Heather R tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2009:/rober608/Heather R//3232 2006-04-21T03:13:58Z Movable Type 4.25 Summer months foster odd sport tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/rober608/Heather R//3232.43870 2006-04-21T03:09:56Z 2006-04-21T03:13:58Z Standing in a dimly lit garage, 22 year-old Greg Jonas showed me his pride and joy: a green Arctic Cat snowmobile with a 583 Bombardier engine. As if that wasn’t strange enough, just by looking at the sled you could... Heather Roberg Standing in a dimly lit garage, 22 year-old Greg Jonas showed me his pride and joy: a green Arctic Cat snowmobile with a 583 Bombardier engine. As if that wasn’t strange enough, just by looking at the sled you could tell it was no ordinary snow machine.

Jonas is just one among many who continue that thrill of snowmobiling all year long. The sport is watercross and it’s done right in the dead of summer.

“It’s a fun, competitive sport that takes a lot of guts,� said Jonas. “You take any old snowmobile, take off the seat, do a little motor work, and you’re ready to ride.�

Watercross isn’t for the faint at heart and it isn’t hard to see why. Racers don’t race on solid ground, they go head to head on water.

“We race drags and ovals,� said Greg. “Buoys are anchored out in the lake and three sleds at a time face off.�

So, can’t they sink?

“Of course they can,� said Jonas. “That’s half the fun! If a sled’s not runnin’ right, or it gets water in the engine, it goes down. When it’s 100 degrees outside and you’re runnin’ around in the pits all day, sometimes it feels good to sink.�

But that’s not the name of the game. Sinking happens to the best of racers, but it’s not something you do on purpose. You’d think it would be a lot of work to get a snowmobile running after it landed on the bottom of a pond, but surprisingly it’s not.

“On a good day, it takes about five minutes,� said Greg. “You just gotta make sure you get all the water out of the carburetors.�

Racing isn’t all fun and games. It’s an intense sport that many racers take very seriously. Greg has been racing for 2 years now, but he’s not the most seasoned veteran out there by far.

“Some of the older guys have been racing for years,� said Jonas. “They’re serious about the sport. Of course it’s fun to win, but I’m just out there to have some fun.�

And it is fun. After a long, hot day of racing, racers like to kick back and relax with an ice cold beer.

It’s not just about having fun though. Racing is an expensive sport that takes a lot of time and dedication. More experienced racers have sponsors who cover most of the costs, but not Greg. Not yet at least.

�It’s all getting really expensive,� he said. “You have a lot of out-of-pocket expenses like camping for the weekend as well as an entry fee for every class you race in.�

Greg races both modified drags and ovals. This means that racers have made modifications to both engines and exhaust systems in their sleds. There are also stock classes as well as a jump class in which racers launch off a jump positioned out in the water.

“Overall, races are a lot of fun. One minute guys are racing against each other, and the next they’re right there helping you out if you have problems,� said Jonas. “The people are just awesome.�

When he’s not racing Greg Jonas has a job and a life just like anybody else. His snowmobile isn’t the only thing stored in that dimly lit garage, but it’s the machine that requires the most time and dedication.


If you’re interested in finding out more about Watercross, you can visit the IWA’s website at www.iwausa.org

]]> Hermantown Schools to count gym class in students' GPA tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/rober608/Heather R//3232.42807 2006-04-07T15:32:03Z 2006-04-08T15:33:05Z Hermantown school board members discussed a new plan Monday night to include physical education grades in students’ cumulative GPA, something that has not been in effect for over 15 years. The proposed plan would cause approximately 2/3 of senior students’... Heather Roberg Hermantown school board members discussed a new plan Monday night to include physical education grades in students’ cumulative GPA, something that has not been in effect for over 15 years.

The proposed plan would cause approximately 2/3 of senior students’ GPAs to increase if it were put into effect immediately.

“I think it’s a very good idea,� said Superintendent Brad Johnson. “Physical education promotes teamwork as well and incorporating exercise into students’ daily activities.�

The board talked about putting this plan into effect right away, but it being the middle of the year, they decided to hold off until the 2006-07 school year.

“Middle school and high school handbooks will have to be changed and students will need to be made aware of the new graduation requirements,� said board member Pam Carlson. “That’s a lot to do in the middle of the school year.�

A few parents expressed concerns for the plan, worrying that their children’s 4.0 could go down as a result of including gym class in their GPA.

“Senior students weren’t notified of the change in graduation requirements early enough to have time to prepare for them,� said parent Cindy Roberts.

In order for each student to graduate in the Hermantown school system, they are required to take 1.5 credits of gym. However, the grades in these classes were never counted towards a student’s cumulative GPA. It was simply required that a student pass the class.

“Why shouldn’t these grades be counted?� said board member Todd Aanonsen. “In my opinion, Phy. Ed. is just as important as any other class.�

]]> Roe v. Wade - The future of one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions in history tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2006:/rober608/Heather R//3232.38135 2006-02-13T19:34:40Z 2006-02-13T19:40:20Z As a kickoff to Safe Sex Fest, attorney Sonia Sturdevant of Duluth talked to UMD students on Wednesday about the controversy behind the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wade was one of the most controversial decisions in... Heather Roberg As a kickoff to Safe Sex Fest, attorney Sonia Sturdevant of Duluth talked to UMD students on Wednesday about the controversy behind the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade.

Roe v. Wade was one of the most controversial decisions in U.S. Supreme Court history. The decision took effect on January 22, 1973 and overturned all state laws outlawing or restricting abortions.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade would be huge in our country. With John Roberts on the bench as well as recently appointed Samuel Alito, some think the conservative party just might get their wish.

“I do not believe this will happen. The Supreme Court rarely overturns cases,� said Sturdevant. With the current makeup of the court, it’s pretty evenly split when it comes to the issue of abortion.

Roe v. Wade is based on the 14th amendment of the Constitution and the due process clause. The 14th amendment states “no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.�

“The right to privacy is not specifically listed in the Constitution,� said Sturdevant, but “the right to an abortion is found to be a liberty.�

Roe v. Wade was and still is such an important decision it is very unlikely it will be overturned. There has been opportunity before this to overturn the decision, but it has not happened. Recent Supreme Court Cases, such as Planned Parenthood of South East Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992), have been slowly “eating away� at Roe v. Wade.

The Casey case removed the trimester system from abortions and now viability is looked at. Viability asks if the fetus can survive outside of the womb. If it can, then “the rights of the baby compete with the rights of the mother,� says Sonia.

In the unlikely circumstance that Roe v. Wade is overturned, the right to regulate abortions will go back to the states, as it was before 1973. This would cause chaos because each state would have its own laws and regulations.

Republican justice Anthony Kennedy is seen as the “key� to preserving Roe v. Wade. He refused to overturn the case in 1992 and “I think that he will continue to do this,� said Sturdevant.

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