shocked with what he found. Despite the state having a

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College participation rates for students from low income families by state (FY93 to FY06)

State (rank)

Iowa North Dakota

(10)

Kansas

(20)

Oregon

(30)

District of Columbia

(40)

Nevada

(50)

Alaska

(51)

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Journalism & Public Communication

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10

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20

30

40

Percent college participation LINDSAY JOHNSON/TNL SOURCE: POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FEB. 2008

If you have a question you’d like to suggest for Seawolf Snapshots, e-mail content@thenorthernlight.org.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT 16

Parks and Rec says raves need teen club permit But organizers, muni Clerk’s Office records, indicate raves never needed the special permits before

Johnnie Jausoro (above), 19, skillfully spins glow sticks at the privately hosted rave

Young rave enthusiasts enjoy mixed beats ripped by Seattle dj, Jason Curtis and glow illuminated dancing, Feb. 13. The Valentine themed event titled “Touch” drew in about 150 kids from around the community.

By Heather Hamilton and Mary Noden Lochner Photos by Leighann Seaman The Northern Light

Want to host an all-ages rave, punk or folk show in Anchorage? Even if it’s a one-time only event, you’re going to have to register for a special municipal permit 90 days ahead of the gig.

That’s according to Anchorage Department of Parks and Recreation’s take on a municipal law that went into effect in Oct. 1996. The “Teen Nightclub Law,” or Municipal Ordinance 10.55, requires operators of all-ages venues to get a municipal permit before opening their doors.

But all-ages event organizers are saying the “Teen Nightclub Law” is being newly applied to one-time events, not just teen night clubs.

Mike Mason, a rave organizer and a political science major at UAA, had the distinction of being the first organizer of a one-time all-ages event to be notified by the municipality of the permit requirement.

Mason and other organizers who’ve held past raves say they were never required to get the Teen Nightclub Law permit.

Michelle DeLong, the license clerk at the Municipal Clerk’s office where the permits are processed, said the issue seems relatively new.

After scouring the Municipal Clerk’s records back to 1997, which is the farthest the current database reaches, DeLong said records show there have been no new Teen Nightclub Law permit applications since 1997 – not even for a teen night club – and no permit renewals since 2003.

John Scott, 21, concentrates on his glow flow on the dance floor

“Between me and the previous business license clerk – and she started here in 2006 – Mike Mason was the first person who really contacted us regarding the teen nightclub issue,” DeLong said. “If people are operating teen dance parties, it’s not falling under municipal code.”

It’s possible the issue would never have come up, if Mason’s Feb. 13 rave hadn’t been planned for the Kincaid Bunker, a venue operated by Anchorage Parks and Rec. But plenty of raves and all-ages concerts have been held there before, without organizers being required to get a Teen Nightclub Law permit. Mason was one of those.

So he said he was naturally surprised to be notified of the permit requirements 25 days before his event, which was scheduled for Feb. 13.

An e-mail he received from Parks and Rec indicated they couldn’t allow him to have a rave at the bunker without the Teen Nightclub Law permit.

The e-mail, a copy of which was provided by Mason to The Northern Light, appears to have originated from Parks and Rec Junior Administrative Officer Deborah Zentmire.

It was sent to Recreation Supervisor Teri Desy-Peters on Jan. 12, before being forwarded on to Tommie Bishop, Assistant Facility Manager for Kincaid outdoor center.

Mason’s copy of the e-mail chain shows Bishop forwarded the message to him on Jan. 20.

Desy-Peters confirmed she received the e-mail from Zentmire and forwarded it to Bishop.

In it, Zentmire writes: “MOA code seems clear to me that Mr. Mason’s proposed February 13 event will first require a permit from the Municipal Clerk. It is unlawful to hold this event without a permit issued by the clerk.

“It seems unlikely that the MOA Clerk will issue a

Stage performer Vassago spins glow sticks tied to fire fans at “Touch”

permit to Mr. Mason in time for a February 13 proposed event,” Zentmire continues. “The code says the clerk has 90 days. It also states the Clerk must conduct a background check of sorts on Mr. Mason. There appears to be many steps, business license, etc. that Mr. Mason needs to deal with the MOA clerk on before he would get his permit.”

When called for comment, Zentmire referred The Northern Light to Senior Recreation Superintendent Chris Conlon, who made a referral to the Municipal Clerk’s office.

