2
THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2004
Detainee released from hospital
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Jackie Ray Batts Jr., a detain
ee who shot himself at UNC
Hospitals, has been released from
care, a UNC Hospitals spokes
woman said.
Batts Jr., 35, made a suicide
attempt during a trip to the hos
pital for treatment July 2.
He obtained the weapon from
correction officer Ursula Powell,
who was escorting him to the
hospital from Raleigh’s Central
going
crazy?!
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106 W. Franklin St.
(Next to NY Pizza) [|)o jf
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We can’t give you
less stuff to do.
Just another day to do it.
Bank of America announces Saturday hours.
It’s not easy to squeeze your whole life between Monday and Friday. Which is why Bank of America banking centers ail over town are
now open on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. giving you four precious, extra hours to open anew account, refinance your
home, talk to a personal banker or just make a deposit. If life is a little hectic during the week, slow down and see us on Saturday at
the banking center listed below. Bank of America the official bank of Saturday.
Chapel Hill Main Office
137 East Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
©2004 Bank of America Corporation. _ - _ _ .
Sat-26-ad Bank of America Higher Standards
Prison.
Powell was not shot and she
remains on duty.
No more information could
be released because Batts was no
longer a patient in the hospital, the
spokeswoman said.
In addition, there is no new
progress by the N.C. Department
of Corrections in the ongoing
investigation as to exactly how a
detainee took the officer’s gun and
shot himself, a Corrections spokes-
woman said.
Batts was on probation from
cases in Harnett and Wake coun
ties for forgery and obtaining prop
erty by false pretenses in 2002.
He was placed on probation
violation for not paying restitution
and performing community ser
vice, according to county records.
He received a 30-day extension to
do the community service and was
to serve weekends in the Johnston
County Jail.
Batts was being held as a “safe
keeper” at Central Prison.
County jails sometimes send
detainees to Raleigh because jail
ers think the person would be safer
in the capital than in the county
facility.
HOUSING GUIDE!
Select from houses or condos
from Mill House Properties.
HOUSES:
1 ITT Valley Park Drive
■ 2RR 1 Bath house a2O minute walk to.campus -’ .RENTED:
700 North Greensboro Street
Renovated SBR- 38<nh house near C.arr Mill Mall - $2250 mo,
905 Columbia: Street
. 3BR 28ath tov.nnouse a short walk horn town RENTED VT
CONDOS: U
University Commons
4BR(4Bath garden style units.on.bcjsline SISOO mo.
Hi Mill House
f|f( p r o p e r t i e s
For more information call 968-7226
•. or go to www.millhouseproperties.com
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Citizens of Humanity • Chip & Pepper
Seven for all Mankind • Blue Cult • James
Paper Denim Cloth • Yanuk • True Religion
Adriano Goldschmeid • Juicy Couture
Chapel Mill 452 W Franklin 5t (919) 955-4007
Raleigh 450 Daniels 5t (919) 852-1254
i www.unlquities.com
News
Same-sex debate could sway race
Election focus being shiftedfrom Iraq
BY WHITNEY ISENHOWER
STAFF WRITER
As the U.S. Senate begins to
debate the definition of marriage,
people on both sides of the issue are
making their case, and it’s affecting
the race for the White House.
The Federal Marriage
Amendment, which came before
the Senate on Monday, aims to
amend the Constitution to define
marriage as between a man and a
woman.
John Aldrich, professor of polit
ical science at Duke University,
said President Bush, who supports
the amendment, is pushing it to
promote morals and family.
“Bush takes every chance that
he can to use the word ‘values,’”
he said.
Aldrich added that while Bush
is pushing a family-based agenda
in his campaign, his Democratic
opponent, Sen. John Kerry of
Massachusetts, is trying to focus
on the economy.
Concerns about the war in Iraq
and homeland security are major
factors in the campaign as well,
and the importance of same-sex
marriage to Americans at this time
is questionable.
Michael Cole, spokesperson for
the Human Rights Campaign, a
Washington, D.C.-based organi
zation that works for lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender equal
rights, said this is a “precious time”
in our country because of Iraq.
“There are a number of other
priorities people want their sena
tors focusing on right now,” Cole
said. He later added, “(Supporters)
are pushing the amendment for
political gain.”
But there is a conservative voice
that sees the issue as pressing.
Ryan Thompson, press sec
retary for Sen. James Inhofe, R-
Okla., said Inhofe’s co-sponsoring
of the amendment was in reply to
the needs of his constituents. He
said Inhofe received 5,042 e-mails
in support of the amendment and
only 350 e-mails against it from
Oklahoma residents.
