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World//Hong Kong Protests Demand Democracy

Hong Kong has a long and unique history. After the First Opium War (1839-1842), the British Empire and China signed the Treaty of Nanking, ceding dominion of Hong Kong to the British. Roughly fifty years later, Britain and China signed the Second Convention of Peking, effectively leasing the UK the territory for 99 years without fee. Acknowledging Japanese occupation during World War II, the UK retained control for the given amount of time, relinquishing power over Hong Kong back to the Chinese government in 1997. Since then, Hong Kong has experienced much turmoil concerning its political relationship with the Communist Party.

Wynn HortonAs it currently stands, Hong Kong is governed by three branches of government as outlined in their constitution, The Basic Law: a judicial structure — which is not so controversial; a legislative council of 70 members, of whom 40 are directly elected (which has caused much anger); and the controversial executive branch. The lead official in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (as termed by China) is the Chief Executive Officer. Currently, the selection of the Chief Executive is an action performed by an electoral-college-style committee of 1200 members. This committee is, according to critics, an instrument of Beijing, inflicting the will of the Party upon the supposedly separate territory.

In response to a recent wave of criticism calling for democratic elections of all elected officials in the Region, China has responded with a concession – they will allow the direct election of the Chief Executive by all legal adult voters by 2017.  However, they said, a nomination committee made of members from the previous “electoral” committee would handpick the candidates. This small deviation from a more true democratic process, is what has garnered so much rage.

On September 22, 2014, a group of university students flooded the streets declaring a week-long boycott of all classes in response to the decision from Beijing. Six days later, an existing protest movement named Occupy Central With Peace and Love, which had been planning a protest anyway, decided to jump into the wave of momentum with the students, which added significant numbers to the crowds in the streets.

Initially a nonviolent campaign organized as a social protest, Occupy Central With Peace and Love was largely ignored by the city and its officials. Soon after, however, the protest stretched into its second and third weeks, with camps of students and other angry civilians blocking the entrances to major government buildings in certain neighborhoods of Hong Kong.  By October 2, the current Chief Executive had given up, offering his resignation – which the student leaders later accepted. The protesters erected barricades to block traffic and a large number have set up temporary camps in the streets and parks around Hong Kong’s central district. In recent days, police have worked to take down the barriers, work which has only led to significant clashes between the city workforce and the protesters. More than 50 people have already been injured in the alterations between police and workers and the protesting students and citizens.

On Tuesday October 12, 2014, five student leaders, wearing t-shirts that read “freedom now” met with officials from the government. Early reports have said that nothing much was accomplished, terms were offered and denied.  The students have a goal they are unwilling to relinquish. For now they will go on, garnering the support of activists from China (many from Tiananmen Square), Russian, Serbia, and other nations around the world. Committed to meeting with the representatives again, both parties are hopeful but determined to reach a conclusion.

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Two Faculty Searches COntinue for a Third Year

For the third year, the chemistry and communication departments will continue their search for new faculty to fill a biochemistry and a web communication and media arts position. There are currently eight open faculty positions departments are attempting to fill this semester, including the biochemistry and web communication and media arts positions.

Faculty SearchSpeaking about the biochemistry position, Professor Karen Torraca, department chair of chemistry, said, “It’s really difficult to find someone who has a strong Christian faith coupled with the biochem piece and that wants to teach.” Torraca said it is hard to draw in candidates when there are “much higher salaries in industry.” Similarly, Professor Douglas Gaerte, department chair of communication, said the web communication and media arts position is tough to fill because applicants generally have “all kinds of job opportunities outside of education that potentially could make a whole lot more money.” This semester, the communication department is restarting the search for this new position after college administration asked them to suspend it for a year.

This is the first year that Professor Kenneth Bates, department chair of business and economics, is trying to fill the two tenure track business positions – a finance position replacing Professor Richard Halberg, who opted for an early retirement package two years ago, and an accounting position to replace Professor Lois Ross, who will be retiring at the end of the year. Bates said, “Many of our candidates fade away real fast when they hear what the salary is.” However, Professor Kristen Camenga, department chair of mathematics and computer science, who is hiring for both applied math and math generalist positions, said lower salaries are “a secondary issue if you have people that have bought into the location and the mission fit” and who understand that the “finances of the area” include relatively low living costs.

