DRAGON CHRONICLE
Feature of previous articles from Fall Semester, 2014:
Federal Agency Investigates Explosion at Student Life Center
By Jocelyn Almodovar, Editor in Chief- December 4th, 2014
A federal agency is investigating last week's Student Life Center explosion for any possible workplace conditions that contributed to the mishap that left three workers injured.
Plumbing contractors for Louis N. Picciano and Son Inc., Todd Hurlburt, 48, of Greene N.Y. and Thomas Brightsen, 47, of Whitney Point were admitted to a hospital in Syracuse after the explosion a week ago Tuesday morning.
According to Frederic Pierce, college spokesman, Hurlburt and Brightsen were treated for non- life threatening injuries and released the next day.
Electrical contractor from Matco Electric Corp., Winthrop Wickwire, 26, of Skaneateles, was not admitted.
David Pacini, an officer in the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, has six months to complete the investigation. The agency can impose significant fines on employers for workplace violations.
“I have a lot of work to do before I can decided on whether to cite or not cite the employer,” said Pacini, who works in the Syracuse office.
The natural gas explosion happened at 7 a.m. in an emergency generator room at the $56 million center, which is nearing completion. The center was expected to open at the start of the spring semester
“The extent of the damage to the area immediately near the site of the explosion is being assessed,” said Pierce, “At this point we still do not know if the Student Life Center's opening date will be affected.”
Students were alerted by a campus wide email, text message, and phone call system shortly after the explosion. The campus resumed a normal schedule including all classes and traffic.
Cortland Celebrates a Clean Cortaca
SUNY Cortland students and fans celebrated a fifth consecutive Cortaca Jug win responsibly.
By Marcy Pluchino, News Editor- November 20th, 2014
This past weekend, the SUNY Cortland College and community celebrated their fifth consecutive Cortaca Jug win.
“Our school showed a lot of spirit and I was happy to see so many people come out to support. Congratulations to the football team on their amazing win,” said Lauren Bernarducci, sophomore communication studies major.
8,923 people attended the 56th annual Cortaca Jug game at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex’s Red Field, witnessing a fifth straight win for the Red Dragons.
After last year’s win, fans displayed reckless behavior that led to the college and community taking preventative action for post-game celebrations.
The campus hosted on-campus festivities throughout the week leading up to and after the game, pledging to re-brand Cortaca as a positive tradition.
“I am very happy we took Cortaca back and I am impressed with how the student body worked with the community to enjoy the weekend,” said President Bitterbaum, “I was so honored and so prideful to see our name out there make No. 3 on ESPN Sports Center’s top 10 plays. We had a fantastic week leading up to Cortaca and ended it with a great weekend.”
Take Back Cortaca activities ranged from carnivals, raffles, and a dance-concert, with appearances by Cortland Cheerleaders, Danceworks, Kickline, DJ Jona and The White Panda.
“I was very pleased on how the weekend turned out. This school showed a lot of team spirit and the way the game ended was unbelievable. As far as the concert, it was the first time SGA did something like that. There is room for improvement, but all in all it was a major success,” said SGA President Michael Doris.
The increased police presence aided in a riot-free weekend, and a decrease in violence and underage drinking.
“I think Cortaca this year was a lot safer than previous years. Many people were worried about getting in trouble but I do not think that affected the festivities too much. It seemed like the police handled Cortaca well and were mainly just around to keep everything under control, which resulted in no riots and less negative publicity,” said Kelly Bromm, senior communication studies major.
Crime reports from the week of Cortaca will be released today, allowing the college and community to reflect on the amount of people arrested compared to the 80 arrests made last year, 19 of which were students.
James Lockhart, a senior communication studies major said, “It seemed like students were cautious about their behavior and the fact that the game ended in such dramatic fashion topped off a great weekend.”
A botched field goal attempt-turned-touchdown in the last 30 seconds finalized the score at 23-20, in favor of Cortland.
“The highlight was definitely the extraordinary ending to the game, where we won with just a few seconds left,”said President Bitterbaum.
Cortaca weekend ended riot-free, thanks to the measures made by the college.
“Congratulations to Coach MacNeill and the football team on an exciting victory, which befits the storied Cortaca rivalry. Many throughout the community enjoyed their win. It is a pleasure to be able to look back on the weekend fondly, knowing that the team won and people celebrated safely and responsibly,” said Mayor Tobin.
