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Volume LII, Number 7
1
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WIZARDS
Rec Center Schedule
Wizards’ arrival to affect Rec
Center hours/ 5
Having a ball
Record crowd shows support
in men’s soccer loss to Wake
Forest /15
Serving UNC-Wilmington Since 1 948
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September ZB, 2000
INDEX
Campus News....
Classifieds
OP/ED....
A & E
The Scene
Sports
SGA Safe ride program stalls out
SGA cites lack of organization involvement, $8,200 at stake
Todd Vdlkstorf
Staff Writer
The highly anticipated Safe Ride
program scheduled to begin this fall
remains dormant. Student Govern
ment Association (SGA) representa
tives remain optimistic about the
idea but have no implementation
date as yet. SGA members have
cited problems with student organi
zation involvement and legality is
sues as reasons why the program is
not yet operational.
“I think it’s an excellent idea, and
I hope we can find the leadership to
make it happen,” SGA President
Katie Russell, said.
Nearly a year old, the idea behind
Safe Ride is to provide UNCW stu
dents with safe and reliable trans
portation to the downtown area of
Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach
during the weekends. According to
See safe ride, Page 5
Washington Wizards begin
training camp here next week
Ben Jowes
Sports Editcjr
The Washington Wizards’ pteseason
training camp will be held at UNC
Wilmington from Oct. 3 through Oct. 11.
This marks the first time that an NBA team
has practiced in Wilmington.
The Wizards come to the Port City un
der guidance of team President of Basket
ball Operations, Michael Jordan. Jordan,a
Wilmington native, took over the position
last season. One ofhis duties is to oiganize
the preseason training camp for the team.
Jordan indicated that he will make the
trip to Wilmington for the camp.
“My presence [at training can^] is very
important to get what I expect and to set
the guidelines for this oiganization early.
so we have no discrepancy when the sea
son comes around,” Jordan said at a recent
press conference. “That’s my purpose for
being there early and often.”
Star basketball players such as Juwan
Howard, Chris Whitney, Cherokee Parks,
Rod Strickland, and Mitch Richmond will
be on-hand for the Wizards. Also in
Wilmington wiU be the new head coach of
the Wizards, Leonard Hamilton.
Last season, the team finished 29-53, last
place in the Atlantic Division of the East
ern Conference.
The nine-day trip will be an essential
preseason warm-up the team needs to pre
pare for such teams as defending world
champion IjOS Angeles Lakers. The team
See wizards, Page 5
P(dice draw attentim to downtown safety issues
Heather Grady
Staff Writer
Programs such as the Student
Government Association’s Safe
Ride initiative have brought atten
tion to the issue of student safety in
downtown Wilmington. The prolif
eration of drinking associated with
the bar and club scenes increases the
potential of victimization in this
area and the need for students to be
aware of safety precautions.
“Intoxicated individuals have a
30 to 40 percent higher chance of
being victims of violent crimes, in
cluding assault and robberies,” said
New Hanover County Deputy Sher
iff J.R. Sigman.
Over the past three years, as
saults in the areas around Front
Street appear to be declining based
on police reports. In 1998, 18 as
saults were reported, 1999 ten as
saults were reported and only three
have been reported for 2000.
However, according to Officer
Verna Atwood, of the Wilmington
Police Department’s Crime Preven
tion Unit of the, these statistics may
be misleading because they do not
account for those assaults that went
unreported over the recorded years.
She said that it was impossible to
estimate the frequency of unre
ported incidents.
According to Lieutenant David
Donaldson of the UNCW police de
partment, the possibility of violence
downtown is more prevalent due in
part to the lack of lighting in places
See safety, Page~
Students partying
downtown run an in
creased risk of assault
or injury, especially
when alcohol is in
cluded in the equation.
m
Jenya, (left) and Tim get
crazy in one of downtown
Wilmington’s many small
alleys on a recent week
end night. Safety down
town has become a hot is
sue in recent years.
Photos by Jim FUnt/The Seahawk