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®l|p Satlu 2Tar Mtd © HMIOS I 105 yean of editorial freedom ! 105 yean of editorial freedom Serving the Undents and the University community since 1893 Serving the nudemt and the University community since 1893 Police departments’ coordinated efforts yield positive results ■ The Chapel Hill and Carrboro police departments are working together to patrol the “problem area” between the two towns. BY SHELLEY LEVINE STAFF WRITER Several arrests and resident satisfaction have marked the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Narcotics Task Force’s first two months of operation. Between Feb. 3 and Feb. 14, the task force made 54 arrests and issued 22 citations. Each day the officers averaged 4.7 arrests made, 7.5 citations issued and 20.7 grams of drugs seized. After an impressive start, the task force has continued to make its presence felt and to put a dent in the local drug scene. Most of the arrests made since its creation have been drug related, according to police reports. Often officers stopped people to issue outstanding warrants and found drugs or paraphernalia, which resulted in an additional charge against them, reports show. The task force, a coalition of officers from both police departments, has been patrolling an identified “problem area” between the towns, specifically the area where Chapel Hill and Carrboro meet along Sunset and Rosemary streets. Chapel Hill Police Chief Ralph Pendergraph and Canboro Police Chief Ben Callahan signed an agreement Jan. 21 to commit resources to address illegal activity in that part of the town. A local business manager, who said she didn’t want her or the business to be identified, said noticeable improvements with crime in the area had come through the work of the task force. "The kids are onto them,” she said. “(Criminals) can’t just push (the police) around anymore. They used to just hop the border to get away.” She said the officers of the two police departments actual ly worked together on tandem shifts and that they could make arrests in both districts along the border. Carrboro Alderman Hank Anderson said he had heard from area residents and seen for himself the positive effects of the task force. “They’ve already started making a difference in the area,” Anderson said. Chapel Hill Police spokeswoman Jane Cousins said crime in the area was a concern of both departments. “They decid ed everyone should work together on this problem,” she said, adding that drug and alcohol violations, car break-ins, larce ny and robbery had plagued the area. “Residents and business patrons were feeling intimidated.” The agreement stated that the goal of the task force was to have a long-term effect on the problems created by illegal drugs and to improve the quality of life for all citizens. See TASK FORCE, Page 4 N.C. population to experience senior citizen surge ■ Aging baby boomers and immigrating retirees could make one in five North Carolinians senior citizens by 2025. BYWHITNEY MOORE SENIOR WRITER Wanted: a place to retire. Attractions must include great weather, low property taxes, cultural opportunities and good health care. For many older Americans, North Carolina appears to fit that description. Enthusiasm for the state’s assets, from both residents and nonresidents, promises to make North Carolina’s population of senior citizens one of the highest in the country heading into the 21st century. “The numbers are clearly growing,” Bob Jackson, state rep resentative for the American Association of Retired Persons, said. “North Carolina is a marvelous state to retire to.” Although North Carolina ranks 10th in older populations in the United States, projections place the state eighth by 2025. Those projections from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services mean the number of older people will double and will outnumber those 17 years old and younger for the first time in the state’s history. The influx not only stems from retirees choosing to call North Carolina home; many N.C. baby boomers will reach age 65 by 2025. In addition, low fertility rates and increased life expectan cy mean older residents are living longer and becoming a high er proportion of the population. Regardless of the source, such a drastic shift in population demographics brings with it new concerns. Most retirees by nature do not work, and the state faces new burdens from increased beneficiaries of state-supported programs. “As people get that old, risks increase that they will need more services,” Jackson said. “The cost of living in later life is high,... and the chance of needed increased funding for services in the future is high,” he said. Although the N.C. General Assembly has not fully tackled the issue, Julia White, communications director for the N.C. Senate, said legislators planned to address it, possibly during A taste of the FUTURE BYLESANAGY STAFF WRITER The aroma of free food led curious students to the Great Hall on Monday, where a packed crowd stuffed their faces with miniature sandwiches, salads and desserts that Carolina Dining Services promises will be standard items when Lenoir Dining Hall opens this fall. CDS enticed students to the Great Hall with stir fry, stuffed tortilla wraps, fresh caesar salad and chocolate eclairs as part of New Lenoir Day, a sneak preview event for Lenoir’s mid-August opening. Even the stuffed blue Freshens Smoothie Bear was on hand to pass out discount coupons telling students to, “Eat healthy. Buy a smoothie.” Scott Myers, director of CDS, said the focus of New Lenoir Day was to show students that the new dining hall would keep some of the old food venues, such as Chick-fil- A and Lite Bites, but would feature “a little bit more than fast food.” The customers will enter new Lenoir through the down stairs retail, or a-la-carte, dining area, pay at the register there and take an elevator ride up to the buffet-style dining ||||B I Carrboro Alderman HANK ANDERSON said he had seen the work of the police task force benefit the community. DTH/IOHNUEDA Campus Dining Services Chef Ken Novy serves shrimp stir fry to students at New Lenoir Day in the Great Hall of the Student Union on Monday. When Lenoir Dining Hall is completed, it will include a stir fry section. Live long and prosper? Projections estimate that the number of Nor* CaroSna dtetans 65 and older wffi nearly double between the years 2000 end 2025. 