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Two Russian jets collide, killing 89 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Emergency workers search the wreckage of a Tu-134 plane at the crash site near Gluboky in the Rostov region some 600 miles south of Moscow. By JIM HEINTZ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW — A top Russian official said Thursday that flight recorders failed to provide reliable information about what brought down two jetliners just minutes apart, but for the first time a government leader conceded that terrorism was considered the leading possibility. A day after officials spoke cautiously about terrorism and stressed that other causes were being considered, presidential envoy Vladimir Yakovlev said that despite the lack of data, the main theory about the catastrophe “all the same remains terrorism,” the ITAR-Tass news agency said. The apparent failure of the recorders to provide significant information was sure to fuel what appeared to be rising suspicion among Russians over the crashes that killed 89 people, a view embodied by a headline in the Nezavisimaya Gazeta proclaiming “Russia now has a Sept. 11.” ‘'There are too many coincidences,” said a Moscow pensioner, Ruven Suryaninov. Physicist Natalia Kozhelupova said, “It’s too suspicious.” Others found their suspicions mixed with perplexity. “I never trust what the authorities are saying, but in this case I don’t know,” said Yevgeny Skepner, a computer programmer. Suspicions about terrorism in the crashes were bolstered by the fact they came just five days before a Kremlin-called election in warring Chechnya, whose separatist rebels have been blamed in a series of suicide bombings and other attacks in recent years. Officials previously expressed concern that militants might try to cariy out attacks ahead of Sunday’s vote. Officials said Wednesday that while terrorism was a possibility, other factors such as bad jet fuel or humai\ error also were being investigated and they hoped the planes’ data recorders would yield clues. Yakovlev, the presidential envoy for southern Russia, where one of the jetliners crashed, told First Channel television that the recorders “turned off immediately ... this is probably the main affirmation that something happened very fast.” He said the recorders “had gone out of service already before the fall of the airliners,” ITAR Tass said. Analysts were divided over whether the government has been trying to play down the possibility of terrorism. Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent military analyst who is often critical of Russian authorities, said the government would have nothing to gain in a cover-up. “From all viewports it would be better for the authorities to call it a terrorist act ... because otherwise it means that things are really bad here, that we have bad planes that crash to the ground one after another,” he said. Oleg Panteleyev, an independent aviation expert, speculated the authorities were trying to avoid another form of embarrassment. “For the special services, to miss such a major terrorist act would be to acknowledge their impotence,” he said. A government commission appointed to investigate traveled Thursday to the crash site about 120 miles south of Moscow, where a Tu-134 with 43 people aboard went down. Workers ended their search work there, but continued to comb the wreckage of a Tu-154 that crashed in southern Russia, killing 46 passengers and crew. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered the government to draft legislation to turn over responsibility for airport security to the Interior Ministry, which runs both the police and paramilitary forces, according to news reports. Putin also designated Thursday as a national day of mourning. The planes disappeared from radar around 11 p.m. Tuesday. The Tu-134 was headed to the southern city of Volgograd. The other plane was headed to the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. Both had taken off from the single terminal at Moscow’s newly renovated Domodedovo airport, the Sibir airline Tu-154 around 9:35 p.m. and the smaller Tu-134 about 40 minutes later. Sibir said it was notified its jet had activated an emergency signal shortly before disappearing from radar screens. Officials said there were no indications of trouble with the other plane, but witnesses on the ground reported hearing a series of explosions. Domodedovo airport said in a statement that both planes “went through the standard procedure of preparation for flight” and “the procedures were carried out properly.” There was skepticism that technical failure or human error could bring down two planes at almost the same time hundreds of miles apart. ■ iUKClNOCIN Continued from page 1 t community to speak loudly that the infrastructure building components should become law right away,” Sorensen said about the legislation passed in March. Sorensen addressed the crowd immediately following Columbia Mayor Bob Coble, who lauded Sorensen’s efforts in the research campus initiative. “Local government, starting with the city of Columbia, must make this a priority and lobby the state for funding,” Coble said. Coble said he realizes the impact USC has on potentially bringing together partners to develop high-income employment strategies that would help Columbia and the Midlands become a leading local economy in the Southeast. “The USC research campus is Columbia’s single best opportunity for economic advancement,” Coble said. He added that the city already partners with USC on projects like Businesslink and a Local government, starting with the city of Columbia, must make this a priority and lobby the state for funding.” BOB COBLE COLUMBIA MAYOR technology incubator. He said he has been pleased with cooperation between the city and USC in the past year with the help of what he calls a stronger strategic plan. Despite recent failures between USC and Columbia to reach an agreement on a plan to build a new baseball stadium to be used by USC and the Capital City Bombers, Sorensen and Coble appear to agree about campaigning for more research funding at USC and to get leaders behind the research campus initiative as quickly as possible to meet the goals of a tentative 10 year outline. Comments on •bis story? E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS iav: ... — '* _ ■ ii—w nagaw -mgmmMk •, JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK Next to Carolina Styles on the third floor of the Russell House is an area that is being renovated so businesses can lease the area from USC. , ■ LEASE Continued from page 1 The students at USC will have an input in deciding what businesses are placed in the Russell House, Carr said. “The proposals have to go through the Russell House Advisory Board made up of faculty, staff and students. There are seven student positions, three held by Carolina Productions, three appointed by Student Government and one appointed by Director of Student Life, Jerry Brewer.” Brewer said he hasn’t yet appointed anyone to the advisory board but that interested students' should contact him at 803-777-5783. “Russell House has many varied services and I’d like for the board to