Bonner Scholars Spend Spring Break in Jamaica

By: Allison Nichols    

The Ursinus College Bonner Scholars decided to pass up Cancun this spring break and spend it renovating and constructing houses in Jamaica.

            Their weeklong trip did not leave much time for sun bathing.  The Bonner’s spent their days under the sun working to improve the conditions for a few of the 14.8% Jamaicans who are living below the poverty line.

            The Bonners teamed up with a few other students from Moravian College and worked on five different sites. 

            Three of the sites consisted of rebuilding severely damaged houses, one of which was ruined by a hurricane.  “We ripped down two walls and replaced siding,” said Josh Picard, a Bonner Scholar.

            Another volunteer site was dedicated to building a cement garbage dumpster in an area that had no existing trash receptacle.  The Bonners at this site mixed cement and put up cinder blocks.   Before they created this dumpster, trash would just end up on the ground around the area.

            At the final site, the volunteers painted the outside of an unconventional orphanage, which was more of a home than an institution for the care of orphans.  Here the children all called the caretaker mom, and it was made sure that they had a reliable job or comfortable home before they left.

            Liam Marston, a sophomore Bonner Scholar recalled that one Jamaican woman said, “God has blessed us by you being here.”

            The Jamaicans were generally very grateful for the presence of the Bonners, and the Bonners were equally excited about interacting with them.  That is why, for Picard, “sports day” was his favorite activity while in Jamaica.

            Sports day is a day similar to field day in the United States.  Last year the Bonners happened to be volunteering while the elementary school students had their sports day and were able to participate.  The students had so much fun with the Bonners that they planned their sports day around the Bonners’ trip this year. 

            The welcoming spirit of the country was Marston’s favorite aspect of the trip.  Marston commented on the friendly atmosphere of the country compared to our relatively cold culture.  “Being around the people is so refreshing.  They instantly include everyone,” Marston said.

             The Bonner’s spent their spring break helping a population that maybe be poor, but is rich in kindness.  “They may be poor, but they have each other,” said Marston.

 Alternatives to the traditional spring break are fun and helpful to others.
(video couresty of Colgate University)

Blog: Do you think year round schooling is a good idea?

Jordan Stars in Hanes Advertisement

 By: Allison Nichols

Retired from the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan’s still first on the team in the game of endorsements. His most recent score is a television ad for Hanes on which aired on June 2.

            Jordan is pictured with Charlie Sheen in a humorous advertisement for Hanes Lay Flat Collar Undershirts and Hanes No Ride-Up Boxer Briefs, the brand’s latest product, which focuses on comfort and fit.

Michael Jordan endorses Hanes by sporting their Lay Flat Collar Undershirt.
(Photo courtesy of Ralph Green, Hanes Co.)

Running in 15- and 30-second formats, viewers are taken into a day in the life of Sheen as he crosses paths with Jordan and assumes the role of an over-enthusiastic fan excited to be wearing the same brand of undershirts and underwear as the sports superstar.

            The advertisement, created by The Martin Agency of Richmond, VA, debuted during the NHL Finals on NBC then during the NBA Finals on ESPN and NASCAR on ESPN this week.

The superstar status of Jordan appeals to men, an important market for Hanes because menswear comprises about a third of its business. And increasingly, men buy their own undergarments.

“We have found that when consumers see Mr. Jordan, they immediately know it is Hanes,” said Sidney Falken, senior vice president of the Hanes brand.

The idea behind the advertisement is to convey the idea that Hanes name can be found on apparel that is more stylish, colorful and comfortable than consumers traditionally believe.  Because ''consumers know this brand really well,'' Falken said, using celebrities they may not

expect to see endorsing Hanes, such as Jordan, are used to get this point across.

“We use Michael in a different way than Nike or Gatorade does,” said David Robertson, the brand’s director of marketing. “They use him as the basketball player, we’ve always used him as the person and we’ve found that his stardom transcends the game.”

Numerous other companies have used Jordan’s superstar status to endorse their products, such as Nike, McDonald’s, Gatorade, Wheaties, and Ball Park Hot Dogs.  Other brands, such as Hanes, continue to use Jordan for endorsement even after retirement.

Jordan is a successful endorsement for so many brands and advertisements because of his stellar sports record; he led the NBA in scoring for seven consecutive seasons from 1987 to 1993 and again from 1996 to 1998. He was a five-time NBA season Most Valuable Player and a six-time finals MVP.

Jordan’s endorsement income is estimated to be over $40 million each year. He receives $20 million a year in endorsements from Nike alone for his Jordan brand, which rakes in $800 million in sales a year.

Jordan and Sheen advertise Hanes undershirts.

(Video courtesy of youtube.com)

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Dies of Lung Cancer

By: Allison Nichols

SPRINGFIELD- Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ronald H. Lache died Monday in his home here after a long fight against lung cancer.  He was 68.

            He was born on Nov. 3, 1943, in Philadelphia to Harry and Thelma Curry Lache. 

