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News Page 3 April I, 2003 ACC Deems Campus Safe Students Gamble Away Their Last Dollars NICOLE HATCH Staff Writer Many efforts are made to prevent accidents and injuries at Alpena Community College. According to Dick Sutherlartd, VP Administrative Secretary, ACC has a safe campus and a safe program, the protection of students is a number one priority. Representative Doug Kimmel from Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MlOSHA) did a safety walk through at A CC and had a list of concerns for the college to address. 90 percent of that list has already been taken care of. The concerns were not life threatening and mostly had to do with labeling chemicals, guard adjustments or having signs for emergency . stop buttons. Along with those corrections, ACC has updated the lighting in the Natural Resource Center and is in the process of doing so in Van Lare Hall. Also note, the college has emergency lights that go on in case of a power outage. Tom Ludwig, Facilities Director and Noel Schlueter from health accidents happen in good weather. According to Ludwig the occasional fender bender seems to happen on dry pavement. So far this winter there has been one reported car accident on campus. The worst accident at ACC was when a student fell from a utility pole. Overall students feel safe at this institution. Students Delynn Glennie and Angie Hawks feel very safe here and have no cause for services just recently concernswhenitcomesto attended a MI OSHA their safety. training seminar for safety ACC Student Jessica compliance issues. They Linkeos said that her only both play an important role safety concern is the icy inkeepingthiscampussafe. conditions on the The majority of school sidewalks and in the parking lots. On those icy mornings maintenance and ground crew begin their day early making sure the walkways and parking lots are salted. "It has been so cold for so long that the salt doesn't work, it can only bring ice down to a certain temperature" says Ludwig. Sand works better in these conditions and if available. To report an accident or injury · contact Dick Sutherland ext 7368, located in VLH, Tom Ludwig, ext. 7202 in the Parking office of BTC, or any instructor or staff member by calling 356- 9021, student services ext.7286. MIKEGARY Huron Shores Whether it's done legally at a casino, or illegally at someone's house, students are gambling away their last dollars. A Harvard Medical study in 2000 showed that almost 50 percent of college students in the United States and Canada admitted to spending their time and money in casinos, and those numbers are rising. entertainment." With 26 casinos in Michigan, virtual casinos all over the Internet, and the legal gambling age being 18, students in Michigan find it easy to gamble and will often influence other students to gamble with them. Ripley Street Station Closes its Doors The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling stated, "Teenagers have a problem gambling rate of 10%-17%, a rate 2 to 3 times higher than the general population." But if college students have little cash and big bills, why do they gamble? Experts believe students gamble because the age group of 12-18 are involved in high-risk behaviors, which include drinking and taking drugs, which makes them more apt to gamble because of the risk involved. There are organizations to help people with gambling problems and most are free to join, but are completely voluntary. Gamblers Anonymous is among the most famous of these organizations. Anyone can visit their website at WWW.~ to join this organization or just get information on how to quit gambling. Peer pressure and the abundance of casinos in Michigan push gambling on students, but there could be a way to use these pressures in a positive way. All casinos need people to work there. According to one employee at the Soaring Eagle casino in Mount Pleasant, the starting pay for employees at casinos is usually minimum wage, but they get tips on too. MICHAEL CHAMBERS Staff Writer On thursday, March 13, 2003, Ripley Street Station closed after nine years of service. Someoftheemployees that worked at Ripley's are now working atNeiman's Family Market. Some ofRipley's employees are going to work atNeiman's and are being placed in positions similar to those they hadheld at Ripley's. The opinion of the employees about the merge of the two stores is split. According to one Neiman's employee, a lot of employees arerunningscaredfortheirjobs Photo by Sara Lyon Ripley Street Station closed for business March 13. because they don't know if they have been placed in. willbefiredorlosetheirct.nrent On the other hand Service position. Desk OerkLeahDennis stated, Thereisalsosomeresentment "Ithinkit'snicetoseenewf~ by Neiman's employees for andtheybringsomefreshairto the positions Ripley employees the work force." A number of the customers from Ripley's have decided to go toNeiman'snowthattheirregular shopping place has been closed. The new shoppers atNeiman's can still find great discounts on items just like they could atRipley. Neiman'sisalso givingDialARide bus tickets to people 65 and older to get there. Ripley used to do this as well. Neiman's has changed a little bit besides moving some isles around. They have just built a new beer and wine