Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Jimmy Fund

Please help support Costas' Angels. My younger cousin had cancer and fought through it at such a young age. He wouldn't of made it without the support of Danna Farber and the wonderful donations around the world.
 I will be walking 13 miles in Boston on September 18th. Please donate to help fight cancer!  
Click here to Donate on my fundraiser page!
Thank you! 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Burnt Rubber Paradise


              I grew up where dirt didn’t exist and a cotton rag was the finest product ever to be made. Where your reflection shined in the chrome trim and everyone was envious of everyone.
The winter salt-dirt mixture washed off the pavement and into the river that formed along the back side of the town. Tires could finally lose their protective coat and put on their finest for the show months ahead. For beauty contests were where the best of the best came from all over the state to compete.  This wasn’t your every day picnic pageant. Blood and sweat would pour from every contestant grasping for the title of best in show.
            The shows were amazing and the hot sun glistening off the freshly waxed paint jobs were almost the reflection of angels. This is where I grew up.
            I had another side though that most would ever guess. For if you looked closer past the chrome trim, perfect body work; past the spotless leather seats and original dashboard gages. Underneath the hood and into the belly of the beast was where my blood flowed. The perfect body work would be nothing without the power that lay beneath that made my heart quicken and eyes widen.
This was my home.
The concept of speed and time together in perfect harmony but also, worst enemies. My father, tall and brave, was the epitome of drag racing. The very essence of American muscle ran through his veins and now flowed through mine. My home traveled in my heart and my heart was with my father.
I have no memory of living in normal house with normal things. I had wrenches and rags as toys that I would play on the dusty pit roads. Sometimes depending on our location father would let me wander into the woods and gather sticks and leaves to make little shelters for my toys. I never told him I was making houses like the ones near the track where I would see kids playing in the back yard. Though I fantasized about a normal life it wasn’t what I dreamed about. I loved my father and I would follow him until my feet bled.
My mother was very beautiful. I guess she valued her feet because I don’t have many memories of her. My father kept the only photograph in his sock drawer. My father doesn’t know I found it or that I would look at it during the later hours of the day before he came back from his nightly intake of liquid poison. I couldn’t help wondering what went wrong. The photograph showed my dad grasping a giant trophy screaming at the top of his lungs. A bright yellow sundress formed perfectly to my mother as she clutches her husband’s muscular arm in excitement.
Just how smoke drifts off into the horizon after a show stopping burn-out, my father’s soul drifted along with the smell of burnt rubber into heaven. People would wander to our trailer with pre-cooked dinners telling me that God just needed the best driver for his personal racing team in heaven and I already knew my father was the best driver on Earth.
The blood that flowed in my veins couldn’t stay away from the track for long. I took over my father’s passion for racing and traveled the country doing what we did best. Show off.
I put my own personal spin on the sport just how my father would have wanted me too. My father’s college buddies Tom and Randy were also his racing crew. After his death they both retired from the business and moved to Daytona, Florida. I got post cards now and then. It’s hard to get mail when your house is on wheels. But some how those two crazy bastards would always know what race track I was headed to next. Probably because I followed the same route as my father each season but it’s still a lucky guess.  
Aiden and Ryan were the crazy bastards’ replacements and I was happy to have them with me. I met Aiden at my father’s funeral. He was the son of my father’s high school rival. What they were doing there I’m not sure but no matter if you lost every time to my father you still had a place for him in your heart. It’s almost like my father casted a spell over everyone. Not like he had too. He was the nicest man you could ever meet and was always willing to help or share his tools; even if he was racing against them the next day in the championships.
