Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 18, 1980, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 The Daily Tar Hee! Friday. April 18, 1980 George Shadroui, Editor Dinita James, Managing Editor Brad Kutrow, Associate Editor Thomas Jessiman, Associate Editor Martha Waggoner, News Editor Pam Kelley, University Editor Anne-Marie Downey, City Editor Jim Hummel, State and National Editor Bill Fields, Sports Editor Mark Murrell, Features Editor Laura Elliott, Arts Editor Andy James, Photography Editor Melanie Sill, Weekender Editor letters to the editor lathi OJar mnl 88 th year of editorial freedom A fair compromise This year's soaring inflation rate has forced many state legislatures to reassess their budget proposals for the coming fiscal year and North Carolina has been no exception. When Gov. Jim Hunt formulated his budget for the biennium 1979-198 1 the inflation rate was less than 10 percent and it seemed a safe bet that President Jimmy Carter's 8.5 percent wage and price guidelines would be a reasonable ceiling. Since that original proposal, inflation has risen to an annual rate of nearly 20 percent and Americans living on fixed incomes have seen high prices eat into salary increases. As a result, Hunt recently proposed a double-digit pay raise for state employees, rumored to be close to 10 percent, which he will present to the General Assembly during its short session in June. Many observers have accused Hunt of political opportunism because the announcement has come right before next month's N.C. election primary. And while it is true that his action probably will endear him to many state state workers, this in no way has a bearing on whether a pay increase is warranted. And just as easily it may raise the ire of the private sector, which eventually will absorb the costs of any such proposal. Because the state operates on a two-year budget plan, the 10 percent increase is offset by the 5Vi percent raise state employees received this year. Compared with inflation, increases during the past five years have been modest, with the employees receiving no pay raise in 1975. Last year they settled for substantially less than they originally had hoped; this year state employee organizations were pushing for a 15 percent increase. Hunt, who has been a strong supporter of the president's guidelines, nevertheless felt that limiting the increase to 7 percent would not meet ' the needs of state employees. Last fall Hunt told a group of state employees, "You were the people who bit the bullet, and now you deserve a chance to get back some of the paycheck inflation has eaten away." Although some state agencies have reputations for being less than frugal in their spending and less than efficient in their working habits, it seems apparent that Hunt's raise simply meets the minimal needs of people who must feed and clothe families just like everyone else. At the same time, the governor has managed to find the middle ground in that he has proposed an increase that stays within tolerable limits and sets a responsible example for other institutionsboth public and private struggling to keep prices and expenses at a minimum. The governor undoubtedly will come under fire from both sides: those who want an even higher pay raise and those who have to pay for the increase. But given the economic pressures throughout North Carolina and the rest of the country. Hunt's proposal, if approved, seems a fair and just compromise that should be in the best interests of this state. Unrest in Cuba a Trouble is brewing in Cuba for that Hector of the Caribbean, Fidel Castro. Alarmed by Russia's policy in Afghanistan, Castro has cooled in his attitude toward his Soviet mentors, and his economy cannot stand the strain of their withdrawal of aid. The populace, in an attempt to escape the increasingly unbearable onus of living in Cuba, has vented its frustration by thronging the Peruvian embassy in hope of exit visas. The rush began Good Friday, after Peru refused to surrender to the Cuban government six Cubans who had forced entry into the embassy compound. Within hours, refugees were trickling in steadily; by the following day they were pouring in. Soon 10,000 refugees swarmed the compound. Castro's regime branded the refugees "delinquents, homosexuals and drug addicts," but the embarrassing truth is that they were just average Cubans weary of the rising unemployment, chronic shortages of basic necessities and the political repression typical of so many totalitarian regimes. The Cuban strong man's star is waning as hero of the Third World, and not just on his home front. Cuba's military adventures in Africa damaged the liens he was attempting to establish with the United States and some of the Latin American countries. Last year Latin American countries directed their hostility and mistrust toward Castro by refusing Cuba a seat on the United Nations Security Council. Despite the Castro regime's howls that Peru is a traitorous accomplice of Yankee imperialism, it remains manifest that yet another Latin socialist experiment is crumbling. Now, the promise of liberation made some 20 years rings empty and hollow. The Daily Tar Heel Assistant Managing Editors: Edwina Ralston, John Royster Ombudsman: Alice Treanor Distribution Manager: Jaci Hughes Editorial Assistants: William Durham, Buddy