work together to have the best services available,” he saia. SG president Zachery Scott has already appointed Cameron Burnette, SG Treasurer, Ishita Shah “I think it would be beneficial to students to have a Hallmark store.” BRIE WALLACE FOURTH-YEAR POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT and Steven Byrd, both of the Student Senate, to the RH Advisory Board. Carr said if any students would like to be more involved in the decisions involving the Russell House then they can contact her. Carolina Styles is already leasing one spot on the third floor of the Russell House. While Gwen Davis, Carolina Styles owner, feels that business has slowed down due to tne construction, sne nas no preference on what other business leases the rest of the third floor. Becky Johnson, a third-year exercise science student, said she’s excited at the possibilities. “I would like to see a Dunkin Donuts,” she said. Fourth-year political science student Brie Wallace would prefer a retail shop there. “I think it would be beneficial to students to have a Hallmark store,” she said. Carr said the reason for the construction was to provide students with more access to businesses. “We wanted to provide options for students. The Russell House is considered the community center on campus and we wanted to give students more access to things they may have a need for,” she said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu ■ POSTERS Continued from page 1 sale. Third-year criminal justice student Megan Roberson said the sale is less of a novelty for older students. “But they have a big selection,” she added. First-year public relations student Andrew Wasowicz reacted differently to the sale. “Everybody wants posters,” he said. “Posters of girls are always good, and movies are good, too.” Second-year anthropology student Mica Jenkins thinks posters are an affordable way to fix up a room. “People have empty walls, and they need cheap things to put on them,” he said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknetvs@gwm.sc.edu Grieving father sets self, van on fire at news of son’s death By JOHN PAIN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Melida Arredondo said she and her husband knew what was coming as three uniformed Marines approached their front door. While she started to cry, police say Carlos Arrenodndo simply snapped. Distraught after being told his Marine son was killed in combat in Iraq, Carlos Arredondo climbed into the Marine Corps van parked outside his home and set it ablaze Wednesday afternoon, suffering severe burns. “My husband immediately knew that his firstborn son had been killed _ and my husband did not take the news well,” Melida Arredondo said before\ police escorted her to the hospital. “It doesn’t surprise me that he was so traumatized. He went crazy,” she said. The three Marines went to the house to tell the father and stepmother of Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo that their 20-year-old son had died Tuesday in Najaf, family members said. The father then walked into the garage, picked up a propane tank, a lighting device and a can of gasoline he used to douse the van, police Capt. Tony Rode said. Me smashed the van s window, got inside and set it ablaze, despite attempts by the Marines to stop him, Rode said. The Marines, reservists who are members of a military Casualty Assistance Calls Officer team, pulled Arredondo, 44, from the burning vehicle and extinguished the flames on him, police said. None of the Marines was injured but the van was gutted by the fire, Marines spokesman Maj. Scott Mack said. “The father was in disbelief, same as any of us would be after hearing this kind of news,” Rode said. “But then the father basically loses it. You can only imagine what this father was going through. He snapped, to say the least.” Arredondo was initially taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood with burns over as much as 50 percent of his body, emergency officials said. He was later moved to the major burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, about 20 miles south of Hollywood. He was listed in serious condition with severe burns to his arms and legs. Melida Arredondo told the Miami Herald that her husband, an immigrant from Costa Rica, “was very proud of Alex serving,” though he wished his' service would have been during a “more peaceful” time. ■ MARBLE SLAB Continued from page 1 The ice cream shop will function like any other campus eatery, .and it will accept dining dollars, cash, . and credit and debit cards. The stand will be open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight. It will be closed on weekends. Fields said the decision to open on campus was an easy one. “We think probably about 25 percent of our business is USC students,” she said. “We just have a great number of USC students that come to the Vista.” Scheffres said Jazzman’s Cafe locations will remain open in the basement of the Business Administration building and on the main level of the Thomas Cooper Library. Dinin'g Services is adding another coffee shop at 1600 Hampton Street in January, he said. Micela Latta, a second-year business management student, said she thinks it might put Zia Juice out of business. “A lot of people settle for the smoothie since there’s no ice cream,” she said. For his part, David Guirl, a first-year business student, said the stand will offer a better on-campus ice cream alternative. “That is cool how they make it in front of you,” Guirl said. “I trust it better, though, instead of it coming out of some cardboard bucket.” Copy Desk Chief Gabrielle Sinclair contributed to this report. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockudesk®hotmail. com ■ DEANS Continued from page 1 Virginia Tech’s programs as an instructor, then to founding director of the Center for the Study of Science in Society. Davis Baird, chairman of USC’s “The new dean will have to be able to listen to different academic languages.” DAVIS BAIRD use PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN philosophy department, said finding a new dean has been a good process and that he would be happy with any of the four candidates. “Most importantly, the new dean will have to be able to listen to different academic languages, meaning the way different departments talk,” Baird said. “It is critical to speak both languages, also it is critical to work constantly with upper administration.” Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu Danielle Anderson Allie Ballengei Sarali Bet kwith Jessica Benton Grayson Brown Trish Cheatam Jennifer Chesnutl Ashlyn Cooper Terryn Cooper Ashley Cox Callan Cudd Lindsey Daley | Caroline Delleney Amber Dominguez Elle Ellis Lauren Everidge Mary Rachel Freeman Melissa Galloway Mary F.li/ahSlXi Gamer Rebecca Glazer Sornreh Hafezi Lauren Hodge Jessica Horton Kaylen Houser Jamie Jackson Marialice Jackson Meagan Knight Ashley Knox Sarah Krantz Catherine Xxwis Kelley Locklin Drew Loudennilch Kelly McDonough Lacey Mckiidey Jessica Miche Ivy Mauney Maria Navarro Vanessa Nichols Kimberly Norris Anna Richter % Kaitlyn Selawski Kelly Schrage Anna Leigh William* Lacey Williams Emily Whitmore Karen WTrite Uz Visbal