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y
Police
Roundup
University
Sunday, April 15
■ A Fayetteville resident reported
the larceny of her purse to University
police at 7:20 p.m. She said she left her
purse in the kitchen on the fourth floor
of Carmichael Residence Hall. When
she returned to the kitchen, her purse
was gone. There are no suspects at this
time, reports state.
■ At 9:19 p.m., a student who lives
in Ruffin Residence Hall reported
receiving harassing telephone calls and
voice mails. She asked the suspect to
stop, but the calls have continued. The
calls have not been threatening in
nature, reports state.
■ At 11:30 p.m., a resident assistant
in Morrison Residence Hall reported a
suspicious male on the eighth floor of
the hall. University police responded to
the call and found the suspect on the
ninth floor. He told the police he was
waiting for a friend and he worked for
Carolina Dining Services. The suspi
cious male was issued a written trespass
warning and was escorted from the
building, reports state.
Friday, April 13
■ Two Classic Food Service Vendors
reported the larceny of food from vend
ing machines in Ehringhaus Residence
Hall. The report was made a 7:28 a.m.
The suspects used a coffee table to
smash the window of the vending
machine, and then took S7O worth of
food. University police took two items
of evidence for further processing,
reports state.
■ At 11:19 p.m., University police
responded to a fire alarm at Hamilton
Hall. A pull station was activated but no
fire was found. The pull station and the
alarm were reset.
Thursday, April 12
■ A UNC employee reported the
larceny of her parking permit at 2:26
p.m. She said the permit was last secure
at 2 p.m. April 8 and that she left her
windows rolled down on April 9,
reports state.
■ At 2:34 p.m., a UNC employee
reported that his parking permit was
stolen between 7:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
on April 11. There are no suspects at
this time, reports state.
■ At 4:01 p.m., an employee of the
Totten Garden Center reported the lar
ceny of a flower pot from the herb gar
den. It was stolen between 5 p.m. April
11 and 11 a.m. April 12. The pot, worth
SIOO, was one of two designed for the
center. There are no suspects at this
time, reports state.
City
Monday, April 16
■ Chapel Hill police cited Samuel
McDaniel, 25, of 309 Laurel Ave., Apt-
B, for public urination.
Reports state that officers saw
McDaniel urinating against the door of
the Caribou Coffee Shop on Franklin
Street.
McDaniel is scheduled to appear
May 8 in Orange County District Court
in Chapel Hill.
Sunday, April 15
■ Ray Anthony Hill, 22, of 303 E.
Main St. was arrested by Chapel Hill
police for carrying a concealed weapon.
Reports state that officers found a
handgun clipped to the inside of Hill’s
shorts in a holster while patting him
down at a traffic stop. The gun also con
tained a round of ammunition, reports
state.
Hill was released on a written
promise and is scheduled to appear
May 21 in Orange County District
Court in Hillsborough.
Saturday, April 14
■ Chapel Hill police were notified of
damage to property at the Chi Psi fra
ternity house on Cameron Avenue.
Reports state that an unknown sub
ject stripped the bark off the bases of
two tree trunks, causing $1,500 in dam
age.
The case has been closed.
Friday, April 13
■ Carrboro police arrested Duncan
Eugene Miller, 23, of 3607 Phyllis Drive
in Raleigh, for DWI, transporting open
; spiritous liquor and for possessing an
;! open container of alcohol.
Miller was released on a written
' promise and is scheduled to appear
■;May 22 in Orange County District
Court in Chapel Hill.
■ Chapel Hill police responded to
-■ reports of an armed robbery at
Highlandwoods Drive.
Reports state that the unknown sub
ject stole $350 from the victim after
assaulting the victim with a knife. The
' case is under further investigation.
.*
Commissioners Upset Over Role in UNC Plan
By Stephanie Gunter
Staff Writer
Some Orange County commissioners
say they have been excluded from par
ticipating in UNC’s Master Plan, which
county officials fear will affect more than
Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The Orange County commissioners
will have a chance to air their concerns
about UNC’s blueprint for campus
growth tonight at the Southern Human
Services Center. University officials will
present their plan to the commissioners.
