Brooklyn House Catches Fire; No Casualties Reported

By Pablo Kay

A Brooklyn neighborhood spared no time in reacting to a sudden fire that broke out in a three-story apartment building on Tuesday as firefighters rushed in from different parts of the borough to assist. Prospect Heights residents were alarmed to see several fire engines rush down smoke-covered Washington Avenue in what turned out to be an incident free of any fatalities.

            “A fire broke out in a bedroom on the second floor of the building but did extend elsewhere,” reported 11^th Division Deputy Fire Chief Clifford. “We don’t know the cause of the fire yet.” The occupants of the apartment, located near the corner of Underhill and Bergen St,. were home at the time but self-evacuated, according to the chief.

            Although the fire appeared to have inflicted little structural damage, firefighters took no chances, arriving promptly and in force. Almost a dozen fire department vehicles bearing nicknames such as “The Bedford Express” and “In the Eye of the Storm” rushed onto the scene within minutes of the fire breaking out. Fire truck Ladder 105 quickly raised one of its men onto the top of building to knock out the windows and check for any possible remaining inhabitants while its counterpart Engine 219 assisted by putting out the fire with its hose.

            As the firefighters made quick work of the small fire, residents young and old alike came together to look on. As the trucks converged on the scene, one woman remarked “These guys mean business…it looks like a fireman’s reunion out here.” Even children from the neighboring Bergen elementary school could be seen with their parents staring at the scene with a mix of fear and admiration for the firefighters. High school science teacher Denise Dixon said she and a friend were about to enter her house across the street when she noticed smoke coming from the second floor.

            “You could tell there was some kind of fire, but all of a sudden we saw smoke billowing out the window,” said Dixon. Before she had time to panic, Dixon said firefighters were already beginning to arrive on the scene.

            The first trucks to arrive, the aforementioned 105 and 219, belong to Brooklyn’s Dean St. firehouse, which lost seven men in the September 11^th attacks. The firemen, however, appeared reluctant to give details about the blaze, much less even give their names. One fireman, who did not want to give out any personal information but whose jacket revealed the last name Stahl, brushed aside questions about the incident, simply saying “everyone’s fine, nothin’ to worry about.”

New Cut, New Woman

By: Lynette Perez

October 30, 2010 marked the date of a new, friendly ambiance at Shortstop Diner on 242 and Broadway. The 24 hour diner, moreover, the hub of campus has been run by waitress, Tina Lee for over twenty years. Her mundane night job as a waitress/babysitter had her cranky and upset, but a much needed physical change has turned her attitude around.

That night, Shortstop was buzzing-- busier than anyone has ever seen it before. Sophomore Caroline Mann thinks it was due to Tina’s new haircut.

“Her hair was always so severe. it was pulled back, she was uptight and rocking an olga bun. But she cut it all off-- no longer are the days of an uptight atmosphere at shortstop,” said sophomore, Adrienne Hughes about Tina’s new do.

Her hair, originally slicked back into a tight bun atop her head now falls lightly around her face, not nearing her shoulders.

When asking the 5’6” brown eyed belle why she decided to cut all of her hair off, she had me follow her into her office (the doorway of Shortstop), and between puffs of a Marlboro Light 100, Tina said “I needed a change... I had enough of getting headaches.”

Once the tobacco was smoked to the filter, Tina had enough of a break and got back to work. Her gold chains and heart shaped earrings shone in the light and accentuated the rose tattoo on her left breast.

Seated next to me were sophomores and regular Shortstop diners, Anthony Liota and PJ Tranchese. Liota remarked “she seems younger and happier,” while Tranchese said “it’s very nice... very flattering.” 

It seems as though the young freshmen seated in the front of the room had a different opinion, though. When asked about Tina’s new cut and disposition, Maria Toscano said “who’s Tina?” after explaining to the rookie diner, she remarked “oh, she wasn’t too happy [when she took our order].” When asking her if she had noticed the new do, the freshman said “oh, yeah, it looks good.”

After making a fresh pot of coffee with her shoulders back and her head held high, Tina turned back around for another cigarette break.

Regarding the students’ reaction to her haircut, Tina said “They all love it... I think they’re more shocked than anything.” More importantly, though, when asked if she felt like a new woman, Tina remarked “No, I’m still Tina the bitch.”

