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®ltr iatlu ®itr MM INSIDE FRIDAY JANUARY 17,1997 State’s plan might burn smokers ■ A state proposal would require stores to check identifications for smokers who look under 25. BY JONATHAN SESSLER STAFF WRITER New tobacco regulations proposed by the N.C. Attorney General’s Office have brought mixed reaction from smokers and local store owners. Attorney General Mike Easley announced Tuesday that he would ask the N.C General Assembly for greater restrictions on tobacco sales to underage smokers. The restrictions would require store owners to check the identification of anyone who looks under 25 years old. Currently, clerks only have to card those who look under 18, the legal age for purchasing tobacco products in North Carolina. Some local store owners and smokers balked at the proposal’s worth. Larry Trollinger, owner of Ken’s Quickie Mart in University Square, said being forced to check the identification of those who look under 25 was ridiculous. “That’s taking it to extremes,” he said. “You can tell the difference between high school and college students without looking at an 1.D.” Ryan Paulowsky, a nonsmoking freshman from Las Cruces, N.M., said he supported Easley’s efforts but didn’t think they would help curb smok ing. “Honestly, I don’t think it will be effective,” Paulowsky said. “Most people who smoke are over 18, and there will be ways around the law for those who aren’t.” UNC store clerks like Circus Room cashier Michael Williams, a senior from Warrenton, said the bill would not significantly change their opera tions. “We check the identification of all students,” Williams said. “You could say ‘he looks 18’, and not card him, but it’s not fair to only card those who look under 18.” The current law prosecutes those who knowing- King celebration to spotlight local workers’ recent success ■ Monday’s rally will focus on UNC housekeepers and town public workers. BY ROB NELSON ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR Recent gains by the UNC Housekeepers Association and the Black Public Workers Association will serve as the motivation behind this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day rally and march. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is sponsoring the 15th annual event, which will be held Monday beginning at the Franklin Street Post Office. “The purpose of the day is to dra matize the successes of the UNC Housekeepers and members of the Black Public Workers Association,” Carrboro Alderman Hank Anderson said. Both groups received pay raises last year as a result of their respective finan cial disputes. Wil Jones, member of the Carolina Last call Even if you have big plans for the three day weekend, you can still be a part of The Daily Tar Heel. In fact, applications are due by 5 p.m. today, making you get a later start on those plans -but not cutting into them. Applications should be turned in to our office in Suite 104 of the Student Union. Call 962-4086 if you have questions. The dream carries on Full listing of MLK Day activities at UNC and in Chapel Hill. Page 2 Haag**' . w.„. DTH/MARGO HASSELMAN Junior Marie Beiopolsky enjoys a cigarette on the steps of Lenoir Dining Hall. Under N.C. Attorney General Mike Easley's new proposal, she might be carded every time she purchases tobacco. ly sell to minors, but Amy Green, spokeswoman for the attorney general, said Easley’s proposal would exclude “knowingly” since it makes the law difficult to enforce. Store owners should card all questionable cus tomers, she said. “This is important to curb access to minors,” said Green, who thought the new regulations would curb sales to teenage smokers. “If a minor who looks 19 tries to make a pur chase, they would be caught under this new law," he said. Easley’s bill would also ban the placement of cigarette vending machines in areas accessible to Socialist Forum, said his organization was one of 30 sponsoring the event. “North Carolina has the lowest rate of union organization in the country, and black workers still deal with low wages and poor working conditions. “I hope Monday serves as a catalyst for bringing together organizations to fight problems involving economic inequality,” he said. Following the march, Ajamu Dillahunt of Black Workers for Justice will deliver the keynote address at First Baptist Church. “I’m hoping the speech will deliver the message that there are people in this community who are trying to improve conditions for all workers,” said Matt Robinson, who has worked closely with the BPWA. Robinson said workers’ rights were an appropriate theme for the event because King died days after marching for the rights of sanitation workers. Anderson, who serves as the first vice president of the local NAACP, said the rally’s theme would play a role in the future of labor. “We have to urge workers to continue to fight and to build upon our victories,” he said. “We still have not overcome.” People who never get carried away should he. Malcolm Forbes Homosexual hate crimes? Area gay activists react to possible anti-gay trends. Page 3 minors. Freshman Ward Rackley, a “social smoker” from Raleigh, said he agreed with the idea of mak ing cigarette vending machines unavailable to minors. “Even though I smoke, I support prevention,” Rackley said. “I know 14-year-olds who smoke. It’s disgusting.” But Rackley added that he opposed increasing the age of customers who must show identifica tion. “Most people at college are over 18, it doesn’t make any sense to card those who only look under 25.” UNC events to highlight King’s legacy STAFF REPORT The University’s 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration will feature a number of free events designed to commemorate King’s birthday and educate community members about his legacy. The celebration begins at 11 a.m. Monday with the Kappa Kultural Kamival in the Great Hall. To keep with the national theme suggested by the MLK Federal Holiday Commission, “On the King Holiday, help somebody! Every American Can Make a