“We have tried to get them to show us
the Master Plan, but they have postponed
it,” said Commissioner Margaret Brown.
“They have not asked us to be involved."
But Nancy Suttenfield, UNC’s vice
Equal Access to Rural Areas
By April Bethea
Staff Writer
For many North Carolina residents,
logging onto the Internet on a daily
basis has become almost second nature.
But for countless others in the state,
access to the World Wide Web is
extremely limited - dividing many rural
communities from technologically rich
areas like the Triad and Triangle.
Many states across the nation struggle
to provide equal access to technology
for all of its residents.
In North Carolina, the digital divide,
as this phenomenon is known, poses a
problem for those needing to meet daily
personal and business needs and for
N.C. leaders hoping to unify the state.
The Digital Divide
The state’s digital divide entered the
national spotlight when former
President Bill Clinton visited the town of
Whiteville last April and stressed the
importance of investing funds to
improve technology in rural areas.
“We believe in rural North Carolina
and rural America (that) Internet access
ought to be just as likely as telephone
access,” Clinton said during his visit,
according to an article from USA Today.
“You ought to be able to use it in the
Bill Aims to Upgrade
Low-Performing Schools
By Koen de Vries
Staff Writer
Smaller classes, a longer school year
and increased teacher incentives would
aim to upgrade the state’s lowest-per
forming elementary schools, under a bill
proposed last week in the N.C. Senate.
The proposal, sponsored by Sen.
Howard Lee, D-Orange, would give the
state’s 38 lowest-performing public
schools an additional $33.6 million dur
ing the next two years. None of the
schools targeted by the legislation are
located in Orange County.
“This bill is designed to recognize that
a number of our schools need additional
resources in order to help students
achieve at a higher level,” Lee said.
The bill is targeted at schools where
more than 80 percent of the students
receive subsidized lunches and fewer
than 55 percent pass state tests in read
ing and math.
Lee said the bill provided for reduced
class-sizes, capping all K-3 class sizes at 17.
He added that teachers would be
required to sign 11-month contracts,
instead of the standard 10 months, and
the school calendar would be extended
by 20 days during the next two years.
The bill also includes incentives, such
as subsidized housing and day-care ser
vice, to lure teachers to the targeted
schools.
“This will cost sl2 million a year,”
Lee said. “But in light of the budget
trouble we are having, we’ll have to find
as much money as we can.
“We’ll have to reduce the number of
schools we can cover, maybe start with
chancellor for
finance and admin
istration, said the
University did not
intend to slight the
commissioners.
“This is just one
in a series of local
governments,”
Suttenfield said.
This will be the
first meeting with
University officials
and the commis
sioners concern
ing development.
“We’re present-
Commissioner
Margaret Brown
hopes the county
will have a voice in
the Master Plan and
future developments.
ing the Master Plan in a number of
venues and we’re about halfway
fastest possible way, and if you can,
it’ll mean more jobs, more business,
more income and more opportuni
ty-"
A 1999 study released by the U.S.
Department of Commerce ranked
North Carolina 46th in the nation in
providing Internet access to its citi-
zens.
The report, “Falling
Through the Net:
Defining the Digital
Divide,” reported that
only 19.9 percent of the
state’s households are
connected to the
Internet.
State officials say
they are working to
ensure efficient tech
nology access and
opportunities for all
residents.
A State
Divided
A four-part series examining the
social and cultural differences
in North Carolina.
Today: Technology
Wednesday: Economy
Thursday: Politics
Friday: Racial Makeup
The N.C. Senate established the
N.C. Rural Internet Authority last
year to improve Internet access in
the state during the next three years.
Charlie Clark, network access
technologist for the authority, said the
group’s first goal is to ensure that all
North Carolina residents have dial-up
access to Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) by August of this year.
12 or seven schools, probably the low
est-performing schools.”
Lee added that the program could
impact more schools if the fiscal situa
tion improves in the coming years.
“This will have a positive impact on
these schools,” Lee said. “I’m sure the
program will grow over time.”
