News Summary

The 2009 commissioner’s trophy was awarded to the Yankees last year. The trophy didn’t stay in Yankee’s hands long as it was subject to a worldwide tour, it was displayed at many different venues as far away as Beijing and Tokyo.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/whirlwind-off-season-for-yankees-trophy/?hp

Mary Ann Larios

Mary Ann Larios is helping students to find their career path everyday as a career counselor at Anoka-Ramsey community college (ARCC); ironically she didn’t always know that this is what she would one day be. Larios actually changed her career path several different times in her life before she discovered her true calling as a community college counselor. After graduating high school, Larios attended McAlister College in St. Paul Minn., initially majoring in vocal performance. However after her freshman year she decided to change her major and transferred to St. Benedict where she pursued a career in interior design.

After graduating from St. Benedicts in 1982 with her bachelor of interior design, Larios decided it was time to “go out and see what was out there.” She moved to Colorado Springs, Colo. where she lived with her older sister. However, due to the struggling economy at the time Larios was forced to move to Phoenix Ariz. where she had heard there were jobs available in the interior design field.

Larios worked as an interior designer and enjoyed it for about six years. During her mid-twenties however, she started working as a volunteer with soon-to-be moms and realized that counseling was her real passion “I found I was getting so much more reward and satisfaction from this volunteer work then I was when I was an interior designer.” Larios admitted. Larios decided to go back to school and received her masters in counseling from Arizona State university and later went on to gain her PhD in human services from Walden university .

At first Larios was intrigued by junior high and high school counseling, but after a couple of informational interviews she could sense that these schools were not for her. It was a friend of her husbands who introduced her to community college counseling and after a couple more informational interviews she knew that this was the job she was meant to do. “Typically people in a community college are in the realm of wanting to improve their life through education, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that.” She exclaimed.

She admits that even though she loves working at ARCC it is sometimes hard because she does not always know the outcome of different students she has helped. “I might have some students come talk to me about a personal issue, or their career or whatever it is and that might be the end of it, but I don’t know how their life progressed, and I think when your in a community college setting that’s typically the case.”

Now after what seems like a long journey Larios is happy to say that she has found a perfect match for her life. What she says she loves most about her job is the diversity of her workload. She says that her work excites her because she is not always doing the same thing over and over again. Along with counseling Larios also takes part in many different mental development workshops at the school, in addition to teaching an online career development course. Larios really enjoys the educational environment of ARCC knowing that her work associates are always supportive of her and her different ideas.

For Larios, it is both the faculty and students at ARCC that makes coming to work everyday a treat. She is overwhelmed by her colleges’ fantastic work ethic as well as the willingness of students at ARCC to succeed. She loves knowing that she can make a difference in their lives and thrives on it. “I wouldn’t call it helping people, because people help themselves, but I enjoy being on that journey with them. To me, it’s very exciting.”

Family sues Hennipen County regarding their dead son's skull

http://www.startribune.com/local/88948917.html?page=1&c=y

The family of murder victim filed a lawsuit on March 22nd 2010 against Hennepin County for keeping the head of their dead son. Rickey McGuire died in November 1977. McGuire’s skull was found in the basement of now deceased Pathologist Dr. Kenneth Osterberg two years ago by his daughter, the family did not know it was initially missing and now feels betrayed.

Story #5 Abigail Allan art show

Local talent Abigail Allan visited Anoka Ramsey Community College (ARCC) yesterday to kick off her solo art show that is going to be displayed in the school’s Great River Art Gallery from March 10th –April 6th. From 2-3 p .m. Allan presented at the ARCC’s weekly college hour and discussed her life, art and ideologies. Allan presented to a full crowd in ARCC’s River Room, among those in attendance were Chairman of the Art Committee, Linda Varvale, as well as President of the Art Department, Chris Gray.

Allan enthralled onlookers with her PowerPoint presentation which demonstrated her passion for art and how it has been inspired by the beauty of science. The presentation focused on the similar methodologies between art and science. Allan shared how she has learned to apply the scientific method to her artisanship and how this helped her conceive and comprehend the meaning behind her work. Calvin Jarchow, a nursing student at ARCC was amazed from what he heard at the presentation. “The things that you presented are things that I’ve thought a thousand times, but was never able to articulate on my own.” He accredited to Allan at the end of her presentation.

