Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Aug. 24, 2001, edition 1 / Page 3
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oatly sar MM Columnist's Demeanor Hides Force It’s amazing how much things can change over one summer. I can finally say George W. Bush and President in the same breath without feeling the urge to giggle. Things were getting pretty scary for awhile, but Bush actually won me over with his stem cell speech a couple of weeks ago. But perhaps even more sur prising than my newfound respect for Bush is the fact that I am back for another year at The Daily Tar Heel. To be perfecdy honest, my return to the APRIL BETHEA STATE & NATIONAL COLUMNIST DTH this year is a shock. After the infa mous David Horowitz saga last March, I had fully intended to quit the paper. A strong opponent of slave repara tions for blacks, Horowitz sent college campuses ablaze with a full-page ad in college newspapers across the nation entitled “Ten Reasons Why Slave Reparations Are a Bad Idea - And Racist Too.” The DTH did not print the ad but instead ran Horowitz’s ideas as a col umn. Hoping to reach some sort of balance, the paper also included columns by other campus leaders who offered their views of the situation. But in my opinion the damage was done. It’s not that Horowitz didn’t have a right to voice his opinions. Freedom of speech and of the press is a privilege I will work hard to protect for the rest of my life. But I feel that this paper did a poor job of acknowledging the other side of the issue, and I didn’t feel com fortable defending its actions. Why didn’t it seek out the opinion of Randall Robinson, one of the lead ers of the fight for reparations? That way, the debate would have been a lot stronger and a lot more fair. And why is it that we never got a chance to find out about the man behind the column? Just who is David Horowitz, and why was he able to cre ate such a stir on campuses last spring? It’s not enough to simply print the facts of a story and hope they will speak for themselves. Asa newspaper, we have to look beyond the flak and get to the real meat of the issues. We must question the man (or woman) behind the scenes. Talk to that politician whose name doesn’t appear often in the newspaper. Sure, you might hit a dry wall, but sometimes you could find a gold mine. Either way, you have to be willing to ask. And that is why I’m back for anoth er year. After working at the DTH freshman year and spending 10 weeks at The News & Observer this summer, I have learned two important things that I will use to guide my column this year: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And if every word you hear from a source’s mouth sounds scripted, that source is either really good at dealing with the media or is feeding you a bunch of crap. My column will go beyond the superficial and aim for the truth. What is the real reason behind the budget stalemate in the N.C. General Assembly? What impact will eliminat ing the SAT in college admissions real ly have on universities? Why is it that male politicians always seem to have affairs with brunette interns? Seriously though, I think you know what I’m getting at. I hope this column will help die DTH take its news cover age to a different level. The rest of our state is changing, so it’s only fair that we do the same. Last year’s State & National colum nist, Anne Fawcett, paved the way for me with her incredible analysis of the issues affecting our state and nation. I have some tough shoes to fill, but I’m ready for it While I cannot promise that I won’t offend someone along the way, I hope to give you a different per spective on the oftentimes controversial issues which face our society. If one year from now, you can say "that you look at politics in a different light, then I’ve done my job. So what makes me think I can do all of this? It’s simple. I don’t take crap. I know when someone’s lying and when they’re honesdy telling the truth. And don’t think for a second that I won’t call you on it. Someone once told me that it’s always the quiet ones who can cause the most trouble. I hate to admit it, but they were right. Beneath this quiet exterior lies a force this world has never seen, ready to pounce on people who dare to call themselves public officials. So watch out Things are about to get interesting. Columnist April Bethea can be reached at adbethea@email.unc.edu. Center for Public Service in Search of Leader By Rob Leichner Staff Writer Administrators have launched a search for anew director of the 2-year old Carolina Center for Public Service. The center, which opened in September 1999, aims to facilitate pub lic service on campus. It remains unclear when or why the center’s leadership has changed, although the center Web site states that a search committee began reviewing KaMt f 111 Jfi pifL aH > ytStMwßaßßSfeSr " w ”’ MSP J9BY -JK- wjFffct. .v ’■ IIV ■ DTH FILE PHOTO On Aug. 26 of last year, Raleigh police officers prepare for the annual block party held the first weekend after N.C. State University's classes begin. Nearly 500 officers were stationed on Brent Road to contain the event. Police, N.C. State Set for Brent Road By Monica Chen Staff Writer N.C. State University students attending this year’s Brent Road party might find the festivi ties diminished for the second year in a row because of a strong police presence and an alternative party the university is sponsoring. The Brent Road party is an annual back-to school event that has drawn upward 0f5,000 peo ple in recent years. Last year the party was patrolled by almost 500 policemen after the Raleigh City Council passed a nuisance ordinance allowing