John Strahan Feature

Photo from housing.colostate.edu

A photo of Acedemic Village which

Plays home to Ram’s Horn dining hall,

One of many on the CSU campus.

Wheat-Free Eating a Challenge at College

By John Strahan

“May I have a cheeseburger, without the bun, and some fries?” My question gets a confused look from the server behind the counter in the Ram’s Horn dining hall.

“Just no bun? Like this?” they ask as they place to hamburger patties on to the tray before me. I nod and take the tray feeling almost embarrassed about asking for them to hold the bun. But there is a reason the omission.

I, like 2 million other people in the United States, have an intolerance to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and it is found in many pieces of food in college dining halls. Even in dining halls right here on our own Colorado State University campus. This can make eating for students with gluten intolerance extremely difficult.

For many people with gluten intolerance, eating at a new place is a difficult experience because they don’t know whether or not they will get sick from foods they can normally eat due to different ways a piece of food is prepared. For example some places will deep fry batter covered chicken in the same place they deep fry French fries. For people with severe gluten intolerance, this can cause them to become ill.

After two years of eating dining hall food though, I have found out which foods are safe and some good meal ideas for people with gluten intolerance.

The easiest meal to begin with is a simple cheeseburger without the bun. Depending on how severe the gluten intolerance is fries might also be ok. But a smarter and for sure gluten-free option is a salad.

Another good option at the Ram’s Horn dining hall is tacos. The crunchy taco shells there are gluten-free as is the beef, chicken and beans. Be sure to avoid the tortillas and the taco bowls as they are not gluten-free.

Several dining halls also have certified gluten-free products upon request. For example at Ram’s Horn Express it is possible to order a gluten-free muffin or bagel if someone requests one. Also upstairs at Ram’s Horn, if asked for, customers can receive gluten-free pastas.

Corbett hosts a large number of gluten-free options. In addition to food like tacos and burgers, they also host the cookery for gluten, nut and shellfish-free foods. This makes it an excellent place to go if you are living a gluten-free lifestyle.

The other dining halls; Durell, Parmelee and Braiden also have options like tacos, burgers, soups and salads for gluten-free students.

If you’re looking for a change of pace though, another great option is the restaurant Spoons located at the Lory Student Center. Spoons hosts a good variety of gluten-free soups and salads. Just be sure to stay away from the breads.

CSU has extensive websites for students who would like to know more about living gluten-free and what you can do outside of the dining halls to maintain a healthy and gluten-free diet.

Kiley Long- Story II

Kiley Long

JTC 320

The Man in the Shadows and Behind the Legends

            At every Colorado State University athletic event there is one person who is present every time. He has years of knowledge behind his eyes and countless memories working in his mind.

            He has loved the world of sports entertainment since eighth grade and boasts an impressive resume that includes standing side by side with sports moguls such as Brett Favre and John Elway.

            Many would say that Zak Gilbert, the Director of the CSU Media Relations Department, has lived a career that embodies much glamour and excitement. While he has never had a shortage of excitement in his work, the glamorous aspect may just be a fallacy.

            Growing up in Fort Collins, Gilbert knew from an early age what he wanted to do for a career someday and he never lost sight of it.

            “I knew I wanted to work in this field all the way back in eighth grade when I interviewed Jeff Kingery, the voice of the Nuggets.”

            Before Gilbert graduated college at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, he was working at the school’s athletic media relations department and went straight into a demanding internship with the Denver Broncos after graduation.

            The internship landed him a permanent job with the Broncos organization and soon he left and began working for other prominent teams like the Colorado Rockies and Green Bay Packers.

            Working with these organizations gave Gilbert some bragging rights when it came to the people he went to work with everyday. He served as Brett Favre’s chief publicist in Green Bay, as well as working with Larry Walker and Heisman Trophy winner, Rashan Salaam, at CU.

            Gilbert was even privileged enough to be asked to work the XL Super Bowl in Detroit. When asked about his most lasting memory from his career, he calls on this experience as the answer.

            “I can remember running around on the field. Confetti was falling everywhere around me and I was running after Ben Roethlisberger trying to get some quick quotes from him. In the end I had to just make up the quotes from Ben because I could not get to him in the chaos, it was insane.”

