02.24.11 Yellow Jacket

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Vol. 88 No. 17

51 W. College St. Waynesburg, PA 15370

Day measures student achievements

By Cori Schipani Staff Writer

Photo by Lisa Jaeger

Professor Jeff Kisner asks seniors about their classes during Assessment Day on Tuesday.

Assessment Day at Waynesburg University was held on Feb. 22.

“It’s a unique opportunity for not only the institution, but for all of the programs to gather information about what we’re doing well,” said

Dana Baer, dean of undergraduate studies and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice.

“We’re gathering information to find out if we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing.”

In the morning, freshmen took a University value performance survey, sophomores partici-

pated in a math assessment test, juniors took a critical thinking test, and seniors met with their departments for various activities.

The afternoon was composed of assorted activities specific to each academic department.

“One of the things we look forward to is just

Politician to address health care concerns

By Carrie Maier Staff Writer

students are helped greatly by this funding, there is still a lot of work required to make these trips possible.

It is really up to the mission team to contact others and arrange for certain means of fundraising, said Calvario.

Waynesburg University and The Regional Center of Southwestern Pennsylvania will hold an Internship and Job Fair on March 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.

Instead of pursuing a major with indecision, the upcoming Internship and Job Fair offers students the opportunity to actively work in the area of their future career.

“It’s kind of like the job shadowing most students did in high school,” said Marie Coffman, Director of Career Services.

“Internships are like a preview.”

“It is a recruiting process for companies of sort,” she said.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers completed a study in 2009 that found those who completed internships in their college career found jobs

See FUNDRAISERS on A3

See JOB on A2

By Alex Hinton Editorial Assistant

Photo by Amanda Rice

Junior Laura Beskitt enjoys soup during Soup forthe Soul on Tuesday. For $5, students could sample the different soups in the Stover Campus Center. Money raised for the event benefitted Mission Trip Scholarship Fund.

Students get creative to raise money for mission trips, scholarship fund

By Jason Logan Staff Writer The Service Learning program at Waynesburg University involves every student through partnerships with more than 40 local and regional service partner agencies.

Through the school’s efforts, there is an everexpanding network of

international opportunities.

Mission trips such as these, especially international trips, can require a substantial amount of monetary funding.

Dave Calvario, director of Center for Service Leadership said, “The fundraising needed to go on these trips forces students to get involved in

the community, either here in Waynesburg or even back at home.”

Fundraising is a major part of the entire experience of the University’s mission service trips.

The Center for Service Leadership helps to fund 30 percent of the international trips and 25 percent of the school’s domestic trips. Although

Museum honors presidents with new display

By Natalie Bruzda Social Media Manager

James “Fuzzy” Randolph, curator of the Paul R. Stewart Museum, is preserving history once again.

To honor Presidents Day, Randolph has put together a display of presidential memorabilia.

Museum visitors will be able to read an origiSee ALTMIRE on A3 nal obituary of George

Washington from approximately 1800, and an April 15, 1865, newspaper article announcing the assassination and time of death of President Abraham Lincoln.

Randolph also acquired two certificates of appointment and reappointment for Huston Williams of Fairchance as a postmaster in the early 1900s, with signatures from both

“If I don’t do it, a lot of it’s going to be thrown away and I want to impart it to people like you.”

James “Fuzzy” Randolph Curator of Paul R. Stewart Museum

President Theodore Roosevelt and President William Howard Taft.

More recent documents include a letter drafted by President

Richard Nixon addressed to Waynesburg College, congratulating the graduating class. In addition, a 1996 letter from President Bill Clinton is also on display, which congratulates Greene County on its 200th anniversary.

In response to a question about the importance of preserving history, Randolph See PRESIDENTS on A3

SPORTS

ARTS & LIFE

REGION

Women’s basketball won a PAC playoff game for the first time since 2006.

See Page C1

Students will have more new opportunities to study abroad as the University adds programs in the United Kingdom and Lithuania.

College Town Diner reopens with an expanded menu and hours.

INSIDE Copyright © 2010 by Waynesburg University

See ASSESSMENT on A2

Internship, job fair to occur March 2

GAPS

Nursing students in the Graduate and Professional Studies program at Waynesburg University will have the opportunity to hear from U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire as he addresses one of the country’s major issues: health care.

Altmire will introduce the new health care plan to the students on March 23 at the Monroeville Center as part of a course on politics and health policy, according Lynette Jack, director of the Graduate and Professional Studies Nursing program.

“The last couple years, health care reform has been a huge issue,” Jack said.

“We want students to have a solid awareness about what the federal government is talking about.”

Jack said she would like the nursing students to be knowledgeable about decisions that will affect health care in the region.

“In our country we’re not doing as good of a job as we can to educate people with chronic diseases and families to take care of themselves and stay healthy,” Jack said.

“I’d like to see the health care system better utilize educators for health promotion.”

Jack said that through educating the students about health care reform, particularly graduate students with an emphasis in nursing education, they

spending time with the students outside of a classroom, so that is one of the goals of Waynesburg University: to be a student-centered University,” said Baer.

“That’s not true of all institutions. This is a day we spend time with our

Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-A4 Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1, B4 Editorial/Op-Ed . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2, B3

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1-C4 Arts & Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-D3 Global . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4

See Page D1

See Page B1

YELLOW JACKET

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Campus

Colleges required to educate students Students share trip memories at Chapel about sexual assault

‘Live justly and love mercy’

By Eric Bost Staff Writer

By Sarah Bell Chapel allowed students to talk about their experiences during part of their winter break.

Multiple students took time off from their break to go on various mission trips. Whether the mission took place right here in Greene County or outside of the country like in Puerto Rico or Jamaica, these students did not realize the values of the trips until they saw and talked to the people around the area. Sophomore Ben Carpenter went to a mustard seed community in Jamaica, where he could not use the one thing that we use everyday: technology.

“We didn’t have our phones or any communication, and I was glad that it turned out that way,” said Carpenter.

“It really forced us to focus on the conversations we had with people at the time instead of texting. It helped us focus on personal relationships.”

Personal relationships came in handy for the students that helped in

Editorial Assistant

Staff Writer Waynesburg University’s Black Student Union hopes to bring together students, performing artists and the community in a celebration of black gospel music.

The BSU will host its’ annual “Gospel Explosion” in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.

Admission for the event is free, and students and the public are cordially invited to attend.

“Gospel Explosion” will end the BSU’s celebration of Black History Month.

Events earlier in the month included a performance by spokenword artist Amena Brown, a presentation in Chapel from Princeton Theological Seminary’s Dr. Luke Powell and a screening and discussion of the film “To Save a Life.”

Zac Northen, adviser to the BSU, said the event is the month’s largest and presented organizational challenges.

“We have performers coming in from other universities,” said Northen. “I’ve encouraged the BSU to hold bigger events.”

The event represents an opportunity to engage in a musical and cultural tradition to which most

“We didn’t get the turnout we anticipated, but they were attentive,” said Myers. “Everything ran smoothly.”

Students in the Department of Mathematics gathered to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the department without faculty present.

Ideal changes for Assessment Day 2012 are already forming.

James Bush, professor of mathematics, would like to modify the math exam used to assess sophomores.

“Right now it’s an inhouse exam, but I want to switch over to a standardized exam with national norms so we can compare the quantitative skills of our stu-

dents with those across the country,” said Bush.

“The trouble is finding one.”

Seniors in the Department of Business Administration will participate in a more engaging interactive assessment next year, according to Department Chair Gordon McClung.

However, McClung said the campus-wide freshmen survey will not be undergoing many adjustments.

“That way, we can do year-to-year comparisons,” said McClung.

“We look at trend lines, identify areas where we need to improve, and where we are doing really well.”

Freshman Undeclared major Rachel Binnig sees

room for change in the freshmen survey, taken online in various computer labs.

“I understand the purpose, but I don’t see why that was something I had to wake up early for when I could’ve taken it in my room,” said Binnig.

There was strong student participation despite the weather.

According to Bush, 83.8 percent of freshmen, 90.4 percent of sophomores, and 88 percent of juniors attended Assessment Day. For those who could not attend, makeup opportunities for the math assessment and critical thinking test will be held on Feb. 24 in Stewart Hall.

tunities to gain experience in their field. But she has to worry about satisfying employers as well, as interested students will entice them to come back next year.

So far, Coffman estimated around 20 companies have registered with the RIC to come to Waynesburg and speak to students. Of those, Heinz Field’s pending signing excited her most.

“They’re all set up apply to a whole range of majors,” said Coffman.

The Wheeling Nailers have signed on to target marketing, sales, public relations, communication and business majors.

Energy Express, Live Nation, Southwest Regional Medical Center, Word FM and others are among employers registered who will likewise

focus on various majors.

Employers are registered through the RIC: an organization that states its mission is “to increase the number of organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania offering internships by actively working with employers to develop programs and

connect them with potential interns.”

Coffman had to recruit companies as well, and the list of employers attending is not yet complete. Companies are still able to attend.

“We’re hoping for a generous turn out,” said Coffman.

Senior Whitney Proviano speaks about her experiences in Camden, N.J., a mission trip she attended during the winter break.

Black Student Union brings gospel music to campus Feb. 27

By Rob Griffith

See STUDENTS on A4

Colleges and universities are now required to educate students about sexual assault through prevention programs held on campus.

State House Bill 101 was passed requiring schools to establish a program that informs students on sexual violence, treatment, and the effects of sexual assault. In the past, laws only required colleges to inform students on incidents that occurred on or near their campus.

Mary Hamilla, assistant director of the Educational Enrichment Program, feels that students need to have an understanding of issues such as sexual assault.

“There are a few reasons students should be educated about it. One is that I think that some students are unaware that it happens as much as it does,” Hamilla said. “I also think that some people really don’t even know what it is and they might commit sexual assault

Photo by Gregory Reinhart

Greene County, Jamaica, Puerto Rico or New Jersey.

Wherever they went, they learned something about other people and what they were going through. For the students that stayed in Greene County, every day was something different.

They made a meal at St. Anne’s, distributed canned foods and answered students questions about college at West Greene High School.

“I thought, ‘What a

Waynesburg students are not ordinarily exposed.

Pete Mally, a junior music ministry major, attended “Gospel Explosion” in previous years and said it helps demonstrate how music, culture and faith interact.

“Spirituals and gospel music influenced a lot of the popular music we listen to today,” said Mally.

“It’s important to understand where our music comes from.”

According to course materials for “Survey of Music in Worship” provided by Janna Kisner, lecturer in music and instructor of the course, black gospel music developed from the pre-Civil War tradition of African American spirituals.

Black gospel music became prominent at the end of the 19th century, at the same time as ragtime, blues and jazz, Kisner said.

By the end of World War II, the music had become widespread in African American churches throughout the United States.

“Gospel Explosion” brings this music to an area where it is rarely heard, let alone performed live.

Performances in previous years included the Apostolic Faith Church, Geneva College’s Breaking Ground Mime Ministry and Team Excellence.

waste,’ and it totally changed my perspective,” said Andrew Buda.

“We all have God-given gifts, and we need to figure out how we are going to use them in different areas of life.”

Buda said that the ability to do all these different things is given to us by God. “Serving your brothers is a daily call by God: to live justly, love mercy and walk on the Lord. I think this local mission trip taught me that,” Buda

Assessment Day held Continued from A1 students. That’s a unique thing.”

The schedule for the Department of Criminal Justice included a workshop where freshmen could meet with seniors to ask questions without faculty present.

“It’s a very honest oneon-one conversation,” said Baer. “It’s an opportunity for the freshmen to pick the brains of the seniors.”

Approximately 20 freshmen showed up, according to senior criminal justice major Brandon Myers.

Job fair scheduled Continued from A1 faster than those who did not.

Additionally, a number of majors at Waynesburg require students to complete an internship before they can graduate. One of the students affected is senior Sports Management and Exercise Science major Isaac Rosser.

“I wish I had gone through the school to set mine up,” Rosser said of his internship at Pro Performance in Morgantown.

“I had to e-mail a lot of people and talk to a lot of new people on my own.”

Coffman said she hopes the Internship and Job Fair will offer students oppor-

and not really get that that’s what they have done.”

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, 1 in every 6 women and 1 in 33 men – will be a victim of sexual assault in their lifetime. It is four times more likely for women that are in college to be sexually assaulted. Hamilla believes that statistics for males that are sexually assaulted are not as accurate as they should be.

“One in 30 men is a way low statistic. I would say it is probably one in six,” Hamilla said. “I think it is something we really need to not ignore; we need to recognize that it is affecting a lot of men in our society too.”

At Waynesburg University a sexual assault prevention program is held during freshman orientation weekend. Also, the peer educators plan a sexual assault awareness campaign which is held in April.

“Freshmen orientation weekend is the big pro-

said.

Those that went to Camden, New Jersey discovered a place where being homeless might be the better choice.

“Some of the people chose to be homeless,” said senior Whitney Proviano. “Some of them were ok with it rather than going and living with their families and being very dependent on them.”

