Under the Boardwalk: Homelessness in Atlantic City

Under the Boardwalk: Homelessness in Atlantic City

By: Shayonne Ray

View from Atlantic City boardwalk. Photo credit: Shayonne Ray

When you think of Atlantic City, the first thing that comes to mind may be the Jersey

Shore, filled with beaches boardwalks, and of course the popular casinos. Beyond the

many attractions lies a large population of homelessness in Atlantic City. You may see them roaming the streets or holding doors open to multiple businesses such as the local Dunkin Donuts awaiting your spare change and leftovers.

Have you ever wondered where the chairs, old clothes, and garbage accumulating under the boardwalk come from? We have the answer. It's the growing number of homeless people living, sleeping, and eating down below from where many of us enjoy our summers with family and friends. Many of them are from out of town who came to visit Atlantic City and somehow stayed. They were either down on their luck, escaping a life they previously had, or dealing with addiction of drugs,

alcohol, or gambling. Many of the residents here in Atlantic City have grown accustomed to

calling the police to get rid of them but what can the police really do?

Atlantic City has some resources to help the homeless, AC rescue mission located at 2009

Bacharach Blvd is opened to anyone in need of help. It houses men,

women, and children and provides food, shelter, and assistance to those who need help

obtaining jobs and medical care. Jewish family services also offer programs aimed

towards helping people with addiction and substance abuse. Because Atlantic City is a

popular tourist location, the city wants to keep these people off the streets. Although the

city does offer additional resources, it still lacks the ability to rid the streets of the

multitude of people who refuse to get help or stay in shelters.

The city struggles to manage the increasing amount of homeless people as the addiction and crime rates rapidly increase. ACPD are flooded with calls of complaints that come

through 911 database of homeless people using drugs in public parks, urinating in public

areas and also burglarizing store fronts and sometimes even residents. On October 19th, Stockton University students were assigned to walk the streets of Atlantic City to get more of in insight on what’s really happening in the lives

of street walkers.

One student found Jim Hernandez who spent the night sleeping in the Atlantic City bus terminal.

Hernandez explained, "I like this area the most to sleep, but the workers call the cops on

me to have me removed all the time. I like spending my nights here because its busy and

people always seem to help me out with food and money." When asked how he became homeless, Hernandez responded, " I was married and I had a daughter but I lost my job. I began using drugs and I would drive to Atlantic City from South Philly just to make money to get high again. One day my wife told me not to come back."

There are many stories similar to Hernandez's. Gaining stability after homelessness can be difficult, but as we found out here in Atlantic City there is help available, they just have to want it for themselves.

WoodStockton Voting

WoodStockton Voting

By: Alexander Bluze

Galloway -- Recently, Stockton has set up a rating survey for students to vote for the Spring Concert on the OspreyHub Website. The highest rated artist will perform at the concert.

There have been mixed reactions to the list of performers. Some people really liked the choices and other had no idea who any of the people were. The list contains many rappers, hip hop, R&B, Rock alternative, etc artists. The artists are as listed Bazzi, KYLE, Kid Ink, Ella Mai, YG, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Lil Dicky, BlackBear, H.E.R, Lil Yachty, PnB Rock, X Ambassadors, Tori Kelly, Chelsea Cutler, Hunter Hayes, and Jesse McCartney. Some people have spoken their opinion. See below.

“I want Jesse McCartney for the concert because he has really good music and I’ve heard he is a great Performer” says Stockton student And Jesse McCartney fan Allison Bluze.

“I put BlackBear, Lil Dicky, Lil Yachty, and Tori Kelly” said local fangirl, Amie Moore

Photo of the voting system with all artist names listed.

Past years they had artist such as All-American Rejects and Panic at the Disco! come here and perform for the school. So this year students can choose the celebrity guest and they will have 16 choices to choose from. Votes can be casted on the OspreyHub website, and the voting is based on a 1-10 system. 1 being the favored choice and 10 being the least favored choice.

      

Students vote via logging into their account on the OspreyHub website, and clicking on the link that is at the homepage.

