August 23, 2004

News

Last call for Arizona

Law allows patrons to party longer
Dan Smith
Mesa Legend

A new state law has helped Arizona get “caught up with the rest of the country,” according to a security staff member Mike Sanchez, who works at RT O’Sullivan’s sports bar in Mesa. The new reform does not aid the state’s sub-par public educational system, an area where Arizona could really do some catching up, but Arizonans can now legally purchase alcoholic beverages an hour later than usual.
Bars and liquor stores are staying open longer and providing libations for thirsty customers until 2 a.m. under the new legislation. The change is already being felt by restaurant and bar industry employees, as well as patrons.

Bond fund would help MCC expand
Dan Smith
Mesa Legend

Maricopa Community Colleges are nearing the end of a push to receive a $951 million boost in funding this fall through a bond allocation. Although the money is not yet secured, those campaigning for the bond adoption are confident that the proposition will pass.
“It is very positive response from every corner of the Valley. If there is any complaint at all, it’s that they would like us to do even more,” said Jay Thorne of the Bond Committee Outreach.
MCC would be allocated $111 million in additional resources following the passing of this bond, which will be voted on in November.

Students run up high credit bills

College students and credit cards: A dangerous combination
Luisa Pawlak
Mesa Legend

For a myriad of college students, the bombardment of credit card offers has become a certainty. Most will pose relatively high interest rates, however, they’re fairly effortless to attain and there are few income requirements to account for. When used responsibly, credit cards can assist students in establishing reputable credit histories.

High demands hurt sleep
Desiree McDonald
Mesa Legend

As a new semester begins, students get back into old routines of classes, homework, jobs, and socializing. Students often find themselves overwhelmed with the pressures of managing such busy lives. As they struggle to meet legitimate demands, they far too often place sleep last on a long list of priorities.
Professor James B. Maas from Cornell University intently studied the seriousness of sleep deprivation, especially among students.

Drinking poisons students
Heather Cutler
Mesa Legend

College life holds many expectations of students, such as doing well in school, going to class, getting a job, and participating in extra curricular activities. But when “drinking almost every night” makes that list, the other expectations are sure to go straight down the drain. Taking shots of hard liquor and chugging beer is more and more becoming an everyday part of college.

Women not voting much
Lisa-Jean Mugler
Mesa Legend

In the 2000 election, there were 16 million women voters of all ages who were unmarried and unregistered. There were six million women who were registered, but did not vote. Both numbers total 22 million nonvoting women.
The Women’s Voices Women Vote website states 62 percent of all women ages 18 to 25 don’t vote; 46 percent of all unmarried women are of voting age, yet only 22 percent of them are registered, and regularly vote, meaning approximately three-fourths of the female population does not vote.

Tattoos have long history
Heather Cutler
Mesa Legend

For many generations styles and fads have come and gone with only a few lucky enough to make a comeback. But the one trend that has not changed since the beginning of time is the art of tattooing and body piercing. The only way it has changed is the way people view these forms of self-expression.
Tattooing and body piercing has been a right of passage, not so much a religious or cultural belief, even though some cultures still see them as such. The reason many teenagers have pierced their navels and tongues or tattoo their lower backs and upper arms is more along the lines of self-expression.

Daycare Center meets needs
Brittney Bigler
Mesa Legend

The need for childcare services for young through middle-aged college students is increasing dramatically. Mesa Community College, as well as other colleges and in the Maricopa District, are responding to the increasing need of student parents.
The general age of student parents varies from the early twenties to mid-thirties and forties. Particularly at a community college, the need seems to be greater in that there are more students who are coming back to school for anything from getting a degree to increase their status or income at their job.
Mesa Community College is proud of the childcare facilities that they are able to offer to student parents.

Vendors show wares on campus
Tyler Christensen
Mesa Legend

Free enterprise was alive and buzzing on the Mesa Community College campus, Aug. 23 and 24. Vendor Days were in full swing. A brief walk from the Kirk Center to the Library afforded the student body a barrage of marketing by local businesses. Vendor tables were set up in the main courtyard poised to reach that key demographic: the college student. Every vendor perched ready to pounce on a moment with one valued student.
College Students like fast computers and pretty much anything else that runs on electrons.

"How do I get one of those?"

Photo by Rebecca Straughmatt Mesa Legend

Shawn Lopez (left) talks with MCC student David Pounders about the possibility of signing up for a new phone during vendor day at MCC Red Mounain. Vendors from various businesses came to promote their goods and services at both MCC campuses.

Former student arrested for not leaving campus
Heather Cutler
Mesa Legend

Cammille Snowden, a former MCC student, was arrested at the Dobson and Southern campus on Aug. 27 at 3 p.m. as a result of her refusal to leave the financial aid office.
The former student has had some previous issues with the college and the federal government as she has tried on several occasions to apply for financial aid with two different Social Security numbers.
Snowden entered the financial aid office and tried to apply for financial aid, despite her “default” status with the college.

Center offers child refuge
Matthew Meier
Contributing Writer

Every 22 minutes a child is reportedly abused or neglected in Arizona.
That adds up to about 65,000 children per year in Arizona experiencing some form of abuse, according to the web site for the Child Crisis Center of the East Valley.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Baltimore-based children’s welfare watchdog group, ranks Arizona 45th on children’s overall well being.
What can be done to stop the cycle?
Established in 1981, the Child Crisis Center of the East Valley has been a refuge of last resort for children who have been abused sexually, psychologically or physically.