This group also went to Urban Promise Schools, which are funded by par-

See COLLEGES on A4

Thursday, February 24, 2011

YELLOW JACKET

Page A3

Campus

KAPPA DELTA PI

Education honorary inducts 25 members, plans service project

By Amanda Silay Staff Writer Twenty-five education students became members of the Kappa Delta Pi honorary on Feb. 27.

According to the Kappa Delta Pi website, the organization is an honor society for teachers, college students and even retired teachers.

The best and the brightest of the education field showcase their abilities in helping to make the teaching profession the best it can be.

Freshman Education major Paige Shifflett is one of the inductees.

“I heard about the organization before I got to college, and then once I got to Waynesburg I started to learn more and get more involved,” she said.

Not all of the inductees were aware of the organization. Freshman education major Ron Anthony “was confused but happy,” he said.

“I didn’t really know what to think about it, but I was happy to be in the top 20 percent of education majors.”

Having at least a 3.5 GPA and a minimum of 12 credit hours in education classes is required to receive an invitation to Kappa Delta Pi. Students must also maintain that GPA once in the organization.

“I was really excited about hearing the news of my induction; my friends and I were waiting for a while to hear the news,” Shifflett said.

“Becoming a member will be really awesome and very helpful when it comes to getting a job.”

When students write

Altmire to speak Continued from A1 will be able to fill the roles needed to remove health education barriers.

Jack feels that Altmire’s presentation will help prepare future nurses to be the active leaders needed to improve legisla-

Colleges struggle to attract adults, report says

By Stephanie Laing Editorial Assistant More adults are now enrolled in Pennsylvania’s public colleges and universities according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.

The report, released in 2009, says that the percentage of people aged 25 and older who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher is below the national average.

The federal government set a goal of having more than 50 percent of the population attain at least an associate’s degree over the next decade, and the population that has achieved this is currently at 44 percent, said David Mariner, dean of graduate and professional studies at Waynesburg University.

on their résumé that they are members of Kappa Delta Pi, employers look at that and see a quality person, she said.

“Being in Kappa Delta Pi looks really good on résumés when you are going for a job, especially with how difficult the job market is in Pennsylvania,” Shifflett said.

Along with keeping up their grades, members must also participate in charity events with the organization.

Kappa Delta Pi will sponsor a Blankets and Books fundraiser during which the members will collect books, blankets and stuffed animals for a local shelter, Shifflett said.

Current Kappa Delta Pi member Bethany Taylor loves the service projects.

“My favorite part of being in Kappa Delta Pi would have to be the amount of involvement we have in the community,” she said. “Every semester, we do at least one service project to reach out to children in the surrounding area.”

There are also some other perks to being a member.

“We receive educational magazines in the mail, and a lot of online resources are available as well,” Taylor said.

“These are great because they help us expand on our knowledge beyond just what we learn in class; this helps make us well rounded teachers.”

The inductees take great pride in being offered a spot in the organization because it is not always easy to keep up with grades.

“I thought it was a great accomplishment because I worked so hard in the first semester,” Anthony said.

answered with another question, asking, “If I don’t do it, who else will?

“If I don’t do it, a lot of it’s going to be thrown away and I want to impart it to people like you,” he said.

“Little kids visit the museum, and I am able to tell them about the history of the college and the county because I got the stuff here that I can do it.”

Presidents of the United States are not the only individuals of focus in the newest display.

Randolph also included documents signed by past presidents of Waynesburg College: Joshua Loughran, who served the college from 1849 to 1855; Dr. A.B. Miller and Dr. Paul R. Stewart, who served the college for 20 years and for whom the Paul R. Stewart Museum is named.

ture that permits nurses to function at their best.

Altmire represents Pennsylvania’s fourth congressional district and has focused much of his work on health care throughout his three terms as a congressman.

According to his website, www.altmire.house.gov, Altmire helped write the legislation that removed the penalty for late enroll-

ment on prescription drug coverage for low-income seniors.

He also helped pass legislation that has provided affordable health care coverage to 11 million children in the United States.

In 2009, Altmire introduced the Quality FIRST Act, legislation that allowed for improvements in health care quality and cost.

“I ran for Congress in

Pennsylvania’s public institutions, specifically community colleges, have taken initiative to improve the problem, according to David Hoovler, director of public relations at Community College of Allegheny County.

CCAC is one of 40 pilot community colleges that have formed the Voluntary Framework of Accountability to improve higher education statistics for adults. “[It] is a nation-wide initiative to develop significant measurements for community colleges for students success,” said Hoovler.

“We have a whole tactical plan dedicated to student success initiatives. We are definitely, as an institution, committed to doing our part towards that goal of

increasing college graduates.”

He said that specific goals have been set to improve adults in community colleges, helping them progress through and ultimately complete coursework. VFA hopes this will make it easier for these adult students to transition to a fouryear institution or enter the workforce.

Some of the reasons the report ranks Pennsylvania so low in adults enrolled in undergraduate programs is because it takes students longer to graduate than the allotted two years, he said.

“People that tend to come to community colleges work significantly more than an average student at a four-year institution,” he said.

“People are more apt to have families and

other economic or personal commitments that affect their ability to continue.”

Along with this, he said these adults, usually more than 27 years old, can become frustrated or encounter problems.

The state institutions are trying to find ways to help people find success in those preparatory courses.

Waynesburg University has also advanced its Graduate and Professional Studies program, an accelerated program in business, education, counseling and nursing for adults.

“Through the growth of these programs, Waynesburg has implements an online platform via Blackboard and also introduced a product of See PENNSYVANIA on A4

Presidents remembered Continued from A1

Photo by Gregory Reinhart

Curator James “Fuzzy” Randolph points out an original newspaper about President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. This and more historical artifacts related to presidents can be viewed in the Paul R. Stewart Museum.

Randolph even included a document signed by the current President of Waynesburg University, Timothy Thyreen.

The presidential display is timely not only because of Presidents Day, which occurred on Monday, but also because Charter Day is

fast approaching.

“Charter Day is coming up and a lot of the alumni will be coming back and people from all over will be coming,” Randolph said.

“What I’m trying to do is to display a history of the college.”

The museum is on

the ground floor of Miller Hall and is open weekdays from 9 a.m. until noon or any day by appointment.

To schedule a time for a group or individual to visit the museum outside normal operational hours, call Randolph at 724-852-3214.

large part because I believe we need to find a way to bring down the cost of health care,” Altmire said in his statement on the health care vote.

“I also ran for Congress with a simple promise: I would do my best to represent my district and to give western Pennsylvania a voice in Washington, not the other way around.”

There are two things that the nursing students should focus on gaining from Altmire’s presentation, Jack said.

“One is to ask him about his involvement with health care reform and his position,” she said.

“The other is to give students the opportunity to better their communication skills by communicating with legislators so they can make persuasive pitches for legislation or changes for people in the region.”

Fundraisers planned

Jamaica last fall and is preparing to attend another in Ecuador this spring.

Throughout her preparation for these trips, Rurak has participated in canned food drives, sold pizza and candy and hosted benefit lunches.

Fundraising events leading up to the five spring break trips have included a sale of birthday cakes through the Center for Service Leadership, the Soup for the Soul event on campus, and many more.

Calvario said at a nice, small Christian school like Waynesburg University, sometimes students can experience the “white picket fence syndrome.” These trips can cure that syndrome, he said. “[The mission service trips] can educate and really open a person’s eyes for what’s going on,” said Calvario.

Continued from A1 “A major help to a lot of students is often contributions from family and churches,” he said.

“Churches understand and see the volume of these programs.”

Calvario said that going out of one’s comfort zone through not only the trip itself but also the fundraising leading up to the trip is important to get the full Service Learning experience. The fundraising for mission service trips can entail selling a typical fundraising item like pizza or candy or planning events such as performing a canned food drive.

Dorothy Rurak, a senior Environmental Science major, attended a mission service trip in

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Campus

Senate to implement recycling program • The service task force is working to finalize details of a recycling project that they plan to put in motion with the help of Alpha Phi Omega and the EcoStewards Club.

A trial run of this project was completed in September in Buhl Hall that went well, even though the group only collected plastic and cans, according to task force member

Photo by Gregory Reinhart

Members of the Student Senate Executive Board talk among themselves before last week’s meeting.

Frances Sims.

The goal of the serv-

ice task force is to get the project campus-

wide including cans, plastic and paper by next semester, she said..

• Student Senate is still looking for applicants for executive positions within Student Senate.

• Because of the Trayless poll, there will be fewer trays in Benedum Dining Hall, and the trays that are available are recommended for students with special needs.

Students must manage stress, nurse says

By Marisa van der Eijk Staff Writer As midterms approach next week, students’ stress levels max out.

A full-time college student has many stressors on an everyday basis, whether it is an exam or a social engagement.

Students can follow several simple stress management techniques to keep stress at bay.

Carol Young, the director of health services, says that the majority of student’s stress is caused by their demanding lifestyles.

Young says dealing with stress properly is very important.

“There are healthy ways and unhealthy ways,” said Young.

“Some students don’t take time for themselves. You have to take time out for yourself.”

Mary Hamilla, the assistant director of counseling, says ignoring the problems that create stress is extremely unhealthy.

“Definitely talk to someone,” Hamilla said.

“Everyone needs to express what’s going on.”

Hamilla says many students become overly stressed when numerous exams happen at once.

A lot of students have “test anxiety,” which makes it very difficult to

Colleges warn students Continued from A2 gram. We try to reach everyone as they are coming onto campus,” Hamilla said. “April is sexual assault awareness month so the peer educators do a program called ‘Take Back the Night.’ It is just a way of letting people know that this happens and debunking some of the myths that are out there.”

Hamilla also believes that drug and alcohol education should be incorporated into sexual assault prevention programs because there is a high collaboration between the two.

Frank Pazzynski, associate professor of education, agrees that students should be educated about drug and alcohol abuse while they are being informed on sexual assault. “[It is important for students to be educated on sexual assault] because it is degrading to human integrity,” Pazzynski said.

Pennsylvania falling behind Infographic by MCT

perform well on exams.

Additionally, Young says that students become stressed during exams because so much depends upon their grades.

“School is a big financial investment. Students want to do well,” Young says.

There are several techniques students can use to cope with stress.

“Taking breaks is very important,” said Young.

“There is a time for studying and a time for rest.”

Young cites the need to relax when extremely stressed.

She suggests taking a walk to get away from a confined dorm room to change up the environment and stimulate the

brain with fresh air.

Overall, exercising is just an excellent way to burn off energy, she said.

Yoga and meditation support the mind and the body too when overly stressed, she said.

Other techniques Young also suggests reading an engrossing book, calling a friend and even taking a hot shower.

In addition, Hamilla said that deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises help.

Even though it is important to relax, it’s critical to complete schoolwork too.

Procrastinating on assignments also contributes to stress. Students often become more stressed when their time is restricted.

“Don’t wait to start a paper till the day it’s due,” Young said. “Set goals for yourself and keep an outline.”

Making lists and developing good study and work routines makes organization and time management more effective stated Young.

If students develop poor work habits now, then they will have dreadful skills when they enter the work field, said Young.

Companies won’t hire students if they procrastinate on their assignments.

Still Young believes stress can be a good in moderation depending on the situation.

“The goal is to be healthy,” she said.

Continued from A2 Blackboard [that] enables online classrooms to utilize voice technology to conduct synchronous classes,” said Mariner.

“Our goal it to help all our students grow though the transfer of knowledge in faith, learning and serving.”

Every GAPS student is an adult more than 25 year old, and the University currently has more than 1,000 students pursuing bachelor, master and doctoral degrees at three regional locations in the Pittsburgh region.

“According to the college board, the adult market is the fastest

Students reminisce Continued from A2 ents and sponsors who want the kids to attend these schools. Proviano worked with the older kids and found out about their situation.

“The eighth graders were transitioning and trying to choose which middle school they wanted to go to,” said Proviano. “They were trying to figure out what school

“Drug and alcohol education should be incorporated into the program because I would imagine that statistics show that they are a very high determinate of some of these acts.”

Hamilla said that people often expect those who commit sexual assault to be a stranger, but according to statistics on the RAINN website approximately 73 percent of rape victims know their assailants. Statistics can also be inaccurate because 60 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to the police, the website said.

Since 1993 reporting has increased by about 33 percent, and sexual assault has fallen more than 60 percent in the last decade.

“It is good for everyone to know about sexual assault because look at how high the statistics are – it is going to touch everyone’s life in some way,” said Hamilla.

“Everyone will know someone at least in their life who has experienced sexual assault.”

growing population of students,” he said.

“In addition, more adult minority students are headed back to school to complete an associate’s or bachelor’s degree than ever before.”

Pennsylvania’s success began in 2009 when President Barack Obama proposed a $12.9 billion plan to improve and expand higher education institutions, specifically targeting community colleges. The president plans to have five million more college graduates by 2020.

“Learning is a lifelong process and is not defined by age or experience,” Mariner said.

“Our classrooms are opened to anyone that wants to further develop their personal and professional lives through academics.”

they wanted to go to in order to survive as to where they might get the best education.”

She said the decision is hard because Camden is such a bad area.

“When I was in eighth grade I never even had to think about what school I would have to go to in order to survive, I just went to school just to go,” said Proviano. “So it struck me on how much they knew about their community and how much it affected them at what age they were.”