Stockton University Students Ask for Off Campus Housing

Stockton University Students Ask for Off Campus Housing

By: Keairra Lee

Pictured above is a visualization of the possible future off campus housing at Stockton

Stockton University’s new campus opened only two months ago and already many students have wondered if and when their will be off campus housing offered. The new campus opened in Atlantic City in August of 2018, just off the boardwalk and beach, built where the old Atlantic City High School had sat decades prior. The main campus in Galloway, NJ and the new campus in Atlantic City have been very convenient for students to commute back and forth for their academic classes as well as their dorm room/campus living, but students are asking for off campus housing that will allow them to stay during the spring and summer breaks. Some students prefer this method of housing so that they can continue their studies during their breaks. The idea of off campus housing has not yet been considered, being that there is still construction being done to the building attached to the school’s parking garage, as well as the campus parking lot for commuter students only. Back in August of 2018, it was said that Stockton would purchase one of Atlantic City closed casinos, The Atlantic Club. However, after negotiation, the deal fell through and they were no longer considering to purchase the black empty space that was Hilton Casino’s first before becoming The Atlantic Club which is also closed. During the process of Stockton purchasing The Atlantic Club, it was said that the prior casino was going to be an expansion of Stockton’s campus. However it is not known whether the expansion would include housing that would guarantee students a place to call “home” away from home during the spring and summer breaks. . When asked what he thought of the idea of Stockton building an off campus housing complex, Atlantic City resident Yusuf Serker said, “I support off campus housing, but it will take a long time to build because they will have to find a place for the space of the housing and the city needs to find the funding.”

Flying to RA Info Session: RA 101

Flying to RA Info Session: RA 101  

By: Moira Solano

Students taking notes at the RA Info Session

 On Wednesday, October 17th, one of the RA Info Sessions was held on the Atlantic City campus in the Residential Building in room B119 from 10:00 P.M to 11:00 P.M. The name of this session was, “Flying to RA Info Session”, where current RAs, Residential Assistants, shared with interested students about the life and responsibilities. The goal for this session, alongside previous and upcoming ones, is to hire new RAs, inform students what the position consists of, and being a part of a team.

The info session for that night was ran by Justin, who is an RA in Housing 1 on the Galloway campus, Alyssa, who is an RA in Housing 5 on the Galloway campus as well, and Tiffany, who is a CD, Complex Director, in the Atlantic City campus Residential Building for Wings B and C. Complex Directors are in charge and manage the RAs for the housing on campus.

The topics that were discussed during this meeting were the benefits, the qualifications, job responsibilities, housing locations, selection process, and timeline. The benefits included, but not limited to, a resume builder, team atmosphere, free housing, receive a paycheck of $125 every month, and $500 credit towards a meal plan.

The qualifications for becoming an RA include, but are not limited to, having at least a 2.5 GPA, being a full-time undergraduate or graduate student with at least 12 credits, having a clean record meaning not getting in trouble with the school, attending all training sessions in August and January, and submitting an application as well as a resume. Justin pointed out, “...being an RA, you have a leadership position...”.

The job responsibilities an RA is required to do include, but are not limited to, creating programs and activities for you residents, performing duty rounds, completing mandatory public safety and housing inspections, dealing with roommate mediations if a conflict arises, and doing office duties. Going more in-depth about what happens during roommate mediations, Alyssa mentioned, “...bring out that roommate contract that they did together at the beginning of the semester and say do we either have to amend this roommate contract or is this something that we have to stick to...”.

There are a lot of steps that need to be completed before officially becoming a Residential Assistant. This includes interviews, one-on-ones, creating something to present, and going through what is called group process, which is when a group of about 15 potential RAs are put together and are evaluated on how they interact with one another, which is very important since it’s team oriented. Tiffany made note, “True colors come out in group process, people get real angry, people get real impatient, we see the natural leaders come out...”.

Ducktown Gets a Clean-Up

Ducktown Gets a Clean-Up

By Mariella Negro

On Saturday, Ducktown, a specific section of Atlantic City, had a community clean-up. Residents were encouraged to lend a helping hand and take care of their cherished neighborhood.

