The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 16, 2005, Page 2, Image 2
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STATE
Economists predict
state revenue increase
State revenues are expected to
increase this budget year, the state Board
of Economic Advisors said Tuesday.
The economic forecasting group increased
their projection for the fiscal year that ends
June 30 by $96.7 million. That’s nearly a 2
percent increase for the state’s budget.
They also plugged that higher estimate
into the forecast for the budget year that
begins July 1, raising a key state revenue
projection to just less than $6 billion.
Combined, the increases put more
than $190 million into the budget the
House Ways and Means Committee sits
down to write next week.
High schools receive
worst graduation rank
South Carolina had the worst high
school graduation rate in 2002 and less
than a third of those entering public high
schools end up prepared for college,
according to the Manhattan Institute. The
study released Tuesday says just 53 percent
of South Carolina students graduated in
2002. That was down from 65 percent in
1991. During the same 12-year period of
the study (1991-2002), college readiness
for South Carolina students increased to
29 percent from 24 percent.
The state Department of Education agrees
that high school graduation rates are too low
but argues that it’s not fair to rank states by
graduation rate without considering different
requirements.
NATION
Bush’s farm proposal
meets mixed reviews
WASHINGTON — Sides are forming
quickly on the battle over President
Bush’s proposed cuts in farm payments.
Two Farm Beit senators aligned
themselves Tuesday with the White
House, while cotton, wheat and
sorghum growers have hired the former
chairman of the House Agriculture
Committee to defend the big subsidies
he championed in the 2002 Farm Bill.
Bush, seeking to cut farm spending
by $5.7 billion over the next decade,
wants to lower annual limits on
payments and eliminate loopholes that
let bigger growers bypass the limits to
collect millions of dollars.
Indian casino income
reaches $18.5 billion
WASHINGTON — Indian gambling
pulled in $18.5 billion in 2004, nearly
double the take for Nevada’s gambling
industry, as tribal casinos boomed ahead.
The 10 percent increase extended more
than a decade of double-digit growth for
the nation’s Indian casinos, which have
mushroomed since Congress passed a law
creating the legal framework in 1988.
There now are 4ll Indian casinos in
the United States, operated by 223 tribes
in 28 states.
WORLD
Mine blast kills 203,
12 workers missing
FUXIN, China — Three years after a
promised overhaul of China’s workplace
safety system, an explosion deep in a coal
shaft killed 203 miners and left 12 more
missing, the government said Tuesday in
its worst reported mining disaster since
communist rule began in 1949.
Dozens of rescuers worked through
the night in freezing temperatures to try
, to reach the miners who may have been
trapped by Monday’s blast in the
Sunjiawan coal mine in northeastern
Liaoning province.
Assassination incites
mob against Syrians
BEIRUT, Lebanon — An angry mob
attacked Syrian workers in southern
Lebanon Tuesday, blaming Damascus
for the assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri, and the interior
minister suggested the killing may have
been carried out by a suicide bomber.
Syria has denied any involvement in
Hariri’s assassination, which raised
fears that Lebanon might revert to the
political violence of the 1970s and
‘80s.
BRIEFS FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Publisher
sues Combs
for memoir
prepayment
NEW YORK — Random House
Inc. is suing Sean “P. Diddy”
Combs, alleging that the hip-hop
mogul never paid back a $300,000
advance for a memoir he never
completed.
In papers filed Monday at the
state Supreme Court in Manhattan,
the publisher alleged that Combs
and his corporation, Bad Boy, have
“simply kept the money they never
rightfully earned.” Random House is
seeking the advance’s return, plus
interest.
“Random House has seldom
resorted to a legal course of action
with its prospective authors who
don’t write the books we have
contracted for, but Mr. Sean Combs
has left us no choice,” the publisher
said in a statement Tuesday.
“He signed an agreement with
our Ballantine imprint in 1998 to
write his autobiograpWy, which he
agreed to complete and deliver to us
in 1999. We now have waited for
over five years and have received
neither the manuscript nor the
return of the money we advanced
I
Mr. Combs.”
Combs’ publicist, Rob Shuter,
said Tuesday that there was a
“disagreement with .Random House
that we hoped wcjfuld be resolved
without litigatioi^.; We anticipate
that this will be,' resolved quickly.”
According up the court papers,
/
JOHN SMOCK/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs
arrives for the wake of actor
Ossie Davis at Abyssinian
Baptist Church on Friday in
New York. Davis, the actor
distinguished for roles
dealing with racial justice on
stage, screen and in real life,
died Friday in Miami.
Combs signed with Random House
in 1998 and then arranged on his
own to collaborate with Mikal
Gilmore, a contributing editor to
Rolling Stone and author of the
acclaimed “Shot in the Heart.” A
manuscript was to be completed by
Dec. 15, 1999, but the deadline
passed and, in early 2000, Random
House notified Combs that he was
in breach of contract and that the
publisher wanted the money back.