I grew up with Ryan on the road. His uncle raced along side my dad for most of his career. When Ryan was 5 years old he wandered onto the track when no one was looking during a practice race. My father ran out onto the track and grabbed Ryan just before it was too late. I guess Ryan feels like he owes my father something so I was happy to have Ryan join my team. It’s also nice to have another race child around that never had a normal home.
I repainted the team truck, trailer and motor home a dark plum color with silver lettering. I could never replace my father and his legacy that he left behind so I changed the team name from “Double Take” to “Phoenix”. I kept my father’s 67 Mustang though. I couldn’t sell it and I felt this way he was always with me; watching out for me every quarter mile at a time.
It was early August and we were in New Hampshire at the New England Dragway for one of the last races of the season. I always enjoyed traveling to New Hampshire in August. The sweat wouldn’t roll down from your helmet as bad as you fly down the lava pavement.
Ryan had started a relationship with a team Accelerated Performance groupie. She would always be around their trailer flirting with all the men. Some how Ryan got her attention and they are always together. She practically lives with us going from race to race. She could make a mean mac and cheese dinner though and for that I felt I should give the girl a chance. Ryan and his girl were always in the trailer before the races started doing their traditional physical work out.
Even though Ryan only dated this girl for only a year he came to me last week after my races were over. I was glad it wasn’t before for I would have been unfocused and he knew this. What a smart boy. Ryan was thinking of marrying her and settling down in some boring neighborhood in Massachusetts. I couldn’t understand living any other life than the one my dad and I lived. I don’t want Ryan to leave but I could see he wanted a normal life, with a normal house. I understood this and told him I would support any decision he made as long as he’s happy. Finding another mechanic as good as Ryan wouldn’t be easy but I knew the team would be ok. 
I don’t remember where Aiden was that day, but I didn’t think anything of it. I was only going out for my first time trail and figured he checked the Mustang before he wandered off.
I started her up and slowly made my way to the track. I was used to doing this on my own and I didn’t mind it. I always felt my father was the best teacher around. I had a weird feeling he was with me more than normal today. Maybe I was just lonely for I haven’t been on a date in years and Ryan’s developing proposal got me thinking for another life. Just for a second. The ‘what if’ in the back of your mind that never goes away. 
I stared at the christmas tree. Please give me a good time that’s all I ask for. The tree counted down. Green. Floored the pedal and the mustang came to life. The sheer power pulled my body toward the finish line while forcing me into the seat at the same time. The adrenaline high is nothing I could ever describe. You’re so focused on shifting and winning you never see the crowd on ether sides of the strip. I squinted through my helmet visor as flashes of pavement and sky flickered.
I prided open my eyes with the bright light piercing into my brain forcing them shut. I couldn’t see.
An overwhelming smell made me at peace and all my muscles relaxed. I knew that smell well. The smell of burnt rubber filled my nostrils and my smile grew to capacity. For I would walk along side my father’s mustang all the way from the pit to the track wishing him good luck and I’ll see him again in a few seconds. As the mustang rumbled to the christmas tree the back tires would light up like magic. Smoke would pour out like someone unleashed the gateways of hell.
Why was I in such a bless state of mind? I felt amazing. I’ve never been this happy not even after that win in Atlanta. That was the best race of my career. I didn’t win the overall race event but this real tool John Harvey grabbed my ass right before my third race against him and chuckled that I should go make him a sandwich. The track was no place for a woman with my fine ass. If Aiden wasn’t there to grab my arm I probably would have beaten John with my socket wrench. I won the race against John; blew his doors right off. John missed second gear right off the line. Nothing better than beating men who think they are better than female drives just because they have a penis.
I don’t feel enclosed by the mustang any more. I try opening my eyes again to the bright light. The light was still uncontrollably bright. After I blinked a few times I saw the yellow dress flowing in the breeze as it walked towards me. 
Welcome home baby. 

