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New bill makes Calif. first in nation to require coverage for HIV screening

California is now the first state in the nation to require every health care service plan and health insurer to provide coverage for HIV testing, regardless of whether the testing is related to a primary diagnosis.

This is due to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s signing of Assembly Bill 1894 by Assemblyman Paul Krekorian earlier today.

The Governor highlighted, in his signing message, the alarming data by the Centers for Disease Control showing the underestimation of the HIV epidemic in the United States over the last decade.

The Governor also noted that preventing the spread of the infection made for a healthier California, and the cost-effectiveness of providing coverage for testing compared to the cost of lifelong treatment for someone who contracts the virus from someone who does not know their status.

AB 1894 comes on the heels of legislation the Governor signed last year fundamentally changing the strategy on preventing further spread of the disease. In conjunction with that legislation, California now becomes the first state to provide routine HIV screening to all patients whether they are showing symptoms or not.

“With the Governor’s signature of AB 1894 today, California once again has demonstrated its global leadership in developing innovative policies to fight the HIV pandemic,” said Assemblymember Krekorian. “This legislation will set the standard throughout the nation by making HIV screening a routine part of ordinary preventive health care.”

Worst jobs

The Collegian asks readers what the worst job they’ve ever had is.

Fresno State, Fresno Unified announce partnership

Fresno State and the Fresno Unified School District have announced a partnership to provide guidance services and counselor training to promote a college-going culture in district schools.

The agreement was announced today, Sept. 29, at the California State University and AT&T Road to College Tour outreach event, held at Bullard high school.

“The Fresno State and Fresno Unified partnership aims to increase the number of college-ready students graduating from Fresno high schools,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson. “Both Fresno State and Fresno Unified have the qualified staff, materials and equipment to provide the services outlined by this partnership.”

Among the initiatives is a College Making It Happen (CMIH) program at each of the 18 middle schools in the district. CMIH is a program designed to communicate to families and school educators the importance of early academic and financial planning in order for middle school children to have choices after high school graduation. Fresno State will provide speakers, CMIH booklets and other materials to students and parents.

Fresno State also will provide College Ambassadors – university student mentors – to each of the district’s high schools to help students maneuver through the college application process.

Fresno Unified will provide “How to Get to College” Guides that will be distributed by guidance counselors to middle and high school students.

The school district and the university will jointly fund a University College Counselor Liaison to work in the schools to promote college-going activities, train staff, etc.

“This partnership will result in a greater opportunity for our local high school students to attend college,” said Fresno State President John D. Welty. “Careful financial planning and academic preparation are the first steps to getting into college.”

Roses are red for the Bulldogs

Fresno State leaves Pasadena with its first victory over UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

Harassment lawsuit filed

Annie Tremp claims age and gender discrimination by ASI

Former ASI Executive Director Annie Tremp filed a lawsuit Friday claiming she was wrongfully terminated and discriminated against by some ASI executives.

The lawsuit lists the defendants as ASI and California State University, Fresno, Association, Inc. She is seeking undisclosed compensation for financial and emotional harm.

The lawsuit comes after two ASI executives admitted violating the “substance free pledge” during the ASI retreat in July, where underage drinking took place. Tremp claims she was dismissed after reporting the abuse.

Also, the related financial documents may have been misplaced, the ASI spokesperson told The Collegian on Sunday.

Tremp, who is not a student, was hired in May 2007 to work for ASI after being a long-term employee of Fresno State. Paul Oliaro, Ph.D., vice president of student affairs, told The Collegian that Tremp previously worked for International Student Services and Programs (ISSP) at Fresno State, where she was the office manager.

According to the lawsuit, Tremp believed ASI employed her, but her benefits and pay were administered through the Association.

While working for ASI as executive director, Tremp said in the lawsuit that her duties included reviewing financial information, working with ASI executives to budget for special projects, budgeting for ASI publicity, processing the payment of bills, supervising and training assistants that work for ASI and monitoring expenses, including the use of ASI executives’ credit cards.

Tremp claims ASI President Mackee M. Mason threatened her job if he did not get elected in May.

The lawsuit states: “Mason informed Plaintiff (Tremp) that her job would be in jeopardy if he did not get elected.”

After Mason was elected, Tremp claims that Mason continued to intimidate her with similar remarks and again threatened her job.

According to the lawsuit, Mason threatened to have Tremp fired after she told Mason he was not allowed to purchase a cell phone with ASI funds.

ASI was issued five credit cards for the executives, including Mason, Executive Vice President Sandra Flores, Vice President of Finance Lauren Johnson, Director of University Affairs Tara Powers-Mead and Tremp, according to Johnson.

