Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Jan. 31, 1975, edition 1 / Page 1
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imwmirr ,r - Chapel HHPs Morning Newspaper Vcl. 83, No. 92 ttiz?z H::i, tertt Ccrc", Fridsy, Jsrrjsry 31, 1S75 spark rally Founded Ft brusrv 23. 133 ir - is. ' h? 4m- i Foffdl .stands : i I by Elizabeth Wharton 7 ? j united Press inisrnsuonsi in Raleigh by D.J. Hill United Press International RALEIGH Irate North Carolina utility customers converged on the capital city Thursday, saying they could not keep quiet while they watched their electricity bills soar. Janet Weather, a Fuquay-Varina housewife and mother of two who watched her electric bills rise from $47 a month last fall to $123.43 in January, said she had "never before" participated in any type of protest. "But I decided, I'm not going to sit back," Mrs. Weather said at the protest rally in Capitol Square Thursday. "I'm going to get out and do something for myself." - While the consumers paraded before hearings by the Utilities Commission. and the Senate Public Utilities and Energy Committee to air their complaints, Attorney General Rufus Edmisten called , on the commission to declare a moratorium on interim rate hikes and automatic increases under the fuel adjustment clause. Following an hour-long meeting with representatives of eight consumer interest groups, Gov. James E. Holshouser Jr. told reporters that "accountability and responsibility are going to take on a new and increasing role" in the rate-making process of power companies. Holshouser said he would not impose any suggestions on the commission concerning rate hikes because of "a legal and historic barrier between the politicallbpdy of ttheGovernor's office, and the. Utilities Commission." :ii:::;:::::-:i;v: f $ i V Staff pdoto by Gary Fraax Continued spring-like weather again made it hard for some students to study Thursday afternoon Coalition tries for new members ID arty works on Y! ! n& pjiauii onnm by Art Eisenstadt Staff Writer The Carolina Coalition . executive committee tentatively approved" the first planks of its political platform Tuesday night and then turned its attention toward attracting members for the party. Committee members, who have been guiding the new party through its first two weeks of existence, accepted 15 resolutions for the party's support. - Meanwhile, acting party chairman Mark DeawwSr't; told ;. the . icorfffmttSel? that the : j: coalition will not necessarily try to be a me arts estival Schedule for Sunday, February 2: Carolyn Bridgers: Piano Recital John Reilly Videotape: An Expanding Medium Tony McDowell: Baritone Recital The George Shearing Quintet 4.00 p.m. 7. W p.m. StiO.p.m. 8. W p.m. Hill Hall I-A Swain Hall Hill Hall Memorial Hall Dearmon recently called for a five-point investigation into various charges of inefficiency surrounding the Residence Hall Association (RHA) and its president, Betsey Jones. Coalition member Ben Steelman, a Campus Governing Council representative, said during the meeting, "If this matter has not been resolved by next Tuesday, those of us here on CGC (also including Dearmon and Laura Dickerson) will introduce some motion or resolution . to conduct an appropriate inyestigation.'T The resolutions are riot in their final form; and will be formally adopted or amended during the organization's all-campus convention scheduled for Feb. II. They include: Establishing a permanent office and dormitory space for the Association of International Students (AIS); Investigating the feasibility of constructing a new dormitory, possibly with facilities for the AIS; Hiring a full-time Affirmative Action officer on campus; Admitting three additional student members to the UNC-CH Board of Trustees, Presently, the Student Body President serves as an ex-officio member of the board; Ending forced triple-rooming in, or involuntary eviction from, campus dormitories; - . Expanding visitation and coed-living options in campus dorms; Placing more emphasis on teaching ability and less on publication in granting faculty tenure; Supporting varying course-hour credit for different classes; Promoting increased student participation and consultation with various administration budget committees, in view of the current economic recession . and ' planned student cost increases; Urging financial independence for the Daily- Tar Heel which currently receives part of its. .budget from studerxtfeesr: Supporting the Student Bill of Rights, which the Campus Governing Council (CGC) is expected to consider next week; Increasing competition between student media, if WCAR receives an FM license; Improving the efficiency and lowering the cost of the student typing service, now administered by Student Graphics, Inc.; Creating a typing lounge on campus; Freezing student fees at current levels, with the understanding that student organizations eliminate non-essential costs and programs. When the Coalition was founded two weeks ago, its intention was to create a formal student political party with the ability to nominate candidates for student offices. However, when several prospective members protested, the committee decided to endorse candidates rather that run the party's own slate. WASHINGTON President Ford Thursday gave some 100,000 Americans another month to seek amnesty for evading military service during the Vietnam War. The program had been scheduled to end at midnight Friday, but because of the rush of applications in recent weeks, Ford extended the life of the Clemency Board to