October 23, 2009 VOLUME III ISSUE 1 DEXTER HIGH SCHOOL 2200 N. PARKER ROAD DEXTER, MI 48130

RThe Rostrum

FALL 2009

Haunted houses, pumpkin carvings and cos-tumes dos and don’ts; everything Halloween on

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Fall 2009 has been one to remember. Between football and the first frost, it has blown by.

Arts and Entertainment has been moved. You can now find it on

page 6Hookah is the newest way to ruin your health. Check it out on

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Photo by Candice Wiesner

For one night each year, when the wind howls and the trees tremble, individuals are encouraged to dress up as ghosts and goblins to wander the streets in search of candy and entertainment. Among these characters will be senior Sarah Tarnaski.

Tarnaski said she plans to dress up as a Disney princess, complete with a princess’ dress and a crown, with a group of friends for Halloween. They came up with the idea easily: “We like Disney a lot, (and) it brings back childhood memories. I would walk to movies, and I went to Disney World as a kid and took pictures (with the characters),” Tarnaski said.

Whether trick-or-treating, attending a party or scaring others, many high school students continue to dress up for Halloween.

This year, several people are expected to dress in classic costumes based on fairy tales. While girls may go back to the days of Disney princesses or fairies, others may opt for a scarier version of Red Riding Hood or the Big Bad Wolf.

Tarnaski can see her princess costume as a potential theme for other students. “Everyone deserves to be a princess for a day. It’s a lot of fun and it’s something special,” she said.

Halloween USA employee Byron Carey said there will also be a lot of costumes based on movies this year. “For

the kids there’s ‘Star Wars’ (that’s selling the most),” he said.According to Suite101.com, the success of movies such as

“Star Trek,” “Harry Potter” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” have caused character costumes to become popular for guys and girls of all ages. These characters include Spock, Harry Potter and Captain Jack Sparrow.

This year’s box office hits have also sparked a fascination with superheroes. According to HalloweenStreet.com, stores are once again selling several costumes for guys and girls based off of classic superheroes, such as Batman, Superman and Catwoman.

This genre placed number two on their list of Top 9 Costume Trends for Halloween. The newest additions of superheroes, such as characters from Watchmen, are also creating costumes for 2009.

Every student is bound to have a favorite superhero. For Tarnaski, “It’s a tie between Spiderman and Batman because I like the movies, and they’re awesome. There’s a lot of action in (the movies),” she said.

But what’s a superhero without a villain? Popular costumes also include the Joker and Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe, according to Squidoo’s 2009 Halloween Costume Ideas.

There has also been a surplus of costumes based on celebrities from Lady Gaga to Marilyn Monroe, according to Associated Content’s “Halloween Costumes 2009: Hot Trends Tracker and More.” After the death of Michael

Jackson and Farah Fawcett, many companies have begun to make costumes from the 80s, including Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” costume. According to Tarnaski, “Michael Jackson (costumes) I think would be pretty good as like a tribute to him because he’s like a legend to everybody.”

One of Tarnaski’s favorite costumes is based on stars from 90s. “Our Spice Girls (costumes) last year (were) definitely pretty epic. It was fun dressing up, and it was cool to bring back the Spice Girls that I used to listen to when I was little.”

As always, many people will choose to dress up in classic Halloween costumes. This includes gangsters, vampires and characters from classic horror movies such as “Friday the 13th”, “Halloween” and “Nightmare on Elm Street.”

These characters are some of Carey’s favorites, year after year. “(I like) Jason ... Michael Myers and Jason. They’re the classics.”

Carey offers his advice for high school students: “(Depending) on what you want, some may have to go online (to find the perfect costume).”

Regardless of what you decide to be for Halloween, there are plenty of options available for any taste. Whether your intentions are to look good for a party or scare your neighbors, Tarnaski has some tips that can help any student find a costume that works for them. She said, “Just make it fun and be creative. The more creative (you are), the more fun (you’ll have) and the more exciting it is.”

Megan Podschinestaff writer

Students enjoy dressing up for Halloween

Flannel makes a comebackFlannel shirts seem

to be popular around the farm.

“They keep me warm,” sophomore Henry Cares said. “They’re ideal for helping out around the farm. They’re stylish. They don’t do anything to help-just keep me warm while I am working.”