Johnson, who is also the spokesperson for ASI, told The Collegian on Sunday that under normal conditions, it would be her duty to sign off on all expenses with the executive director. Since she was out of the country for the summer months, that duty was passed along to Tremp.

“Normally, what would have happened is I would have signed off on the ledger to pay that [monthly credit card bill],” Johnson said.

Johnson said the receipts of expenses under question are not available and believes they may have been misplaced. Although the credit card bill was paid to Diners Club International, supporting documentation has been requested from the companies to which the expenses were made.

Johnson said it should be known in a few weeks what was included in these expenses.

Tremp’s lawsuit also includes the following allegations:

• Tremp claims she was discriminated against for her age and gender. She was the only female over the age of 40 working for ASI.

• Mason’s harassment of Tremp was so severe, she claims, that the work environment could have been considered “hostile or abusive.”

• Tremp said she reported the conditions to the Association, which in turn did nothing. By not taking action, the lawsuit states that the Association participated in the harassment by assisting and encouraging it.

• Tremp claims she was put on probation after she issued complaints against Mason for misusing ASI funds and providing alcohol to minors at an ASI retreat in July.

• After Tremp made these complaints, the office was shut down and the Association started an investigation of her.

• After she reported the violations by Mason, he altered Tremp’s job description, she claims. This included reducing her status and responsibilities and replacing her with a younger person to take over some of her responsibilities.

Neither Mason nor Powers-Mead could be reached for comment Sunday.

During the investigation conducted by the Association, Tremp claims in her lawsuit that the investigator told her she was too old to be working with students and should look for other employment.

Tremp was accused of making unauthorized expenditures and falsifying her time sheets, which she said is false. It is still not known what these expenditures consisted of.

Tremp was fired Aug. 29 after refusing a severance package of four months pay if she would waive all claims.

According to the lawsuit, Tremp had not received any prior reprimands that showed her job performance was suffering.

Additional reporting by Ben Keller.

Students gather to watch presidential debate

While presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain were squaring off in Mississippi Friday, spectators flocked to the Bucket on campus to see how it unfolded.

As part of its Why1509? campaign to promote political awareness and voter participation at Fresno State, ASI publicized the debate to be viewed by students still on campus in the evening.

Although there were no food or drinks being served from behind the counter, ASI provided plenty of refreshments and a quiet atmosphere to watch.

“A lot of students are here probably when the debate is going to be,” said ASI Senator Sarait Martinez, who is helping coordinate the campaign. “So it’s really easier for [the students] just to go on campus and watch the debate.”

Two televisions were tuned in to ABC-30 for the more than 30 students in attendance Friday night. A number of news media outlets were present to catch reactions on camera.

Throughout the debate, McCain spoke at length on the need for increasing defense resources while tightening excessive spending in Washington.

“I’ve got a pen and I’m gonna veto every spending bill that comes across my desk,” McCain said.

Obama decried McCain’s plans to provide tax cuts to the rich. Obama’s own presidential agenda includes a 95 percent tax cut to working families and more availability of health care.

“We believe only what’s good for Wall Street but not Main Street,” said Obama.

He said McCain’s constituents have proven themselves ignorant of the struggling working class.
Both suggested the exploration of alternative energy sources to reduce dependence on foreign oil in order to keep U.S. dollars at home.

McCain, declaring the success of the latest troop surges that he supported, proposed a spending freeze on everything but defense and veterans’ assistance.

“We are winning in Iraq and we will come home with victory and with honor,” said McCain, citing the dangers of pulling out without a comprehensive plan.

Amidst instances of crosstalk between the candidates, Obama agreed with his opponent’s general principle on the war, but denied that it would be effective or practical.

“That’s using a hatchet where you need a scalpel,” Obama said. “No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they are carrying out the orders of their commander-in-chief.”

Applause rang out in the room when Obama discussed the importance of affordable college education, while personal remarks were uttered from several tables in the Bucket throughout the night.

While no forum was held for post-debate dialogue, many students expressed feedback between themselves at closing.

“I feel that Obama believes in helping those who are less fortunate,” said senior health science major Alita Espinoza. “Unfortunately, McCain tonight expressed that he will cut everything.”

Other students were a little more gracious of McCain’s performance, with considerable respect to his years of experience.

“I think as far as foreign policy goes, McCain made the strongest [impression],” said political science and business major Lauren Brown. “He’s got the background; he came across so much more knowledgeable; he’s been there, he’s done that; he knows what’s going on.”