            Gilbert eventually made his way back to Fort Collins in 2007 when he accepted the position as the Director of Media Relations for CSU, despite being No.2 in the public relations department for the Packers.

            He notes, “I grew up in this city. I wanted the opportunity to run my own office in my hometown.”

            Senior Associate Athletic Director, Gary Ozzello, was Zak’s predecessor in the media relations department and was the one who originally offered the position to him back in 2007.

            Ozzello reflects on Gilbert saying, “Zak is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever been around. What makes him so efficient at what he does is his knowledge, dedication, and his experience. I know that he makes our team better.”

            Indeed it seems that CSU athletics was given a gift by bringing on someone who held such valuable experience with professional organizations.

            However, even a seasoned pro like Gilbert has still had to learn new tricks to an ever changing and competitive industry that does not always offer second chances. The world of sports entertainment is a constantly changing atmosphere that someone such as Gilbert, knows all too well.

            “The Internet and social media have changed the entire journalism industry. That has been the biggest thing that has changed from when I was a senior in college”, notes Gilbert.

            In an industry that many would describe as harsh and cutthroat at times, Gilbert has found tremendous success and fulfillment over his many years of experience. When asked what the greatest piece of advice he has ever received was in the duration of his career, you would expect to hear a long bout of reflection.

            However, in true Zak Gilbert fashion, he simply responds with a very thoughtful and simple piece of advice.

            “Don’t get too high or too low….about anything.”

Break Out Quote: “Zak is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever been around. What makes him so efficient at what he does is his knowledge, dedication, and his experience.”

CSU Welcomes Increase in Number of Minority Freshman Undergraduates

This fall semester, Colorado State University, CSU, saw the number of minority freshman undergraduates enrolled at the university increase from 667 to 740 from the previous semester, accounting for 16.5 percent of the entire freshman population, which is 3732.

With the entire minority student population at 14.5 percent of the total student population, Robin Brown, vice president for enrollment and access, said that CSU had increased its efforts over the years to reach out to students from diverse backgrounds in high schools.

“We are doing a much better job at outreach and letting families and students know that CSU is a great option for them and that we have financial aid and scholarships to help them afford the education here,” she said.

One of such efforts by CSU to create a more diverse campus is the Alliance Partnership Program initiated by the university in 2008.

“As part of the Alliance Partnership Program, we partner with 10 high schools around the state that are primarily in communities characterized by families with low income,” she said. “A lot of these students are first generation; a lot of these students are of ethnic and racial diversity.

Under the Alliance Partnership Program, students get an automatic $2,500 scholarship if admitted to CSU, with full tuition paid for in grants for Pell grant recipients. The Pell grant is a federal education grant targeted toward select students from low income families.

Junior business administration student, Perez Ansah-Mensah, 20, was a part of the Alliance Partnership Program from Hinkley High School in 2008.

“I was interested in attending the University of Denver and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs; however, the Alliance Partnership Program played an important role in me choosing CSU,” said Ansah-Mensah. “The partnership helped me with some of my tuition, and it’s an annual aid I get from CSU.”

Brown was optimistic that the number of minority students would continue to increase in the coming semesters.

“We are very encouraged for next fall because we are up 29 percent in applications from diverse students for this next fall class,” Brown said. “So we are hoping we will reach 17 percent of our incoming freshman class identifying as students from diverse backgrounds.”

Rags to Riches: The Antoine Dodson Story

By Jackson Shoaff-Bembry



Imagine waking up one day and having enough money to not only move you and your family wherever you want but also buy a handbag so exclusive that only you and Lindsay Lohan have one. This happened to YouTube sensation Antoine Dodson after an interview for his local TV station catapulted him to instant stardom.

Dodson has gained so much recognition he has been able to travel all over the world remove his family from the projects as well as acquire a good amount of wealth. His YouTube video is not the only reason he has garnered so much fame, the artists The Gregory Brothers used Dodson’s interview to create a song for iTunes called the “Bed Intruder Song,” which is the catalyst of Dodson’s fame and income.