3 million r BJJfWk 2.5 milion ■ / 2 million - / 1.5 million -__ M K 1 million' 9 1 1 3 2000 2010 2025 SOURCE N C DEPARTMEOT OF HEAIIH AND HUMAN RESOURCES the short session beginning in May. "We have not addressed that issue this year, but it’s certainly on the agenda,” she said. “Everyone here is aware of it.” But others said action by the legislature should not attempt to solve all the issues involved in providing for senior citizens. “We’re still seeing an increasing emphasis on personal responsibility,” said Dennis Streets of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. “We are encouraging people, particularly (baby) boomers, to pay for things on their own.” That might include managed care, long-term health insur ance or even encouraging increased long-term savings, he said. Despite fears that tunneling state money into senior ser vices might take away from other programs, including the state’s education finances, Jackson said no one intended to pit younger people and senior citizens against each other. “This is a community problem,” he said “We want to work together to find a solution.” Food is an important part of a balanced diet. Fran Lebowitz Tuesday, April 7,1998 Volume 106, Issue 27 area. Myers said CDS was also considering operating at new hours, from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Myers said much of the new food would be pre pared in front of the cus tomers and the floor layout, which stations tables around the various food venues, reflects CDS’ desire to have a more cafe-style atmosphere. “We are focusing on get ting the cooking process out to the customers,” Myers said. He also said he was pleased with the turnout Monday and the responses from the people he talked to. Brendan Haywood, a freshman from Greensboro who plays on the men’s basketball team, said although he nor- See LENOIR, Page 4 Number of retired people in county matches trend BY REYNOLDS RICHTER STAFF WRITER An increasing number of Orange County residents are finding the atmos phere in Chapel Hill as suitable for retirement as it is for college. As part of a statewide trend, the number of senior citizens in Orange County is rising sharply. By 2010, Orange County will be home to 20,510 seniors, compared with 10,959 in 1990, said Jerry Passmore, director of the Orange County Department on Aging An influx of out-of-state residents and longer life spans will cause the rise in the elderly population, he said. “Partly because people migrate here, partly because of longevity... those are the key variables,” Passmore said. “People are just not dying at the normal age. The age of death is increasing.” Orange County is still the third youngest county in the state, but average ages in the county are rising faster than ages statewide, said Greg Payne, execu tive director of the Orange County Economic Development Commission. The mean age in Orange County was 29.5 in 1996, compared with the North Carolina mean of 34.9. However, the average county resi dent’s age in 2020 is predicted to rise to 35.5, a larger increase than in the state’s projected average of 39.5, Payne said. “(Orange County residents are) get S a ''v wB || * § t9BB j¥ a ■ DTH/JOHNKEDA LaPerry Ward and Takata Sherril serve pasta salads at the cafe booth at New Lenoir Day. When Lenoir Dining Hall is completed the downstairs will house retail vendors. ting six years older while the average person is getting 4.6 (years older),” he said. The increase in the elderly population will lead to a increase in demand for health care, social services and other government programs, Passmore said. “Definitely, we need to start prepar ing now,” he said. “It’s going to have a dramatic impact on the demands placed on the county.” Orange County Commissioner Alice Gordon said the Board of Commissioners was aware of the trend and already had plans to accommodate the needs of the growing senior popula tion. “Our plan is to have senior centers and some combined with community centers,” Gordon said. Elderly people will also benefit from a planned transportation expansion, she said. Passmore said the Department on Aging also planned to enhance local senior centers. “As seniors need more services, one of the things we’re looking at is consol idating more of the services in the senior centers rather than having them hunt around the community,” he said. Chapel Hill attracts many senior cit izens from outside Orange County, said Marguerite Miles, a retiree who lives at See SENIORS, Page 4 What do students think about the new food at Lenoir? Here's a sampling of what some taste-testers thought: “It looks like more variety and more healthier food. I’m just excited Lenior is coming back.” Junior “The food l tried was really good. I'm excited about Lenoir opening, especially if the food there is as good as what they had here today. ” urn cm Sophomore “I think toe students give Carolina Dining Services a lot of slack , but this proves to the student body that Marriott really is concerned about the students .” ÜBBCBBB Senior INSIDE Let’s go for a swim May, giving students more recreation options. Page 5 Waiting to pledge Many public universities across the country are beginning to postpone fail rush until spring semester to give freshmen more time to adjust. Page 8 Bowled over The last Lab! show of the year 'More Fun Than Bowling' concludes Wednesday night. Check out the DTH review of the play. Page 6 Today's weather Sunny; Mid 70s Wednesday Eariy showers: y high 70s Apply within Want to make your mark on these news pages this summer or next year? Applications for summer editor and fall desk editor positions are available in the DTH office in Union 104. The applications are due April 14. Drop by for an application or contact Editor-select Sharif Durhams at 962-0245 for more information. Non/Ranra/Ara/Spara: 9624245 Busmen/Advenmug: 962-1163 Chapel HO, Nora Candiae C 1998 DTH PublntafCorp All rights reserved.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 7, 1998, edition 1
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