VOLUME 112, ISSUE 64
Harvard minister named May speaker
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COURTESY OF UNC NEWS SERVICES
Author, preacher and academic Peter Gomes has been picked to speak
at the University's Commencement ceremony, which will be held in May.
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J Jackson, Alex Basista, David Donovan and Grayson Shirley
(left to right) spend Wednesday night playing poker at
Spanky’s restaurant on Franklin Street in the inaugural
free Texas Hold’em Tournament, organized by the N.C. Poker
League. The tournaments are free to anyone interested and
offer prizes to the winner. The N.C. Poker League keeps track of
Group mulls plans
for downtown lots
Plans retreat to discuss development
BY RYAN C. TUCK
CITY EDITOR
In only the second meeting
of the full Downtown Economic
Development Corporation, the
group asserted its mission to
equally represent University, pri
vate and town interests —and
decided to start with a project that
is set to make a serious change to
the downtown landscape.
Board members erupted into a
discussion Wednesday morning
about the town’s proposed redevel
opments of parking lots 2 and 5.
“This is one of about three
or four 800-pound gorillas that
are going on downtown,” said
Nicholas Didow, the group’s
interim executive director.
The Chapel Hill Town Council
initially expressed its desire in
June 2002 to build mixed-use
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INSIDE
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION
Former ambassador to Thailand kicks off program
that will immerse students in foreign policy PAGE 11
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
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development and parking facili
ties on parking lot 5, located
across from University Square on
Franklin Street, and on parking
lot 2, located behind Spanky’s.
At the most recent meeting,
subcommittee members decided
to pursue a plan that would move
the RBC Centura bank to the new
building on lot 5. Lot 2 would be
redeveloped after lot 5 and would
include a transit transfer center. A
parking deck would then be built
on the RBC property. Residential
property also would be built on
top of the Wallace Deck, which
would extend to Henderson
Street.
The board’s chairman, Bob
Epting, said Wednesday that he
doesn’t know if the developments
SEE COMMISSION, PAGE 4
www.dthonline.coxn
CHANCELLOR SELECTS GOMES
TO SPEAK AT COMMENCEMENT
BY STEPHANIE JORDAN
ASSISTANT UNIVERSITY EDITOR
He’s an ordained Baptist minis
ter, an advocate for same-sex mar
riage rights and a black Republican
who led prayers at the presidential
inaugurations of Ronald Reagan
and George H.W. Bush,
In May, he also will be the
University’s Commencement
speaker.
Rev. Peter Gomes, a best-selling
author and renowned professor at
Harvard Divinity School, will bring
his diverse perspectives to UNC
this spring.
An invitation was extended
to Gomes in late May, after the
ACES WILD
participants’ standings, allowing them the ability to see how they are
matching up with other local players. Top point leaders then get to
play in an invitational tournament for a grand prize. Subsequent
tournaments will be held every Wednesday at Spanky’s, starting
Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit the
Web site of the N.C. Poker League at http://ncpokerleague.com.
UNC throwers aim at golden dreams
BY MARY DUBY
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
For every college football legend, basketball star or
baseball standout, the post-graduation dream includes
multimillion-dollar contracts with the NFL, NBA or
MLB and one of the high-profile shoe companies.
But the avid track and field athlete looks to a future
that pays in gold Olympic gold.
North Carolina throwers Laura Gerraughty and
Vikas Gowda took a step toward that
lifelong dream last month in Athens.
Gowda, who placed 14th in the
men’s discus while representing India,
grew up on the track because his father
coached the Indian National Team.
“I’ve been competing in track
since I was like 8 or 9, so I’ve been
AFTER ATHENS
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Tar Heel competitors
return from the
Olympic Games
Today: Vikas Gowda
Laura Gerraughty
in the sport my whole life,” Gowda said. “I don’t really
set goals 10 years in advance... but the Olympics were
always the ultimate goal.”
For Gerraughty, the realization of that goal came to
a head while she was walking through the tunnel into
the Olympic Stadium during Opening Ceremonies.
“You walk 0ut.... You hear ‘The United States of
America,’” Gerraughty said. “The crowd goes nuts and
you see a whole bunch of American flags, and that’s
SEE TRACK, PAGE 4
Commencement speaker com
mittee submitted a list of possible
speakers to Chancellor James
Moeser.
Gomes accepted in June, and
University officials finally released
his name to students Wednesday.
“I think his address will be time
ly, appropriate, from a different per
spective we don’t always hear on the
campus nowadays,” said Joe Ferrell,
secretary of the faculty council and
a committee member. “I think he’s
going to give a spectacular speech.”
Ferrell suggested Gomes to the
committee when presenting names
of those speaker candidates eligible
for an honorary degree from UNC
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UNC senior throwers Laura Gerraughty and Vikas Gowda both competed at the Summer'
Olympics in Athens. Gerraughty competed for the United States; Gowda represented India.
DIVERSIONS
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
The N.C. School of the Arts takes the road less
traveled to fulfill its mission to train artists PAGE 5
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2004
this year.
Gomes, a faculty member at
Harvard University for the past 30
years, holds more than 20 honorary
degrees from universities including
Duke University and the University
of Nebraska.
He earned a bachelor’s degree
from Bates College and a bachelor’s
degree in sacred theology from
Harvard Divinity School.
Gomes has studied Christianity
in society, particularly in educa
tion, for many years, Ferrell said.
Despite all of his accomplish
ments, Gomes does not have as high
profile a name as some speakers who
have graced the Commencement
stage in years past.
“Just because you don’t know
someone’s name off the bat
doesn’t mean he won’t be a good
Commencement speaker,” said
Residents
want small
committee
BY DAN SCHWIND
ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR
Though divided over the possible renaming of
Airport Road, many town residents seem to agree
on the number of people who should be on the
advisory committee charged with deciding the
road’s future.
The Chapel Hill Town Council had a heated
debate Thesday about how many people should be
on the committee before finally deciding to postpone
board nominations until its Monday meeting.
Mayor Kevin Foy originally proposed a com
mittee consisting of 17 people plus himself and
two council members.
But after Tuesday’s meeting, some council
members thought the committee should include
59 people everyone who applied so as not to
disenfranchise anyone.
It was decided Tuesday night that both possi-
SEE MLK, PAGE 4
County faces
tough storm
Tornado touches down ,
hut area stays unscathed
BY SHANNAN BOWEN
AND RYAN C. TUCK
SENIOR WRITERS
Remnants of Hurricane Fiances produced a rash
of weather watches in Orange County on Wednesday,
but officials say the county escaped relatively
unscathed.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado
warning at 12:33 p.m. for the eastern part of Orange
County after the service’s doppler radar showed a
tornado six miles south of Carrboro, moving north
at 35 mph.
Gwen Snowden, deputy director of Orange
SEE WEATHER, PAGE 4
DTH/SAMKIT SHAH
WEATHER
TODAY Scattered showers, H 82, L 66
FRIDAY Partly cloudy, H 84, L 64
SATURDAY Partly cloudy, H 82, L 61
Jen Bushman, president of the
Graduate and Professional Student
Federation. “He’s spent 30 years
teaching and advising students, so
if anyone can speak to wrapping up
the college experience, I think he’s
the one to do it.”
Moeser, who made the ultimate
decision to select Gomes as May’s
speaker, welcomed the reverend to
campus.
“Dr. Peter Gomes is a powerful
sense of humor,” Moeser stated in a
press release issued Wednesday.
Student Body President Matt
Calabria also voiced his support
for the choice.
“I’m looking forward to hear
ing him speak at my graduation,”
Calabria said. “There are several
SEE SPEAKER, PAGE 4
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