University of South Carolina Libraries
_VOL. 94, Friday September 15, 2000__ ina Community since 1Q08 * www.camecock.sc.edu UNIVERSITY of South Carolina Columbia, s.C. City approves USC crosswalk plan By John.Huiett and Brandon Larrabee Tin: Gamecock A plan to build crosswalks linking parts of Wheat Street and a parking lot near the Coliseum to the Strom Thur mond Fitness and Wellness Center won final approval Wednesday from the Co lumbia City Council. The council also gave approval in con j! cept to a series of slreelscaping plans af fecting Green, Bull, Blossom and Sumter streets. One of die crosswalks, which will run parallel to Wheat Street, is intended to allow students living in Bates, South Quad and East Quad to access the Fitness and Wellness Center without crossing As sembly Street, according to William Hub bard, chairman of the board of trustees. The other crosswalk will serve the same purpose for students parked at the lot on the corner of Park and Blossom. Hubbard said the University is seek ing funding for the $4 million project from the stale department of transportation. "We are optimistic that the state de partment of transportation, through the assistance of John Hardy ... will supply the funding," Hubbard said. Hardy is the member of SCDOT from the Columbia area. "All signs point to approval," Hub bard said. He said the university is pro ceeding with the plans, as well as changes to the Fitness and Wellness Center plans, under the assumption that the funding will be approved. The streetscaping plan would have two phases, according to Hubbard. The first phase of the plan would deal with the Blossom Street Corridor between Lin coln and Pickens streets; Sumter Street; and might involve some work on Greene Street. Hubbard said the board wanted to lower speeds on Sumter Street between Blossom and Pendleton streets and add more green space between Sumter and the sidewalks running along that road. "That will promote student safety," he said. The board’s plan also calls for nar rowing the street and removing some of Sumter’s parking spaces. Ollier changes to campus could in clude keeping Greene Street open during some of the hours it is currently closed. "If we can slow traffic enough, we may be able to keep it open during some of the hours it is still closed," Hub bard said. The second phase of the board pro posal would involve similar work on Wheal Street and would also place a side walk on that road between Pickens and Assembly. Work would also be done on Pendleton Street. Hubbard said the board had already approved about $ 1 million for the Sumter Street plan, but would have to find addi lional funding for the oilier streelscaping plans. Tliose plans will total $4-5 million, Crosswalks see page 2 ‘We’re excited about the opportu nity to do something from the start that will get students from the Wellness Center to class safe ly •’ Jerry Brewer Director of Student Life State examines school bus brakes by B.etsy Baugh The Gamecock The Slate Department of Education mechanics last week inspected 56 school ^buses designed to carry students with dis .ibilities that were part of a nationwide manufacturer’s recall. North Carolina-based Thomas Built Buses informed the Slate Department of Education on Wednesday, Sept. 6 that the 15-seat buses had to be inspected for pos sible problems with their anti-lock brak ing systems. Immediately after receiving the offi cial recall notice, Superintendent of Ed ucation Inez Tenenbaum instructed me chanics at the Department of Education’s regional nuiinlenance shops to inspect the braking systems on these buses. “We have confidence that these bus es are safe, but obviously we’re not going to take any chances where the safely of children is concerned,” Tenenbaum said. Tenenbaum asked Thomas Built to transmit instructions to the Slate Depart ment of Education immediately so the agency’s mechanics could do the inspec tions that day. The inspections began early in the morning and Tenenbaum authorized over time pay so that the inspections would be sure to be complete as soon as possible. Jim Foster, the education department’s director of public information, said the inspections were at a time when children would not be inconvenienced, adding Uiat, by last Thursday, the buses were all in spected and die children could gel to scIkx)] safely. “We did the recall ;uid maintenance when the children were in school and not in need of the buses,” Foster said. “Thanks to the fast and wonderful work of our maintenance we were able to gel die kids to and from school.” Gov. Hodges praised the education department for their swift response to the recall. Buses seepages Office provides free shuttle Amy Goulding Tuc Gamccocr i ue omce 01 aicoiioi ana Drug Programs will provide a free shuttle to the Great Gamecock Tailgate Par ly. The bus will transport students Irom campus to the parly, then return to campus after the football game. Those interested can catch the shuttle at three stops: Russell House, , the Gipstone area, or Bales House at 12:30 mid 1:30. From there, the shut tle goes to the Gamecock Tailgate par ly located at 1125 Rosewood Drive. The bus will drop students off after the game at the same three pick-up locations. me siiuuie, made possible by a grant from Soutli Carolina Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, will ran only on game days. The bus is scheduled to operate for the Homecoming game (Sep tember 23rd), and the games on the 14th and 28th of October. Addi tional dates may