Guest columnist Kathryn MacAllister talks about going barefoot in New Zealand.

Read more on B2

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Greene County creeks, streams in danger from salt, algae pollution

By Kyle Oland Staff Writer Many fish that inhabited Dunkard Creek have been killed because of large amounts of salt and algae growth in the stream, said Janet Paladino, assistant professor of Biology.

Jim Butler, the testing program facilitator for Citizen Watershed Monitors, hopes what happened at Dunkard Creek does not happen

to the other streams in Greene County.

“Virtually everything was destroyed,” said Butler.

The incident at Dunkard Creek caused the Izaak Walton League of Greene County to set up a system that will monitor the water in the streams of Greene County.

“We have 20 to 30 volunteers from Greene County. The volunteers are all members of the Izaak Walton League,”

said Butler.

“We also have five students from Waynesburg University who have expressed interest in helping.”

Butler said the volunteers were divided into three teams and will go through training before monitoring the water.

The first team was trained on Feb. 19, and will begin monitoring the water within the next 10 days.Paladino said that monitoring the water helps to provide

the team with indicators of the water quality, which will help to make the water safe.

The quality of the water is important because it enhances wildlife and the surrounding habitat, she said. Pollution and water damage have been an issue in Greene County for decades, Butler said.

“We are heavily impacted by the industries in Greene County,” said Butler. “The

three major causes are the coal industry, coal bed methane and the Marcellus Shale drilling.”

The water monitoring will help indicate problems before they get out of control.

“The information we collect will be sent to the research center at West Virginia University for further evaluation,” said Butler.

Paladino said the water monitoring will help detect hot spots in

the streams, which will allow further investigation to take place.

Both Paladino and Butler hope that more people will get involved with the water monitoring.

“We would like to have other students monitor the water because it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect the environment,” said Paladino. “We hope to find some people from the community get involved as well.”

Plans announced for new Holbrook mine

By Amanda Wishner Editorial Assistant A meeting was held on Wednesday, Feb. 16 by the Department of Environmental Protection to discuss future plans for a new underground coal mine at Holbrook.

Greene County residents were invited to join members of the DEP’s mining staff and Foundation Mining LLC representatives from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Rogersville Center Township fire hall.

Foundation Mining LLC of Alpha Natural Resources began plans for the Holbrook mine nearly two years ago, hoping to add the site to their two existing Greene County mines.

Both the Emerald and Cumberland mines of Alpha Natural Resources have been in operation for over 30 years.

The mining company is now going through its second round of the state’s mine permitting process concerning the Holbrook mine.

In 2008, the DEP declined the mining

company’s permit application, citing a flaw in the engineering plan. Since then, Foundation Mining LLC has resubmitted their application, prompting the Feb. 16 meeting.

“Anytime there is a permit application before us, we look for input from members of the public who could be affected by the project,” said Katy Gresh, DEP spokeswoman, in an article by Bob Niedbala for the Observer Reporter.

DEP values the opinions of Greene County residents and will consider their feedback from the meeting when making the final decision on whether or not they will accept the application.

The Holbrook mine will impact a wide range of land throughout Greene County.

The mine will effect 9,438 acres in Center, Jackson and Richhill townships with 6,768 acres included under the mine’s subsidence control plan: a vital concern to affected residents.

Photo by Amanda Rice

Since moving to its new location at 55 Sugar Run Road, Hidden Treasures has seen an increase in customers and profits.

New location brings profit for thrift shop

By Kyle Edwards Region Editor

The change in location has caused an increase in profits for a local thrift shop. Hidden Treasures in Waynesburg was given six months to turn a profit See MINE on B4 after its move in Octo-

ber. Washington City Mission, which runs the thrift shop, would then decide the store’s future. The store serves Greene County by offering free or low-cost merchandise to the needy along with vintage treasures for bargain-seekers.

“So far, things have been going well,” said Judy Streit, store manager. “We have seen a different clientele than we had at the other store.”

Streit said that the move to the new location made it easier for customers to get to the

store.

“It’s actually smaller in space, but it’s much easier access than it was up there [at the old location]. Not to mention the fact that the old location had trouble with parking.”

See SHOP’S on B4

College Town Diner under new ownership Public invited to

By Rachel Davis Staff Writer Imagine sitting down to a hot dinner of mashed potatoes not from a box, gravy made from scratch instead of an open jar and meatloaf.

Most people would not imagine eating this meal in a restaurant, but at the College Town Diner, home-style cooking can be expected.

“The only reason you went to a restaurant was so you don’t have to cook at home,” said Joe Larkin, husband of new owner and manager Donna Larkin. “We want the people to come

Photo by Amanda Rice

The new owners of the College Town Diner hope to attract customers by bringing back the original atmosphere. to the diner and feel

comfortable enough to

talk to someone sitting five booths away without getting out of their chair,” said Joe Larkin.

“We want the customers to feel like they can cough or that they can say that the food sucks. We want them to feel like they’re at home.”

Joe Larkin has lived in the Waynesburg community for years and remembers what it was like to sit in the booths of the College Town Diner after church on Sunday mornings.

“We want to bring back smiles, workers and customers that

career and technology center for open house

By Kaitlin Edwards Managing Editor

Students of the Greene County Career and Technology Center will soon be able to show off their work.

An Open House will be held on March 3 starting at 5:30 p.m. until 8.

“This is a really great event for both the community and the students,” said Karen Cosner, guidance counselor See DINER on B4 for the Greene County

Career and Technology Center.

“Although the morning sessions are typically when the parents and teachers meet, the afternoon session is when all the exciting events start happening. One of the main events includes the fashion show, which starts at 7:30 p.m.”

Within the various disciplines that the students are pursuing See OPEN on B4

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Page B2

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Editorial

Finding funding Respect staff and faculty’s personal finances Waynesburg University prides itself on being able to offer small classes, averaging about 25 people.

The student to faculty ratio is 13:1 allowing students to develop relationships with professors and staff members during their time here.

Because of these relationships, students might feel comfortable asking faculty and staff for support.

Financial support.

Between service trips and club fundraisers on campus, Waynesburg University students are responsible for generating a substantial amount of funds for their activity of choice.

While being involved in campus happenings is encouraged at the university, relying on the same sources of support every time the need arises can put staff and faculty in a difficult position.

Whether it is selling cookies or wrapping paper or raffle tickets or simply asking for a donation, the staff and faculty are repeatedly hit hard.

Your favorite professor may want to support you and may even follow through on it, but keep in mind you may not be the only one asking for support.

The faculty and staff at Waynesburg University are valuable resources by many accounts, but students should be considerate of what they ask of them on a personal, and especially financial, level.

So as students continue to fund their mission trips, Relay for Life teams, club budgets and scout troops, they should reconsider asking staff and faculty members to dig deeper into their pockets, again.

Better late than never Going trayless, a job well done After months of voting, arguing, lobbying and more voting, Student Senate has finally received approval to go trayless.

Going trayless in the cafeteria has been a constant discussion on the Student Senate floor over the past few semesters, and the fact that it finally got approved is great. Now the dining hall can save a lot of water that would normally be wasted by washing the trays.

This is a huge step toward making the campus a “greener” place. Student Senate should be applauded for their efforts toward making this happen.

The first step toward going trayless is for Benedum Dining Hall to place less trays out than they would have previously, with the hope that this will encourage cafeteria-goers to forgo use of trays when carrying their food, and enable staff to remove trays completely at a later date. This is the step that the dining hall staff is at currently.

Now only the cart closest to the door and the cart closest to the pasta table will hold trays. This is just one of the many important steps that the University is taking toward becoming a more environmentally savvy campus.

After fighting all of the battles and overcoming all of the obstacles that arose over going trayless, Senate pushed through and remained strong to accomplish their goals in the end.

For once, Senate has done it’s job and actually got something accomplished.

Granted, it took months for it to finally happen, but it is done nonetheless, and Student Senate should give themselves a nice pat on the back for a job well done.

Humane Society is the cat’s meow I can’t resist black hair and blue-gray eyes.

The combination of those two characteristics makes my heart beat faster and my knees grow a little weak.

And when you add white paws and a whitetipped tail to the combination; let’s just say I am a goner.

He was sitting perfectly still, except for his tail twitching back and forth, as if he were a guard stationed in front of my dorm.

His bright blue-gray eyes were locked on mine and neither of us seemed able to look

KAITLIN EDWARDS Columnist

away. His longer hair seemed to sit perfectly upon his shoulders and his face was expressionless.

He gave no indication whether he wanted me to approach, but I decided to take a chance and make my move.

A little bit of time and tuna later, he was as fond of me as I was of him.

We sat there together on the steps drinking in

Unrest in the Middle East ups gas prices My parents bought a new car this weekend.

They weren’t planning on buying one; it just happened. At least, that’s what they said.

My mom’s car had some issues recently with the transmission, and my dad’s car is nearing retirement after countless trips back and forth across the state to drive me to college.

the warm night air and loving every second of each other’s company.

Alas, out time together was short.

Soon, it became apparent he had other interests, including everything that moved and caught his attention.

Eventually he became bored of my company and ran off into the dark night.

Yes, I was rejected by a cat.

After he scampered off into the night though, I realized that even though a lot of stray cats patrol the Waynesburg University campus,

RACHEL BROWN Columnist

Plus my brother will need a car when he comes home from college.

It just made sense, they said.

However, they were really excited that the car was a hybrid.

I’m not a car person, which my fiancé is constantly trying to change.

I can point out the steering wheel and only just recently learned how to add windshield wiper fluid to the car.

more cats were around during my freshman year.

In the past three years, the Greene County Humane Society seems to have taken action to help to control the population of stray dogs and cats.

The community has hosted several events to support the Humane Society in the past few years and this seems to have made a big difference within our community.

Some recent events included the “Steelers See HARD on B3

I’m a late bloomer.

But hearing my mom (also not a car person) get excited about the car’s potential made me slightly excited too.

There’s also the fact that I’ll have a car to drive when I’m home during spring break.

The Honda Insight, which they purchased, rates the driver on how environmentally friendly a person is driving. (My mom got 4.5 leaf/tree things out of five. She’s very proud) The Insight apparently gets 43 miles per gallon on the highway, and my parents expect to save about $2,000 in gas each See SAVE on B3

Learning to live with ‘no worries’ Kia ora, as New Zealanders say in greeting. I have been in Palmerston North, New Zealand for less than a week, and to say I love it would be an understatement.

Our classes, or papers as they are called here, do not start until Feb. 28, so I have spent most of my time exploring the campus of Massey University and the nearby town.

As a student of Massey, I am constantly using the bus to travel throughout the city.

KATHRYN MACALLISTER Guest Columnist

The best advice I have received since I’ve been here is to try something new and meet someone new each day.

This doesn’t simply mean introducing yourself, but actually taking time to get to know someone.

I have met many people from other places around the world

including Samoa, Thailand, Germany, India, Scotland, China, Papa New Guinea and Uruguay.

I had my first culture shock when I went to the local supermarket and saw people buying groceries in their bare feet.

I later asked a New Zealander, also called a Kiwi, why many people don’t wear shoes in public, and he simply replied, “Because we can.”

He explained that there really are few

things they need to watch out for when walking around town.

There are only two poisonous spiders here, and they are not likely to be found in the cities.

Also there are no snakes, and the cities are very clean so they don’t worry about stepping on garbage or glass.

I found it curious how clean the cities are because it is not easy to find a trash can, called rubbish bins, in public.

When I first arrived, I See ENJOYING on B3

Thursday, February 24, 2011

YELLOW JACKET

Page B3

Op-Ed

Hard work applauded Continued from B2 Super Bowl ‘Tail’-gate Party” and the fundraiser being held by Dairy Queen.

The “Steelers Super Bowl ‘Tail’-gate party held in honor of the Steelers’ Super Bowl run and during this party several tactics were used to raise money.

A raffle was held for three Steelers baskets that each included jerseys among other merchandise.

During the event, donations for the Humane Society were also collected such as dog and cat food, blanAfter the revolution in international conversa- what fuels innovation Indeed, the adminis- kets, sheets, and even Egypt, it has become a tion about how best to economies,” she said. tration in which she dog chew toys. truism that the Internet bring a commitment to In case authoritarian serves has placed law In an interview to the can foster dissent and democracy worldwide regimes are unpersuad- enforcement above propolitical freedom. But in into an age in which the ed, Clinton noted that tecting the privacy of a thoughtful speech this Internet is “town square, the United States has some online communiweek, Secretary of State classroom, marketplace, launched Twitter feeds cations.

Hillary Rodham Clinton coffeehouse and night- in Arabic and Farsi and That contradiction put that observation in club.” “continues to help peo- makes it easy for other perspective and commitClinton called for an ple in oppressive Inter- nations to accuse the ted the United States uncensored Internet, and net environments get United States of Continued from B2 anew to promoting the she criticized countries _ around filters, stay one hypocrisy. online exchange of ideas including Egypt during step ahead of the cenBut it doesn’t underin other countries. the events of the last few sors, the hackers and the mine Clinton’s primary year because of the purClinton’s speech was weeks _ that suppress thugs who beat them up point that the Internet chase. vague in places, and online communication. or imprison them for shouldn’t be censored.