Dodson’s fame brought him to Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill in Fort Collins where he hosted a “Bed Intruder,” themed party. When Dodson entered the premises five burley security guards escorted him and pandemonium began to ensue. Onlookers stretched out their arms just to try and touch him, others yelled their feelings of love for him while others shouted his catch phrase, “Hide your kids hide your wife.”

This adoration was the subject of much discussion before and after Dodson’s visit to Fort Collins. Many are happy to see Dodson benefit from his instant fame while others believe it to be proof of how fickle Americans can be.

DJ for the party Ryan Lewakowski is all for Dodson’s fame and the way in which he achieved it. “Anytime someone can get famous from something small I love it because it gives me hope that it might happen to me,” Lewakowski says.

Others aren’t as quick to share in these feelings of hope and love for Dodson. “I think it’s ridiculous that someone can get rich and famous because their sister was almost raped,” says 22-year-old Sydney Jones.

Dodson himself was not to keen for all the attention at first but he has positive plans with his new found wealth. After moving his family out of the projects where the attempted rape took place, Dodson is using part of his income to start up a foundation for juvenile diabetes. Dodson believes he is proof of how anyone can escape the projects even under such bizarre circumstances.

“I just got done shooting a movie at Miramont Castle in Colorado Springs and I tell you I never thought I’d be doing all this stuff, its been seriously crazy,” says Dodson.

According to NPR Dodson’s, “Bed Intruder Song,” has had over 60 million hits and was the number one most watched video of 2010 and has surpassed the realm of viral and has become a “meme.” Whether people believe it is fair or a good thing that Dodson has gained so much fame the fact is he became famous because the public and the media allowed it to happen. The greatest thing and some would argue the worst thing, is our country is setup for the possibility that anyone could become the next Antoine Dodson.

Fort Collins Police Chief Retires: Harrison Calls It Quits After 14 Years

By Mike
Fort Collins Police Services announced that Dennis Harrison submitted his resignation Wednesday afternoon, after serving 14 years as Chief of Police.
“After a series of discussions with my supervisor and some others, I have decided that change will happen in the near future,” Harrison wrote in an e-mail sent throughout the agency, “I will retire from my position as Chief and from almost 38 years in this field.”
Although Harrison is retiring from Chief of Police of Fort Collins, he will be exploring options in the region and around the community.
Fort Collins police officers were surprised by the spontaneous e-mail they received Wednesday afternoon.
“It was just out of the blue that he would retire like that,” said Sergeant Marcus Collins, “most of the time when someone retires from this line of work, especially from that high of a position it is usually known throughout the agency for months in advance.”
Many local law enforcement officers wondered what the true reasons were behind the unprompted retirement. Some believed that it was due to the perjury indictment of Lt. Jim Broderick and his involvement as lead detective in the over-turned case of Timothy Masters.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was forced out by his superiors,” said a former Fort Collins Lieutenant, “mainly due to the allegations of Jim Broderick and the Timothy Masters settlement.”
Lori Diggs, former dispatcher, said, “Harrison was a good officer and achieved great things. He always looked out for the best interest of the agency.”
Harrison’s tenure in leading the department is much longer than what is typical for that position. Most police chiefs tend to be replaced every few years when new city council members get elected.
City manager Darin Atteberry said that a police Captain will take over as interim Chief for the next three to six months while the city decides how they will conduct themselves in hiring a new Chief of Police.

When “Accessible” Isn’t Enough

When many people think of the term “handicap accessible,” they think of certain requirements having to be met by buildings. The challenges that are still faced when it comes to those with physical disabilities actually accessing buildings are often overlooked.

Denise Walters, a former CSU graduate student, says that she used to think that the university went above and beyond when it came to accommodating the handicap community, until she severed a tendon in her foot and couldn’t get around like she used to. Before her injury, she had always presumed that there were too many handicap spots in the parking lots, because she always noticed them open. She quickly changed her mind after she had to use them.

“I had a hard time finding an open handicapped spot when I was using [my handicapped sticker] during the daytime. I would often have to park somewhere in A and crutch up to C Clark,” she says. “But then the elevator to get up to the other floor is at the north end of the building. It was less effort to hop up the stairs than it was to crutch down to the other end of the building.”

She noted, however, that not everyone has this option.

