By Zachary Floiro
OSWEGO, N.Y.– Snow, ice and the freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on drivers throughout the winter months.
Oswego student Ian Padgett said he was a victim of a winter-related car accident last year and that it was a lack of traction from his car’s worn out tires got him into trouble.
“I hit my brakes and my wheels locked up; I just kept sliding,” said Padgett, “I messed up my passenger door and shattered the window. I had to get a brand new door.”
A&P Automotive manager Mike Silliman said having a set of winter tires on a car is essential to maintaining traction on icy conditions and avoiding accidents.
“The things you gotta think about with tires, it’s not just taking off. It’s your breaking and your cornering, that’s where the accidents happen,” Silliman said.
Salting roads can prevent ice buildup but can provoke fast-spreading rust throughout a car’s body and frame. Silliman said he recommends a thorough, weekly wash to keep a car free from salt, and ultimately free from dangerous rust.
Silliman said he also recommends packing a small survival kit in the car, in case of mechanical issues stranding a car and its owner.
Essential items in a winter car kit can include the following.
- jumper cables
- a warm blanket
- change of clothes
- shovel
- a flashlight
For more information on winter tires, go to https://www.apautomotiveny.com/.
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Student Association Update: March 1st
The Student Association held their weekly meeting of the Senate on Tuesday evening making it the sixth meeting of the Spring semester. The number of senators required to begin the meeting were met and following the approval of the agenda and minutes, the meeting was well under way.
The National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE), were the first and only guests to the Senate for the evening. NABSE is a community service driven organization, working to bring awareness to inequalities of education. Their first project will be shipping school supplies to underprivileged children in Haiti and will be tabling every Tuesday in the Marano Campus Center to raise money and collect supplies. They are also looking to hold educational programs that shed light on the mission of their club, but NABSE do not currently have the funds to support the programs they wish to hold. They presented their budget to the Senate asking for funds to help with funds the organization needs. Two senators will be writing a budget and bill, which will be voted on at a later time and date.
Following the guest to the Senate, the meeting moved swiftly to executive reports. Emily Nassir, SA President was the first to deliver her executive report in which she shared updates on current projects she has been working on. Nassir said that the website for SA is currently being worked on and she will have more updates as there is more progression in the making and launching of the new SA website. SA has paid for the student discount app which will be renewed shortly and will give students access to partnered businesses in town, who provide discounts to students at their place of operation. Nassir also revealed new ideas that she wishes to begin working on such as, getting more involved in opening week on campus in the fall, as well as homecoming held in October.
Shelby Gallaro, SA Vice President was next to deliver her executive report. Gallaro shared with Senate her current project. She is working in a new Pay policy for senators which could potentially go into effect in the fall. This new pay system would allow senators to directly earn money as opposed to the current system which is done through dock pay. Following Gallaro’s report, SA Director of Finance, Matthew Peters took the floor to deliver his executive report. Peters stated that all of the requested budgets for next semester have been submitted by the clubs and organizations on campus. SA will begin to look through the requested budgets and will be working on them starting the beginning of next week. There were no new updates on OzFest, but Peters assured that he will be updating the Senate as new information comes in and planning progresses.
In Hall Council reports, senators shared success of programs their halls held this past week as well as plans for new programs in the future. Cayuga Hall had a great turnout for their movie themed laker night. Funnelle hosted a recycling event “Going Green for Green”, in which they collected many recyclables which will be used to help future programs in their hall. Johnson is currently working on their event with all four lakeside dorms, where students will be able to participate in intramural sports as a friendly competition between all the halls. Johnson will be bringing new updates as planning for the event advances.
There were no special orders for the evening, so the meeting moved to the first and only general order for the evening. Rules and judiciary proposed a bill that would amend the vacancy protocol in the constitution that SA is required to follow. The bill to amend the vacancy protocol passed by general consent.
Following the only general order for the evening, the meeting was adjourned. SA meets every Tuesday in Lanigan 106 at 6pm. If students, organizations or clubs have any questions, concerns or proposals, they are encouraged to attend these meetings, as they are all open to the public.
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Little Luke’s Fun Run: Oswego Autism Task Force
Oswego Autism Task Force established in 2005 is having their 4th annual fun run/walk. The fun run/walk will take place Saturday, April 6th, a great way to kick off National Autism Awareness month! The walk is being coordinated by one of the original parents who helped found the organization OATF, Julie Chetney. Julie’s family has been directly affected by Autism, her son was diagnosed when he was younger and she helped found the OATF to spread awareness and collect opportunities that she could share with not only her son but other families that have been affected as well.
