The football team kicks off the season tonight against Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The excitement is in the air and the questions are on the table. With an impressive start but blundering finish the past two seasons, can the ESU faithful expect déjà vu or something to root for?

Head Coach Garrin Higgins is thrilled for his players to show what they can do and how they can perform.

“I think the players have had a great pre-season camp and I know they are excited about going out and performing in front of the home crowd on Thursday night,” Higgins said.

Andre SloanEl, senior communications major, entered the season as the Hornets’ leading rusher, scorer and passer just a year ago. SloanEl rushed for an impressive 439 yards and six touchdowns as a quarterback and he also passed for 1,416 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In order for SloanEl to utilize his dual-threat abilities, pressure will have to be taken off of him through the use of an effective ground game. SloanEl is confident in his new rushing crew.

“We have three good running backs that we can rotate in and out so I won’t have to run as much as last year,” SloanEl said.

ESU’s air game had a similar effect on defenses last season as the rushing attack. SloanEl completed just over 60 percent of his passes.

However, he threw as many interceptions as he did touchdowns. SloanEl, along with the rest of the ESU football team, is working hard to focus more and prepare more for games using film.

“I’m studying more in the film room and preparing more for my opponent,” SloanEl said. “I’m not going to second guess myself and will know where I want to go with the ball.”

Defensively, experience and skill lead the way, with seven players having experience starting at least one game last year. In addition, the Hornets return seven of their top ten tacklers.

Katrel Larkins, senior business major, looks to spearhead a solid group of linebackers, along with the rest of the determined defensive squad. Larkins led the team in tackles with 80 total, 4.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks. A humble Larkins doesn’t think about statistics the way the fans do.

“Personally, I don’t care how many tackles I have as long as we win,” Larkins said. “I just have to cut down on my missed tackles because I had a lot last year too.”

The Hornets will face off against the Bulldogs at 7 p.m., tonight at Welch Stadium. The team encourages all fans, students and community members alike, to come out and cheer on the home team.

Austin Wagoner/The Bulletin

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SHANE WILSON

Students at ESU have some difficult choices to make. Aside from choosing a major, where to live, or what to eat, the biggest question that affects most students on a regular basis is one about nightlife.

What should my friends and I do tonight?

Many will choose to take a stroll in downtown Emporia and experience the bar scene. Others may stay inside and snuggle up to a good book (or one they’re required to read for tomorrow’s Econ class). Yet others will choose to submerge themselves in a college experience unlike any other.

The event I speak of is none other than an ESU sporting event, and they’re taking place right now on your very own campus.

Picture this: a packed Welch Stadium, filled with Hornet faithfuls just waiting for one last play. It’s fourth and goal and Emporia’s down by six. Only three short yards separate ESU from victory over their hated rivals, the Washburn Ichabods. A wave of thunder shoots through the stands as every Hornet fan within eyesight is standing on edge, cheering as loud as they possibly can for that three yard push. The afternoon sun beats on every spectator’s back, but they don’t seem to care. They’re in the moment. Living it. Breathing it.

The ball is snapped. The handoff is made, and the fullback ducks his head, and then…

You missed it. You missed the game of the century. Instead of cheering on the home team with your fellow students and faculty, you decide to skip the game and hope nothing exciting happens. Time and time again, students miss out on great experiences such as the one listed above for silly, apathetic reasons.

You get the point. Going to watch those familiar classroom faces compete against the best Division II competition in the country is something unlike anything you’ll ever witness. Not only will it make you proud of those players on the field, but it will also fill you with an extraordinary amount of pride in yourself, for as an Emporia State University student, we all take pride in the accomplishments of our favorite ESU student-athletes.

Don’t be afraid to be “that guy/girl” at a sporting event who goes all-out in ridiculous attire to support their team. Don’t allow yourself to get trapped in the “no one goes to the games, so why should I?” mentality.

Athletes, singers, actors, band members, artists and general performers alike all thrive on a “pumped up” or “psyched” group of viewers. Sports might not be your thing, but I implore you to give it a chance before you carelessly throw the idea aside. Who knows? You might have one hell of a good time.

Shane Wilson/The Bulletin

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It’s incredible what takes place when the government gives people “free money” – they take it. The Car Allowance Rebate System, also known as Cash for Clunkers, program was another smashing success.