Evaluations were given to everyone in attendance, allowing the audience to express concerns about the debate. ASI will use these to determine students’ knowledge of the issues and overall satisfaction of the event.

ASI will hold screenings for the vice presidential debate on Oct. 2 and for the two remaining presidential debates on Oct. 7 and Oct. 15. No clear plan has yet been made as to the location or procedure of these viewings; however, both will be announced upon the analysis of student surveys.

Martinez said in the effort to foster greater political responsiveness on campus, ASI will continue to distribute information on the upcoming elections while inviting students to participate in the Why1509? campaign.

“I think if students are educated on the issues concerning the propositions, they’re gonna be more likely to register and go out and vote,” Martinez said.

Immigrants get ‘a better test’ for U.S. citizenship

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Quick, fellow citizens, what are the colors of our national flag? OK, what color are its stars? How about this: Name the form immigrants fill out to apply for U.S. citizenship. Anyone? What, you never heard of Form N-400?

For years, scholars, historians and policy makers have mocked the inane questions on the naturalization examination that immigrants must pass to gain U.S. citizenship, arguing that it tested trivia and minted new Americans who lacked meaningful knowledge about their adopted country’s history and governance.

But that’s set to change Wednesday, when U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rolls out a redesigned naturalization exam.

New test based on ‘ideals’

“We’re trying to encourage civic learning and attachment,” Alfonso Aguilar, chief of the Office of Citizenship, said in an interview during a stop in San Francisco. “The test is not harder. It’s just a better test. It follows a basic U.S. history and civics curriculum. It’s more on concepts than on rote memorization.”

The current test was developed in 1986, but without guidance from scholars or historians. And it wasn’t always administered consistently: Immigrants in some cities were given multiple-choice answers, while others had to recite from memory.

The redesign began in 2000 and involved help from test development contractors, the National Academy of Sciences, a panel of history and U.S. government scholars, and English-as-a-second-language experts.

Gone are such oft-ridiculed questions as the one about the citizenship form. Replacing them are questions aimed at basic concepts in American governance, such as “What is the rule of law?” or “What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?”

“If you don’t understand those ideals,” asked the Puerto Rico-born Aguilar, “how American are you?”
Other questions require a fuller understanding of the people and events that shaped American history. So rather than asking “Who was president during the Civil War?” the new test asks: “What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?”

As with the old test, applicants are given the entire list of 100 possible questions and the answers in advance to study. When they are called in for an interview, typically months later, they must give the correct answer in English to at least six of 10 selected questions from that list to pass. Those who apply for citizenship before Wednesday may choose to be tested on either the old or new exam. After that, they must use the new one.

Joren Lyons, a staff attorney with the non-profit Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco, which helps immigrants handle naturalization applications, worries that some who spent years studying the old test might get stuck with the new one. But he wasn’t concerned about the new test’s content.

“Our concern is having a test that’s fair,” Lyons said. “Their goal is to make it more meaningful, and I think some of the questions achieve that. On paper, it seems like a reasonable effort. We’ll see how all this plays out in the field.”

College students weigh in on both tests

At the request of the San Jose Mercury News, a trio of San Jose State University students gamely agreed to try answering 10 questions from each. Accounting major Alex Andal, 21; pre-nursing major Julienne Baris, 19; and broadcast journalism major Marianne Mendezona, 19, easily passed the new test.

They had little difficulty naming, say, a right from the First Amendment, a voting right from the constitutional amendments, or one American Indian tribe. They knew slavery was a problem that led to the Civil War and understood that separation of powers stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

These are American college kids, after all, not strangers in a strange land. But they did stumble a bit trying to recall something Benjamin Franklin is famous for.

“Electricity?” Baris asked. “Is he on the $100 bill?” (He started the nation’s first free libraries and was a diplomat, among acceptable answers on the test.)

The old test stumped them even more.

“Pelosi?” Baris offered when asked to name one of the state’s senators while her companions sat in silence. (Nancy Pelosi is a U.S. representative from San Francisco and speaker of the House of Representatives.)

OK, who said “Give me liberty or give me death!”

“Was it a president, or a woman?” Mendezona wondered. (Neither. It was Patrick Henry, urging fellow Virginians in 1775 to prepare for fighting the British in the American Revolution.)

Still, they had little trouble naming red, white and blue as the colors of the U.S. flag or recalling that the vice president becomes president if the president dies.

But after taking both exams, the student volunteers weren’t sure the new test was any better than the old.

“They’re just different questions and different answers,” Andal said.