In some cases, Houghton’s rural setting can be a disadvantage to faculty hires as a matter of the candidate’s personal preference. For the art department, however, location can be especially challenging. Professor Gary Baxter said, “A lot of artists realize that their best chance of being successful as an artist is to be in an urban setting” because of better access to museums, galleries, and a larger community that will support their work. In other areas, as Gaerte said, “Our location is not consistently a detriment.” Professor Aaron Sullivan, department chair of biology, who is hiring for the genetics position, said Allegany County’s limited job opportunities for the spouses of married candidates could be a concern as “many are unwilling or unable to commit to commuting long distances.”

For some departments, finding a candidate with the appropriate academic qualifications is one of the greatest challenges. As all eight open positions are for tenure track, search committees are seeking candidates with terminal degrees in their fields. Applicants for the web communication and media arts position who have been working professionally “haven’t necessarily been going to school in that time,” said Gaerte, making it challenging to find an applicant with sufficient experience in both industry and academia. Similarly, Bates said among the applicants out of the business world, very few fulfill the terminal degree requirement because “while in academia we see [PhDs] as an asset, in the business world usually those are considered liabilities.” There is some flexibility, however. Bates said the business department could hire someone without a terminal degree, but could put a contingency on hiring that the candidate would work to earn their doctorate by the time they are eligible for tenure.

Candidates are made aware of Houghton’s faith statement and community covenant early in the application process. This creates, as Camenga said, a “self-selection process” such that candidates that do not fit with the Houghton culture have a better chance of “figuring out they don’t fit before they ever come, before there’s the investment.” Sullivan said while this does “limit the pool of candidates,” in his experience, candidates are often “looking for the opportunity to integrate their faith with their discipline.” For Torraca, however, many of the qualified candidates for the biochemistry position, which will replace Professor Irmgard Howard, who retired in 2013, are “either not strong Christians or are more agnostic.” Torraca said finding candidates that are mature in their faith has been crucial component to the biochemistry job search as “ethical implications come up a lot more often than in some other chemistry areas.”

For art candidates, Baxter said, the conservative Christian environment of Houghton “cuts your pool of applicants significantly…in half or maybe even more than that.” Bates, however, said for the business department “within the spectrum of evangelical Christian faith, we’re widely open to different perspectives.”

In the mean time, many departments have hired interim or adjunct professors to keep programs functioning, but filling the tenure track positions would be ideal. Camenga said, “It’s really about providing some stability for the department” whereas short term hires means “you spend your time every year searching.” The Math Generalist position will replace Camenga who is leaving at the end of the academic year, and the applied math position will replace Professor Jun-Koo Park who left at the end of the spring semester. His position has been filled for the year by Brandon Bate, interim assistant professor.

The music department is seeking to fill a music theory and composition position, and the art department hired Alicia Taylor, interim assistant professor, to replace Professor Jillian Sokso during the search for a tenure track professor. For the finance position, Bates said the department has “hired from the outside” on a course-by-course basis but that in the past two years the department has “stopped teaching a few elective courses.” Senior business administration major, Bradley Oliver said while the adjunct professor for finance is “fulfilling the minimum requirements,” there are problems with accessibility as “he is only on campus once a week.”

The chemistry department has been holding out for the ideal candidate who, Torraca said, would be someone “who can really help develop the biochemistry program.” Gaerte said, the web communication and media arts candidate “has to be someone that sees this as their mission…that’s why most of us are here anyway.”

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Soedexo Monopoly Keeps 5-Bites from KPAC

Student operated concession stand, 5-Bites, was edged out by  a Sodexo-catered concession stand built into the Kerr-Pegulla Field House (KPFH) under the cooperation’s direction.

In addition to the main dining hall, Sandella’s, Big Al’s, and the coffee house added last summer to replace Java 101, Sodexo now holds a monopoly over every food stop on campus.

Previously, concessions for athletic events were provided by 5-Bites, a student operated business that manages small snack oriented concession stands in the dorms and at the fields. Bradley Oliver, president of Houghton Student Enterprises (HSE), said “It has always been our goal to have businesses that are run by students, for students by listening to what they want, and delivering.”

SodexoMonopolyOptions typically found at the 5-Bites stands included chips, pretzels, candy, and bottled beverages available for purchase with cash only. One reason for the transition from 5-Bites to Sodexo, General Manager of Houghton Dining Services, Tina Powers explained, was  “the college wanted the ability to serve full hot meals as concessions from the new facility,” not just packaged snacks.