According to Dr. Zella Moore, assistant professor of psychology at Manhattan College, “getting a haircut can definitely change an emotional state... If it comes out good, you’re going to feel confident, secure and on top of your game. A change in appearance can change your confidence and can impact your life in many different domains.”

This statement seems to ring true for Shortstop’s star employee.

Although Tina’s attempt at keeping a rough exterior is a good one, her pose with one hand on her hip and the other behind her head saying ‘superstar’ while I took her picture had me thinking she’s not still “Tina the bitch.”

“If you don’t get and A+ on it, i’m kickin’ your ass... And you can put that in ‘quote un quote.’"

Crouching Ninja, Hidden Stranger

On Friday, October 29, the hallways of the Horan dormitory building at Manhattan College were abuzz with goblins, naughty nurses, and movie characters, among a slew of other costumed co-eds, all getting ready to celebrate the All Hallows Eve early. Not all of these individuals meandering the halls were students, though.

It was around 10:30pm when what appeared to be a young man was first spotted creeping down the corridors in a ninja-type costume, his face hidden behind black mesh and a plastic samurai sword strapped to his back.

Students began getting nervous, though, when the ninja began to follow various individuals, both male and female.

“I was walking down the hall to my friends room,” recalls a female student who wishes to remain nameless.  “He just watched as I waited for my friend to answer her door…I got nervous, I didn’t know what he was going to do or who he was.”

Adds student Rich Baxter who was also followed, “I yelled at him. I said ‘are you seriously following me right now?’ and took his picture. He crossed the line of being really funny to being really creepy”

What appeared to be a harmless prank wound up being a more serious offense, as students awoke the next morning to see flyers featuring the masked man adorning the halls. “Have you seen this kid?” The sign read. “If so report him immediately to main office. He has somehow snuck on to campus and is NOT a resident here. Call this number if you have any tips on finding him.”

The phone number was ripped off of the flyer.

Security shed little light on the matter, and failed to reveal exactly who was on duty when the non-resident snuck onto campus. One guard who heard about the incident claims “there were so many kids running around in costume that night, they probably snuck on through the bridge or with a group of other kids at the front desk.” He added that it wouldn’t be that hard to sneak onto campus, especially if whichever guard is on duty isn’t checking ID’s. “You didn’t hear that me, though,” he added, protecting his identity.

Within a few hours of the flyers being posted around Horan, they had been removed, yet the mysterious intruder’s identity has yet to be revealed.

Additionally, Residence Life refused to address the incident, saying they “were not aware” of anything that happened. This is only one of a number of recent breaches in Manhattan College security. It appears that Manhattan College has decided to simply sweep this one under the rug.

-Samantha Fox

Jasper Hall Goes Mad on Halloween? - Danielle Valente

It came as no surprise when Jasper Hall residents added a frat boy touch to their Halloween festivities.

A group of boys on the second floor main hallway (“J2”) could have been mistaken for a pep rally last Friday night. What began as a hushed conversation took a turn around 12:00 am Saturday morning with loud chatting and even louder music.

 RA Valbona, who resides on the floor above, oftentimes hears music and guitar playing from below. When asked if the noise distracts her, her eye brows arched as if this was a familiar issue and said, “Yeah, it definitely does.”

The iPod was well charged as the boys’ playlist echoed throughout the dormitory into the early morning. Although fellow neighbors on the second were not disturbed by the music, the girls residing on the floor above were not exactly pleased with the punk rock resonating into their bedrooms.

“I try to ignore,” Valbona further said. Although she was not in Jasper Hall Friday night, she has made several trips downstairs asking them to lower the music in the past.  

Roughly around 1:30-2:00 am, the boys decided to take a trip down memory lane while playing wanna-be heavy metal bands such as Chevelle, although the band’s HeadBanger’s Ball days have been over since 2003. That was the breaking point for a third floor resident who was wrapped up in her watermelon colored sheets, becoming more and more disgruntled with every chord she heard.

Roughly around 3:00 am, RA Dolores intervened with findings that were unexpected.

“They were just listening to music and watching TV, which is kind of counterproductive,” RA Dolores said jokingly. The loud party only consisted of five boys in a disheveled room surrounding the TV, chatting (loudly) and enjoying each other’s company. What appeared to be a wild rave was simply a misunderstanding.