police to enter a private party because it has been deemed a nuisance and make arrests. Only 3,000 attended the party last year after the ordinance was passed and police presence increased. Seven thousand people attended in Mayoral Candidate Foy Pushes for Campaign Spending Cap By Amanda Wilson Staff Writer One contender in the Chapel Hill mayoral race is pushing campaign finance reform into the spotlight as can didates prepare their platforms for the Nov. 6 election. Kevin Foy, a mayoral candidate and Chapel Hill Town Council member, issued a campaign finance challenge to his opponents in July, urging them to r i Iff DTH/BESS LOEWENBAUM Tim Leadem, founder of Chapel Hill Youth Residents Council, serves food at Spartacus Restaurant. applications for the position in July. When asked why he left the position, Nick Didow said the position of director is an at-will position, meaning it is sub ject to constant review from the provost. Didow did not comment any further on why he left the position and suggest ed that the provost’s office be contacted for additional information. The Daily Tar Heel attempted to con tact Provost Robert Shelton, but Shelton was out of town Thursday night and could not be reached for comment. 1999. Tom Stafford, N.C. State vice chancellor for student affairs, said police presence will be strong again this year. “The Raleigh police plan to have a massive turnout,” Stafford said. “(The university) has made an effort to get the infor mation out to make sure students know that if they get arrested or cited, they will be subject to the students code of conduct” As an alternative, N.C. State administrators have organized the Crossroads party to lure crowds away from the more chaotic Brent Road party. Both parties will take place Saturday night The Crossroads party, which took SIIO,OOO from administrative coffers and student funds, will boast popular bands De La Soul, Far Too Jones and Naughty by Nature. But some students are dissatisfied with the spend less than SIO,OOO. “There is certainly a risk of escalating costs of the campaign,” Foy said. “I would like to find low-cost, creative ways of communicating with voters.” But fellow council member and can didate Lee Pavao said even though he supports Foy’s efforts, he will not set a personal budget cap. Cam Hill, also a contender in the mayoral race, could not be reached for comment about his plans for campaign Volunteer Gains Common Ground Tim Leadem started the Chapel Hill Youth Residents Council to help minority youth contribute positively to their neighborhoods. By Christopher Owens Staff Writer Tim Leadem knows exactly how green the grass is on the other side of the cultural fence. Since early spring, Leadem has tirelessly immersed himself in helping high school students take control of their community to make it more youth friendly. Leadem is responsible for starting and organizing the Chapel Hill Youth Residents Council, which con- sists of youths from local housing projects who meet once a week to discuss important topics that affect their communities. Through this work, Leadem has not only offered positive mentoring and leadership but found commonalities with those of a different background. “I am a middle-class white kid now in an environment working solely with African-American high school students,” he said. “I was initially met with skepticism because of where I came from, but I came to do something positive.” Volunteering is nothing new to Leadem. In between his classes at Guilford College, where News Cindy Wolf Johnson, associate vice chancellor for student learning, also declined to comment on the circumstances sur rounding Didow’s departure. Wolf Johnson, who is heading the search for the new director, said Former director Nick Didow breaking down of tradition and have taken to the Internet to voice their frustrations. The Wolf Web, an student-operated Web site featuring everything from news to personal photo galleries, conducted a poll regarding the Brent Road party. Forty percent of respondents said they would be at the party “in full effect!” The Raleigh Police Department declined to comment. Unlike last year, N.C. State Chancellor Marye Anne Fox did not send a letter about the Brent Road party to parents, though information regard ing it was included in a parents’ newsletter. But N.C. State Student Body President Darryl Willie said he thinks many students will try to keep the tradition alive. “We’re in talks See BRENT ROAD, Page 7 spending. Pavao said he will only limit individ ual contributions to SIOO. “I don’t think you are going to be cor rupted for $100,” Pavao said. He said this has been a tradition since he first ran for Town Council eight years ago. “I think it’s a noble cause on (Foy’s) part, but campaigns take different turns as they materialize,” Pavao said. “Two years ago a candidate spent about 40 or 50 applications have been submitted for the position. She said the committee has not set a definite timeline yet but would ideally come to a final decision by early October. Applicants will be selected for phone interviews in about one week with cam pus interviews to follow. “We are look ing for somebody who has a passion and commitment for public service,” Wolf Johnson said. The main responsibility of the Center for Public Service is to facilitate public nearly $15,000.” At that time few rules governed cam paign finance. Candidates only had to report contributions greater than $3,000. This changed in 1999 when Foy ini tiated an ordinance that tightened the reins on campaign spending. The ordinance limits contributions to less than S2OO and required divulgence of all contributors. But the law did