The Cash for Clunkers program officially began on July 1 with a budget of $1 billion. The idea behind the program was for car owners to trade in their old “clunkers” and the government would then give them a $3,500 to $4,500 towards a new car. People loved the program so much the $1 billion budget was maxed out in about four days. Not to fear, an extra $2 billion was quickly thrown together to continue the program.

There was certain criterion for these “clunkers” but generally it was pretty broad. One requirement was that the vehicle must be in driving condition. My question is if these vehicles are still in driving condition, don’t they still have value to someone?

According to www.edmunds.com, a popular used automotive resource guide, the Ford Explorer was the most common clunker traded in. I’ve rode in a few Ford Explorers. I think they’re good looking cars. I would drive one, as I assume most would if it was an automobile they desired and could afford. And we’re simply throwing them away?

I don’t have a soft spot for Ford Explorers. My point is by throwing away vehicles like these that are capable of providing the means of transportation for years to come, we are providing a disservice to low-income families. By taking older and cheaper cars off the market, the prices of the used vehicles still around are artificially inflated. Economics 101 – supply and demand.

These “clunkers” still serve a purpose. A kid fresh out of high school, the college kid looking for a dependable but cheap car, or the families struggling to make end’s meet are the people that are getting hurt by this program. While we and the rest of the taxpayers are being billed to misallocate $3 billion dollars.

For example, let’s assume that you pay taxes. A random person in another state trades in his beat up Dodge Caravan for a new Chevrolet Silverado. That was very kind of you to help him buy his new truck! Let’s hope he doesn’t default on his new much higher truck payment.

Some environmentalist would argue that the plan did help put more fuel efficient vehicles on the road. According to the Department of Transportation the fuel efficiency of the “clunkers” being traded in was on average around 16 mpg. The fuel efficiency of those being bought with the government handout was around 25 mpg. That’s an improvement of nine miles per gallon for 250,000 vehicles of the nearly 260 million on the road – 250,000 out of 260,000,000.

A report that appeared in The Washington Times states the program will save 7 million metric tons of C02 over the next decade. Sounds good right? Unfortunately 7 million metric tons is only .04 percent of the total auto emissions expected for the next decade. This also doesn’t take into account the amount of energy used to crush these “clunkers” and to assemble these new vehicles.

I’m not sure if nine miles per gallon and .04 percent of CO2 auto emissions over the next decade justifies $3 billion dollars and a regressive program that ultimately hurts lower income individuals.

President Barack Obama said in a recent interview that the program has been “successful beyond anybody’s imagination.” Unless, by successful he means people took money handed to them, I politely disagree.

Brett Mize/The Bulletin

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When you think about the soccer program at ESU, the word ‘improvement’ comes to mind.  After a winless 2007 season, the Hornets came back in the 2008 season, tallying four wins.

“First and foremost, the improvement has been the mentality of the girls here and the girls that have stuck with the program,” said Head Coach Jim Schneiderhahn.  “When I first got here, it was probably difficult to be a soccer player at Emporia.  My impression was that they kept going through coaches, that they were just out there.

I don’t want to say that nobody cared about them, but that’s kind of what seemed to be.  They, I think, believed in themselves, but I think that they didn’t feel liked.  We’ve gotten much better, and we feel a part of the athletic program.”

Schneiderhahn, or “Coach Snoop,” as he’s known by his soccer players, identified several key items that needed the most improvement.

“The biggest improvement from my standpoint is the ability to play on campus.  I think that was one of the huge things that went towards bringing in our girls and making them feel like this is a college program,” Schneiderhahn said.  “It’s something I wish I could have been able to do for the girls when I first got here.  There’s a little bit more pride for our girls when they can play in front of their classmates, and their classmates don’t have to travel across town to see a game…for us, the biggest step as a soccer program was getting on campus.”

The players have also noticed the team’s improvements.

Katrina Goscha, junior English secondary education major and goalkeeper for the Hornets, noticed the changes first hand.

“We’ve gotten a lot more competitive, the level of play increased drastically,” Goscha said.  “People are more skilled and the whole attitude is better. We really want to win.”

Amanda Miano, senior middle school education and math major and midfielder, has also been privy to the strides the team has recently made.