Sen. Wilbur Gulley, D-Durham, was
pleased with Lee’s bill.
“I think it’s a great thing we perhaps
should have been doing for several
years,” Gulley said. “Accountability only
works if these schools get additional
resources to make good grades.”
Gulley said he expected the bill
would gain bipartisan support, despite
budget troubles. “We have to make a
start anyway,” he said.
But some legislators say the state’s
nearly SBOO million budget deficit ren
ders new programs fiscally irresponsible.
Sen. Robert Carpenter, R-
Buncombe, said he recognized the need
for education. But he said the state could
not spend more money than it has.
“The attitude of our leaders is, we gotta
pay what we gotta pay,” Carpenter said.
“A budget shortfall will not be acceptable.”
But John Poteat, research director at
the N.C. Public School Forum, a non
profit educational research advocacy
group based in Raleigh, said he expect
ed the bill to pass.
“It would mean reallocating some
resources, and it wouldn’t cost a whole
lot since this bill is only aimed at 38 of
the schools.”
The State & National Editor can be
reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
News
through,” Suttenfield said. “We started in
January or February, and it just depended
on when we could get on the calendar.”
Suttenfield also said UNC officials
have made presentations concerning the
Horace Williams tract to the Chapel Hill
Town Council, the Carrboro Board of
Aldermen, local school boards and to
groups on campus. “It provides an
opportunity for people to ask questions
and make suggestions,” she said.
Brown said she hopes this meeting
will establish communication between
campus leaders and county officials.
“I would hope that we would start a dia
logue with them about the infrastructure
and long-term planning for the county,"
she said. “We need to be a part of this.”
Brown also said she hopes that coun
The authority also wants residents
to have access to high-speed Internet
connections by December 2004.
Clark said the authority is contact
ing all ISPs and telephone companies
with customers in the state and will
provide residents with the names of
ISPs within their local calling plans.
He also said a lack
of education in rural
areas about the
Internet and other
technology partly con
tributes to the digital
divide and said the
authority hopes to
reduce those gaps.
Clark said the digi
tal divide causes prob
lems for communities
when businesses want
to move to the state.
“When companies
or industries or businesses look to relo
cate to an area, they look at how edu
cated the work force is,” he said. “If
they’re up to speed with the technolo
gy that is available, they wquld be
more appealing.”
Clark said he believes the authority
will help make all communities
statewide more equal in terms of
Internet access. “Ultimately, the reason
Marshall Describes Post; Goals
N.C. Secretary of State
Elaine Marshall spoke to
students of her job and her
hopes of a U.S. Senate seat.
By Talley Sergent
Staff Writer
Working for the people of North
Carolina as secretary of state is a goal
for Elaine Marshall every day, she told
UNC Young Democrats on Monday
night.
Her dream, she said, is to work for
North Carolinians in the U.S. Senate -
a seat she plans to run for in the 2002
elections.
“It’s time to sendjesse Helms home,”
Marshall said to an applauding crowd of
more than 20 students. “I talk the talk
and walk the walk.”
Marshall said she hopes to cap off her
state government run, from winning a
state Senate seat in 1993 to becoming
the first female secretary of state in 1996,
by winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2002.
She would be vying for the Senate
seat currendy held by Republican
incumbent Jesse Helms.
Helms has not said if he has decided
to step down or run again after his term
expires.
Marshall said she would run on a
platform that would reach all areas of
North Carolina and its people - not just
the highly industrial and populated
areas - increasing the use of technology
in historically agriculture-based areas.
“Technology is essential in every part
of the state,” she said. “Agriculture has
got to be contemporary.”
Chris Brook, president of the Young
ty’s involvement in the plan will be
equal to that of the Chapel Hill Town
Council. Some members of the council,
along with University officials, serve on
the town-gown committee.
But Suttenfield said the meeting is
designed to keep the county aware of
what is going on. “It’s really to keep
them informed,” she said.
Suttenfield said the officials do not
see a reason for the commissioners to be
involved in a committee similar to
Chapel Hill’s town-gown committee.
“Thus far, there really hasn’t been a
need for a group of that kind for the
county,” she said.
