Bill Foltz, Executive Pastry Chef at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in New Orleans, puts the finishing touches on a sculpture made entirely of sugar during Le Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (World Pastry Cup) U.S. Team Tryouts hosted at GRCC on Saturday, April 17. Foltz was selected to join the team and will compete in Lyon, France.(Photo by Ryan Tyrell,Collegiate)

GRCC Student files fake report
By Brittany Zender
Collegiate Staff Writer

A GRCC Student confessed the Kent County Sheriff’s Department that the unarmed robbery and assault she had reported last semester was fake.

In October, an 18 year old pregnant GRCC student reported that she was assaulted at approximately 1:20 p.m. on Oct. 29.

“She claimed she was punched and robbed on her way to class in the Bostwick parking ramp, and since she was 27 weeks pregnant, an ambulance transported her to St. Mary’s hospital shortly after her call to 911,” said Campus Police Lieutenant Harold Woolworth.

“The Kent County Sheriffs Department has had her under private investigations for another false report she later filed with them,” Woolworth said. She claimed a male was trying to harass and take her baby from her after she pulled her car over near 8 mile and Alpine.”

Officer Nowak of the GRCC Police, said the student admitted to the Kent County Sherriffs Department that not only was the report false, but so was the assault she reported at GRCC. Woolworth felt the report was suspicious from the beginning.

“We questioned the validity of the report from the start,” Woolworth said. “Her descriptions of what happened just didn’t add up, but we had to treat it as though it was a crime and took the assault very seriously.

“We even asked the Detective Bureau department of the GRPD to make a composite drawling of the suspect according to what she described. The fictitious suspect was a black male with a tear drop tattoo on his left cheek.

“A lot of agencies were involved, including the GRPD that made the composite drawling and led us in two photo line ups with her, the Michigan State Police’s crime lab where DNA testing was done, and Kent County where vehicle testing and private investigations took place.”

The case was closed last week on April 14. Nowak said the case was a large waste of resources.
“All this did was raise peoples concerns and wasted a lot of time and money that we will be seeking full restitution for,” Nowak said. “This doesn’t just affect GRCC. For someone to report something that didn’t occur upsets us as well as the entire community.”

Woolworth said the student is being prosecuted for the false report.

“We are in the process of having a prosecutor issue a warrant for the false report,” Woolworth said. “Anyone that reports a false crime will more than likely end up with a felony, and for this particular one that’s what she will be charged with.

“We have had a few incidences like this happen in the past that we’ve prosecuted for. But it’s been a long time.”

One student and Nurse Technician for Spectrum Health, Chris Schaub, took extra caution after hearing of the incident.

“I was really nervous to walk to my car after I heard about the unarmed robbery,” Schaub said. “We got emails from Spectrum within a few days of the assault advising us to never walk alone at night, and encouraged us to use the buddy system because of GRCC’s latest incidents.

“I had security drive me a few times. Whether or not the assault happened, it’s still dangerous to walk by yourself. I’ll continue to be cautious.”

Mike Vargo, head of the GRCC psychology department, had a theory as to why someone might create a false report.

“Generally, some people who make false accusations are in disbelief of reality,” Vargo said. “They develop almost a fantasy that’s delusional, and it’s often linked with their need for attention.”

Woolworth said he was happy the assault didn’t occur.

“GRCC is a pretty safe campus for being in a downtown city, and the officers and I work very hard to keep it that way,” Woolworth said.

The student is currently taking online classes, and it’s up to the Dean of Student Services to decide whether or not the false accuser will be allowed to attend GRCC anymore.

(Top/Index)

GRCC to have first wind-farm safety program
By Christina Kim
Editor-in-Chief

GRCC will become the first U.S. training center for a globally recognized wind-farm safety program.

Working with Rockford Construction Company’s partner in Spain, Rockford Berge’, GRCC will offer training sessions to those new to the field in July 2010.

“Our wind safety technology program will be the only globally recognized wind safety training by almost all of the major original equipment manufacturers,” said Director of Continuing Education and Professional Development Julie Parks.

According to Parks, through Rockford Berge’s relationship in Spain, GRCC met Ynfiniti Engineering (YES) and Safety Technology of Wales.

Yes and Safety Technology have authorized GRCC to become the first United States training center for their YES/ Safety Technology (YST) safety certification program for the wind energy industry.

“This safety training—along with additional wind technician training can lead to jobs for GRCC students all over the U.S. and even globally,” Parks said. com“According to the Department of Labor’s ONET information, positions for wind technicians, wind farm operators, and sales people of wind parts are growing at a rate of over 20 percent a year.”

According to Parks, the initial 80 hour training program includes modules such as working at heights, climbing, rescue, fire safety, confined spaces, rescue at heights, first aid and several other components.

The maximum number of students per training session will most likely be 20-22 people. According to Parks, there is an application process that will be finalized later in the semester.

“The safety training is applicable to other fields, such as electrical grid workers and other occupations that work at heights,” Parks said. “This is a good training for people who later in life might want to run a company that sells wind parts, insurance to wind farms, run the business end of renewable energy. It is a good basic foundation for students.”

(Top/Index)

Police Reports for April 21, 2010

Injury
3/25
A student slipped and injured her tailbone on the second floor of the student center.

Drunken man
3/26
An intoxicated man was leaning against a GRCC building on his way home from a bar. He refused help and continued walking.

Stolen phone
03/26
A student left his belongings in a locker without locking it. His cell phone was stolen. No suspects.

Missing wallet
3/29
A student left her wallet in a bathroom stall. When she returned, it was missing. No suspects.

Car radio stolen
3/29
A stereo was stolen from a student’s car. No suspects

Hit and run
3/30
A student’s car was hit resulting in a rear dent and blue paint marks. No suspects.

Stolen Book
3/30
A student’s book was stolen from on top of the sink while she was in the restroom. No suspects.

Suspicious photographer
3/31
A freelance photographer was taking photos off the catwalk over Ransom St. He was not a student and was told to register with Student Affairs when on campus.

Theft From Vehicle
4/05
Sunglasses, a GPS and a window mount for the GPS were stolen from a student’s car. No Suspects.

Theft
4/07
Sunglasses and a Raider card were stolen from a student’s bag when she stepped out of the classroom. No suspects.

(Top/Index)

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