*The above story was written for a summer 2011 Creative Writing Introduction class. I hope you enjoy it.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Toyota Provides Options for the Green Driver

Being environmentally friendly is a terrific path to follow in 2011 and it seems in America, it is becoming a wide followed trend.

From reuseable shopping bags to more people being aware of their carbon foot print it’s no doubt that more people are trying to become more green friendly.

It only makes sense that the average driver would take that green thinking to their garage. Thanks to Toyota launching the Toyota Prius Americans have started the hybrid revolution.

Many car lovers that are fueled by speed, returning low mpgs, aren’t a fan of the latest green ban wagon but hopefully with more hybrid choices it’ll become more appealing.

Toyota is hopping adding more relatives to the Prius family drivers will become more interactive with the hybrid family.

Excited over the expanding automotive market and seeing new trends in providing a healthier, greener driving experience is a great sight to see.

However, will hybrids catch up to their gas hungry rivals? Will driving a hybrid really be as fun as a v8 sports car?

The future will only show how much hybrids will improve and add to the driving experience.

Online Dating Gone Wrong

A California woman signed up on the popular online dating service Match.com and ended up going on a date with a man who later sexually attacked her.

The woman is now suing Match.com claiming the site needs to improve the dating site to prevent similar attacks. She wants Match.com to do a sexual predator screening process using the user’s credit card before allowing the user to join the dating service.

Match.com says it’s impossible to check everyone and they don’t have users social security numbers to do real back ground checks.

Is Match.com responsible for this attack? If a woman went to a bar and was later sexually attacked by a guy she met that night is it the bars fault for providing a space for the two to met?

Have you ever been on a date with someone you met online? What was your experience?

Miss USA or Best Sister?

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The Miss USA Pageant has moved its date from April to June. Of course this is the only weekend Emily Johnson, Miss Maine USA, has plans.

Johnson is planning to keep her family values and attended her older sister's wedding. Johnson is allowed to keep her crown as Miss Maine but has to give up the title, prizes and appearances.

Miss Maine runner-up is Ashley Marble from Cumberland whom will be attending the Miss USA Pageant.

The Miss USA Pageant is a big deal that millions of women wish they could compete in but family always comes first. It's nice to see that even in a competitive beauty pageant there's always time for family.

Would you choose a chance at fame over your family? Is Johnson doing the right thing?

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Sex Offenders on Campus


*The following blog post was writen to be apart of a series of articles for a final public relations class during the fall 2010 semester.*
ORONO- The University of Maine is known for being a close-knit community and safe environment for students to get their education, however, what happens when sex offenders attend the University? These series of articles take a closer look at the UMaine campus on how they accommodate sex offenders-students or faculty. 

When a suspect is convicted of a sexual crime the court requires them to register on the sex offender registry. The registry is public and can be accessed to find sex offenders in any given area in Maine by going to www.maine.gov.

According to the admission office forms, there are two “yes or no questions” that deal with the applicant’s criminal history.

Kenda Scheele, Sr. Associate Dean of Students, talked about what happens when students answer yes to these two criminal based questions.

“Question one” asks if the applicant has been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at an educational institution that they have attended since the 9th grade as well as any behavioral misconduct that resulted in the students’ suspension, removal, dismissal or expulsion from that institution.

“Most high schools have a no tolerance for any kind of bulling or anything like that. Usually it’s a one or two day suspension,” said Scheele.

“Whether it’s pushing a fellow student, yelling at a teacher, smoking… activities like that,” she added.  However, she noted that most of these cases are not severe enough to see the student as a threat to the rest of the student body.

“Question two” asks the applicant if they’ve been “convicted of a misdemeanor, felony or other crime, or adjudicated of committing a juvenile crime.” If an applicant answers yes to this question it gets automatically reviewed.

The shared processing center will contact any student that answers yes to the above two questions. The shared processing center is a system office that is required to be located on campus and can be found on the Orono campus in Neville Hall. They will request court documents from the student about their conviction and any other information needed. Once required they will email Scheele.

“Someone from the shared system office will contact the student and ask for court documentation and the student will sign a release,” she said. “When they submit all the information and its for this campus [Orono] I get an email from the shared processing system saying I can review the students court documents.” Scheele shares a common website with the processing center when reviewing student’s files.”

Once Scheele looks over the students documents and gathers any additional information if needed she “determines, one whether they can be admitted or not, and whether there are any limitations to them being admitted.”
Scheele has recalled only a few times when she had to limit students to not living on campus.

“Sometimes I say yes they can and other times I say no, they can not live on campus,” she said.

The two questions are also on the housing form when students apply for on campus housing. If they answer “yes” for undergraduates it goes to Scheele but for graduate students trying to live in Stodder Hall it’s reviewed by Scott Delcourt. Delcourt is the associate dean of the graduate school at the University of Maine in Orono.

Other limitations may include students that have been convicted of identity theft, having that individual working in the records office isn’t the best fit. In those special cases Scheele makes limitations based on that student’s convictions and place negative service on their records. The student can review these negative services on their People Soft account.

Scheele doesn’t write out the whole limitation on the students account due to the student’s privacy and other UMaine faculty can access students accounts. Scheele says she will write a contact person on the account so if someone for example wanted to hire this student for on campus employment they can call me and I would explain the students situation and limitations.

The University of Maine is on their second year of asking students the two above questions with all seven campuses with People Soft. Student records all coming online in a new system everything comes together nicely and easy enough for the shared processing office and Scheele to review students.       