cooler. This is also where the pop is located. They also have a new bagel shop that is now open, and a new pharmacy will hopefully open in a few onths. College students in the local area seem to think gambling is acceptable. According to Terry Allison, a student at A CC, "Gambling is alright if you havethemoney. It'sgood So for students who like to gamble, the best way to win at the casino may be by dealing cards, not betting on them. Bad Weather Will Not CloseACC os and Cons of Long Distance Learning NICOLE HATCH Staff Writer You' re looking outside, it's freezing rain and the snow is piling up, and you 're thinking "I know school is going to be closed tomorrow." You would be right if you were in high school, but wake up and get dressed because you're in college now and ACC is open. Go ahead tum on the radio, they will confirm it for you. The chances for a snow day here are slim. In fact the college has only closed 3 times in ten years. Dick Sutherland, Administrative Director and Tom Ludwig, Facilities Director, get up on those bad winter mornings at 4:00 am and travel the roads that students will be driving. They consult with state police and the road commission to make sure conditions are favorable AMY ABRAHAM family. On-line classes are enough to complete the forstudents. treatsabadwinterdaylike HuronShores tougher than regular course. According to Sutherland, 95 anyother,andifthereisschool classes though because If you can confidently percentofallACC students hewillbethere. On-line or traditional they are a sixteen-week answer"yes",youshouldbe comefromAlpenaandeach "But the college needs to classes? Students are course crammed into eight able to succeed in a student should use their best take into consideration that a increasingly asking weeks. You have to keep distance-learning course. judgmentanddriveaccording greatdealofstudentstravel themselves this question as on top of the reading TheMichiganCommunity to road conditions. In most distances. We wantto come colleges continue to add assignments or you are College Virtual Learning casestheAlpenapublicschools to school, we pay money to more courses available on- doomed because you will Collaborative website are closed because of the go to school, and there are line and virtual colleges are never catch up." suggests ' that a student liability with 40 students on timeswhenitshouldbeclosed springing up all over the Haley Romel, another should "expect to be able to buses.Individualsneedtotake in fairness and safety" says Internet. Spring Arbor University spend two to three hours the proper precautions and ACCstudentMichelleHeidt Sound too good to be true? student, has a different per credit hour on allowthemselvesextratimeto . whodrivesfromEastTawas. That depends. Students opinion about distance coursework every week" get where they are going. "We are here for the shouldknowmoreofwhatis learningcourses. "!would foreachon-lineclasstaken. College should be seen as a students, we wouldn't be expected of them before they much rather take a Consider an on-line class job. Employers don't call off here without them and we go on-line educationally. traditional campus course to be like a fast-food meal work due to weather. will make the best decision Failure of an on-line course than an on-line class. If eel that offers you convenience, Sutherland also said that concerning their safety" is just as detrimental to I need to interact with my at your time of need and each student has a tight stated Sutherland. So if learning experience, as it professors and fellow how you . want it. Make schedule and snow days are you're still not out of bed would be from a traditional students about course sure you keep up with not factored in. Those and you think school class. matter and on-line classes reading assignments, due studentsreceivingaidhaveto shouldbeclosed,notethat Amy Jacobs, a current just don't offer you that dates, and discussions complete so many hours and Sutherland also added the Spring Arbor University interaction in the same within your courses and you it would be hard to make up college and your student, had this to say about way." will partake of an time that is missed due to instructors reserve the right on-line classes. "I think on- Before a student enrolls experience that is of high unnecessary snow days. to call class on Saturday if line classes are great. I can in an on-line course they "nutritional" content and you Student Matt Gibbons school is cancelled for any take classes from my home should ask themselves if will have good intellectual doesn'tfighttheinevitable,he reason. and still be there with my they are self disciplined "absorption". ;;...iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiijjjjjjjjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"F=================--------, "BECOME A HOMEOWNER IN HILLMAN'$ ORCHAR~ PINES SUBDIVISION" Upcoming events at ... • • Choose from 8 different home designs to be ·built on the landscaped lot of your choice. • • • • Back Roads House Concerts Series 03/15/03 Dan Vaillancourt 04/12/03 Ashley Peacock MB PAINTING ~ PROFESSIONAL PAINTING AND STAINING INTERIOR. EXTERIOR - BRUSH, ROLi. SPRAY POWER WASHING Montmorency Area Rural Community Housing Down Payment Assistance available for qualified pu~hasers. 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