I The Behrend Beacon Iran expands uranium production TEHRAN, Iran: Student news reporters in Iran released an article revealing that a second cascade centrifuge apparatus has been successfully installed in one of Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities. The second centrifuge reportedly will be able to start accepting uranium gas for enrichment within the next few days. "Iran's second cascade has been installed two weeks ago and the injection of gas into it will be done this week," the student news agency ISNA quoted an informant as saying. "Soon after injection of the gas, we will obtain the product of the second centrifuge cascade." The increase in processing capability will allow Iran to produce fuel- and potentially weapons-grade Uranium at a much faster rate. While Iran maintains that the nuclear enrichment is for civilian power generation purposes, many western nations are convinced that Iran is secretly trying to gather enough material to produce a bomb or other nuclear weapon. Experts estimate that Iran is between five and ten years at minimum from being able to industrially produce nuclear weapons. Behrend to offer nursing degree By Christopher LaFuria news editor Beginning in the fall of 2007, the population of students may be increasing with the approval of a new program to Behrend's list of degrees. Starting next year. Behrend will be offering an associate degree in nursing. Officials at Behrend approved the degree this month, after the curriculum was unanimously approved at a meeting in August. The program will combine science courses, liber al arts courses, and other courses directly associat ed with nursing. According to the Nursing Program Homepage, the new degree will help students achieve success working in hospitals and long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and hospice programs. According to the Director of Continuing Education, Peggy McCarthy, Pennsylvania has a five percent nursing shortage, which explains the lack of assistance in emergency rooms and other deficiencies in hospitals. In order to prevent Pennsylvania from falling to 29 percent, which is McCarthy's prediction for 2020, degrees such as Behrend’s nursing program will help in the short ages. Furthermore, many of the current registered nurses are eligible for retirement by 2015, which, according to McCarthy, provides even more avail abilities and demand for nurses. Upon completion of the program, students are also eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination exams, which prepare students for work as a registered nurse. The degree is also com patible with Penn State University Park’s BS pro gram, which furthers the education for nurses. Paula Milone-Nuzzo, University Park School of Nursing’s director, claims that the addition of the major is good for Behrend as well as the state of Pennsylvania. “The program allows RNs to obtain their bachelor’s in nursing on a part-time basis,” Milone-Nuzzo says. “The School of Nursing encourages associate degree graduates to continue into which anyone can move and declare himself town sheriff." Saul Bellow, American novelist (b. 1915) Source: CNN.com, Yahoo! News their education, and Penn State's RN to BS program allows working RNs to do just that." 'Behrend is not the only branch of Penn State that offers the nursing major. Altoona, Fayette. Mont Alto and Worthington Scranton also have the asso ciate degree program in nursing available to stu dents. Chancellor Jack Burke says that Behrend will maintain the success that has been evident in the other Penn State campuses. “The associate degree program in nursing addresses the very strong current and projected demand for hospital-based practitioners who can support the staffing needs of the region," Burke says. “This accredited program has been a proven success at four other Penn State locations, and we are confident that it will be successful in producing qualified nurses for northwestern Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth." There is a 68-credit requirement for the associate degree. Also, there is an online prescribed course outline for full time students to follow, beginning next year. Along with the nursing courses, Behrend students must meet the cultural diversity course requirement and complete the writing-intensive courses. According to Section six of the Professional Nursing Law, which was amended in 2002, Pennsylvania does not issue nursing licenses to those who have been convicted of felonies relating to controlled substances within 10 years of apply ing or ones that have received significant rehabili tation. Students will also receive 10 to 15 hours of clin ical work within the week, either at the campus nurse lab or a local health care facility. Students that wish to apply can visit the Penn State Admissions Home Page. Those applying before Nov. 30 are given priority status. All applications submitted after this date are reviewed on a first come-first-served basis. Janet Neff Sample Center pHB for ALrtmeri & Civiiity \ \ >IE'W- Wildfire determined to be arson RIVERSIDE, California: An uncontrolled wildfire that has killed multiple firefighters and obliterated over 10,000 acres of forest has been determined to be a case of arson, according to reports from a California Department of Forestry official. A small group of firefighters were overcome by flames when 25 m.p.h. winds forced a wall of fire over and around the structure the firemen had been protecting. Unable to seek shelter or return to their vehicle, two were killed instantly while two others in the group later died of their injuries. The final member of the group is hospitalized in critical condition with bums over 95 percent of his body. "They had left their truck to do structure protection when the fire overran them," said Forest Service spokesman Pat Boss. Now that the fire has been determined to have been purposefully set, a reward of $lOO,OOO has been offered for information regarding the identities and whereabouts of the person or people responsible. "This is an arson fire. This is a deliberately set arson fire," Department of Forestry official John Hawkins told reporters Thursday. Since firefighters have now been killed, additional homicide charges could be added once the perpetrator is caught. The fire now surrounds Silent Park Valley, and residents say they see an orange glow outlining the ridges around the area. The last fire road out of the area has been closed as a precaution, hopefully keeping the fire from taking anyone by surprise coming or going. As a result, people who chose not to evacuate are now stuck in between the ridges that shield the valley. "We're not trapped. We're very safe here," park ranger Charles Van Brunt told reporters in an interview with CNN. "The roads are closed but that’s just primarily so the firefighters can do their job. But on the ridges around us, we can see the flames. It's safer for us to be here than trying to get everyone out right now." Forestry officials also report that erratic winds are making the fire propogate in an unpredictable fashion, causing the firefighting effort to go slowly. The Behrend Beacon would like your help. Anyone interested in writing articles or taking pictures can contact the Beacon office at 898-6488. 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