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v " TfD iCT y Rgin, rein, rein Cloudy today with rain developing tonight. High in the upper 50s, low m the upper 40s. Rain possible Saturday Yearbook The 1979 Vac was distributed this week and the DTH has a review of the new yearbook on page 5. Serving the students and the University community since 1893 Volume 87, Issue No. 1 Friday, March 23, 1S30 Chapel Hill, North Carolina NwSporWAds S33-C245 BiMiiMMAtfwtMng 833-1163 .n try tiroimMea. r '1 .before and. 7 i: C . . I? 'ill " ! e Mile M r . " it? f By JOHN DUSENBURY Staff Writer, Nursing home alters format By LEILA DUNBAR Sfaff Writer Pine Ridge Nursing Home of Chapel Hill this week hired a new administrator and began to revamp its program following a threat by the state Department of Human Resources that it may revoke the center's license. Edward G. Astin Jr. took over as acting administrative consultant Wednesday. Charles Parkinson who had been administrator until -Wednesday, is on a leave of absence. A new management firm, Health Care Management Co., has taken over Pine Ridge. "Pine Ridge has had a long history of questionable reputation arnd non-community involvement," Astin said in an interview at the nursing home Thursday. Last week, the state Department of Human Resources informed officials at Pine Ridge that the state would revoke its license April 14 unless the center improved its employee training and patient screening programs. The state made its threat after an investigator from the Division of Facility Service, which licenses and regulates nursing homes, found inadequacies at Pine Ridge. The state's investigation was prompted by complaints from Friends of Nursing Home Patients, a local consumer health group, about problems at Pine Ridge. FNHP said a Pine Ridge patient reported two incidents of patient abuse at the nursing home. But the state Attorney General's office did not find enough evidence to substantiate the abuse charges. But Astin said the current improvements at Pine Ridge were not a direct result of the recent charges. "There was a year or a year-and-a-half of non improvement leading up to this winter that caused the owners to be frustrated," Astin said. Astin said he was aiming to improve staff and patient relations at Pine Ridge. "The first step is to hire new people because health care is directly related to the quality of employees," he said. "We have had a 25 percent turnover (in personnel). For the existing personnel we've implemented a training program that started this week." In a meeting Thursday, the Pine Ridge staff began to review the state's Nursing Home Patients Bill of Rights. The bill, passed by the N. C. General Despite sowing, it's not growing DTHScotT bttrpe By PHIL WELLS Staff Writer As the old cliche goes, the grass is always greener on the other side. Unless, of course, you're at UNC and the other side is a brown, barren mud flat. The recent spring rains, combined with trampled patches of sprouting grass, have made the green stuff sparse in many campus areas causing students to dodge mud holes on their way to class. ' But these same students are usually the one s who trample and kill the grass, UNC Physical Plant Director Gene Sweckef said this week. "We would like tc have grass everywhere that (there is supposed to be) grass," Swecker said, adding that flourishing grass has become a rarity on campus. Students, in a rush to get to their next class, often ignore the plowed, grass-seed-scattered, straw-covered areas around campus, he said. Instead of staying on the brick walks, they trudge through the grass, making paths of their own, which cause erosion when it rains. "We've been combating paths since the beginning of the University," Swecker said. But with 20,000 students on campus, he said this was a difficult task. One of the worst spots on campus for grass is the Upper Quad lawn between Manly, Grimes, Everett and Ruffin dormitories, Swecker said. Even though physical plant personnel sow grass seed there every year, it hardly ever survives. The tremendous amount of traffic and the shade from all the trees in the area are the main .reasons grass will not grow there, Swecker , ' .- 'V t ' - '' ' i-Ji . .mi jHMmiriiiiiiiii f . ,n ','iiiiiiiiinwt.j',..i, Sjp 1 I , , tiV, I r- ; it - wills f rf Although actual harm to the surrounding community was limited, the Three Mile Island accident a year ago today put the problem of nuclear safety in the public spotlight. The nuclear industry, however, was in serious trouble before the accident, a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission told an audience at Duke University this week. "The nuclear industry was running into serious problems before the Three Mile Island incident largely because of the changes in energy prices which came about in 1974," said Victor Gilinsky, one of five commissioners charged with regulating the nuclear industry in the United States. The main effect of this was to reduce expectations of the future use of electrical energy which reduced projections in the planning of nuclear plants to be installed. "A year or two before Three Mile Island, no nuclear plants had been ordered, and in fact, some 40 or so had canceled," he said. experience, he said. "The assumption was that the plants w ere safe and would not require much attention after they became operational. "If we had paid attention in the past we would have seen that the new system was much too sloppy," he said. "Even after Three Mile Island there were instances of laxness in attention and discipline. So long as the public health and safety is at risk, there in no substitute for federal regulation. In the end it will be left up to the NRC to impose and maintain discipline to secure safe operations at these plants." Gilinsky also said that for the first time in the history of commercial