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Police look to raise parking pennit by $5 Br Rachel Keeler
TH'E TELESCOPE
• Viee President ollin11nee s11ys p/11n would die 111 his d1sk
IO&EI IEIUS I THE TELESCOPE
Students leave campus in mass after off-campus power outage forces the cancellation of classes on Oct. 20. Campus police said 3,500 cars exited campus without incident. Power was later restored in mid-afternoon and classes resumed at 5 p.m.
Rain shuts down campus By Roger Renkas TilE TELESCOPE
An off-campus power failure during the heaviest rainstorm of the year shut down the campus and caused a massive traffic jam as students left in droves Oct 20. Interim President Richard Jones ordered the cancellation of all classes about 10:30 a.m. "We regret very much doing so," Jones said. "We had no other choice because SDG&E said the power would be off until midafternoon." Early- morning flooding forced the City of San Marcos to close
Mission Road near the main entrance before classes were cancelled. Campus police assisted the Sheriff's department during the Mission Road closure, said Interim Police Chief Tony Cruz. Students leaving campus at the end of regularly scheduled classes were diverted by campus patrol onto Avenida Azul, via Parking Lot 12 and the Las Posas Road exit. Notice of classes being cancelled sent several thousand students and staff to their cars in the middle of a Wednesday morning. Facilities Department staff
members walked around campus to notify classrooms about the cancellation. "We're trying to get everyone out safely," said Mike Hill of the Facilities Department. Some motorists did not understand why traffic was moving so slowly along Comet Circle. "I think they should have somebody at least directing," said Rachel Saunders. There was only one way out for most students who were stuck on Comet Circle. If Mission Road had stayed open, there would have been more options to exit the campus, Jones said. • SEE RAIN, PACE 9
The Palomar College Police Department has proposed increasing the cost of student parking permits from $35 to $40, as part of an effort to fill gaps in its budget this year. Interim Police Chief Tony Cruz said the $5 increase would raise about $50,000 next semester, which would fund services like jump-starting cars, escorting students at night and delivering emergency messages to students. The money would also help hire more student officers. Cruz said student services can survive • SEE PARKING, PACE 3
Finalists for college president speak up Recently named finalists vying for the position of Palomar College president met college faculty, administrators and were on the San Marcos campus to talk to students, tour the
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Each candidate made brief opening remarks and then took questions from audience members about the responsibilities of the president. A reception followed, where community members interacted with the candidates. • SEE TWO
MEN COMPETE FOR PRESIDENT, PACE 2
Cactus garden mauled Br Roger Renkas
TH'E TELESCOPE
• Vllndllll-tut down t11t1i g11rdsn n111r sntr11nts ol t11mpu1 Vandals slashed exotic cacti in a garden near Comet Circle on the Palomar College campus. Richard Henderson, manager of the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society, said he discovered the vandalism when he arrived at the garden Saturday morning.
"Someone entered over a chain link fence with a machete and started chopping their way across the garden," he said. "In some area's it looked like a lawnmower ran through it." Henderson said he had heard that campus police chased an illegal camper away from the Arboretum 10 days earlier. About 100 plants were damaged, Henderson said. He estimated the cost to replace the most severely damaged plants at $40,000. One plant cost $3,000 alone, he said. IO&EI IIIlAS I THE TELESCOPE
• SEE CACTI, PACE 2
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• SPECIAL PULL OUT SECTIOI, PA&ES 6, 7 & 8
Richard Henderson, manager of the campus garden, stneys damage done to plants located near Comet Ci'de.
PUPPETS COME ALIVE South P11tk ttiiiiOtS spool IIIIOtism in n1w lilm. • PA&E 7
ALL-GIRL CHEER Chill squtld dlbuts Ill P11/omllt with 11 twist. • PA&E 12