“Definitely offensively, and we’ve been better at defense.  We’ve been able to score a lot more than in the past,” Miano said.

Schneiderhahn is optimistic about the start of the upcoming season, but he also knows that nothing comes easy in the MIAA.

“I wish I could look into a crystal ball and say exactly what’s going to happen, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that there’s always going to be a surprise,” Scheiderhahn said. “You hope that it’s a positive surprise; you hope that it’s somebody you really weren’t counting on steps up and makes things happen, as opposed to something that is not good, whether its an injury or somebody that doesn’t show up to play.”

Schneiderhahn went on to talk about the difficulty of playing in the MIAA.

“The best way that I could put it is that the season is going to be tough,” he said. “It always is. The MIAA is an incredibly good conference.  It’s one of the best in the nation for soccer. We played five teams last year that made it into the NCAA National Tournament.  When you have that kind of schedule, you’re going to take your bumps…it’s going to be a learning season; I’m particularly interested to see how our sophomores do.  So far, they’ve done an excellent job.”

Team chemistry also seems to be a tremendous asset this year.

“The girls have commented to me that there is a really strong chemistry within the team.  It’s been my experience that people talk about team chemistry and use it as a noun, I like to use it as a verb, it’s continually going, it’s active.

Team chemistry isn’t just something that happens; you have to work at it.  The very first day the girls were on campus we went over to one of our girl’s parent house here in town and they had us over for dinner.  The girls played some backyard games.  It’s really grown to where the girls have dinner on their own to get an idea of each other.  We do those kinds of things throughout the year. I think that type of closeness is important in any type of endeavor where you’re working with a lot of people.  It’s important for one person to see what motivates another person.

Something else we do is a ‘show-and-tell’.  It’s the same type of thing that you did when you were in grade school.  We asked the kids to bring three things that are important to them; they get up in front of the team and tell them why.  For me particularly, it gives it a strong insight into the person’s personality,” he said.

The Hornets have set expectations for themselves this year, not only as a team, but personal as well.

“I want to be a starter, clock a lot of minutes in the goal, and ultimately to win and to help the team win,” Goscha said.  “Also, to be a team leader and help our team become a family.”

Miano shares similar goals.

“I want to win and help the team out as much as possible, and to help the freshman get into the college level as much as possible,” Miano said.

Hopes are high as the Hornets continue to improve year to year.

“I think we’ll do a lot better than in the past,” Miano said.  “Each year we’ve gotten better.  Hopefully this year will be even better.”

Even the soccer team’s motto this year is rejuvenated.

“Respect,” Goscha said.  “Basically that just encompasses everything that the word ‘respect’ does:  respecting the game that we play, respecting ourselves, not being idiots off the field, respecting each other,  respect the coaches and the decisions they make, respecting the officials, and respect our opponents.”

The Hornets will kick off the season against Rockhurst.  The game will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 at Wilfred C. Bourke Pitch in Kansas City, Mo.

Zac Burt/The Bulletin

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER BALDWIN

Corky’s Cab, a “safe ride” program sponsored by Associated Student Government and funded by student fees, offers Emporia State students a free ride home from an alcohol-serving establishment if they find that they are unable to provide their own transportation.