            Lache lived an honorable life as a lieutenant colonel of the Air Force.  Lache is remembered for always putting others before himself.  Jack Smith, a fellow Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, served with Lache for five years.  “I remember once when we were in great danger while flying.  Lache was ready to risk his life for mine,” said Smith. “He wanted me to jump to safety while he continued to fly the plane.”

            He spent much of his life living in Dayton, Ohio, before he moved to Springfield with his family.  His wife, the former Delores Carney, died March 7 of this year in a car accident. According to Lache’s lifetime friend, David Longhorn, this was very difficult for Lache to deal with.  “He loved her so much,” said Longhorn.  

            Lache and Carney were high school sweethearts.  They married before Lache entered the air force.  “He wrote her a letter every day,” said Smith.  

            Lache was a member of the Newman Center and The Rock Bridge Lions Club. Lache loved community service and helping out his local neighborhood.  His favorite activity in the club was visiting the Springfield Orphanage because he loved children, according to fellow Lions Club member Robert Thunderbridge.

            He is survived by a large family including his mother, Thelma Lache; his son, Ronald Lache; three daughters, Barbara Ann Peck, Patrice Louis Wylie, Cynthia Lache; and one granddaughter, Jennifer C. Peck.

            A graveside funeral service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Springfield.  Visitation will be 7 p.m. Wednesday at Parker Funeral Service, 606 Washington Ave. in Downingtown.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ronald H. Lache is remembered as an honorable, loving man.
(Photo courtesty of the U.S. Air Force)

Hot Dry Weather Causes Many Fires

By: Allison Nichols

WINGSFORD, OK- The spell of hot, dry weather that has held the area in its grasp for the last few weeks is taking its toll on grasslands and firefighters. Saturday, in the wake of 15-25 mph winds and a high temperature of 99 degrees, fire protection agencies from across the area responded to 16 calls.

Firefighter works to extinguish grass fire on Peabody Road.
(Photo Courtesy of enquirer.com)

                At the largest of those, a 25-acre grass fire on Peabody Road north of Prathersville and west of Route 19, paramedics treated on site at least five of the 35 fighters for heat exhaustion, county Fire Chief Debra Schuster said.

                Three more of the heavily clad firefighters were hospitalized for heat exhaustion, and two of those were flown to Springfield Hospital by helicopter. All were treated for about one hour and released.

                Dennis Sapp, fire captain of station no. 1, said the blaze at Peabody Road, which burned out of control for an hour before it was contained, probably was started by a trash fire.  The blaze endangered some nearby farmland and the barn on it but was extinguished before anything but grass was burned. 

                Schuster said fires like the one on Peabody Road had been starting all day, especially in the northern part of the city and county.  Schuster said some of the fires could have been the work of an arsonist, but careless burning was more likely the cause.

                “We don’t have any evidence there is an arsonist,” Schuster said.  “We sure hope we don’t have someone running around starting fires on purpose, but there is that possibility.”

Learn how to prevent and treat fires.

Patti Smith Visits Ursinus, Reads from Memoir

By: Allison Nichols

COLLEGEVILLE, PA- Patti Smith gave the audience at Lenfest Auditorium a taste of her poetic talent, natural sense of humor, and laid back attitude on Tuesday when she read from her memoir, “Just Kids,” and sang a few of her songs.

            Smith is a rock musician, poet, artist, writer and friend of Robert Frank, whose photographs are the focus of Ursinus is Talking About this semester.   Smith first worked with Frank when he directed the video for her single “Summer Cannibals” in 1996. 

Patti Smith shares some of her memoir and songs with the Ursinus community.
(Photo courtesty of last.fm)

            “Just Kids,” Smith’s memoir and tribute to her “wonderful friendship with Robert Mapplethorpe,” is a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the 2010 National Book award. 

            Many excited fans of Smith’s, from students, to teachers, to community members, poured into Lenfest Theatre to witness Smith’s charismatic performance.

            From the moment Smith walked on stage and greeted the audience, she gave off a friendly aura that set an intimate mood for the presentation. 

            Smith began the evening with of a poem from 1970 in which she reflected on what it means to be American.  “I think about Robert Frank’s photographs – broke down jukeboxes in Gallup, New Mexico, swaying hips and spurs, ponytails and syphilitic cowpokes, hash slingers, the glowing black tarp of U.S. 285 and the Hoboken stars and stripes.”

Smith visited the Berman Museum of Art and Franks’ exhibit, Spaces, Places and Identity: Robert Frank "Portraits" earlier in the day. “It is a wonderful exhibit. I have seen pieces from the show before but have never seen them set up that way before,” said Smith.

            She then read an excerpt from “Just Kids” about her first trip to an art museum when she was twelve; when she became “hungry to be an artist.”  Smith told the story of her large family traveling to the Philadelphia art museum with descriptive detail and a poetic rhythm.  She spoke of Picasso’s work and how his “brutal confidence took my breath away.”