Responsibilities in College
Whether students like it or not they will take on more responsibility once they get to college and although it seems overwhelming at times, you will be prepared for the real world.
By Bethany Lunden, Staff Writer, November 20th, 2014
As I purchased my first real pet on Halloween I realized that my life was going to really change. Granted it was a goldfish, it still meant that it was a step in the direction of growing up. This year of college, as a second year student has made me realize that as college progresses more, more responsibilities are coming my way, as well as for many of you.
Responsibilities in college are like children you have just one and then when you think you want another you end up like an overwhelmed parent. The first responsibility we take for granted as college students is individual freedom. We don’t have parents around nagging and reprimanding us for a few months. Although, with that comes learning how to make food on our own and ways to get around when we need to. The first few responsibilities are liberating.
Time in college moves quickly and many other responsibilities flood our waters throughout the four years. For those lucky enough to move off campus, which I am starting to prepare for now- it’s a real wake up call as to being on your own. It means that bills will be appearing in the mail and food costs will be a whole new world. Not only that but, the food will have to be prepared for meals which means that now you have to learn how to become a decent cook, no more paid chefs on campus to make your food.
Finally, college rounds out with throwing us into the real world. As for those of us who are starting to make our way towards the end of the road, we all must be prepared with these responsibilities that prepare us to be adults. It’s quite scary that with the drop of the hat it’s four years later and we’re adults.
So, how do we deal with these responsibilities you may ask? Embrace the responsibilities, college may feel overwhelming with all of the little things that we have to remember but there are a lot of bigger responsibilities heading our way in life. As I look at my little goldfish and how it can be tedious to change his water and feed him everyday, I just realize that now this is an insignificant responsibility compared to the ones that I will have later in life.
Dressing for Winter
With Winter just around the corner Cortland students need to dress appropriately for the weather in order to prevent getting sick.
By Emily Becker, Staff Writer, November 20th, 2014
It’s that time of year where almost every day all we can expect to see is snow on the ground in Cortland. Some people here love the snow, while some of the students hate the snow. No matter what type of person you are, the bottom line is that the snow blizzards are approaching and students should know that now is the time to dress warm and really bundle up on your way to class. Especially if you live off campus, the time it takes you to walk to and from classes increases in the snow. If you drive to class, you have to deal with brushing and scraping snow off of your car, so make sure you have some warm gloves for this dreaded process.
Coats can be very annoying and a hassle to deal with in a classroom setting, but wearing them is essential in the cold winter months. Everyone here knows about what the students call the “Cortland Plague” and everyone also knows that once you have it, it is very hard to get rid of. So in order to prevent becoming a victim of this sickness, wear appropriate clothing on your walks to class.
Even though the snow has already started to fall within the last few weeks, I still see students walking around campus wearing shorts. Not only have I seen shorts, I have seen numerous people walking around in flip flops! Number one, if there is snow on the ground flip flops should not be worn and number two, they are dangerous because of the lack of traction on the bottom of them.
Students should start dressing adequately for the weather. There will be snow on the ground from now until May so students should start getting prepared now and bundle up for the winter. Yes, we have buses to save us from the bitter cold but even the walk to the bus stop can be extremely cold not to mention waiting for the bus to get there. Staying warm will help you stay healthy and stay out of Health Services.
White Panda Concert for Cortaca Weekend
SUNY Cortland students were given a fun and positive activity to participate in during the weekend of Cortaca.
By Amber Soloman, Staff Writer, November 20th, 2014
The White Panda performed numerous songs off their albums “Bearly Legal” and “Bambooyah” to a large crowd of students on Saturday Nov 15, the day of the popular Cortaca game.
The dynamic duo that is white panda transformed SUNY Cortland’s Moffett gym into a full blown pulsating party. The group recruited an individual that could draft a stage giving the illusion of a typical White Panda concert.
The concert took place after another Cortaca Jug victory for Cortland. Hundreds of students and their guests lined the halls of the Moffett building, ready to dance the night away.
The door to the concert were scheduled to open at six p.m. Due to technical difficulties, the doors opened closer to seven p.m.
The Show opened with DJ Jona, from the local bar known as Dark Horse. The DJ is a Bronx native and a favorite amongst the bar goers of Cortland.
Student Government Association (SGA) Public Relations representative, Sidney Afari gave insight. “We wanted students on campus to have an alternative to drinking this year because we knew there would be a crackdown on underage students” Afari said.
