Student senate learns of bookstore renovations
David Werda, the director of Hammes Bookstore and retail operations, spoke to student senate Wednesday evening about future changes to the campus bookstore.“We’ve developed a list of goals and objectives over the last couple of years in terms of the new vision for your campus bookstore,” he said.Werda said the importance of the bookstore cannot be overstated, considering Notre Dame is the second most visited tourist attraction in the state of Indiana.“You can think of the Notre Dame bookstore as that tourist attraction’s gift shop, and it reflects that on an annual basis in terms of foot traffic and revenue,” he said.The challenge is to design the bookstore to cater to both the enormous crowds on football weekends and students on the average school day, Werda said.“What we’re looking to do is to create a space that serves both those guests who visit on an annual basis, but equally important, the students, the faculty and the administration of the University,” he said. “We need to create spaces within the bookstore that are not interrupted on those six or seven weekends a year during football season.”Werda said in response to the concern that the bookstore focuses too much on the tourists and sets “an unwelcoming presence for the campus community” that the bookstore’s new design will feature more academic and social spaces for students.“We want to create a space that is more interactive,” he said. “Having places where you can sit and study, where you can come and study in small groups.”In addition, the bookstore will be reorganized to adjust to the changing times, Werda said.“We’re taking our general reading books, those stacks and stacks of books where ten years ago it was important to have a library of books for people to browse, and moving them upstairs,” he said. “In terms of ‘I’m going to go in and buy a New York Times bestseller,’ that’s not how this business is going anymore.”Further, Werda said women’s apparel, a growing market for the bookstore, will expand and occupy more wall space on the second floor, and gifts will move downstairs. Religious gifts, one of the bookstore’s most unique draws, will remain front and center, he said.“The religious section is very much the soul of the bookstore,” he said. “There are very few places, if any in this day and age, where you can buy most of the religious things that we sell.”During the session, Werda received student input and feedback regarding the bookstore’s renovation. Claire Saltzman, the Ryan Hall senator, requested an earlier opening for the Einstein Brothers Bagels location in the bookstore.“For 8 a.m. exams and 8:20 classes, the 8 a.m. opening time does not give students enough time,” Saltzman said.Christian Femrite, the Morrissey Manor senator, asked for lower prices on everyday items, such as toiletries.“I understand the bookstore has the Notre Dame logo on everything, but for the stuff students come in to use, I think it would be more appropriate to have lower prices,” he said.Werda said the goal is for the renovation to start after reunion weekend and be completed when students return in August.Tags: Bookstore, ND student senate, Tourism
Global Trends Indicate a Coal Comeback Is Unlikely FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享Financial Times:President Donald Trump has pledged to “put our miners back to work” in the US, promising to return high-paying jobs to rundown rural areas of states such as Pennsylvania that brought him victory in last year’s election. Trends in coal markets, both in the US and internationally, suggest that will be an uphill battle.In 2013, the US Energy Information Administration projected that world coal demand would rise 39 per cent by 2040. Now it is expecting growth of just 1 per cent. If not quite “Peak Coal”, it certainly looks like an extended plateau. Projections of energy demand even a few years into the future can never be relied on: there are too many uncertainties in how markets and technology will evolve, and the EIA itself makes clear that this scenario is just one among many possible outcomes. Even so, the latest projection, from the EIA International Energy Outlook 2017, published last week, shows that the promise of eternally rising world demand for coal, which was the consensus expectation just a few years ago, can no longer be taken for granted.China dominates world coal markets, accounting for more than half of total global demand. The EIA believes that Chinese coal consumption may now be on a declining trend, with industrial use for steam and steelmaking already having peaked, and demand for power generation likely to peak around 2023. With demand also in long-term decline in the US and in Europe, growth in some emerging economies, led by India, is not enough to raise total coal use overall.More: ($) The future of coal in seven charts