But Suttenfield said she felt the com
missioners would be receptive to the
information UNC officials will provide.
behind all of this is to lessen the digital
divide and give the rural areas the
same advantages as the urban areas.”
Bridging the Gap in Education
N.C. leaders say they are looking
to public education to help bridge
the state’s digital divide.
Reid Hartzoge, assistant press sec
retary for Gov. Mike Easley, said the
governor also hopes to continue
efforts made by former Gov. Jim
Hunt to reduce the technology gap.
“The governor has made it his pri
ority to see that every child has access
to a good, quality education. In the
governor’s inaugural address, he
pledged to continue Governor Hunt’s
efforts to close the digital divide.”
Under Hunt, the N.C. Department
of Public Instruction required every
public school to submit a four-year
Education Technology Plan to ensure
that each meets technology guidelines
established by the state Board of
Education, including making then
schools Internet-accessible by 2005.
Easley encouraged residents to
five out the state’s promise to
improve education in all comers of
the state so all students have an equal
See TECHNOLOGY, Page 6
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N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall tells Young Democrats about
what she saw in the flooded area of the state after Hurricane Floyd.
Democrats, said he thought it would be
interesting to see the Senate race in
November 2002.
“(Marshall’s) a public official who’s
not going to hide from questions and the
people,” Brook said. “You can recognize
North Carolina in Elaine Marshall.”
Marshall also discussed her job as
secretary of state and what it entails.
Her office maintains public records
and certifies election results. It also cer
tifies notaries public and oversees all
accounting and law firms in the state.
Sophomore James Haltom of
Rockingham said he was impressed with
Marshall and found her to be very
informative.
“It’s important to see what the secre
tary of state does,” he said. “It’s also
Tuesday, April 17, 2001
“They accepted our invitation, so I’m
sure they’ll be interested in what we
have to say,” Suttenfield said.
Suttenfield said that because the
Horace Williams tract is located in
Chapel Hill and Carrboro, she foresees
that Chapel Hill and Carrboro officials
will play a greater role in development
than the commissioners.
But Brown said she disagrees. She
said Orange County is a part of the com
munity and should be involved in the
process as well. “They don’t lie in an iso
lated box there at the University,” she
said. They do have effects and impacts
on the community.”
The City Editor can be reached
at citydesk@unc.edu.
Racial Bias
In Penalty,
Study Says
The School of Law study
examines 502 murder cases
that took place in the state
between 1993 and 1997.
By Michael Davis
Staff Writer
A study released Monday suggests
that race plays a major role in deter
mining the guilt of defendants in death
penalty cases in North Carolina.
The research for the study was con
ducted by eight UNC School of Law
graduates and
sponsored by the
Common Sense
Foundation, a lib
ertarian founda
tion and the North
Carolina Council
of Churches.
The study
examined 502
murder cases out
of approximately
4,000 held in the
state between
1993 and 1997.
Chris Fitzsimon,
executive director
of Common
Q
Sen.
Ellie Kinnaird
says she favors
calling for a
moratorium on the
death penalty.
Sense, said the study discovered that
those found guilty of killing a white indi
vidual in North Carolina are 3 1/2 times
more likely to receive the death penalty
than if the victim was not white.
“It appears that our criminal justice
system values white fives more than
black fives,” Fitzsimon said.
He added that the study - the largest
investigation of race and the death
penalty in state history - is scientific
proof that the issue of race has bled into
the determination of guilt in these cases.
“Race has infected our capital pun-
See DEATH PENALTY, Page 6
important to show the relevance of her
position to young people.”
But Marshall said it is a good time to
be involved in politics - especially for
women. “Sometime about 10 years ago
a fight went on and women realized the
best person to represent them is anoth
er woman."
In 1996, Marshall defeated NASCAR
icon Richard Petty to become the state’s
first female secretary of state.
But she said the fact that she is a
woman was not the first thing she men
tioned while campaigning. Instead she
said she focused on real issues pertinent
to her constituents, and the fact that she
was a woman was not the dominant fac-
See MARSHALL, Page 6
3