            Next Smith read a powerful excerpt about the summer of 1967 when she decided to move to New York City.  She told the story of “the summer I met Robert Mapplethorpe,” and “the summer of love,” with inspiring images of the events of the time period and the things that surrounded her. 

            The vivid detail included in Smith’s memoir, she later revealed, was made possible by her writings done in her dairy every day of her life.  “I know every time I cute Robert’s hair,” said Smith.

            One piece of her memoir that she shared told a story of her days living in the Chelsea Hotel, a historic New York City hotel that is known for being home to numerous writers, musicians, and artists including Bob Dylan, Virgil Thomson, Charles Bukowski and Janis Joplin. “I loved [the Chelsea Hotel] because every day you saw people who were giving us so much of our culture” said Smith.

            She also told an amusing story of a day spent in Washington Square Park when Smith and Mapplethorpe were young and in love.  A touristy couple encountered them and argued over whether or not they were worth a snapshot.  Their final answer was, “They’re just kids,” and gave Smith a name for her memoir. 

            Between readings, Smith shared a few of her poetic rock and roll songs. She played “Wing” and “Grateful.”  She also played “My Bleaken Years,” and revealed that these lyrics came to her in a dream.

 Smith shared some of her original lullaby’s by the request of the audience, and ended with her hit single “Because the Night.”  Her powerful but graceful voice brought the audience to its feet.    


Listen to Patti Smith read from "Just Kids."

Patti Smith sings her hit single "Because the Night."

(Video courtesy of youtube.com)

Shooting Rampage Kills Officer, Injuries Three

By: Allison Nichols

ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI- A shooting rampage killed a police officer and the gunman and injured three others near 22^nd and Frederick Streets here yesterday.

The gunman fired at least seven bullets at the back of a police car before the shot went through the back window of his car and hit the officer in the back of the head.  The officer, Bradley Thomas Am, 28, was answering the call to the scene.

 An eyewitness who was driving by the scene saw the gunman’s fatal shot at the officer.  “I saw the officer fall to the left. He must have hit the accelerator because his car lurched forward and hit a boat in the parking lot,” said George Macfeat. 

The officer was responding to calls of aimless shooting by a gunman armed with a semi automatic assault rifle.

This is a rare incident in St. Joseph. “The last time an officer was shot in the line of duty was in 1984,” said Officer Connors. The last occasion that an officer was killed was in 1991 in a car accident. 

When calls of the shooting reached the St. Joseph Police Department, they reacted quickly and mobilized the entire department, police said.  “They did what they were trained to do,” said Officer Connors.

 “He may have started firing on 22^nd St. and Frederick, before heading south toward the Calvary Church,” said Officer Connors.

The motives of the gunman are unknown, police said.  Witnesses report that the shots seemed to be fired at random.  “I just don’t think he cared what was in front of his gun,” said Officer Connors.

 An eyewitness, Robert Liberty, heard gunshots and observed from outside of the Calvary Church.   “I saw a man with Mohawk and randomly firing shots,” said Liberty.

It is a somber time for the officers and the community.  “Having been through this before I can tell you, you go through first the shock, you then go through the anger stage.  Officers can meet with counselors if they want to; it’s tough on everybody,” said Officer Connors.

Police are investigating and finger-printing is being used to determine the identification of the gunman, who was not carrying ID, said police.  Police are also conducting an internal review of the officer who fired the final shot.

There will be a press conference at 10 a.m. tomorrow, police said.

Officer Bradley Thomas Am was killed by a random shooter.
(Photo courtesy of Google Images)

 

Officer Bradley Thomas Arn Memorial Page

Listen to a similar story of a random shooting in Britian:

School Board Candidates Debate School Issues

By: Allison Nichols

LENOIR- Overcrowded schools, trailer classrooms, and year-round schooling were hot topics at the most recent school board debate. 

School board candidates took opposing stands on the proposal at the Lenoir center Tuesday night.

Students in the Lenior School District may be going to school year round.  This was a topic of debate amoung school board candidates.
(Photo courtesy of Brown Middle School)

Some believe the plan for a 12-month school schedule could eliminate the need for trailers that now house the overflow of students.   It would also reduce overcrowding in schools, reducing the number students in daily attendance by 25 percent according to candidate Henry Lane.

 Some believe the new schedule would be costlier than adding permanent buildings.  Candidate Elton Fay argued that by avoiding erecting additional buildings to save on construction costs, the cost to educate children will increase. 

                Others expressed dissent that the plan would put different schools on different schedules. “This community does not want schools on totally different schedules,” Fay said.

                The incumbent candidate, Kerry Corino, commented on the difficulty of counteracting large class size. “Private schools can pick up who they want; public schools cannot pick up who they want,” Corino said.

Read more about the stances of the school board candidates:

-          Henry Lane

-          Elton Fay

-          Larry Dorman

-          Kerry Corino

Read more about year round schooling

Listen to other areas struggling with the issue of teacher unions