The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 01, 2000, Page 2, Image 2
TOie (gamecock
USC student in coma after unexplained illness
■ Preston Residential
College shows support for
resident, his friends, family
i
by Martha Wright
The Gamecock
After a sudden, serious and still-unexplained illness,
a USC student is in a coma at a local hospital, The Game
cock has learned.
Bruce “Smith” King, a resident of Preston College,
is in serious condition at Baptist
Medical Center. According to a post
ing on Preston’s listserv, King —
who goes by his nickname, “Smith”
— suffered a heart attack on Aug.
24.
“Anyone that knew him came
to the hospital,” said Cristopher Ket
trey, a close friend of King’s. When
asked to describe King, Kettrey said,
‘“A true individual’ just sums it up.”
Though USC spokesman Jason Snyder wouldn’t of
ficially release King’s name, it was published on a fli
er distributed at Preston College.
Snyder said he thinks doctors have ruled out any
thing contagious as the cause of the student’s illness,
and that the university would have released the infor
mation if there were any health risk.
“The university would have acted quickly” to alert
students, Snyder said.
USC officials have spent some of the week dis
pelling rumors that King contracted meningitis.
“There are no indications that anyone in Preston
has meningitis,” Assistant Director of Residence Life
Andy Fink wrote in an e-mail to Preston Principal Ken
neth Perkins. However, Fink urged students concerned
about meningitis to contact the Thomson Student Health
Center about vaccination information.
King’s situation has been the topic of several
postings within the Preston community. The listserv
has been a forum for updates, consolation and rumor
quashing.
“Though [King] appeared to be doing well this
weekend, brain activity is nearly gone, and his doctors
do not have much hope,” wrote Lauren Ready, a Pre
ston resident who on Aug. 29 posted information King’s
girlfriend, Elizabeth Catanese, had asked her to convey.
Catanese said Thursday that she and King had been
close since they met at Maxcy, a freshman honors domi.
Kenneth and Margaret Perkins, co-principals of
Preston, organized a series of events to support King’s
friends and family. On Aug. 25, Preston residents signed
a get-well card for Smith at a tea in the Principals’ Lodge.
At a Thursday night meeting at Rutledge Chapel, resi
dents gathered to ask questions of a medical professional
who was asked to speak at the Rutledge Chapel meet
ing.
When the doctor was asked about possible causes
of a condition similar to King’s, he rattled off a list of
possibilities, including heart disease, trauma and drug
use.
However, friends of King said doctors tested King
and found no traces of drugs or alcohol in his system.
Catanese also said drugs and alcohol were not in
volved when she spoke out at the meeting.
“He was tested for every drug under the sun, and
they found no drugs or alcohol in his system,” Catanese
said after the Thursday meeting.
In the Rutledge Chapel meeting, Kenneth Perkins
introduced several counselors who would be available
to all who wanted to talk out their feelings about King’s
ailment. After the meeting, Preston residents returned
to the dorm to write, to draw, to in some way express
themselves to King, his friends and his family.
Thursday night, Preston residents wrote anecdotes
about their first-year experience with King, stories they
plan to give to his parents.
“There’s still a lot of hope,” Kettrey said.
Brandon Larrabee contributed to this report.
The university desk can be reached at
gamecockudesk@hotmail.com.
r
compi ed by
__ rles Prashaw,
Kristin von Karowsky
and John Bailey
Wednesday, August 30
• Weapons on school property, false dri
ver’s license, minor in possession of al
cohol; Bull Street garage, about 3:30 am
Police observed 19-year-old Joseph Dou
glas, "spinning tires, traveling at a high
rate of speed, fishtailing around comers
and totally disregarding any human life,”
the incident report said. After the police
stopped Douglas, they discovered that
he was using a false driver’s license and
that he had a strong smell of alcohol on
his breath. Upon further inspection of
the car, police found empty Bud Light
cans, a pair of brass knuckles, a razor
blade and a B.B. pistol.
Tuesday, August 29
• Larceny of bicycle; The Darla Moore
School of Business, 8:45 am. Ryan West
stated to police that he returned from
class to find that unknown person or per
sons had removed his secured bicycle
from the bike rack in front of the busi
ness school. The estimated value of the
Rebound GT bike is $300.
• Assistance rendered; 1305 Greene St.,
parking lot near Sumter Street, 4:43 p.m.
