Shr Sailii Car Hrrl Students try to avoid DPS parking tickets Appeals process generous, some say BY DANIEL PATE STAFF WRITER When it comes to getting out of a parking citation, UNC students have many answers though not all work. With the Department of Public Safety giving out hundreds of tick ets per month on campus, students without a justifiable reason have to use creativity to establish the perfect excuse, otherwise they're forced to pay the fines. “The DPS is 90-percent funded by my tickets," said sophomore Molly Brewer, who has received eight tickets during her college career. But of the almost 200,000 tick ets DPS issued in almost four years, about 40 percent of them cost stu dents no money. Freshman Jill Zartman said she knows a friend who has received 13 tickets this year and has yet to crack open her wallet. Freshman Katie Terry says she plans on telling the officer about her stressful week if she is ever caught with a parking violation to try to get out of a ticket. Randy Young, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, said the average number of cita tions issued per month ranges from 700 to 800. ■ A gallery of gifts, jewelry, cards, bath, toys A highly entertaining off the wall stuff. aI: locally owned, globally cool. university mall • 201 s. estes drive • chapel hill, nc 27514 www.camerons-gallery.com 1 Audition Friday, April 11th Sign-in: 3:3opm Audition Time: 4:oopm North Carolina Dance Institute 5910-101 Duraleigh Rd. Raleigh, NC 27612 Applicant! must view an online presentation prior to audition. Visit disneycollefleprograin.coin/epresemaUon. The highest months include September and February, w'hich usually see as many as 900 tick ets. DPS provides tips for people who want to avoid a parking cita tion, but Young said the best way to escape a ticket is to simply pay attention. “There would be a lot less vio lations if folks simply heed to the signage on the entrances next to the lot and the special events signs," he said. Most students who do receive parking citations feel they can appeal by simply explaining the situation. “I’ve never heard of anybody having a hard time if they had a legitimate appeal," said sophomore Tripp Gobble, who received a ticket in the Swain lot after needing 10 minutes to retrieve his laptop from Hill Hall. Gobble appealed the ticket, and it w-as removed. Senior Geoff Bridges said a friend received a ticket for park ing in a lot at 5:03 p.m., when the lot is open after 5 p.m. After explaining the circumstances, his friend was cleared of the cita tion. Young said many tickets come from people outside of the WE'RE LOOKING FOR TALENTED STUDENT PERFORMERS! The Disney College Program is seeking Animated Character Performers and Parade Performers to perform at the Walt Disney World® Resort near Orlando, FL. Special consideration will be given to Character "look-alikes" and individuals 4'B’’- 5‘ and 6’-6’3". Check out our Web site at www.disneycollegeprogram.com /entertainment for further details and an online application college* Appealing a ticket ► Tickets must be appealed within 10 days. ► Notification of your appeals status will be sent to you within two weeks ► Students who don't pay the citation will have a hold placed on their University Registrar records. ► You can review appeal guide lines during business hours at the Department of Public Safety. ► For more information see dps. unc.edu. University who aren't familiar with regulations, whether they arc told erroneous information or have the notion that parking is not enforced or is free. "Typically we don't hear those reasons from people that are affili ated with the University." Young said. And students say it's important to keep in mind not to act like a vic tim when convincing an officer to drop a citation. “Don't blame it on them; put the blame on yourself,” Gobble said. Contact the University Desk at uilexk(a unc.edu. News National and World News FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL Clinton reiterates position on trade WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - Sen. Hillary Clinton emphasized her opposition to a proposed fret trade agreement with Colombia, two days after her chief cam paign strategist was demoted for his role in supporting the deal. Many labor unions, including the CWA, oppose these deals, saying they displace U.S. jobs and allow abuses of workers and the environment in other countries. Sen. Barack Obama also noted his opposition to the Colombia deal when he spoke to the CWA. Candidates take on Gen. Petraeus WASHINGTON. D.C., (AP) The top commander in Iraq found himself in the middle of presidential politics Tuesday literally —as he was ques tioned by White House candi dates politically and physically on cither side during a congres sional hearing. Republican Sen. John McCain elicited answers that he hopes will bolster his call to stay the course. Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama argued U.S. troops should come home. ■■ • Jrr I New Vork limes Bestseller 1 ru |erome Dukes is 4 s V coming to the Bull s Head Bookshop to sign books and read from Ins ness novel I'leinurc. " * :4P''< April 17th at 3pm tit* t.d ofn la Ikr puklit dj&'J? * “The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What’s so Good about the Good News?” [V „ m+ ' T •jTT t | \ I 1 I,filtirc by I TODAY! 7:00 p.m. Auditorium, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building (Sdiool of Social Work) 32S Pittsboro Street FREE PUBLIC PARKING at McCauley Parking Deck (rn trance to deck Is from Pharmary lane, off Met Pauley Street) Book Signing to Follow Lecture! WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9. 2008 Gen. David Petraeus asks Senate for suspension of troop withdrawals WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) —The U.S. general commanding the Iraq war called for an open ended suspension of troop with drawals this summer, reflecting concern about a recent flare-up in violence and leaving open the possibility that few. if any . addi tional troops will be brought home before President Bush leaves office in January. Gen. David Petraeus told a Senate hearing Tuesday that he recommends a 45-day “period of consolidation and evaluation" once the extra combat forces that Bush ordered to Iraq last year have U.S. and N. Korea progress in talks SINGAPORE (A?) - The United States and North Korea said they made good progress in talks Tuesday on resolving a dead lock over a disputed inventory of the nation's nuclear programs. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said he and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan had “a full discussion on all issues." U.S. officials said they expect ed an imminent announce ment from China, perhaps on Wednesday, that the next six party talks at the envoy level would take place in Shanghai on April 16. completed their pullout in July. He said the past years progress is “fragile and reversible,* and didn't commit to any additional tnxip withdrawals beyond July. This process will be continu ous. with recommendations for further reductions made as con ditions permit.” he said. “This approach does not allow estab lishment of a set withdrawal timetable. However, it does pro vide the flexibility those of us on the ground need to preserve the still fragile security gains our troopers have fought so hard and sacrificed so much to achieve.’ Iran to improve nuclear capacity TEHRAN. Iran (AP) President Mahmoud Ahinadinejad announced major progress in Iran's push for nucle ar pow er, saying Tuesday that his nation was installing thousands of new uranium-enriching cen trifuges and testing a much fast er version of the device. That would represent a major expansion of uranium enrich ment —a process that can pro duce either fuel for a nuclear reactor or material for a w arhead. Secretary- of State Condoleezza Rice cautioned, however, that the claim could not be immediately substantiated. 7