March 1, and said: I believe that many of those who could benefit from it are only now learning of its application to their cases." The clemency program for convicted draft evaders and military deserters is part of an "earned return policy that Ford announced last September. It is coupled with a conditional amnesty program run by the departments of Justice and Defense for young Americans who were charged or under investigation but not yet convicted. Press Secretary Ron Nessen, who read the President's statement to reporters, said the entire program is being extended beyond March 1 if the upsurge in applications continued. During the first four months of the clemency program, from Sept. 16 through the first week in January, only about 850 applications were received. But it is expected that by midnight Friday, as many as 6,000 men will have -applied. Ford's one-month extension of the limited clemency program foUnd little support among those who want universal and unconditional amnesty. The extension of a bad program does not make it a good program," said Louise Ransom, a Gold Star mother who heads Americans for Amnesty. Mrs. Ransom's response was typical of that of most groups involved in the amnesty issue. uWe are still seeking a legislative remedy to the problem," she said. The President said his belief that still more may benefit is based on a significant increase in the number of applications and inquiries over the past few weeks when publicity and communications about the program were greatly expanded. Board Chairman Charles E. Goodell now estimates that approximately 100,000 men are eligible. That figure once was estimated as high as 200,000. Ford so far has acted on 65 cases: 20 got outright pardons, and one-third of the remainder were required to serve only three months of alternative service. The longest alternative service requirement was a year, assessed against four of the applicants. Goodell had urged Ford to extend the program for six months. But he said Thursday the President "feels there ought to be some kind of a finality so that it doesn't go on forever. Goodell said he urged the extension because many men eligible for amnesty or clemency are just finding out about the program, under which they can get full pardons by the President, or conditional pardons after serving a maximum of 24 months in public service. . UiiiYersity Mall pints If you happen to see what looks like a bus parked inside University Mall this weekend, you're not hallucinating. The brown and yellow "midi-bus" has been placed on display at the mall so citizens can become familiar with the new 25 passenger buses before they go out on the roads. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning, Mayor Howard Lee called the buses "icing on the cake," but said, "We will, continue to have to work, continue to have to bake," to help the transit system meet Chapel Hill's needs. . One of the biggest ieeds of the system is a maintenance building, Lee said. The Board. of Aldermen is expected to decide on a permanent site for the garage at its next meeting. Eleven of the 13 buses the town ordered have arrived now, and the last two are expected within the new few weeks. One is a specially-equipped bus for the elderly with a hydraulic lift for wheelchairs. The transportation department hopes to have four of the buses on the road Sunday. The buses will serve the F, L, N and G routes. The midi-buses can carry only half as many riders as the old buses. The town will be conducting surveys to discover whether increased runs and extra drivers may fee needed, John Pappas, town transportation director, said. "FlowMg eatorailly wMn -anil . alternative Mffeityle 4 ii , i. ; , .-r , T . .J An escape from the OTHER existence . Staff photo by Gary Deraty, Rslny-day scene fit an alternative llfe-syle farm In Alamance County by Gary Doraey Staff Writer Editor's Note: The name of the farm and the names of the people living there have been changed to protect their privacy. ALAMANCE COUNTY Quiet, quiet. Whaaaaa...? Shhhhhhh-QUIET!!! Let it be understood that if you're going to sit in on this meeting of Community Farm and Friends then you must remain still. If you have any contributions to the natural flow, if you can evolve into the essence, then flow freely. Otherwise just listen. The alternative-lifers are beginning to organize. The energy is coalescing. Community Farm is an 170-acre tract of land in a small Alamance County community where a young married couple, a philosophy graduate, and a young woman and her two children are sharing what they might call an educational-living alternative life-style experience (for fear of calling it a commune). They've been there for about a year working the soybean and vegetable fields, romping through the piney wood forests, playing in the creeks and swimming in the pond. They share their philosophical ideas, care for the animals and ride their horses. But they've also been working on a big plan. A plan that may eventually involve every creative thinker iri this area. Freaks will be crawling out of the woodwork. Chapel Hill businessmen will be looking to the eastern sun for advice and people will shuck their topsiders for a more natural barefoot feel. Tonight's potential Community recruit at the Farm is Mike Mathers, 35-year old alternative-lifer and' owner of Chapel Hill's Community Bookstore. He's been a Chapel Hill hippy since his college days at Carolina. He's also the co editor of the Hill's alternative magazine, The Chapel Hill Sun. But right now he's sitting in a corner of the Farmhouse living rodm playing with a few strands of his red beard and listening to Steve talk. "Let's really get into the flow," says Steve, a member of the Farm. "If you feel like saying something, say it so we can all slip into the current. 