RAY PFEIFFER/Herald photoDefense was the name of the game for the Badgers when they limited the Purdue Boilermakers — the fourth-best offense in college football entering last week — to just 286 total yards.Leading the way for the Badgers was head coach Bret Bielema’s defensive MVP for this week, Jonathan Casillas, who had seven solo tackles and one assist. Casillas also had one tackle for loss, an interception and a defended pass (along with a dropped pass from Ken DeBauche on a fake punt).Bielema’s offensive MVP of the week honor went to junior tight end Andy Crooks. This year, Crooks has 11 receptions for 111 yards and a team-high three touchdown catches. Over the year, Crooks has been a jack of all trades, playing everywhere from tight end to the offensive line and fullback. This is a big conversion for Crooks from last year, when he played linebacker for Wisconsin.”Last year in the Purdue game, he had eight tackles as a linebacker, so he has come full circle,” Bielema said. “He’s played tight end, motion tight end, fullback, played left guard on our punt team, as well as a backup on all of our other special teams units. I made a point a couple weeks ago how he has changed his body and how that’s helped him.”He’s just a great kid, and it’s great to have him around the program.”DeBauche, the punter, shared the special teams award with kicker Taylor Mehlhaff, both having career days for the Badgers. Maurice Moore was offensive scout team player of the week, and Jeff Stehle earned the defensive scout team mark.Seniors take chargeThis year, the seniors have had to take a large leadership role on the team. With the loss of so many contributors from last year, Bielema believes that his starting seniors — John Stocco, Joe Thomas, Mark Zalewski, Joe Monty, Roderick Rodgers and Joe Stellmacher — have stepped up their leadership and have made a large contribution to the success of the team.”I think that our team is what it is today because of our senior leadership,” Bielema said. “Those six guys who are our only senior starters have greatly influenced all the young players in our program and I really asked them in our next several weeks to try and instill in those young players the mentality that has gotten them to where they are right now.”With the success currently surrounding the Badgers in 2006, Bielema will be looking to his seasoned vets, who have played for winning UW teams before, to guide the younger players on the right path.”It’s not easy to be a Big Ten football player, to be a senior and to do things in the right way,” Bielema said. “I asked them to really pass that on as best they can over the next several weeks.”P.J. in the spotlightStarting for the No. 1 running team in the Big Ten and overshadowing Michigan’s Heisman hopeful Mike Hart has put redshirt freshman P.J. Hill into the national spotlight. Last week, Hill had 29 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 46-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that put the nail in the coffin for Purdue.As the yards have been coming in, the spotlight has grown on Hill. This may be the cause of some concern for his coaches.”As a head coach, I can’t just bury my head in the sand and just ignore that he’s getting extra special attention; not only from the media, but walking around Madison, people are saying more and more things to him,” Bielema said. “What I’ve tried to do is have an understanding, as a coach, we have to limit the amount of time we have him available to the media.”Bielema also hinted at a potential underhanded warning to the media concerning how Hill is approached and treated for the remainder of the season.”I also understand that, at any particular point in time, if I feel that the media is taking him down a path that I really don’t want him to go, I’ll restrain that and make sure that it won’t happen.”Into the record booksIn the midst of some early-season criticism carrying over from last year, John Stocco is creeping his way into the Badger record books. Stocco is only about 1,000 yards away from surpassing Darrell Bevell to become Wisconsin’s all-time leading passer. Stocco is also second to Bevell is pass attempts, completions, and touchdowns.”Any individual accomplishments that our guys can attain are great and we are happy for them,” Bielema said. “As we have had more and more success this year as a program, certain players have been mentioned with potential awards.”Bielema said his quarterback would absolutely prefer winning to any individual award he could get.”I really believe if you ask John Stocco and you put a lie detector test on him, he wouldn’t care as long as we finished the season the way that he feels we can,” Bielema said. “The numbers and the accolades that come are just a byproduct of one thing, and that’s winning.”
Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons lays on the field after sustaining an apparent injury while breaking up a pass in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in Cleveland. Cleveland won 31-10. (AP Photo/David Richard)At 3-3, the Steelers record indicates they are an average team, still alive for all their hopes and dreams. Well, they’re not.They are a horrible football team right now, incapable of beating the Buccaneers at home or the Browns on the road. They’re a team who is playing like one of the worst in the league and it’s time to really start questioning where the issues really are.You have to start at the top. Kevin Colbert must be questioned at this point. There needs to be a microscope on how he’s evaluating talent. The bulk of his draft picks have not panned out over the last five years or so, save a few exceptions; and the first round picks have largely failed to live up to expectations.One must also wonder how he’s assessing talent in his current locker room as it appears he’s decided to pass on need areas over the past few years for some unknown reason.This past draft is a prime example as he passed on grabbing a top Corner in favor of taking Ryan Shazier. I don’t know what type of player Shazier will turn out to be but the secondary is atrocious. Instead, he gave Cortez Allen, who’s a marginal player at best, an extension. The 2013 off season saw him let Keenan Lewis, a top corner, walk away via free agency. What is he doing and why is he doing it?It’s not just Colbert; what are the coaches doing with the players they have? I’m tired of hearing that the players aren’t able to execute the schemes. Well, that may be because Colbert isn’t drafting the right talent but the coaches jobs are to scheme for the talent they have. So if the schemes aren’t working, change them. It’s an indictment on the lack of ability that the coaching staff has.People like to point out that aside from Tomlin, the Steelers have three other coaches on the staff that have been head coaches in the league. That’s true; Todd Haley, Dick LeBeau and Mike Munchak have all been head coaches in the league. All were fired, for their inability to win. So what’s the value there?One thing these guys have proven is they are either unwilling or unable to make any kind of adjustments and the league has not only caught up to them, they’ve passed them, by leaps and bounds.The theme remains the same, big plays aren’t happening, discipline is missing, the talent is lacking, the schemes and game plans don’t change and the Steelers keep getting beaten and beaten badly.With the next two games against the Texans and Colts, the best case scenario is a 4-4 record but don’t be shocked to see them at 3-5 and essentially out of the mix.The bottom line is this, they aren’t good, they haven’t been in a couple seasons and instead of hitting the plateau and heading back up, they are going down and the ship appears to be sinking fast.Mike Pelaia hosts the website Steel Nation Association www.steelnationassociation.com- Covering the Steelers and helping Children’s Hospital All Day Everyday. You can e-mail him at mike@steelnationassociation.com.
Facebook61Tweet0Pin0Submitted by Thurston County Board of CommissionersThe 2017 Thurston County Fair schedule of entertainment and events is now available at Thurston County Fair website. The fair will be open from Wednesday, August 2 through Sunday, August 6.The last day to purchase discount carnival ride armbands is Tuesday, Aug 1. Visit the Thurston County Fair website and click on “Fair News” for more information about discount carnival armbands and other discounts and deals.Live & Local concert series: The Live & Local line-up on the Food Court features South Sound favorites like:Forgotten 45’s on Wednesday August 2Oly Lemmings on Thursday, August 3Oly Mountain Boys on Friday August 4Off Ramp Undertones on Saturday, August 5Puget Sound Barber Shop on Sunday, August 6The Les Schwab stage will feature names like:Big Blue Van on Wednesday, August 2Six Pack Pretty on Friday, August 4Blues County Sheriff on Saturday, August 5Almost Blue and Backlash on Sunday August 6The KACS radio station will also feature the Robbie Sea Band, Sat. Aug. 5. at the County Fair.Get more Live & Local details and other entertainment information at Thurston County Fair website by clicking on the “Entertainment” tab.Games and entertainment: There are many returning old time favorite games on The Green in 2017, which are free and can be enjoyed by everyone. Some old time fun games in this year’s fair include:Friday, August 411:00 a.m. Slug Shooting Contest2:00 p.m. Diaper Derby5:00 p.m. Rubber Chicken TossSaturday August 52:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Watermelon Eating Contest3:30 p.m. Hula Hoop Contest5:00 p.m. Father-Son look-alike contest and a Mother-Daughter look-alike contestSunday Aug 611:30 a.m. Bubble Gum Blowing Contest2:00 p.m. Hay ScrambleFor more information about events and other fair entertainment and attractions, go to www.ThurstonCountyFair.org and click on the “Daily Events Calendar” link.There are also several fan favorites making a comeback this year at the fair, including:One Buck Wednesday on August 2, when admission is just $1 per person when you bring a non-perishable food donation for the Thurston County Food Bank. Tons of other $1 deals are featured inside the fair.Kid’s Day Thursday, Aug 3. Kids 14 and under pay just $2 for admission, and carnival armbands that get you unlimited carnival rides for the day are buy-one-get-one free for your buddy (both buddies must be present at time of purchase). Don’t forget, admission for kids 5 and under is always FREE at the fair!Military Appreciation Day is Friday, Aug 4. Active duty and retired military personnel and their families can get $2 admission per person to the fair with your military ID.Author’s Corner is back in the Sokolik Building and will once again feature local authors selling books, greeting fans, and autographing everything from children’s books to crime dramas.The Thurston County Commissioners Annual Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, Aug. 5 from 8:30-10:00 a.m.Breakfast is free with fair admission. Join us on the Gazebo Green on the east side of Heritage Hall.The annual Animal Market Sale will be in the Hicks Lake Barn on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 6:00 p.m.The annual 4-H Equine Western Games begin early at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6.To learn more about this year’s events, entertainment and exhibits, contact the Thurston CountyFair Office at (360) 786-5453 or visit the Thurston County Fair website