“I could choose to hop up the stairs, but to be in a wheelchair, or even have your hands not in use would be so hard.”

Like Denise felt before she was injured, Paula Beardslee, an undergraduate at CSU, says that she hasn’t noticed any real problems during her time at the university.

“I haven't really observed it being an issue, but that's probably because I'm not handicapped,” she says.

However, Kirsten Tunink, who has her master’s degree in education and was a teacher in special education for 13 years, says that shortcomings in accessibility requirements at schools are problems that the handicapped community should not have to deal with.

“When making a new building, they should be making it easier for people, not more difficult,” she says. “One thing I notice, even in newer buildings, is they have ways which make [buildings] acceptable, but they are still not easily accessible. They are taking into account more of the appearance rather than the need when they put these buildings into place.”

Joshua Prins, CSU alumnus, agrees.

“In Clark C, even though it has a handicapped accessible ramp leading into the building, many of the classrooms are not well suited for handicapped students. The classrooms are overcrowded with desks, making them difficult for handicapped students to navigate.”

Should CSU make more of an effort in making their buildings more easily accessible to the handicapped community? After her experience, Denise Walters thinks so.

“If you didn't have use of your hands, I can't imagine how hard it would be. I think they have a responsibility to make [buildings] more accessible.”

Old Town Alleys are Getting a Makeover

Developments will boost safety, aesthetics and economy

By Courtney Riley

JTC 320

Imagine walking down an alley and being welcomed by an entrance of hanging lights strung above you, street furniture and potted planters lining the sides and a paved radial motif beneath your feet.

This is what the Fort Collins City Council sees for the future alleys in Old Town.

The Downtown Business Association’s Alley Project Team is finishing the final design work on the Downtown Alley Enhancement Project, said Anne Aspen, the project manager of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). They’re also preparing documents to bid for a project contractor.

The three main goals of the project are to improve safety, aesthetics and economic vitality, Aspen said.

Construction on the alleys, including the Alley Cat Alley, between West Laurel Street and West Myrtle Street, will begin mid-May, except for the Old Firehouse Alley and the Montezuma Fuller Alley, which were renovated last year.

Improvements on the rest of the alleys will consist of utility upgrades, new decorative paving, planters, trash receptacle enclosures and upgrades of signage and lighting, said city council member Wade Troxell.

“We want to provide front doors where there were back doors,” he said. “We want to keep Old Town a desirable place.”

The first task of construction will be to remove the current surface of the alleys and then relocate the utilities of the areas by moving phone lines and cable pedestals underground.

In the summer, construction will be done where the paving from the alleys meet the streets they intersect. The paving will be laid in the late summer, and the decorative planters and lights will be added in the fall for a grand opening.

The developments are expected to increase revenues for businesses because they will boost the appeal of the locations, Aspen said.

She predicts renovations to the Alley Cat Alley will increase businesses nearby, such as Cold Stone, Chipotle and the Alley Cat.

The Alley Cat Alley has already been blocked off in preparation for future construction to begin in May, forcing drivers to use an alternate route to get to the Alley Cat’s parking lot.

Justin Safady, a junior business administration major, said he understands the construction in the alley will be worth it in the long run, but right now it’s just frustrating not being able to drive through it.

A few days ago he forgot the alley was blocked off and turned into it, thinking he’d be able to get to the Alley Cat parking lot.

“It was a miracle that I was able to turn my car around in there,” he said. “I almost slid into another car; it was a mess.”

The Downtown Alley Enhancement Project also supports the city’s sustainability goals through the use of durable materials, low energy lights and the recycling of waste materials.

The $1.2 million cost of the project is funded by the DDA’s operating budget, which comes from its bond proceeds.

Any of the $1.2 million that the DDA doesn’t have to pay the winning contractor will be frozen for later use of the city for other projects.

Jamie Duggan, a junior English major, said she thinks this is a great way for the city to spend its money. She said she loves the nightlife of Old Town, but thinks some parts of the city are a little eerie.

“I think this will make me a little less scared when I leave the bars at 2 a.m.,” she said.

The Alley Cat Alley off of West Laurel Street

Sketch of future alleys between West Laurel Street and West Myrtle Street