Families, friends and even students from Our Lady Star of the Sea school showed up and got to work in teams to clean up. About 40 individuals split up into teams of 4 and spread out around the neighborhood with pick-up tools, gloves and trash bags; all provided by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and the Ducktown Neighborhood Association.

The morning weather was pretty unfavorable but that did not stop these community members to come out and get the job done.  One individual who wasn’t part of the group said he was inspired to clean his backyard after seeing these people tend to their neighborhood.

“It motivates me to do good for the communities. We all have to play our part.”  said Cheryl Spaulding, a community organizer. “We expect to get Ducktown a little cleaner than it has been. This momentum of keeping our neighborhoods clean motivates people to move forward.”

Even teenagers participating in the event were strongly enthusiastic about the clean up. Consuela Maldonado, a resident of Atlantic City said “I love helping the community. Any opportunity that I get to be able to help, I immediately say yes. It’s just a natural thing for me to do. I don’t live in Ducktown but I still wanted to come.”

John Mooney, who works for the Parish of Saint Monica said “St. Michael’s church is right inside of Ducktown so, naturally, I wanted to come out and help. We’re all committed to this community.”

This initiative to keep the neighborhood clean is encouraged and organized by the Ducktown Neighborhood Association in attempt to preserve the historic parts of Atlantic City.

Ducktown is known for being right in the heart of Atlantic City. Historic businesses like the White House Sub Shop and Formica’s Bakery are located in this neighborhood as well as Stockton’s Noyes Arts Garage.

(From left to right) Richard Negro, Consuela Maldonado and John Mooney. Photo Credit: Mariella Negro

Two student participants of the clean-up event. Photo Credit: Mariella Negro

Life of an Environmental Major

Life of an Environmental Major

By: Shawn Cella

Many students all over the world enter college with no idea of what they want to major in. Hopeful to be inspired by a variety of intro classes, they stress about time running out and not getting a full understanding of what each major can provide. It is difficult to pick a major when you are really unsure of what exactly that major does.

Stockton University offers a diverse number of majors that you could graduate with. This ranges from communication, criminal justice, hospitality, marketing, and many more. Recently, students who are declared environmental majors were interviewed about the program.

Haley Wilmot, Sophomore and environmental major, told me that “being able to go outside for class and seeing the wetlands really puts everything that we learn in the classroom into perspective. A picture is being painted directly in front of us.”

One thing that separates the science department at Stockton from every other department is the fact that the campus is built on a perfect location to learn from the outdoors. With the university being built on 1,600 acres of New Jersey Pine Barrens, and being located so close to the Atlantic Ocean, Stockton can provide you with research and real-life examples of habitats and research from right outside the front door.

    In addition to being a perfect location, Stockton just recently built an entire new 33.2 million dollar science building called the Unified Science Center 2.

According to the Stockton University website, “The three-story building houses teaching and research labs for various disciplines in the sciences, a vivarium, a large greenhouse, a multipurpose room and faculty offices. The 58,210 square foot building is an expansion of the existing 64,000 square-foot Unified Science Center.”

Right now, it is a perfect time to join Stockton University’s science program. Everything is new, and it is a terrific place to get an environmental science degree.

Chase Clemetson, environmental major, explained that there are so many different jobs that a student can get after they graduate. Some of these jobs which include marine biologist, nature conservation officer, environmental engineer, and water quality scientist.

Anyone who is struggling to decide what major they want to pursue here at Stockton University should definitely look into the highly recommended environmental science program that is here.

A Horror for All

Michael Myers has his target laid on Jamie Lee Curtis’ character Laurie Strode.

A Horror for All

By Amie Moore

Halloween is right around the corner and thriller lovers are obsessed over the latest addition to the classic “Halloween” series. Released on Friday, October 19th, Halloween has left its mark on audiences in all theaters.