Rita Rhodes, 54-year-old USC student,
stated to police that while walking in the
parking lot, she trippecf'over the speec
bump. When the responding officers ar
rived on the scene, they found Rhodes
sitting on the pavement with cuts on both
knees. The EMS was called, and Rhodes
was transported to Baptist Medical Cen
ter.
• Unlawful carrying of a firearm, reck
less driving; corner of Blossom anc
Sumter streets 10 p.m. Daniel Belanger
23, Frisco L. Hamm, 22, and James Har
ris, 22, were observed by police sitting
in a 1985 blue Nissan in the loading dock
area of South Quad, then later driving ir
front of the Blatt P.E. Center and Pick
ens Street. Police said while the vehicle
was moving, the passenger had his body
head and both arms hanging out of the
window, as if he were sitting in the win
dow. When police later stopped then
near the comer of PfcKgns and Blossom
streets, the police asked all three of the
men to get out of the car because the dri
ver appeared to be very nervous. After
gaining consent to search the car, offi
cers found a loaded .32-caliber semi-au
tomatic handgun underneath the pas
senger seat. It was later discovered that
the subjects were not USC students and
were trespassing on USC property.
Monday, August 28
• Shoplifting under $1,000, 800 Bush
River Road, Office Depot. Complainant
Bob Griffin, 56, said the suspect
picked up a Panasonic fax machine with
an unknown model number and serial
number and fled the store without pay
ing for it.
• Malicious damage to real property,
7547 Gamers Ferry Road, Bank of Amer
ica. The complainant, Barbara Simmons,
said an unknown suspect spray painted
the ATM. Damage: $50. Reporting of
ficer: F. Alicea.
Sunday, August 27
• Shoplifting, 2501 Forest Drive, Amo
co convenience store. Complainant,
Corey McIntyre of Forest Drive, re
ported that a suspect entered the store,
removed a six pack of Michelob beer
and five 24 oz. cans of Budweiser beer
from the cooler and left without paying.
Estimated value: $10. Reporting offi
cer: T. Fisher.
• Burglary, petit larceny, 5509 North
Main St., the law firm of Carl Grant.
Complainant, Milton Kimpson of North
Main Street, stated subject or subjects
unknown used a brick to break out a
northwest window. Once inside, a com
puter was removed.
Saturday, August 26
• Petit larceny, Greyhound bus termi
nal, 1915 Gervais St. The victim, Kevin
H. Kitt, 19, of Chicago, stated he dropped
his bag as he got off the bus and got in
to a conversation. He turned around and
found subject or subjects unknown had
taken his bag. Estimated value: Bag, $50;
contents, $300. Reporting officer: T.M.
McClogary.
Friday, August 25
• Disruption of school activity, 1000 S.
Holly St., Dreher High School. Mike
Dubard, complainant, reported suspects
entered the announcer’s box at the high
school stadium and then proceeded to
sing the National Anthem over the P. A.
system without permission. This was
done in a very joking manner and was
disruptive to the pre-game activities.
Reporting officer: K. Adams.
Wednesday, August 30
• Discharging fireann in city limits, 2900
Chestnut St. Crystal Clark, complain
tant, states that unknown subject or sub
jects in a brown, mid-sized car came in
to the area and fired several rounds in
the air. The make and model of the ve
hicle are unknown at this time. Re
porting officer: E. S. Murphy.
Thursday, August 31
• Petit larceny, 2100 Devine St. Un
known black male suspect entered the
business and removed two packs of Bud
weiser valued at $11.50 each. Betty
Robinson, complaintant, said suspect had
been seen in business on previous occa
sions. Suspect left premises in unknown
direction of travel.
• Simple Assault, disorderly conduct,
2432 1/2 Greene St. Nancy Gilmore,
victim, reports suspect was loud, bois
terous, causing a scene and using pro
fanity while at location. Suspect struck
victim on head and face and other parts
of body. Victim reports having a scratch
on the right side of her face, but did
not seek medical attention and left scene
on foot before police arrived. Reporting
officer: C. S. White
• Burglary, petit larceny, 5524 Cabot
Ave. Alexzena Henry, victim/com
plaintant, stated an unknown subject
gained entry to her house by removing
a screen and climbing through an open
window that the victim left open. Once
inside, the subject removed one Sony
boom box stereo and one 900 mHz
phone. Subject then exited through the
back door, which was found open. Due
to the rainy weather, there was nothing
to process. Reporting officer: J. Carril
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Apartments
from page 1
type of setting might make a student want
to shell out $700 per month in Vista Com
mons for a one-bedroom apartment.