The KPFH has a full sized kitchen located on the north-west corner of the building specifically designed to meet Sodexo’s culinary needs. Catering Manager, James Ward said,  “There are a variety of health codes that have to be upheld when serving hot food. Maintaining food during the course of service and keeping it at a certain temperature requires a certain facility and the work of the certified dining staff.”

“Since the project’s inception it became clear that 5-Bites could not handle all of what the college expected from their new facility,” said Oliver. “Meetings between Skip Lord [executive director of athletics], Robert Pool [vice president of student life], Sodexo, and 5-Bites to discuss how to keep HSE involved in running the new facility ultimately determined that Sodexo would be running the facility without our collaboration.”  Oliver also mentioned that this result would cut HSE’s total profits by 50 percent.

Sodexo provided concessions at preliminary sporting events hosted by the KPFH this summer, but last weekend’s homecoming marked the official kick-off of its newest dining option. A variety of hot concessions were available throughout the day and were available for purchase with cash, credit, or flex dollars.

“We want to partner with the campus to ensure that there will always be a good meal there,” said Powers. “We want to show great hospitality to those who come here.”

Sophomore, Elizabeth Houseman, said, “I think they should make it a little more simple, I mean they had beef on weck ,yet no hamburgers.” “Another Sodexo take-over means even less options—there is so little variety to their  food already,” said Graduate student Sean Douglas.

Sodexo’s service at the KPFH continued late into homecoming evening providing concessions for the 2,500 guests attending the Tenth Avenue North Concert. “There was always a giant line to buy anything, but the popcorn was delicious.” said Junior, Leah Shadbol.

Sodexo’s concession services in the KPFH will be open for all of Highlander Athletics’ Home matches this weekend.

“We do not like the monopoly power that Sodexo has on the campus, but as a creative group we will come up with new ways to serve the student body.” ” Oliver said on behalf of 5-Bites and HSE.

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Changes Made to Cross Country Course

This summer Houghton’s maintenance crew made significant changes to the cross-country course. Alterations included widening the course path and changing the overall route. The new course aspects will be vital as the college prepares to host nearly 500 athletes for the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Cross Country National Championships on November fifteenth.

Cross-country head coach, Patrick Hager, elaborated on the changes, “They cut out a section by the tree of life and there is a portion that goes through the center of the [soccer] field that is now part of the course as the start and finish.” Hager also elaborated on the widening of the course and stated, “It’s important because for NCAA the course needs to be 110 meters wide, so the widening of the course was necessary to make that happen.”

Patrick HagerThe widening of the course will also allow runners to be better able to pass one another in competition and reduce the chances of contestants cutting corners or running outside the lined course to gain position.

Senior cross-country member, Jonathan Lewis, appreciates the changes made to the course, but was disappointed with some aspects. Lewis said, “I personally don’t like the course as much. The previous course took us down a path that was scenic and that part is no longer in the current course.”

Lewis also commented on the versatility of the course, and the college’s ability to now hold larger meets and invitational events. He said, “It will allow us to host nationals which is a great incentive.”

This benefit of hosting larger meets and events is something Coach Hager is very excited about. From a recruiting perspective, Hager stated, “I think it’s going to be big because of the exposure from hosting the National Championship.”

He explained the surface of the course is nicer and recognized Houghton College employee, Dan Wolcott, as a necessary part of the process. Hager said, “He has been instrumental in this whole thing of providing a quality training surface.” Hager feels he and his team are being taken care of here, and there is a community that cares about how the team is doing and wants to see them succeed.

While Hagar thinks the course will benefit the future of the college, Lewis is unsure, he said, “Honestly I don’t know if the course change will benefit the college, yet in the long run it will allow us to hold larger meets.” This ability, he said, “Is good for the college.”

The course alterations provide a greater opportunity for the course to receive more exposure from hosting different events. Recently, on October 4, the course was used for the homecoming 5k fun run.

Junior, and participant in the race, Ashley Schenk, reflected on the race and the changes she noticed. “I definitely enjoyed running on the new course,” she said. “It felt like we were backtracking less with the new course than last year when I ran the race.” According to Schenk the most noticeable change was in the end of the course, she said, “There was a longer straight away where we were running toward the people, which made it more fun.”

