Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Group rallies to push for legalizing marijuana I BY JON SERPAS THE (JAMECOCK The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws staged a rally in support of legal izing marijuana Saturday on the State House grounds. The rally, which began at 4:20 p.m., was one of many put on re cently by the group. NORML rallies to educate the public about marijuana. “Our main goal is to educate the public so that legislatures will speak out about it,” said Tracy Wagoner, a member of NORML’s Midlands chapter. NORML members said legal izing marijuana could economi cally benefit South Carolina’s farmers and its industry, which would develop to process the hemp into fiber and seed prod ucts. Furthermore, they said, marijuana has a 6,000-year histo ry of medicinal benefits. Marijuana is on the banned substances list for the United States, making it illegal to grow or possess the Cannabis sativa L. plant for any purpose. “Marijuana laws in the United States are based on lies,” Wagoner said. “Taking out and raiding head shops promotes the lies that marijuana laws are based on.” Henry Koch, president of the Midlands Chapter of NORML, wrote in a news release that “the prohibition and war against recreational users of marijuana” is “wasting billions of taxpayer dollars and destroying the lives of millions of productive, law abiding citizens.” Koch wrote that compared to tobacco, which is responsible for 430,000 deaths per year, and alco hol, with 110,000 deaths per year, “marijuana has never killed any one.” NORML doesn’t advocate the absolute elimination of all mari juana laws. “NORML promotes responsible use of marijuana,” Wagoner said. For instance, Wagoner said, no one should be able to operate a vehicle under the influence of marijuana, just as is the case with alcohol. “It should definitely be regu lated and controlled,” Wagoner said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Olympics CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 people around the country that have honored housekeepers and custodians in various ways,” Farkas said. To recognize local housekeepers and custodians, the Columbia Sertoma club decided to hold the Custodial Olympics, he said. Farkas thinks the Olympics re wards USC custodians for the im portant role they play on campus, which often goes unnoticed. “Generally, the custodians and housekeepers receive very little, if any, recognition. They are some of the hardest-working folks on your campus, and the purpose of the Custodial Olympics is to bring a little bit of honor and recognition to these really hard working folks,” Farkas said. “In today’s market and econo my, there is a tremendous amount of emphasis placed on cleaning and sanitation,” he said. “These guys are the ones that keep this campus clean, and it’s a tremendous responsibility.” The two-hour competition fea „ tured four main events: the buffer obstacle course, the maid’s cart obstacle'course, the toilet paper roll stacking contest and the buffer pad toss. The winning team was decid ed during the grand finale bal loon race, which required the use of a duster and plunger to place a balloon in a garbage can topped with a toilet lid. Events were designed to mir ror the custodians’ normal tasks. “All events are housekeeping skills, and all events are using tools that your custodians use daily in their jobs,” Farkas said. Olympics’ participant Bennie Stinson said, “It is a good way to say we get a day off, but we’re still on the job. It’s a lot of fun.” Representatives from the three branches of USC’s custodial ser vices participated. Members from the housekeeping, athletic and custodial services depart ments made up the four teams. Additional custodial staff mem bers watched from the stands, serving as cheerleaders and fans for their co-workers. Sally Gownes, a spectator and housekeeping staff member for 21 years, commented on the cama raderie. The Olympics “is something that lets us know we can interact with each other in any depart ment anytime we have to, and we all work under one umbrella, the University of South Carolina,” she said. Despite the camaraderie, the competitive spirit ensued. Custodial team one earned the first-place distinction and ribbon, followed by Housing team one in second, and Housing team two in third place. USC custodial winners are now eligible to attend another Sertoma sponsored Custodial Olympics, which will include other custodial teams from area hospitals. Farkas, who would like to see the Olympics become an annual event, said, “This has been a tremendous success, and I think based on the reaction of the crowd, they had a good time.” Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com That You Know Will Get Some Good Use in bedsPLUS _ Across From Down The Road From Across From Across From IHOF Western Sizzlir. Michaetis Mattress Co Bee Satcher Ford Great Locations 11 W. ° To Serve You! L ZBjjL. =5g?Sf 4 Locations _lULm^.Li_EMll_^1 H Uicanens 7718 Two Notch Rd 7380 Two Notch Rd 6026 St Andrews Rd 1120W.MainSt. IR North Cohmhia,3C Columbia, SC Columbia, SC Lexington, SC Carolina 803-73*0233 80341*0002 803-551-0075 803-3594495 OpenMoa-Frl 10-7, Sat 108,Sun 18 BSiSISSS j ' i ■ ; , ’5 STATE Youth crashes into Sumter hospital SUMTER (AP) — A 14-year-old crashed a stolen car into the window at a hospital emergen cy room here, police say. None of the 10 people seated in the waiting room was injured in the crash early Saturday morning, and the boy, who was not identified because of his age, was committed to a Columbia hospital after a mental evalua tion, investigators said. The boy has been charged with assault and battery with in tent to kill, possession of a stolen vehicle, operating a vehicle without a driver’s license and malicious injury to property. The Geo Prism, which had been reported stolen earlier Saturday morning by the boy’s aunt hit a glass wall at the emer gency room, according to police reports. After hitting the window, the boy backed up and circled the hospital in the car for about 10 minutes before stopping in front of the emergency room, securi ty guard John Brabham said. S.C. Democrats to hold debate COLUMBIA (AP) - The South Carolina Democratic Party and Young Democrats will hold a presidential debate just days be • fore the state’s Feb. 3 primary. The debate will be at 7 p.m., Jan. 29, two days before the New Hampshire priinary and five days before South Carolina’s first-in-the-South primary, state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin said Sunday. Candidates planning to attend include former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Florida Sen. Bob Graham, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun. The campaigns of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and the Rev. A1 Sharpton have not yet confirmed. NATION Poll shows Calif, governor race close LOS ANGELES (AP) - California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante has a significant lead over actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the race to succeed Gov. Gray Davis, ac cording to a new poll released Saturday night. Of 801 likely voters surveyed by the Los Angeles Times, 35 percent backed Bustamante, a Democrat, and 22 percent sup ported Schwarzenegger, a Republican. Poll data released Friday by the Times showed 50 percent support the effort to oust Davis, while 45 percent oppose it. The new numbers for Bustamante differ from others re leased lately. Surveys by the Public Policy Institute of California and Field Poll showed Bustamante and Schwarzenegger within five percentage points of each other. Texas Democrats flee to fight plan AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) — Texas Senate Democrats in self-im posed exile in New Mexico are getting a hand from an Internet-based fund-raising ef fort that raised $870,000 in its first four days, supporters said Sunday. MoveOn.org, a liberal activist group, describes its “Defend Democracy” fund-raiser as a “hard-hitting ad campaign to fight back in Texas.” Its goal is to raise $1 million to help the 11 Democratic sena tors who fled to Albuquerque, N.M., on July 28 to fight a Republican-led redistricting plan. The plan likely would give Republicans a majority in the state’s congressional delegation, now dominated 17-15 by Democrats. The fight over the plan drew national attention in May when 50 House Democrats fled to Oklahoma and successfully thwarted the passage of the plan. WORLD Marines leave Liberia’s capital MONROVIA, LIBERIA (AP) - A 150-strong Marine force with drew to warships off the Liberian capital’s coast on Sunday, ending significant U.S. military deployment on the ground after just 11 days and dis appointing many Liberians. The Marines said American troops would be in better posi tion on the warships to respond to any flare-ups in Liberia’s week-old peace accord, meant to end 14 years of conflict that ha^ claimed more than 150,000 live ^ The U.S. warships remain oft Liberia, appearing in and out of view off a coast lined with black rocks. The United States has not said when they will pull away. A West African peace force that arrived about three weeks ago has helped stop fighting in Monrovia. Ethnic fighting spreads in Iraq BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AP) - Rocket-propelled grenades were fired at statues of two Turkomen heroes as ethnic fighting spread to the northern city of Kirkuk and police tried to maintain or der in a nearby town. A Gunfire echoed through Kirkuk Saturday night, and squads of police were stationed at each of the statues after the attacks. There was no indication of who was shooting or any sign of U.S. forces. Separately, the American ad ministrator for iraq said he thinks most of the attacks on coalition troops in the past have been by remnants of Saddam Hussein’s regime but interna tional terrorism is an “emerging problem.” L. Paul Bremer told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that it’s hard to tell if there are more ter rorists in Iraq now than before the war started. Saturday, Kirkuk Mayor Abdul Rahman Mustafa, jB Kurd, told the AP two peop.^ were killed and several were wounded.