And considering the there is a tension But rather than ground- what they say online.”

It’s an important mes- price of gas is steadily between her emphasis ing her case for an In her address, Clin- sage. creeping up each day, on the importance of uncensored Internet ton celebrated the idea of Clinton said the costs this isn’t such a bad protecting the privacy of only in traditional confidentiality, saying it of blocking the Internet thing. everything from busi- notions of free expres- was necessary for the are “unsustainable in Last week, the averness documents to jour- sion, Clinton also argued conduct of business and the long run.” But in the age price for a gallon of nalists’ notes and efforts that Web freedom would journalism as well as short run, even after the regular, unleaded gasoby the U.S. government encourage economic diplomatic communica- revolution in Egypt, line was $3.17, accordto combat online securi- growth. tions. But she made it plenty of autocrats will ing to the Pittsburgh Business Times, with ty threats.

“Freedom of thought clear that in some turn the “off” switch.

This editorial orginal- prices per gallon rangOverall, however, it and the level playing instances confidentiality was an impressive field made possible by must yield to other val- ly appeared in the Los ing from $3.11 to $3.26.

Angeles Times.

At the bfs station in attempt to advance an the rule of law are part of ues.

Jefferson, patrons paid $3.19 a gallon, two cents more than the average price.

Last year at this time, the average price was $2.62.

For-profit colleges and univer- students funded by major phi- year college. It is $27,200 at a Ouch. sities are higher education’s lanthropies, has assembled trou- private four-year college. And it Analysts are blaming boom sector. From 1999 bling data. is $13,900 at a for-profit college. the 60-cent jump on through 2009, student enrollThe graduation rate for first- For-profit university students the unrest in the ment skyrocketed 236 percent. time, full-time students seeking account for more than 40 per- Middle East: Egypt, That’s 10 times the rate of four-year bachelor’s degrees is cent of all federal student loan Iran, Yemen, Bahrain growth at public colleges and just 22 percent. defaults even though they make and Libya. universities and non-profit priThe University of Phoenix, up only 24 percent of federal In each country, citivate institutions. the nation’s largest for-profit loan dollars. zens have taken to the During the 2008-2009 school college, had a 9 percent graduaThe U.S. Department of streets to protest the year, they soaked up about $20 tion rate for these students in Education has proposed rules government’s actions— billion in student loans and 2008. The rate at its St. Louis that would protect taxpayers mostly to demand the $4.31 billion in Pell Grants. campus was 6 percent. and students. country’s leader to For-profits boast that they But these programs aren’t Under the proposed rules, relinquish control. provide access to higher educa- cheap, and they are marketed schools that saddle students Egypt seems to have tion to low-income and minori- aggressively. with excessive debt and have calmed down slightly ty students.

The College Board, a non- loan repayment rates below 35 after days of protesting But the educational benefits profit group that helps students percent no longer would be sup- caused the then-presito students are not clear, and access higher education, says ported with Pell Grants and dent to step down. taxpayers deserve an explana- the average annual cost of Stafford Loans.

However, police are tion. tuition and fees at a community This editorial originally still trying to quell the The Education Trust, an college is $2,700. appeared in the St. Louis Post- protestors in Iran, and advocacy group for low-income It is $7,605 at a public four- Dispatch. the government of Bahrain has order its police to open fire on its citizens, according to articles from CNN they are very curious each other, they press they do take their Rugby released this week. about why people want their foreheads together very seriously.

The Yemeni presito study here. They to share a “breath of I have not had a dent has refused to step are very proud of their life” as a sign of friend- chance to travel outside down as protestors conof Palmerston North tinue to demand he Continued from B2 country and not shy in ship and peace. showing this.

When you ask some- yet, but I am planning had some difficulties The hardest part so far thing of a Kiwi, after on taking any and every understanding the Kiwi has been learning to pro- thanking them, they chance I get to see this tongue but soon was nounce and remember will usually reply, “No beautiful country. able to have full conver- names I have never worries.” I like this It is incredible to be sations without asking heard before. expression because it able to step outside the them to repeat themHowever, this has truly portrays their dorm building and see selves. also been my favorite lifestyle. Many people the mountains, but to The indigenous peo- experience, interacting have said they do not the New Zealanders ple also speak the lan- with people from differ- take things too serious- they are hills. I guage of Miori. ent cultures. It’s fun to ly, which is something encourage anyone who Around the campus, see the similarities we can learn from. is thinking of studying most signs are in Eng- between here and home, They work hard and abroad to do, because it lish first then in Miori in and I love being exposed put effort into whatever is something you cannot smaller print. to new traditions, foods they do but do not get forget.

The people of New and words. hung up on something if MacAllister is a sophZealand are friendly and In the Miori culture it doesn’t go exactly as omore marine biology wonderful people, and when two people greet planned. However, major.

Internet fostered revolution in Egypt

Save money at the pump

For-profit colleges not trustworthy

Enjoying the beauty

Observer-Reporter, “”I’d like to thank the commissioners very much for including us in this Steelers event,” said Jane Gapen, executive director of the humane society. “We are truly grateful for the support.”

The community is also taking action to support the Humane Society.

A fundraiser at the Dairy Queen is also currently taking place where the Humane Society will receive an amount of the proceeds from each day’s sales.

To be able to work together within the community is a great benefit to the Humane Society.

Without help, I don’t think they would be able to do as much as they do for the community.

And that would be terrible.

resign, and rumors abound that Libya’s president has fled the country because of the massive demonstrations.

It’s a scary time.

The unrest doesn’t seem like it will stop any time soon, meaning the gas prices will continue to rise.

And it’s not going to stop any time soon.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, there is a 35 percent chance that gas could reach $3.50 by the summer and a 10 percent chance prices will rise about $4 a gallon.

So maybe purchasing a hybrid car really is worth it.

However, there are other ways to save money on gas than just purchasing a new car.

According to the dailygreen.com, having a clean air filter can improve gas mileage as much as 10 percent.

Also, by driving slower, you can save money.

Every five mph that you slow down, you reduce your fuel consumption by seven percent, meaning you could save 14 cents per gallon.

And by avoiding pots holes and by driving smoothly, you can save 66 cents per gallon.

Gentle on the brakes now, please.

Coast to a stop and you’ll save 70 cents per gallon.

All of these ideas really add up.

Of course, you can also carpool, just make sure you chip in for gas now and then.

Else, you might just find yourself stranded.

YELLOW JACKET

Page B4

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Region

Stop in the name of love: Program offers free nicotine patches

By Rachel Brown Executive Editor Stop in the name of love.

At least that’s what the Pennsylvania Department of Health wants smokers to do this February.

“Quit for Love,” is a new program offering a free four-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy kits to smokers who call the state’s quitline.

“Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease,” said acting Secretary of Health Dr. Eli Avila in a press release. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one of every five deaths nationwide is attributed to smoking.

Quitting

Open house to be held Continued from B1 through the Career and Technology Center, displays and competitions will be held throughout the event.

A fashion show will display many of the products of the Center.

Although the show is being held to model the hair-styles of the cosmetology department, other departments are also involved in the process.

The models will be wearing prom gowns, which will be for sale through the business information and technology program. The money made from prom gowns sold will be given to the Future Business Leaders of America March of Dimes Campaign.

The campaign is assisting with the mission of premature births, decreasing infant mortality rates and preventing birth defects.

Unsold gowns will be given to local charities.

The runway was also created by the first-year building-construction occupation students.

“We have the event every year, and the parents and community know how much hard work goes into these

tobacco is a major step toward improving your overall health. Do it for yourself, for your friends, for your loved ones.”

Nurse Director Carol Young believes the program will have a positive impact on the campus and in the local community.

“I think it’s a great program because a lot of the times, if people hit a minor roadblock, if they have financial problems, [the kits] will be provided,” she said. “It’s one less obstacle, and hopefully this will be a great success.”

When people call the quitline, they will be paired with a counselor, who will ask them a series of questions. If they are cleared, smokers would then receive the kits and would undergo several counsel-

projects,” said Cosner.

“This event shows how much hard work these students do and it could even be an incentive for potential employers.”

A chili cooking competition will also be held among the culinary arts students, with assistance from the administrators of the Jefferson-Morgan, West Greene, Central Greene, Carmichaels Area and Southeastern Greene school districts.

People attending the Open House will judge the recipes through a taste testing competition.

Students in the building construction occupations program will be building an office area as well as creating replicas of the Greene County Airport in the drafting and design program.

Throughout the event, those people who attend will also be able to enter raffles and texting competitions.

The raffles are offered through the majority of the 13 programs.

The raffle baskets will include everything from “movie items,” including candy, popcorn and other theme baskets.

“There was a need within the community to have a Center such as this,” said Cosner.

“We fill a need and work to prepare our students for a fulfilling future.”

Photo by Rachel Brown

Nurse Director Carol Young is an advocate for Quit for Love. ing sessions to ensure that they are following through on their promise.

Young said a lot of students begin smoking in college because of all the stress; the nicotine helps to relieve that stress.

However, it comes at

a price.

“Quitting is very important for general health,” Young said.

“There’s really nothing good about smoking.

There are chemicals in your lungs. It’s been said there are 1,200 chemicals in cigarettes, and

some of them are poisonous.”

Smoking also causes cancers—such as mouth and lung cancers. The chemicals also affect other organs, which many people who smoke don’t realize, Young said, adding there were no benefits to smoking.

Young offers free quit kits for students in the Waynesburg University Student Health Center to help them end their addiction. The quit kits include items like gum, stickers, lifesavers, a journal and rubber bands.

“If it’s someone who likes to play with their hands, we have gum bands, toothpicks, stuff they can do with their hands,” she said. “If it’s someone who’s just in a bad habit, we have a journal so they can write

down why they’re smoking and think of an alternative to that.”

Young said that while she does not know how many people take advantage of the quit kits, she’s keeping a positive attitude.

“It has to be the right time, the right place,” she said about when people quit.

Young said the quit kits work in conjunction with the state’s “Quit for Love” program, which will end in six to eight weeks or when supplies run out.

“Quit now so when you go to your first job, you’re not going to be one of those people standing around outside in February,” she said.

“It’ll make you feel better. You’ll have better energy. Think of the cost savings, too.”

Regional Construction Updates Chapel • Construction work on Waynesburg University’s Roberts Chapel has progressed greatly this month.

• Approximately 30 percent of Wall partitions have been installed in the chapel upstairs.

• Workers are currently erect-

Diner has new owners Continued from B1 know everyone’s name and homemade food feel,” said Joe Larkin.

“We want the food to taste like you made it from the food found in the cupboard in your own kitchen.”

The Diner will not have a specialty, but that’s not the goal, said Joe Larkin.

Shop’s move profitable Continued from B1 Because of this, Streit said that the store has seen an increase in customers, which in turn caused an increase in profits.

“We’ve seen a lot more people com in than we had before,” she said. “There’s been an increase in profits because there’s been more people that have come in – more people

ing scaffolding for the exterior wall studs to install dry wall.

• The dry wall in the basement is nearly completed.

• All air-handling units have been installed.

Workers are currently laying brick on the north and east wall of the chapel building.

• Steeple construction has

been postponed and should begin in two to three weeks.

Borough Area • Currently, no construction is taking place in the borough area.

~By Alex Hinton

“Nothing here is special; it’s the people that are special,” said Joe Larkin. “In the past ten days since we opened the doors, I’ve noticed that students are coming here because they feel like they can let most of their guard down.”

The students go to the diner because they know they can relax, said Joe Larkin.

“We just want everyone to feel like it is as comfortable as being at home,” he said.

Surface operations, such as a coal preparation plant, coal silo, slope and shaft sites, conveyors and access roads, will cover 642 acres in Center Township. Despite its impact on the land, the mine is expected to bring more business to the county.

Greene County sits

atop the Pittsburgh Coal Seam, which is the largest coal bed in the Appalachians.

It covers 53 counties, making it a crucial part of the economy not only in Greene County but throughout the eastern states.

The Holbrook mine site plans to offer an estimated 400 jobs to miners and hopes to produce more than seven million tons of Pittsburgh seam coal over the course of one year.

are able to shop here.”

According to Streit, after the increase in profits was reported, the Washington City Mission allowed the store to remain open, and plans to keep it open.

“For this store, the one thing that they did do was sign a two year lease,” Streit said. “We started out on a six months by six months kind of situation and they just went ahead and signed a two year lease.”

Streit also said that the move to the new

location has made it easier for the Waynesburg store to work in conjunction with the other Hidden Treasures locations.

“It’s just made things a lot easier. It’s made it more like the other stores are,” she said.

“It’s set up different now – it’s all on one level. It’s just made it a lot easier to work.”

Despite the change in layout, Streit said that there hasn’t been any serious problems with the new location.

Washington City

Mission is a nondenominational, Christian, social services organization, which provides critically needed goods and services to homeless, poor, and needy of Western Pennsylvania without regard to race, color, creed, national origin or religion. All profits made from Hidden Treasures and the Washington City Mission stores go directly to the Washington City Mission to assist in carrying out their ministry in downtown Washington, Pa.

Mine plans announced Continued from B1

Men’s tennis opened their season Saturday at Penn State-Behrend.