not specify a cap for campaign fund raising nor did it restrict he recendy graduated with an English degree, Leadem donated his time at the local YMCA to work with children. After graduation, he became involved with North Carolina Public Allies, a nonprofit organization that places volunteers with non profit jobs. He was led to the Chapel Hill Adult Residents Council at a time when its members wanted to see a similar program for the young people. He immediately saw the value in the idea and volunteered to establish the council. “Chapel Hill needs to utilize the resources that it has,” Leadem said. “The youth do have valuable insight and do recognize what’s going on in their neighbor hoods.” The goal of the council is to j become a self-sufficient organization that partners with the adult council to implement community changes. Two representatives from each hous- ing project meet once a week to discuss neigh borhood issues such as drugs, crime and school environment. Leadem went door-to door this spring to enlist these young volun teers. Leadem trained the youths on running effi cient meetings and fund-raising techniques. But for the program to run smoothly, they first had to break down cultural barriers. “It takes time for people to realize that you mean what you say and you’re not just putting up a front," he said. “A lot of people who do Friday, August 24, 2001 service on campus by creating aware ness, raising funds and collaborating with other campus groups. “I’m very proud of what we were able to do in a short period of time in getting the program off the ground,” said Didow, who has directed the organiza tion since its inception. The center’s efforts to help the vic tims of Hurricane Floyd included bus trips to eastern North Carolina to assist See DIRECTOR, Page 7 Proposed Bond Would Fund New Schools Officials have earmarked $47 million of the S7B million bond package to build two elementary schools and one middle school. By Kellie Dixon City Editor Before residents can vote on a bond referendum this November, local officials need to shave the proposed figure down by at least $3 million. The package presendy totals S7B million and is a combi nation of five proposed bond orders. But N.C. General Statues and the Local Government Commission restrict the Orange County Board of Commissioners from putting more than $75 million on the ballot, said Greg Wilder, assistant to the coun ty manager. Of the five orders, one concerns the local school systems. A significant part of the bond is a proposed $47 million that would allow three schools to be added to the county - two ele mentary schools for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district and one middle school for the Orange County Schools district. Also on the bond referendum is a measure that would help finance the county’s parks and recreation, senior centers, affordable housing and land acquisition. Steve Scroggs, assistant superintendent for support services for Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, said he hopes the commis sioners will chose to cut money in areas other than education. “That $3 million does not need to come from the schools,” Scroggs said. “If they take $3 million from that, we don’t have the amount of money to spend what we need. We can’t cut comers on kids’ education.” Wilder said the expected cost for each of the elementary schools is sl3 million to sl4 million, and the expected cost for the middle school is about $lB million. One elementary school will most likely be built in Meadowmont, while details on the other have yet to be worked out. But Scroggs said the bond would help the system prepare for future overcrowding, sparing the system from addressing the problem too late. “Right now today we have capacity in elementary schools 0f4,302,” Scroggs said. “That’s how many kids we have room See BOND, Page 7 a candidate’s out-of-pocket spending. Foy said unlimited campaign spend ing created a political class that is only responsive to the people who can dole out the biggest contributions. “You create a situation where the electorate is not representative of the community,” Foy said. Both Foy and Pavao said most of their contributions come from local voters. See FUNDS, Page 7 that kind of (volunteer) work go in with the intention, ‘l’m everyone’s best friend and everyone’s going to like me,’ until you put on someone else’s shoes and imagine what it’s like.” Leadem held workshops on racism and enhancing one’s community and gave his life lessons while exploring common interests with the youths to bridge the cultural gap. Lezley Twoßears, program coordinator for the Chapel Hill Residents Council, put Leadem in this role that allowed him to get as much out of the program as the children did. “Tim is a very unusual man,” Twoßears said. “We get a lot of people who volunteer, but rarely do we get those who want to leam as much as the people they teach." And Leadem does not plan on stopping. “I want to start programs where there is a lot less talking down to the youth and a lot more talk ing with the youth," he said. “Instead of telling them their own ideas, let them come up with their own." He is now working for a Durham restaurant and plans to attend graduate school. Offering advice to other volunteers, Leadem said they must first examine themselves. “Open your eyes to new things and leam,” he advises volunteers. “Leam about yourself and leam about other people, but be sure to check your misconceptions and shortcomings at the door.” The Features Editor can be reached at features@unc.edu. 3
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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