Baris agreed some of the questions on the old exam were “kind of stupid, and some of it was too trivial.” But she and Mendezona still felt the old one required more studying.

“It was harder,” Baris said.

By John Woolfolk / McClatchy Tribune

Mathews reminds Bruins why they wanted him

PASADENA – For Fresno State fans, the trip to Pasadena was worth the trouble.

Thousands of Red Wavers made the journey down to the Rose Bowl with the hope of witnessing a signature win over a Bowl Championship Series conference team.

What they got was a chance to witness history.

Watching the performance of Fresno State tailback Ryan Mathews was well worth the price of admission and second-degree sunburn from facing the sun in the visitors’ section for four hours.

In the Bulldogs’ 36-31 win over the UCLA Bruins, Mathews had the best game of his relatively short career.

Mathews was impressive statistically, rushing 21 times for 166 yards and one touchdown. He also added a 25-yard catch on a screen play that wowed both sides of the crowd.

On a third down and forever from the UCLA 25, Fresno State called a screen to Mathews and left the rest to him. Mathews hurdled -— literally jumped over — UCLA cornerback Courtney Viney in route to a touchdown right in front of the Fresno State fans.

“Sometimes you hit the right buttons in Nintendo and it was the right button,” Fresno State coach Pat Hill said.

The only other way to describe the play is to hum the SportsCenter theme song. It was that amazing, but Mathews was his usual humble self.

“I was just trying to have fun out there and make plays for my team,” Mathews said. “We were just playing Bulldog football out there.”

Mathews was the star for Fresno State’s first-ever victory in the Rose Bowl, but he came close to not playing Bulldog football.

In his senior season at West High in Bakersfield, Mathews rushed for 3,396 yards and 44 touchdowns. No really, those were his stats.

During the recruiting period, Mathews was getting attention from all over, including Pac-10 schools. But there was one problem – academic qualifying.

Mathews had all the talent in the world and the chance to play college football almost anywhere on the West Coast.

When those BCS schools found out that Mathews was going to have trouble making NCAA standards, their interests disappeared. One of those schools that stopped calling was UCLA.

“I was recruited by UCLA and they kinda fell off,” Mathews said.

The one school that never swayed and never gave up on Mathews was Fresno State.

“Coach Hill was on me from the get-go and he wasn’t letting me down,” Mathews said.

Hill offered Mathews a scholarship even before he was able to qualify and it looks like the gamble paid off. When Mathews did become eligible, offers came flying from Pac-10 schools like USC, but Mathews stayed with the coach and program that believed in him.

On national television against UCLA, Mathews showed everyone who they should have had faith in. And when the game was on the line, well you can guess, the Bulldogs turned to Mathews.

With 8:55 left in the fourth quarter and up 36-31, the Bulldogs got the ball on their 10-yard line following a fumble by UCLA tailback Derrick Coleman.

Mathews took the first carry of the drive for six yards, but after the run he did not return to the huddle. Mathews was helped off the field with a knee injury and the Bulldogs’ drive continued on without him, until crunch time.

Later on in the drive, with only 2:53 left, Fresno State faced a fourth-and-1. Mathews lined up at his usual tailback position and everyone in the stadium knew what was going to happen.

The Bulldogs needed one yard and Mathews fought through on second and third efforts and ran for seven. The first down sealed the game and allowed the Bulldogs to run out the rest of the clock.
Following the game, Fresno State players, coaches and fans all celebrated together and relished in the moment.

It was more than just the average, ordinary game for the Bulldogs.

“Coach Hill has his vision in about 20 or 30 years having [Fresno State] be a big time powerhouse,” junior safety Moses Harris said. “And this is one of the games that is going to put us back on the national stage.”

If things go to plan and Fresno State does become a college football power in years to come, fans will look back at this game.

The ‘Dogs finally beat the Bruins in th Rose Bowl after six tries. The player only Fresno State believed in got them there.

’Dogs smell like roses

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS 36, UCLA BRUINS 31

Bulldogs take down Bruins for first time ever in the Rose Bowl

PASADENA – The Fresno State Bulldogs did something Saturday that had never been done before in program history.

They beat the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl.

The Bulldogs (3-1) were able to run out the clock with 8:55 remaining in the game to clinch the 36-31 victory in front of 73,963 fans in Pasadena. More than 18,000 of those fans were clad in red supporting the Bulldogs.

The win was Fresno State’s 14th over a BCS opponent since 2000, tying Utah for the most in that stretch of time. The Bulldogs are the first non-BCS opponent to beat the Bruins in the Rose Bowl since 1983.

