Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Feb. 12, 2002, edition 1 / Page 3
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Glhf Daily (Ear Hrrl Police Roundup Duo Robs Local Eatery; Suspects Still at Large Chapel Hill police responded to an armed robbery call at 1289 N. Fordham Blvd. at 9:24 p.m. Saturday. Reports state that two unknown sub jects wearing bandannas over their faces entered the Domino’s Pizza and demanded money from the sole employee on duty. Reports state that both men had guns and pointed them at the employee. The employee placed an undisclosed amount of cash into a bag, and the men escaped on foot, reports state. The case is under further investiga tion. Bartender Arrested For Embezzlement Chapel Hill police arrested Bruce Florio, 31, of 100 Rock Haven Road in Carrboro at 1 a.m. Saturday for embez zlement. Reports state that Florio was arrested at 203 E. Franklin St. Florio was a bar tender at Goodfellows, located at 149 1/2 E. Franklin St. Florio was arrested and charged with one felony count of embezzlement, reports state. The amount that Florio allegedly embezzled is unknown. Florio was put in jail on a $2,500 unsecured bond and was scheduled for first appearance in the Orange County District Court in Hillsborough on Monday. University Monday, Feb. 11 ■ At 12:21 p.m., a UNC student reported a stolen mountain bicycle. The locked bicycle, valued at SI,OOO, was removed from the north bicycle rack at Greenlaw Hall, reports state. The larce ny is under further investigation, reports state. Sunday, Feb. 10 ■ Reports state that a breaking and entering and property damage occurred at Finley Golf. Course. When an employee arrived at 7:15 a.m., he dis covered someone had entered the rear of the building and vandalized the sec ond floor, reports state. Damage was estimated at $375; reports state that broken beer bottles were found in the hallways, a storage room door had been kicked open and the lock was broken, and a sheetrock wall had been damaged. The case is under further investigation, reports state. Saturday, Feb. 9 ■ A UNC student reported a stolen bicycle at 11:38 p.m., valued at $l5O, from the bicycle rack at Ehringhaus Residence Hall. Reports state that the victim had secured the bicycle with a cable locking system but when she returned at 11:15 p.m., the cable had been cut and the bicycle removed. Her friend’s bicycle next to hers was secured in the same manner and undisturbed, reports state. The case is under further investigation. City Sunday, Feb. 10 ■ Chapel Hill police arrested Adam Asa Lowe, 18, of 801 Harrier Court in Durham at 3:52 a.m. for possession of ecstacy. Reports state that police per formed a traffic stop on Lowe because he was driving without his lights on. Police searched Lowe and arrested and charged him with one felony count of possession of schedule I ecstacy, reports state. Lowe was confined to the Orange Countyjail on a $5,000 secured bond, reports state. Lowe was scheduled to appear in the Orange County District Court in Hillsborough on Monday. Saturday, Feb. 9 ■ Chapel Hill police arrested James Curtis Riley, 19, of 101 Johnson St. at 11:26 p.m. for possession of a handgun, cocaine and marijuana. Riley was arrested after he was found in possession of five rocks of crack cocaine, approximately 7 grams of mar ijuana, and a concealed and loaded .32 caliber Rossi Revolver, reports state. Riley is being charged with one felony count of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, one felony count of possession with the intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine, one misde meanor count of carrying a concealed weapon and one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana, reports state. Riley was confined to the Orange Countyjail on a $5,000 secured bond. He was scheduled to appear in the Orange County District Court in Hillsborough on Monday. Aldermen Will Cut Budget Due to Deficit The aldermen plan to keep funds for essential services intact, even though the town budget has to be cut. By Daniel Cho Staff Writer Carrboro officials are anticipating at least $300,000 in spending cuts because of the state’s budget deficit. Last week, Gov. Mike Easley announced a projected S9OO million state budget shortfall for the 2001-02 fis cal year. These cuts have affected almost every town and city statewide. Black Encourages; Warns UNC Students Comedian Lewis Black, a UNC alumnus, spoke to almost 30 students, detailing his years at UNC and career in show business. By Nick Parker Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Before his nearly sold-out show at Memorial Hall, comedian and UNC alumnus Lewis Black shared his anger and his expe riences with students studying theater -a field close to his heart. Returning to his alma mater for his first professional per formance at the University, Black spoke to nearly 30 students in the Center for Dramatic Art prior to the show. He recount ed his years at UNC and ranted about the demanding nature of show business. Black said theater is a difficult profession to break into but said aspiring actors and writers should not be discouraged by the hardships they will encounter. Instead, they must push toward discovering and following their passion, he said. Graduating in 1970 with a degree in drama specializing in playwriting, Black spent the next year in a fellowship seeking recognition as a legitimate writer by the Department of Dramatic Art, which awarded him his fellowship. Black said it was during that trying time he realized that