The Lady Govs softball team finished off a four-game home stretch with a three-game weekend series against Morehead State. The Lady Govs (14-28, 6-11 OVC) were competitive but could not get in the win column, losing 1-8, 2-3 on Saturday, April 17, and 1-6 in the series finale Sunday, April 18.
In game one, the Lady Govs ran into a Morehead State buzz-saw in the first two innings as Morehead State pounded out three runs in the first and four runs in the second to lead 7-0.
After settling into quality pitching and defense that held Morehead State scoreless for the next four innings, the lone Lady Gov run came when Jessica Chernak hit a solo homer. It was Chernak’s first of the season.
Morehead State scored one more run in the seventh inning to win 1-8.
In game two, the first three innings turned into a pitching battle with both teams scoreless until Morehead State collected three runs in the fourth inning.
Heading into the fourth inning, Morehead State scored three runs off three hits. Two runs coming off of a two-run triple by Kayla Ashbrook.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Govs got a rally started when Abby Mabry singled up the middle to start the rally. Mabry was replaced by Tia Johnson. Johnson then moved to third base. Brittany Williams singled up the middle scoring Johnson. Shine Huwe singled through the left side scoring Farley.
With Williams in scoring position, Catie Cozart struck out, thus ending the Lady Govs’ rally.
Behind solid pitching Morehead State struck out Amy Mills, Shelby Norton and Ashley Bolda to end the game.
In the final game of the series, both teams came out with guns blazing and each team scored one run each in the first inning.
The Lady Govs lone run in the game came from Cozart’s sacrifice fly into left field bringing home Chernak. Chernak got on base with a single into left field.
The Lady Govs’ offense went stale from there, collecting only four hits in the remaining six innings of play.
Morehead State would add three runs in the fourth inning highlighted by a two-run home run by Bethany Ellis.
With no offense in sight, Morehead State poured on two more runs in the sixth inning to cap the game off, 1-6.
The Lady Govs will go on the road for a seven game road trip starting Wednesday, April 21, with a double-header against the University of Kentucky.
Instead of living an era of fast cars and smaller, more frustrating electronics, we seem to be thriving in the era of green.
Every product that is on the market has a green quality, it is earth or environmentally friendly. Being wise to the environment is cooler than being rich in today’s world, so it goes to say the wealthy are driving smart cars and drinking out of reusable bottles.
Even huge corporations are cutting back on waste and emissions. Many bottling companies are using thinner bottles while others are cutting costs and waste to help the local communities.
One hugely eco-wise company is Frito Lay, specifically their SunChips. This company has done experiments for nearly four years and has created a bag that will decompose in 12 to 16 weeks. While these tests were done in compost piles, it is still a feat that no other bag can compare too. That is simply outstanding.
Who hasn’t seen the same piece of garbage sit on the side of the road for months, driving past it every day? This new invention could change an industry.
Don’t worry, it is made of a plant-based material called polylactic acid (PLA). It is a versatile and compostable polymer made from starch. You might not have even known, they look stunningly similar, the only difference is the ruffling sounds are louder with the new plant based bag.
You might be wondering why they decided to use this PLA stuff. Well, it is because it is made out of plants that grow annually, rather than petroleum.
Though it is new, it has been thoroughly tested and is certified through the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), the only internationally recognized labeling program.
Kathryn Siranosian from triplepundit.com explains other than the SunChips’ 100 percent compostable chip bag, Frito Lay Canada has been working to reduce the company’s environmental impact for more than a decade.
New bags for chips, new bottles for drinks and new energy for cars and houses is the new craze. It seems we are on the verge of achieving the great green habitat we all dream of: a place where cars are electric, all the clouds are white and where we live without books being published on melting icebergs.
The hopes we will be able to undo the damages that have been done to our planet may not be in vain.
These major changes in production will slow the negative effects on the environment and one day we may even find a way to replenish our planet.
Every step we take to help the earth, the air we breathe, and the soil we step on may keep our children living on this earth just one generation longer.
By BRIAN BIGELOW
Guest Writer
Last year, eight to 10 thousand Plus dollars went unspent at the end of the spring semester,.
According to Joe Lachina, senior director of APSU Dining Services, and Cecil Wilson, assistant director of APSU Housing/Residence Life and Dining Services, the unspent Plus dollars that don’t roll over from spring to fall are reabsorbed by Chartwells to cover operating costs, such as equipment, utensils, plates, silverware, payroll and food costs and help to make meal plans more affordable.
APSU meal plans through Chartwells are among the cheapest per meal of any Tennessee college.
Lachina said a student at UT Knoxville can expect to pay, on average, $1.22 more per meal than an APSU student with a comparable meal plan, and students at Tennessee Tech pay as much as $2.39 more per meal than APSU students.
“Students with a meal plan have one less thing to worry about. Parents can feel at ease knowing their student has access to food every day of the week,” Wilson.