Hill: Rose Bowl win “just a game”

With the victory Fresno State moved up three spots to No. 22 in the AP Poll and our ranked at No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.

Coach Pat Hill was caught up in the moment, waving the ‘W’ flag in front of the band following Saturday’s game, but said the victory over UCLA (1-3) just means his team is 3-1, nothing more.

“It’s just a game that keeps us pushing that big boulder up the mountain,” Hill said. “It’s all about our team and our fans. Together we won a great football game today.”

Defense keeps Bruins from last-minute score

The Bulldogs’ defense really had to come together in the fourth quarter against UCLA’s offense, which came into the game ranked 118th in the nation in rushing but were able to amass 234 yards on the ground against Fresno State.

With less than 10 minutes left in the game, UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft was able to run the ball two straight times for 16 and 18 yards to set up the Bruins at Fresno State’s 13-yard line.

On the next play, UCLA tailback Derrick Coleman was smashed by Sharrod Davis, who knocked the ball out. Wilson Ramos recovered the fumble to give Fresno State possession.

“I just triggered on it,” Davis said. “I saw it, I went and luckily popped it out. We kept fighting all day, forced a big turnover and got the ‘W’.”

Mathews shines on offense

After that play, the Fresno State offense put together an impressive 17-play, 85-yard drive, culminating with a big fourth-down run by sophomore tailback Ryan Mathews.

On fourth-and-1, Mathews ran off right tackle and gained seven yards to pick up the first down and put the game out of reach.

“That’s our patented play,” Hill said. “We take a lot of grief for running power, but that helped us win the game.”

Mathews did a couple other things to help the Bulldogs win the game.

In front of several family members and friends who made the trip from Bakersfield to Pasadena, Mathews rushed for a season-high 166 yards on 21 carries.

Mathews’ biggest play from scrimmage came in the second quarter with the Bulldogs down 13-10.

He was lined up at receiver and got the ball on a fly sweep, taking it 49 yards to the end zone for a touchdown to put the Bulldogs up 16-13.

Mathews’ other score came on third-and-17 in the third quarter. Quarterback Tom Brandstater found Mathews on a screen pass, which Mathews took 25 yards for another touchdown and even hurdled over a defender to get there.

“This has been a lot of fun,” Mathews said. “We’ve been trying to get our name out there and I think people are starting to recognize who Fresno State is now.”

Brandstater, West use good judgment

People may also start to take notice of Brandstater.

The senior put together another strong performance with 236 yards passing and three touchdowns. He was 21-of-30 and threw one interception that was batted at the line of scrimmage.

At the end of the second quarter, Brandstater hooked up on a touchdown pass with Bear Pascoe for the second consecutive week to put Fresno State up 20-16.

The two other scores came on the pass to Mathews and a 28-yard score to wide receiver Chastin West.

West sat out all of last season with an injury and hadn’t scored since 2006. He had to make a dive for the pylon to get the touchdown and increased Fresno State’s lead to 36-22.

At first he wasn’t sure if he should have dived for the end zone.

“I was like ‘uh-oh, maybe I should put the ball back in,’” West said. “But, then said ‘nah, go for the touchdown.’”

He led the team with five catches for 69 yards.

The Bulldogs will now prepare for the conference opener against Hawaii Saturday night. The Warriors dropped their WAC opener at home to San Jose State 20-17.

“We can’t keep winning games like this, but for today it’s fine,” West said. “[This win] proves a lot for where the WAC is going and where Fresno State and this organization is going.”

Collegian Players of the Game

Ryan Mathews
Offense

Sharrod Davis
Defense

Marlon Moore
Special Teams

The Collegian hands out its game balls following every Fresno State football game:

Offense: Tailback Ryan Mathews - The sophomore ran for 166 yards and a touchdown for the Bulldogs. He also scored on a screen pass from 25 yards out and sealed the win for the Bulldogs by running for a first down late in the fourth quarter.

Defense: Cornerback Sharrod Davis - Davis totaled eight tackles Saturday and made the biggest hit of the game when he forced a fumble to give the Bulldogs possession.

Special Teams: Punt returner Marlon Moore - After the defense forced UCLA to go three-and-out on its first possession, Moore took a punt return to the house for a 63-yard score on his first touch of the game. He was one of the lone bright spots on special teams.

Coming up next…

After starting the season with a 3-1 record in non-conference play, the Bulldogs open up the WAC season at home this Saturday against the Hawaii Warriors. After busting the BCS last season, Hawaii has fallen off a bit. The Warriors are 1-3 this season and dropped their conference opener at home Saturday night to the San Jose Spartans 20-17.