be added, depending on driver availability. Students can find times of pick up listed in the Gamecock or posted around campus. For additional infor mation, contact the Office of Alcohol and Drug Programs at 777-7130. Amy Goulding Tut Gamecock Andy Thomas talks on his radio show with a USC and Columbia College student. Local radio show hosts teen forum ■ Program addresses teen issues by Richard Barnes Tin: Gamecock Remember when you were in high school? Ever recall having something to say, but not being com fortable saying it? A new venture from a Colum bia-based radio talk show hopes to solve that problem. The. Andy Thomas Show’s Teen Forum, which premiered on Wednesday, hopes to provide an environment in which teenagers can discuss their opinions, with other teenagers and adults. The forum airs every other Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. on nine radio stations throughout the slate. Each show will focus on a different issue and has a new panel of teens from across the stale. Kayce Sim mons, a Florence native, and a 16 year-old freshman at Columbia Col lege produce the forum. Simmons feels that, because it will address issues that affect today’s teenagers, the forum will “allow communication between teens and their parents and teachers.” She hopes it will provide a new arena for the discussion of all issues. The show first aired on Wednes day, Sept. 13. Two USC students Byron David, freshman, political science and John Simpson, fresh man, Computer Science - were members of a live-person panel ad dressing teen sex and abstinence. Other members of the panel in cluded students from Columbia Col lege and Allen University. Future topics will include school dress codes, alcohol, drugs, and pol itics. Simmons selected the panel from a number of applicants because they each helped to bring variety to the panel. BoU) USC students were pleased to have been chosen and felt that their participation would help other teens in South Carolina. “The forum will allow differ ent views to be expressed by peo ple in different positions. It’s a good opportunity to address big issues. The issues discussed should impact everyone at some lime,” Simpson said. The Teen Forum idea is the brainchild of Andy Thomas, who serves as its host. “The original concept was con ceived seven to eight years ago and was tried at another station in Co lumbia,” he said. “We’re trying to begin to show teens that they can be articulate and that they can ex press their ideas.” Thomas’s idea appears to be suc ceeding. David said after the pro gram that he fell “like we impact ed teens out there; maybe contiicted a teen that might have been about to make a bad decision.” The Andy Thomas Show airs in Columbia on WTGH 620AM and via the Internet. Teens are selected for the pan el based on numerous factors, but diversity is given considerable im portance. Those interested in po sitions on the Teen Forum panel should direct inquiries to the Andy Thomas Show at 255-8013 or on the web at www.the andythomasshow.com. The university desk can he reached at gamecockudesk@hotmail.com. Street repaving delayed 0 by John Bailey The Gamecock The city of Columbia has been resurfacing several streets in an effort to improve driving conditions around the city. Blossom, Harden and Lee Streets are just a few of the streets being repaved in part of a month-long pro ject that is addressing some of the streets in need of renovation. “The roads are being repaved as a result of the standard wear at^d tear that the streets receive from steady, and sometimes heavy, city traffic,” said AssisLtnl Superintendent of Streets Lee Honeycutt. According to Honeycutt, recent rainstorms delayed the repaving for several days. Honeycutt said the city expects the work on Harden and Heyward Streets to be done within a week. Work on Blossom and Coleman Streets will also be completed shortly, Honeycutt said. Honeycutt said the roads current ly being worked on remain sale to dri ve on, ;ind he doesn’t expect too many traffic delays or detours. “It’s been a real pain,” said Tom Kelalier, a resident of Queen Street, which runs perpendicular to Lee Street. “They close off part of the street, and now I have to drive a few extra blocks just to get home. When the street is open, it’s almost too bumpy to drive on.” Residents on Harden Street actu ally received notices advising them not to park on the street during the roadwork. The notice also stated that the con struction would be finished by Sept. 5, while the renovations are still in progress. “The rain threw a wrench into everything,” Honeycutt said. “You can’t resurface in the rain. We expect to be finished with the work on Harden by the end of next week.” “Completing the work depends on having clear weather,” Honeycutt said. “1 just want them to finish soon,” Kelalier said. “I’m tired of having to drive around the block to get to my house on the way home from classes.” The city/slate desk can he reached at gamecockcttydesk@hotmail.com. Weather Inside Quote of the Day Datebook Friday 85 F 57 F Saturday 78 F 48 F Goalposts for sale on eBay. Page 10 “The only sources that are worth a damn are the confi dential sources.” ' Jack Anderson Syndicated columnist, 1998 Friday •Parent’s Weekend •USC Wellness Week •Hispanic Heritage Month Begins •Student Organization Registration Deadline •Volleyball Carolina Tournament Saturday •Parent’s Weekend •Football vs. Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m. •USC Wellness Week •Volleyball Carolina Tournamen