Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2002)
igíííí October 16, 2002 The Clackamas Print Students become victims of fraud Editor-in-Chief Students have been fooled into giving up their personal information and money to a man pretending to be an associate of Clackamas Community College during the first week of school. On Sept. 3, two students showed up to the Harmony campus believing they were registered for an English as a Second Language (ESL) class. Much to their surprise, they were not. As Gloria Castaneda, secretary for the department, spoke in further detail with the students, she discov ered that a man had approached the students at their homes with the promise that if they provided,him with their personal information and $20, they would be registered in the classes offered this term. He speci fied to the students to speak with Castaneda. “I also feel that I was victim ized,” said Castaneda. “I had noth ing to do with this. I hate to think people think I am affiliated with this.” Immediately, Castaneda contact ed Rene Zingarelli, associate dean of Extended Learning Services, and together they called Clackamas County Deputy Sheriff David Howard. According to Howard, only two people have come forward to press charges, but according to Castaneda, seven to nine other vic tims were contacted. CCC is not the only place that has been targeted. One man who lives in Gladstone was told that the Gladstone Library was running simi lar classes. “He was very convincing. He made it sound so awesome,” said Castaneda. The imposter told the “I also feel that I was victim ized. I had nothing to do with this.” Gloria Castaneda secretary ESL department Gladstone resident that he might even qualify for a scholarship. “A lot of these victims are afraid to talk to the police,” said Howard. “But we have a person of interest,” he said. Howard identified the person of interest as Sergio Benitez Miranda. He is Hispanic, very dark complect ed, 5’9”, 180 lbs, and 20-35 years old. “We are about 90 percent positive he is our suspect,” said Howard. One of the witnesses recognized Miranda from working at a restau rant at Clackamas Town Center. Another victim wrote a personal check to Miranda. He no longer works at the restaufant and Howard was able to get his information. It turns out Miranda has been arrested once before in Washington County, and Washington County will be mailing Howard a photograph of Miranda. As soon as the photo is in his hands he will get a positive ID from the two students who came for ward. With a positive ID, he will be able to make an arrest based on prob able cause. Howard hopes that after the posi tive ID is made, more victims will come forward. A crime alert flyer has been sent out to all the sites the ESL classes are offered in three dif ferent languages. The information has also been relayed to most of the community newspapers. If you are approached at home do not give out: Your name Social Security Number Bank account number Credit card account numbers Photos Drivers license numbers Date of birth Birth certificates Money You can only register for, Clackamas Community College classes at the college itself, through phone registration and online through the college. If anyone has any knowledge of this case, they should contact Deputy Sheriff David Howard at 503-655-8218. Finances force budget cuts; college gets creative Budget from page 1 positions that are vacated may be left open. However, no employees will be fired due to budget cuts in the near future. Erdman assures that the college “will make every effort to protect full-time employees.” A lot of col leges across the state have frozen hiring completely, but Erdman said, “I know that’s not the right thing to do.” Instead, the board is evaluat ing positions as they come open to decide when and if they need to be filled. Currently, the college has about 20 open positions, which may or may not be refilled. Several other suggestions have been made by various departments in effort to save money. A parking fee was proposed, but according to Erdman that will not be enforced. Parking will continue to be free at Clackamas for the time being. Also, charging $5 for school cata logs was discussed, but that sugges tion was refused as well. The col lege may try to increase revenue by actively recruiting international stu dents and students that leave other schools and programs. Information on these budget suggestions can be accessed on the college’s website. In some departments, big changes are already taking place. The Clackamas Print has changed from printing weekly to printing every other week. The Speech team was only able to bring five members on their next trip. Previously, they have taken’more than twenty students. Extracurricular programs like these will probably continue to experi ence similar changes. Some of the changes may be improvements for students and fac ulty. Many departments are reor ganizing or merging to make things run more efficiently. Erdman said they are considering combining registration and cashiering so stu dents can register and pay at the same place. “People are really coming together,” Erdman said. “They-take whatever they have and do the best job they can.” He said that that the faculty has a say in what goes on, and that they have been kept well informed. A budget suggestion hot line has been opened up so faculty can call in their ideas. “All of us depend on having the institution be as strong as it possi bly can,” Erdman said. The budget adjustments will be finalized at the Board of Education meeting Nov. 13. Information about the budget is available to the public at www.clackamas.cc.or.us/budget/. Costumes to be sold for cheap Staff Writer MEGAN COBB The Print Christine Quinlan (left), and Chris Walker show off costumes for sale that range in price from one to five dollars. The sale will be held in the McLoughlin Hall Theatre this Friday. All proceeds go to the Theater department to buy more props and cos tumes for future productions. * The Clackamas Theater Department will be holding a huge sale in the McLoughlin Hall Theater on Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have picked numerous items from their overflowing collection of costumes, props and other acces sories, and are offering to sell every thing they have for between $1-5 per item. All proceeds will go back to the Drama Club (some of the people who are organizing the sale) so that they can continue to buy more props and costumes for future plays and so they can continue to entertain us with their fun and lively shows. Aside from supporting Clackamas’ Theater dept., this is a one-time opportunity for anyone to get their hands on some really unique items. Not only is this sale, open to the college’s staff and students, but to the public as well, so feel free to spread the word to your friends and • family.. This sale has a little of'every thing- from vintage clothes and shoes hard to find anywhere else, to odd little knick-knacks .like a tam- borine, no matter" who you are there will probably be something you would like there. Even if you usual ly don’t display a flair for spectacular and outlandish outfits, the perfect time to dress loudly and proudly is coming up here at the end of the month. A person could get very cre ative and come out shining from this sale and it doesn’t cost much more than pocket change for all this incredibly cool, unique stuff. If that doesn’t interest you, just think how entertaining it could be to go and watch the people of the Theater dept, out there trying to sell Sale will be Friday, Oct. 18 9a.m.-5 p.m. all those various and one of a kind objects, possibly even modeling some costumes for the public. Even if you decide not to take advantage of the extremely affordable prices and you don’t buy anything, you just might get a kick out of the whole scene.