“They were polite,” Dolores said, “They said they’d turn in it off. I think they didn’t realize how loud they were being.”

The biggest surprise of all?

“They weren’t drinking,” Dolores said.

Although several trips were made to “J2,” the boys were unavailable to comment.

Even though Jasper residents appeared to be partying harder than they actually were, one student, whose name could not be revealed, partied her way into the hospital because of alcohol consumption, according to Dolores.

“This weekend was a little crazy,” she said, relieved that it was coming to an end. “There was a lot of partying.” She seemed unfazed by the demanding responsibilities RA face on weekends such as these. She simply sat in the library, wrapped up in her oversized sweater surrounded by textbooks.

Dolores explained that the student entered East Hill Saturday night intoxicated and unable to compose herself. She had not eaten that day, but drank far more than her body could handle. Since she was under the legal drinking age, the RAs needed to take action.

“If you’re under 21 and intoxicated you have to go to the hospital,” Dolores said, “It’s just a liability thing.”

Due to the resident’s privacy, further information on the emergency could not be revealed.

While loud music and an even louder TV can seem inconvenient and even problematic, the mix of the two certainly cannot compare to this East Hill resident’s Halloween weekend. Chevelle is not so bad after all.

Trick or Treat?

Kayla Mancuso

An adrenaline rush is believed to be the cause of many heroic acts. Even acts of survival. During Halloween weekend, this was the case for two female Manhattan College students. Their adrenaline rush saved them from a kind of terror that is not welcome, not even on Halloween.  

On October 29, two Manhattan College Students (who have requested to remain nameless) were on their way home from a pre-Halloween Party. Dressed in baby costumes, the roommates were walking along Broadway around three o’clock in the morning.

Approximately five blocks away from the Horan dorm, the blonde and the brunette student noticed a tall man wearing a grey New York Giants t-shirt was walking towards them. Everything seemed normal, just another person walking alone Broadway. 

As most Manhattan College students do, the two girls stopped in the Diner Short Stop before heading back to the dorms. It was just another Friday night in Short Stop having conversations with friends about the night’s events.  

After about 15 minutes, the two girls decided it was time to head back. As they were walking back, the brunette was overcome with a freaky suspicion that someone was following her. “Have you ever just had this feeling like someone was watching you?” she explained. As she turned her head, she saw the reappearance of the New York Giants fan that they had seen earlier.

“I got a weird feeling in my stomach so I told my friend to walk a little faster. I looked back and saw him running towards us,” the brunette explained.

She began to make a run for it and thankfully her roommate followed no questions asked. “I have never experienced an adrenalin rush like that before in my life,” she clarified.

As they crossed the cobble stone path towards Horan Hall, they began to walk faster and faster. Once they picked up their pace, so did the Caucasian male with dirty blonde hair, which the girls described as a man in his late 20’s early 30’s.

With Horan Hall in sight, they did not slow their stride until they knew that he was no longer following them.

The blonde student was at first oblivious to what was happening. “When we [left] the diner I did not notice anything except [my friend] acting worried,” she claimed. She basically just followed her friend’s lead and trusted her judgment.   

Once the brunette led her friend to safety, one thing was running through her mind: what would have happened if we didn’t get away?

 “While taking the elevator up to my room my heart was racing, my body was shivering, and I couldn’t control the tears coming out of my eyes. I continuously replayed the image of him coming towards us in my head. I will never walk alone again!”  

"Fire Pelosi" bus tour rolls into Toms River

By Matthew Rocco

In New Jersey’s third district, the race for a congressional seat has attracted greater attention ahead of Tuesday’s elections. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele directed his “Fire Pelosi” bus tour into Toms River on Thursday to support former football player Jon Runyan, the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat John Adler.

Republicans have zeroed in on New Jersey congressional races, identifying them as potential gains in the House. On Wednesday, Steele supported Republican Anna Little who is challenging Democrat Frank Pallone in the sixth district.

The bus tour has traveled around the country over the last six weeks. The “Fire Pelosi” slogan refers to the potential unseating of Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker if Republicans take a majority in the House.

Thursday’s rally for Runyan at the Toms River Holiday Inn focused on the heated third district race, a contest that has had its share of controversy.