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Broken Greenway Trail Runs Through Houghton

The Genesee Valley Greenway trail, which runs between Rochester and Hinesdale, south of Cuba, is closed in the section that goes through Houghton. Though students and community members run, walk, and bike on the Houghton section of the Greenway daily the interruptions prevent them from connecting to the rest of the trail.

The Greenway is a park originating from the land formerly occupied by area canals and railroads. Described as “an open space corridor” by the New York State Park Service, it is intended to be used for walking, hiking, and biking, and other outdoor recreation. It also has a crucial role in conservation, allowing organisms to travel on an uninterrupted wild space throughout Western New York.

Kristina Shoepfer, park manager for the Greenway, said that the land passed through several hands before becoming a state park. “The Genesee Valley Greenway follows the old Genesee Valley Canal and later, the Rochester Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad eventually sold the property to RG&E [Rochester Gas and Electric], who later sold the property to New York State for use as a recreational trail.” Because of the long history of the property, the Greenway runs past pieces of regional history, including ruins of stone locks, culverts, and historic inns such as the Yard of Ale and the National Hotel. One section near Black Creek, NY runs past areas of the canal which are still full of water, allowing trail users to imagine the canal in its heyday.

GreenwayTrailCMYKThe Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG), a local nonprofit organization, in partnership with the state park system, attempts to promote and care for the Greenway to users of the trail. The Friends have brought more than $4 million in grants to the Greenway to develop it further, and often run events to promote and care for the trail. They also provide information about the length of the trail for potential users.

According to FOGVG there are several areas of the trail that are currently closed for use. One of the areas that is currently closed, according to the trail guide found on the FOGVG website, includes the section that goes through Houghton. Shoepfer pointed out that the trail nearest Houghton has a few obstacles that prevent it from connecting it to the rest of the trail. North of Houghton, “a bridge is needed to cross the creek adjacent to the Houghton soccer fields” while to the south, “there is a RG&E substation located on what used to be the old rail bed (and what would have been the path of the Greenway),” she said. Beyond these interruptions, the trail is maintained as it continues north to Rochester and south past Cuba.

“Having the Greenway connected in Houghton would be an asset to the college and community” for several reasons, Shoepfer said, as it would provide increased recreational opportunities over the length of the trail for activities including hiking, biking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback-riding. Shoepfer also suggested that for students who currently run along Route 19, having the Greenway connected would allow for a safer alternative to running along the road.

The RVER Group, or Regional Ventures in Economic Revitalization, stated that one of its goals for the near future is to refurbish the park in the town of Houghton. Helping to connect the section of the Genesee Valley Greenway that runs through Houghton to the rest of the path would be a related goal worth pursuing.

The Greenway is a feature of Houghton that deserves to be more well-known and utilized. With a few improvements, the Genesee Valley Greenway could “stimulate business and tourism for the local community and benefit the community as a whole,” Shoepfer said.

For more information, including trail maps and updates on events, visit the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway website at fogvg.org, or the New York State Park website at nysparks.com

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World // ISIS Crisis Continues

The violent acts being committed by the Sunni-Islam extremist group ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) has prompted the United States and other nations take military action. ISIS, which has its base in Raqqa, Syria, has taken over large areas of Syria and Iraq. The group has declared this area to be the “Islamic State,” according to a CNN article. Its oppressive rule and interpretation of Islamic law has been ravaging civilians, including ethnic and Christian minorities. Video of public executions has been released on the internet as ISIS continues to tighten its grip in the Middle East.

MaryCroninAccording to CNN, the beheadings of two American journalists was an impetus to the United States’ military intervention. The offensive has mostly included missile strikes by sea followed by air raids by bombers and fighter jets. According to the US military, training compounds, headquarters, storage facilities, supply trucks, and armed vehicles were hit in the initial strike on Tuesday September 23. The Pentagon also stated that some ISIS operatives were hit, but the number was not specified.

Other nations have joined the United States, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, and Qatar. As stated by a Washington Post article, France has also lent its support to the offensive.

According to Army Gen. Ray Odierno, who was quoted in the Washington Post, there is a possibility that civilians may be at risk as ISIS moves from more open areas with visible targets to urban areas. “We’ll have to determine that, as we go forward, if we can sustain the level of preciseness that is necessary to limit civilian casualties,” he cautioned.

