COMMUNITY
SCC’s Equine Program Shows Science Behind Horses
By Meghan McCoy Margaret Penny loved horses since we do is science and handling from she was a young girl. But when she the ground.” finally purchased one, she realized she The challenging program, which didn’t know much about the animal. started in the 1970s, prepares To learn more, she enrolled in the students to further their education equine science program at a university or go at Scottsdale Community immediately into the College and now has a industry. Lecture and better understanding of hands-on classes are her horse. taught by Evans and Patricia Evans, who adjunct professors who are has been the program’s working in the field. The lecture classes focus manager for the last three on topics such as health, and a half years, explained disease and reproduction. the courses’ benefits. Students also dissect “They will have the skills that will allow them Amanda Peterson works horses’ lower legs, its to be successful,” Evans with a horse during tendons, ligaments and said. “It’s a very strong Scottsdale Community bones to understand how program and intense College’s equine science they all interact. program. A class that is limited program.” The program has evolved as the to six students teaches stable industry, both locally and nationally, management techniques. The fourhour class provides a better handle has changed. “We do not have a riding on the variety of issues and levels that component,” Evans said. “Everything are associated with green horses to
Precautions Make Pizza Delivery Safer in Scottsdale By Beth Lucas Brian Chapman watches his back. A delivery man for Hungry Howie’s Pizza covering a large segment of Scottsdale, his job is regularly listed among the nation’s most dangerous.
Page 6
“You always watch behind your back,” Chapman said. “You get familiar with the area. I know a driver who went to a place where the night before somebody had gotten robbed. Then he had to deliver there the next night. He watched his back, is OK.” Nationally, news reports have covered changes to pizza delivery: blackouts to areas with high crime that in some cases strike discord with customers who feel a bias against them; robberies and attempted robberies of drivers at empty homes or addresses that turn out to not be homes. But due to local diligence, local enforcement say Scottsdale has been a safe place for delivery in recent years. “We have not had any delivery driver robberies in a few years,” said Scottsdale
broken-in horses. One of the handson classes recently gave the students an opportunity to watch a mare giving birth, or foaling. The students monitored the mare on camera and watched the foal position. They assisted the mare during birth and took Hannah Barker, Sasha Ouellett and Elizabeth Evans assist a mare giving birth to a foal. care of the foal after it was born. of foal watch and on the fifth or sixth “At 1 in the morning, she foaled,” night two mares ended up giving birth. Evans said Monday, Feb. 3. “We are “All of a sudden the mare went going back out for the next three days down, she (Evans) had me hold onto to interact with the foal and make sure one of the presenting hooves and we everything is OK.” both pulled to assist the mare to make Penny had the opportunity to help it easier for her,” Penny said. two mares give birth last spring before Penny became serious about the the foaling class became a part of the program two years ago and now hopes Equine Science program. She said to pursue a career as a veterinarian. Evans and a few students volunteered She will intern with a veterinarian in to assist the mares. Texas from March through June. “I really enjoyed the foaling, that has “Some of our students want to go been my very favorite thing,” Penny out to be vets, others have horses and said. “It was very exhilarating.” want to know how to care for them,” She said it started off with 12 days Evans said. Police Department Sgt. Mark Clark. “The best way to keep an empty home from becoming a magnet for crime, is to have the home checked frequently. Either a real estate agent or neighbors would most likely be the best line of defense.” Magazines regularly list “sales drivers” which include food delivery drivers, as among the top 10 most dangerous jobs, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The national data demonstrates an increase in violent injuries as well as motor vehicle crashes among drivers from 2011 to 2012. There were 51 fatalities in 2012, including 12 from violent acts and 36 from vehicle crashes. That compares to 40 fatalities in 2011, including seven from violent acts. The same trend is true among injuries, which have also risen nationwide, to 270 in 2012 related to personal injury violence, up from 230 in 2011. Bureau economist Sean Smith said it was unclear if growth in industry or population impacted the figures.
Nearby News • For News Around Our Neighborhood
Chapman’s manager, Hondo Castaneda pointed out that delivery people never carry more than $20 at the very most. And there are precautions he takes, similar to those across the Valley, such as encouraging credit cards, as many of the robberies involve cash orders, with pizza being the most valuable item on hand. Some pizza shops will also call a home to verify the order and address, if it is new or a cash payment. “Usually to prevent fraud or anything like that, I’ll have customers sometimes pay with a card, especially if it is a really big order,” Castaneda said. “We have not had any issues with empty homes lately. We try to have our drivers make sure the customer shows them the ID card as well, to prevent identity theft.” Chapman said his company “looks out” for staff, and added that many customers become regulars, which builds relationships and a safer environment. But he had one important tip to customers: “Have your light on, your front porch light,” he said. “I carry an LED light but it’s better if we can see.”