ASG President Jonathan Krueger, senior political science major, stresses that the cab service is a benefit to all students, no matter their reason for the ride.
“It’s not just for people who may have overindulged,” Krueger said. “It’s for anyone who doesn’t necessarily feel safe walking home late at night. It gives them a sense of security that their fee dollars and the people in charge of actually spending those fee dollars are doing something to help protect them.”
A rider must present a valid ESU ID card in order to receive free transportation, but will not be asked to show proof that they are of legal drinking age. Students can contact Corky’s Cab by calling Watts Cab Service at 620-343-8310 between the hours of 8 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters.
Shawn, a driver for Watts Cab Service, or Corky’s Cab, depending on the time and the clientele, is enthusiastic about the program.
“It’s a great program for colleges to have,” Shawn said. “We would love to have more riders.”
Yvette Toubia, junior elementary education major, said she is attracted to the convenience and simplicity of the program.
“I think it’s great transportation – it’s better than having to drive,” Toubia said. “There’s really nothing to it, you give them a call, you show them your ID and you’re good to go.”
Not only does she support the idea of the program, she is also a Corky’s Cab rider.
“One night, all of my friends were out and none of us were able to drive home, so we called up Corky’s Cab and it took like 10 minutes and that was it,” Toubia saod. “It was so easy and very safe – that’s what I like about it.”
Contrarily, Zack Day, junior English major, said he believes that the ease of the program could lend cause to student drinking.
“It might encourage students to get intoxicated because they can get a free ride home,” Day said.  “But I guess it’s better than having nothing and having them try to drive, the lesser of two evils, I suppose. I don’t think it’s necessarily the school’s responsibility.”
Krueger disagrees, stating that the program has widespread benefits beyond those to the students.
“My personal opinion on the program is that it’s a very positive service, not only to the students of Emporia, but to all of the members of the community,” Krueger said. “Resulting from the program, we’ve been able to actually get out and become involved with business in the community.”
In addition, Krueger believes that use of the program also reflects the positive judgment of ESU students.
“I think overall it gives a good reputation for the fact that we take not only our education seriously, but our safety and security as well,” Krueger said.
According to Krueger, Corky’s Cab reinforces the values of a college education.
“The purpose of higher education is to prepare students to become independent individuals in society,” Krueger said. “(Corky’s) gives students the opportunity to take more responsibility as they’re continuing through their adult lives.”

Sarah Shaw/The Bulletin

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RUSSELL

Carol Russell, associate professor of elementary teacher education, has been teaching at Emporia State for 14 years. She enjoys teaching here because of the opportunities that her department offers.

“Emporia has a wonderful reputation, and I was especially drawn to it because their Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education were in the same department,” Russell said. “This is important because Early Childhood Development truly is education at its earliest level.”

This year, she is getting the chance to be faculty senate president. When she was invited to run for the position of president she accepted.

“I thought for sure I wasn’t going to get it,” she said.

Prior to achieving the position of President of the Faculty, she was a senator for the faculty. Faculty Senate is an organization that holds meetings to discuss campus issues, pass bills, and provide a voice for the faculty here at ESU.

Originally from Minnesota, Russell received her undergraduate degree from Baker University, located in Baldwin City, Kan., and worked on her doctorate degree from the University of South Dakota while teaching at South Dakota State University. After 15 years of teaching at South Dakota State, Russell went on to receive her master’s from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Amy Sage Webb, associate professor of English and former Faculty Senate president, said that the focus of the senate ranges from all topics from academic affairs to the calendar and where fall break will occur.

The senate is also responsible for writing bills for academic affairs and attendance policies.

“(Faculty Senate) is a lot of work, but also an opportunity,” Russell said. “You can make a difference if you are willing to take on leadership roles. It takes a real commitment but is still very exciting.”

Dwight Moore, associate professor of biology, was president of the Faculty Senate in 2001-2002, and currently serves as a senator on the Academic Affairs Committee. He praised Russell on her communication with the faculty and others

“I have every reason to believe she will do a fine job,” he said.

Webb also speaks highly of Russell.

“She is very compassionate and patient, and willing to collaborate with others on different issues,” Webb said. “She also seems very capable of time management. She is a very positive person.”

Russell is working hard to plan ahead and strategically looking at challenges that the senate, the students or the university might face as a whole.

“This position requires teamwork and collaboration to overcome challenges or new issues we face,” Russell said. “It is not my voice alone, but representing the faculty.”

A PDF copy of the Faculty Senate constitution and bylaws can be found on the university website, under the University Resources tab located on the home page.

Faculty Senate also works with student representatives through Associated Student Government.

Faculty Senate holds meetings every first and third Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 1 in the Memorial Union Kanza Room.

Shawna Berry/The Bulletin

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On Sept. 1, The Emporia Gazette will begin printing its paper through the presses at the Lawrence Journal World.

Editor and publisher Chris Walker said that the change has been talked about for a couple of years and that the main reason for the switch is a need for more state-of-the-art equipment. The paper’s current presses were installed in 1973.

“(The Journal World) is a bigger operation,” Walker said. “The equipment has gotten expensive over the years and it’s hard for a smaller paper to keep up. We’re ‘mom and pop’ and they’re printing tons of other papers.”

The Gazette normally uses two image setters in production and the current presses have only one. Walker said the reason for the change came down to quality.

