June 29th, 2009
By: Roy Ryder
Horner’s Used Book Store was burglarized over the weekend, with the owner stating that cash and several rare volumes had been taken. Co-owner Ray Overstreet arrived at the store on the morning of Monday, June 29, and found that the back door had been forced open. He called police, who responded and searched the store. On finding it empty, they began forensics procedures and the store was closed all Monday. Horner’s reopened on Tuesday.
Ray Overstreet and his wife Linda have owned Horner’s Used Books Store since 1992, when they purchased the business from Delilah Horner, the granddaughter of founder Amanda Horner. Ray stated that this is the first time that the store has been burglarized, although they have had several incidents of vandalism occur in the past. Pinebox police have not reported any other recent burglaries in the area. Pinebox police officials refused to say if they have any suspects in this crime.
“We keep only a little bit of cash in the store overnight, so that wasn’t a big loss. But, the burglars got into our special collection and took a couple of rare tomes that we’ll never be able to replace,” Linda Overstreet stated in an interview. “These are historical texts that contain firsthand accounts of science in the middle ages and haven’t been published in centuries. If the police can’t recover them, the knowledge in them will be lost forever.”
Posted in Local News | No Comments »
June 29th, 2009
By: Colleen Parker
A prankster disrupted Wednesday’s candle-light vigil for Roy Stillwater, the ETU sophomore who died a year ago after re-entering a burning apartment to rescue a roommate overcome by smoke. Last night’s memorial drew a crowd of more than 50 students outside the Student Union, and Stillwater’s parents were on hand to help light the candles of those in attendance.
The moment of silence and respect was broken when Stillwater’s former girlfriend noticed the prankster. Someone who bore a slight resemblance to Stillwater crashed the memorial dressed in singed clothes and with soot on his face.
“It was terrible. I can’t believe someone would show such bad taste,” said Kerry Wiley, who dated Stillwater. “I had my eyes closed and I was thinking about Roy when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I thought it was my friend Ramona, but when I turned my head and saw him I just freaked out. It looked so much like him.”
Wiley’s scream broke the silence and immediately drew the crowd’s attention. Stillwater’s parents also spotted the imposter, but the prankster somehow managed to slip away in the darkness and chaos before he could be apprehended.
“What a sick thing to do,” said Maria Alverez, Biology freshman. “I mean, it’s bad enough that someone would crash a memorial like that. But it was dark and all we had were those candles. It was almost as bad as shouting “fire” in a crowded theater. When I heard that scream the first thing that came to mind was ’The Needler got someone!’ I doubt I’ll come to another one of these.”
Campus police were on site for the memorial and say that no student was in danger at any time. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the ETU Angels service club, which offers escorts on campus after dark.
Tags: ETU Angels, Needler, Stillwater
Posted in Campus News | No Comments »
June 29th, 2009
By: Colleen Parker
Campus police announced the successful arrest of five individuals involved in a sophisticated identity theft ring at ETU. Jerome Johnson, a Computer Science grad student working in cryptography, has been named as the ringleader.
According to campus investigators, Johnson recruited student workers in the Registrar’s office to look up student records and copy personal information. Johnson then used this information, such as hometown and birthdate, to guess the passwords of e-mail and social media accounts. Once in control of a student’s internet presence, he or an accomplice would claim an emergency and ask the student’s friends to wire or paypal money.
Investigators claim that Johnson’s ring scammed more than $50,000 in three months.
Tags: Identity Theft
Posted in Campus News | No Comments »
June 25th, 2009
By: Roy Ryder
Dr. Mortvedt's lasers are powerful but harmless.
While most people are content to enjoy the four dimensions we all enjoy, people like Dr. Nancy Mortvedt want more. Dr. Mortvedt is a visiting professor from the University of Vienna and is currently teaching upper-level classes in the ETU Physics Department. Students may not know her, but most have seen part of her latest experiment in the multiple green laser beams aimed at the sky each night from the Physics building.
“Most people know me as the one who makes the light show each night,” laughs Dr. Mortvedt. “The lasers are pretty, but they have a purpose.”
Dr. Mortvedt is the leading proponent of a radical theory among astrophysicists that postulates that the universe is not consistent, but instead has areas where the standard rules do not apply. These areas, both large and small, are locations where different dimensions are “bulging” into our own. The effect of a “bulge” is theoretically undetectable, but Dr. Mortvedt believes she can identify them.
“The lasers measure the tiny dimensional variances in the atmosphere. Once we gain an understanding of how the space-time fabric is warped in our local area, we can possibly begin to manipulate it to create new and exciting sources of energy. The beams are not just a pretty show for the marijuana smokers in the nearby dorms. This is serious science.”
Posted in Local News | No Comments »
June 25th, 2009
By: Roy Ryder
The ETU Fine Arts Center will host a showing of the work of Ethan Schrader from July 6th through the 10th in the Keppler Memorial Gallery. Schrader is one of ETU’s most famous alumni, graduating with an MFA in 1979. His conceptual art has appeared in galleries around the world, including the New York Museum of Fine Art and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, and he has been acclaimed as one of the top 20 artists in America. His paintings and sculpture focus on macabre themes and have been called “daring and chilling” by Art Now magazine.
“It’s a thrill to come back to ETU and be recognized after thirty years,” Schrader said in an interview. “I fell like I’m returning to where it all began. Pinebox was the inspiration for so much of my work. ETU is a special place where creativity and passion can be let loose and nurtured without fear.”
Not all members of the community are pleased with the showing of Schrader’s work. Owen North of the Pinebox Community Protection League has announced plans to protest the gallery on opening night. “I was at ETU in 1979 and saw his foul creations then and I’m glad to be here in 2009 to denounce his ungodly works now. The man is a menace to the town and a lousy painter,” said Owen when asked about the protest.
Posted in Campus News, Local News | No Comments »
June 22nd, 2009
By: Roy Ryder
A photo of one of the Texas Air Rangers at the Friday jump.
Golon County Search & Rescue and the Golon County Sheriff’s Office are continuing the search for two parachutists who are missing following a jump on Friday. The parachutists, Ellie Castle and David Wang, jumped with a local parachute enthusiasts group as part of the celebration of Pinebox Softball Daze, which began Friday evening. The group, the Texas Air Rangers, practices aerial maneuvers and pinpoint landing and often performs at air shows around the region.
Sherriff Butch Anderson has confirmed that all twelve members of the group, including Castle and Wang, were aboard the DeHavilland Twin Otter when it took off from Golon County Airport. Witnesses among the group report that Castle and Wang jumped at the same time as the others. Photographs taken from the ground show all twelve members linking arms to form a circular “star cluster” as they descended. Ten members of the Texas Air Rangers landed at the Pinebox Athletic Field as planned, but Castle and Wang failed to appear.
Although no official cause has been put forward and no bodies have been recovered, a member of the Texas Air Rangers stated on condition of anonymity that the two parachutists may have collided in midair, knocking them unconscious and they fell to the ground without opening their chutes. Another member of the team, also speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the dive became difficult after the group broke up, with violent air currents and unusual updrafts.
Texas Air Ranger president Adam Lang has released a statement thanking the Golon County Search & Rescue and Sheriff’s office for their continued efforts.
Posted in Local News | No Comments »