David Fiacco, Director of the Community Standards, Rights & Responsibilities Office at the University of Maine, explained more about the process Scheele goes through when the students answer those two questions.

“If they [student] check the yes box for ether of those, those applications are flagged for review. Those that indicate criminal conviction, there is a group of individuals system wide that reviews those applications. Normally they will require more information on the details that lead to the conviction. And then they will make a decision based on their educational judgment,” he said.

When the student’s criminal record is reviewed and has any sexual piece when dealing with their conviction(s), Scheele contacts the Equal Opportunity Office and gets them evolved in the review.

The Equal Opportunity Office is very dear to Scheele because they enforce title nine on the UMaine campus. Title nine deals with how society treats men and women equally. Scheele  Equal Opportunity Office deals with everything that is discriminating or sexual harassment; sexual assault of course is an extreme case of sexual harassment. 

Scheele can only recall one case when a student’s record was reviewed by the Equal Opportunity Office. “The student had a family and it the babysitter was involved. It was a case with inappropriate touching of a babysitter,” she said. 

The babysitter was 14 years old. “We talked to his probation officer… he [student] signed a release so we could do that and what we ended up doing; he was on probation at the time, so we just said that student could come back when his probation period was over.” Scheele could not comment on whether that student was convicted and was put on the sex offender registry.

If a student lied on the two questions on the admission form or housing form they would be in direct violation of the University of Maine conduct code. 
Scheele described one student that lied on their questions and was contacted multiple times by fellow UMaine organizations that this particular student was “behaving oddly”. There is a student behavior review team that monitors student activity. Once the student was recognized police took a closer look and learned about the extensive criminal background. “The student lied and we gave them the option of taking themselves out or we’d kick them out” Scheele stated.

Fiacco was unsure about how long a sexual assault crime should impact a person’s life. “If someone was a sex offender whether they be registered or not, if it was something that occurred 15 years ago and there is no other activity or violation. It begs the question how long does that short of thing impact you?”

Scheele continued to talk about how at the university is a division of life long learning and many classes are offered online or as a hybrid were students have to attend class a minimum of once a week. She stated that this area of learning is where they’re starting to check into about how can take these classes and what restrictions would be reasonable.

Scheele ended with reassuring students that “if we thought someone would be harmful to anyone here, we wouldn’t have them here.”

According to Chief Ronald La Croix, of the University of Maine Police Department, when a sex offender is accepted at the University of Maine they are required to update their address with the sex offender registry and notify the Orono Police Department. The Orono PD will then notify the UMaine PD about the sex offender. 
                                                           
La Croix expressed that the department knows about the sex offenders before they get to the campus. If the offender has restrictions to their conditions the police department will monitor that individual otherwise the police department will just make their presence known to the individual. “There is nothing else legally we can do,” he said. 

When asked what happens with a student commits a sexual crime while attending UMaine, La Croix explained the school and criminal system.

 “Keep in mind the school process and criminal process are totally separate, two distinct processes,” he said.

“Say we get a case tonight and we got a suspect and are investigating it. The school has to move kind of swiftly on their end. Those types of investigations take a very long time depending on the evidence and what we have to do. If its forensic evidence those need to be sent to a lab and they can take a while. But the school has to act fairly quickly on what to do with that student based on our investigation but there is a lot of things we can’t tell the school because it jeopardizes the investigation. The school can suspend that person but the person if probably going to appeal it and might get back in school,” he said. 

Fiacco responded with explaining the school process of a criminal investigation.

 “To be clear our process is designed to be educational. While the criminal process is designed to punitive, it’s all about punishment. Not so much here. We want to be educational and there are some cases were suspension is educational. Some people need that wake up call and I have to protect the rest of the students,” he said. 

Fiacco understands how long and delicate an investigation can be.

“Our process takes time and we want to be careful unless they constitute a continuing threat we don’t want to remove someone before we made a decision about their responsibility,” he said. 

Fiacco believes in this process even if it’s something small like two people having a small conflict. He states that in some cases the school has had to remove certain students from their dorm to separate them from a troubled student.

If a student has any concern about their safety, Carey Nason, of the Safe Campus Project at the University of Maine in Orono, is there to help students. Fiacco urges any student that has an issue with sexual assault, domestic violence, or sexual violence in any period of their life. Nason is very informed with the police and school processes and is here to provide guidance and support.