Soccer splits weekend homestand 1-1

Volleyball

After winning its last two conference road games, the Fresno State volleyball team dropped its conference home opener to San Jose State Saturday night at the Save Mart Center.

The Bulldogs lost in straight sets 25-19, 25-15 and 25-22 and are now 2-2 in conference play this season. Fresno State has already equaled its win total from last season with five wins.

The Spartans got out to a quick 8-0 lead in set one, but Fresno State was able to cut the lead to 20-18. The Bulldogs made it close, but the Spartans took the set 25-19.

Fresno State amassed a match-high .205 hitting percentage in set three, but fell 25-22 after keeping it close at 20-20.

Meghan Moss led the team with 11 digs and Allanah Munson added 23 assists. The team leader in kills, Brianna Clarke, led the team once again with nine kills.

The Bulldogs out-blocked San Jose State 8-5, but still fell just a bit short.

The Bulldogs will continue their homestand this Thursday against the Boise State Broncos at 7 p.m. inside the Save Mart Center.

Soccer

The Fresno State Bulldog soccer team has had a tough start to the season and had a chance to get back on track this past weekend.

On Friday night the Bulldogs faced the Seattle University Redhawks. The game was tied at the half, but the Redhawks were able to score twice in the second half and win in Bulldog Stadium.

In that game, sophomore Alex Jensen had the first goal of her career.

The second game of the weekend went much better for the Bulldogs.

In their Sunday afternoon game against Sacramento State, the Bulldogs were led by freshman Molly Nizzoli and senior Nicole Gutierrez.

Both Nizzoli and Gutierrez scored against the Hornets while the defense held Sacramento State scoreless.

The goal was the fourth of Nizzoli’s career.

The Bulldogs were 2-6 going into their two games this weekend and are now 3-7 on the season.

Up next for the Bulldogs is a trip to Oregon to face the Oregon State Beavers and the Portland State Vikings.

Equestrian

The Bulldogs picked up their first victory of the season Saturday at the Willis Invitational at Baylor.

Fresno State tied TCU 7-7, but won by way of a tiebreaker.

The Bulldogs squeaked by the Horned Frogs 705.5 to 701.5 in the combined cumulative score after each team won six head-to-head matches.

Fresno State swept equitation on the flat with Tarynn Shada, Kelsey Bullock and Kimberly Hewson-Budnik all picking up wins.

The Bulldogs dropped their last two matches of the day to Baylor and conference foe New Mexico State.

The team’s next event will take place on Oct. 11 at South Dakota State.

Cross Country

Sophomore Erick Garcia placed 22nd out of 234 participants at the Stanford Invitational Saturday.

Garcia finished the 8K race with a time of 25:12.

Marissa McPhail was the Bulldogs’ top women’s competitor with a time of 23:22.

Renaissance Man

Dr. Fitzalbert M. Marius knew it was going to be a tough fight.

The time and place was the mid-1930s in New York City and Dr. Marius was 13 years old. He was set to box Walter Smith, a fellow youngster from another New York school.

“I knew I could beat him ’cause I was fast,” Marius said.

He threw shadow left jabs and right crosses, exhibiting his fighting prowess as a youth, as he retold the story some 70 years later in the English Department office at Fresno State.

“I threw everything I had at him and I did not hit him even once,” Marius, bellowing his contagious, warm laughter, said.

Marius’ first encounter with greatness not his last

The boxing match ended in a technical knockout as Smith overwhelmed the young Marius with a barrage of punches. Smith and his promoters later changed his name to Sugar Ray Robinson — who, in 2007, was named the greatest boxer of the 20th century by the Associated Press and ESPN.

Dr. Marius’ youth was spent amidst the influences of the influx of African-American writers, poets, artists, actors and musicians who drove the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s.

Marius immigrated to Harlem, New York, from his birthplace in Colon, Panama, when he was age three. By the 1920s, Harlem had burgeoned into a sanctuary for African-Americans trying to escape the Jim Crow Laws that had laden the South.

“Harlem became a place where the races moved in and out very easily,” James Walton, Ph.D., the English department chair at Fresno State and long-time friend of Marius, said. “It was a very cosmopolitan city.”

“It was a flowering period for African-Americans and the arts and New York City became a magnet for all the artists,” Walton said.

Recalling the Harlem Renaissance

During lunch on Thursday, Sept. 25, Marius spoke to a crowded room about his life.