Cherry Hill’s Courier Post reported earlier this month that people connected to the Adler campaign, including campaign manager Geoff Mackler, recruited a third party candidate, Peter DeStefano, in an attempt to split votes. DeStefano will be on the ballot Tuesday, and listed as a member of the “New Jersey Tea Party,” although no tea party groups in the area have affirmed his candidacy.

Adler has criticized Runyan for paying less in property taxes by registering 15 acres of land that surround his Mount Laurel home as farmland. Runyan sells firewood, and has donkeys grazing the land.

Both campaigns did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Runyan had a five point lead in the latest Monmouth University poll. A Rutgers-Eagleton poll size had Adler leading by one point.

In the Holiday Inn’s Atlantis Ballroom, the enthusiastic crowd hung on Steele’s every word as he identified New Jersey as the start of the conservative momentum. Last year, New Jersey voters elected a Republican governor, Christopher Christie.

As he entered the room, Steele recalled the slogan that is on the red tour bus, asking voters if they were ready to “fire Nancy Pelosi” and “fire Harry Reid.”

The bus, emblazoned with white stars and the RNC logo, will head south to complete its tour of 48 states this weekend.

Sugar, Sweets, and Sanctions?

Jeanette Settembre

What was supposed to be a night filled with innocent candy consumption, quickly turned into a dreadful halloween horror story early Sunday morning. 

The security officers on the Manhattan College campus were put to work early Sunday morning when a twenty year old female student belligerently stumbled inside the East Hill dorm after what appeared to be a reckless night out. 

Halloween has been known to be the beloved holiday in which children of all ages dress up in their favorite costumes and parade door-to-door to collect an excessive amount of free candy. In the college world however, if you ask any student their definition of this holiday you may find students, typically females, dodging sweets at all costs in order to fit into skin tight pieces of thinly cut fabric, their idea of costumes. 

The halls of East Hill were patrolled hourly from 9pm to 1am. There were no signs of mischief, misbehavior, or any form of mishap. The halls remained surprisingly quiet, that is until herds of students came back from their hallows eve festivities.

Residence life professional staff, Mollie Otto states, “The RA rounds are starting too early. The halls are going to be quiet because people are getting ready to go out. It is between 12 and 2am that students really start to get more rowdy either in their dorm rooms, or upon returning.” Otto states that when she was an RA at her former institution, Saint Mary’s College in Minnesota, she was mandated to do rounds from 12-2am on weekends.

Makeup smeared, with eyes flickering open and closed, Mary Smith lied vertically on the couch of the first floor in the East Hill Lobby. After witnessing the student literally falling through the door, officer Scott immediately called the resident assistant on duty to investigate the scene. 

“This building usually doesn’t have many students making hospital runs frequently on weekends, but I guess with the holiday the kids are getting more out of control, they don’t realize how much danger then can actually be putting themselves in,” states Scott. 

When the resident assistant arrived, she began to ask Smith simple questions like her name and room number to see if she was able to comprehend and answer correctly. The student was able to say her name in a slow fashion, but did not respond to the other questions. She held a plastic bag beside her in case she became ill again. 

Smith was surrounded by an entourage of friends who appeared to be relatively sober and willing to help their friend who was serious need. One male sat beside Smith offering her water and comfort. 

The resident assistant proceeded to ask Smith’s friend, Junior, Katie Roe, for Smith’s identification number and past experiences with alcohol. Apparently Smith had not eaten that day and had begun drinking early on. She had made an impromptu decision to go out to a local house party that night where alcohol was being served and proceeded to consume far more than her limit permitted. 

“She usually does not drink up to this point. We all wanted to let loose and have some for halloween, just like any other student, but it got to the point where Mary couldn’t move. She was falling all over the place, and it started to get scary, we knew we had to get her help,” stated Roe. 

Minutes later the resident director on duty for the north side of campus, Liz Gibbons, evaluated Smith. It was clear that an ambulance was needed to be called immediately, and a trip to the hospital was in order. 

Within minutes the paramedics wheeled in a stretcher and Smith was told to lie down. 

“Stop giving her water, she’s just going to throw it up,” shouted one of the paramedics to Smith’s friend as he lifted her onto the chair. 