Read more on C4

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Corner T - 73, J - 63 Jackets Men’s basketball season ends at Thiel turned, Jackets hang with complete seed but fall next step top indoor in quarterfinals awaits schedule HIEL

ACKETS

finals Thursday.

But victories are achieved on the scoreboard, and when the final buzzer sounded in the eighth-seeded Yellow Jackets road battle against top-seeded Thiel, it was the Tomcats who were on the winning end of a 7363 contest.

“We played our butts off,” said senior captain Steve Iser. “There was no doubt how badly we wanted to win this game.

By Jon Ledyard

Assignments Editor

We made a few keys errors down the stretch, but there was no denying our determination.”

The Jackets never let up against an opponent who had already beaten them twice this season, with freshman point guard Nick Herman giving his best effort to snatch what would have been a meaningless steal as the final seconds ticked off the clock. The Jackets stuck right with the Tom-

cats in the first half, fighting through eleven lead changes to trail only 27-24 at halftime, while holding Thiel to under 35 percent shooting from the floor.

But Thiel came out firing in the second half, pushing their lead to seven points in the first two minutes and never relinquishing the lead they had gained just before halftime.

More school records set at Marietta Open

If wins were measured by heart and effort, the Waynesburg University Sports men’s basketball team Editor would be heading to the Presidents’ Athletic ConWith its 52-42 victory ference tournament semiSee JACKET on C2 By Nate Regotti Staff Writer over rival Washington and Jefferson Tuesday night, the Waynesburg UniversiThe Waynesburg Unity women’s basketball versity men’s and ACKETS program turned a corner, women’s track & field which had proved so eluteams concluded their sive in recent years. indoor schedule for the As the seconds ticked season when they traveled off the clock, I rememto Marietta College Friday. bered back to the Yellow The men’s team finJackets previous two ished sixth and set several attempts in the first round school records once again of the conference playoffs. at the outing, five of them Last season at Westcoming on the track. minster, Waynesburg had Junior Jordan Wrask the basketball and trailed had an outstanding day for by just three in the closing the Yellow Jackets. He set seconds. However, with a a new school record in the chance to erase that 200 meter run with a time deficit, senior Johnna of 23.97 seconds, which Deco’s inbounds pass was was good enough for a stolen away, and the fifth-place finish. Wrask Titans iced the game at was also part of the record the free throw line. Westsetting 4x200 relay team. minster won 55-51.

The team of Wrask, senior The year before that, at Trale Merz and freshmen Bethany, the Jackets used Steven Snow and David a 19-2 run at the end of the Cobb crossed the finish first half to go up 39-27 at line in 1:40.53. halftime. That advantage, Freshman Jonathan though, disappeared in the Blatt set a new school Photo by Andrew Buda second half as Bethany mark in the 5,000 meters Senior forward Elisha Jones (left) battles W&J’s Kayla Strimel in the teams’ PAC quarterfinal matchup Tuesday at came all the way back to after crossing the finish the Marisa Fieldhouse. Despite shooting less than 30 percent from the field, the Jackets won 52-42 to advance. tie the game at 61 and line in 17:39.55. Another send it to overtime. In the freshman distance runner, extra session, the Bison Justin Angotti, set a new outscored Waynesburg 7-2 program best in the mile to grab the 68-63 victory.

By Aaron Thompson 26 percent from the field arrived, and now we just half when senior Malaeja run after finishing third Those types of stories Assistant Sports Editor for the contest but was got to get another one.

Leggett connected on a with a time of 4:40.35. continue all the way back Waynesburg also saw a able to gut out a 52-42 vic“The regular season is three pointer to make it to 2006, the last time Tuesday’s PAC tory, thus eliminating the the regular season. We 17-15 Waynesburg. That new program record set in Waynesburg won a first women’s basketball quar- Presidents from the tour- were pleased with it,” play by the McKeesport the field events thanks to round PAC playoff game. terfinal matchup between nament.

Jones added. “I would like native sparked a 9-0 Way- Cobb. He placed fifth in But this time around No. 3 seed Waynesburg The win was the first to have had a couple back nesburg run, and the Jack- the long jump with a diswas different.

University and No. 6 seed for Waynesburg in the as any coach would, but if ets outscored the Presi- tance of 6.20 meters (20’ Despite shooting a poor Washington and Jefferson Presidents’ Athletic Con- you do a great job in the dents 14-5 the remainder 4.25”).

26.7 percent from the field College was filled with ference tournament since regular season and show of the first half to take a The Waynesburg (18.8 percent from the poor shooting and lots of the 2005-06 season. women had a spectacular up and lose your first play- 28-22 lead. three-point line), the Jack- turnovers, but when all “It was a great win for off game, it kind of doesn’t Washington and Jeffer- day of their own. The Jackets still found a way to was said and done, the the program,” Waynes- mean as much.” son guard Vanessa Rivera ets placed third out of the win. They turned up the Yellow Jackets had turned burg head coach Sam The game featured connected on a three- 10 teams at Marietta. defense toward the end of away the Presidents for Jones said. “It was one of seven lead changes before point play to begin the The Jackets were the the first half, implement- the third time this season. the things we had not Waynesburg regained the See JACKETS on C4 See ONTO on C2 ing a full court press that Waynesburg shot just accomplished since I had lead for good in the first caused W&J problems and propelled Waynesburg to a 9-0 run.

And even down the stretch when their shooting woes worsened, the Jackets never let the Presinine-team Midwest prime opportunity to take dents get any closer than Regional, and head coach home another champisix points. Waynesburg Ron Headlee believes his onship, they also know never trailed after the 9-0 team is one of a few with outside expectations are run near the end of the a legitimate shot at team slightly different than first and finally returned gold. they were for the league themselves to the PAC By Dave Floyd “That is one of our tournament.

Sports Editor semifinals. goals this year, to be MidSaid junior Jared Not only did they get west Regional champs,” Roberts, the PAC’s 2011 over that first-round hurNearly two weeks after Headlee said. “We were in Most Outstanding dle, but the Jackets capturing its second the top four last year, and Wrestler: “I think a lot of achieved much success in straight Presidents’ Ath- I definitely think we have us are coming into regionthe regular season as well. letic Conference crown, a shot. als as the underdogs, so I They went 17-8 overall the Waynesburg Universi“Olivet’s really good, don’t think we have a lot and 10-6 in league play. ty wrestling team has Wabash is in there too and of pressure. Whereas at That’s a stark contrast turned its attention then there’s Trine. I think the PACs, we were from the 1-24 mark the toward another team goal it’s really four teams that expected to win it, team sported the year – winning a regional title. are in the running for it should’ve won it. If we before head coach Sam On Saturday, the Yel- and have a shot at win- didn’t win it, it would’ve Photo by Dawn Yates Jones came to Waynes- low Jackets travel to ning a title.” been a letdown.”

Sophomore Cody Catalina controls his opponent at the Wabash College in IndiWhile the wrestlers cerSee STEP on C4 ana to compete in the tainly understand their See WU on C3 PAC Championships. Catalina won his weight class.

Dave Floyd

J

- 52, W&J - 42

WINNING UGLY

Jackets advance to semifinals despite poor shooting

Wrestling team readies for Midwest Regional ‘Main goal’is to send wrestlers to nationals

YELLOW JACKET

Page C2

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Sports

Crawford excels ‘Heartbreaking’ on court, with mic White forced into new role after second ACL tear

By Aaron Thompson

By Brandon Reed Editorial Assistant Men’s basketball senior night at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse began differently than any other game this season.

Senior guard Steven Iser asked his teammate Patrick Crawford, a junior guard, to sing the National Anthem in his last home game. Crawford responded and performed a rousing rendition that brought some in the crowd to their feet.

“Iser asked me to do it for him,” said Crawford.

“He said it would mean a lot to him.”

Crawford said that this probably came from Iser hearing him sing in the locker room or around the gym.

“He is pretty shy about it,” said first-year head coach Mark Christner.

“But once we get him to open up, he won’t stop singing.”

Crawford’s singing ability is definitely in his genes. His 41-year-old sister and 38-year-old brother make up the Grammy nominated gospel/R&B

group Anointed.

His brother and sister now lead worship at Lakewood Crawford Church in Houston, Texas, one of the largest churches in the country.

According to Crawford, the opportunity to join his brother and sister’s group has passed, but he will take any opportunity that opens up for him in terms of singing.

Crawford went to a small Christian high school in Columbus, Ohio and was valedictorian. He has carried over those great grades to college, making the dean’s list every semester he has been at Waynesburg.

Crawford said, “After a few years of being here and dipping my foot in a bunch of different stuff, you realize what you want to do.”

Crawford realized that what he wanted to do was music; he said that while

Assistant Sports Editor

Imagine having something that has been a part of nearly your entire life ripped away in an instant.

Such is the case for Waynesburg University junior Callie White.

White, a Pittsburgh native who graduated from North Catholic High School, averaged 12.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a freshman women’s basketball player in 2008-09. She started 25 of the Jackets 26 games that season.

Last season, as a sophomore, she appeared in 11 games before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament about five minutes into a conference game against Westminster on Jan. 5, 2009.

The original plan was for White to return to the Yellow Jackets lineup in time for Presidents’ Athletic Conference action back in December. However, despite months of rehab, the doctors refused to clear White to play, effectively ending her playing career.

“Going into the docSee GUARD on C3

Photo by Dave Miller, ADM Photography

Callie White was forced into a role as a student assistant coach after tearing her ACL for a second time. tor’s appointment that I planned on getting cleared at, I knew that it could really go either way,” White said. “Because it was my second time tearing the same ACL, the doctor said that me playing basketball every single day is not realistic, and that it would just wear on my knee.”

The anterior cruciate ligament is more commonly referred to as the

Jacket men fall at Thiel

his success came from shooting 9-of-11 at the free throw line as the Jackets forced him to go 3of-12 from the field.

“We certainly want to make things hard for him and make him bounce the ball rather than catch and shoot,” said Christner “His seven offensive boards really hurt us. The fact that he’s a better rebounder than a scorer really makes him a tough

player to guard overall.”

After shooting only 30 percent from the field in the first half, Waynesburg knocked down 53 percent of their shots in the second, answering almost all of Thiel’s baskets with one of its own. Junior forward Jeff Young led the Jackets in scoring and rebounding with 14 points and eight boards.

Junior James Allenby and Herman each chipped in

10, making it back-toback games in double digits for Herman after his 19-point effort led the Jackets to victory over Geneva Saturday.

“We wanted to spread the floor and create oneon-one matchups to give our guys some space to operate,” said Christner.

“I thought we did a very good job of executing offensively for most of the game.”

Allenby’s six second half points helped keep the Jackets within reach by besting Thiel’s 6-7 sophomore forward Aundra Jones when isolated against him in the post.

“Early in the game I was shying away from contact down low,” said Allenby. “The guys on the bench told me to jump into him and play him strong, and when I did that, I started to have success.”

Defensively, though, the Jackets could not manage to get a stop when they needed it, allowing Thiel to grab 13 offensive boards in the game.

“On defense we missed a lot of drops, and Adams made some nice decisions in the lane,” said Allenby.

“Their pure athleticism allowed them to dominate the boards. We needed to get a body on them and force them to take tougher shots off of those rebounds, and we did that for most of the game, but we gave up some easy ones too.”

With the loss, the Jackets season ended with a record of 6-20, a fourgame improvement on last season, and a conference record of 2-12 follow-

Drayer made another layup to give Waynesburg a 44-32 lead. From there both teams struggled to score over the final seven minutes.

A key in the contest was the play of sophomore Paige Pearce. Pearce suffered a head injury last week in the Jackets win over W&J before sitting out the regular season finale at Geneva for precautionary reasons.

Pearce got cleared by doctors early Tuesday and suited up to start for the Jackets. She played just 22

minutes but was effective as she scored eight points and pulled down 11 rebounds, six of which were in the first half.

“Paige has a ton of potential, and she is just beginning to realize it this season,” Jones said. “She is athletic, quick and good with the ball. She is also feisty. She did a great job on the boards for us tonight. She continues to develop as a player.”

Senior Elisha Jones led Waynesburg with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Sophomore

Brittany Spencer chipped in eight points and 11 rebounds.

The win officially gets the monkey off Coach Jones’ back as he earned his first tournament victory in just his third season as the Jackets head coach. In each of Coach Jones’ first two seasons the Jackets lost heartbreaking quarterfinal matchups. In 2008-09 Waynesburg squandered a 12-point halftime lead at Bethany before losing 6863 in overtime. A year ago the Jackets lost a tight 55-

51 decision at Westminster.

The win Tuesday was just one more step in the rebuilding process that started when Coach Jones was named head coach.

Waynesburg went 1-25 in 2007-08 in former head coach Terry Acker’s final season. The win in the first home tournament game since 2002-03 will help go a way in the continued improvement of the program.

“This win puts a statement on what we have accomplished this year,”

Continued from C1

“Our game plan was to try and shorten the game, and I think we did a good job of that,” said Waynesburg head coach Mark Christner. “We certainly wanted to make some perimeter jumpers, but Thiel is very good defensively and did a good job responding to our game plan.”

