Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WEATHER TODAY WEDNESDAY High 60 V Students KENPRA CARLSON Staff Writer Pre-Trial Intervention is a progran that allows first-time offenders with n< prior criminal record the opportunity to start over with a clean slate. In the program, individuals g< through a rehabilitation process composed of counseling and guidance All PIT programs are self-supporting The Richland County program is unde the 5th Circuit Solicitor's Office Community service and other lav enforcement agencies also support PT1 In 1981, the circuit solicitors b; statute required circuits be creates across the state. Currently there are li circuits. Under Law 17-22-60, in the Stat of South Carolina the following are th eligibility requirements: there is a substantial likelihoo* that justice will be served if the oflfende is placed in an intervention progran it is determined that the needs c the offender and the state can better b met outside the traditional crimina justice process. it is apparent that the offende ii i. ik. poses no uireat tu uic lasuimunity. IRS eases ] Students can file their tax using a Touch-Tone telephc JENNIFER STANLEY Asst. News Editor This tax season, about 20 mill: will have the opportunity to file elect tax returns under a new Internal R program. Americans who normally file a for their federal income taxes car returns by Touch-Tone telephor electronic filing system called Tele' "Filing taxes doesn't get any ea; IRS Commissioner Margaret Milne Eligible taxpayers will receive booklet in the mail with their usu To use the system, taxpayers i I > learn to ta "The payback to victims is calle i comes out of their pocket. It is i ' there are no civil actions." > 5 it appears that the offender is unlikely to be involved in further criminal ; activity. r the offender in those cases where it is required is likely to respond quickly y to rehabilitative treatment. L the offender has no significant y history of prior delinquency or criminal i activity. 3 the offender has not previously been accepted in a Pre-Trial Intervention e program. e People who are ineligible, for example, are those charged with driving under i the influence or battery with intent to r kill. There are several other situations iM/\liml\l/\ Tri/lnn/Jnolo uiat 11 a pciauii mcn^imc. u.i*xiv ii&ucuo ,f must check their cases with PTI to see e if they are eligible, j Most people are referred by the courts to PTI. People can apply on their own, r but their applications will be screened. The solicitor can then accept or reject filing proces es this year following guidelines: )ne> be single with no d have taxable incon have filed a 1040-1 ion Americans live at the same ac ronic, paperless receive a TeleFile evenue Service the IRS The process takes ab 1040-EZ form is a worksheet available 1 file their tax filing procedure. The sysl le through an and Spanish. File. Taxpayers can file b] her than this," a number listed in the T< ;r said. is available 24 hours a a TeleFile tax Callers enter income al tax booklet. 2 forms using a Touch-T must meet the system computes the fede IN VIEWPOINTS: Reagan taugh Bif Serving Ui. f In the m ^ ITelesia Broomfieh were mistresses of The African-American right, represented Ph Titled "A Showc Young Men," the ev< organizations incl Assistance Peer Tea Engineers and the S Students. Christoph from AAAS, was ch< showcase. "It's a~tlme to s some of the negativi doing nothing," Kin awards at the showc n i ! ?? . ke advant id restitution. This money lot pain and suffering and >avant Crawford, PTI state coordinator individual cases. There is a $50 application fee that must be paid at the first interview. If accepted into the PTI program, participants must pay a $250 charge due at the first orientation meeting. All fees are non-refundable. "I paid the $50 application fee and then decided not to go through the program," said a USC student who wishes to remain anonymous. "I will have a record for three years, but I really don't mind. By the time I get a job, it will hopefully be off my record." The Richland County PTI requires all individuals to be employed or fulltime students. Program participants must be enrolled for a minimum of 90 days but no more than a year. During this time, they must attend a variety of meetings. The PTI program doesn't allow participants to freely leave the state s with Tele will calcu lependents eligible ca ae less than $50,000 TeleFil CZ form previously andifan} Idress as last year booklet in the mail from mus e 1 deadline. 1 out 10 minutes, and there within thr ! to assist callers with the The Te tern is available in English Identifier of the tax] f placing a toll-free call to , jf sleFile booklet. The service day, seven days a week. wan 0 0 information from their W- ? 'one pad, and the TeleFile at httpV/w ral tax returns. The system html. t many campaign lessons, PAGE 3 tax >C since 1908 pi t t * JH I p*' * A JBmHK x r HH te'; . HL Mp Spotlight I, above left, and Sharon Mills ^ 1 ? _JL ceremony ounoay evening ? i Male Spotlight. Lee Hughes, i Beta Sigma at the show, ase of Some of USC's Finest ant was sponsored by several uding AAAS, the Minority im, National Society of Black tociety of Minority Journalism er Smith, the representative >sen Man of the Year at the ilute black men and tear down a ideas that most of them are i Baxter, who presented the ase, said. age of PT1 while chaiges are pending against them. Participants wishing to leave the state must receive permission from the court and the program directors. In addition, participants must complete 30-50 hours of community service. Teople have to volunteer at a non/* i __x __ ? n x proiu organization, saiu uavitm Crawford, PTI state coordinator. "Some examples are the Salvation Army and soup kitchens." In cases that involve a victim, the PTI participant must receive permission from the victim before being allowed to enter the program. Program participants must also reimburse the victim for any damage they caused. "The payback to victims is called restitution," Crawford said. This money comes out of their pocket. It is not pain and suffering, and there are no civil actions." Individuals who are arrested while participating in PTI are released from the program. Their original charges are reassessed along with charges for the new crime. The program is aimed towards firsttime offenders who don't want an arrest PTI page 2 File system ' i i - J'i late tne earned income tax crean ior llers. le announces the amount of the refund r additional tax is due. All extra taxes nailed in by