“It was loud, noisy and miserable,”
Norris said. ‘‘The walls were thin and
the maintenance people didn’t give no
tice when they were coming in. If you
didn’t answer the door, they would just
use their key and come in.”
University Commons management
was too busy to respond to Norris’ claims
without a pre-arranged appointment, a
spokeswoman said.
For those craving more privacy and
a quieter environment, students might
consider USC OfF-Campus Housing, a ser
vice that helps match students with a suit
able living space. Rental rates average about
$425 to $450 per month for apartments,
and $250 to $275 per month for rooms in
homes.
Helen Morgan is the manager for
the USCjHfprmation Center and is also
in charge of USC Off-Campus Housing.
Moigan said it’s been her experience that
rental rates that might be too steep for stu
dents, such as at Vista Commons, are priced
high on purpose and often reflect what the
—| property owner is seeking in a tenant.
“For $1,000 or more, people usually
want families, not college students,” Mor
gan said.
She added that even some listings
through USC Off-Campus Housing spec
ify tliat the tenant should at least be a grad
uate student, implying that the .tenant
should be more mature and responsible
than the average undergraduate studer^
If meeting the rent were all that wW
required, finance junior Matt DeBrabant
said he would gladly pay the rates Vista
Commons is asking, if the community met
his criteria. Having spent two yean living
on campus, DeBrabant is paying nearly
$800 per month for a three-bedroom apart
ment in the Stoneridge complex off Grey
stone Boulevard.
“I would pay as much as $800 for a
two-bedroom if it was really nice and close
to campus,” he said.
For other students in DeBrabant’s fi
nancial frame of mind, Vista Commons
will begin renting units in about nine
months, with the total construction ex
pected to be completed within 18 months.
But many students might think like
first-year environmental science graduate
student Katrina Grosso. ' ^
She balked when asked if she would
consider paying $700 per month for a one
bedroom apartment.
“Hell, no,” Grosso said, “Not on this
budget.”
The city/state desk can be reached at
gamecockcitydesk@hotmail.com.
Marriage
from page 1
Eastenday cites immaturity and naivete
as reasons why marriage between two 16
year-olds might not succeed.
“In most cases, I would predict it
would likely fail,” he said.
“I don’t think people, number one,
have the maturity at that age. I think they
change a lot between the times they ’ re in
their teens and their mid-twenties, or ear
ly twenties." •
According to the S.C. Statistical
Abstract, the number of teenagers getting
married has been declining since the 1980s.
In 1980, females under the age of 20 made
up 21.1 percent of the total number of
women getting married; the number fell
to 10.6 percent in 1990.
For males, those under age 20 made
up 8.5 percent of those getting married
in 1980 and 4.3 percent in 1990. q
The city/state desk can be reached ai
gamecockcrtydeslChotmail.com.
BSU
from page 1
place next summer.
Jane Pdster, the Baptist minister over
the union, said the old union leaked bad
ly and that the air conditioning didn’t cool
the entire union.
“When we looked at how much it
would cost to replace the roof and die A/C
unit, we saw that it would cost so much
that we might as well just build another
union,” Poster said.
Also according to Poster, issues like
high utility bills and poor security at the
old union also made building a new union
a better option than renovating.
For now, the BSU has $725,000, which
it received from the South Carolina
Baptist Convention. According to Poster,
the BSU has set up a committee of for
mer members to help raise the addition
al $275,000 it needs. The group plans to
raise the amount through private dona
tions from companies, churches and indi
viduals.
As for attracting new members, Poster
said the BSU didn’t take that under con
sideration when it was planning to build
a new union.
“Every campus ministry has to do some
renovating. Unfortunately for us, so many
things needed renovating in the old BSU 9
that it would be cheaper to build a new
one,’’ Poster said.
The university desk can be reached at
gamecockudesk@hotmail.com.
Hodges
from page 1
“The politics of it aren’t as important
as the reality,” Hodges said “You ought
| to walk in the shoes of the average work
ing people as often as you can.”
South Carolina Republican Party
Chairman Henry McMaster said appear
ances like this are positive because it gives
people the chance to see their elected of
ficials. But McMaster said he would rather
see the governor working in his office on
bigger issues than doing things like this.
“I would rather see Hodges in his of
fice cutting taxes, streamlining the gov
ernment and truly improving education.”
he said. £
The city/state desk can be reached at
gamecockcitydesk@hotmail.com.