the theater -be it in the role of actor, director or playwright - is demanding and intense. “Theater is too abusive; the way in which it treats people tears them apart,” Black said. Despite Black’s grim message, he urged the students at the small discussion group not to be discouraged and never to lose sight of their goals. Black recalled the time direcdy after his undergraduate study at UNC when he and a group of colleagues drove off to Colorado, bought a theater and simply performed. Black was quick to note that it was not the idyllic life of an adventurous actor. In order to make ends meet and try to gain government funding, his group performed at a prison and mil itary base - sometimes working for food stamps. During his years there, he learned much about the arts and himself. “If you ever really want a unique experience, take some thing that you have written and perform it in a maximum security prison,” Black said. “But I was happy. When it all began, I did not care if I was getting paid because I was doing it for me, but when I saw what was going on - the abuse that it was putting people through - the ballgame was over.” Black’s transition to comedy came after more than 15 years of writing plays and never being able to understand why something was viewed as good or bad, he said. But Black said his sort of midlife career switch is not See THEATER, Page 7 Black Unleashes His Anger At UNC, World in Standup By Elliott Dube Staff Writer From the film “Network” came the famous saying: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take it anymore!” This quip is comedian Lewis Black in a nut shell. The oft enraged Black, a review/-' Lewis Black Memorial Hall Monday, Feb. 11 ★ ★★★★ UNC alumnus whose success has gar nered him a recurring spot on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” chose Budget Woes Might Aid N.C. Lottery Supporters Some legislators think the newly passed S.C. lottery might aid supporters in the passage of an N.C. lottery. By Michael McKnight Staff Writer Supporters of a North Carolina lot tery hope the S9OO million state budget deficit announced last week by Gov. Mike Easley will add leverage to efforts to put a lottery referendum on the November ballot. When announcing the recent prob lems with the state budget last week, Easley once again called on state legis lators to pass a lottery when they recon vene in late May. A major platform goal of Easley’s 2000 campaign for governor was insti- Carrboro Town Manager Bob Morgan said Monday that the town’s Board of Aldermen must shave a mini mum of $300,000 from the the town’s total budget of $12.5 million. Morgan will present strategies on how to deal with the town’s budget cuts at 7:30 p.m. today at Carrboro Town Hall. While the specific cuts have yet to be identified, the aldermen will consider cutting operating costs and capital pro jects. The board is expected to make a final decision soon regarding the spending cuts, Morgan said. “We’re looking for expenditure cuts to equal the revenue shortfall,” Morgan jfW m _ | ils l||| rfliHr • // ,jm /fl” & | i- • (’-.iMst -yJSSKBSMi' MBHi h 1 DTH BRIAN CASSELIA Comedian and UNC alumnus Lewis Black delivers commentary on society, current affairs and his time at the University during his Memorial Hall performance Monday night. Memorial Hall as his place to vent Monday night. Black picked a number of targets to rant about, and he hit the bull’s-eye with each one. His act covered everything from his drug-addled years at UNC to the Bush presidency to Starbucks sig nalling the end of the universe. His wrath was also incurred by last year’s Superbowl halftime show. “I have ’NSync, Aerosmith and Britney Spears - I have a trifecta from hell!" he screamed. That scream is typical of Black, whose voice and demeanor toe the line See BLACK, Page 7 tuting a state lottery to fund education. Easley’s press secretary, Fred Hartman, said the budget deficit could enhance the chance of a lottery referen dum passing the N.C. General Assembly because legislators will be looking for new revenue sources to avoid tax increases to fund early child hood education programs. Legislators passed a tax increase in 2001 to help balance the budget, which included several education programs. North Carolina was the only state to raise sales and income taxes to fill a bud get gap this year. “The legislature is going to have to make a decision in May,” Hartman said. “Are you going to raise taxes, which isn’t voluntary, or allow the lottery, which is voluntary?” Rep. Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank, a leading lottery supporter in previous years, said he will introduce a lottery ref News said. “Because it’s in the middle of the budget year, the only thing we can do is to cut expen ditures.” Morgan said he thinks the board is not in the position to cut any jobs but will evaluate any vacancies that exist. Alderman Diana McDuffee said she does not Alderman Diana McDuffee thinks that most town-funded jobs are important and not expendable. want to cut any jobs because most of nk . w♦ ijgr ,**' |&. 