Thiel was led on offense by senior point guard Devon Adams, who posted a game high 19 points and seven assists, to go with seven rebounds. “[Adams] is very long for a point guard at 6-2, and he sees the floor very well and is very quick,” said Christner. “He is surrounded by very good players, which only makes him more effective.”

Thiel’s leading scorer sophomore Blair Rozenblad quietly posted his twelfth double-double of the season, notching 15 points and grabbing 15 boards. However, most of

Onto the semifinals Continued from C1 second half to cut it to 2825. After Waynesburg sophomore Jessi Drayer made a layup, Rivera quickly answered to cut it back to a three-point Jacket advantage. From that point on W&J remained within striking distance but never got any closer.

The Jackets’ largest lead of the game was when

ACL. The ACL is one of the main ligaments in the knee, and it was the second time White had tore it. People who suffer the injury often say they feel a pop in the knee.

After suffering her first ACL injury, White made a healthy recovery. She previously tore it in high school as a junior in the WPIAL playoffs.

Since White was unable to return to the

Photo by Andrew Buda

Junior Luke Baker dribbles past a W&J defender in the Jackets’ final home game of the season last Wednesday. This past Tuesday, Waynesburg’s season ended at Thiel.

Jackets lineup, she decided to stay on as a student assistant coach.

“Callie is the best friend anyone could ask for, and getting the opportunity to play with her was awesome,” said junior point guard Hannah Hunter. “Even though she can’t be on the court with me anymore, she’s still a big factor in every game, and I wouldn’t be as successful as I am without her on the bench.”

After a serious injury occurs more than once, players often consider whether or not it is worth it, maybe it is time to move on from the game they have none many years. That was a tough reality and something not really in White’s control.

“It didn’t really hit me at first, not playing anymore. This doctor’s appointment was in November, and I had torn my ACL in January so I had already not played for almost a year, but I just couldn’t get over the fact that I would never be playing on a team again.”

White’s emotions See WHITE on C3

ing a year they went winless in PAC play.

Despite the tough loss, Christner has full confidence the team has taken huge strides this season while laying the groundwork for next year.

“I think this game says an awful lot about these guys and the way they keep fighting even through a tough 12-game losing streak this season,” said Christner. “We set a goal to be playing our best basketball at the end of the year, and we definitely were. That’s a tribute to Steve Iser and Erik Noone, our two seniors, and the way they have stepped up as leaders this year.”

The loss was the Jackets fifth straight playoff defeat, a trend Christner is determined to break next season.

“It’s not always what people want to hear, but we’ve done a nice job of putting down some building blocks for next season,” said Christner. “We were pretty competitive in most of our games, and of course we’ve got to keep working, but with this kind of heart and determination we’ve got a bright future.”

Coach Jones said. “Also over the last three years.”

Waynesburg, with the win, advances to the semifinals where No. 2 seed Saint Vincent awaits.

The Jackets will travel to Crestview Hills, Ky., the home venue of top seed Thomas More, to take on Saint Vincent Friday night at the Connor Convocation Center. Waynesburg lost both regular season matchups with the 19thranked Bearcats.

Tip-off between the Jackets and Bearcats is set for 5 p.m.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

YELLOW JACKET

Page C3

Sports

Two WU hoopsters lauded as Athletes of the Week With both basketball teams in tournament mode, women’s senior Elisha Jones and men’s freshman Nick Herman turned up their games. For their efforts, they’ve been named as the newest Yellow Jacket Athletes of the Week.

By Aaron Thompson Assistant Sports Editor The Yellow Jacket would like to issue special congratulations to this week’s recipients of the Athletes of the Week.

Just because the winter sports season is nearing a conclusion didn’t mean that a few athletes were done shining on the hardwood.

The men’s basketball team’s freshman point guard Nick Herman and senior women’s basketball player Elisha Jones have been named this week’s Athletes of the Week. This is the first time Herman has been honored and the third time already this semester that Jones has picked up the accolade.

Herman was an integral part of the Jackets

White forced to alter role Continued from C2 poured through when discussing never being able to play at the collegiate level again.

“When you’re a senior, you know when your last game is, so you have time to realize that your career is coming to an end, but mine ended a year before I even knew it,” she said.

“It took a while for it to sink in that I would never get a sweet pass from Hannah again or be right next to Brittany [Spencer] when she makes those spin moves.

“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to use what I’ve learned from playing to help my teammates from the sideline.”

Photos by Dave Miller, ADM Photography

(Above) Senior Elisha Jones tallied 13 points and swatted five shots in the Jackets’ PAC playoff win Tuesday.

(Right) Freshman point guard Nick Herman notched 19 and 10 points in Jackets’ final two games of 2010-11. upset of Presidents’ Athletic Conference provisional member Geneva.

The Jacket men came into the regular season finale riding a 12-game

losing streak before stunning the host Golden Tornadoes on their senior night.

Herman poured in a career-high 19 points on

six-of-nine shooting from the field.

He also grabbed six rebounds and contributed two assists.

Herman finished up his

The injury also had a major impact on Hunter.

Hunter and White are best friends and roommates at Waynesburg.

“I was devastated,” Hunter said. “Callie’s injury and recovery process has put a new perspective on things for me.

I already knew that you should play every game like your last, but Callie’s torn ACL just goes to show how quickly everything can change.”

White said her family played a big role in the process of learning she would never play at the collegiate level again.

“Hearing that I couldn’t play anymore was heartbreaking, but they were there for me and made me realize how much of a blessing basketball has been,” she said. “I wouldn’t be even close to where I am with basket-

ball today without them, and I don’t tell them thank you enough.”

White also said she is proud of how the team responded this season.

“I honestly didn’t even have a chance to be upset about not playing because I am so happy that the team is doing well. I am honored to say that I was part of a program that turned around so quickly and am so proud of the girls for stepping up this year,” she said. “It’s crazy to think that we [hosted] a playoff game.”

One has to wonder how good this team’s season could have been if they had a healthy White in the lineup.

The Jackets completed the regular season with a 17-8 overall record and finished 10-6 in the PAC, good enough to earn a No. 3 seed in the tournament.

Even though the Jackets didn’t have White on the floor Tuesday when they hosted archrival and No. 6 seed Washington and Jefferson, it didn’t mean White wasn’t doing her best to help her team from the sidelines.

“She helps coach out with anything he asks her, and I think he’s grateful to have her because we have no other assistants,” Hunter said. “I think I speak for everybody involved with our team when I say we wouldn’t be where we are today without her.”

With White on the sidelines, the Jackets beat the rival Presidents to notch their first quarterfinal win since 2006 and move on to face Saint Vincent in Friday’s semifinals.

Staff writer Steven Iser contributed to this story

first collegiate season with 10 points in a 73-63 setback Tuesday night when the Jackets lost to top seed Thiel in the PAC quarterfinals.

Jones led the Jacket offense with 13 points and blocked five shots to help guide the Jackets to their first PAC tournament victory since 2005-06.

Jones has been a part of the major turnaround the women’s basketball team has experienced under head coach Sam Jones.

The senior from Eisenhower High School was a part of a team that won only one game her freshman season, eight in her sophomore year and nine a year ago. This season the Jackets have won 18 games, the most victories since 1994-95. Jones and her teammates will try for win No. 19 when they travel to Crestview Hills, Ky. for the PAC semifinals against nationally ranked and No. 2 seed Saint Vincent Friday night.

Briefs WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Waynesburg was recently honored for its excellence in the classroom by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The Yellow Jackets were one of 167 teams across the country to earn 2010 Division III All-Academic Cross Country status, which requires a squad to boast a cumulative team GPA of 3.10 or better and have compiled a score (finished at least five runners) at their respective NCAA regional championship.

LACROSSE Waynesburg opens the 2011 season on Saturday, Feb. 26, when the Yellow Jackets travel to Hood to face the Blazers.

Under the leadership of new head coach Tom Zacoi, the Waynesburg University women’s lacrosse team looks to take another step forward in the progress of the fourth-year program. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 1-10 2010 campaign and will look towards a fairly even mix of newcomers and returning veterans for increased success this spring.

Leading the returners is sophomore midfielder Molly Kramer, who leads all returners in goals (12) and points (12) after starting all 11 games last year.

BASEBALL

WU readies for regionals Continued from C1 Although Headlee does cite winning the team title at regionals as an objective, he also stresses that qualifying wrestlers for nationals is “the main goal.”

Last season, two Jacket grapplers, Corbin Semple (184 pounds) and Nick Garber (133 pounds) repeated as individual champions at regionals, automatically qualifying them for the national tournament. This time around, Semple is gone, but Garber, now a senior 141-pounder, is looking for his third Midwest Regional title, third trip to

nationals and second AllAmerican honor.

Alex Crown also performed well at regionals a year ago, placing second at 125 pounds. For his efforts, he was named a second alternate to a wild card spot in the national tournament. This year, Crown, now a sophomore, is ranked in the top 10 nationally in the same weight class by d3wrestle.com and the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Headlee believes Crown will most likely be the only Jacket to garner a top seed at his weight class.

Along with Garber and Crown, Waynesburg boasted four of the other eight individual champions at this year’s PACs. Those four were freshman 149-pounder Luke Lohr, junior 157-pounder Garrett Johnston, junior 174pounder Jared Roberts and sophomore 184-pounder

Cody Catalina. Each will look to add another title to their resume at Saturday’s Midwest Regional.

“I think 149 [pounds] is probably the toughest overall weight,” Headlee said. “I think there’s four really good guys there, but we’re not counting Luke out; we’ll see how he does.”

Freshman heavyweight Brandon Fedorka also will look to qualify for nationals after having to sit out the PAC Championships with an illness.

“I think Brandon has a good shot,” Headlee said.

“Heavyweight’s not one of the strongest weight classes, so I think he has a good shot at being able to place highly for us.

Heavyweight’s pretty wide open.”

The Midwest Regional gets underway at 9 a.m.

Saturday from the Chadwick Court Allen Athletics and Recreation Center in Indiana.

The Jackets will open 2011 at home on March 1 when they host Pitt-Greensburg.

Waynesburg should still be in the hunt for a PAC playoff spot this season after narrowly missing out in 2010.

Six starters return for the Jackets including senior center fielder Rob Cool Jr., junior infielder Corey Goeggelman, senior shortstop Anthony Defilippo, junior catcher Brendan Scioscia and junior right fielder Nick Berdine.

The Jackets starting rotation returns a trio of familiar faces from a year ago, including Jesse Gonzalez, Tim Knight and Anthony Longo.

Guard shows off singing Continued from C2 he loves forensic science and all the work he is doing for his major, he would really like to get involved in singing.

Crawford said that he likes doing difficult things and challenging himself.

“I like to do whatever I’m doing as best I can,” said Crawford. “Whether that be sports, school or music.”

Crawford not only has exceeded in the classroom and musically, he also has seen a big increase in playing time from last season to this season.

Crawford saw his min-

utes go up from 2.5 per game to 15.3 per game.

That increased playing time increased his rebounds per game from zero to 1.5 and his assists per game from 0.1 to 1.7.

The biggest increase for Crawford came in points per game, which jumped from 0.6 to 2.2 points per game.

“He is one of our hardest workers in practice and has been since preseason,” said Christner. “He does a very nice job playing his role.”

Crawford can only hope to see even more of an increase in playing time when his senior year rolls around.

“His personality is such that it brings a lot of energy and life to the team,” said Christner.

YELLOW JACKET

Page C4

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Sports

PENN STATE-BEHREND - 8, JACKETS - 1

Men’s tennis drops season opener Anderson tallies Jackets’lone win at PS-Behrend

At first and third doubles, the Lions captured 81 victories. Elliot Blackstone and Chris Galvin defeated the Waynesburg tandem of junior Peter Mally and senior Emile Khoury at number-one.

Chris Tilman and Brian Goda topped the Jacket pair of freshman Nate Huffman and sophomore Joe Kromer at numberthree.

Waynesburg’s sophomore duo of Jason Logan and Jon Anderson won three games in their number-two doubles match before falling to Jake Fling and John Michalko.

In singles play, Blackstone and Galvin proved to be too much once again. Blackstone took down Mally at first sin-

gles 6-0, 6-1, while Galvin defeated Khoury at second singles 6-1, 6-1.

“At first and second singles, and the combination of those two at first doubles, Penn StateBehrend was just too strong for us,” Christman said. “Blackstone is one of the best [Division] III players in this area, having just beat Grove City’s number-one the day before our match. He and Chris Galvin teamed up to beat [Grove City’s] number-one doubles [team] also.”

Anderson picked up the Jackets lone victory of the day at number-four singles. The Burrell High School graduate outplayed Tilman to the tune of a 61, 6-4 decision.

“[Tilman] wasn’t on his game,” Anderson said.

“But a lot of times when that happens, I have a tendency to not play mine either. I played well, [though], and did a lot of the simple stuff that Coach has taught me the year I’ve been here, especially this last week. “[I was just] keeping it simple, not trying to do too much,” Anderson added. “[I was just] trying to make him make the mistakes, and fortunately for me, he made a lot of them.”

Waynesburg dropped decisions in the other three singles matches.

Fling bested Logan 6-1, 61 at number-three, Goda defeated Huffman 6-1, 6-3 at number-five and Michalko handled Kromer 6-0, 6-1 at number-six.