Mason saved the rave, called “Touch,” by finding a new venue and turning the public party into a private invitation-only event. This allowed “Touch” to legally fly under the radar. But he said having to do all this at the last minute put him in a panic.

“I almost had a heart attack,” Mason said. “That’s how difficult it was.”

The situation has other all-ages event organizers rethinking their events.

Rave promoter and investor Chase “Kirby” Ford, whose work goes under the name Original Theory Productions, said he’s helped put on multiple past raves, including at least one at the Kincaid Bunker.

“I only heard about 10.55 recently,” Ford said.

But after learning from Mason about his ordeal, Ford said he’s considering changes to an upcoming event, just to be safe. His company is co-sponsoring a rave called “Smile 5” with Kounterstrike Kru Productions on March 12. Ford said obtaining a Teen Nightclub Law permit was never brought up for the event by the municipality, but “Smile 5” might be changed to an invite-only party, like “Touch,” nevertheless.

March 2, 2010 | a&e

TNL

17

LAWN: Artist delves into an American obsession Work takes up themes of water scarcity, tension between the natural and man-made world

By Mary Noden Lochner The Northern Light

Blue McRight has a thing for the American lawn. No wonder: it exists at a cultural locus where so many of the artist’s interests converge.

The renowned painter, sculptor and installation artist said she’s into paradoxes, contradictions, environmental issues and the tension between culture and nature. Conceptually, the American lawn is a point that contains all of these.

“If you look deeper into the theme of the American lawn,” McRight said, “especially in the southwest, then water is the flipside of the lawn. The lawn is this inappropriate grafting of this European landscaping onto the dry climate of the West.”

A casual glance at her installation “Morandi’s Lawn” at the Kimura Gallery, demonstrates that McRight’s fixation with the American lawn is serious. Row by glittering row of objects whose entire surfaces are perfectly fitted with artificial grass comprise a field both familiar and strikingly different from anything the viewer is likely to have seen.

At a basic level the objects evoke the whimsically-sculpted hedges so obsessively featured in West Coast landscapes. But underneath the surface they are ordinary objects: cans, beer bottles and empty liquid soap containers for example.

McRight said she did something similar with other works that featured lots of tiny paintings on the same theme created over time.

But “Morandi’s Lawn” was much more meticulous.

Every day for a year, from April 1, 2003 to April 1, 2004, McRight collected the objects she would normally wash and recycle at the end of each day, placed them in a still life arrangement, photographed them, and dated the photographs. Then she disassembled the arrangements and covered each piece individually with artificial grass.

“The first year I collected the objects, and I also covered them,” McRight said.

“But at the end of the year I wasn’t finished covering, because it’s a lot more time covering than collecting, so it took me another year after that.”

The resulting work creates an at-odds interaction between the activity of recycling, which generally saves resources, and that of maintaining a lawn, which generally depletes an important resource,

"Morandi's Lawn" by noted West Coast artist Blue McRight shows in the Kimura Gallery in the UAA Fine Arts Building through March 8.

namely water.

The installation is also in homage to Italian still-life painter Giorgio Morandi, who died at age 74 in 1964.

‘ If you look deeper into the theme of the American lawn, especially in the southwest, then water is the flipside of the lawn.’

“He’s adored universally by artists the world over for these very simple, yet incredibly beautiful and elegant still life paintings of objects from his household,” McRight said. “He did that his whole life with the exception of a few landscapes and floral paintings, but he never got tired of doing these minimalist still lifes, and they’re very gorgeous and resonant.”

The idea for “Morandi’s Lawn” came from McRight’s own daily ritual of washing recyclables in her home. She said she was finished rinsing bottles one morning and looking at them on the drain board when it occurred to her the group of them would make a great still life.

“I connected that to Morandi and I flashed on doing this project,” McRight said.

The work debuted in May 2005 at the Santa Monica Museum of Art and also showed in Fall 2009 as part of a retrospective at San Diego State University, before coming up to Alaska.

Sean Licka, art history professor and co-curator of the show, said getting an artist of McRight’s stature was a coup for the Kimura Gallery.

“One reason we do exhibitions, is to expose students and the Anchorage community to new ideas,” Licka said.

He said he finds McRight’s work “provocative,” but admitted the work, essentially a large, minimalist still-life, “might not be everyone’s cup of tea,”

NICHOLAS MONEY/ TNL

particularly if they’re not already familiar with McRight’s work or its cultural context.