Centered around Michael Myers, played by Nick Castle and James Jude Courtney, the plot of the story revolved around Jamie Lee Curtis’ character named Laurie Strode. Forty years before, Michael haunted Laurie and even attempted to kill her. Now in the sequel, he has escaped from prison and has his eyes set on killing anyone who enters his path, most importantly Laurie.

    Despite its spooky music and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Halloween does in fact have mixed reviews from its audience. It is not horrifyingly scary and it is not just an adventure. The overall mood switches from an eerie feel, to moments of unadulterated gore, and even to moments of joy and happiness.

In the words of Zachary Miller, a student at Stockton University who watched this feature Thursday night AND Friday night, Halloween is,“A great spin on one of the most iconic films in the horror/thriller genre.”

As established by Justin, there is an original version of this blockbuster. Released all the way back to 1978, the original movie stains holds a special place the minds of thriller lovers.

Justin Spusta, another student at Stockton University, watched the movie on the night it was released “If you’re into cheap thrills then [you should] watch it but it’s not as good as the original obviously.”

All in all, Halloween is a classic and all audience members would enjoy it in their own ways. Whether it be laughing, screaming in sheer terror, or crying at the jump scares, Michael Myers will always be known for his legendary series.

To be or not to be a Residential Assistant

To be or not to be a Residential Assistant

By: Nauera Abou Abdou

If you are a student at Stockton University you might have gotten an email inviting you to become a residential assistant. An information informing, and interest meeting have been being held throughout the week of October 16th on both Galloway and Main campus for students who would like to become a RA.

According to one of the residential assistant in housing 4 residential assistant to become a Stockton residential assistant, you must be a full-time under student, with 12 credits or 9 credits in case or being a graduate student, with GPA of 2.5 who have completed at least one semester at Stockton. Also, you have to have a good standing conduct record in your university and residential life. no more than one executive position in a club or organization “and we only say that because being an RA is very time consuming” (Alyssa Royce).

Some of Stockton’s Residential Assistants

However, that’s not all that it takes. First, there is the applying period, where you fill out an application, and send in a resume and cover letter, and go to a group interview, which not really an interview nevertheless. In your “group interview” you are exposed to different situations that an RA's encounter on daily bases, as they attend a dozen of residents or more. Then comes your one on
one interview, where you make a presentation showing why you want to be an RA and what makes you qualify for the job. And finally complete a background check.

    While some think being an RA is limited to making sure no one is smoking weed or having sex in the showers, it is a much more challenging duty. Being a RA requires team player with crisis management skills, and the ability to foster diverse community and show support to all your residents. Student usually come up to you with conflicts between their roommate(s), problems with school, or even personal and mental issues. Maybe you can not solve all and everyone’s problem but it is your responsibility to show compassion and to direct them to the appropriate place to go. It is indeed challenging to handle, however, you will have the guidance you need through training in August and January, that you must attend, where you gain the skills to learn how to handle a crisis, and your complex director (CD) and your fellow RA's.

Other than being responsible for your floor you may have to stay on campus for some weekends or holidays for students who decide to stay on campus. Also, residential assistants are required to have office hours, conduct duty round and health and safety inspections, assist with all check ins and check outs, attend staff meetings and one on one meetings with your CD, document issues properly and put in work orders and other duty assignments that you may be asked to do but you usually have someone to help  you with it or guide your through it. It sounds like a long process but here is why it is worth it.
    According to the information meeting it turns out that it is pretty cool to be a residential assistant. First, it is a resume builder and a leadership opportunity where you get to work with other RAs. It is also a great way to meet new people and acquire new skills in a team atmosphere. Second and most importantly you get full compensation for housing and a monthly paycheck of a $125 before taxes and a 500 toward your meal plan.

Best Places to Eat Around Atlantic City Campus

(The Knife & Fork Inn, within walking distance of Stockton’s Atlantic City Campus)

Best Places to Eat Around Atlantic City Campus

By: Dominic Verrichia

Many Stockton students who either live on or take classes at the Atlantic City campus often complain about having to take the shuttle to main campus and feeling like they are not a part of the school. However, students who frequent the Atlantic City campus should take advantage of the many nearby places to eat.

Students who are looking for a bar atmosphere should check out Vagabond off West end avenue. This restaurant is packed from wall to wall every weekend. The food is reasonably priced and the service is excellent. Well known restaurateur and TV show host Guy Fieri featured this restaurant on his show “Diners Drive-ins and Dives”. This TV famous restaurant is a must see experience for all Stockton students looking for good food at a cheap price.

A short drive down Pacific Avenue will take students into the Tanger Outlets where they can find P.F. Chang’s, a moderately priced but top notch chinese restaurant. The food served here is well worth the drive, as it beats all other nearby chinese restaurants. Of the many options, the chicken lettuce wraps are highly recommended along with the Kung Pao chicken. They are also very accommodating to all food allergies and they offer many vegan options. This restaurant is great for anyone looking for quality chinese food, especially those with diet restrictions.

Students 21 and over who are in the mood for an adventure can take a drive over to the Borgata Hotel and casino to try the very reasonably priced buffet that serves anything and everything a person could want for breakfast lunch and dinner. The line here can fill up fairly quickly, so be prepared to wait. Overall, the Borgata buffet is reasonably priced, and guarantees a full stomach every time.  

A few blocks away from campus, Carmine’s Italian restaurant can be found at the Tropicana where they serve huge portions, family style. Bring a group of friends to this restaurant, and be ready to take home enough leftovers to last a few days. This restaurant can get rather expensive, but split between a group and given the leftovers, it makes for a fairly reasonable place to get quality Italian food.

For students with some extra cash looking for a fancy date night with some high quality food, check out the Knife and Fork Inn. This restaurant is within walking distance of campus. The food here is expensive, but it’s a great place to take that special someone without having to drive far.

Opinion: One Writer’s Perspective on Two Candidates

Republican Seth Grossman (left) and Jeff Van Drew (right) debate controversial topics at Stockton University.
(Photo Credits: Sierra Estremera)

Opinion: One Writer’s Perspective on Two Candidates
By Raghu Jhala

Stockton University’s Campus Center Theater recently held a debate between Democrat Jeff Van Drew and Republican Seth Grossman. Both candidates were eager to establish their position by appealing to their respective audiences. It was obvious at the event there was a clear divide between social, economic, and state policy when addressing debate topics. The crowd was asked multiple times throughout the debate to hold their applause but the rule was not respected by anyone.

The opening statements from the candidates helped cement what the two were bringing to the table. Jeff Van Drew’s opening statement was about the future of America and how he honestly believed the news has turned America into a reality show. “I believe in the way that I work, in the beliefs that I have, I'm going to have the ability to bring us together, to work hard, to make sure that Republicans and Democrats, together, ensure a better future for South Jersey, New Jersey, and the United States of America.” The flares of Obama-era politics rang very true to those who were already invested in their candidate Van Drew.

Candidate Seth Grossman stood true to his colors, the red, white and blue, with his opening statement. From the red corner, our Republican candidate hailed allegiance to President Donald Trump, and swore to expose and “clean the swamp,” where the Democrats use fake media to defame President Trump and his administration. “I support President Trump to keep good-paying, full-time jobs, and full employment here in America. That's why I support the Trump tax cuts, trade deals, and the ending of Obama's war on American business. I will vote to equally and impartial enforce our immigration laws, to build the wall and punish, not reward sanctuary cities and states.

The audience was silent and the air felt thin, while each candidate was eager to establish why they were the better candidate. Questions of how to stimulate job growth in South Jersey and immigration laws helped everyone in the room see these two as the embodiment of the 2016 Presidential Election.

Van Drew pleaded for togetherness, rebuilding, and maintaining law and order, which Grossman countered with accusations about how the Democrat and his party has mishandled money and their political powers. Grossman declares, “The idea that that people who are here illegally have some sort of right to stay here, to get driver's licenses, to be included in the census, as Mr. Van Drew voted for so sanctuary cities get more money and more representation; that's as ridiculous is saying that somebody who robs a bank can keep the money if they make it off the bank parking lot, and then they get the free food and everything else.” These remarks, the clear logic, and unapologetic delivery prompted applause, quickly putting Van Drew on the defensive.

Every question was a roller coaster ride as each candidate deployed logic or used emotion to appeal to their audiences, and retorted with allegations accusing each other of wrong-doing. The event no doubt impacted the small South Jersey ecosystem of Stockton and the Atlantic County. Only time will tell who will win on Nov 6 and represent South Jersey in the 2nd Congressional District.

Emergency Nurses Week at Atlanticare Regional Medical Center

Emergency Nurses Week
By Shayonne Ray

On Monday October 8 Atlanticare Regional Medical Center kicked off Emergency Room Nurses week. During this time, they acknowledge the hard work and specialty care of all emergency nurses. Celebrations began at noon with free lunch from a drug representative from a pharmaceutical company. It has been a tradition to honor the ER nurses every year, and this one was no different. The ever so hard working staff patiently waited as each surprise in their honor made its way to them throughout the day and the week.

Tuesday mid-afternoon, the higher ups in the company pleasantly surprised the nurses with appreciation pens and took pictures of them participating in bedside care; they wanted to have visuals for other departments of the excellent care that they give. Another drug representative K. Centra, joined the fun and provided lunch and an in-service as well. During this time the manager of the ER also complemented the nurses and shared some of her own favorite memories with the department. She also shared patients feedback of positive visits that praised the employees.

Wednesday, and Thursday were filled with games for the staff to join in, there was a small party in the ED break room where guests could dig into a variety of sweets and treats. Deborah Cassinelli, ER charge nurse, who has worked for the company for 10 years, is known as an ER "superhero" as stated by her fellow employees Cassinelli spoke about the importance of the ER nurses and how they are an essential part to the department. In her own words she stated, "The emergency nurse is the first person you see when you come into an ER. When you are sick and helpless it is that nurse that directs your care and is the decision maker on what medical paths to take. It is crucial for them to be fully skilled and trained to provide the best care for the best outcome of the patient."

Friday, the last day of festivities the staff was treated to ice cream in the Ed conference room. The nurses were able to build their own sundaes and they were over joyed. There were two carts filled with pints of ice cream flavors, and toppings such as sprinkles, Oreo cookies, chocolate chip and more. At this event the nurse manger also gave out awards honoring staff that goes above and beyond their work requirements. The cool thing about this award ceremony was that the votes came from their peers and it showed how much they appreciated each other.

Emergency Nurse's week was an overall success. This week validated the efforts of the ER nurses and recognized the compassionate care they provide on a daily basis. The week corroborated the many stories of nurses going to extreme measures to give quality care to patients and assurance to family members. This week was little to show how much Atlanticare values their ER nurses but according to staff they felt treasured and most of all they were grateful.

Juggling and Circus Club at Stockton

Above is Aimee Balint, creator and head (Overlord) of the Juggling and Circus Club at an Open Juggle demonstrating her abilities with juggling pins.


Juggling and Circus Club at Stockton
By Cole Moore

“A good portion of the members in the club don’t know how to juggle, but all you have to do is show up Monday and Wednesday from 4-6, we meet in the D/C Wing Atrium.”

Aimee Balint created the Juggling and Circus Club during her freshman year at Stockton University in order to make more friends. Her love for juggling and circus activities was her way to draw in other students by mesmerizing them with her visual talents. No matter what skill level you are, everyone is welcome to join the club if they are willing to learn a new skill.

“I started the club in hopes to make more friends but ended up being very lonely the first two semesters, but that’s okay because now I have friends.”

Balint is referring to her now group of students (or friends) who make up the Juggling and Circus Club, each person at differing levels of skill and interest in different acts. But what are the other acts that fall under the “Circus” part of Balint’s club?

“Juggling and manipulation: devil sticks/fire sticks, Chinese yoyos, partner acrobatics, contortion, we do slackline when it’s nicer outside and basically anything can fall under the category ‘circus arts’ if you try. We also have clowning and miming which are very typical to busking or street performing.”

Along with her Vice President Tina Notaro, Balint is the main teacher of juggling and the other acts in the club and she encourages anybody with an interest in anything they think relates to “circus arts” to join her club and improve their skills.



On top of juggling, another main act of the juggling and circus acts club is stilt walking, strapping on two artificial legs that make you tower over any normal sized person. As long as you’re not afraid of heights stilt walking is highly encouraged by the members of the club.

And it’s not just practicing in the C/D wing Atrium. The juggling and circus arts club also performs at many different events working with other clubs here at Stockton.

“We have done several performances and usually we team up with other clubs and organizations. We’ve done Phoenix Night Market for two years. We’ve also done the Stockton performing arts talent show and we won first place! This is the first semester we are doing our own event and also we’re going to do an event with physics club, potentially creator’s club, and Theater Club.”

So if you’re not busy Monday and Wednesday from four to six, come check out the juggling and circus arts club!

Congressional Candidates Critique Stockton's Leadership

Seth Grossman and Jeff Van Drew debate in Stockton’s theatre room.

Congressional Candidates Critique Stockton School
By Ryan Kennedy

Stockton University -- On October 10th, Stockton University held the Congressional District 2 debate which featured Republican Seth Grossman, and Democratic candidate Jeff Van Drew. The two candidates were invited to debate in front of Stockton’s students, faculty, and to anyone else watching live through multiple different broadcasts in the Campus Center Theater.

What seemed to be a simple debate suddenly turned shocking when Independent candidate Anthony Parisi Sanchez entered one of the broadcasting rooms and spoke to those within the room about his disgust with the Stockton president and other members of the faculty. 

“There should be 6 people on that stage debating right now, but the corruption from your president only allows for those two, and we know damn well that he is in full support of Jeff Van Drew” said Sanchez during his speech. Sanchez then went around to each and every person willing to talk to him, giving them business cards and describing his personal belief that Stockton President Dr. Harvey Kesselman has the intent to “brainwash” the students at Stockton to swing for a Democratic president. 

Shortly after, the actual debate began and to the surprise of many, Republican Seth Grossman also brought up the fact that the staff at Stockton is to blame for the rise of Democratic voters because of the bias that the school has. 

“When was the last time you had a conservative history teacher? Or a conservative sciences teacher? Or a conservative literature teacher? If not, then there is not a balanced education, which results in students to be programmed into radical Democrats. Radical Democrats are going around and assaulting people for their political opinions! I am very disappointed in the questions asked from the students, where were the questions about the sanctuary cities in the United States acting very similar to the Confederate States during the American Civil war, illegal immigration, or how about when the FBI used tactics that were illegal during their investigations?” said Grossman in his final statement.

It was the last sentence that created a minor uproar within the audience. “I think that is Stockton really needs a change of leadership” said Grossman. 

Immediately, the crowd went from silence to a mixture of applause and appalled faces. Both of these candidates had something to say about Stockton, and it certainly created a conversation. 

Stockton student Robert Niemeyer stated “That was a lot more intense than I really thought it would be. I didn’t know enough information about either of the candidates and I am glad I went to this.” 

Live-streamed Congressional Debate Attracted Uninvited Candidates to Stockton's Campus

A view from Stockton's event center where the debate was live streamed to hundreds of overflow attendees.

Crazy for Congress
Kayla Castelli

On Wednesday, October 10, Stockton University hosted the livestreamed 2018 New Jersey 2nd Congressional District Debate between democratic candidate Jeff Van Drew and republican candidate Seth Grossman. Photograph of the livestream view of the debate

Due to overpopulation of attendees, students, staff, and neighborhood locals were directed into the university’s event room to livestream the debate along with many others on Channel WACP 4 and on websites of the Hughes Center and the press of Atlantic City. Stockton University’s President Harvey Kesselman adds that it is the “first Youth Center event to ever to be brought broadcast live on television. We are also live-streaming the debate on several websites.”

