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Five Points construction underway EMILY SEVINS/THE GAMECOCK Construction crews work on Harden Street Tuesday as part of a $31.2 million renovation project, which is expected to be completed by A^-il OAAC ■ Multimillion dollar renovation to finish in 2006 By LaDONNA BEEKER THE GAMECOCK With chain-link fences lining Harden Street and pipes snaking from the ground, it might look like Columbia has a serious plumbing problem, but it’s all part of a $31.2 million renovation project that should be completed by August 2006. The project began in early August with workers clearing trees and doing underground work, said Kenneth Wells, Columbia construction administrator. Since the underground work is less likely to impact people and businesses, workers will complete the above ground renovations first, Wells said. Some Five Points business owners said they are enthusiastic about the project. “I am all for it because we definitely need it,” said Roger Patton, owner of Blossom Shop. “Our business has flooded twice this year, and this way everything can be done in one swoop.” The first part of the project, which was the relining of a tunnel for faster movement of water, took about four weeks. Workers cleaned and upgraded a storm-water pipe on Harden Street behind the businesses and under the parking lot of Food Lion. Columbia will also add inlets and drain lines along curbs. “This is partially to help flooding, but also to move water away from an area as quickly as it can,” Wells said. Workers will also replace the sewer system, Wells said. Columbia had money and grants to rebuild the sewer system, so it was decided to add this redevelopment project to the Five Points Association’s request to beautify Five Points and Harden Street, Wells said. The projects were then combined to complete all requests at once. “The sewer lines are very old,” Mayor Bob Coble said, so it seemed like “common sense” to combine both projects. The Five Points area has had a flooding problem and traffic moves too fast, so this is a time to fix all the problems and make the area safer, Coble said. With old trees cut down, businesses are in clear view. Plans call for 14 species of new trees that will rise above the businesses and spread out to create shade, said Dennis Hiltner, president of the Five Points Association. The medians in Five Points and from Harden Street to Gervais Street have been shaved down to allow for lanes to shift. This will keep all four lanes of traffic moving smoothly, Wells said. Once the underground work is finished, workers will put the medians back in form and plant trees in the median. Columbia will also place shrubs and planters on the sidewalks and add brick along the curbs and pedestrian crossings at each intersection, along with reshaping the curbs to help pedestrian traffic, said A1 Cope, construction administration for Columbia. “It will be similar to Main EMILY SEVINS/THE GAMECOCK Construction in Five Points is redesigning the flow of traffic along Harden street trying to help decrease congestion during rush hours. The project started in early August. Street,” Cope said. The new curb structure around intersections will slow traffic down and allow for more walking space and room for restaurants to put tables and chairs outside for customers. Other new features include new railroad crossing signals, traffic signals and pedestrian-crossing signs. Columbia plans to install 12 foot lights along both sides of all streets and 40-foot lights in the medians. All wiring from the lights will be buried underground, not attached to buildings like they are now. “There will be tremendous amounts of illumination,” Wells said. The city also plans to add trash cans, bike racks and benches. A limited number of bike lanes will be available for bikers; however, these lanes will only appear where there is parallel parking or no parking from Greene Street to Gervais Street, Wells said. “We are trying to take into account the needs of the business owners,” Wells said. The construction team has decided to postpone work on Saluda Avenue during the December holiday season until January. The electric, sewer and water are challenge.,, and Hiltner said Five Points is ^lunate to have help from the Five Points Association, Columbia and L-J Inc. General Contractors. The Five Points Association is planning to add another small fountain where Saluda and Blossom Streets meet. If Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockneres@gwm.sc. edit USC feminist group seeks to recast image By ELLEN TWEEDY THE GAMECOCK A new student organization is pushing to eliminate what members say is a negative stereotype of feminists. The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance was created at USC in April shortly after the March for Women’s Lives in Washington, D.C. USC chapter president Amanda Peel, a second-year international studies student, has worked with the Feminist Majority Foundation for five years. “The Feminist Majority Foundation is devoted to equality based issues for all people,” Peel said. She said she was disappointed to find that USC had no such organization, but she noticed a general interest among her peers in starting an organization that focused on feminist issues. FMLA has already begun to organize events this semester. The group’s major project is “Get Out Her Vote,” which encourages women on campus to register and vote in the Nov. 2 presidential election. “Our goals for this year are to empower female voters and to bring about awareness on the USC campus of what it means to be a feminist,” Peel said. “It doesn’t carry .the negative connotations many people associate with it,” she said. “It is an organization with a strong base in protecting women’s rights and fighting for equality.” DREW CUTRIGHT FMLA TREASURER Second-year English student Drew Cutright, the organization’s treasurer, said feminism isn’t about excluding men but about women organizing and fighting for equality and justice. “I joined FMLA because it is an organization with a strong base in protecting women’s rights and fighting for equality;” Cutright said. “Not only that, but the organization emphasizes volunteer work and helping out the global community.” FMLA plans to raise funds to send midwifery kits to third world countries with high childbirth mortality rates. The organization will also be helping out with LUNAFEST, a national film festival featuring films by, about and for women. The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance meets Thursdays at 8 p.m. in room 203 of the Russell House. This Thursday, however, the group will meet in room 304 because of a room conflict. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockneTvs@pvm.se. edit ■ ABSENTEE Continued from page 1 through the school Web site and holding on-campus voter registration drives and other promotional events. Last year’s Declare Yourself campaign is one example of on-campus promotional events. However, USC does not have an official voter-registration program of its own. Instead, USC’s registrar home page displays links to the S.C. Election Commission’s Web page, which links to the printable South Carolina Voter Registration Form. Student Government and student organizations like the NAACP, Students Advocating for a Greener Earth and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance have put together voter registration drives in place of a USC-run drive. Students say confusion about absentee voting, not any lack of registration opportunities, is the primary voting deterrent at USC. “You have to get an absentee ballot as opposed to just going to your precinct and voting,” said Jayson Boyles, a third-year mechanical engineering student from Atlanta. He said he absentee voting is a hassle. Rachel Bowman, a fourth-year biology student from San Antonio said, “My main concern is that the absentee ballot wouldn’t arrive in time, get back in time, or there would be a mix-up at the office. If I register here I can go to the polls and be sure my vote counts.” Boyles registered a week ago for his Georgia hometown assuming that he had to vote absentee. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gtvm.sc. edu Hurricane cause for celebration ■ LSU students relax, throw down Hurricanes at bars By RACHEL HANE THE REVEILLE (LOUISIANA STATE U.) (U-WIRE) BATON ROUGE, La. — The first thing that popped into the minds of most Louisiana State University students after hearing that there was a hurricane brewing in the Gulf of Mexico last week was not fear — but rather sheer joy. With Hurricane Ivan threatening Louisiana, LSU had no choice but to close campus last Wednesday and Thursday, causing many students to plan their impromptu vacation with parties and relaxation. “I’m so excited to be out of school,” said Meggie Wolcott, a fourth-year public relations student. “This is a great chance to hang out with people I haven’t seen since this summer.” Wolcott said this mini break gave her a chance to catch up with friends and school. Many types of hurricane parties occurred Wednesday evening as Ivan made land fall on the Gulf Coast. The weather turned out to be quite the opposite from what was expected, and students were able to actually enjoy the weather since Ivan shifted its track. “I laid out today on my day off,” said Sarah Duncan, a fourth-year kinesiology student. “Getting a tan during a hurricane is just another reason why I go to LSU.” Some students housed family from New Orleans and other afflicted areas and were able to spend time with them during their short stay in Baton Rouge. “I went over to my aunt’s house where some of my family ended up when they evacuated from New Orleans,” said Sara Bonin, a second-year psychology student. “We had pizza delivered and got a chance to catch up since we usually only get together on holidays.” Many students crowded into Bogie’s Bar and Grill on Wednesday and did their celebrating there. “Everyone was talking about the hurricane, but the outdoor patio never felt a drop of rain,” said Lydia Klotz, a third-year graphic design student. “It was more like a slurricane party than a hurricane party.” Students were also thankful for a few extra nights to study for tests. “I’d be at home studying right now if it wasn’t for Hurricane Ivan,” said Richard Borne, a third year mechanical engineering student. Borne was able to attend the hurricane party Wednesday night at Bogie’s since his math test was cancelled. Walk-Ons Bistreaux and Bar hosted a hurricane party that featured two dollar hurricanes-a fruity rum-packed cocktail. Traditionally, hurricanes have become the staple drink at hurricane parties in Louisiana. “Walk-Ons knows more about hurricanes than the weather channel does,” said Barret Ellender, a third-year business administration PHOTO COURTESY OF THE REVEILLE/LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY LSU students flock to bars after Hurricane Ivan prompted officials to cancel classes. student. “But I’m glad they got LSU to cancel classes.” The Tigerland Market on Nicholson sold out of Hurricane mix, whtire students bought enough alcohol to last over the break. “Tuesday and Wednesday we were completely sold out of Hurricane mix,” said Phillip Brown, a clerk at The Tigerland Market. “We sold four times tiore alcohol than we would on a typical day.” Officials warn phone scam targets students ■ Parent calls USC hot line to report fraud By TAYLOR SMITH THE GAMECOCK USC officials said students should be on the lookout for a group of scam artists calling itself the Federal Government Grant Information Center. Officials say the group is calling consumers and telling them they have they have been awarded a federal grant. According to a news release from the Better Business Bureau on Sept. 9, the organization tells them it needs their bank information to complete the process of awarding them grants worth between $8,000 and $25,000. Cheryl Soehl, administrative coordinator for the Student Life Department and operator for the USC Parent Hotline, said a mother of a USC student called the hot line Friday after her daughter received a call from the scammers. “Apparently, the person who had called her was very convincing,” Soehl said. Soehl said all calls to the hot line are confidential so she could not release the name of the student. After the scammers get the consumer’s information, they tell victims that their bank account will be credited, which it never is, and the group is never heard from again. “If they did want to target our students and get their hands on a school handbook, then it wouldn’t be difficult for our students to be affected,” Soehl said. In her conversation with the parent of the USC student, she suggested the mother call USC police. As of Tuesday evening, the department had yet to receive a complaint, officials said. “The school has had some bogus solicitations of students,” Soehl said. “But I don’t recall any large scale scams.” Soehl said students should be aware of this scam and should take precaution when ♦ Please see SCAM, page 6 \ J