Junior Garrett Fischer has a more practical, simple reason for wearing flannel. “I wear them when it’s cold outside,” Fischer said.

In North America flannel shirts are often worn by farmers and lumberjacks because they provide warmth

and protection against the wind. But because of the comfort that they bring, the shirts are still quite popular according to Cabela’s sales person Niki Bioma.

“They’re pretty popular in the fall,” said Bomia adding that Cabela’s usually gets their first shipment of flannel shirts in the fall and carry them through winter. “

They’re usually used for Christmas presents,” she said. “They are also used for layering.”

Bomia also said that all types of guys come into the store to buy them. She said, “They’re more of a casual wear.”

Sirah Camarastaff writer

2 The RostrumFriday, October 23, 2009

trends

Sophomore Nick Empey sports the flannel.

Junior Michael Richter wears a blue flannel shirt.

Photo by Sarah Breuninger

Photo by Sarah Breuninger

Senior Gabe Altomare has finally achieved what he has been working toward for most of his life. He has become an Eagle Scout.

Eagle Scout is the highest honor one can earn on scouting. In 2007, for instance, only 2 percent of Boy Scouts became Eagle Scouts.

According to Altomare, a scout has to make the Boy Scout Oath a part of his daily life: Duty to God and country, Duty to others and Duty to self. These three principles make up the foundations of Scout life.

While it takes years of actively trying to become an Eagle Scout, it’s always at the end of the journey, the final goal.

Altomare said he decided to start his scouting path. He joined in early grade school, and he said

he joined because he thought it would be good to be involved in his community.

“They were really supportive,” he said. “I never felt like quitting.”

The path was a long one, first having worked his way through Cub Scouts and the lower ranks, like Star and Life Scout.

In addition to 21 merit badges and being a Life Scout for six months, a potential Eagle Scout has to complete a service project.

Altomare’s worked with the Friends of Wildlife, a nonprofit, volunteer-run rehabilitation group for his project

While there aren’t any more titles he can get, Altomare said he’ll continue Scouting.

Eagle Scouts can keep getting Eagle Palms for every five merit badges they earn, so the rewards are still there.

Altomare’s favorite memory of the Boy Scouts was in 2007

when he and 11 others embarked on a 10-day backpacking trip in New Mexico at the Philmont Scout Ranch. The treks can be anywhere from 50-100 miles long.

While forced to “retire” from the Scouts at 18, Altomare said he will stay involved in his community.

And he said he would recommend Scouting for anyone, saying, “It teaches a way of life.”

He said he’s more confident and competent thanks to the Scouting program.

His decision-making skills have improved also and he said he is more adaptable to different situations around him.

Until he has to retire, though, Altomare said he will just enjoy his time with the Scouts.

He said, “Scouting is a good organization dedicated to helping the people around them.”

The Rostrum Friday, October 23, 2009get involved

Dexter coalition combats underage drinking

Ray Carpenterstaff writer

Altomare reaches Eagle status

As a flash of blue flies into the stands of cheering students, hundreds fight for the free T-shirts thrown into the crowd. However, these T-shirts represent much more than just a free give-a-way. They are a way for the Dexter Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (DCRUD) to raise awareness and get students involved in their group.

Starting in the spring of 2008, town hall meetings were held regarding the release of information from the Washtenaw County Public Health Department (WCPHD) about the large number of underage drinking and alcohol-related traffic deaths in Dexter and Pinckney.

A few months later, with the help of a grant from the Office of Drug and Control Policy, DCRUD and the Pinckney Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (PCRUD) were formed.

These groups have developed a common goal to reduce the amount of underage drinking and the number of alcohol-related crashes in Dexter.

Amanda Naugle, a liaison between DCRUD, PCRUD and WCPHD, has been working between these groups since the beginning.

“The fact that there wasn’t already a group involved (in Dexter) made it a good place to create one,” Naugle said. “There were also a lot of factors, including the fact that Dexter is a rural community, which adds to it having a

higher amounts of crashes.”Some of the projects DCRUD worked on this past year

include passing out T-shirts at the homecoming football game, creating the “Parents Who Host Lose The Most” ads, youth photovoice and project sticker shock.

