Volume L»1 , number 3S Inside This issue...' Serving UNC-Wilmington Since 1 948 Lopez wins SGA presidential election JVter^in tcikes Vice F^residency in runoff Thomas M. Ruyle This year’s total of 1,086 votes cast (in the main election) exceeds the total cast in spring elections of the past two years combined. Elec tions Board Chairwoman Jeanette DeRenne attributed the rise to better publicity and the w on-line system. “As far as I know, it’s the best voter tumout we’ve ever had,” she said. Lopez, who will be sworn in next Tuesday, will represent the student body with ‘ In the quietest spring election in years, Adrien Lopez won last week’s SGA presiden- ease of the tial election by a nearly two-to-one margin over challenger Dan Faill. Of 1,066 votes cast for president, Lopez gained 690, Faill received 366. Write-in candidates received 10 votes. A runoff election was needed to choose the UNCW Board of Trustees, and will have resentation of next year’s senior class. DeRenne said that those seats can be filled by appoint ment or petition. Executive board positions are open for a£glicaUon_atflie^GA_office^_^_ See Election, Page 4 Celebrating Mother Earth Earth Day festivities this week/ 3 Check out the review of Thomas Kunz latest CD/ 9 Skipper Mervin for the vice-presidential seat, final responsibility for budget of nearly Neither Mervin nor his opponent, Stephen $400,000. She served as Freshman class presi- Hemandez, gained a plurality in the main elec- dent during the 1998-99 academic year, Md 1 Mervin defeated Hernandez, 338 votes has served in leadership roles with the UNCW NAACP chapter as weU as RE. A.C.E (People Educating with an Active Commit ment to Quality). During her tem as freshman class president, she was censured for her in volvement in an unauthorized journey to represent UNCW in the N.C. ASG (Association of Student Govern ments), but retained her seat. She did not serve in SGA during her sopho more year, rejoining the SGA after a semester in Spain last semester. Eight legislators were also elected last week, although as many as 32 remain open - including all rep- the runoft CD and C:;:n Reviews Adrien Lopez Skipper Mervin New SGA Legislators Junior Class Preside^it Kristen L. Packard Junior Representatives; Mary C. van Bergen Erica N. Smith Sophomore Representative: Gina M. Pugh Off-campus Representatives: James G. Harrington Joseph A. Allsbrook ATC’s account for players well-being/12 Athletic "ainers keeping Diayers healthy Safe-Ride hits the streets; vouchers on sale in Union whirh at one time included the but is worth $5 in cab fare. Students i TDDD VDLKSTDRF program, which at one time included the use of a student-run shuttle service, the STAFF WRITER Safe-Rldc committee settled on a plan Safe-Ride, the program designed to tijat utilizes vouchers for cab fare, ensure UNCW students have a safe and Students with a valid UNCW identi- reliable transportation alternative fjcation card can purchase the vouchers around Wilmington, has finally begun. at the information desk in the Univer- “It’s kind of only a little bit a lot late jjiy Union. Each voucher costs $1.50 this point INDEX ii,i„p.Vtiiijrw-i OP/ED.. R Bift ^hSBb tBR but at least started and all the pieces are in place for next year,” said Chris Dorre, Safe- Ride commit tee member. After sev eral revisions to previous plans for the DO NOT COPY SAFE RIDE c z O Aeach -J. CoMtaJYeHowCab Utt'iTaxi Port City Taxi SandW«»TVaiwport*t»oii 7W-0232 762.3322 458-3W 7«-ll65 79M2W SPONSORED BY SGA Hw 1,2001 worth $5 in cab fare. Students are limited to buying five vouchers a month. Dorre said the idea behind Safe-Ride came from a similar program at Texas A&M University. He learned about that program, which involves students carpooling with other students, while attending a student leaders conference last year. Implementation of the UNCW pro gram, however, has not been a smooth ride. Dogged with money issues, logis tics, and the attitude of some that Safe- Ride encourages underage drinking did not deter the SGA from pushing forward with the idea. Dorre said people sometimes get the wrong idea about Safe-Ride. “It’s not just for people who are out drinking,” he said. See Saferide, Pabe 2