McRight said she did wonder about how the show might be received in Alaska. The state doesn’t have the same water scarcity concerns as the Southwestern United States. And, a lawn is something Alaskans only see during the few snow-bare months.

But McRight said that, while the work’s themes connect to her own region’s cultural and natural environment, they also relate to a more universal concern about the sustainability of clean water resources.

“If people can’t relate directly, I hope they would be able to appreciate the emphasis on the importance of water that underpins the work,” McRight said. “I also thought it would be a great contrast to the snow.”

“Morandi’s Lawn” by Blue McRight will show in the Kimura Gallery in the UAA Fine Arts Building through March 8.

The Northern Light is your independent student newspaper,

established in 1988 as an objective voice for the UAA community.

TNL IS HERE F O R YO U ( y o u ) .

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TNL

a&e| March 2, 2010

FOCUs

3.2 .2010 where you need to be this week

LITERATURE

Holy poetry and prose. You’d think it were literature week at UAA with the inordinate number – three is a lot for this campus – of esteemed authors descending on the university one right after the other.

On Tuesday, March 2, poet and novelist le thi diem thuy presents “The Gangster We Are All Looking For,” a novel the New York Times called “a brilliant evocation of human sorrow and desire,” in the Fine Arts Building, Room 150 at 7:30 p.m.

Free admission.

On Wednesday, March 3, poet and UAA alumnae Elizabeth Bradfield reads from “Approaching Ice,” her book of poems about exploration at the poles. Her reading starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building, Room 116.

Free admission.

On Thursday, March 4, poet, novelist, screenplay writer and director Sherman Alexie speaks at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Alexie’s works have garnered a number of prestigious awards and he is known for his engaging humor both on and off the page. Advance tickets to Alexie’s talk are free for UAA students at the Student Union Information Desk or at the door.

FIRST FRIDAY

Three art shows, one hip little slice of Spenard and the promise of yummie treats for all the philistines who only attend gallery openings to fill their bellies: “Spring in Spenard” has got the full First Friday package. If you’ve never made Sugarspoon, Bella Boutique and AK Starfish part of your First Friday itinerary, March is the month to start. The owners of each of the three adjacent stores – respectively, a bakery, a hand-made crafts store and an art-print clothing store – have banded together to offer a triumvirate of art openings on Friday, March 5 from 5 to 9 p.m.

All three stores are located in the same building on Spenard between Fireweed and Northern Lights, at 2601 Spenard Road.

At Bella Boutique, artist Kristy Hall of Alaska Gadgetry displays her bobby pins, jewelry, tie tacks, belt buckles and the like made with resin-set images.

At AK Starfish, owner and clothing print artist Marci Nelson debuts her new Raven AK design.

At Sugarspoon, artist Sindra Wolfsen’s show of mixed media paintings, “What Comes First, The Egg or The Attitude?” depicts little molting birds.

Compiled by Mary Noden Lochner

e-mail arts@thenorthernlight.org to submit an event!

March 2, 2010 | a&e

TNL MOVIE REVIEW

GAME REVIEW

‘Wolfman’ a clever remake

By Jena Benton The Northern Light

“The Wolfman” cannot help but to be compared to its 1941 predecessor “The Wolf Man.” The original suffered many contrivances that never fit well into the plot: an incidental romance, an oddly estranged father and a mysterious trip home to reconcile for no apparent reason; a convenient band of gypsies, and a night of bad luck for the main character involving getting bitten by and transformed into a werewolf.

Although that film may be the originator of much of the werewolf legend as it is known in the 21st century (silver bullets, transformation by the light of the full moon, etc.), it left much to be desired in the way of cohesive writing. But that’s not the case for the remade version that recently hit theaters.

“The Wolfman” is a cleverly written movie, tying all of the loose ends of the plot together much better than the original.

This time there is a reason for Lawrence Talbot’s (Benicio Del Toro, “Che: Part One & Two”) return: he has come home to investigate his brother’s murder.

A romance blossoms between him and his brother’s widowed fiancé, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt, “The Young Victoria”), and it becomes quickly apparent there is a much deeper mystery behind the estrangement with his father Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins, “Beowulf”).

The story might still seem a bit fractured at first glance in terms

19

of the release of background information, but there is a better mystery woven through the backbone of this movie, and the piecemeal delivery serves a purpose.