DCRUD developed “Parents Who Host Loose The Most” ads to warn both students and parents about the issue of underage drinking. These ads were created to remind parents that it is illegal to give underage students alcohol.

DCRUD started youth photovoice last school year as a way for students to get involved by taking photos that take a closer look into underage student drinking. The photos were showcased on Dec. 4, 2008.

Project Sticker Shock is DCRUD’s most recent project. During the week of July 4, DCRUD asked local businesses to place stickers warning minors of the legal punishments associated with underage drinking. Fifteen thousand stickers and 66 posters were distributed. All of the retailers in Dexter participated.

After the success with Project Sticker Shock, DCRUD has planned a similar project for Halloween according to Naugle. “We are putting together postcard-sized fliers for parents to give away to trick-or-treaters,” Naugle said. “It basically explains the penalties for underage drinking. (Also), parents can’t just take away the keys from students. Any underage drinking is illegal.”

Naugle also said she hopes to give the fliers out to the stores who participated in Project Sticker Shock in order to

get more of the word out. DCRUD meets the first Thursday of every month at the Dexter District Library from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Their next meeting is Nov. 5. DCRUD always welcomes new members.

“We’re looking for more youth to be involved, which would be great,” Naugle said. “At this point, it’s mostly adults.”

DCRUD is trying to create projects that students can easily become involved in, such as youth photovoice, which DCRUD is planning on doing again this year.

“We try to pick projects students can help with,” Naugle said. “We really welcome them and would like their involvement.”

Lauren Gardnerstaff writer

Senior Gabe Altomare works on his Eagle Scout project. Altomare’s project involved working with Friends of Wildlife.

Photo courtesy Gabe Altomare

Photo by Lindsey Gagneau

Junior Christine Wolyniak, sophomore Abby Everard and junior Becca Pape sport their DCRUD shirts. Cheerleaders passed out these shirts at the homecoming football game.

3

1. Is fall your favorite season of the year? Yes- 43% No- 57%

2. Would you rather … Jump in a leaf pile-26% Carve a pumpkin-18% Drink hot chocolate by a crackling fire-

56%

3. What is your favorite thing to do on Halloween? Pass out candy-9% Trick or Treat-39% Go to a party-52%

5The Rostrum Friday, October 23, 2009the spread4 The RostrumFriday, October 23, 2009 the spread

If you’re looking for the perfect mix of fright and thrills Cedar Points Halloweekends is exactly what you’re looking for.

By day the park has a fun family friendly atmosphere. At night the park transforms into a spine-chilling place of terror.

There are plenty of haunted houses to choose from that will leave you petrif ied. If you don’t want to go to any of the houses, the Fright Zones are terrifying as well.

With monsters jumping out from every direction and smoke machines everywhere making it hard to see, you won’t be able to unclench you’re hands until your out.

Running won’t work though because they will chase you

down, jump in front of you and trap you in corners.

Tickets are $44.99 on Saturdays and Sundays and $29.99 on Friday Nights, if you happen to be less than 48 inches tall or over the age of 62, your ticket is only $19.99 on Saturdays and Sundays.

If you want have fun and be scared this Halloween, Halloweekends is definitely for you.

If you want to be scared but you don’t feel like making the trip to Ohio, Wiard’s Orchard Night Terror will do the job just as well as Halloweekends. Maybe better.

If you choose to go to Wiard’s, you can’t miss out on the Ultimate Barn. You’ll have to f ind your way through the darkness and try not to run into any chainsaw murderers.

It will make you never want to go on a farm again. There are also f ive other attractions.

There is an Asylum, The Haunted Mined Shaft, The Labyrinth (a haunted corn maze), Alien Caged Clowns and The Hayride of the Lost.

A ticket for a single attraction is $15.

You can also get the package of all six attractions for $29 or the VIP Package for $37, which includes all six attractions, VIP treatment and a pass to the Wiard’s County Fair.

Whatever you choose you will not be dissapointed.

Cedar point is well known for being scary but Wiard’s will do the job just as well.

If you want to be scared without the long trip, I would definitely choose Wiard’s.

