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Lumberjack News Page 3 STUDENT POPULATION CLASHES WITH LOCAL POLICE FORCE JO BETH JOHNSON Staff Writer Many students complain that the Alpena Police have nothing better to do than sit around and hand out tickets and M IP's. Some say the police arc rude and gruff. ls this true? Sergeant Phil Wiser, one of the senior officers at the Alpena Police department, said that ACC students have a misunderstanding of a cop's rights. The police have laws they need to enforce. They aren' t sitting on every comer just waiting forshu:lents to do someth ing wrong. He said that the police have to check out complaints ofloud parties and are out there to protect students. Sergeant Wiser has recently become involved in the D.A.RE. program,giving him an awareness of drugs in the area. He said that he has noticed an increase in binge drinking and in the use of drugs, but that these things go in cycles. Wisersaidalot of students don't use common sense in this area and they need to. Sometimes an officer will be rude and blunt because he is in a hurry. Wiser stated that many times you don't know where the officer has come from. They could have just come fromasuicideormaybethe officer had a call come in and needs to speed things along. The police are very busy and don't have time to waste. Patrol Officer Lee Grant, the youngest officer, said that he didn't think college students were a big problem other than the occasional loud party. The major problem that he saw was that students tend to have preconceived ideas aboutthepolice, "theythink we're out to get them." Grant said the police check out parties because of complaints, not STUDENT SENrITE OFFERSMoRE DAVID CABLE Staff Writer Our college's student senate is working to bring forth many new events and activities. Entertainment, sporting activities, instructor of the year, and student con- cerns arc things that our stu- dent senate is working on. Student senate is working on several additions and activities for the college this year. This year, A.C.C. will host the first annual ball, called the "Spring Formal". The gathering will take place on Saturday, April 20th, and will take place at the Alpena CivicCenter. Youcanlikely expect a live band, a DJ, and playing of softer music. There will likely be something to suit everyone's tastes. The "Spring Fonnal" is something that hopefully will be an on- going tradition, and people are encouraged to attend. Soccer fans, you probably know that this year the college had a successful soccer team, but will it re- main? Following a great year of soccer, student senate vice president Ryan Townsend says that the team will "cer- tainly be continued". Some of the teams you can look foiward to watching Alpena play will include Delta Col- lege, Oakland Community College, and Lansing Com- munity College. Interested players can contact Ryan Townsend at 356-1214, or Max.Lindsay for more infor- mation If activities like back- packing, skiing, snowboarding, and camping sound fun to you, then A.C.C. 's new addition will be a pleasant surprise. Af- ter conducting a poll, student senate found that a bike and boot club would be the most popular addition to A.C.C. athletics. Full time and part time students are all wel- come to join bike and boot. For further information you can contact Matt Dunkel, Jim Serles, or Ryan Townsend. Alsobeadvised that you will be able to find out updates on such activi- ties on new televisions that will soon be localed in the "Lumberjack Shack". Those of you that might have been around A.C.C. awhile may have wondered what happened to Instructor of the Year. Stu- dent senate President, Cristie Neubert, would like to see instructor of the year as a twice a year tradition. If you are interested who will be awarded for this year, you can find out who gets the semester titles on awards night in April. Besides activities and events, student senate also pays a lot of attention to the c6ncems students may have. One concern student senate is currently looking into is the Van Lare Hall parking situation. Neubert says that student senate is "exploring the possibility of expanding Van Lare Hall parking". Student senate lis- tens and incorporates stu- dent ideas and concerns as much as possible. Students are always welcome to stop by the student senate office, or call at 358-7287. to shut down the party. He said they patrol the area because the college staff asks them to. The police aren't above everybody. They're there to serve and protect. He also stressed that police do not have quota. There is no such thing as having to hand out a certain amount of tickets each day. Alpena students think othciwise. Kelly Potter, a sophomore, said that compared to other small towns, the Alpena Police are much more aggressive. She understands they're just doing they're job, but notes that her only speeding ticket was from Alpena. Jesse Harvey said he thought the cops goof off some. Whilepulledoverfor not wearing a seatbelt, he says the cop searched the car. Upon finding Jesse's girlfriend's bra, he waved the bra around at the other cop. Jesse thought the cop