2010 International New England Auto Show

BOSTON, Massachusetts- The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center opened its doors to reveal the 54th annual New England International Auto Show.

The five day show started on December 1st and it was truly the biggest auto show in New England. Featured at the show were car dealers’ 2011 model vehicles and new introductions like the much anticipated Chevy Volt, exotics and customized rides.

From Kia to Lexus there was a wide range of terrific well known car manufactures.

Guests of the show could also sign-up to test drive some of the newest cars from Kia and Chevy with a valid drivers license.

The show’s program stated factory and dealer representatives from the car companies where there to answer your questions but most car manufactures had models with flash cards.

Being away from the dealership did allow attendees to look at the cars in a no pressure environment. People were urged to sit in the cars, pop the hoods, give the tires a good kick and just check out all the neat features.

The show producer Barbara Pudney told the Boston Herald “(It’s) the perfect place to get a feel for all of this year’s new cars.”       

Car dealers weren’t the only ones there, After FX Customs also made an appearance that attracted all ages to their booth. One of the rides was a very large creation, a custom Ford truck that has over 900 hours of airbrushing. The bed of the truck lifts up to a 90 degree angle and when you lift the lid the viewer is subjected to a 55” pull out LED TV and an array of subwoofers. The younger audience took turns in playing video games on the monstrous TV.

After FX also had on display their one of a kind Dream Wheels. A five spoke chrome rim with black accents and red diamonds lined up down each of the five spokes. A spokesperson could not be reached for comment about car housing the Dream Wheels but one member of the group did say the Dream Wheels start at $10k.

The rest of the show offered almost every car for every different person’s different driving style. There were three electric vehicles at the show that are much anticipated for the 2011 automotive year: the Chevy Volt, the Nissan LEAF, and the Toyota Prius Plug-In.

If electric cars aren’t for you the show had many different trucks to offer its guests like the very popular 2011 GMC Sierra.

“I love how all the different trucks were in the same place under one roof. I was able to jump behind the wheel of one and then move on to the next. It was very truck musical chairs for me.” Baker an attendee at the show comments on the experience. “I  loved how someone could look at the newest cars without that dealership pressure and have such a great time. I could sit in the new Chevy Camaro and then hop into a new Jeep Grand Cherokee.”

Bodwell, from Maine expressed her excitement as well for the auto show. “I love Jeeps and I was so happy to be surrounded by the newest Jeeps and take my time with each one. I didn’t have the hassle of a salesperson like at the dealerships. I could just enjoy being a girl who loves Jeeps.”

Bodwell’s husband attended the show as well and he was happy checking out the Jeeps with his wife while eying the truck selection. “There were so many trucks and being a Maine raised man I was so excited. My only disappointment was there were no manual trucks. I asked some of the representatives if they knew any manual trucks being offered and they didn’t have an answer for me.”

Toward the middle of the exhibit the exotics were a treat to be hold. Ferrari, Lotus, Maserati, Lamborghini, Austin Martin and Rolls Royce were all in attendance. Due to these cars being well over $100K they were sectioned off from the rest of the cars. Guests were not allowed to touch or sit in these expensive beauties.

The International Auto Show was a huge success and it attracted all sorts of people that checked out the latest cars coming out in 2011. Perfect for anyone looking to buy a new car or just check out what’s new in the automotive industry. 

Copyright Alysha Steltzer

The Distracted Truth


On June 15, 2009 the Governor of Maine signed a bill titled “Failure to Maintain Control of a Motor Vehicle” (29-A Sec 2117). The law entailed that any activity not related to driving a vehicle that leads to failing to maintain control a motor vehicle illegal. 

Police officers can issue tickets under the law to any driver that committed a traffic violation or been involved in an accident while the driver was engaged in an activity that impaired the driver to safely operate the vehicle.

The bill is branch off of two other bills that came into effect in 2003 and 2007. The laws prevent drivers under the age of 18 from using cell phones and drivers that have learner’s permits or intermediate licenses.
Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, expressed to the Bangor Daily News (BDN) that Senator Diamond’s approach is very creative and solves the problem better than proposing several bills to Congress regarding cell phones. “People can be distracted while driving by many things; I think this may be a better approach.”
Rep. George Hogan also told the BDN in response to the cell phone driving legislation that “It’s on the minds of every state, and almost every state is more aggressive than Maine.”

So the question is, is talking on a cell phone the new drunk driving?