1 want to know where we're at, at this time, then we can get into something, wherever it takes us." This is jusrpart of the ritual, like saying, let's get to know each other better or let's find a common level. Jack and Martha, also members of the farm, are sitting on the sofa with Phil, a Medieval jazz recorder player who will soon be moving out to the Farm. The coals are softly glowing in the pot-bellied stove in the middle of the room. The room's warm and cozy. It's raining outside. i Jack picks up a book of eastern philosophy by Babba Ram Das and flips through the pages. Phil is giving Martha what looks like a very relaxing back massage. The tight muscles are becoming flaccid. The current's moving. They can feel the electricity of the moment. Mike is ready. "What's happening! "he says. "We all know the other," the OTHER, he says, "the other society is in trouble. They'll soon be needing an alternative. What have we gotT Steve hears the cue. He squares off his chair with Mike. There will be an understanding before they go any further. "You know already I've got some ideas about an alternative. We're going to talk business, right? But this business becomes more metaphysical, 1 hope, more metaphysical as we talk." Mike puts both hands up to his red beard and fingers the wild hairs as a big smile broadens. He thrives on the alternative-community scene. It's too much. It's free form. "Sure," he says. The terms are set. They go around the room and each one tells his astrological sign to energize the flow. Steve starts telling Mike about his dream, the Three Corporations. He goes on and on. Corporation One: A land trust. Steve is saying the group is going to buy their first 20 acres of extra land in February to use as a residential area. They'll build houses out of recycled materials and lease them to other converts who will live in harmony with the environment and either work the land or contribute their special talent carpentry, mechanics, whatever to the Family Farm community. The farm will be self-sufficient as they will grow and make their own food, make their clothes, and build their own homes. Land acquired in the future will also become part of the trust. Corporation Two: An Educational Foundation. They've already got three students, all potential drop-outs from the county's schools, with permission from the Alamance school system. Like an Outward Bound, they teach self-awareness, get the kids out of the roles they're'bound to, and teach them how to use their own abilities to become self-sufficient. Rob Schulze, an aide at the N.C. Advancement School in Winston-Salem, is getting his teacher's certificate now and will be on the Family Farm by springtime to continue work on the school. They're also trying to persuade Gary Harold, the principal of the Advancement School, to come work with them. Each person on the Farm will expose the kids to his or her special talent; organic farming, philosophy, nursing, carpentry, mechanics, music, cooking, whatever. Corporation Three: Community Development Corporation. This is simply a collection of cooperatives. Book co-ops, food co-ops, clothes co-ops, co-ops coming out of your ears. And, Steve is especially impressed with this, a bank that could hold soy beans for collateral. Steve says there's one of these in Santa Cruz, California with 50,000 members. The guy that started and runs it is coming out to talk to the Community about it soon. Steve has been talking for about two hours, about metaphysical corporations. Mike hasn't said too much. Steve is about to run out of talk and he looks like he's nervous because Mike isn't responding. "Well what do you think?" he finally asks. Mike puts his hands on his head and leans back in his chair, looking at the wall opposite him. "Let's do it." Suddenly everyone in the room is laughing or smiling and definitely rocking. Steve is so excited he's laughing and bobbing up and down in his chair. Jack has a quiet smile on his face. "Let's do it." Another recruit. "We'll get together a bunch of people a conference," says Mike. "15 maybe 50, and talk over these ideas and see where people are at, ask them what they think about these things. We don't want to rush it. We'll have a couple of meetings, take a couple of days to do it maybe." "And if we don't," Phil adds to everyone's delight, "we'll at least meet some groovy people." Groovy people. The current is really rushing now. The meeting is officially over but unofficially still going on. They've got another person in the flow and they're going to get more. "We've been getting our shit together for the last ten years," Mike says. "Now we're finally doing something " But that's not the end of our Story. There's a surprise ending that add a third dimension to the current. Mrs. "D" Danziger of the Chapel Hill restaurant empire has been secretly involved in similar projects and educational endeavors for two years. She's backing this new. consciousness raising effort and may soon have a big announcement to make about her own personal plans and the Chapel Hill "village" scene. "It's a real groove," Mrs. D. says. "Some good things are beginning to happen."
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 31, 1975, edition 1
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