Allan mentioned that even since childhood she has been creating things such as small universes out of play dough (one of many unconditional materials that she still uses today.) It wasn’t until comments of artist and close friend Ari Muzner, that Allan discovered art was her passion, “Go back to what you did as a child, that is what you do” He said. Allan received her bachelors of arts at N.Y. State School of Ceramics; she also attended Alfred University and received her bachelors of fine arts in art and design, with minors in art history and biology.

Allan stated that as soon as she was introduced to science she was intrigued however; her artwork gained a new meaning after she saw the image, Vertebrate Embryo Ontogeny Figure by Ernst Haeckel. The image depicts the fetal development of eight different vertebrae, including human beings. Allan was amazed at the fetal similarity between humans and animals and thus began her repertoire. Her art show revolves around the idea of deformity based on the environment. Allan is drawn to the comparability of natural selection and mankind’s own evolution of human emotional development.

Allan, being a Minn. native, was drawn to our states own deformed frogs; she depicts many variations of these creatures in her show. She displayed paintings, ceramics, and hand crafted sculptures of deformed animals many of them being frogs. “Rare artist shows I can walk through the whole thing and be amazed,” Admitted ARCC student Eric Dalhberg. Allan emphasized however, that nature in its organic form is amazing in itself. Allan summed up her passion for art and science by stating that in both there are no absolutes, the world is not solid, and that there is no guarantee that world is perceived the same to everyone. However, by incorporating science into her art, she was able to introduce the students and faculty at ARCC to a new and beautiful art form that every living thing on this planet can relate to.

Open-carry laws are begining to cause problems in some states.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/us/08guns.html?ref=us

Gun owners in 38 states are exercising their right to carry unconcealed weapons by holding meet-ups at public restaurants with other gun owners and practicing the open-carry law. The aim of the open carry movement is to convince law officials that many non-gun owners would prefer concealment of these weapons.

Economy and the Community

I know several people who have been directly effected by the economy. My father has actually been laid off twice in the past 3 years, and has been unemployed for extended periods of time. He had to lower his standards for a workplace just to find work, for some time he worked for a company that didn't offer any health benifits, vacation time, or even overtime. This company also seemed to be running a very unethical buisness, (my dad drives 18 wheelers, and this company would actually make their employees drive down side streets of chicago to avoid paying tolls.) Luckily, my dad found a new job, but it is only a little bit better then the last one he had. To me it is really sad that these companies are able to treat their employees with no respect, and they only reason they get away with it is becuase they know there are hundreds of other people out there that need work. My fiances best friend, Joel was in the army reserves, he decided to quit and move down to flordia, you see he lived in Grand Forks and said he was sick of the cold. When Joel got to flordia he was unable to find any work, nor decent housing (with a Grand Forks budget.) Within a week he moved back up to the cities, and he lived with me and my fiance for two months trying to find a job, he still hasn't found one.

Brittany Olson

Brittany Olson loves to meet new people, but what she loves even more is her job. For the last 3 years she has worked as a hairstylist at Fantastic Sams hair salon in Cambridge Minn. Olson recalls the day when she knew she wanted to style hair, at age 7 her aunt gave her a “how to braid hair” book and unleashed little Brittnay’s passion. She can still remember the first hair cut she ever gave “the first haircut I gave was probably on my mom! She was sooooo nervous because she is kind of picky and didn’t know if I had enough experience to give her a cut. It did go well though; she has had the same variation of the haircut for years so I did a good job.”Of all the skills that Olson learned at the regency beauty institute in Blaine it seems clear that she enjoys performing updo’s (elegant styled hair) on clients most of all. At regency, Olson won several updo contests, and even performed them for weddings and proms when she was just a senior in high school. Although Brittnay loves her job, she knows that with any job it is easy to get burned out from doing the same thing over and over again, that is why she is currently attending Anoka Ramsey community college so she can further her career at her 2nd job, Wells Fargo. “I like to balance it out so that I still go to work and love it along with reflect my passion to the people that are in my chair” Currently Olson is enjoying her life as a student, she lives with her fiancé, Ian in Isanti and is looking forward to her own wedding, which when it comes to the hair, she will be more then ready.