“Meal plans help students save money … and all of the time associated with grocery shopping, menu planning, dish washing and the trouble and time of driving to the store,” Wilson said.
University policy requires that all residential students, except those living in Emerald Hills and Two Rivers apartments, have meal plans.
This is done for several reasons; one of the foremost is to control cost.
“Requiring meal plans of our residential students allows for a greater selection of dining options,” Wilson said.
“These meal plans help pay the operating costs associated with maintaining a convenience store, a Chick-fil-A, bringing in a Papa John’s and providing all of the other dining venues on campus.”
Every semester, roughly 1,200 students buy meal plans, meaning on average students who have meal plans spend all but eight of their Plus dollars by the end of the spring semester.
“Generally, week per week, 80 percent of the meal plan holders use their meals,” Lachina said.
“The other 20 percent do not use all of there meals. In other words, if they had a 14 meal plan they used 11 or 12 meals that week,” Lachina said.
Chartwells’ contract with APSU expires at the end of the Spring 2011 semester. At that time, APSU will accept bids for new dining contracts. The bids will be reviewed by an approval committee headed by Wilson and will consist of students and administrators.
“The bidding is open to everyone. Chartwells has to reapply just like everyone else,” Wilson said
By LORI PERKINS
Guest Writer
April is sexually transmitted disease (STD) awareness month. Students should be aware that the Department of Health ranked Tennessee the 11th state to have the most widespread cases of Chlamydia, 12th for gonorrhea, sixth for syphilis and the 17th for HIV infections and AIDS.
Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are the most frequently diagnosed STDs, and reports show that one in five Americans have HIV and do not know it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) STDs are a major public health challenge in the United States. The CDC estimates there are approximately 19 million new STD infections each year, almost half of them among young people 15-24 years of age.
The cost of STDs to the U.S. health care system is estimated to be as much as $15.9 billion annually.
In 2008, there were more than 1.5 million total cases of Chlamydia and gonorrhea reported, making them the two most commonly reported infectious diseases in the United States.
STDs in sexually active teenagers continue to grow. According to the CDC, in 2008, girls 15 to 19 had the highest numbers of reported Chlamydia cases (342,875).
In an effort to promote screenings, explain the symptoms of STDs and help decrease the number of cases, media network MTV, CDC, Kaiser Family Foundation, Planned Parenthood and others are using a nationwide slogan GYT (Get Yourself Tested) to help young people become aware of the threatening issue.
They are advocating the importance of knowing and talking to your partner and getting tested.
“I think everyone should get tested. Don’t assume you’re OK,” said Perry Scanlan, allied health sciences associate professor and Medical Technology program director.
The concern is not just for those who are getting tested, but those who don’t. Some infections are “silent” and a carrier may not be aware that they are infected.
Untreated STDs will continue to spread from person-to-person and can lead to several health problems.
For women, the result can be infertility or pelvic inflammatory disease, and other health problems; men can become sterile.
“Many have no [noticeable] infection, they remain undiagnosed; it’s important to take steps for prevention,” said Nikki Kay, spokeswoman for the CDC.
Unprotected sex is one well known method of spreading infections.
Another factor is some people do not take all of their prescribed medication, which causes the infection to persist. The whole prescribed amount should be taken.
“Don’t take half the bottle and save them for later,” Scanlan said.
College students who binge drink also increase their chances of getting an STD.
“If you can’t recognize [the person], will you recognize the sign of an STD? Probably not,” Scanlan said.
Boyd Health Services takes steps to keep students informed that safe sex is still necessary. In February, they handed out condoms in the UC.
“We offer condoms in the lobby (at Boyd Health Services) all the time, and free brochures. We do presentations to APSU 1000 students. We have information … we would be happy to speak directly to students,” said Cyndi Chester, graduate assistant.
The CDC recommends people practice abstinence or reduce the number of sexual partners.
Sexually active women and teenaged girls under the age of 26 should receive a Chlamydia screening regularly.
“There are significant health threats,” Kay said.
“Don’t ignore symptoms. Get tested, know your partner, be honest and get treated. People should be involved with people who are concerned about their health. Use condoms correctly from start to finish,” Scanlan said.
On Thursday, April 8, The All State’s Freedom of Information Act request letter, which was sent on Monday, March 22, regarding the attempted abduction on campus that occurred on Tuesday, March 16, was responded to via e-mail seven days late, according to Tennessee Code Annotated 10-7-503 (2)(B)(i-iii).
According to the requested police report, the attempted abduction happened on Tuesday, March 16, at 10 p.m. Campus Police was not notified of the incident until the complaint was telephoned in. On Wednesday, March 17, APSU Campus Police Officer Richard Wacker was assigned to the call.