Burniske News Desk: Gelareh Asayesh, Ted Avery, Debra Harris. Valerie Bateman, Penelope Cox, Peggy Gladstone, Jane Green, Lucy Hood, Lou Ann Jones, Susan Leahy, Katherine Long, Kathy Miller, Peggy Nowak, Robie Patterson. Ann Peters, Susan Pruett, Nancy Watkins. Rochelle Riley, Suzette Roach, Sue Ross, Karen Rowley, Betsi Simmons, Susan Langley. Debbi Sykes, Frank Wells, Annette Wilkerson and Wendell Wood; Susan Mauney, assistant news editor. James Alexander, assistant Weekender editor. News: Kitty Adair. Melodee Alves, Karen Barber, Stephanie Bircher, RoAnn Bishop, Cindy Bowers, Julie Britt, Linda Brown, Chuck Burns, Lynn Casey, Debbie Daniel, Elizabeth Daniel, Kerry Derochi, Angie Dorman, John Dusenbury, Sean Dyer, Natalie Eason, Murphy Evans, Pat Flannery, Charles Hcrndon, Joey Holleman, Dale Jenkins. Sharon Kester, Pete Kuehnc, Karen Kornegay, Annette Miller, Marcia Makepeace, Anne Prosser, Jonathan Rich, Rochelle Riley, Beverly Shepard, Lindsey Taylor, David Teague, Gary Terpening, Nancy Thome, Rand Tucker, Jeff Whisenant and Nora Wilkinson, Yvctte D. Rut tin Leila Dunbar Amy Prugh , Carla Lindemann, Campus Calendar editor. Sports: David Poole, assistant editor; Cliff Barnes, Norman Cannada. Chip Karnes. Gary j Mangum, Geoffrey Mock, Scott Peterson. Marjo Rankin, Linda Robertson. Mark Tayloe, Reid luvim, Bert Woodard.. and R.L. Bvnum. Features: Gelareh Asayesh, Deborah Baker, shannon Burroughs, Virginia Greer, Kim Klcman, Cathy McJunkin. Katherine Medearis, Lori Morrison, Ann Peters, Susan Pruett Diane Veto. Tom Weber and Phil Wells. Arts: John Behm. Bill Burton, Gregory Clay. Jordan Hawley, Jere Link, Kathy McAdams. Rob Monath, Tom Moore, Jonathan Mudd, Bobby Parker, Dorothy Rompalske, Bob Royalty, Anthony Seideman, Ann Smallwood and Donna Whitaker. Graphic Arts: John Boone, Dan Brady, Greg Calibey. Bob Fulghum, G. Douglas Govus Danny Harrell, Kathy Harris, Sandy Sakata, Lawrence Turner and Steve Werk, artists; Matt Cooper, Arden Dowdy, Jay Hyman, Cristi Ling, Will Owens. Randy Sharpe, and Scott Sharpe photographers. Businss:Mark Kadlec, business manager; Linda L. Altred, secretary receptionist; Shannon Brennan,clasuieus manager; Bill Price and Brooks Wicker, accountants; Jim Hummel and Karen Newell, office assistants. Advertising: Nancy McKcrur ic, advertising manager; Paula Brewer, advertising coordinator; Arlene Aycock, John Behm, Buddy Burniske, Sally Hamrtck, Mark Ransom, Gena Shreve, Judy Van Beuren and Tina Venable. Ombudsman's Staff: Susan Brady, Patricia Jackson, Lucy McCauley, Mary Ann Rickcrt and Valeric Van Gordon. Composition: UNC Printing Department. Printing: Hinton Press Inc. of Mcbane. Critics of feature on strippers immature 9 To the editor: I am writing in opposition to a letter "Cheap Thrills," (DTH, April 14), which blasts the article "Male Strippers Men In Foxy Lady Lounge bare all," (DTH, April 9). Certainly Dennis Craft and Sandy Ford should be allcwed their opinion of liberal articles in The Daily Tar Heel, but unfortunately they have confused the terms "feature story" and "cheap attention-getter." The former is a common term describing a colorful, interesting and enlightening article; the latter, the authors biased opinion of a story found by many students not lewd and embarrassing, but informative and highly enjoyable. If you want to read a newspaper for the sheer ecstacy of learning about death, disease, poverty, war and a host of other newsmaking events, there are plenty of vending machines ready to sell all the depression you can read not 10 feet from the DTH drop box in front of the Carolina Union. George Shadroui's editorial policy does not include "getting readers at all costs," as more than 95 percent of the student body already reads the DTH. His difficult job does, however, include directing the publication of a newspaper informative to those reading for basic facts, and yet interesting to the unchildish, unsheltered, fully mature audience which appreciates this or any other type of unusual feature. The article ends by assuring us that it is good clean fun. The criticism in Craft and Fords letter critizes the story as if condemning Larry Flynt's immorality, while the letter itself exposes the oversensitivity and immaturity of what I hope is a very minute percentage of the liberal and appreciative Carolina student body. Ernest L. Burchell Granville West Moonies To the editor: On April 15 at Eastgate 1 was approached by a young woman selling candy and claiming to be collecting n ' T 0b.Y-iKSZ- donations for a Christian children's organization. However, I suspected that she was a Moonie and, when asked, she said yes; so 1 told her I could not support her. I think we all should be aware of the tactics the Moonies are using, of using the word Christian in their soliciting, all of which, of course, goes to support the Moon cult. Friends, please be careful about these people (and others like them); befriend them if you can, but not with money; and pray for them, because they truly need it. Sara P. Sparrow Chapel Hill Cane Creek To the editor: Although it seemingly has escaped the notice of the Tar Heel, Cane Creek's Fourth Annual Farm City Day, 10a.m.