Another complication threatening progress in the fight against ISIS may arise. Though there has been much cooperation in the Arab world with the West on this matter, the fact that ISIS is technically a Sunni Muslim group may be problematic for some governments. As stated in a CNN article, some governments may face dissent from their people, and they disagree with Sunnis fighting against other Sunnis.

Furthermore, Syria has cited disregard of its sovereignty, according to the New York Times. The nation has complained that American military actions on its soil without its cooperation is a violation of sovereign rights. President Obama and other US officials, on the other hand, insist this is not the case. Civil war in Syria helped extremist movements like ISIS to take root and spread, and Obama contends that by striking only ISIS and not “Mr. Assad”, the United States is helping Syria, thus the nation’s sovereignty is still intact.

Recent action involved the US-led air strikes targeting ISIS positions in northeastern Syria while the Syrian government aimed at other insurgents near its capital, Damascus this past Saturday. Meanwhile, ISIS attacked a Kurdish village near the Turkish border, according to the New York Times. At roughly the same time, two car bombs were detonated in the Syrian city of Homs, killing at least 45 people, including 41 children. The group has not taken official responsibility for this, though it is likely that it is responsible because of their recently increased presence in Homs. This, among other issues, has caused even more civilians to flee to Turkey, joining more than 150,000 refugees already there, the New York Times reported.

Military officials, including General Odierno, have dismally predicted that this conflict could endure much longer than previously anticipated.

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Kerr-Pegula Athletics Complex: Influence on Admission and Athletics

The Kerr-Pegula Athletics Complex (KPAC) will be dedicated tomorrow and Admissions anticipates a boost in enrollment to follow the opening in upcoming years.

Ryan Spear, associate director of admissions, said, “We are seeing KPAC as an opportunity to grow enrollment during the coming years by highlighting the facility on tours and working closely with coaches.” In addition, the Admissions office recently hosted a college fair in KPAC, which was represented by 41 local colleges and universities. High schools from Alleghany County and the surrounding areas were invited to attend as well. “We’re seeing KPAC as a chance to hold events like these that will increase awareness of Houghton and what it has to offer,” said Spear. Senior tennis player Jenn Mechler said, “KPAC will be a selling point for Houghton. Having the indoor tennis courts will be beneficial to the team because we won’t need to travel to practice at St. Bonaventure when it rains.”

KPAAfter switching into the NCAA Division III, Spear explained that Houghton wanted to qualify to take part in the Empire 8, an athletics association made up of colleges and universities in Western New York. “We needed better athletic facilities to compete with NCAA Division III schools and to grow the amount of teams we offered,” said Spear. As a result, a $12 million dollar donation was made by Terry Pegula and alumnus Kim Pegula (Kerr) three years ago for the construction of the athletic complex. “KPAC shows competitors that Houghton is serious about athletics and that Alumni are investing money into making it happen,” said Mechler.

The donation was not enough to build KPAC entirely. Another $14 million dollars was needed from Houghton in order to complete the facility and has brought some controversy because the college had to go into debt. Mechler said, “It’s a big expense now, but it will be returned when it brings more students to Houghton and when we hold events like the upcoming Tenth Avenue North concert.”

Spear said, “We are tending to the educational, spiritual, and now growing in how Houghton treats the physical health of it’s students, faculty, and staff, which is what a Liberal Arts education is all about.”

Over the last three years, Houghton has added baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s lacrosse. Coach Lord, executive director of intercollegiate athletics, said, “When we were a part of the NAIA division, we had about 17 percent of our student body participating in intercollegiate sports. Now we have about 27 percent since switching to NCAA Division III and we hope that number will grow to 33 percent in the coming years.”

While there have been no confirmations on whether or not the Pegula family will be joining the dedication, Coach Lord stated, “We want to show them how blessed we are and how they have contributed so much to the Houghton community.”

“It’s not everyday that you get to dedicate a building, so I hope to see a lot of students at the dedication ceremony” said Coach Lord. During Houghton’s Homecoming and Family weekend, the dedication of KPAC will draw alumni, community members, and students to tour the new building. Spear said, “Most importantly KPAC is for everybody, not just athletes.”

 

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Allegany Towns Seek To Ban Hydrofracking

Allegany County towns seek to ban oil and gas drilling to prevent hydraulic fracturing.