Friend Katie Roe volunteered to accompany Smith to the Allen Pavilion hospital in the Bronx. When ever a resident is being sent to the hospital it is mandatory procedure that either the roommate or a friend accompanies the person in need of medical care. 

After Smith was wheeled out of the building and taken to the hospital, RD Liz proceeded to call Smith’s emergency contact, which in this case was her mother. 

There were four other incidents in the East Hill building alone between the hours of 12 and 3am that involved trips to the hospital. In comparison to last years holiday, trips to the hospital in the East Hill building this year alone doubled. In Horan, the neighboring dorm, there were also three hospital trips made early Sunday morning. 

Since the student was illegally consuming alcohol off campus she will be charged accordingly by MC residence life board, and could be facing a mandatory alcohol awareness course, and other sanctions that will not be so sweet.

Does anybody want some Fair Trade Chocolate?

By: Mihaela Anton


MANHATTAN COLLEGE - Picture this: its 3:30 pm, a Wednesday, you’re out of class, tired, hungry, and on top of all soaking wet from the rain. You tell yourself that there is no way you’ll go to any in campus club meetings ass a matter of fact you’re going to do something productive today: You’re going to take a nap!
“I need you to do me a favor! I need you to come to my first club meeting and bring Marita too!” said Stephanie Brooks, the new president of already thought to be  deceased Association for black culture club.  
Pad and pen ready to take down a sensational story about a what was promised to be, a no censored debate about different racial taboo themes got fair trade chocolates and disappointment instead.  Refreshments were supplied by Miss Lois Harr, the advisor for this club, who attempted to raise the spirit of an already deceased situation by bringing fair trade chocolates and engaging in conversations with one of the two people who “bothered” to come.  
“Let’s wait for a few more minutes maybe there are still people who want to come” was whispered by the newly president throughout the meeting. Nobody else came…
                Founded in 2007-2008 Spring Semester in response to the case of racial discrimination which occurred within a Louisiana high school, the Association for Black Culture had seen better days.  In the first year they had meetings and the turn outs were impressing, and as always when something gets stirred till there is nothing left to stir this club died slowly and fell into oblivion.  When asked if she knows why this phenomenon is happening Mrs. Harr said “the African American population is included together with Hispanics, international and Asians student within the 31% of the schools population also known as the underrepresented group.  And this situation can still be considered a social stigma present in the US society where the division between people limited at the division between whites and blacks”
                4:45 PM.  With two people in the class and a bowl of uneaten fair trade chocolates, Stephanie Brooks and Mrs. Lois Harr decided that they shouldn’t give up and schedule movie night, in their last attempt to attract people to the club.  They also decided upon the fact that this event will have a bigger poster on which the word Pizza will have a higher case than the actual event or movie shown.
                Later that day in the student lounge the Italian club had an Espresso Night Event to which many of the already nourished students coming from Lockes, Dantes, or Platos were attracted to.  Historically this club is impressive and probably is the only one  able to equal  the school’s history, being around for more than 30 years. “I’ve been the Advisor of this club for more than 20 years and I took it over from a greater history” said Noni Wagner Advisor of the same club and also the head of study abroad department.  Famous for putting together great events, from opera shows, to cooking nights, and from ice skating in central park to having their own religious ceremony in Italian. 
  “There is no event without food and you have to have them both to raise awareness among the students and to make them involved. Nobody comes to meetings anymore”.  At the event were around 10 students, part of the club body which took care of the atmosphere and welcomed everybody who was stepping in with warm welcoming smiles while saying “Come in! Everybody! You don’t have to be Italian to drink espresso!”   Sophomore Rebecca Cook said.  She also declared that the turnout was amazing and they had more than 50 new sign ups to add on their email list.  
                The last remark pushed away any doubt concerning the authenticity of the people attending the event, and brought back the earlier deserted club meeting, for which people probably thought they need a certain skin color.  As Lois Harr said “A group of cauasian people might not have the same issues as a group of African American one, but that doesn’t mean they can’t share their views over the same issues.”
On the way to the room  while caring a plate with chocolate fudge cookies and fair trade chocolates Stephanie Brooks said with a loud sigh “Next time I’ll put up a bigger poster.” 