Olson Interveiw

1: What is the best part of being a hairdresser?

Meeting new people! getting your hair done should be a great experience, so
i try to customize to each person.


2: What is the worst part of being a hairdresser?

crabby people, you try to do a nice thing for them and they dont appreciate
it and complain the whole time.


3: Do you remeber the first haircut you did on your own? If so-can you
give
some details.

The first haircut i gave was probably on my mom! she was sooooo nervous
because she is kind of picky and didnt know if i had enough experience to
give her a cut. It did go well though, she has had the same variation of
haircut for years so i did a good job.


4: From what youv'e already sent me, It seems as if you have been doing
hair for quite some time now, do you still-or ever get nervous when
cutting someone's hair?

I wouldn't say completely nervous, just a different challenge. it depends
on who is in my chair, if i know that they are picky.... i might be
hesitant on a style or color if they want a DRAMATIC change, but it also
depends on the change is as well.


5: I know you only lived in germany for the first couple years of your
life, but does it at all influence your style or personality?

I guess i dont think that it has influenced my style or so much my
personality, because we basically lived on base while we were there so
everyone around us spoke english. I think it would be different if my dad
met my mom in germany, but they were high school sweet hearts and moved
over
together. but it does tell an interesting story!


6: You mentioned that you are very good at updos, Where do you draw
inspiration from to create new and original styles?

I guess when i do updos i like them to show me pictures of what they like,
along with a trial updo (if time permits) so i know what type of hair
texture that i am working with (whether its fine or thick or really smooth,
or really damaged) but after the trial then i have some time to think and
rethink on how i can structure an updo (how am i going to curl it, do they
want it messy or slick, how am i going to hide the bobby pins, is there
hair extensions to hide, do they have a tiara or other jewelery, do they
have/want bangs, do they want certain pieces down... and etc) The more time
i have to think about an updo, i feel that i am better prepared for it. But
if i do not get a trial with the girl, i start off by playing with their
hair while asking a lot of questions.


7: You said you do nail art as well.. How do you draw with that nail pen?
It's SOOO SMALL!!! Did it take alot of time to get used to performing on
such a small scale?

It is a skill! in beauty school i had a lot of time to work on it. going to
school with the asian girls whos families own nail salons were always
people who gave me inspiration!


8: How did you meet your fiance?

my cousin and him have been friends for years, so i have known him for
awhile, but it was more recently that we both kinda grew up and found an
interest in each other (he says that he has had a crush on me since he
first
met me 4 years ago!!.... what a romantic!)


9: Why are you attending anoka ramsey, if you already fufilled your dream
as a beautician?

I love doing hair, but i dont want to get burned from it. i like to balance
it out so that i still go to work and love it along with reflect my passion
to the people that are in my chair.


10: What are your future plans? Is hairdressing part of them?

As of now i work at wells fargo as a teller, so i guess i would like get a
promotion to be in a different part of wells, along with still working at
least one day a week at a salon.


11: What kind of people do you think it takes to be a beautician?

It takes a strong person to be a stylist. you have to be a "people person,"
have a strong sense of creativity, you cannot be afraid (people can sense
it). a quote that i have learned to live by "Fake it till you make it." it
has been a fact that people tell their stylist more than they tell their
doctors, so with what people tell you, you also have to be very
professional so that you dont offend anyone.


12: Do you also color hair?

oh yes. lots of hair coloring, people love to change it up! thats where you
have to use a creative judgement to make sure that each person gets a color
that fits their personality.


13: What happens if you disagree with a client? (for example- as a
professional you KNOW that hair would not look good on THAT person)


well then thats when you ask lots of questions to why they want that
certian color choice, usually you can compromise with a person (i am the
professional and all!)

News Summary

Russia and Georgia agree to reopen popular trade route.


The only road that links Russia to Georgia was reopened on Monday. It was closed due to a war between the two nations during August 0f 2008. The first day of its reopening no one crossed the border because to use the route, one must first have a visa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/world/europe/02georgia.html?ref=world