Director Joe Johnston uses this same visual approach in his dream scenes. It might seem choppy and chaotic, but it is as unsettling and broken as the mind of the main character after he stumbles into his curse. Those nightmare sequences are perhaps some of the best visuals in the movie, aside from the terrific CGI shots of old London during a chase scene that include iconic shots of the werewolf howling at the full moon.

But while the film modernizes the plot, the director never deprives the viewer of that classic horror film feeling.

The setting alone conveys a creepy mood, with plenty of shots in the fog and dusk, if not at night itself. Everything is dark right down to the muted colors of costume and sets.

But nothing is darker than the plot itself.

Here is a truly tormented man with one of the worst fathers ever to appear in cinema.

Hopkins plays the role of the father flawlessly and with such flare that he creates yet another perfect villain. Del Toro is also a wonderful fit for the cursed role, his face working seamlessly with the transformation into the classic wolf man.

And it is here in the wolf man’s appearance that there is no update where there could have been. The make-up and

the physical appearance of the wolf man is the exact same.

It looks more realistic and the transformation scenes are better done than the first film, but the end result is loyal to its original form.

Although the romance still seems a bit rushed, “Wolfman” as a whole is wonderfully complete. It fills in the gaps of the original and adds more merit and background to the tale that was sadly lacking. Viewers looking for a classic horror story will not be disappointed.

“Wolfman” Directed by: Joe Johnson STARRING: Benicio Del Toro; Emily Blunt and Anthony Hopkins Run Time: 102

Genre: Horror

‘Inferno’ twisted

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

A portion of “The Divine Comedy” has been brought to consoles thanks to game makers Electronic Arts and Artificial Mind and Movement.

The 15th-century epic poem

by Dante Alighieri becomes “Dante’s Inferno” the game, a ghoulish realm for players’ entertainment.

The game takes liberties with the poem, however.

The player assumes the role of Dante: who is in this case a crusader who fights Death himself to get back home to his love, Beatrice. But, once there, Dante finds her in his back yard with a sword in her heart.

His servants and father have been murdered. Then, Lucifer appears and says if Dante wants Beatrice back, he will have to traverse the Nine Circles of Hell.

The story has a big twist at the end, but falls flat with halfwritten themes of redemption.

“Dante’s Inferno” is a gorgeous game. Everything in-engine is rendered with care and convincing damnation.

Demons look scary. The cliffs of Hell look bleak and are made of the souls of the damned who scream and reach out for the player.

The character models are detailed and as depraved as one would expect on a tour through Hell. The developers and artists did not hold back; once the

★★★★

player sees a monster with mouths for ears, hands and eyes that belch vomit and feces, it cannot be unseen. Likewise, in the Lust circle, the women who attempt to seduce Dante grow claws from their nether regions to impale the hapless hero.

The controls and abilities seem rock solid. Upgrades make enemies dispatch quicker, and the Crucifix is amazing, powerful and never runs out of energy. With the Absolution/ Damnation mechanic, one could punish or save the wayward souls who reside in Hell. (A careful scouring of the landscape will turn up a certain American president.)

Unfortunately, Dante’s ride is marred by unacceptable glitches and way too many enemies spawning during puzzles.

Once a player has that “Aha!” moment, and the enemies keep coming, it could force the player to rage-quit prematurely. There is one section toward the end of the game that is inexcusable; Dante has to push a platform up a hill with demon overlords constantly spawning.

There are also parts that just seem to push the perception of American audiences with the gratuitous nudity and disgusting enemies.

In all, Dante’s Inferno is a fairly good game that takes heavy liberties with Alighieri’s crowning achievement and delivers thrills for a while.

But, unforgivable game design choices dot the landscape, giving the impression of the game as its own stumbling block.

Game: “Dante’s Inferno” Maker: Electronic Arts; Artifical Mind and Movement Release Date: Feb 9, 2010 Www.dantesinferno.com

★★★

MUSIC REVIEW

‘Love & War’ so-so

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

Daniel Merriweather’s sophomore album, “Love & War,” sounds like an attempt to replicate the runaway success of classic Rhythm and Blues revival groups. The album, which features hip-hop fusion artist Wale and soul acoustic artist Adele, is generally decent.

The opening track, “For Your Money,” sets the tone. It’s a ballad about getting the most out of life. But the rest of the album is mostly unremarkable.

It seems that Merriweather was trying to hide his voice under post-processing and catchy bare-bones instrumental lines.

“Water and a Flame,” however, featuring the songstress Adele, is easily one of the most notable tracks.

