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— Serving na Community since 1Q08 r Carolinas urged to watch Dennis ‘People still remem ber Hurricane Andrew here from 1992, so we’re keeping an eye out for it.' Harcourt Cambridge Hotel Owner I H by Chris Saunders Associated Press Nassau, Bahamas — Hurricane Dennis strength ened as it crept up on the Bahamas on Thursday, send ing residents scurrying to grocery stores to stock up on supplies. By this morning, Dennis was expected to come within 40 miles of the Bahamas’ Eleuthera Island, a 110-mile-long strip of pink sand that 8,000 people call home. "People still remember Hurricane Andrew here from 1992, so we’re keeping an eye out for it,” Eleuthera hotel owner Harcourt Cambridge said. In the Bahamian capital, Nassau, boats were hauled out of the harbor, and the governor general’s official residence was boarded up. One resident, 25-year-old Brian Deal, said he had bought lumber to cover his windows but was wait ing to see how the storm would progress. Forecasters expected a weather system moving east across the United States to force Dennis away from Florida. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Dennis might never hit land. But it also could turn and strike near South Carolina as early as Sunday, when it could be pack ing winds up to 109 mph, forecaster Robert Molle dasaid; "We’re not letting anyone off the hook any where along the coast,” said Todd Kimberlain an other meteorologist at the center. Dennis became a hurricane late Wednesday as its winds reached 75 mph. At 5 p.m. EDT Thursday, its maximum winds were up to 80 mph, with hurricane-force winds ex tending 45 miles from its center. The strongest were in the northeast quadrant facing open seas. Dennis was stalled about 40 miles east-north east of San Salvador and 210 miles east-southeast of Nassau. Forecasters predicted the storm would strength en as it continued at about 7 mph on its west northwest course. As Dennis advanced, Bahamian authorities put the central Bahamas and some northwest Bahamian islands on hurricane warning and the rest of the north west on hurricane watch. Some officials said they feared that residents were being complacent. The Club Eleuthera Resort said it was consid ering chartering an airplane to fly 180 Italian guests to a sister resort in Cuba if the storm worsened. ‘ ’Most of the guests are a little nervous'because they’ve heard all the stories about hurricanes, but we’ve told them not to worry at this point,” man ager Shawna McCarthney said. Two other nearby storms posed little threat Thurs day, forecasters said. Cindy, upgraded to a hurricane again late Wednes day, was far 014 in the Atlantic. And Emily, which sprang up at near-hurricane Strength Tuesday, began to lose strength and was downgraded to a tropical depression. In the southeast Caribbean, though, two wood en houses in Barbados were tom down Thursday morning by winds that the Barbados Meteorological Office said could have been associated with Tropical Storm Emily, even though it was more than 200 miles away and likely to dissipate offshore. ‘ ’Everything in my house is damaged, my house fiat on the ground,” Etheline Forde, a fami laborer, said at the ruins of her Atlantic Oceanside home on eastern Peak Bay. Campus Issue Wheelchair accessibility improves at Carolina »i by Philip Burt Senior Writer USC’s new buildings and those being renovated will be wheelchair accessible, in accordance with the American Disabilities Act. The ADA is the standard building code. Renovations are being done at Sloane College, and it will be wheelchair accessi ble. Likewise, the new residence halls on Bluff Street will be built for full accessi bility, said Gene Luna, director of Housing and Residential Services. This would allow a ramp, so people in wheelchairs can move from terrace to ter race to have access to each building, said Charles Jeffcoat, director of Facilities Man agement. There are many taciors that decide whether renovation will take place. Some of these include whether there is enough room in the building to put in elevators, or whether there is enough room outside for a ramp, Jeffcoat said. Also, some buildings have historical significance, and that plays a role, he said. “If a building has historical sig nificance, it is difficult to make alterations to that building,” Jeffcoat said. Another factor is whether places are go ing to be used by the public, said Karen Pet tus, director of the Office of Disability Ser vices. Housing tries to accommodate all stu dents who need special accommodations. “We work for students and find out the nature of the disability and find out what ac commodations can be made for that student,” ^ Housing Administrative Assistant Gretchen Koehler said. Whether more changes need to be made, depends on the modification and how long a student will be staying on campus. “People come to the university with many needs, and we want to accommodate as many as possible,” she said. Some build ings are wheelchair accessible only on the first floor. Many of these buildings have ramps, but no elevators. Wheelchairs see page 2 WUSC radio FM 90.5 recently opened the new studio Kevin Langston The Gamecock WUSC Station Manager Jason Paddock gets ready for the new studio to begin production. This studio replaced decades-old equip ment and will bring WUSC to the forefront of college radio outlets. Campus station gets new studio by Kevin Langston News Editor At noon today, the campus radio station, 90.5 WUSC-FM Columbia, will be shutting down its old studio for good. Simultaneously, WUSC will be opening its new studio Filled with brand-new equipment and up dated technology. “This day has been a year in the making,” said Jason Paddock, station manager. “This is the first time we have had all new equip ment firsthand. The old studio is full of equip ment that was handed down to us from other sta tions. It was out of date from day one.” . Paddock is certain the new equipment will help give the radio station a smoother and cleaner sound. “The listener won't notice how much the new equipment is helping our sound at first, but in the long run, it will be noticeable,” he said The station now has state-of-the-art computer equipment to help better the operations of every program. In addition, new turntables have been added to the studio, a necessity that has been absent from the WU6CsEEPAGE2 Turkish Earthquake Student association hopes to aid relief by Clayton Kale Associate News Editor A student organization has set up tables in two of the most conspicuous places on campus to raise money to aid Turkey’s earth quake victims. The Turkish Student Asso ciation is collecting money and displaying pictures of the aftermath of the natural dis aster on the bridge over Pickens Street and in front of the Russell House. “If we can get some donations to help the victims, [that] would be good,” said Tink er Teker, a mathematics graduate student. Not only is the Turkish Student Asso ciation trying to raise money, but the Co lumbia-based band Turku will be holding a concert to help raise money for the Turkish Embassy Earthquake Victims Relief Fund. None of the members of Turku are Turk ish. Three are from the United States, and two are natives of Inin. “[The band] is giving a favor to us ... [and] all the money is going to the earth quake victims,” Teker said. Bclma Erdqgan, president of the Turk ish Student Association, said the 20-mcm bcr club has 300 Turku concert tickets for sale. “We are hoping we am sell all 300 tick ets,” she said. “So far, we have sold 75 to 100 tickets.” Erdqgan said students can help the earth quake victims by depositing money into a bank account that’s been set up with the Na tional Bank of South Carolina. The account will be open until Sep tember , and the account number is displayed at the collection tables on Pickens and in front of the Russell House. “Columbia has a fairly large Turkish community [for its size],” history Professor Kenneth Perkins said “This is their [the Turkish communi ty’s] way of responding, by helping to re build [lives],” he said. Turku will be playing at 8 p.m. tonight Turkey see page 2 ^ "" Gamecock Members of the Turkish Student Association raise money Tuesday. Weather Inside Datebook Online Poll Today Friday 93 71 f Welcome to “Life In Hell.” Page 8 Today Poster sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., RH Ballroom Fraternity rush ends WUSC opens new studio, 12 p.m., 90.5-FM Emerging Leader Applications arc due, 5 p.m. I Saturday S;ind volleyball intramu rals begin. Round Tiiblc Gaming So ciety, 12 p.m. to 11:45 p.m., Russell House V How will the Gamecocks do this season? Go to www.ganiccock.sc.cdii to vole in this week’s poll. S )