The complaint came from an adult black female who said she was on her way from Meacham to her room in Sevier walking with her iPod ear buds in and her hands full. She was going eastbound on Govs Lane on the sidewalk near Miller.
“I was coming up the sidewalk next to the Red Barn and a black man driving a small, dark-colored four-door car pulled up next to me,” the complainant said in a written statement.
The offender was an unknown adult black male between 20 and 30 years old, 6” tall, of average build, wore a black hoodie and smelled like tobacco.
The victim could not remember any noticeable or identifying marks. When the offender drove up, he tried to get her attention by saying “aye.” She turned around and did not recognize him and then ignored him.
“He proceeded to continue to follow me and try to get my attention. I kept walking.” After three attempts, the offender pulled ahead of her, parked his car, got out and walked to the sidewalk, blocking her path.
“He grabbed me by my arm and tried to shove me into the car. I resisted and propped my foot against the back seat to use as leverage. We tussled for a minute. I threw my boot back behind me and it hit him. He took a couple steps back, paused, ran around, got in the car and drove away.”
The victim did not get a good look at the offender or the car. The car was described as a small, newer four-door sedan, black or dark blue in color, similar to a Honda or Toyota, with power locks and windows and leather interior. “It was very clean and had nothing distinguishing sitting out. That’s all I really remember,” the complainant’s statement said.
On Monday, March 22, APSU Campus Police Officer Elizabeth Genthner met with the complainant for a follow-up. The victim said the reason she waited to report the incident was because she was shocked but included she was frustrated because she could not provide more details. As of press time, Monday, April 12, the victim had not returned The All State’s phone call made Monday.
Each week, The All State prints the campus crime log and organizes the information online at www.theallstate.org.
Since the attempted abduction occurred, four revisions to the campus crime log have been given to The All State.
Of the four, there is no documentation of the attempted abduction that occurred on Tuesday, March 16. This puts APSU in violation of the Clery Act by 19 business days as of press time Monday, April 12.
According to The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Violence Web site, www.higheredcenter.org/mandates/clery-act, the Clery Act “is a federal mandate requiring all institutions of higher education that participate in the federal student financial aid program to disclose information about crime on their campuses and in the surrounding communities.”
The Clery Act requires crimes be added to the campus crime log within two days of the initial report and add new information about previously recorded crimes be added to the campus crime log within two business days.
The U.S. Department of Education can impose fines up to $27,500 per violation. In extraordinary cases, the department can withhold all federal funds from a noncompliant school.
Written complaints about violations with the Clery Act regarding disclosure obligations can be filed with the director of the Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Education.
The Clery Act is named after Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her residence hall in 1986.
Her parents’ lobbied Congress to enact the law because their daughter had not been notified about the 38 violent crimes that occurred on campus three years before the murder.
As of press time on Monday, April 12, neither Director of Public Safety Lantz Biles and Assistant Director of Public Safety Charlie Struckel had returned e-mails or phone calls made on Monday.
UPDATE (Tuesday, April 13, 7:45 a.m.): Director of Public Safety Lantz Biles responded to The All State’s. Biles said, “I have spoken with my staff and believe the omission was an oversight.The log will be updated.”
On Friday, April 9, Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity held it’ second annual Wings For Wishes event in the MUC Plaza.
Participants in this event paid a $7 fee for a ticket and were invited to an “all-you-care to eat” chicken wing buffet.
Local wings vendors including Buffalo Wild Wings, Dominos, Hooters, Zaxby’s and Choppin Block donated the wings for the event.
T-shirts were also sold at the event and there was a silent auction. Many items were included in the silent auction.
Several of these are themed baskets created by the women of APSU’s Chi Omega chapter. For example, there were baskets created for each fraternity and sorority.
“Some [other] items auctioned were the poster signed by Keith Urban, free spa days, gift cards to restaurants and a three-month membership to the YMCA,” said sophomore Chi Omega member Sarah Nagy. Nagy served as the Wings for Wishes chair.
The Make-A-Wish foundation is Chi Omega’s national philanthropy, which was the organization they chose to raise money for.
The foundation’s mission is to grant children with life-threatening medical conditions their one true wish.
According to the Make-A-Wish foundation’s Web site, www.wish.org,it was founded in 1980 when Chris Graicius, a young boy, realized his life’s dream was to become a police officer.
The organization granted his wish and has continued to grant wishes for thirty years.
At the previous years event, Chi Omega raised $5,000 for the Make A Wish Foundation. This year they added to their pot by raising $7,000.
According to the President of Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity, Kelsea Cox, each wish costs about $5,000 to grant a wish. For the two years that Wings for Wishes has taken place, Chi Omega has been able to grant two wishes.
“On average it costs $5,000 to grant a wish, so we are able to grant another wish this year. Therefore I say the event was successful,” Cox, a junior elementary education major said. “I am so proud to be a part of this event.”
By ANTHONY SHINGLER
