Argonaut

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Argonaut

the Tuesday, December 7, 2010

U N I V E R S I T Y O F I DA H O

Sports

Opinion

Derisa Taleni returns to basketball as a teammate and mother, page 5

Columnist Kelcie Moseley says video games are sexist, page 9

Renting and buying Bookstore offers more affordable options Brittany Kiser
 Argonaut

University of Idaho students and parents can breathe again when it comes to textbook prices, thanks to the UI Bookstore’s new textbook rental program. UI Bookstore Director John Bales said their mission

is to provide educational content at the best possible value to students. “When we found we had the ability to run a rental program, it seemed like a win-win situation — for students, for us, for everyone,” Bales said. Bookstore Associate Manager Larry Martin said the rental program was origi-

nally launched during the 2010 fall semester. “The prices will really benefit students, it’s a value we’ve never been able to offer before,” Miller said. “Let’s say you have a $100 textbook. That same book would cost about $75 used, and anywhere from $30-$45 through our rental program ... Students

save an average of about 40 percent, which really brings the price down.” Bales said this fall there were about 300 different titles available for rent. Digital books are another option. “The books available for rent tend to be for larger classes,

see Textbook, page 4

Katherine Brown | Argonaut

A car covered in snow sits in the purple lot behind Wallace complex Monday afternoon. Some students leave their vehicles during the winter break because of snow accumulation.

No snow day for facilities Kayla Herrmann Argonaut

As winter continues to coat Moscow in blankets of white, University of Idaho Facilities Services is working to reduce the amount of snow on campus by teaming up with Parking and Transportation Services. Chris Zillinger, director of Landscape and Exterior Services, said it is important for students to remove their vehicles from campus during winter break. “No one was supposed to be parked over Thanksgiving break, and everyone who left their cars were in the way for snow removal,” Zillinger said. “There is no street parking on campus over breaks, because it messes with snow removal. Things got really bad a few

years ago and we had only one lane of traffic because of all of the cars left on campus. We really need them to be off the street.” Facilities Services controls the snow removal and ice on all campus streets, walkways and parking lots. However, PTS pays for snow removal in all parking lots on campus, said Rebecca Couch, PTS information specialist. “This year we have noticed several bikes that are not parking on bike racks and are making snow removal more difficult. Since the bikes are not on racks it’s not allowing that area to be plowed with a truck or tractor, we are having to hand shovel the areas,” Couch said.

Idaho dominates Travelers Classic see page 5

see SNOW, page 4

Nick Groff | Argonaut

Latah County unemployment rate rises as benefits end Joanna Wilson Argonaut

The unemployment rate for Latah County in October was higher than last year, from 7.0 to 8.2, but lower than the state average for the month, 9.1, the Idaho Department of Labor announced Nov. 19. Unemployment tends to reinforce itself, said Kathryn Tacke, regional economist for IDL. “When you have a lot of unemployment, you have less spending power, (leading to) loss of jobs in retail,” Tacke said. Many of those unemployed will lose more spending power as extended unemployment benefits ended Dec. 4 for 1,200 jobless workers in Idaho, and 14,000 more are scheduled to lose benefits soon. Unemployment benefits are not an entitlement — the applicant must meet certain requirements to be accepted, said Josh Mckenna, IDL benefits bureau

Mckenna said. “They are spending it in the community, so without the money, they can’t use it that way,” Mckenna said. Spending in Latah County is affected by the financial situation of the whole state because of the money the University of Idaho receives from the state, Tacke said. She said visitors are Kathryn Tacke also a large piece of revenue. IDL regional economist “(Revenue) was down last couple of years because of fewer visitors coming to Latah County because they have rechief. duced budgets,” Tacke said. The applicant must have lost the job Improvement must come at the state through no fault of the worker, must be and national level for the Latah economy able to work and must be actively seek- to improve, Tacke said. She said the cloing a new job. Every week, the individual sure of Walmart in Moscow could have must submit a detailed report to main- some negative effects on the Latah econtain eligibility. omy as well, Tacke said. Benefits normally last 10 to 26 weeks, “People who came over from Pulland up to 99 weeks in Idaho. man would shop Walmart and then go Congress added more money to the to other stores too,” Tacke said. “It will system to extend benefits because of have both effects (positive and negative). the state of the economy, but set a limit We have to compare what things were on how long the extensions would last, like before Walmart closed.”

“When you have a lot of unemployment, you have less spending power, (leading to) loss of jobs in retail.“

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Giving back to the community Joanna Wilson Argonaut

Main Street is a mere 10minute walk away, and yet many University of Idaho students have never taken a walk downtown. “Participating in the local community is a very important thing,” said Kayla Didier, UI Student. “It wasn’t until I’m about to graduate (that) I thought it mattered.” Didier is the vice president of services for Vandal Solutions which is a class offered by the College of Business that gives students real experience in running a business and working with clients. This December, for the second year, VS is working with Gritman Medical Center, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and the City of Moscow to run a marketing campaign called “Shop Moscow for the

Check blot.uidaho.edu for Blot updates

Holidays.” The point of the campaign is to connect UI students with downtown Moscow. “I think a lot of the local businesses have a hard time addressing the student population,” Didier said. “There’s a void between local businesses and students.” Eric Engerbretson, manager of the Nuart Theater and a participant in the campaign, said the campaign is able to benefit almost everyone. “More people to meet, more friends to make, more things to buy or sell, and so more tax money to improve the community,” Engerbretson said. VS asked local businesses on Main Street to offer student discounts, and in return advertised those discounts to students.

see

SHOP, page 4

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