Using some effects that were pioneered by previous artists of yore, Merriweather brings out something new for this age, but doesn’t achieve the success that could be had. It’s worth a listen to see where a little more soul searching could lead, with an eye toward a future effort.

Album: Love & War Artist: Daniel Merriweather Record Label: Sony BMG Release Date: June 2, 2009 www.danielmerriweather.com

★★★

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a&e| March 2, 2010

TNL

OPINION The Northern Light 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508 Phone: 907-786-1513 Fax: 907-786-1331 info@thenorthernlight.org

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org Suzanna Caldwell MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Josh Edge COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Brittany Bennett NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Kam Walters FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org Katie Forstner A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Mary Noden Lochner SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Taylor Hall PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Leighann Seaman WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org John Norris LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Lisa Wagner ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR news2@thenorthernlight.org Jerzy Shedlock ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Joshua Tucker ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton PHOTOGRAPHER Logan Tuttle GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Lindsay Johnson CONTRIBUTORS Jena Benton Derek Chivers Kimberly Copadis Bryan Dunagan Carrigan Grigsby Casie Habetler Daniel Jackson Andrew Neuerburg Trevor O’Hara ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Vacant CIRCULATION ASSISTANT Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route

The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 5,000. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood.

The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or The Northern Light.­­­

21

EDITORIAL

UA nondiscrimination policy is obsolete Student groups push for a change, now it’s time for all to make the final push The University of Alaska’s nondiscrimination policy needs to be ushered into the 21st century.

What will bring this policy up-to-date is the addition of LGBT individuals in the stipulations of nondiscrimination.

The Board of Regents has expressed that it intends to deal with this issue within the year – which is great, but does not change the perception that UA is lagging behind the times.

The current policy prohibits the discrimination of people based on a person’s race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions or parenthood.

Thankfully, the Regents are finally looking to addressing this issue in the foreseeable future.

There is really no reason

for the Regents to not approve this addition into policy. LGBT individuals are generally accepted, or tolerated at the very least.

Unfortunately, the city of Anchorage was unable to pass Ordinance 64, which would have changed the city’s nondiscrimination law. There is always hope that since the UA system is such a major player in the city, and even the state, that its decision will ultimately influence the decision-making of both the city and the state in regards to this issue.

A number of student groups around the state are extremely active in advocating for the addition of sexual orientation into the bylaws.

One of these groups is the UAF Gay-Straight Alliance. This group has been among the mostactive groups in encouraging the

Board of Regents, asking them several times in the past year to update this policy, stating that the UA system is lagging behind other state universities around the country.

Other groups have also made pleas to UA Regents, including the Juneau GSA. In their appeal to the Regents, the Juneau GSA made Valentine cards for the Regents, urging them to take action on this issue.

There is also a fairly active Facebook group that is dedicated to this issue. The creators of the page usually update the page prior and during Board of Regents meetings, encouraging its followers to e-mail the Regents or attend the meetings if possible.

It is efforts like these that will ultimately determine the Regents’ decision. If the Regents do not hear about the issue that students,

staff and faculty have with the current nondiscrimination policy, they are not likely to change it.

Students, staff and faculty need to come together and e-mail the Regents and attend the meetings if at all possible. If the UA community shows those that make the rules and regulations that this is an important issue, it will be addressed and it will likely leave the Regents little recourse but to change its policy.

The search for a new President for the UA system and now a new chancellor for UAA, things may get a little bogged down, but this issue can no longer be put on the back burner.

Changes take time, but now is the time for change in UA’s nondiscrimination policy.

THE OTHER SIDE

Fluoride in water is cause for concern Potential benefits of this chemical do not outweigh that of brushing and flossing

By Zach Liszka

Special to The Northern Light

Why is the small group called Spenardians Against Fluoride organizing to stop the Municipality of Anchorage from putting fluoride in the drinking water?

“If the purpose of fluoride in toothpaste is to prevent dental decay, then it is classified as a medicine – its purpose is to treat something,” said Jason Agre, the group founder and longtime Spenard resident. “Mass medicating an entire public by adding fluoride to the public water is unethical because you can’t control the dosage given to the individual, you can’t track adverse reactions to the medicine and the individual can’t remove it at the tap, so it violates personal choice and informed consent.”

Friday, Feb. 19, Spenardians Against Fluoride held a protest in front of the Anchorage Water and Wastewater utility building.