Another person that impacts the organization greatly is their president Tammy Thompson. In 2005 after many families in Oswego County had been affected by Autism she gathered a group of parents to form the organization and she was named president with her expertise in the subject due to the fact that at the time she was an early intervention specialist and was able to share insight on the matter.
The fun run is attended by many people every year, Julie said that over 200 people usually participate in the run/walk. The run/walk is a great family activity, but is also great just volunteering. Julie says “We can never have too many volunteers at that event. It does make a 5k event more fun and enjoyable when you have great people that are volunteering and out there on the course especially just cheering on people. It’s a good feeling, for those participating and those volunteering”. Or if you would like to cheer on the runners you can enjoy the “Breakfast of Autism Champions” for an additional price that will benefit the event in the Press Box.
If you would like to partake in this event you can register at www.auyertiming.com, registration will close on April 4th. Or if you would like to volunteer you may Facebook Message the group at Oswego Autism Task for or email the race coordinator Julie Chetney at juliechetney@yahoo.com.
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Ailey II: Community Outreach Through Dance
by Lindsey Martin, WTOP10-TV reporter
Over half a century ago Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City, an organization committed to spreading messages of diversity through dance. His revolutionary choreography is perhaps most famously realized in dance masterpiece ‘Revelations’, a work born from Ailey’s own ‘blood memories’ of growing up in 1940’s rural Texas.
During the almost 60 year existence of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, its members have traveled the world, performed for presidents and maintained their status as one of the most prestigious dance organizations in the United States of America.
Today, the messages behind Ailey’s choreography continue to be relevant and inspirational across a myriad of social contexts. In a modern word full of technologically induced hyper-stimulation and empty politicking, dance, primal and clear, cuts through the noise to profound effect.
Dedicated to spreading messages of cultural acceptance through extensive touring and public outreach, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II echo the legacy of their namesake.
Eleven years after The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was established, The Ailey School opened in 1969, and the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, now known as Ailey II, was founded in 1974. The Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble was established with the intention to provide the most promising students from the Ailey school the opportunity to tour and perform around the world.
Picked by Alvin Ailey himself, Sylvia Waters oversaw the creative direction of Ailey II for 38 years. Waters had come from studying dance at the prestigious Juliard School, before joining the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company as a dancer in 1968.
“I’d known Alvin for some time before I joined the company, and I’d seen the company grow during the first ten years of its existence. I was in school, but I saw those early performances at the WMHA as a student, and it was mesmerizing,” Waters reflects.
“Alvin was very, very supportive. I mean he was my mentor. I learned so much from him.”
Now Ailey II’s Creative Director Emeritus, Waters leads The Ailey Legacy Residency, educating college-level students on the technique and history behind Alvin Ailey’s creative heritage.
Khalia Campbell is a dancer in her first term with Ailey II. Formally a student at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and the Dance Theater of Harlem, Campbell became an apprentice for Ailey II prior to becoming a full-fledged member of the ensemble.
“Ailey is like a family. They want it to be in-house, so they like you to be in the school first and then you know, move your way up the ranks,” she explains.
At the time these interviews are taking place, Ailey II’s dancers and management are in their fourth and final week of a very physically demanding tour. They had performed in the Bahamas and 11 different states across the USA.
Troy Powell has been affiliated with the name Ailey since age 9. He trained at the Ailey school as a child, danced with Ailey II, and then The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Powell now holds the position of artistic director for Ailey II. Powell worked alongside Sylvia Waters for 15 years before becoming artistic director. “It takes time,” he says calmly. “Even as professional dancers we’re always working on our technique, we’re always working on our ability, and most of all we’re always working on ourselves,” said Powell.
One needn’t look much further than ‘Revelations’ to gain an understanding of Alvin Ailey’s original intentions for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and its various subsidiaries. The piece is laden with themes of poverty and racism, but also of strength, community and celebration.
“He grew up in the depression, so everything was at an all-time low,” tells Powell.
“He considered himself as living on the other side of the tracks where everything was just down and out, and his outlet was Revelations. His outlet was dance.”Perhaps this is the reason the choreography to ‘Revelations’ is passed on to each new generation of Ailey dancers, and is embraced by audiences around the world.
“We hope to really touch audiences,” says Powell.
“We hope to really change their perspective.”Ailey II performed to a sold-out Waterman Theater at SUNY Oswego on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