“Year after year,” the papers
allege, the publisher sent follow-up
letters.
Combs is not the first musician
who failed to meet the deadline for
delivery of his life’s story. Years ago,
. . _ “Before studying abroad, I
*'*: II M / thought a two-hour lab at
? - USC was difficult to sit
through. Four hours of a
.^ -**» French woman telling you
Wednesday, February 16, 2005 *storyP”ak French
_ SECOND-YEAR HISTORY STUDENT ON
STUDYING ABROAD IN FRANCE
Mick Jagger received a seven-figure
advance to write his memoirs. He
eventually returned the money,
saying he couldn’t remember
anything of significance.
Mellencamp plans
first tour in 3 years
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — lohn
Mellencamp will bring his “Words
& Music” to cities across the
United States this spring on his first
headlining tour in three years.
Sixteen stops have been
announced for the first leg of the
tour, which opens in Savannah,
Ga., on March 23 and ends April
17 in Louisville, Ky. The tour is
dubbed the “Words & Music Tour”
after Mellencamp’s recently released
double CD greatest hits collection.
“Jack and Diane,” “R.O.C.K. in
the U.S.A.” and “Small Town” are
among the songs Mellencamp will
perform.
“Going out and playing is a great
way for me to keep these songs
alive; it’s what I’ve done for my
whole professional life,” the 53
year-old rocker said in a statement
Monday. “We’re keeping ticket
prices down so as not to exclude
anybody who might want to attend
one of these shows.”
The top ticket price will be $45
for all tour dates in March and
April.
Folk rocker Donovan, known for
hits such as “Sunshine Superman”
. and “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” will be a
special guest.
Jackson’s flu delays
molestation trial
SANTA MARIA, Calif. —
Michael Jackson was taken to a
hospital with the flu Tuesday
morning, delaying jury selection for
a week in the singer’s child
molestation trial.
Judge Rodney Melville told
prospective jurors that Jackson had
the flu and that jury selection would
resume Feb. 22. Lawyers were
expected back in court later
Tuesday to discuss unspecified
motions.
The judge said Jackson had been
on his way to court but was taken to
a hospital emergency room instead.
He later told the prospective jurors
that Jackson was to be admitted to
the hospital.
The judge made the initial
announcement 15 minutes after
Jackson was scheduled to appear in
court at 8:30 a.m.
A call to the Marian Medical
Center in Santa Maria, where
Jackson was taken, was not
immediately returned. Jackson
spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain
said she was trying to learn more
about Jackson’s condition and
would comment later.
Outside the medical center,
about two miles from court, a
growing crowd of about 50 fans and
reporters gathered. Police guarded
all entrances, stopping anyone who
ON THE TRAIL
JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK
Student Government presidential candidate Steven Byrd,
right, campaigns on Greene Street in front of the Russell
House on Tuesday. Candidates and supporters filled the
street With posters, tents and music. Officials announced
election results Tuesday evening in the Russell House.
appeared to be with the media,
while hospital officials put up white
fabric to hide what was going*on in
the emergency room.
Jackson had not been visibly ill
in court Monday, when
questioning of prospective jurors
got under way and Jackson’s
lawyers announced they may call
stars including Elizabeth Taylor,
Jay Leno, Quincy Jones and Kobe
Bryant to the witness stand.
The list of possible witnesses
sounded like coming attractions for
a major Hollywood spectacle. But
Melville said not all of the
celebrities would necessarily testify.
Attorneys are selecting 12 jurors
and eight alternates who will decide
whether Jackson molested a teenage
cancer patient at his Neverland
Ranch and plied the youth with
alcohol.
Names of defense and
prosecution witnesses were revealed
to prospective jurors Monday so
attorneys could find out if any of
the more than 240 members of the
pool had associations that might be
important in jury selection.
Defense attorney Thomas
Mesereau Jr. also named two of
Jackson’s children, Paris and Prince
Michael. Possible prosecution
witnesses included Debbie Rowe,
their mother.
Other possible witnesses
included Stevie Wonder, Diana
Ross, Chris Tucker, former child
actor Corey Feldman, Backstreet
Boy Nick Carter and younger
brother Aaron, CBS correspondent
Ed Bradley, CNN’s Larry King,
Fox broadcaster Rita Cosby, New
Age guru Deepak Chopra,
illusionist Uri Geller, illusionist
David Blaine, Las Vegas tycoon
Steve Wynn and relatives of the late
Marlon Brando.
Prosecutors also listed the family
of a boy involved in 1993
molestation allegations against
Jackson. The judge has not yet
ruled whether that incident can be
mentioned in the trial. The accuser
received a multimillion-dollar
settlement and no criminal charges
were filed.
Both sides listed former Jackson
attorney Mark Geragos, and the
defense list included Jackson’s chief
prosecutor, District Attorney Tom
Sneddon.
Go ahead.