According to Agre, the protest was a success and they plan to hold another one.

Canada, Japan and practically all of Western Europe once had fluoride added to their water.

Since the 1970s, however, these countries banned the practice due to the very serious concerns Agre raises. Interestingly, according to Worth Health Organization data, dental decay rates among these

countries in the past 50 years are equal to the United States, so is fluoride really effective at reducing dental decay?

Some argue that fluoridating the public water is the most costeffective way to prevent dental decay in a community. But, the American Dental Association admits that brushing your teeth and flossing are the best ways to prevent dental decay, not drinking fluoridated water.

When a small group of citizens in Juneau with a budget of $5,000 organized to put the question of removing fluoride from the water to the voters, the American Dental Association paid $200,000 to lobby the Juneau legislature to keep fluoride in the water.

It seems like the money could have been better spent giving out free toothpaste and floss to all the residents in Juneau if the ADA’s purpose was truly altruistic.

Even the Centers for Disease Control has admitted that fluoride’s benefits are derived when applied to the teeth only, not ingested, and the Journal of Public Health Dentistry admits that people already consume enough fluoride from fluoridated toothpaste.

So what if some people don’t like fluoride in the water, if it helps some, what is the harm?

Well, The American Dental Association seems to think there is some harm to infants. In 2006 they released a little-advertised

press release to mothers of infants which warned them not use fluoridated water in baby formula because of the risk of dental fluorosis – commonly seen as white speckling of the teeth in mild forms and mottled teeth similar to osteoporoses in the bones in more extreme cases.

Some believe that whatever amount of fluoride you ingest is flushed out of your system, but according to a ground-breaking report compiled in 2006 by the National Research Council (NRC) on behalf of the EPA, at least half of all fluoride stays in your system, most by bonding to calcium in bones. Over time, fluoride accumulates and studies now show a link to osteoporoses in the elderly.

The research also shows it enters the brain. This is alarming considering the EPA has put fluoride on a “high health research priority” due to its “known neurotoxicity.”

The NRC report lists five studies conducted in China that show a lowering of IQ in children associated with fluoride when compared to a control group. One of these studies indicates that lowered IQ occurred in children with 0.9 parts per million of fluoride in the public water. The Anchorage Municipality adds 1.2 parts per million to the public water today.

According to the NRC report, fluoride in drinking water at levels

PRIDE

CHIDE

U.S. Olympic teams...

The Student Union...

...for topping the medal count.

...for opening an hour late this weekend.

prescribed by the Municipality of Anchorage has been found to reduce thyroid activity in research subjects. Researchers found that fluoride acts as an endocrine disrupter, which can lead to weight gain.

The first application of fluoride in the water supply was noted in the book The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremburg Code, where it was revealed that Nazis added fluoride to the water supply in concentration camps because it had calming effects on the prisoners.

A cursory glance at the source of the fluoride added to our public water reveals why, unlike France, Germany and Canada (to name a few), fluoride is still added to our water today in the U.S. Pharmaceutical-grade fluoride is too expensive to produce on a scale needed for the countries water supply; instead the primary source of fluoride is the phosphate fertilizer industry, which produces fluoride as its by-product.

Today it is bottled up, unrefined, for addition to the water supply.

This convenient arrangement ensures an artificially cheap supply of fluoride to the nation and inhibits the government and endorsing supporters – such as the ADA – from having an honest debate about water fluoridation that puts individual rights and health concerns first.

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TNL

Comics| March 2, 2010

BROKECOMICS | Alec Fritz

TUNDRA l Chad Carpenter

Skeletal WORDSEARCH l Lindsay Johnson

CRYPTOQUOTE PUZZLE l Lindsay Johnson

CALCANEUS CARPELS CLAVICLE COCCYX CRANIUM FEMUR HUMERUS ILIUM MANDIBLE METATARSALS PATELLA PHALANX RADIUS SCAPULA STERNUM TALUS TIBIA ULNA VERTEBRAE ZYGOMATICBONE

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CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Did a tapestry 5. Galosh 9. Pooh’s pal 12. Revival shout 13. Ice house 15. Uh-oh!

16. Not sweet 17. Prince Val’s wife 18. Small bottle 19. Gallivant 21. Murderous Moor 23. Stalemated 24. Early space lab 25. Legendary 28. Racetrack 33. Lays off work 34. Wee bit

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35. Pittsburgh river 36. Carbondale sch.