“We clearly have a lot to work on, and I think most of the players understand what those areas are,” Christman said.

“Hopefully we will get a lot of good practice time to focus on the things that will earn us the important points instead of losing them.”

Fortunately for Waynesburg, the team has over a month before their second match to work on their improving their game. They do not play again until March 23 at Marietta.

records like this season’s mark are closer to what Jones is looking for and will keep Waynesburg in the upper half of the PAC standings.

So now that the Jackets have achieved that regular season success and finally broken through the first

round of the PAC tournament, they must look to keep building on their accomplishments. Wins against higher-profile teams, especially in league play, seem to be the logical next step.

Those signature victories will help them continue

to build up the program and ascend up the conference ladder.

Considering No. 1 Thomas More boasts a roster loaded with young talent (three seniors, the rest sophomores and freshman), dethroning the four-time defending

By Dave Floyd Sports Editor Despite snowfall as recent as Sunday, the Waynesburg University men’s tennis team’s season is already underway.

The Yellow Jackets began their 2011 campaign indoors this past Saturday at Penn State-Behrend.

In their first action since finishing second in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships last April, the Jackets dropped an 8-1 decision to the host Lions.

“We actually played reasonably well for a match this early in the season,” head coach Ron Christman said. “We got more court time to practice than usual this week because of the good weather although it doesn’t begin to match up with those teams like Behrend that have an indoor facility to practice on every day.

“The scores are not indicative of how we played but are indicative of our lack of big match play.”

Penn State-Behrend jumped on top early in the match, racing out to a 3-0 lead after doubles play.

Step made, next awaits Continued from C1 burg.

The seven-win improvement in Jones’ first year was nice, but

File Photo

Sophomore Jon Anderson scored the only Jacket win in their season opener Saturday at Penn State-Behrend.

Track and field teams remain nationally ranked The Waynesburg University men’s and women’s track and field teams maintained a presence in the latest NCAA Division III Mideast Region according to d3rankings.us.

The Yellow Jacket men received a ninth-place ranking for the indoor season, while the women, who placed second at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships this past spring, are listed at 10th.

The Jackets are not back in action until March 1112 when they travel to Capital University to take part in the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. Start time for that event is yet to be determined.

Jackets place third, sixth highest finishing team from the President’s Athletic Conference, which included the defending champions, Westminster.

The Jacket women were led on the track by their school record-setting 4x200-meter relay team, which is comprised of freshmen Bre Paul and Kayla Shacklock and sophomores Rhea Huwe and Jaimee Post. The Jackets placed third with a time of 1:55.9. Shacklock added a fourth-place performance in the 200meter dash after crossing the finish line in 28.31.

Freshman Tiffany Onifer led all PAC performers in the 800-meter run by finishing third overall with a time of 2:35.74.

Freshman

Annette Aho put together one of her strongest performances of the indoor season by placing third in the 5,000-meter run after crossing the finishing line in 21:46.77.

Post continued her strong day by placing fifth in the long jump with leap of 4.7 meters (15’ 5”).

Junior Carly Schubert added a second-place performance in the shot put competition with a heave of 11.32 meters (37’ 1.75”).

With the indoor regular season complete, the track and field teams will be off until mid-March when they head to Capital University to take part in the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships March 11-12.

They then head to Wheeling Jesuit University March 26 to begin the outdoor portion in the Bill Van Horne Invitational.

Start time for that first outdoor meet is 10 a.m.

champs seems unlikely in the immediate future.

However, with a wealth of underclassmen of his own, Jones has his squad sitting not too far off the pace.

Especially when you consider where the program was three years ago.

It’s now leaps and bounds ahead of where it was then.

A win Friday night against nationally ranked Saint Vincent in the PAC semifinals can certainly be that next step for a program that is still on the rise.

Continued from C1

Protests continue across the Middle East.

Read more on D3

Thursday, February 24, 2011

‘Cultural experience’: New country Students fundraise added to study abroad opportunities money for the

By Matthew Snyder Staff Writer Northumbria University, located in Newcastle upon Tyne, offers students the chance to study in one of England’s most beautiful and historic regions and is now an option for Waynesburg University students choosing to study abroad. The recent addition of Northumbria University has given students their first opportunity to study in England

through the program.

Waynesburg University’s Study Abroad program allows students to travel to another country and continue their education for a summer or semester.

“Waynesburg University provides an affordable program,” said Director of International Studies Dr. Sut Sakchutchawan. “The tuition is low enough that students can also pay for housing and it would not be much more than

tuition here.”

The opportunity to add the Northumbria University was made because of the low tuition cost in the U.K., said Sakchutchawan.

This allows students extra money to help pay for additional things such as housing and books without going much over the cost of tuition at Waynesburg.

“Minimal cost and affordability is key for the program to work. The

costs play a big part in schools being added to the program.”

The Northumbria University offers almost 500 degree and diploma programs across a wide range of subjects. The varieties of studies include business, social sciences, health studies and more.

Northumbria University also gives students the chance to get a taste of British Culture by offering

Guatemala mission

By Megan Campbell Staff Writer

The Guatemala Mission Fundraising Spaghetti dinner took place on Feb. 18 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church on High Street. Pat Bristor and the Guatemala mission trip team organized the dinner.

The dinner was held to raise money for the Guatemala Mission Trip Fund.

Each year, the group donates money to the Centro Nutricional y Hogar de Niños, a nutrition center in Patzún, Guatemala.

Junior Leeann Danley helped with the dinner, along See NEW on D3 with many other college students and volunteers from the church and surrounding area.

“I worked with Miles ‘Kissy’ Davin to set up and serve the meals,” said Danley. “Kissy Davin and the Knights of Columbus from St. Ann’s church donated their time, cooking abilities and the supplies for the dinner.”

The menu consisted of spaghetti, bread, salad and cake. The college students served the spaghetti and cleaned up in the fellowship hall when the event ended.

The Guatemala Mission has been going on for about 10 years, and every year a group of students go to Guatemala to the center to visit with about 80 children who live at the center.

The Franciscan nuns run the center where the children live, eat and go to school. Some are there from birth and have been there for many years and some are there with their siblings.

During these trips, the students stay for one week at See STUDENTS on D3

Students offered new worship opportunity Photo by Lisa Jaeger

By Matt Giardina Staff Writer

‘It could change everything’ Students spent last weekend at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh for the Jubilee conference. Participants attended plenary as well as breakout sessions throughout the weekend.

MUSE & STONE

Literary magazine hosts Open Mic Night

By Hope Frick Staff Writer Muse & Stone, Waynesburg University’s journal of literature and arts, held their second open mic night of the spring semester at Col-

lege Town Diner Tuesday.

The two-hour night showcased over 15 artists who presented both original and covered works, including poems, writings and songs.

“We had a really great variety of performances tonight,” said Natalie George, a sophomore double majoring in English and art.

George is also a member of the Muse &

Stone staff and was excited to see the event attracted a crowd of almost 30 people.

“We had a great turn out tonight, which is really exciting,” she See MAGAZINE on D2

All over the world Christians have to keep their faith hidden due to the risk of persecution.

They meet in small groups at discreet locations to study the Bible intensely for hours. This is the focus of the Secret Church, according to their website.

Dr. David Platt, who preaches all around the globe at established churches and underground churches, founded what is called Secret Church.

Secret Church exists to support and pray for the persecuted Chris-

tians in other countries as well as gain a better understanding of God. Stephanie Laing, junior communications major said, “I have the same thoughts that every other Christian should have. They are my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I will do everything I can to support them.”

In turn, Laing started a Secret Church in Waynesburg. She said, “It was just something that God was calling me to do, I don’t know why, but He did.”

Laing mostly underwent establishing the Secret Church by herself.

See OPPORTUNITY on D2

Joonna Trapp travels to Texas for ASU Writers Conference

By Jessica Schinkovec Staff Writer Eighty-degree weather and bright skies are not coming to Waynesburg just yet, but that was the weather Associate Professor and Chair the Department of English and Foreign Languages, Joonna Trapp experienced last week. Trapp spent three days in Texas for the Angelo State University Writers Conference.

“There is just something about the Texas sky,” said Trapp. “I actually talk about that in my essay, about how Texans are in love with the sky.”

Held on Feb. 17 and 18 this year, the ASU Writers Conference is free and open to the public.

The conference features guest writers and focuses on fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and non-fiction readings.

“When you’re a scholar or a writer, it’s really important to that part of your life; you can’t just teach all the time...”

Joonna Trapp Chair of the Department of English and Foreign Language

“I heard a number of really wonderful pieces,” said Trapp. This year the conference also featured special guest Art Spiegelman author of Pulitzer Prize-winning “Maus.” Trapp said listening to him speak was amazing and maybe one of the best public lectures she has ever heard in her life.

“He’s a feisty New Yorker, so it was interesting,” said Trapp.

“Maus” is a story of Spiegelman’s father, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor and his experiences in Auschwitz.

It is a graphic novel, written like a comic book, and it is one of the only comic books to have ever won a Pulitzer Prize.

“He spent 13 years working on this book; it was so carefully constructed,” said Trapp. “He talked about his process, and it just blew me out of the water.”

Trapp said there had to be approximately 300 people that showed up to see Spiegelman speak. Throughout the rest of the conference, people filtered in and out.

She also said this was her first time reading any of her See TRAPP on D2

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Arts & Life

Spring into service Pittsburgh’s North Side to receive assistance from 20 Waynesburg University students Twenty students will forgo their spring break to bless Pittsburgh residents through service.

Led by Sarah Brandstetter, coordinator of Bonner Scholars at Waynesburg University, and Esteban Saldi, a junior human services major, the participants will conduct innercity housing ministry on the city’s North Side.

The team will leave campus Sunday, March 6 and return Saturday, March 12.

The Rev. Robert Bedison will also join Waynesburg’s mission service team.

Partnering with The Pittsburgh Project, students will provide free home repairs for those who may not be able to

complete the tasks without assistance.

In many cases, the improvements save the owner from possible citation or eviction. Projects include hanging drywall, constructing wheelchair ramps and replacing doors, floors and windows.

Brandstetter desires that students in attendance will expand their knowledge of themselves through the experience.

“My hope is that students will gain a new perspective on the world,” Brandstetter said.

“I hope we will be pushed outside of our comfort zones, spend time building relationships, learn about the urban community and the

issues they face, and finally learn about ourselves.”

Brandstetter said the experience will allow students to work in an urban area and learn about poverty and what is being done to end it.

Saldi, a Bonner Scholar at Waynesburg University, volunteered to serve as a trip leader to build memorable experiences with fellow students while serving an area in need.

“I hope I’m able to gain a better understanding of the city of Pittsburgh and the problems it faces,” he said. “Even if it is a simple task, every little action can make a difference in someone’s life, so we might as well try to do everything we can.”

Trapp presents Continued from D1 creative works in public.

“It was a good experience; there were pieces of my essay that I thought were really serious, and people just laughed their heads off,” said Trapp. “It was fun.”

The ASU Writers Conference is held in honor of Elmer Kelton, a famous seven-time winner of the Western Writers of America Spur award named the all-time best western writer by the WWA. Kelton grew up in the town of Krane, which is the same town where Trapp grew up.

“When I was growing up Elmer Kelton was kind of a legend,” said Trapp.

“I kind of think I wanted to be a writer because of Kelton.” Many other people spoke through the two-day conference. Each speaker had about 15 min-

Photo by Amanda Rice

Joonna Trapp, chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages, presented in Texas recently. utes to speak over the two-day span.

Trapp said this was great for her because she can now tell her students about her experience.

“When you’re a scholar or a writer, it’s really important to keep that

part of your life; you cant just teach all time and forget that you are also this other person,” Trapp said.

“Going to things like this keeps that; it keeps your juices running so you’re not so boring in class.”

However, the night’s highlight was an acoustic cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”

Freshman biology Continued from D1 major and first-time attendee Courtney Baltimore said the persaid.

The event opened formance grabbed her attention. with the “I loved group the Free Slaphappy, featuring Tonight was Fallin’ performance,” open mic my first night said Baltiregular permore. former Jacob coming to Open Richie.

Mic Night, but I “Tonight my Richie, definitely think I was first night along with coming to the two will come again.

Open Mic other members of his Courtney Baltimore Night, but I band, enterFreshman Biology major definitely think I’ll tained the come crowd with five songs featuring a again.”

Many artists shared bass guitar, a mandolin poems including Julia and a banjo.

Brett Stiffler, who’s Paganelli who read her band This One’s For poem “We Shook Hands You Kid first publicly with Orion” and junior performed at a previous creative writing major open mic night, played Britt Saunders who read three songs including “Papa Once Went to an original song titled Greece.”

Free food and drinks “Euphoria.”

Several other artists are available to stushowcased their musi- dents with a college ID. cal abilities throughout Muse & Stone’s next the night including cov- open mic night is ers of popular songs scheduled for March 29 from the Rolling Stones at the College Town Diner. and Bob Dylan.

Magazine hosts event

“

”

Photo by Amanda Rice

How to save a life Jessica Husman learns how to perform the heimlich maneuver on a baby doll during the CPR program offered on Saturday as a fundraiser for a Relay for Life team.