Maya Little

Manhattan College Overlook Manor Residents Alarmed by Intruder

Wednesday night Manhattan College Overlook Manor apartment residents and security were alarmed and disturbed by the entrance of an unidentified male. The male was identified by the policed as 34 year old Damian Delgado. Delgado’s entrance not only frightened MC residents, but also was reminiscent of a few years ago.  

“This is serious and dangerous. Security has to do a better job,” said Overlook Manor resident Siri Fienagter.

According to the report, at approximately 9:30pm on October 27 Delgado followed two Manhattan College female students into Overlook Manor apartments.  Running into the building, he followed the students into the inner lobby and refused to stop when ordered by the security officer.  The security officer sent an emergency alert to all security units.

Yasmin Mendez, a representative for MC security guards claimed that “MC security and Residence Life responded immediately” however Overlook resident, Justin Harx stated that Delgado “was wondering in the hallway for ten minutes” before being detained by security.  

 “The security officer at the desk intervened by stepping between the students and Delgado. The security officer provided the students a safe area within the security office,” said Mendez.  

The female students involved in incident refused an interview.

Before Delgado was detained by security he made his way up to the third floor, alarming students. Delgado also attempted to coax a student into the elevator.

“He just walked right into my room,” said MC junior Nick Estis with a confused face.

“We usually keep our door unlocked while we are in the room because we never would have thought that someone off the street would be able to get past the lobby security desk. Fooled me,” said Estis roommate, Justin Harx.

“Me along with one of my roommates followed him down the hall and cornered him. We were just making sure he didn’t hurt anyone. When he screamed the words ‘STOP’ at us we back off a little. We were then worried about our safety and what he would do to us if we continued walking closer to him,” stated Harx.

“It took security ten minutes to show up and when he finally arrived the way he jacked up and slammed the man to the ground was as though he had been waiting for that moment for a long time,” Harx said while chuckling. “Watching that was like watching a superhero movie”.  

Delgado was detained by security personnel until the police arrived and arrested him.

Both the security officer on duty that night and the security officer who detained Delagado identifications were not released.

A MC security guard stated that the security officer on duty that night at Overlook Manor apartment acted accordingly. The security guard is not allowed to leave their post if an incident like this occurs. The security officer on duty has to call for backup.

Two days after the incident, Mendez sent a “security alert” email about the occurrence to all MC students and staff. The email included vague details about the incident, a short list of safety tips, and a description of Delgado along with a picture of him. Also the email stated that Delgado lives in the community and may be seen in the area and to only call 911 if he is engaged in criminal activity.

No response was given when asked why the email was sent out two day post to the occurrence.

MC senior Maria Del Russo who resides in the Majestic apartments near Overlook Manor stated that Delgado was her “super” before he got fired in early September.

“We never really got a clear answer as to why, but after that we started seeing him hang out around the steps next to our building. Every time we passed him, he looked high. We knew he'd had a police record and that he'd been in Rikers Prison for some time, but I never thought he'd get so messed up that he'd chase after some girls. He never so much as hit on any of us or looked at us the wrong way,” said Del Russo.

“I met him back in June when I gave him the money for the lease. He was super friendly and seemed very willing to help out, since the last Super had almost screwed us out of money for the apartment. He was very good about keeping up with the work we needed when we first moved into the apartment. We even gave him our spare set of keys so he could do work in our place, like paint and replace the stove. However, he started to slack off towards the end of August, when my other roommates were moving in, and when we asked him to speed up, he asked us to ‘take care of him’. He was basically asking to pay him some money, or ‘grease’ him, to give him incentive to keep working. We did, and most of the work got done, but our kitchen is still unpainted (even though he promised to paint it before we moved in). Also, he replaced our stove and hooked it up improperly which caused us to have a gas leak.”

Del Russo and her roommates have requested to get their locks changed.

“They make sure that students who attend MC don’t get pass security without their i.d being swiped, but here a total stranger got pass security. How does that happen,” said MC freshman Salim Corbin.  

“I don’t see how something like this could happen,” said Marita Keane, MC East Hill resident.

“I know things happen, but things like this should never happen,” said Andrew Petrovich, MC Horan Hall resident.

MC residence life office had no response about the incident.

As of Wednesday night, MC security has been alerted to call 911 if Delgado returns to campus or alarms anyone.