The town of Burns, located in the northeast corner of Allegany County, is in the process of banning further oil and gas drilling, which includes hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking, according to Allegany County planner, Keir Dirlam. According to Lauren Oliver, Burns town supervisor, the town had a public input meeting this past June and will have a hearing on October 29th, 2014, to address the issue.

LukeOliver said the Town Board members are currently split on their opinions for a ban. He said “All agree that the financial boost would be a great thing, but at what cost?” Most people he talked to are in favor of the ban, but there are several larger landowners against it.

Dirlam stated in addition, the town and village of Alfred have moratoria (temporary bans) on oil and gas drilling and are seeking to change their existing zoning laws. According to David Slottje, Community Environmental Defense Council (CEDC) co-founder, this would add these towns to around 200 other towns in New York State, have placed bans on oil and gas drilling to prevent hydraulic fracturing.

CEDC, a non-profit organization, works with towns interested in banning or placing moratoria on oil and gas drilling in their town as more Allegany towns may pass a ban. He said, “We are working with multiple communities [in Allegany County] on bans and moratoria.” Dirlam was unaware of any pending bans in Caneadea.

David Slottje explained these bans are legal under the New York State Environmental Conservation Law ECL 23-0303 subsection 2, that allows towns and villages to pass laws to protect the “health, safety, and welfare” of its residents. Four court cases involving Middlefield, Avon, Dryden, and Banton, NY and the oil and gas industry, were brought to the NY court system David Slottje said. The towns won at all three levels of the state court, the Supreme, Appellate Division, and Court of Appeals; and on June 30th, 2014, the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state, ruled in favor of the towns. This ended the court cases.

The bans, however, do not prohibit already existing oil and gas drilling. Dirlam said, “The way these laws have been written is that if you have an operating gas or oil well, then you can continue, but if you have to change it significantly then you cannot.” According to Dirlam, these bans are all or nothing. Towns cannot pick and choose fracturing methods.

Dirlam explained the oil and gas industry has been a large part of the county’s economy since the 1870s, and the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has 10,000 mapped wells in the county.

According to Helen Slottje, co-founder of CEDC, the DEC estimated 30,000 unmapped oil and gas wells in New York. She said because of these unmapped wells, there are dangers and potential problems for drilling new ones, because the old wells were not adequately plugged.

Allegany has a lot of support to continue using the natural resources said Dirlam. On the flip side, he said, there is nice clean water and a country setting.

“The county, over the last year,” he said, “has tried to keep a rather neutral stance in what they have said and done.” Though the bans must come from the towns and villages, Dirlam said the the county has made recommendations for towns to control road uses, so if oil and gas trucks were to come in, they would not destroy local roads.

Sarah McCloy, a junior and resident of Elizabeth, West Virginia has seen hydraulic fracturing impact her neighboring town of Parkersburg. She said there have been both positive and negative effects. There has been economic growth, but for a limited amount of people. “There hasn’t actually been a huge influx of jobs,” she said. “Most of the jobs require a certain technical expertise. So people from outside the community come in.” She said fracking companies have been giving out scholarships to students in the area to “convince people that [hydraulic fracturing] is a good thing.”

Helen Slottje said New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, is not addressing the issue of hydraulic fracturing for political reasons as he is up for reelection this November. She said, “These community level prohibitions are a first step, but we are still waiting for Governor Cuomo to step up and work on a statewide prohibition.”

 

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Pegula Family Buys Buffalo Bills

Western New York football fans can breathe a sigh of relief: the Bills are staying in Buffalo, thanks to the successful bid for the team placed by Terry and Kim Pegula.

Following Bills owner Ralph Wilson’s death last March, the future of the Bills was uncertain.  The late Ralph Wilson was the founder and owner of the Bills for 54 years, until his death at age 95. Top contenders for ownership of the Bills included not only Buffalo Sabres owner and natural resource development businesspeople, Terry and Kim Pegula, but also multibillionaire and television personality Donald Trump and former rockstar Jon Bon Jovi.

Fred_Jackson_NY_Jets_vs._Buffalo,_Oct_2009_-_05Much to the consternation of many Buffalonians, the latter contender was reported to be working with investors in Toronto—giving rise to fears that Bon Jovi’s plans were to eventually move the football team there. (Bon Jovi later denied these reports.) However, western New Yorkers were relieved at the news that the Pegulas—favorites because of their deep ties to Western New York and commitment to the area—won the bid at $1.4 billion.