Write for us.
gamecockeditor@gwm.sc.edu
COMING
UP@USC
WEDNESDAY
Assembly Saxophone Quartet:
7:30 p.m. School of Music 206.
“The Murder of Emmett Till"
Panel Discussion: 7 p.m. Belk
Auditorium.
“A Place of Our Own” — A
Stanley Nelson filtfft noon to 2 p.m.
Russell House Theater.
THURSDAY
Brenda Heidhoff Leonard
Doctoral Cello Recital: 7:30 p.m.
School of Music 206.
FRIDAY
Spring 2005 Seminar Series: 4
p.m. Jones Physical Science Center
006.
Dance Marathon: 7 p.m. Strom
Thurmond Wellness & Fitness
Center.
use BRIEFS
CP to play host to
‘Real’ comedy tour
Carolina Productions will
present the “Keepin’ it Real
Comedy Tour” featuring Roosevelt
Johnson at 8 p.m. Feb. 23 in the
Russell House Ballroom. Also
scheduled to appear are Darren
“DS” Sanders, B Phlat and Co Coa
Brown, who have all been featured
on shows such as Black
Entertainment Television’s “Comic
View” and HBO’s “Russell
Simmons Def Comedy Jam.” For
more information, contact Telca
Markosky at 777-3950.
Theater features
Tubman program
Carolina Productions is
sponsoring “Harriet Tubman: The
Chosen One” at 8 p.m. today in the
Russell House Ballroom.
“Tubman” is a one-woman
show that takes the audience back
through history with the story of
the Underground Railroad and
how one woman’s remarkable
determination made history. For
more information, contact Telca
Markosky at 777-3950.
Garnet & Black
sponsors contest
For its fourth issue, Garnet &
Black magazine is sponsoring a
short-story contest that requires all
stories to start with the following
sentence:
“This is probably worth it,”
Jordan said, about to crawl under
the train.
■ Submissions should be less than
1,500 words and e-mailed as an
attachment to gandbe@gwm.sc.edu
by Tuesday, March 1. The top
three will be published in March’s
issue. The first-place winner will
receive $50 and the second-place
$25. For more information, contact
Editor in Chief Maty Pinckney
Waters at 777-1149
POLICE REPORT
Each number on
the map stands
for a crime
corresponding
with numbered
descriptions in
the list below.
DAY CRIMES
(6 a.m.-6 p.m.)
□ Violent
O Nonviolent
NIGHT CRIMES
' (6 p.m.-6 a.m.)
■ Violent
• Nonviolent
CRIMES AT
UNKNOWN
HOURS
13 Violent
® Nonviolent
Reports taken from the USC Police Department.
JAN. 28
Harassment (Verbal)
W Harper Elliot, 904 Sumter St.
The victim arrived at the police
station to file a report regardingher ex
boyfriend had been harassing her. She
said they both agreed on a mutual
breakup, but now he wants to resume
the relationship. The victim said she told
the subject she did not want to resume
the relationship and asked him not to
call her anymore. The victim said since
that time, the subject has contacted her
several times. The victim was advised of
the proper procedure if the harassment
continues.
Reporting officer: K. Adams.
FEB.10
Information
^Patterson Hall, 1520 Devine St.
The complainant said the subject calls
her, and that she wishes he will stop calling
her. The victim told the subject not to call
back, and so far the subject has complied.
Reporting officer: D. Davis.
FEB.11
^ Larceny of Patio Chairs
Kappa Delta House, 514 Gadsden
St.
The complainant said someone took
four patio chairs from the back patio.
The patio chairs are valued at $25 each
and are green and gray.
Reporting officer: D. Davis.
Simple Possession of Marijuana
© Snowden Dorm, 600 Main St.
Reporting officers K. Adams and G.
Kerwin went to Snowden Dorm in regards
to a person stuck in an elevator. While
searching the elevator and trying to
determine which floor the elevator was stuck
on, the officers discovered that the unknown
person had exited the elevator. While walking
the seventh-floor hallway, the officers could
smell an odor of marijuana coming fom
room 707. The officers then made contact
with subject no. 2, who answered the door.
Subject no. 2 denied smoking any manjuana
in the room initially, but later admitted
smoking marijuana on the balcony. Subject
no. 1, who was visiting subject no. 2, got up
from the bed and started putting on his pants.
Adams asked subject no. 1 what he had in his
pants. Subject no. 1 voluntarily pulled a
small, dear plastic bag with a leafy green
substance believed to be marijuana from his
left front pocket and handed it to Adams.
Adams told subject no. 1 he was under arrest
for simple possession of marijuana. Snell was
handcuffed and searched.
FEB.12
Minor in Possession of Beer (Arrest)
Snowden, 600 Main St.
^ The reporting officer responded for a
report of a minor in possession of alcohol
Upon arrival, the reporting officer observed
the subject in possession of a keg of beer. The
subject was anested and transported to 1501
Senate St.
Reporting officer: C. Knoche.
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