In the wake of Last year’s Cortaca festivities, it was no secret that Cortland police would not tolerate any ludicrous behavior from the students and other guests this year.
The concert attracted more than the maximum capacity of the building which was 1200 people. Many students who waited in line were not admitted into the event.
Students turned to social media to express their frustration and even outrage at waiting in line for over an hour only to not being allowed into the event.
“I think there were a few kinks in the event but overall we definitely got some good feedback and good suggestions on what to do for the future” said Afari when asked how the night went.
According to SGA treasurer, Nicole Lafreniere, a whopping 40,000 dollars was spent to put on this event.
This cost is including the free prizes raffled off throughout the night such as an I-Pad mini, Go-Pro, Mac-Book, PS4, Xbox TV and more.
There has been no word on the intentions of SGA making this an annual event.
Cortland Student Competes in Tae Kwon Do
SUNY Cortland senior is invited to train at Olympic Training Center for possible spot on U.S. national team for Tae Kwon Do.
By Jacob Richter, Staff Writer, November 20th, 2014
They say that with the right mix of passion, dedication and good luck, a sport can take you anywhere— SUNY Cortland senior, Jon Price, is a shining example.
Price is currently an exercise science major from Painted Post, New York.
Price has participated in Tae Kwon Do since he was seven years old, earning his black belt at age ten. He’s competed in competitions since he was thirteen years old.
“I love how challenging Tae Kwon Do is,” said Price. “You can always get better and it has taken me around the world.”
Price has competed in tournaments spanning at least twenty states, even travelling internationally to China, Canada and Korea.
This past summer, he had the chance to compete at collegiate nationals at UC Berkeley in California. The last time someone made collegiate nationals from a SUNY school was in the 1980’s.
“You had to win your division to be put on the collegiate national team for the U.S. There are eight weight classes, and I’m a heavyweight,” said Price.
Price made it onto the national team and travelled to Hohhot, China for the World University Games.
“China was very eye-opening.” Said Price. “There were over forty countries there, and each team competed uniquely with different strategies and even different warm-ups.”
Price was able to work with a variety of coaches from both the U.S. and internationally. He lost in the preliminary round to Mexico, but the Americans still took third in the team competition.
For his efforts from the past year, Price has been invited to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for a possible spot with the U.S. national team, an opportunity he won by medaling at nationals in California. He’s also planning to attend the US Open of Tae Kwon Do, which is held in Florida.
Active in the Cortland community, Price is a Resident Assistant on campus as well as being a co-coach for the school’s Tae Kwon Do team. He also served as its president and captain for two years.
Price explained that he has grown a lot in his time in Cortland.
“I’ve had a great coach-- a Cortland alum who makes sure I perform my best at every completion. Tae Kwon Do has helped me meet a lot of people here.”
Price sees Tae Kwon Do as something he’ll do for the rest of his life and has his sights set on an even larger goal—making the Olympic team for the U.S. in 2020.
Tae Kwon Do hasn’t always been easy for him, however.
“When I first started competing, I wasn’t very good. I didn’t place or do well. But with each competition I got more motivated, and I started to win more.”
Price credits his mother with getting him started in the sport.
“I wanted to be a Power Ranger. I’d run around the house in a bathrobe kicking everything. I wanted to save people, so my mom was like, okay, let’s try Tae Kwon Do.” Added Price.
Cross Country Team Heading to Nationals
Both the men's and women's cross country teams placed high enough at regionals to earn a bid for the 2014 NCAA Division III Championships.
By Marina Pettinicchi, Staff Writer, November, 20th, 2014
The men and women’s cross-country teams competed at the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Championships this past Saturday at Genesee Valley Park in Rochester as both teams placed high enough to earn a bid in the Championship next week.
“This is a big statement to be sending both the men's and women's teams to nationals this year. It really shows how dedicated and hardworking everyone is,” said senior Nick Marcantonio.
The women placed fourth out of 40 teams with a total of 189 points. St. Lawrence came out on top with 50 points, beating Geneseo (51) by just one point and Oneonta placed third with 120 points.
“It was a challenging race both mentally and physically, but having your teammates beside you the whole way and knowing nationals was at stake made it possible to do what we needed to do,” said junior Michelyn Little.
The men scored 128 points, placing third overall out of 41 teams. St. Lawrence won with a total of 63 points, followed by Geneseo with 115 points.
Marcantonio later said, “I feel we ran very well for the most part this past weekend and I'm ready to send it next week at nationals."