37. Not at all Extraordinary 38. Taiga animal 39. Prefix for “trillion” 41. Grab a snack 42. Baby food 44. Legal summons 46. Cheap transportation 47. Ms. Lupino 48. Easily-split mineral 49. Plywood layers 53. Spock’s lack 57. A Baldwin 58. Scout’s rider 60. Courtroom

cover-up 61. Moccasin or pump 62. Adds to staff 63. Essay byline 64. Metal for plating 65. “Tomb Raider” heroine 66. Orient DOWN 1. Electrical measure 2. Sharif or Bradley 3. Ms. Miles 4. Give the right 5. Prejudiced 6. Leered at 7. Bullfight cheer 8. Dorothy’s dog 9. Churn up 10. Outback mineral 11. Norwegian port 14. Hot breakfast 15. Go to extremes 20. Dessert choices 22. Hurry 25. Brawl weapons 26. Parting word 27. Book jacket ad 28. March composer 29. Chief god of Memphis 30. Stranger’s query 31. Caught cold 32. Links 34. This one — — me 37. Dig up 40. Per person 42. A little, to Liszt 43. At bay (3 wds.)

45. Keats opus 46. Brunch cocktail 48. Basement reading 49. Of very great size 50. Post-kindergarten 51. Light in a tube 52. Erosion loss 54. Kansas town 55. Kimono fasteners 56. Not cluttered 59. Brady Bill opposer

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HOROSCOPE l Stella Wilder The coming week is likely to introduce many individuals to a variety of images, both distant and close-up, that present the “truth” in all its guises -- and, of course, both certainty and confusion will seem to coexist in the same time and place as each individual strives to make sense of what he or she sees through the window of his or her own perception. Some will find stark warnings in the signs presented, and others will derive a great deal of encouragement, but all will have plenty to think about as the week draws to a close.

They say that opportunity only knocks once, but anyone who believes this must not be listening, for opportunity of all kinds is all around. Everyone will have a chance to explore the new and the untried, and most will enjoy themselves -- and, perhaps, profit as well.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 5)-- You’re likely to see things in a new way, prompting those who know you best to muse about the big difference in your attitude.

(March 6-March 20) -- What begins in the same old way is sure to turn into something remarkable in no time.

ARIES

(March 21-April 4) -- There are those who are depending on you, so you mustn’t stray too far from your present course as you explore new options.

(April 5-April 19) -- You may have trouble becoming enthusiastic about a job that presents nothing new.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 5) -- You may be using your unique powers to further an agenda that, ultimately, may not be all that good for you. Consider making a change.

(May 6-May 20) -The more far-fetched an idea seems to you, the more likely it is to provide serious benefits.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 6) -- Don’t just sit there and let someone else take charge of your own story; it’s time to get the most out of every new page.

(June 7-June 20) -- You may require more room to maneuver today as you attempt something that others would shy away from.

CANCER

(June 21-July 7) -- Are you facing the impossible or merely the improbable? One is surely a waste of time; the other is something worth exploring.

(July 8-July 22) -- Getting from here to there can prove far more fun and educational than you might expect.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 7) -- Others may not understand your decisions, but they’re not the ones who have to live with them, after all. You’re onto something.

(Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- Even the simplest of ideas can prove worth the effort, provided everyone is working toward the same goals.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- Get an early start, so that you can score a few key victories before you feel yourself running out of steam.

(Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- Staying power is the key to success, and you have what it takes to outlast even the most serious competitors.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- You may feel that you’re losing touch with those who have influenced you strongly in the past, but this is only a period of temporary change.

(Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- You may be faced with a situation straight out of the pages of a novel. Enjoy.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- What begins on a note of highest expectancy mustn’t be allowed to founder. You’ll have to keep things going in the face of difficulty.

(Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- You can surprise others by doing just what is expected. Your reasons are your own.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- There’s no need to think that you’re any better than anyone else -- yet. When all is said and done, however, that may change.

(Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- You’re likely to have a personal mystery to solve before the week is out. Ask the right questions.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- You can have a good time reliving some past glories, but that isn’t all you must do. It’s time, too, to move forward more quickly.

(Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- Once you set others straight about your expectations, things are likely to progress smoothly.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- You may have made a recent change that hasn’t yet panned out as planned. Perhaps it’s not too late to change back?

(Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- When you realize what you’ve done, it’s likely to be too late to reverse it. You must live with the consequences.

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