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The University of South Carolina Wednesday, January 11, 2006 Vol. 99,No. 49 • Since 1908 / SG pushes launch of television channel w.. ! ViBH '«■■■■■■■■■ Justin Chapura / THE OAMECOCK Adam Pennetti, SG communications director and a fourth-year journalism student, shows off a train safety PSA in his office in the Russell House. Pennetti is supervising production for SGTV, a channel delayed since last October. k Election season to start tonight with meetings for candidates Students interested in running for office encouraged to attend first of2 info sessions Albany Gault FOR THE GAMECOCK Student Government begins its 2006 student body elections tonight with a candidate information meeting at 5 p.m. in Russell House 201. An additional meeting will be held Thursday. The meetings are for prospective Executive Council and Senate members. To be a candidate, students have to be a ^^.ophomore or above and ^in good standing with the university. Anyone interested in running in the election should attend the meeting. Those filing for candidacy must do so Jan. 17-18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the SG Office in the Russell House. SG President Justin Williams, a fourth-year public relations student, said that to continue progress, voters should stick with incumbents. 0 “To further everything we have-accomplished this year, Tommy Preston for president and Ryan Holt for vice president are the best candidates to continue the efforts established this year,” Williams said. The Executive Candidate Debate will take place Feb. 8 at 12:30 p.m. on Greene Street. In last year’s election, nine candidates ran for president. The 2005 election received a large turnout. SG is expecting an even larger turnout for 2006. In 2005, there were election runoffs for president and treasurer. The candidates for president were Justin Williams and Yvonne Miller. The candidates for the treasurer election runoff were Tommy Preston and Jenna Cook. SG elections will take place Feb. 13-14. Students can go online and vote on VIP from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The results will be announced Feb. 14 in the third-floor lobby of the Russell House at 5:30 p.m. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm. sc. edu Mike Yoder / The Associated Press Raemona Wilson, a second-grader at Pinckney Elementary school in Lawrence, Kan., holds up her sign as she marches with other students Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Next Monday is the national observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Executives battle legal, infrastructure issues to end months-long delays, put station on air . Justin Chapura NEWS EDITOR Student Government Treasurer Tommy Preston has been weighing his optimism against his frustration recently. He and the SG Executive Council arejboth anxious and eager to launch their campus television channel, SGTV, but legal and infrastructure issues have delayed the channel from signing on since at least October 2005. Still, Preston, a third-year political science student, thinks “the opportunity to impact the creativity of our students outweighs the obvious frustrations.” The new channel, to be shown on campus channel 4, will feature recorded SG meetings along with student-submitted material, ranging from media arts students’ projects to student organization events recorded by their members. It was the student submitted content that had university legal officials concerned, Preston said. In fall 2005, SGTV’s initial broadcast was moved from October to Nov. 3 to allow the university to work on a process that would ensure content would fit “standards of appropriateness,” Preston said. That launch date was pushed back further and further into the spring. “This biggest issue we’re having is making sure who’s accountable in case a program is found to be inappropriate,” Preston said. Student Life Director Jerry Brewer did not return questions about the legal cohcerns by press time. Only two doors down from Preston’s office in the Russell House, fourth year journalism student Adam Pennettd, SG communications director, is too busy to wait for legal S6TU • >1 Service day to cap MLK remembrance Gospel Unity Fest, 2 guest speakers part of celebration Sydney Smith FOR THE GAMECOCK USC will formally observe the life of Martin Luther King Jr. for the 23 rd year beginning Thursday with events ranging from a symposium to a gospel concert to the annual service project. Jesse Washington Jr., commissioner of the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission, will speak at a symposium in the law school auditorium Thursday at 6 p.m. ' According to the USC Web site, Washington deals with equal employment opportunity,. affirmative action, fair housing and community relations as the state’s chief law enforcement officer. The symposium, sponsored by the USC Black Law Students Association, will last about an hour and is free to the public. Rev. Charles B. JacksonJr., pastor of New Laurel Street Baptist Church, will speak at a memorial breakfast Friday at 7:30 a.m. in The Zone at Williams-Brice Stadium. Tickets, $8 for faculty and $5 for students, are available at the Carolina Coliseum Box Office. On Monday, classes are canceled in commemoration of King’s legacy. About 1,000 students are expected to participate in the USC’s Ninth Annual Day of Service lasting from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Monday. The community service project is sponsored by USC’s Office of Community Services and USC’s Department of Student Life. Students registered for the Day of Service will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the Russell (T1LK DRV • >1 Report: Nanotechnology laws do not protect public healthy safety Andrew Bridges THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Laws fall short in safeguarding the public’s health and safety when it comes to the blossoming science of nanotechnology, according to a report being issued Wednesday. The new materials made through nanotechnology are finding their way into dozens of everyday products, from toothpaste to trousers, often without gaining the notice of regulators or consumers. Few will say whether the nano materials, often hundreds of times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, are unquestionably safe or dangerous given the lack of definitive research into the matter. But Terry Davies, author of the report, said it’s time to start discussing changing laws — and perhaps drafting new ones — to identify and protect the public from any risks that may crop up in the future. “The technology is new but it’s not so new that it’s not being commercialized,” said Davies, a senior adviser to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a former Environmental Protection Agency official. Nanotechnology involves the manufacture and manipulation of materials at the molecular or atomic level — the smallest things get. LOWS • 1 Viewpoints Liz White challenges us to be more honest, especially with matters of the heart; Jacob Davis scoff at the notion jails are full of wrongly convictedpepple. The Mix Let’s dance Too shy to bust a move on the dancefloor? Take a crash course in break dancing and learn the ropes: Sports Draft casualties Two important members of USC’s secondary will leave the team for April’s NFL Draft. INDEX Comics & Crossword..9 Classifieds.12 Horoscopes.9 Crime Report..2 >