Halloweekends v. Wiards: be ready to be scared Orchestra prepares for Halloween concert

Costume “Do”s and “Don’t”sDO:Have an awesome costume:If you’re lost as to what to be for Halloween this year, go unique. Hallow-een is probably the only time of the year when you get to go crazy and be someone you normally aren’t and do things you normally don’t do. Go to Halloween parties and make heads turn.

Accessorize:If your Halloween costume calls for bling, get it. Bling makes your costume all the better. It’s just a necessary part of Halloween. You can’t be a pirate without a pirate hook or some really funky necklaces and bracelets.

Be recognizable: Have a costume everyone can recognize. If you still go trick-or-treating, have a costume people will recognize and give you credit for. The worst thing would probably be not being able to get candy because you’re cos-tume wasn’t “candy worthy”.

Pick out a unique costume:We always see the typical Halloween costumes: princesses, pirates, slutty French maids, Greek gods and goddesses. Instead go to Halloween USA and go crazy.

Be a vampire:This year is the year of the vampires. I can’t even count how many vampire- related shows are on the TV. It’s obviously a hint to the world. It’s OK to be a vampire for Halloween. Not sure if you can pull off the sexy Edward Cullen? Try. And the fangs should be as realistic as possible.

DON’TS:Have a lame costume:The worst kind of costume is a lame one that doesn’t have any significance or meaning. For instance: wearing pajamas and saying that you’re dressed as a dreamer. It is pointless and a waste of time.

Go crazy with makeup:It’s nice to see the makeup that goes with your costume, but please don’t go overboard. The more makeup you put on, the closer you get to the unrecognizable costume category. If you’re going as Batman, be Batman. Don’t color all over your face.

Be a skank:It’s just not very appealing, and the skanky costumes we see, the more bor-ing and unattractive they get. Fishnets have never been attractive.

Be a clown:It’s just freaky. Even little kids run away from clowns. The whole white powdered face and the red mouth makeup with the enlarged red nose and the wig make you look completely ridiculous. We’re not three year old toddlers. Clowns no longer work for us.

Be a emo chick/dude:Don’t we see enough of this in school? It makes you look depressing. Hal-loween is supposed to scare you, not depress you.

Cedar Point’s Halloweekends transforms the park at night in to a haunted attraction.

Orchestra students practice for their

upcoming Hallow-een concert. The

students will dress up in costumes for

the concert.

Photos by Ross Chamberlain

Nicole Minzeystaff writer Toliver Rogers

staff writer

Steve Fergusonstaff writer

Megan Kimstaff writer

“ My favorite part of the fall is home made apple sauce and fresh apple cider. We always buy unlimited amounts of apple cider to heat up in the fall, and we use our apple trees to make home made apple sauce.”

-Michelle Metevier

Autumn Poll ‘09

This October will mark the eighth year the Dexter High School Orchestra puts on

a Halloween concert on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in the CPA

Tickets are $5 for

adults and $2 for kids. Orchestra director Matt Deloria started teaching at DHS

10 years ago. Eight years ago, he said he came up with the idea of putting on a Halloween concert because while he was at Eastern Michigan University, they put on a Halloween concert, and he said it was always fun for everyone.

During the concert, students dress up in Halloween costumes. Deloria said students usually do

section themes where those who share the same instruments dress up

as the same character or in the

same clothes. “Everyone always has fun with it,” Deloria said. “This is

our most approachable orchestra concert. It is half show and half music.”

Some music on the play list this year includes Disney’s “Hercules” and the “Mask of Zorro.” Another piece being performed is called “A Night on Bald Mountain,” by Mussorgsky.

Deloria said, “Most people wouldn’t recognize it, but if Black Sabbath wrote classical, this is it.”

Deloria also said a lot of people help make this concert possible, including the orchestra boosters and band directors.

He said, “(Band director Ken) Moore plays a big role in making it possible. He allows us to borrow

some band students to help with the production.”

survey based on 847 stuents

“Gobbstoppers” by XV feat. Wiz Khalifa

“Wizzle goes in at the end of the song. Taylor gang or die.”

Dave LaMoreAsst. opinion editor

6Friday, October 23, 2009 Entertainment The Rostrum

Battle of the Bands was set for Thursday, Oct. 8, but was cancelled because not enough bands signed up to perform and not enough students volunteered to participate in running the event.