“We haven’t missed a day of publishing in 112 years,” Walker said, “and we don’t want to miss one just because we don’t have all the equipment.”

Walker said the Gazette wanted to add more color and graphics to the paper. The staff will be able to print a full-color paper if necessary and every day color will be on the front and back of the news and sports sections.

The newspaper’s width will also be changed from 27.5 inches to 24 and the TV guide will be switched to a smaller tabloid format. It will still be released six times a week.

Karen Weatherholt, campus mail services manager and daily reader of The Gazette, said she didn’t care where the paper was printed as long as she received it at the same time.

Weatherholt said she hopes the change of press will make it so the ink doesn’t come off the page when she reads it.

“It’s very messy to read,” Weatherholt said. “Every time you lean your elbow on it, you get an imprint.”

Staff deadlines will be moved up about an hour to ensure that the electronic version of the paper makes it to Lawrence on time.

“Subscribers will see no change,” said Dallas Sedgwick, the Gazette’s production manager. “We’ll spend the same amount of time up to the output point. We just have to rearrange our time.”

Sedgwick, who began working for The Gazette as a pressman 30 years ago, said the paper’s plate press department will now be eliminated and instead an Adobe PDF of the pages will be sent to Lawrence, which means three employees are losing their jobs.

Right now, the staff is working on sharpening the image quality of the paper and has done some test printing at the Journal World. Walker said the change will allow the staff to spend more time working on all parts of The Gazette, be it in print, online, multimedia, or magazine.

“It lets us focus all our energies on content and production,” Walker said. “We do so many different things… It lets everyone kind of focus on what we should do best.”

The Emporia Gazette was purchased by William Allen White in 1895. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1923 for his editorial, “To an Anxious Friend” and another Pulitzer Prize in 1947 for his posthumously published autobiography, “The Autobiography of William Allen White.”

Lauren Walbridge/The Bulletin

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COURTESY PHOTO DAVID OAKLEAF

In its first post-summer show, The Granada Theatre will host David Oakleaf and Jared “Pete” Gile at 8 p.m. Saturday.

“They will play music as a combination of vintage country and modern rock,” said Jessica Buchholz, the new executive director of the Emporia Granada Theatre.

Buchholz, an Emporia State graduate, took over The Granada in May after being chosen from a group of 27 candidates, according to the Granada website.

“Both David Oakleaf and (Jared) ‘Pete’ Gile are originally from Kansas,” Buchholz said. “They are both performers that have traveled all around the United States.”

Oakleaf, who moved to Nashville, Tenn. three years ago, was born in Howard, Kan. As described in his Country Music Television profile, Oakleaf picked up playing guitar and singing as a hobby along with roping horses in Howard. At the age of 11, Oakleaf had his first performance in the local Opry House in his hometown.

Oakleaf and Jared Johnson won the fifth place in the first season of the show “Can you Duet” last year, which is produced by FremantleMedia, the same company that is in charge of the production of “American Idol.”

The performer plays an array of instruments including the guitar, harmonica, trumpet and drums and is influenced musically by the likes of George Strait, Keith Urban and Led Zeppelin, according to CMT.

After his Granada performance, Oakleaf will travel to several other cities in Kansas, including Caney, Axtell and Howard, later in September.

The featuring artist Jared “Pete” Gile and Oakleaf met each other when they spent their academic years in Manhattan at the same time. They both played music in a pub, which was full of musicians.

Jared “Pete” Gile, is from Scandia, a small town located in North Central Kansas.

“It is kind of funny,” Gile said in a telephone interview. “Pete is just a nickname. That’s why it is in quotes. I kinda go by Jared ‘Pete’ Gile, but everybody who knows me just calls me ‘Pete’.”

Gile received a degree in biology from Kansas State University. Recently, he started a new business with his father.

“Well, I never actually formally did music,” he said. “It is just always a hobby of mine. As soon as I graduated from college, I went ahead and was trying to make a living from my hobby. So I kinda have been doing that ever since.”

Gile has independently released two albums of his original music, “Modern Day Mountain Man” in 2003 and “More of Me” in 2007. Last week, Gile spent his time in Austin, Texas, recording his new single, which will be released in early October.

Gile will play music in a folk and country style. Oakleaf’s band will play more modern rock. Gile also plans to reveal the stories behind the music to the audience.