4k ’Hr ” , 4. DTH KARA ARNDT Lewis Black talks to theater students Monday about how his career started and what his life as a UNC student was like. erendum bill when legislators return May 28 for the short session. “Bill drafting is already working on it," he said. “We’re ready to go.” t Owens introduced a similar lottery bill last year. He said he is optimistic about the odds of his bill passing this session. “1 think this is the best chance ever to have a lottery come up and be voted on and the best chance ever to have a lot tery pass,” he said. Owens added that the introduction of a S.C. lottery in January also will increase the chance of a lottery referen dum making it through the General Assembly. He said legislators who live along the N.C. border with Virginia, a lottery state, already experience pres sure from constituents to pass a lottery. “Now the legislators on the South Carolina border will have the same pres sure,” Owens said. But he added that he is uncertain how them are valuable. “There are very few positions that are not essential,” she said. McDuffee said most of the budget goes to paying the staff. “We can’t cut things that affect essen tial services,” she said. “We have to help policemen, firefighters and public work ers.” Alderman Mark Dorosin said delay ing funding for services such as the police and firefighters could put the community at risk. McDuffee said that in her six years as an alderman, this is an unprecedented situation. “It’s very tough for us to figure out how to do it,” she said. “We might have heavily the budget deficit will weigh on legislators’ decision about the lottery. “It will have some effect but not a major effect in my opinion.” House Minority Leader Leo Daughtry, RJohnston, said he does not know what impact the state budget deficit will have on the lottery issue but said instituting a lottery is not the solu tion to the state’s financial woes. Daughtry said several states with lot teries, such as Virginia, are in similar or worse budget situations than North Carolina. “The lottery is not going to help that any,” he said. “The lottery is not a good idea." UNC political science Professor Thad Beyle said it is too early to tell how a lot tery might fare in the General Assembly this year. “I think that’s pretty much up in the air,” he said. “We’re surrounded by lot tery states this year.” Tuesday, February 12, 2002 to put off planning for the future.” She also emphasized the added diffi culty of being halfway through the bud get year, which ends in June 2002. Dorosin said his ideal strategy would be to delay capital improvements and new expenses. But he also said he wants to keep existing programs while carefully look ing at next year’s budget. “We can’t dip into the savings account to pay a big bill now, but you want to build your savings account back up first,” Dorosin said. Morgan predicts that Carrboro will be negatively affected for several years See ALDERMEN, Page 7 Police Keep Up Search In Attack The two students attacked near the Coker Arboretum on Jan. 19 described the two robbers as average. By Joelle Ruben Staff Writer Several weeks after two UNC stu dents were robbed at gunpoint on cam pus, University Police Chief Derek Poarch said no arrests have been made and that the investigation is continuing. Poarch said the Department of Public Safety has received numerous tips from Chapel Hill-Carrboro Crime Stoppers and other sources since two students were held up in the parking area behind Morehead Planetarium next to the Coker Arboretum on Jan. 19. After the inci dent, police dis tributed safety alerts on campus describing the rob bers as white men in their early 20s. The alert stated that one man had tgala*.. -V *C mk life University Police Chief Derek Poarch says students should exercise reasonable caution on campus. blond hair and facial hair and that the other was thin and had brown hair. Although many leads already have been exhausted, Poarch said police offi cials will continue to gather information. Poarch said he could not make a pre diction about the possibility of an arrest. But victim Justin Cunningham, a junior from Salisbury, expressed doubts that an arrest will ever be made because he does not feel confident in his ability to make a positive identification. “The robbers’ descriptions are pretty average: average height, average build, white males,” he said. “Even if they were students on campus, there are hundreds of people who could fit that description.” Cunningham said that for the first week and a half after the incident, the police called him every day. He said their phone calls have since tapered off, but he said officers continue to drop off pictures at his residence hall to see if he can identify the robbers. He and his friend Emily Miller, who was walking with him at the time of the incident, also helped to create police sketches of the two men. The sketches, along with a. brief warning, have been distributed to cam pus classrooms and residence halls. Miller said she had hoped there would be more concrete results by now but she understands that she and See ROBBERY, Page 7 Beyle said the budget deficit might cause legislators to eye the lottery more favorably as a potential revenue source. But he added that a lottery would not be an immediate source of funds for the state. “It takes a while to set up a lottery, and by that time, the economy may have turned around," he said. Beyle added that other factors, including this being an election year, could have a significant impact on whether a lottery referendum passes. He said that while public opinion polls show most N.C. residents favor a lottery, passing one could galvanize anti-lottery bases and threaten incumbents' chances of being re-elected. “It just depends on how (legislators) come down on it and how people feel about it.” The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu. 3
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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