He said during his talk: “[The Harlem Renaissance] brought to the attention, particularly the black youths, that they had the inherent skill, abilities, talents and intellect to accomplish everything the dominant people in the social order could.”

“Along with the ethical, moral and teachings of my parents, the Harlem Renaissance was one of the greatest influences in whatever accomplishments occurred in my life,” Marius said.

Man of many talents

By age three, Dr. Marius spoke French, Spanish and English; by age seven he was an apprenticed tailor, receiving the designation of master tailor at 17. By age seven, he began his eleven-year study of the violin. He is a painter; he is a poet; he is a biblical scholar who still teaches Sunday school. He has served the Central Valley for over 49 years as a surgeon, performing some of the very first cardiac surgeries in the San Joaquin Valley — the vocation he is most recognized for.

“Dr. Marius is the classical definition of a renaissance person,” said Walton. “This man is a singular character.”

Color Me Blind

Fresno State artists’ showcase exhibits a unique spin on art — a color wheel deems the fate of their art in the Colour Blind Collection

Several Fresno State students will have their artwork featured in an upcoming ArtHop showcase to be held in downtown Fresno.

The-one day event is called the Colour Blind Collection. It will feature eight local artists, each of whom make contributions to the group presentation.

Fresno State student Samuel Tekunoff, a graphic design major, organized the event.

“[The Colour Blind Collection] is a community-based collection of different artists that will hopefully educate artists and anyone who comes,” Tekunoff said.

He said that it will be the second art annual show.

Random colors inspire artists

“Each artist was randomly given a color from the color wheel that must appear in their artwork,” Tekunoff said. “The museum will resemble a color wheel.”

Uriel Tekunoff, Samuel’s brother, will also be featured in the event

“The colors represent emotions,” Uriel Tekunoff said. “You can take a look at the piece and get a feel for the artist’s emotion.”

Each artist will have five pieces of his or her color-driven art on display.

“This event is practically the first of its kind,” Samuel Tekunoff said.

Artists employ range of techniques

Samuel Tekunoff is also contributing his own work to the showcase.

“My specialty is computer-manipulated photography,” Samuel Tekunoff said. He explained that white is the color he was assigned for the project, and that he photographed a woman dressed in all white.

“In each piece she is in a different pose, a different direction, and wearing a different top,” Samuel Tekunoff said.

By using his “computer-manipulated photography” skills, he makes the subject in his artwork almost disappear.

Uriel Tekunoff, an engineering major, calls his art style a multi-layered stencil technique that is close to urban art.

He explained that he takes a photo, and then uses a stencil to allow only parts of the photo to come through for a very unique effect. His assigned color for the project was red.

“I think it will be a real nice and light experience,” Uriel Tekunoff said. “[The event will be held] in two rooms, but it will be wide open.”

Other featured art mediums on display will include collage, acrylics and spray paint.

Colour Blind Collection

Don’t miss out on eight local artists showcasing their unique art in a group presentation.

• The event will be held at the DeRouchey Creative Design Studio at 1803 S. Van Ness Ave.

• October 2 at 5 p.m.

• Free to the general public.

Actor Paul Newman dies at 83

Paul Newman, actor, philanthropist and businessman, died Friday of cancer at age 83, media reports said.

The Academy Award-winner died at his home in Westport, Conn., the Associated Press reported Saturday. Last year Newman said he would retire from acting, and earlier this year stepped down from a directorial position for a fall production of “Of Mice and Men,” citing health issues.

Newman had major roles in more than 50 films, the AP reported, and he won an Oscar for his role in “The Color of Money” as well as two honorary Oscars and numerous other plaudits. He also sometimes worked with Joanne Woodward, his wife and Oscar winner.

In addition to his show-business career, Newman was a racecar enthusiast and philanthropist.

In 1982, Newman founded premium food company, Newman’s Own Inc., with friend A.E. Hotchner. Newman would sometimes refer to the venture as the “joke that got out of control” and would express astonishment at its success, according to the company’s Web site.

The company offers more than 150 varieties of food and beverages including popcorn, spaghetti sauce, lemonade and salad dressing. All profits and royalties after taxes for the company are donated for educational and charitable purposes. This has added up to more than $250 million to thousands of charities worldwide, the Web site said.

“Paul had an abiding belief in the role that luck plays in one’s life, and its randomness. He was quick to acknowledge the good fortune he had in his own life, beginning with being born in America, and was acutely aware of how unlucky so many others were,” Robert Forrester, vice chairman of the Newman’s Own Foundation said in a statement.