should have acted more mature. One student, who wished to remain reasontheywerepulledover anonymous, said that the was because everyone in the cops "sucked". He said he car was a minority. waswalkinghomeonenight OneACCstudentis because he was drunk. A intheprocessofseekinglegal cop picked him up and took justice from the: cops. In an him to the station. No MIP incident three years ago, the was issued, but the student student was pulled over for stated that he still wasn't a broken taillight when the fond of the police. cop became aggressive and Several students searched the truck with no told of being pulled over for warrant. He ended up busting no apparent reason or for the back of the truck and somethingreallyoffthewall. hitting the student's friend in Josh Kumrits, another theback.NoMirandarights sophomore, said he was were read and the student taking home seven friends was interrogated. from the basketball team All of this was caught after band practice when a on videotape, but the Alpena cop pulled him over. Police protected their own. ThcofficersaidJosh The state police said there had swerved over the right was enough evidence to white line on the road and show the student was telling then asked for I.D. from thetruthabouttheincident, everyone in the car and if they but nothing was done about hadbeenintoanytroublethat it. night. Josh,plusthreeothers, Instead, the Alpena had no l.D. police have watched the The officer decided student's house, pulled the to let them go after the group student over for no reason, rappedasongforhim.Josh and followed the student and his friends think the real around town. This has been going on for the past three years and nothing has been done in the student's favor. When Sergeant Wiser and Officer Grant were asked what could be done to improve the relationship between cops and students, the responses were similar. Wiser said if anyone had a problem with an officer or just wanted to ask a question, they could. The building is open to the public. Wiser said that he enjoys young people and thinks they have a lot to share for the future. Just use common sense . He said to stay in college and "hold on tight to your dreams. Grant said people can always ca11 the station with questions. The police are more than willing to help. He said to have respect for your neighbors and don' t get out of control at parties. I le stated that most college students are ambitious and trying to better themselves. Fleet Out; Tractor Supply In BRANDIE KOLNOWSKI Staff Writer Alpena's Qua lity Farm and Fleet closed its doors for good on Wednesday, February 20, 2002. A new store will be reopening in its place, the Tractor Supply Company. About 3 years ago Quality Farm and Fleet bought a chain of Country; stores in the south part of the United States that was in the same situation that they're in now. They were in debt Quality figured that buying the 200 some stores would be a profit. Instead it just pulled them under. Quality's pareni company Quality Farm In ed for C hapter 11 on ovember 1, 2001. As the toftheyearthe Michigan ankruptcy Courts owned uality Farm and Fleet. Out of the 336 uality Farm and Fleet ores only 85 will be summer. The Tractor Supply Co. offers basically the same items as Quality, but is more geared towards the farmer. They offer feed, tools, hardware, fencing and gates and some clothes. The opening as The Tractor overall store offers some upply Company store. 13,000differentproducts. lpena is one of the lucky The Alpena Quality ones , along with West FannandFleetemployedan Branch, Gaylord, North averageof20people. Most Saginaw, Fremont, Ludington of these people will receive and St. Clare Shores. jobsfromtheTractorSupply Alpena'swillbethefarthcsl Co., but all have to be TSC store in the North. interviewed to re-obtain a Alpena was chosen job. A previous Quality sales because of the volume of associate, Steve products that they sold. So Donjakowski received one of taking that into consideration those jobs. Previous full time they decided to open one in employees will receive a our community. The new severancepackageifthcyare store will be opening mid- not hired. Ace P ayers Present "Once upon a Mattress" Musical Comedy-Fairytale. Musi by Mary Rcx:l.gers Lyrics by Marshall Barer. Book by day Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean Fuller Dates: April 11-13 7:30 p.m April 14 2:00 p.m. April 18-20 7:30 p.m. April 21 2:00 p.m. Granum Theatre Reservations- 7392- NRC 210 ACC student tickets free The new store wi ll occupy the same building as the former Quality Farm and Fleet occupied, but will be much smaller. Alpena ' s Quality was 55,000 sq feet and the new Tractor Supply Co. will only occupy 17,000 sq. feet. To get a beuer idea of what the Tractor Supply Co. has to offer check out their website at, www.tractorsupplyco.com. The web site offers online shopping, infonnation on how to apply if you want to get a job there, and a learning center with links to other websites. Wrlter'9 Group mnts wukly for: work~shopping c;rufive $1.Jpport di#c:l.dSiOf'I For111;11a11dpl<1citeall: Lefhe Hoyct 739-9928 kathyEl!sworlh 354-3864