According to Debora Marsh S.P.A.C.E. adviser, “The only confirmed band was Untitled. Serafin and Jenova’s participation were in dispute. Some members said they were going to play, while others said they were not. I think a version of the teacher band Progress Report was going to play, but I never actually had that completely confirmed.”

Marsh also said there were other individuals signed up to preform such as juniors Graham Low and Ben Wilson, but she said they are not usually part of the competition because they aren’t bands.

Marsh said one of the reason there were not many bands signed up to participate was because they are getting other opportunities to play elsewhere.

The other main reason for the cancellation of Battle of the Bands, according to Marsh, was because there were not enough students participating in running the event.

“I had meetings for two weeks in a row when only one student showed up,” she said. “There doesn’t seem to be a desire by the student body for this kind of activity.”

The teacher band Progress Report was very disappointed in Battle of the Bands’ cancellation according to video teacher and lead vocalist Matthew Martello. “I was bummed,” he said. Progress Report had a new song that we wanted to play at Battle. The song advertises the fall play ‘Back To Reality.’ This particular battle was pretty important, at least from my standpoint. I certainly hope that Battle sticks around. It’s a great outlet for a certain percentage of the Dexter High School population.”

Marsh said, “It makes me sad to think that it’s over.”

Battle of the Bands cancelledLiz O’Keefestaff writer

The Invention of LyingDirectors: Ricky Gervais and Matthew RobinsonRating: PG-13Run time: 100 minutes

Ricky Gervais and Matt Robinson direct this movie which runs 99 minutes and was released on Oct. 2.

The movie is about people who believe lying never existed. The main character, Mark, suddenly develops the ability to lie. He finds that lying is a good thing and brings rewards.

Mark easily lies his way to fame and fortune but sees how lying makes things get out of control. There is only one thing that Mark has not been able to lie his way into. He has not been able to lie to the love of his life.

My favorite part of the movie is how Mark sees that lying gets everything out of control and sees that he needs to stop.

I like that he does not lie to the love of his life. If you are interested in seeing a comedy or romance, this movie is just for you.

Where the Wild Things AreDirector: Spike JonzeRating: PGRun time: 94 minutes

Director Spike Jonze brings Maurice Sendak’s children’s book to the big screen. This movie is rated PG, and I would recommend it for children or anyone who wants to see a movie that has a lot of visual imagery.

The movie is about a boy who is angry when his mom, Connie, invites her boyfriend

over. After the boy makes small comments and acts mischievous, his mother tries to send him to his room. He bites his mom and runs away feeling unloved.

The boy runs outside, over a fence and stumbles upon a boat. He sails to an island where he meets mysterious and strange creatures and they pursue him to become their ruler.

He is crowned king and, and he promises for everybody to be happy. Max finds ruling a kingdom is not easy, and it becomes more complicated then he thought.

“Swag Flu” by Soulja Boy Tell ‘em

“Great lyrics from an amazingly brilliant rapper.”

Nick BaronStaff writer

“You’re the best around” by Joe Esposito

“It’s in the greatest movie ever made (Karate Kid). MOTIVATIONAL!”

Ian McCarthyuPage editor

“Simple man” by Shine Down

“An interesting spin on an old favorite.”

Andrew ParkerEnglish teacher

“Killer Queen” by Queen

“It energizes me and makes me want to dance.”

Amy OlmsteadFrench teacher

“Standing in the Kitchen” by Yo Gotti

“This song gets me fired up. Good song to listen to on the way to a sporting event.”

Nick GonetStaff writer

Staff Playlist

S.P.A.C.E. adviser Debora Marsh

Drama teacher and Progress Report vocalist Matt Martello

Sarah Molnarstaff writer

Each fall brings forth new TV series, in-cluding the good, the bad and the god-aw-ful. Different stations try to reach new au-diences and create a masterpiece for their viewers, new and old.

A few of the new shows on the major broadcasting stations are Fox’s “Glee”,

ABC’s “Flash-F o r w a r d ” and ABC’s “ M o d e r n Family”.

“ G l e e ” , part drama, part com-edy and lots of musical, should ap-peal to a wide variety

of viewers. Since it has so many different aspects, every viewer can relate to some-thing.