“I heard (The Granada Theatre) is very nice,” Gile said. “I’m looking forward to performing there”.

Tickets are available at the Granada Coffee Company, Sweet Granada, or by calling the box office for $15. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m.

The Granada will also host movies and other concerts throughout September.

Xinyi Chen/The Bulletin

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Pulled Quote:

“With H1N1, we’re seeing more stomach upset than we do with regular seasonal flu,” said Jan Noyes, nurse practitioner for the Emporia State Health Center. “A lot of time we see nausea. We see vomiting. We see diarrhea.”

A new plan for dealing with the H1N1 virus, also known as Swine Flu, was released from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education last Thursday. The plan detailed how school officials should deal with the virus during the upcoming flu season.

According to the World Health Organization, the infection rate across the globe has reached level 6, or pandemic levels, meaning that more than one global region has been infected.

Jan Noyes, nurse practitioner for the Emporia State Health Center, said that there have been no reported cases of H1N1 at Emporia State.

“We have had no confirmed cases of H1N1,” Noyes said.  “We have had confirmed cases with Influenza A”

The main focus of preparation has been set on prevention. This includes preventing students from getting the virus and preventing those who do get it from spreading to others.

“They are having a campaign to tell people how to prevent getting the flu,” Noyes said. “They put out an announcement answering the most common questions about what is the difference between the seasonal flu and the H1N1 and why there is a need to have vaccines for both of them.”

The H1N1 vaccine, along with the Influenza A vaccine, will be offered at the health center as soon as they are available.

“Right now, (the Kansas Department of Health and Environment) is giving us updates on when we can expect to get the vaccines and it seems like every week it is changing,” Noyes said. “The seasonal flu vaccines will probably come first.”

However, persons who are at the most risk will be offered the first set of vaccines, Noyes said. This includes pregnant women, small children and young adults up to age 25 and healthcare professionals.

Noyes encourages everyone, especially the people who are at the most risk, to get both a seasonal flu shot and a H1N1 vaccine. Seasonal flu shots will not protect individual from the H1N1 virus.

“Everyone needs to get their seasonal flu shot along with the H1N1 when it does come out,” Noyes said. “The seasonal shot will not cover the H1N1 virus.”

If students suspect that they have the flu, H1N1 or otherwise, Noyes suggests that they isolate themselves. If students do come into the health center with flu like symptoms, precautionary measures will be taken.

“If somebody is coming in with a cough, we’re just going to automatically ask them to mask until we find out what’s going on them,” Noyes said. “We’ll try to get them back in a room to isolate them immediately.”

Symptoms for H1N1 and seasonal flu are similar, including high fever, cough and sore throat.

“With H1N1, we’re seeing more stomach upset than we do with regular seasonal flu,” Noyes said. “A lot of time we see nausea. We see vomiting. We see diarrhea.”

Students can take steps to prevent contracting the disease.

“If you want to prevent it, wash your hands,” said Marjorie Werly, director of public relations and executive assistant to the president. “If you do feel yourself getting sick, segregate yourself until the fever has gone away.

According to the WHO, persons with H1N1 can be contagious for up to seven days. Werly said that students should continue to isolate themselves until 24 hours after their fever has subsided and they have stopped taking medication.

Gary Wyatt, professor of sociology, anthropology and crime and delinquency studies said he is worried for his students.

“I’ve always had a strict attendance policy but I got very worried about what I was hearing about the swine flu,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt was so worried, in fact, that he changed his attendance policy.

“Students might come and compromise everyone else’s health,” he said. “If you honestly feel you might be getting sick, contact me and absolutely don’t come to class. Stay home until you feel better. I would feel awful if someone came to class because they were worried about missing points and infected everyone else.”

Ashley Peaches/The Bulletin

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At 10 p.m. this Saturday, Ha Ha Tonka will perform at Beer:30, 402 Merchant St. The band will also be touring in Cambridge, Mass., Philadelphia, Penn., and Dallas, Texas.

Josh Olsen, a co-owner of Beer: 30, said he is excited to have Ha Ha Tonka back in town.

“We are expecting a crowd of 500 or more and we’ll have drink specials all night,” he said.