the normal April 15 tax itefund checks will generally be received ee weeks. ileFile tax booklet includes a Personal tion (PIN) number that takes the place payer's signature. The PIN can also be llers have any additional questions or llow up on their return. S can be reached on the World Wide Web ww.ustreas.gov/treasury/bureaus/irs/irs. HJ Fall JtAS CI housing d( A complete list will be released once all new RAs are notified. JENNIFER STANLEY Asst. News Editor The Department of Housing conducted the selection process for Resident Advisers last week. According to Kenya Derrick of the Department of Housing, 125 students applied for 35 positions. The names of the RAs are not available until they all have been notified of their approval for the job. "RAs are the Housing Department's peer representatives to the students. They are the employees who are closest to students," said Linda Newman of the Horseshoe Area Office. "They work aIaaaaI- 4-Lft oro mnot Stewart, tne station s new secretary. Two of the former executive board members dismissed from the station in January, John Lyons and Steven Gionfriddo, returned and were elected to positions for this semester. Lyons was voted Music Director and Gionfriddo was elected Promotions Director. Stewart said she's more comfortable at the station than she was when she was a DJ last semester. "I did enjoy doing my show," Stewart said. "But the atmosphere wasn't very conducive to enjoyment. I felt kind of uncomfortable. There were a bunch of friends who were in control." This semester, Stewart says, "It feels like everybody's welcome." Stewart still plays alternative music on her radio show, but she says she tries to incorporate some variety. "I feel a lot more comfortable playing other genres of music," Stewart said. "1 try to make sure each show that I do has a little bit of everything in it." Skip Hudson, the program director, was a DJ for three semesters at the station before taking last semester off to work for KICKS 96-FM. "I heard about all the controversy going on, and I figured, with my experience in the programs department of a real radio station working with a lot of quality program directors, I could help," Hudson said. "I figured I could put my skill to use over here helping the station and helping the school out." Hudson said the musical format of the station hasn't changed much since last semester. "It's not really changed that much, but the actual freedom to do it is there," Hudson said. Before an executive board meeting UUSCSt tU 111C OtUUCUl/O, UXCJ axv iixuov in touch with them on a daily basis. "We place a great deal of trust with RAs to keep us in touch with what is going on in the halls, both positive and negative," she said. An RA is an employee of the Department of Housing responsible for an assigned section or floor of a residence hall. Housing changed their selection process. The selection had been a daylong process with individual interviews. This year, the Resident Hall directors looked through the applications and selected applicants that fit their needs. The RHDs and other housing officials then interviewed the applicants. RAs should have a minimum of two semesters of college work, be full-time students, have a minimum 2.25 GPA and have previously lived in a residence hall (or in a similar situation). According to Newman, criteria for selection of RAs include communication skills, assertiveness, administration New eYeri elected at1 CECE VON KOLNiTZ News Editor In three months, WUSC-FM 90.5 has gone from a strictly non-Top 40 college station to one where contemporary Christian and countiy songs are played. And after station elections Thursday, the vacant executive board member positions have been filled. It's virtually impossible to say that it's not student-run now," said Clanitra 1DEX CLASSIFIEDS 9 Throwing heat PAGE 8 l.. nusen uy apartment capabilities, listening skills, team worker, concern for others and organizational skills. In addition, they should "embrace and celebrate diversity." The responsibilities involve four major areas: student development, community development, floor management and administration, and building and departmental responsibility. They serve as advisers and counselors to students, encourage involvement, address misconduct, provide appropriate disciplinary action, serve as a role models, organize programs, give crisis intervention and other duties that help support their residents. "RAs are enforcers many times, but very few apply to be enforcers. They want to be a helper and a friend. Addressing misconduct comes with that," Newman said. RAs undergo a week-long training session mat uiciuues ui icimg uu uisis intervention and housing policies. "In my point of view, I wanted to (be an RA because) I wanted to make a difference," said Winona Ross, a RA in Preston. Tm not saying that Fm the most important person in people's lives, but when they need someone, I'm usually one of the first people come to." RAs receive a 50 percent discount on the price of a double room, however, they live in a single room. They also receive a 25 percent discount on a meal plan (50 percent for Bates and Preston). Their salary is $122 a month. If they work more than two semesters, they earn $144 a month. "They (RAs) play a vital role in the operation of the Housing Department," Newman said. "It is not just a job ? it's a way of life because whenever they're in the building, they're at work. If something happens, they respond." itivp hratrl v ti y v v/wx vi^USC-FM Program Director Skip Hudson Music Director John Lyons Asst. Music Director Steve Branson Sports Director Shawn C. Fry News Director Joe Bastedo Promotions Director Steven Gionfriddo Traffic Director Robert Regal Secretary Clanltra Stewart Production Director J. David Branbam Public Affairs Director Drew Stewart Members at Large Tecoria Jones Jeff Smith Librarians Mike Burkhard Jason Paddock Monday, Hudson said, "I told them U. vote me in because 111 make it (the static* what they want it to be." In the meeting, Student Medi Director Chris Carroll said he hopes wit the election of the new staff that WUS can "start making progress." News Director Joe Bastedo said < the executive board, "We're not the statia we're who keeps it going." The new executive board will me this Thursday to discuss possible muf format changes and making the form more specific. At the end of Monday's meetin Carroll said it is up to the new executi board to make decisions about the stati regarding the format and statii 1 operations. "It's entirely in your hands," Can said.