Difference,” the carnival will feature readings, dramatic perfor mances and other activities designed to help Chapel Hill and Carrboro youth learn anti-violence messages. “It helps the kids become more cul turally aware,” said Casey Mitchell, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity Inc. “I hope to have a positive effect on the kids by helping them understand Knig’s importance. I want to make a difference to the children.” Mitchell said he expected more than 100 children between the ages of 4 and 12 to attend the event, but he stressed that the event is not just for kids. “A lot of students have told me that they were coming,” he said. The carnival will be presented by the See KING, Page 2 Dominating Old Dominion The UNC swim squads mauled the Monarchs on Thursday. Page 7 Jit 2 bombs explode at abortion clinic THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA Two bomb blasts an hour apart rocked a building containing an abor tion clinic Thursday, injuring six people who had rushed to the scene of the first explosion, including federal agents, rescue workers and a TV cameraman. “The second explosion is clearly designed to maim and hurt those who were coming to assist,” said Mayor Bill Campbell. “So we’re dealing with a warped mind here.” The explosions left the Atlanta Northside Family Planning Services clinic in ruins and blew out windows across the street. Police immediately tightened securi ty at all other clinics in the city. President Clinton condemned the explo sions as “a vile and malevolent act.” “Make no mistake: Anyone who brings violence against a woman trying to exercise her constitutional rights is committing an art of terror,” he said. The first bomb went off at 9:30 a.m. near the clinic on the ground floor of a three story office building that also houses lawyers, dentists and other professionals. The second bomb went off near a trash bin in the parking lot. A crowd of investigators, police, journal ists and bystanders who had gathered out side after the first explosion heard a loud boom and felt the concussion. They could see a bright flash and debris flying in the air. “It was scary as hell,” said clinic coun selor Geralyn Thompson, who arrived just after the first blast. “I probably will never work at an abortion clinic again in Atlanta.” All of the injuries appeared to be minor. An Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent was seen bleeding from the head and hands as he was carried to an ambulance. The other injured included two FBI agents, a firefighter, an ambulance worker and a tele vision cameraman. In Washington, Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick said there was no immediate claim of responsibility and that See BOMBING, Page 2 On* 6 • E * i jobforvictory BY DAVID SILVERSTEIN ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR UNC history Professor Richard Kohn has a poster hanging in his office that depicts the construction of a great warship. A line of text spans the bot tom that sums up Kohn and his work. It reads: “On the Job for Victory.” The nation learned Monday of the victory that Kohn, who also serves as the chairman of the curriculum in Peace, War and Defense, helped to pro cure. In a ceremony at the White House, seven men became the first black veterans to be awarded (some posthumously) the Medal of Honor for service in World War 11. The black community had expressed anger for many years after the war con cerning the lack of recognition given to black soldiers, Kohn said. In 1993, Acting Secretary of the Army John Shannon proposed a search to uncover why no black World War II veterans had been awarded the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest honor for military service. One of Kohn’s colleagues, Daniel Gibran, then at Shaw University in Raleigh, asked if Kohn knew why no black soldiers had received the award. “I said, ‘No, but I certainly know how to find out,”’ said Kohn, who served as the chief historian of the U.S. Air Force for 10 years before joining UNC’s faculty. Kohn’s position at the Air Force See KOHN, Page 2 Today's Weather Sunny, but windy; low 30s. Weekend: Sunny; mid 30s. Local workers secure clinics after bombing BY MARY-KATHRYN CRAFT CITY EDITOR AND JEFF YOUNG STAFF WRITER The bombing of an Atlanta building that housed a family planning clinic Thursday has energized law enforcement at all levels and enraged both sides of the reproductive rights community. While national headquarters for pro choice and right-to-life groups fired off state ments denouncing the bombing, area fami ly planning clinics exercised caution. Jaime Komb, vice president of Women’s Health Organization Inc., a family planning clinic in Raleigh, said she advised all staff and patients to take care. “We have no extra security, but we are just reminding our security guards to be on the lookout for anything suspicious,” she said, adding that the clinic already employs metal detectors and video monitors. Komb said the bomb hit closer to home because she spent all day on the phone with employees at a sister clinic located in Columbus, Ga., an hour outside of Atlanta. “They are antsy down there, but nothing has happened to them,” she said. Janet Colm, president of Planned Parenthood of Orange and Durham coun ties, would not comment about security pro cedures at her clinic, but she said it was oper ating on normal hours Thursday. Chapel Hill police spokeswoman Jane Cousins said officers were always in contact with women’s health centers in the area. “We keep an eye on what’s going on out- See REACTION, Page 2 i 1 DTH BEN MOLUSTER History Professor Richard Kohn led Army research on why no black World War II soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor. Following his work, seven veterans were recognized. 103 yean of editorial freedom Serving the OTdfSwjgtAc Umvenity Newj/Featoiei/Al*/Sal>: 9624245 Basinett/Adviptigpfe-. / 962-1163 Volume IM. Inue 133 Carolina
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 17, 1997, edition 1
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