Little and Kayla Blomback were Cortland’s women’s top finishers in the 6,000-meter race. Little ran a time of 22:39 placing 31st with Blomback right behind with a time of 22:41 and placed 33rd. Both earned all-region honors by placing in the top 35.
Ameena Dye was Cortland’s next finisher in 36th place with a time of 22:43. Kerri Culhane and Kailyn Balzano placed 44th and 45th with times of 22:55 and 22:57, respectively.
Rounding out Cortland’s women runners were Allison Schumann and Megan Wagner. Schumann placed 64th with a time of 23:21 and Wagner ran a time of 23:38 placing 81st.
Marcantonio was Cortland’s top finisher for the men with a time of 25:18 over the course of the 8,000-meter race. Marcantonio finished fifth overall, followed by Jarred Iacovelli (10th), Mitch Ryan (22nd), and Joe Ray (26th), all earning all-region honors.
Iacovelli ran a time of 25:26, Ryan ran a 25:47, and Ray crossed the line in 25:51. Rounding out Cortland’s male runners were Alex Hall (65th) and Jesse Perrone (144th), running times of 26:35 and 27:46, respectively.
Both teams earned bids to compete at the NCAA Division III Championships this Saturday in Mason, Ohio.
Hinton's Golden Hands Save Cortaca Jug
Cortland wins thriller as time expires for their fifth consecutive Cortaga Jug win.
By Justin Bailey, Sports Editor, November 20th, 2014
“I knew that was going to happen,” Jon Mannix said to the Post Standard. “I knew it the whole time.”
It looks like Mannix was the only one out of the 8,923 in attendance that knew this 56th Cortaca Jug game would have ended so emphatically on a botched field goal attempt.
Trailing 20-17, Cortland started their final drive of the game on their own 49-yard line with just 1:35 remaining and no timeouts. The Red Dragons had to burn their remaining timeouts while forcing an Ithaca three-and-out.
“The offense was struggling most of the game, and we knew as a unit when our defense made that huge stop and burned all three time outs that we had to get down the field and at least get to field goal range,” said quarterback John Grassi.
On 2nd-and-5, on the Ithaca 46-yard line, Grassi completed a 35-yard pass to Jack Delahunty, bringing the Red Dragons to Ithaca’s 11. Grassi later said, "Jack has been beating defensive backs over the top all year, and I knew if I just gave him a shot, he would make the big play on the ball and that’s exactly what he did."
“I knew we needed a big play and I was just waiting for my opportunity. Once it came I knew I was going to catch the ball when I locked my eyes on it in air. I wish Grassi lead me a little so I could’ve scored but ill take it,” said Delahunty.
The Red Dragons then had three straight carriers by running back Dylan Peebles but only gained a total of seven yards for all three rushes combined. Cortland quickly sent out their field goal unit to try and tie this game up as time expired.
As the time was ticking down, holder Luke Hinton was strutting onto the field as the other 21 players were lined up and awaiting the final play of the game to commence. However, as Hinton was late getting out onto the field, he was looking back at the kicker to make sure he was ready with only five seconds left.
After receiving a necessary block from kicker Shane Cronin Hinton quickly found his buddy Mannix standing in the end zone with no blue jerseys in sight. With no time remaining and on the run, Hinton threw a spiral that hit Mannix right in the numbers as he caught the game-winning touchdown.
“I still can’t believe it honestly,” Hinton confessed to the Post Standard, “I’ve watched the video over and over and over, and still can’t believe that it was even me. It’s just amazing how everything perfectly came into being.”
He later told the Post Standard “If the long snapper didn’t snap it right to my hands, none of this would have happened. If Cronin didn’t give a good block, it wouldn’t have
happened. If I wasn’t late to the play, it wouldn’t have happened. Everything happens for a reason.”
It truly was a miracle that everything fell into place for the Red Dragons. The game was going to be pushed into overtime but turned out to end like a Cinderella story. This win for Cortland posts their fifth consecutive win against the Bombers, which hasn’t been done since the years 1955-59, with the last of those wins coming from the inaugural Cortaca Jug game.
“The game last weekend was absolutely amazing. I honestly don't think it could've been scripted any better. We knew it was going to be a four-quarter battle all the way down to the final seconds,” said Peebles when asked about his feelings on the game, “Great team win for us. I'm extremely happy to have helped keep the Jugs in Cortland another year.”