So much anticipation had built up over the summer for “Glee,” that it started Wednesday, Sept, 30, earlier than first planned.

The series follows an optimistic teacher, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), who -- against all odds and a ma-licious cheerleading coach -- attempts to save McKin-ley High’s Glee Club from obscurity, while helping a group of aspiring under-dogs realize their true star potential. A struggle for the underdog in us all.

“FlashForward” is ar-guably the biggest network buzz show of the fall.

Giving viewers ac-

tion, thriller and sci-fi all in one place, it’s sure to be an epic com-bination.

The premise is every person in the world blacks out for ex-actly 2 minutes and 17 seconds and sees a memory of the future.

The show is about the stories of the people who want the vi-

sion to happen and the people trying to stop it.

Although the show is good from the get-go, it requires view-ers to return week after week, posing a large time commit-ment. It should be very re-warding for loyal viewers.

Though “Modern Family” is an out-of-the-blue shocker from ABC and their first qual-

ity comedy in a while. This show is a docu-

mentary look at three types of American fami-lies, a male-to-male partnership, a family with dysfunctional par-ents with sassy children and a family of three with remarried parents and countless step sib-lings.

This show is original and shockingly funny.

Fans of “The Office” should know the show takes patience, and its subtle nuances bring the most humor.

The dry awkward humor that “The Of-fice” is known for is a large part of modern family.

Funny from the get-go, this show gets it right and shouldn’t be missed.

7Friday, October 23, 2009EntertainmentThe Rostrum

Top 5 movies that go bump in the night

How do you classify a good scary movie? As terrifying or just completely terrible? What about real life or totally fake?

Senior Courtney Leblanc said, “Scary movies are the best when they can actually happen in real life, when it isn’t fake. Also when things jump out at you when you least expect it.”

For me the top 5 scary movies of ‘09 are based on their plot. They have to be those kind of scary movies where you don’t walk out of the movies saying, “What just happened? Wow, the gore and blood is totally fake to the point where I want to puke.”

To begin this countdown, “Halloween 2” takes #5. The “Halloween” movies always keep you watching with the horrifying white mask of Michael Myers and the creepy tune that everyone has memorized when they walk out of the theatre. This movie is full of brutal violence and will definitely have you jumping out of your seat. Prepare to scream.

#4, “Friday the

13th”. This sequel remake is like every other “Friday the 13th” movie. These are potentially the best horror movies, far better than most of the new slasher/horror films. When I first saw this movie, I was afraid to leave the theatre and walk to my car without checking my back every other step. I was convinced that something would jump out at me. That’s how you know it’s a good movie.

#3, “Last House on the Left”. The unrated version is as terrifying as it is nauseating in parts. I never knew what was going to happen next until the very end. With a sicking plot, each scene had

me cringing and squirming in my seat. “The Last House on The Left,” is a brutal movie that exposes the darkest minds humans can have. The simple plot follows four criminals on the run who encounter a pair of ignorant female teens in a small mountain town. After murdering one and brutally raping the other and leaving her for dead, the cons seek refuge at a nearby summer house. The twist is that it’s the very home inhabited by the parents of one of the victims. I don’t recommend seeing this horror film alone.

2, “The Orphan”. With a truly shocking and unpredictable ending, this movie had my jaw dropping in amazement. Almost as creepy as Samara from the ring, the Orphan has a way of manipulating her new family.

“The Orphan” is one of my favorite movies and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole movie. I had no idea the movie would end that way, I was shocked ... and in a good way.

And finally, #1 “Paranormal Activity.” If you haven’t heard

about this film, well, where have you been? “Paranormal Activity” is only the most frightening movie to come along since forever. It is a film about a “real” haunted house. This movie is seen entirely through the lens of the home video camera Micah and Katie (two unheard of actors) use to capture images of the ghost they think is haunting their house when they sleep at night. “Paranormal Activity” is an absolutely terrifying documentary, that will have everyone believing that horror movies can scare the living s--- out of you again.

New fall series sure to entertain Jack Nixonstaff writer

Ali Kripsstaff writer

Water seems to be a simple thing. People drink it, use it to cook and wash with it. But people generally don’t thinks about what’s in it.

But maybe they should. Dexter’s water, for instance, has an arse-

nic level of 4.5 parts per billion. The federal limit is 10 ppb.