Some of their specials will include a mixed drink recipe that is the signature drink of Ha Ha Tonka. Beer: 30 also offers the band drink specials and free Pyramid Pizza.

Ha Ha Tonka will play after two openings acts, Treaty of Paris and Eric Murphy. A cover charge of $3 will be charged to those who are over 21 and $5 for those who are under, Olsen said.

Ha Ha Tonka is classified as indie/rock and is promoting their second album “Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South.” Their first album, “Buckle in the Bible Belt,” can be accessed via their merchandise links on MySpace. They are originally from Springfield, Mo.

The band consists of four guys – Brian Roberts (vocals and guitar), Lucas Long (bass and vocals), Lennon Bone (drums and vocals) and Brett Anderson (keyboard, guitar and vocals).

The four use harmony to their benefit in most of their songs, but especially in “Hangman.” The group has been touring all summer and has been getting a lot of attention from radio stations across the U.S.

Just recently they’ve had requests for their music to be played on stations in Alaska and Florida. A station in Wichita, KACY 102.5, is the only station in Kansas listed as playing their music so far, according to their Myspace page.

Ha Ha Tonka has also recently received a lot of attention from magazines. J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone said in May that “(Novel Sounds) Occupies the sweet spot between country and indie, writing ornery songs with big hooks.”

This weekend’s performance will be Ha Ha Tonka’s third time playing in Emporia, and Olsen said he hopes they continue to return in the future.

Krista Harries, junior accounting major, discussed her musical preference as consisting of country, soft rock, and oldies.

“I’ve not heard of them before, though I would be interested in going,” Harries said.

Ha Ha Tonka will have merchandise for sale at the show.

Beer:30 will also host an Open Mic night tonight, the DeWayn Brothers on Friday, with Granny Tweed and Calvin Bennett opening, and the grand finale of Ha Ha Tonka with Treaty of Paris and Eric Murphy on Saturday night. Both shows start at 10 p.m.

Shawna Berry/The Bulletin

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Pulled Quote: “I support universal health care,” said James Lawson, sophomore undecided major. “We’re one of the only industrialized countries on the planet that still does not have it. Everyone needs a Band-Aid sometimes.”

As President Barack Obama crusades to reform the United States’ health care system with a bill currently making its rounds through the house and senate, students weigh in on their views about the prospect of a national health care system.

According to www.healthreform.gov, the official Web site of President Obama’s health care reform plan, reforming the U.S. health care system is necessary to “control rising health care costs, guarantee choice of doctor, and assure high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.”

Part of this health care reform plan, in the current draft of the bill at least, features an optional health care plan similar to Medicare that would allow health care provisions for those currently uninsured.

Students possess varying degrees of support for the bill, with some believing it to be a step towards socialism, higher national debt and fewer health care options for those currently receiving insurance through a private company.

“I am against this new health care plan, since they pushed for it too hard without getting the people’s feedback,” said Erin Ferguson, sophomore history major. “I do believe health care should be reformed, but to model the plan after Britain’s and Canada’s just leaves too many potholes. Those people already come to America to get care that they cannot get in their own countries.”

Other students choose to remain neutral to the issue and said they can see both sides of the argument.

“It’s nice to think about not having to pay for health insurance, since I don’t have it right now,” said Anthony Whestone, history graduate student. “I just went to the emergency room and got a bill for $800 or $900 for a 10 minute visit that told me what medicine to take. The thing about universal health care is that somebody has to pay for it, and I will probably just end up getting whatever insurance my future employer provides. I am indifferent at this point.”

Other students support the idea of a national health care system as 20 percent of the nation’s college students are without health insurance, according to the Government Accountability Office’s Web site.

“I support universal health care,” said James Lawson, sophomore undecided major. “We’re one of the only industrialized countries on the planet that still does not have it. Everyone needs a Band-Aid sometimes.”

No matter what position students hold, health care reform has hurdles to clear economically and politically. House and Senate committees must examine the bill, edit it and vote on it.

As the bill is still on the congressional cutting room floor, the cost of the project remains to be ascertained. Funding for overhauling the U.S. health care system would also come in the wake of the costly Economic Stimulus Package.

“It’s almost too radical for the time,” Ferguson said. “We do need to reform healthcare, but now may not be the time to do it.”

Josh Johnson/The Bulletin

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