Opportunity to worship Continued from D2 “It was really done on my own. I went to Tom Ribar more for advice.

He is much more in tune with the overall student body’s spiritual state”, Laing said, “I went to him basically to see which study we should do and we ended up studying ‘Exploring the Holy Spirit’.”

Another purpose of Secret Church is to make disciples of Christ locally and globally.

“If it can help one person grow in their spiritual understanding of God and who he is I would

consider it a success,” Laing said.

Alyssa Lang, a junior international studies major, attended the Bible study that Laing set up.

“Stephanie Laing introduced the idea to me a few weeks ago, she said. I did not know about it before I heard it from her.

We downloaded a video on the secret church website and listened to it. It is awesome to gather with fellow peers to learn about God and dig into His word.”

Laing said, “Although it is wonderful to learn more about specific topics of the Bible, David Platt reminds us that the reason for his messages are not to educate a group of people solely for their own benefit, but so

that they might take the knowledge they learn and share it for others.”

The main intention of Dr. Platt’s Secret Churches is to glorify God by making disciples of all nations.

Laing said, “It is simple logic, the basic theme of the Bible. I cannot accomplish anything, it is all through God.” “We are the hands and feet of God in this world and the more knowledge we know, the more responsibility we have to share that knowledge with the world around us”, said Lang, “We glorify God by learning, and through our learning teach other people as well. If this cycle continues like it should with the indispensible help of

the Holy Spirit, the gospel will reach the ends of the earth.”

The next Secret Church meeting will be held this Friday at 8 p.m. in the prayer chapel of Stover.

The focus of the Bible

study will be on angels, demons and spiritual warfare.

Students interested are to print out the sheet on the Secret Church website under the resources section.

Freshman premedical

chemistry major, Tiffany Onifer said, “I’m looking forward to the Bible study. One of my friends mentioned that they went last minute and it was an amazing time the Word and in the fellowship with one another.”

Thursday, February 24, 2011

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Arts & Life

Kids who skip school are tracked

by GPS program

By Eric Carpenter The Orange County Register ANAHEIM, Calif. — Frustrated by students habitually skipping class, police and school officials in Anaheim, Calif., are turning to GPS tracking to ensure they come to class.

The Anaheim Union High School District is the first in California to test Global Positioning System technology as part of a six-week pilot program that began last week, officials said.

Seventh- and eighthgraders with four unexcused absences or more this school year are assigned to carry a handheld GPS device, about the size of a cell phone.

Each morning on schooldays, they get an automated phone call reminding them that they need to get to school on time. Then, five times a day, they are required to enter a code that tracks their locations - as they leave for school, when they arrive at school, at lunchtime, when they leave school and at 8 p.m.

The students are also assigned an adult coach who calls them at least three times a week to see how they are doing and help them find effective ways to make sure they get to class on time. Students and their parents volunteer for the monitoring as a way to avoid continuation school or prosecution with a potential stay in juvenile hall.

“The idea is for this not to feel like a punishment, but an intervention to help them develop better habits and get to school,” said Miller Sylvan, regional director for AIM Truancy Solutions.

In all, about 75 students from junior high schools are taking part in the pilot program with the potential to expand.

Police Investigator Armando Pardo reminded parents that letting kids skip school without a valid reason is, in fact, a crime.

If the District Attorney chooses to prosecute, truant students could be sentenced to juvenile hall and parents could face up to a $2,000 fine, Pardo said.

Photo courtesy of Carrie Smith

Several Waynesburg University students led by Pat Bristor helped to host a spaghetti dinner at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in order to raise money for the Guatemala mission.

Students raise money Continued from D1 the nutrition center.

The children at the center range in age from newborn to 18 years.

The team goes to complete maintenance work and construction projects.

The mission trip team also plans activities for the children, including sports, craft, music and

carnival days. The college students play with the children and give them one-on-one attention.

Bristor, who helped organized the dinner, also participates in these trips.

“It’s different than some mission trips because when you go you work there for the week and you come back and you reflect on it and a lot of the mission trips stop there,” Bristor said. “[After] the Guatemala Mission, for whatever reasons, the students feel

compelled to continue to help support the children that are in the center. So, several years ago, we started a project fund, separate from the mission itself, to raise money to build and improve their playground area.

“We raised over $6,000 and sent the money to the center to build the children a playground. So now that the playground is done, the students want to continue to work to build the project fund to fund whatever else they

would like us to.”

The next trip will occur in January 2012, and there are many ways for students to get involved.

Bristor and other members of the mission team have Bob Evan’s Community Night, Spaghetti Dinners and sold headbands they had purchased in Guatemala; they are also going to do a raffle basket.

All of the money collected now is going to the center to fund whatever it is the nuns choose as a priority.

New study programs

culture first hand.

Newcastle is home of Newcastle United FC, a premier soccer team in the English soccer world.

Also in Newcastle is Metro Radio Arena, which houses professional basketball and ice hockey teams.

Students interested in studying abroad, but not in England, have additional choices.

The study abroad program also has three other schools available for students to attend.

Two of the schools are in New Zealand, while the third is Lithuania.

The University of Waikato gives students the opportunity to study at one of New Zealand’s most modern and innovative universities. Nearly 2,200 international students from over 70 countries attend the University.

The second opportunity for students to study in New Zealand lies at

Massey University.

Massey University is internationally recognized for its excellence in teaching and research and is regarded as an innovative and progressive institution. The university hosts an excess of 3,000 students annually from over 100 countries.

Waynesburg University senior electronic media major Brian Davis studied at Massey University.

“What I got out of it was more than just a chance to get away,” said Davis. “It was a great cultural experience, and I got the chance to work on some projects to help me in my career.”

LCC International University is the third opportunity for students to study abroad.

Located in Lithuania, the University offers a chance to spend a semester in a small country filled with immense opportunities for discovery.

Continued from D1 weekly field trips to local points of interest.

Some of the locations include The Theatre Royal in Newcastle and Durham Cathedral.

Newcastle provides a chance to see the passion for sports in the British

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Arts & Life

German foreign minister picks up freed journalists BERLIN — Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle was on his way back to Germany from Iran early Sunday with two journalists set free after four months in custody.

Westerwelle also met with top officials including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and thanked his counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi for his efforts to release the two men.

The minister was escorting Marcus Hellwig and Jens Koch of Bild am Sonntag newspaper on a government plane after their release Saturday from their location in Iran.

The reporters were detained on October 10 in the northwestern city of Tabriz after entering Iran on tourist visas and allegedly conducting interviews.

They had intended to interview the son and lawyer of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who is in jail on charges of adultery and involvement in the murder of her husband.

The men were fined 500 million rials (US$48,400) instead of being given a prison sentence, the ISNA news agency reported.

Westerwelle thanked everyone who had helped find a resolution “to the case of the two German citizens.”

The Berlin-based branch of the National Council of Resistance of Iran condemned Westerwelle’s trip to Tehran just days after the “bloody crackdown of the Iranian protesters” that led to the deaths of two people.

Westerwelle’s meetings with Ahmadeinejad and the joint press conference with Iran’s foreign minister only emboldened “the regime to further suppress Iranian people,” the group said in an e-mailed statement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeted the news of the release with relief.

“I am very happy that Marcus Hellwig and Jens Koch are finally able to return to Germany as free people,” Merkel told Bild am Sonntag.

“I hope that they recover quickly - physically and psychologically - and overcome the hard events of the last months. My thoughts are with their families, for whom a difficult time of uncertainty has ended,” she was quoted as saying.

The release of the two journalists coincided with Germany’s top film award, the Berlinale’s prestigious Golden Bear, being awarded to Iranian director Asghar Farhadi.

The repression of Iranian filmmakers has made Tehran the target of the world’s major film festivals.

One key focus of this year’s Berlinale was to screen movies by renowned Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who is serving a six-year prison sentence for allegedly working against Iran’s ruling system.

NEWS IN BRIEF

3

1 Peaceful youth in Morocco march for change

Travelers warned of trips to central Mexico

RABAT, Morocco – Tens of thousands of protesters from various political strains marched peacefully in cities and towns across Morocco on Sunday demanding rapid political reform.

The rallies were aimed at gaining democratic rights in a nation that has long been a hereditary monarchy and at times as oppressive as its autocratic North African neighbors.

Human rights groups, various leftist and Islamist factions, trade unionists and advocates for the rights of those speaking the Berber language took part in the rallies. But they were led by the same type of youthful tech-savvy activists who helped spark the toppling of longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Calling themselves the Feb. 20th Youth, they began using online social media less than a month ago to urge people to take to the streets.

MEXICO CITY – A new U.S. government advisory urges a “heightened sense of alert” for Americans living or traveling in central after drug cartel gunmen fatally shot a U.S. agent and wounded another there.

The agents were ambushed in San Luis Potosi state on Tuesday. About 300,000 natives of San Luis Potosi state live in Texas, many of them in North Texas.

Traditionally, about 60 percent of them return to their hometowns at some point each year but that number has fallen by about half as concerns about security have grown, she said.

TWhether the U.S. advisory affects Texas-Mexico commercial ties remains to be seen. Texas led all states in trade with Mexico, with imports and exports totaling $10.3 billion.

2 Noodle cook wins fight to stay in Tokyo TOKYO – The Tokyo District Court has ruled in favor of a Chinese cook who demanded the nullification of a deportation order issued on the ground that his work at a ramen noodle shop had violated his visa status.

The 44-year-old man had been working at a ramen shop after entering this country on a visa obtained on the strength of his Chinese cooking expertise in 1999.

On Friday, the court annulled the order, saying his expertise had been put to good use at the noodle shop.

After working at Chinese restaurants in Japan the man started working at a ramen shop in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward in April 2009. In December that year, the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau canceled his resident status and ordered him to leave Japan, saying working at the ramen shop was an activity outside the scope of his visa.

The man filed a lawsuit with the district court against the national government to restore his resident status and concluded that the cancellation of his resident status was illegal.

4 New Zealand quake kills at least 75 people WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Three hundred people are missing and 75 bodies have been recovered from the quake ravaged New Zealand city of Christchurch, local authorities said Wednesday.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said there were now 55 identified bodies at a morgue, which had been set up at local military base. Another 20 bodies had been recovered, but were not yet at the morgue and had yet to be identified.

The quake was felt throughout New Zealand and caused 30 million tons of ice to break off from the Tasman Glacier, about 200 kilometers away.

5 Battle lines over federal budget harden WASHINGTON – Lawmakers fanned out to their home states after the Republican-led House approved more than $60 billion in reductions for fiscal year 2011, the deepest spending cuts in generations.

Democrats have rejected the legislation, warning that as many as 800,000 jobs could be lost.

Instead, they propose a spending freeze. Theneed to resolve the issue before the current funding mechanism expires March 4.

Military permits protests in Bahrain, crackdowns elsewhere

By Nancy A. Youssef McClatchy Newspapers MANAMA, Bahrain — Saturday was poised to be the most decisive day of the nearly weeklong confrontation here between enraged protesters calling for major reforms and armed government security forces who repeatedly had shot at them.

And it was - but for reasons no one expected.

What some feared could be the most violent day of clashes in this strategic ally of America turned into a major victory for the protesters - at least for now.

Just before 1 p.m. the Bahraini Army, which had been blocking protesters from their demonstration site, at times with gunfire and tear gas, pulled their tanks away, replaced by riot police.

More than two hours later, at 3:25 p.m., the first line of riot police blocking the protesters’ access to the site of demonstrations, Pearl Square, broke.

At one barricade point, a police officer donning a bulletproof shield and a

Photo by Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Anti-government protesters rejoice as they enter Pearl square in Bahrain after government forces backed down, allowing thousands of people to re-occupy the square just before dark on Feb. 19. weapon pulled out his video camera and taped the protesters demanding that he let them go into the square.

Another waved, then hundreds of officers alongside them got into SUVs and drove off.

In all, more than 60

police SUVs formed a line away from the protest site.

The crowd cheered, then ran to the square and retook the spot they hope will be Bahrain’s version of Egypt’s Tahrir Square, a place where thousands demand major govern-

ment reforms, and win.

The relative calm Saturday in Bahrain contrasted with Libya, where the regime of long-time leader Moammar Gadhafi reportedly was using deadly force to try to suppress protests demanding an end to his rule.

Fathi, a resident of Benghazi, Libya’s second city, who asked that his last name not be cited, said by telephone that sounds of gunfire could be heard from the city center, where thousands of protesters remained in the cold rain Saturday despite

attacks by security forces.

More troops were arriving by plane, he said.

“I don’t know how it’s going to end,” said Fathi, The government cut off Libya’s Internet connections early Saturday.

“There are a lot of more deaths than they (the media) are saying,” he said.

At least 84 people have died in three days of protests in Libya, Human Rights Watch said, based on telephone interviews with witnesses and hospital staff.

Mass protests continued elsewhere across the Middle East as well.

In Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, one person was killed and several injured in ongoing clashes as thousands of protesters marched.

In Iraq, several thousand people marched in the city of Sulaimaniyah to protest the deaths of two protesters days earlier.

And in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, police broke up a rally by thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators.