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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014
PAGE 9A
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lava has pushed through a fence marking a property boundary above the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The river threatens to engulf its first home and continues to run through the rural Hawaii town.
Lava nearing first Hawaiian home, inching closer to road
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PAHOA, Hawaii — Rain fell Wednesday on a red-hot river of lava as it threatened to consume its first home on its slow advance into a rural Hawaiian town.
A breakout of the lava flow was about 100 feet from a Pahoa residence — about the length of a basketball court, said Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira. The couple that lives in the home has left.
Scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory who are walking alongside the lava reported its leading edge was 240 yards from Pahoa Village Road, which goes through a commercial hub of the Big Island's sprawling and isolated
Puna district.
"This is just a little quiet village is a very rural community. We farm, we fish, we hunt," said Jamila Dandini. "We're going to be an island on an island."
The leading edge remained in a large agricultural parcel that included another house, which was about 100 yards from the lava, Oliveira said.
Dozens of homes, business and other structures are in the area of the lava flow. That number could increase as the flow front widens.
"The people who are meant to stay will stay. The people that have to leave, sadly, will leave." Dandini said.
So far, lava has burned a garden shed, tires and some metal materials.
On Wednesday, it burned mostly vegetation, while the rain helped tamp down smoke from the crackling stream.
Officials are monitoring hazards from the smoke. Chemists from the observatory detected only low levels of sulfur dioxide, Oliveira said.
The lava flow emerged from a vent in June and until recently had been slowly weaving through uninhabited forest and pastureland.
"Never in my wildest dreams as a kid growing up did I think I would be running from lava." Denise Lagrimas said.
I don't want to stick around and just wait for it to come and take it," Denise Lagrimas said while taking a break from loading kitchen cups and bowls in cardboard boxes. "You just never know."
Erbin Gamurot, 48, a handyman, said Pele, the volcano goddess, just wants to visit her sister, Namakaokahai, the sea goddess.
The flow is expected to slither past properties across the street from Jeff and Denise Lagrimas' home as it works its way toward the ocean, about 6 miles away. The Lagrimases decided not to stay and see if the lava burned their home. They packed up to leave for a town 14 miles away.
"She gotta go see her sister. She gotta go say hi. You know how family are. It's all good," Gamuret said.
She said they decided to move to Kuristown because it's a safe distance away.
Flu shot clinic offered today
KELSI KIRWIN
@kansannews
Flu season has arrived which means it is time for vaccinations. Watkins Memorial Health Center is offering the last flu shot clinic Thursday from 1-5 p.m. Flu vaccinations will be given on a first come, first served basis and are covered by insurance if the student is enrolled and considered full-time.
In order to determine how many clinics will be held each year and where, the staff looks at the total number of students who attended in years past, as well has how many have attended clinics. This information also helps them decide how many doses of the vaccine to order.
Patty Quinlan, clinical outreach coordinator at Watkins, estimates the health center to have provided more than 2,000 vaccines by appointment, walk-in or one of the clinics around campus.
"We have had strong attendance at all of the clinics this year," Quinlan said. "We would love to see that increase."
The clinic offers two options for the vaccination: a nasal mist and an injection. Both vaccinations come with a price, but most insurance will cover the bill entirely. According to the health fee rate, the nasal mist is $40 and the injection is $30.
"The nasal mist is pain-free and really easy, so don't let a fear of needles prevent you from getting your vaccination," said Dr. Pavika Saripalli, a primary care physician at Watkins.
Influenza is an illness that can make an individual sick enough to miss school or
work for between three and seven days, said Quinlan. It can also increase a person's risk of contracting pneumonia, especially if the person is asthmatic or has other health risks. Therefore, receiving the vaccination is recommended to stay healthy throughout the semester.
"I've noticed over the years that the students who get the vaccination miss a lot less class and have a lower stress level," Saripalli said. "The good thing about getting it [the vaccination] is even if you do get the flu, it will be much more mild than other cases."
If price is a concern, the health center will bill the student's insurance company at any clinic location. Because of the Affordable Care Act, students should be able to receive flu shots and have the cost covered by their insurance. Even if students do not have insurance, the nurses and physicians at the health center will help them find a way to receive the vaccine without having to pay much.
"I've always encouraged people to come here [to Watkins] so we can help with the price." Saripalli said.
Getting the flu shot is usually not at the top of students' lists of things to do, but it is necessary to prevent contracting influenza or more serious illnesses. Kelsey Wilits, a freshman from Oskaloosa, said she would most likely be attending the clinic.
"I don't have time to get sick," Willits said. "With all the classes I'm taking, it's just smarter to get the flu shot than to get sick and miss class."
Edited by Alyssa Scott
Latin American Studies class discusses zombies
MARK ARCE
@Mark_Arce13
Meaghan Palmer enrolled in LAA 300 because she needed a Latin American Studies course to help fulfill her minor. After enrolling, she learned the subject matter: zombies.
"My first reaction was 'OK, well here we go,' said Palmer, a senior from Lenexa studying human biology. "It could go interesting bad, or interesting good, but so far interesting good."
For the past 10 weeks, the students in the class titled "Life, Death and the Living Dead," have learned about several subjects including the origin of zombies. Now it moves into its second unit — Day of the Dead — which begins Oct.
31 and ends Nov. 1.
Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is celebrated in Mexico and parts of the United States. The class has begun to look at the origins of the holiday and how it is celebrated in different places.
In various parts of Mexico, families have a ritual that involves going to a graveyard, cleaning a grave and putting out offerings for the souls of the departed and having a sort of vigil. There are also public parades and religious processions. In the United States, celebrations are typically focused in schools and in art galleries and less emphasis is put on the cemeteries.
"It becomes a way for ethnic Mexicans to present themselves," said Professor Peter
Haney has used Amy Wi-
Haney, the assistant director for the Center for Latin American and Caribbean studies. A recurring theme in the class is how concepts change as they are interpreted in different cultures.
"I didn't even know that the concept of the zombie came from Haiti."
GUS BOVA Senior from Lawrence
lentz's book "Farewell Voodoo:
A Letter from Haiti" to explore
the history of the zombie. According to Haney, the Haitian zombie was subservient to a master and may have served as an allegory for slavery. In movies like "Night of the Living Dead," the American version of the zombie changed.
"The zombie ceases to be the result of purposeful action," Haney said. "Something random creates a situation where either the dead return or an epidemic transforms people into soulless creatures, so that element of purposefulness is very important in Haitian context changes in American popular culture."
While the 26-person class has concluded the zombie section of the course and started the Day of the Dead unit, the student response so far has been positive.
"I didn't even know that the concept of the zombie came from Haiti," Gus Bova, a senior from Lawrence, said. "I had no idea, let alone how much it's changed, like how different the zombies in our movies are from the original Haitian."
"I think it's fun to have these preformed thoughts about something and then [have it] completely turned upside down," Palmer said.
"I hope they come away from the class knowing some stuff that they didn't know and I hope they come away from the class questioning some received wisdom." Haney said. "[I hope] that they come away from the class knowing how much more there is to know about all the things we're reading about and talking about and that they go away with the curiosity to find out more on their own and with some of the research that would enable them to do that."
Meaghan Palmer, a senior from Lenexa, also found it interesting to learn more about the history of zombies and noted the contrast between modern portrayals in popular culture such as "The Walking Dead" or "28 Days Later" and the original Haitian roots.
Challenging preconceived notions is part of what Haney
Edited by Amelia Arvesen
tries to do with the class.