' These books were old when Bob Barker's grandparents were young - Feature p.8 Mysterious fire wrecks downtown apartment Couple loses nearly and not salvageable," said Russell. "But we're not willing to throw stuff away if everything, turns to we can possibly hold onto it." Facebook community They received a great deal of help from friends and various members of for help their community. The Red Cross provided the duo with a care package, and Shoppers BY JOEY BASHA Drug Mart, along with other local or­ ganizations, donated some basic house­ hold items that were lost in their apart­ Elizabeth Anne Russell and Andrew ment. Irvine rushed home from vacation on Maintaining day jobs on top oftheir Sunday afternoon to find their Water added chores has proven to be a daunt­ Street apartment had gone up in smoke, ing task. leaving them with almost nothing. They maintain that while they are The couple was in Gander when their not looking for handouts as such, any cat-sitters called them to deliver the help in dealing with their situation bad news. would be useful. "It was twelve hours after the fire that They have even turned to the net­ they called," said Irvine. "We were only working site Facebook for help, cre­ informed by them.... Otherwise, no ating a group called "Elizabeth & one tried to get into contact with us." Andrew need help cause our apart­ So far, no official release has been ment burned." made to the public concerning the The group, which boasts has 36 mem­ cause of the fire, which is thought to bers and messages ofsupport posted on have started in the pizza place below the wall, tells people they aren't asking their home. for money, but that they will take what­ While the fire itself was contained ever kind of help they can get it. downstairs, their apartment, along Elizabeth cites a lack oflaundry facil­ with several others, sustained serious ities as the biggest problem. Salvaging smoke damage. all their washables is proving to be es­ As of right now, they are told that pecially expensive. the apartment will not be inhabitable They haven't been able to collect any in the near future. insurance money from the fire. They la­ There were no injuries, though the ment that they hadn't previously heard couple's cat was trapped inside and be­ of renter's insurance. came ill from smoke inhalation. "It costs apparently ten bucks a Russell and Irvine, who moved to St. month ... and most people who rent John's from Corner Brook in May, la­ don't know about it. There are a lot of ment having to start from scratch. fires in St. John's," said Russell. They found a furnished apartment as Russell and Irvine warn young cou­ soon as possible, but almost everything ples to be careful when selecting apart­ else they own has been ruined. ments, and to make sure they get in- Their new house on Alexander Street sured. ~ is not yet a home. There are basic fur­ To lend a hand to Russell and Irvine, nishings surrounded by bare, white check out their Facebook group or call Andrew Irvine and Elizabeth Anne Russell sit in their new, mostly empty home. IAN VATCllER walls. 765-3322. Most of their possessions were destroyed by smoke damage from a downtown fire. "Everything we have is damaged With files from Kerri Breen Underwater robots face off Marine institute hosts land inspection, and homeland secu­ Bartlett, named for Newfoundland­ rity. They basically go where humans born polar explorer Robert Bartlett, international robotics can't go and do jobs that are too danger­ pulled off that task in less than five ous for humans to do," said Jill Zande, minutes, drawing big cheers from the competition, MUN MATE coordinator. crowd who watched from outside the The competition drew 41 teams from tank's glass walls. team takes second 6 countries, featuring students of all A few minutes after the successful ages. mission, Quick was red and giddy with BY SHEENA GOODYEAR "When we looked at the facilities excitement: that were available to us here, we just "Absolutely amazing," she said. "I couldn't pass it up," said Zande. "I mean was really feeling nauseous at the be­ Renee Quick has spent every Saturday the facilities are allowing us to simulate ginning because we were seeing [the since January building a robot named real world conditions that we've never other robots]. They were getting down Bartlett with her friends. had before." there and running through it pretty Quick is a member of the Eastern In the Institute for Ocean technol­ good, but then we got down there and Edge Robotics team that represented ogy, the robots had to perform scien­ nailed it in like five minutes, so we're Memorial last weekend at this year's tific research tasks and deploy instru­ feeling excellent." Marine Advance Technology Eductation ments under ice. The competition was judged part­ (MATE) Remotely-Operated Vehicle In the marine institute's flume tank ly based on the task performance, and underwater competition. - a tank of water than simulates ocean partly on research prepared by the "They are underwater robots that in conditions, the largest of its kind it in teams. the real world are used to promote off­ the world - the robots had to fight a cur­ Eastern Edge swept second place, shore oil and gas production, scientific rent, to string and lift a weight from the just behind California's Jesuit High research, underwater archeology, pipe bottom, as if recovering a lost anchor. School. Audience members watch robots compete under­ water in the Marine lnstitute's flume tank. June 28, 2007 NEWS { www.themuse.ca Government push for Grenfell autonomy not welcome, says senate rep University College has been badly served by back on what they have," said Farrell. the people here and the senate "Running two different universities community still split here ... the only thing to do is be­ on the same amount of cash, we don't come independent - their own want the university to have less mon­ on Grenfell's future senate, their own board, their ey and then start asking for tuition own pipe line to government," fee increases." BY SHEENA GOODYEAR said Sharpe. Despite his concerns, Farrell re­ The senate struck an ad hoc spects Grenfell's desire for indepen­ committee to look at these is­ dence. The provincial government has big sues, and their report will go to "We just have to accept it for what plans to give Memorial's Corner the board of regents for consid­ it is, and respect the decision of the Brook campus full university sta­ eration at the next meeting in government and respect the wishes of tus - but a MUN senate represen­ late July. Grenfell," he said. "Most people who tative says it's not the government's Ultimately, the decision rests graduate from Grenfell wish that they decision to make. with the board - though the had Grenfell [written] on their degree, "The most critical issue in all of government appoints the board because it's a totally different campus this is the attitude of the govern­ members, and has the power to with a totally different atmosphere." ment," said Chris Sharpe, science remove them. Farrell says the situation will work representative on Memorial's sen­ "The province can fire the out, as long as it is done sensibly and ate, the highest governing body for board of regents and appoint a without too much political involve­ academic issues. whole new board of regents, but ment. The provincial government is what it can't do is tell the board But he fears the rivalry between the pushing for more autonomy for Sir of regents how to do its job. But campuses has already gone too far. Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner that is apparently what the gov­ "It's going to be interesting," he Brook, though the board of regents, ernment is trying to do," said said. "It's going to be a circus." the highest governing body at the Sharpe. With files from Brad Ayers university, has yet to tackle the is­ The board's chancellor, John sue. Crosbie, says the government's "In my opinion, the elephant in opinion will not effect their fi­ the room is the government's atti­ nal decision. tude towards the board," he said. "If "The government has the pow­ Check out ''The the university is not independent, er to dismiss the board, but they then we're all in trouble, whether we can't tell the board what their Muse's Wicked­ be one university or two. opinion should be," Crosbie Grenfell College offers courses said. Awesome OpEd and some full degree programs to "The government has the pow­ about 1,400 students. er to decide to implement its own Section!" on A lot of decisions related to will on the university. Whether Grenfell's operation continue to be or not it should, remains to be Facebook, and tell us made in St. John's, prompting mem­ seen. " bers of the college's community to Crosbie refused to express what you think. complain that their needs are not be­ his opinions about Grenfell's ing met by an administration 7,000 future status until the board's km away. July meeting. These issues spurred a govern­ Meanwhile, Grenfell Principal ment commissioned, independent John Ashton is losing patience study into Grenfell's future relation­ Memorial's administration. pressed concerns about the Kelly/ with all the discussions and paper Teach English ship with Memorial.