The Pegulas announced their bid, an all-cash purchase, on September 9 when the National Football League’s (NFL’S) finance committee met with the Pegulas. The committee unanimously accepted the Pegulas’ offer to become the next owners of the football team. The Pegulas final ownership approval will be voted during a meeting of the full ownership of the league next week, on October 8. The Buffalo News reported from a source, who was a former finance committee executive for the NFL, that the full ownership rarely, if ever, goes against the recommendation of the finance committee. The Pegulas, then, are posed to pass the October 8 vote.

Said Terry Pegula in a statement reported by ESPN on September 9:

“Our interest in owning the Bills has everything to do with the people of Western New York and our passion for football. We have knowledgeable, dedicated fans here and along with our ownership of the Buffalo Sabres, it is gratifying to reassure these great fans that two franchises so important to our region are both here to stay.”

As the Houghton Star reported in 2012, the Pegulas made their billions through a natural resource development firm named East Resources Inc., founded in 1983, that owned acres of shale oil and gas across several states, including New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Prior to the bid for the Bills, in August the Pegulas sold 75,000 acres of Utica and Marcellus Shale leases in West Virginia and Ohio for $1.75 billion. The Pegulas still retain some natural gas resources, but in recent years (particularly after a larger sale of their natural resources in 2010) they have pivoted toward entertainment and real estate investment.

The Buffalo Bills have played in western New York since they were established as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. The Bills later joined the National Football League (NFL) following the AFL-NFL merge in 1970.

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Houghton Volunteer Ambulance Service Purchase New Equipment

The Houghton Volunteer Ambulance Service purchased a new ambulance this summer and is attempting to raise funds to pay off its remaining loans. During this weekend’s homecoming festivities, emergency medical technicians and other department staff will be on standby with the ambulance at the activities fair this Saturday. Unlike a routine standby, this one will include baked goods supplied by the department and a brand new piece of equipment to share with the community.

Maegan Stadelmaier, the ambulance captain of the Volunteer Ambulance Service and 2009 graduate of Houghton, saw need for a new ambulance because it cost more to upkeep the old ambulance than it would be to buy a new vehicle. It was also time to replace the old ambulance because New York state health regulations require regular equipment replacements.

AnthonyBurdo_AmbulanceStadelmaier and the ambulance department custom ordered a purple and gold 2014 Lifetime ambulance that was delivered at the beginning of June and became in service on June 20, 2014. After saving up funds for over ten years and taking out over $150,000 in loans, the department bought the ambulance. According to Stadelmaier, the cost for the vehicle and a new cardiac monitor totaled a little bit over $200,000. “The department does not receive any aid for purchases such as this because all state tax dollars go to the volunteer fire department and not to the volunteer ambulance service,” Stadelmaier said.

The community needs a reliable ambulance because of Houghton’s rural location. Stadelmaier said, “It’s nice to have an ambulance here in town especially since we’re so far away from a hospital.” As a result of the long commute to the hospital, all EMTs must possess higher competency in their skills due to the extended amount of time they have treating the patient.

Houghton offers an EMT course for Houghton students interested in emergency medical services. Alexa Dakin, a junior, took the EMT certification course last spring and said that she sees her work as an opportunity for ministry and described how reliable equipment contributes to the credibility of the ministry. Stadelmaier added that local hospitals respect the department because of the care they take with their patients, especially concerning competent staff and equipment that functions properly.

Although the department needs funding to maintain this reputation, Stadelmaier stated, “Money will never be the focus of this department.” She explained that when the department receives a call, insurance companies bill patients individually and  does not demand what the insurance companies do not cover.

The captain also sees her work as a ministry to the community and observed how hospitals and other ambulance teams notice her department treats billing differently. For example, it offers services without enforcing full payment from their patients. EMT, Tiffany Hoffman added, “We all share a common bond-the love of helping those in need.” This shared attitude creates a fun environment for service, Stadelmaier contributed.

The Volunteer Ambulance Service provides many opportunities for community and student involvement with their events throughout the year. Following the bake sale, the department will hold an open house on October 11 to spread awareness about their work and to encourage community involvement. Pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners during the year provide additional events for the department to fundraise.