In 1988, Newman co-founded the Hole in the Wall Camps, now a global family of camps for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Newman is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur, the AP said.

Newman’s Top Films
Composed by Steven Rea from the McClatchy Tribune

• “The Long, Hot Summer”
• “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
• “The Hustler”
• “Hud”
• “Cool Hand Luke”
• “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
• “The Sting” (1973)
• “Slap Shot” (1977)
• “The Verdict” (1982)
• “The Color of Money” (1986) • “Nobody’s Fool” (1994)
• “Road to Perdition” (2002)

Article by Marketwatch / McClatchy Tribune

Another Spike Lee Joint

Early in Spike Lee’s World War II movie, “Miracle at St. Anna,” there’s a clip of John Wayne rallying the troops in the famous Hollywood D-Day pic, “The Longest Day.” There are no black actors to speak of in that film, although thousands of African-American soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944.

In fact, there are few black actors in most of Hollywood’s World War II accounts, a war in which almost one million African Americans served. So when Lee was a kid growing up in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and he and his brothers watched “The Dirty Dozen,” it was a revelation.

“Jim Brown!” Lee exclaims, remembering the sight of the football hero-turned-movie star on the big screen. “My brothers and I were so happy to see a black man in a World War II film. Because even though we loved World War II films as kids, we knew, because my father’s older brothers were in World War II, that there were stories not being told.”

Lee seeks to tell stories of minority heroes

That’s a key reason Lee wanted to tell this one. In “Miracle at St. Anna,” four “Buffalo soldiers,” members of the all-black 92d Infantry Division, the only segregated unit that saw combat, are trapped behind enemy lines in the hills of Tuscany. Lee’s film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, stars Laz Alonso, Michael Ealy, Derek Luke and Omar Benson Miller.

In “Patton,” Lee notes, the only black actor of consequence is James Edwards, who played the legendary general’s personal valet. But in reality, black soldiers, like the ones in the U.S. Army’s 761st Tank Battalion, “saved Patton … during the Battle of the Bulge. No one knows about this,” he says.

“And there was the Red Ball Express, which was a caravan of black drivers whose job was to keep the supply lines open so Patton could advance. They were in German territory, driving at night without lights, the unsung heroes.”

And it wasn’t just blacks, Lee adds.

“The Nisei was a Japanese-American unit that fought side by side in the later stages of the campaign in Italy against the Nazis. Japanese Americans! No one knows about them either.”

Lee, 51, hopes that “Miracle at St. Anna” will be the first of many films to bring these stories to notice.
“In the spring, George Lucas will do his Tuskegee Airmen film; it’s called ‘Red Tails.’ He’s producing it,” Lee says. “So, hopefully, these two films, back-to-back, will get the ball rolling.”

James McBride, author of the “Miracle at St. Anna” novel, and writer of the screenplay, said he hoped the film would pay tribute to other forgotten heroes of the war.

“It needs to be said that while ‘Miracle at St. Anna’ is about the 92d Division, about the struggles of the African-American soldier, the Italian story in this … is very important. The Italians suffered terribly during World War II, and they have been portrayed stereotypically in our media and in our movies as the little partisans with the little guns waiting for the great Americans to come and save them.”

By Steven Rea / McClatchy Tribune

Movie Review: “Eagle Eye”

“Eagle Eye” is the type of movie that you can’t give a full synopsis of, lest all the excitement be sucked out of the film. Essentially Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) are two strangers that start receiving phone calls directing them in a mission.

With a recently dead twin brother, Shaw was framed as a terrorist when an abundant amount of money and shipment full of weapons, passports, and various bomb-making ingredients show up at his apartment.

Holloman is thrown into the mix when the phone calls threaten to de-rail the train heading to the Kennedy Center that her son is on. Both Billy Bob Thornton and Rosario Dawson play authority figures attempting to solve the case that grows more complicated as the movie progresses.

The heart of the film is what happens when computers develop their own intelligence and decide how our government should be run, when it feels humans have failed in their attempts.

LaBeouf continues to perfect his unlikely action hero status, the type of guy who can take and give hits while occasionally making sarcastic remarks. Monaghan is a sweetheart and you can feel her love for her son, and just how far she would go to keep him safe.

Thornton is a wonderful jerk and Dawson is, as always, sexy and powerful. The movie keeps you riveted as the audience learns along with the characters vital information- enough so you know what is going on but not so much that they are dumbing it all down for you.

The ending is a little too resolved and an unnatural bond is formed, but it’s an all around good movie for those who love action, drama or know that Big Brother is watching.

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