Report from 2002-2003, the National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL) stated that the United States proposed over 100 bills concerning drivers with cell phones while operating a vehicle. New York was the first among the dozen to limit cell phone use by placing a ban on hand held phones while driving.
In August 2010 Senator Diamond is sponsoring a new bill that targets distracted drivers more specifically.

“While Maine took a big step forward passing a distracted driver law in 2009, it is clear to me now that measure deals more with the effect,” said Diamond. “The proposed ban on texting while driving I have put forward deals better with the cause of the problem.”

Since the failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle has been affect the University of Maine Police Department (UMPD) has not issued any summonses or traffic warnings. Not even one written warning.
Steve Martell, of UMPD, stated “Either everyone is behaving or not getting caught! I’m sure it’s the first” in response to there being no record of a violation on the University of Maine Campus.

Captain Josh Ewing of the Orono Police Department said that there have been only two tickets issued under 29-A Sec 2117. One in October and the other in November of 2009. None of the two were believed to been involved in accidents. “This one (bill) is still very new. I think officers are alert for the violation, and have issued summonses when they felt it was appropriate. As time goes on, I think you will see an increase in the number of summonses issued for this violation.”  

Captain Josh Ewing could not respond to what caused the two drivers to be issued tickets.
“I just don’t understand how police can enforce this law?” said Tyler Smith an UMaine Alumni. “Drive around town, you’ll see countless amounts of drivers doing things they really shouldn’t while driving. I’ve even seen a guy shaving on the highway. It’s like when you were in middle school; the teacher said no passing notes but you still did.”

In 2001 the University of North Carolina studied that revealed “cell-phone use was only responsible for 1.5 percent of distracted driving accidents.”

Lauren Weinstein, of wired.com, wrote a piece on why cell phones bans should not be passed. His reasons were that cell phones only make up a small amount of distracted driving. “We should be enforcing laws against the real problem, distracted driving in general. Cell phones make a handy technological scapegoat.”

This is what Sen. Diamond has already put in place for Maine.

Maine being one of the slowest states in enforcing cell phone use on Maine roads seems to be for good reason. Sen. Diamond is looking at the bigger picture and targeting distracted driving is turning out to be a more reasonable idea.

Bumper to Bumper Economy


The affects of the economy is playing a huge role in America and everyone has been affected in one way or another. But what about the young adults that are collecting more debt every year like it’s going out of style?
Enrolled college students are trying to hold on to getting a great education while prices continue to skyrocket. With Maine’s unemployment rate at 8.1%, finding a job is now so much harder without a college degree. How is an ambitious young adult suppose to over come the job market by going to college if they can’t afford the college price tag?
The student body at the University of Maine runs into examples constantly that are in direct relation to the poor economy. It’s the more expensive milk they drink with breakfast, it’s the over priced book resting on their desk, the over priced meals at lunch and the major example, the expensive tuition.  
Maine’s poor economy is defiantly taking a huge toll on the University of Maine and in return affecting every one of its students. For resident students that have to buy a meal plan they’re in for a 9.28% increase this school year compared to 2008. All the students have to face the 5.8% increase for in-state tuition compared to last year. Student enrollment is up but it is estimated those numbers will start to decrease due to the climbing tuition prices and many will be forced to drop out.
With prices continuing to increase students are searching for easy ways to save money; living off campus provides great solution. By living off campus students can avoid increasing room and board rates, and eating on campus where each meal can cost up to eleven dollars.
However, commuter students have to deal with one of the biggest pains on campus that will always be around; parking. It can be assumed that with more students moving off campus to save money, more are driving to school taking up more parking spaces.
It’s too early to tell if the 2010 school year will endear more parking frustration than 2009 but the student body is already talking about how much they dread fighting for parking spaces. 
  According to Lisa Haberzettl, who wrote a compelling article to the Maine Campus in 2009, parking services are giving out more permits than there are parking spaces. “For every residential parking space on campus, parking services issued 1.2 parking permits, 1.6 permits for every commuter space and 1.9 permits for every staff space”.
 To solve this problem does the University find somewhere to expand parking, or do they decrease the number of cars on campus.
The economy has managed to affect everything in a college student’s daily life from the increase food and tuition prices, to find a parking spot. The 2010 school year and years to come will defiantly unmask exactly how much it really changed college life.