-3 p.m. April 19, is a newsworthy event. Farm City Day was and is an opportunity for area residents to enjoy the beautiful countryside, renowned as prime dairy land, as well as the talented and friendly folks who live there. It is still an excellent time, for people who may have never immersed themselves in rural life to experience first-hand the spiritual release that occurs where land is open and growing green, and where people engage in productive work yet with an eye toward conserving, not consuming, what they're given. Again this year will be fun for all in the form of crafts demonstrations, clogging, music, good food, a horse-riding show, movies, slides and much, much more. But more than all this. Farm City Day Four is news. It is the fourth commemoration of the struggle of the people of Cane Creek to prevent the needless destruction of their community. There are two facts about the proposed dam and reservoir for Cane Creek that no one can deny, despite all controversy, one is that the dam would mean the end of Cane Creek's rural way of life, and the other is that the issue is far too complex to be summed up in a few paragraphs. To appreciate fully both these facts, the campus-based Friends of Cane Creek urge all to come visit this Saturday. Posters and flyers are all over town. Kendal Brown Carrboro Politics impede coastal erosion control By BRAD KUTROW WRIG HTSV 1 LLE BE ACH There used to be a wide strand here, one so wide that even at high tide you could run the length of the'barrier island that is W rights ville peach without getting your feet wet. Now at high tide there is no strand, and sections of the beach are impassable; the surf pounds squarely against a steep berm as well as the bulkheads and breakwaters thrown up by island cottage owners to protect their pieces of Wrightsville's eroding shoreline. -'"vox": ' :'. dredged sand is pumped through a pipeline down the length of the channel, across the island, and is then spewed onto what is left of the beach's strand. When the nourishment project is completed, planners hope to have moved the waterline back and widened the strand by as much as 50 feet. The costs of such public works are divided between federal, state and local government, and political squabbles have made local funding unavailable since 1970. The split between the federal and non-federal share of the project cost is nearly half and half. However, the state has been unable to come to terms with New Hanover County and Wrightsville Beach officials on the distribution of the non-federal share of the costs. Thus the beach has gone without a sand renewal project for 10 years. of a decade during which no such programs could be funded. A beach that requires constant replenishment, like Wrightsville, is likewise a constant drain on resources. r At Large W0& -'4 X ' 'V' V, vA DTHBrad Kutrow Wrightsville is one of the three designated public beaches in the state, the others being nearby Carolina Beach and a portion of Atlantic Beach in Carteret County. Under a law passed during the last session of the General Assembly, projects to combat erosion at these three beaches will be funded largely by the state. Thus, a beach nourishment project began this month which promises to restore much of the eroded strand while replenishing the supporting berm as well. The project uses the most common method of replenishing eroded beaches. Sand is being dredged from a bar in Banks Channel, which lies between Wrightsville Beach Island and the mainland. The The new law concerning such funding requires the state to assume 75 percent of the non-federal share of the costs of beach nourishment projects.. The town and county have managed to assume the remainder, which is only one-eighth of the total cost. This method of dividing the costs places the largest share of the burden seven-eighths of the total expenditure on state and federal taxpayers, those farthest away from the beach itself. Opponents of beach nourishment argue that this policy is inequitable and that tax money is being used to protect the investments of the few wealthy families owning beachfront property. Wrightsville Beach, they say, is an excellent example of this selfish property protection. Several expensive houses at the island's north end are being undermined by erosion, and may collapse with or without the nourishment project. Opponents also point out that what the Army Corps of Engineers refers to as an "ongoing" project is in fact a perpetual one. To maintain Wrightsville Beach, a nourishment project must be undertaken every two or three years. The beach's current eroded state is the result t . . ! ' - DTHBiad Kubow However, local officials point out that Wrightsville Beach is the most popular of the three public beaches in the state and ought to be maintained for recreational purposes. This provides beach access for tourists as well as local people, and thousands of tourists mean millions of dollars for the local economy. Partly because of Wrightsville's success as a resort, nearby Wilmington has been transformed from a swampy, sleepy coastal town to a thriving state port in the last 15 years. This economic growth works two ways: tax revenues flowing from the coast to the state and federal governments expanding with Wilmington. This is likely to be one of Wrightsville's better seasons; a replenished beach combined with other factors like mixed-drink sales and gas prices which make out-of- state vocations more expensive should draw hordes of tourists. Besides, when