Still others believe the amend
ment is meant to take attention off
of the negative aspects of Bush’s
Local indie-rock label
to celebrate 15th year
BY MICHAEL PUCCI
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
By and large, even devoted indie
rock fans would be hard pressed to
tell you which label most of their
favorite acts appear on.
But Merge Records is Chapel
Hill’s shining exception, a do-it
yourself tale of dedication that has
made it the premier local label.
Now, Cat’s Cradle and the
Carolina Theatre are poised to host
a series of concerts to coincide with
Merge Records’ 15th anniversary
later this month.
Laura Ballance and Mac
McCaughan formed Merge during
the summer 0f1989, the same year
they formed the seminal indie rock
band Superchunk.
The label has held anniversary
celebrations every 5 years since its
inception, and Merge has gone to
■ V:
(Dtp la% (Ear Mppl
“There are a
number of other
priorities people
want their senators
focusing on.” u
MICHAEL COLE, spokesman ')
presidency.
Alex Formuzis, press secretaiy
for Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.j.,
said, “Republicans brought this to
the floor of the Senate to try to
knock Iraq off the headlines.”
At the same time, the far-riglit
voters who are in favor of the
amendment are not enough, to
elicit numerous votes for Bush.,.
James Guth, professor of politi
cal science at Furman University,
said, “It will be of marginal value to
him.”
But the amendment’s impact
on the upcoming election
appears minimal. The ameq|-
ment is expected to fall short pf
the 67 needed votes and fail to tye
passed.
Steve Myers, deputy press sec
retary for the bill’s sponsor, Spn.
Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said tfte
bill’s long-shot chance at becoming
part of ffie Constitution wouldn’t
stop it from stirring the issue.
Still, that might not be enough
to make a palpable difference.
“It will be difficult to keep in the
forefront of the minds of people,”
said Guth, later saying, “The isspe
of Iraq is not going to disappear.”
Contact the State Cf National
Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
great expense to make this celebra
tion the most successful yet.
“It’s fun for everybody,” Ballance
said. “They get to see the other
bands on Merge that they like, and
meet other artists on the label if
they haven’t had the chance. It’s a
crazy big gathering of people.” ' 1
The series begins Wednesday,
July 28, at Local 506, with a free
show featuring The Arcade Fife
and Lou Barlow.
The festival moves to the Cradle
on Thursday, July 29, when
Ballance’s band Superchunk hem
lines a show that also includes 'the
Rosebuds, Richard Buckner, The
Essex Green and M. Ward. ~
On Friday, July 30, the cel
ebration continues when Croofyejd
Fingers culminates a night also fea
turing Camera Obscura, Portastic,
Radar Brothers and Versus.
The last of the Cradle shows is
on Saturday, July 31, and is already
sold out. Destroyer, The Ladytmg
Transistor and Shark Quest vyijl
open for headlining act Spoon.
The celebration officially enqs
on Sunday, Aug. 1, at the Carolina
Theatre in Durham. Lambchpp,
The Clientele and David Kilgour
are scheduled to perform, and givep
the size of the venue, this might, fye
the toughest show to sell out.
“People have been really excited,
and tickets have been sold really
quickly,” Ballance said.
Among other things, the week
end festival is a reminder of how
far Merge has come since Ballaqoe
and McCaughan struggled to keep
the label afloat.
Several bedrooms served as
headquarters until 1992, when
the label moved into a serviceable
office in Chapel Hill, finally settling
on its own building in Downtown
Durham in 2001.
“I am happy with the labels
growth,” Ballance said. “Of course,
as we continue, we’ll grow more L
either you grow or you die.” •!
As the shows later this
will attest, Merge’s ear for talent
always has and will continue to be
tuned to the best in independent
music. ,
“We’re (still) looking for bands
we like,” Ballance said. “That hasn?t
changed.” - j
Contact theA&E Editor
at artsdesk@unc.edu.
CORRECTION t
■ A July 8 page 3 article said
that the Chapel Hill Town Council
is requiring Eastern Federal to
hire an off-duty police officer to
direct traffic from the theater
onto Franklin Street. The officer
will assist the theater in directing
traffic to and from Elliot Road.
To report a correction, contact Managing
Editor Chris Coletta at ccoletta@email.unc.edu.
(Ear MM ,
P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Philip McFee, Editor, 962-4086
Advertising & Business, 962-1163 ' -
News, Features, Sports, 962-0245
One copy per person; additional copies may be
purchased at The Daily Tar Heel for $.25 each. 1
© 2004 DTH Publishing Corp.
All rights reserved