Some attendees were introduced to another candidate for the election who was not invited to Stockton University for the debate. Anthony Parisi Sanchez was one of four independent candidates who was not invited to debate against the republican and democrat candidates. Sanchez handed out his card to many of the audience members and made a lasting impression to “always question authority.”

Questions asked at the debate included those of which that came from Stockton’s students, faculty, and general public. These questions included topics that ranged from illegal immigrants, to national debt, and many more in between. Not once, but twice, moderator Mike Klein almost cut Seth Grossman’s 30 second response. Also, Jeff Van Drew went over his 30 second time slot multiple times and repeatedly was asked to stop speaking passed the time limit.

According to Grossman, the United States’ debt is 10 times the amount of its income. He believes “you can’t sustain that [...] we have to face up to this sooner or later and there are no easy answers, we have to talk about it.” On the other hand, Jeff Van Drew counters this by saying “We need to deal with that issue, it is a serious issue and that’s why we need like-minded people to come together [...] that want to come up with real answers [...] you know what the answer is not, it’s not to hurt people and it’s not to hurt senior citizens and I will not support hurting social security and medicare…”

The last statements of both candidates contrasted vastly. Jeff Van Drew states how he “want[s] to be your congressman. [he] want[s] to be a really really really good congressman. [He] want[s] to be a congressman you’re proud of regardless of where you come from, who you are…” Seth Grossman ends with a final note declaring his “disappointment that none of the Stockton students asked any questions about the danger of having open borders [...] worried about politicizing everything in America from fake impeachment charges based on no evidence whatsoever [...] I’m surprised that the students are not concerned about these things. I’m hoping that maybe Stockton University with some new leadership will have diversity…” Both of the candidates and audience were appreciated for coming out and attending the debate.

Can Corn Really Be That Scary?

This sign is the first thing seen while in line to purchase a ticket

Terrifying Corn Maze at R and J Farm
By Amie Moore

Rumor has it that years ago, a farmer from Egg Harbor Township was never seen again after he went into his cornfield to harvest. Since then, R and J Farm features terrifying mazes, a horror movie projected on the side of a building, a haunted hayride with your worst nightmares, and many more.

As Halloween rounds the corner, many places hold scary events. But if you’re a Stockton student, the Cornfields of Terror are the place to go. Only ten minutes from Stockton University, you and a group of friends can have the scare of your life as the atmosphere gets ready for Halloween. And even if you don’t have the courage to go through the scary maze, there is a different one where there are no jump scares, no monsters, and no reason to be scared. But who really wants to miss out on an adventure you will never forget?

From werewolves howling in the moonlight to Freddie Kroeger with his symbolic chainsaw, this night will have you trembling with fear as you take the stroll through corn fields in the dark. But as student Sierra Brown claims, “It’s all fun and games until the chainsaw.”

From previous experience, a group of friends including the writer were screaming until their throats were sore. We arrived at the Fields at around 8:45pm and left at around 11:30pm. As a group, we traveled through the non-scary corn maze first, getting lost and even a little scared along the way.

After part one of the night was completed, we moved onto the next challenge,
the haunted hayride. While it was less than five minutes long, monsters and scary creatures jumping on board made the ride feel like hours. They were behind us, in front of us, one had a chainsaw and pretended to cut off my friend’s feet sitting right next to me. As she says, “I almost strangled the guy with the chainsaw.” We got dropped off at the next corn maze, the real scary part of the night.

Traveling in a conga line was my group and I as we were jumping at every move we heard from the corn fields. The journey was twenty minutes long! Imagine living your own nightmare for twenty minutes straight with people lit on fire and living skeletons following your every move. My friend Grace said upon the night, “Great atmosphere but heavy on the strobe lights.” And boy was she right, there were eye-level strobe lights at almost every turn you made.

When we saw light, we realized it was the end of the hell we just walked through. We ran out of the maze like we were being chased by murderers. Oh wait…

Overall, the night was one to remember. It is highly recommended by many, especially students at Stockton considering its close distance. You should definitely consider stopping by the Cornfields of Terror and from my friends and I, enjoy the scare of your life.