you're on a blanket at the beach on the Fourth of July, it docs not seem to make sense to let the beach erode under you. Brad Kutrow, a junior political science and journalism major from Wilmington if associate editor for The Daily Tar Heel. N. C. legislators face tough issues By ANNE-MARIE DOWNEY When the N.C. General Assembly convenes in Raleigh in 19X1 for its next full legislative session, the senators and representatives should be prepared for some tough political battles. After the results of the 1980 census are turned over to state officials, the legislators will have to tackle the politically explosive task of restructuring the state through reapportionment. When the members of the General Assembly try to redraw the political district lines based on the new population figures, it is likely the status quo of state politics will be disrupted significantly. With some legislators facing loss of power and others eager to stake out larger political claims, the reapportionment issue is likely to generate one of the most heated legislative fights in recent years. Locally The legislators also will have once again the chance to add North Carolina to the list of states that have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment. Supporters of ERA have been gearing up for what is expected to be the difficult challenge. They must steer the amendment through a reluctant southern legislature since ERA was defeated in the state in 1978. The growth of the University and the future of the Chapel Hill campus, the growing need for energy legislation, and proposed prison reform are only some of the other issues waiting for the legislators in the 1980s. Some politicians bidding for election to the state house and senate in the May 6 primary will be forced to reckon with these difficult issues in less than a year. With such political issues in the offing and legislative struggles expected, the primary races across the state ought to be unusually active and intense. But in the 17th district house race in Orange and Chatham counties the opposite is true. The race between the three Democratic candidates has been remarkably low-key and has produced little voter interest. A recent forum sponsored by South Orange Black Caucus for alt the local candidates had to be canceled when only the candidates themselves, the caucus leaders and a handful of journalists turned up. The cause of such an uninteresting campaign, which has yet to produce any clcarcut issues, is the overall similarity among the Democratic contenders. Incumbent Trish Hunt, Chapel Hill lawyer Joe Hackney and Pittsboro resident Wallace Kaufman seem to be cut from the same political cloth, with few differences. All could be called liberals. All support the ERA. All support public transportation efforts. While this consistency reflects the liberal character of the 17th district, it offers voters going to the polls May 6 to pick two candidates no definitive choice. There arc differences, but they are essentially those of political support, influence and experience, and have little direct bearing on producing voter enthusiasm for the race. Neither Hackney nor Kaufman have attacked the positions of incumbent Hunt. Both express agreement with her liberal voting record. In fact, when Hackney announced he was seeking a house scat in the 17th district he was careful to say he was running specifically for the seat vacated by Rep. Ed Holmes of Chatham County. In effect. Hackney is asking voters to send him and Hunt to the house. With Hunt seemingly being given a seat by her opponents, the battle for the other house seat is left to Hackney and Kaufman, and the central issue being debated in the campaign has been which of the two could best represent Chatham County. This is hardly an issue to compel Orange County voters, much less University students, to vote one way or the other on May 6. Undoubtedly. Hackney's experience has provided him with many political connections in both Orange and Chatham counties. At the beginning of his career. Hackney served as assistant district attorney for both counties, and until recently he served on the Board of Directors of the Joint Orange Chatham Community Action agency. In contrast Kaufman, although a Pittsboro resident, does not have the political base to build from with which Hackney began his campaign. Kaufman, a realtor and author whose most recent book focused on the problem of beach erosion in the state. .... - t r Virtually anurcd of getting at lcai as many votes in Orange County as Kaufman and having political connections in Chatham County, Hackney seems to be the most likefy candidate to join Hunt in the house. Although the race for the two house urats doc present some interesting questions about political support and the characteristics of the 17th district, it appears unhkely that any signif icant issue debate will occur in ttvc later stages oflhc campaign. It seems that local voter will have to wail until the opening sessions of the General Assembly in W&l to sec how the candidates they cruxc will fare in tough political battle Anne- Marie Doney. a junior journalism arid pt'Liitul uume major frtvn Churchton. Md . it m editor for The Dj.h tar Heel
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 18, 1980, edition 1
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