Arsenic is a semi-metallic chemical ele-ment, but according to Andrea Dorney, a technical operations manager at the Dexter

Wastewater Treatment Plant, arsenic in the water is a natural occurring thing.

“I test the arsenic level once a week,” Dor-ney said. “We haven’t been required by the state to do anything else with it.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website states the sources of arse-nic contamination are erosion of natural de-posits, runoff from orchards and runoff from electronic production wastes.

Dorney said the Dexter Wastewater Treatment Plant could use pilots to reduce the arsenic level, but it takes more time and money than it’s worth to filter out the low levels of arsenic in the water

“It’s a lot more difficult to remove arsenic when there’s just a little amount,” Dorney said. “We haven’t done anything because there hasn’t been a demand for it.”

In comparison, Ann Arbor’s arsenic level is 1.5 ppb.

“I’m surprised Dexter’s city government is using money on other things besides our water,” said Cheryl Strzoda, an M.D. at Dex-ter Family Practice.

Strzoda said ingesting arsenic can lead to many health problems such as cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver and prostate. Less serious health issues can include thickening and discoloration of the skin, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, di-arrhea, numbness in the hands and feet and blindness.

“If people understood the health causes they would come together and find afford-able ways to decrease the arsenic level,” Strzoda said.

Strzoda said it is hard to link such health affects back to arsenic directly, but she still finds it terrible that Dexter’s arsenic level is almost half of what the federal limit is.

“No one is really doing studies on it be-

cause it would cost millions of dollars to do so,” Strzoda said. “It would be nice to de-crease it to half of what it is now.”

If a home owner wishes not to ingest arse-nic in their tap water, they can buy a reverse osmosis water filter, Dorney said.

“There is a membrane that forces water through and the contaminants stay on one side,” she said. “You have to replace the membrane which takes a lot of work or mon-ey if you want to pay someone to do it.”

For every seven gallons of water, one gal-lon of uncontaminated water is made in a system such as this.

“It takes about the same amount of work as a water softener,” Dorney said.

Regardless, Strzoda said she finds it ter-rible people have to got to extra effort to get decent water.

She said, “It’s sad that it has to be this way.”

8 The RostrumFriday, October 23, 2009 health

Coleen Hillco-health editor

Senior Josh Atwood* said he likes go-ing to the Hookah bar. “It gives me and my friends something to do when we are bored,” he said. “I go there like every few weekends.”

Atwood also said he chooses hookah over cigarettes, “Hookah tastes better, and it is more of a social thing,” he said, “I just do it because I’m around my friends, and we are bored. I don’t smoke cigs.”

Hookahs, also known as water pipes, are used to smoke tobacco. Generally, hookah smoking involves flavored tobac-co. And Ann Arbor is home to a number of hookah bars, one of which is called The Rende Vous Cafe. Legally, a person has to be 18 to smoke hookah, but this hasn’t stopped students such as Atwood from giv-ing it a try.

However, according to school nurse Ai-leen Kernohan, hookah effects are danger-ous and in the the same level as tobacco. “I assume folks smoking hookah pipes are doing it for relaxation/ stress relief/fun with friends,” Kernohan said. “However, as they do, they are exposed to all the well-documented and researched associated risks of cigarette smoking from heart dis-

ease to lung and mouth cancer.” Kernohan said, though it can be diffi-

cult to compare hookah to tobacco. “Hoo-kah smokers take more smoke into their lungs and take it deeper over a one hour period than a cigarette smoker smoking a cigarette, but they probably aren’t smoking as often as a cigarette smoker.”

She said the effects from smoking hoo-kah are similar to those of smoking tobac-co though and include exposure to nico-tine, tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and other chemicals that are present in tobacco smoke.

According to Kernohan, these effects are still there even if the hookah tobacco is mixed with fruity or minty additives. Ker-nohan said, “There are far more healthy ways to relieve stress, relaxand have fun, such as physical exercise, yoga, tai chi, meditation.”

Even with the health risks Atwood said, “I’ll still smoke it anyway when I’m bored. It gives me something to do with my friends.”

*Source agreed to talk to The Squall only if his name was changed

Kristi HughesOpinion editor

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