MAY 20,1992 - WCC CAMPUS VOICE 7
O'Connor cites problems in government
By BRENDA MCCARTY
Paul T. O'Connor,
visiting syndicated
journalist, says that
the N.C. Legislature
should be attuned more
to the common person
and less to big
business and special
interest groups.
He spoke to UlCC and
Wayne Country Day
students on Friday,
Apr i1 10, 1992.
A member o-f the
Legislative Press
Corps, O'Connor has his
base o-f operations in
Raleigh, N.C. where he
works -for the Capitol
Press Corps.
Approximately 55-60
newspapers carry his
column.
O'Connor, a news-
wr i ter -for 15 1/2
years, also does some
-freelance writing and
teaches a journalism
course annually at LWC-
Chapel Hill.
O'Connor stated that
writing -freelance
enables him to build a
college -fund -for his 9-
year-old son.
O'Connor, asked to
share the range o-f his
salary, replied that
annual salaries of
journali sts in the
Legislative Capitol
Press Corps ranged -from
♦22-45 thousand.
O'Connor told the
students in Eng 161,
Introduction to
Journalism, that he
originally intended to
major in landscape
architecture but chose
journalism instead.
Born in New Haven,
Connecticut, he
received his under
graduate degree in
American Studies -from
Notre Dame University
and a master's in
journalism -from the
University o-f Minnesota
O'Connor said while
he champions more o-f a
1i beral v i ew, he
supports Pro-Li-fe,
pointing out that
government programs are
needed to assist
mothers and in-fants.
O'Connor spoke of
Governor Martin as a
man o-f honor, scruples,
and morals, but he
downplayed Martin's
e-f-fect i veness when
compared with his
predecessors.
*Ue need a high
quality person in state
government who is
bright, courageous, and
farsighted," said
O'Connor .
J
•r
Journalisn students Dianna Oebevjc and Tood Howe listen to Paul O'Connor as
they have posed.
O'Connor foresees a
problem with leaders
who are either unable
or unwilling to do
anything about these
crucial problems facing
Nor th Caroli na.
Fur thermore,
O'Connor said that he
wouId like to see a
mechanism which would
prevent current
legislature from
undoing the work of
previous legislatures.
he responds to questions
PHOTO; Liz Meador
O'Connor feels that
the biggest problems
facing North Carolina
in the next decade are
health care, improve
ments in education,
racial concerns, crime
and drug problems.
Sp/7/ sX\\\
plagues
By: Mar t i n Cox
After nearly 3 years
the oil sp i11 that
occurred during the
construction of the
Learning Resources
Center <LRC> Building
on the North Campus
continues to be a
headache for school
off i c i al s.
A contractor
accidentally cut an oil
line during the fall o-f
1987.
It was cut again
dur i ng the initial
repai r.
At present the
college has borne the
brunt of the costs
involved in cleanup.
continued page 10
O'Connor spokf earlier in the day to coabined English and history classes.
PHOTO: Trelvia Hodges
Speaking on the
crime issue, O'Connor
said, "We create an
environment for crime."
He stated that 60'A
of today's prisoners do
not finish high school
and are not adequately
screened for mental
illness prior to incar-
cerat i on.
Betty Jane Turner,
instructor in Social
Sciences, arranged for
O'Connor's visit to
Wayne Country Day and
the WCC campus.
Randy ScusmI, a Balfour representative (I), sizes ring finger of
Michael Craig (r), a UCC student. PHOTO: Blake Thornton