nuclear power the sole focus has been on safety matters. "The NRC has selected a group ot requirements that are essential to the plants which are completed or nearing completion," he said. "The commissioners decided that any future licenses would have to be approved by a vote of the commissioners themselves. See NUCLEAR on page 2 As a result, Gilinsky said there has been a tendency to propose quick solutions when there are none. "We are dealing with complex technology which is in the hands of a variety of technical organizations", he said. "I think it is too simplistic to say that the problems are people related and not equipment-related. The problem lies with both the people and the machines and their performances in relation to one another. It is impossible to make a sharp separation between systems that are safety related and those that are not." Gilinsky blamed the surge of optimism about nuclear energy in the late 1960s for current safety problems. "The nuclear regulators were bowled over by the activitysurroundingnuclear technology," he said. "The result was that the size and sophistication of these plants were allowed to grow and increase despite critical unresolved safety issues." As the new plants began operating, the regulators and industry officials failed to devote enough attention to the lessons of operating Fair housing Law supports landlords By BEVERLY SHEPARD Staff Writer The Carrboro Board of Aldermen recently passed a fair housing law similar to an anti-discrimination law approved by Chapel Hill in the late 1960s. But even though the new Carrboro and the Chapel Hill laws protect residents from discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, neither housing ordinance mentions age or occupation. The categories of age and occupation most directly apply to University students, especially undergraduates. Carrboro Alderman Ernie Patterson, who introduced the fair housing law, said the board originally intended to include protections against age and occupation discrimination, as well as safeguards against discrimination of families with children. But the aldermen were told that such an ordinance would not be approved by the N.C. General Assembly, Patterson said. "We asked about the question of age . and occupation, but were told we could only follow federal guidelines," he said. "So we took what we could get. While our delegates might be for a particular issue, the conservative legislature might not want it, because it would establish a precedent they (legislators) don't want." Rep. Trish Hunt of the 17th district, which includes Orange and Chatham counties, agreed that a special housing law prohibiting discrimination on See HOUSING on page 2 Ernie Patterson The staff at the Pine Ridge Nursing Home holds a conference (above) and a 106-year- old man, one of the patients at the home, "fl HHI 911 OfV H - - "11 Tl " TL'TI' . sits in his wheelchair. y .OIBP HI Rfl iThU U nun Sru fj fl fl (rf o il DV T D f G D f D (rr i i 1 f -fcL IlSjr -M- -u U. M.ML.llL. ijr IN -M fceCTfc kd- VH- OUSr J If -S -- --- ' Assembly in 1977, guarantees fair and considerate treatment to nursing home patients. Secretary of Human Resources Sarah Morrow has warned Pine Ridge that it must comply with the Bill of Rights. Astin said he hired a social director to improve the social enviroment for the the patients and he said the home would be renovated. Pine Ridge also plans to institute a more stringent patient screening process, he said. I.O. Wilkerson of the state Division of Facility Services said the .state agency will follow up the investigation of Pine Ridge to ensure it meets all state requirements. Bernie Segal, chairman of the Orange County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee, said, "The new management sat down with the Friends of Nursing Home Patients and our committee and gave us verbal assurances that they would improve the patient care. They recognize the situation needs changing." But Segal added, "There have been previous management changes where community groups have been assured of improvements but they weren't carried out. 1 hope these people do (carry them out)." JL By KERRY DEROCHI Staff W riter Temperamental band leaders, conflicting tour schedules, limited expense accounts and absolute deadlines are all problems that have faced Union Concert Committee members this year as they have tried to plan Chapel Thrill weekend. "People do not understand what you have to go through to contract a band," committee member James Alexander said Thursday. "There is a lot more to it than just calling up a band and saying Will you play?'" In spite of the problems it has had, the concert committee already has scheduled the Beach Boys, Atlanta Rhythm Section and Bonnie Raitt to play in the Saturday afternoon concert April 19. The committee had scheduled Sister Sledge and Chic to play in Carmichael Auditorium, but recently Chic canceled the JL concert, leaving the committee with the extra job of contracting another band to play with Sister Sledge. Alexander said that because of this problem, ticket sales would be postponed for a few days. The tickets were supposed to go on sale Monday. "We wanted to keep Sister Sledge and see if we could get others to justify the ticket price," committee chairman Bill Steigerwald said. "We didn't want to price the students out of buying. Our purpose is to break even and our prices are lower than you can expect anywhere else. "It's been a tremendous amount of work and very frustrating, but we feel very confident," he added. Steigerwald said the problems facing Chapel Thrill were mainly scheduling problems. "Nine tenths of the bands we wanted weren't touring," he said. "It was a good period for disco and soul groups, but lots of bands are waiting until April to start up. It's all very seasonal." Steigerwald said the committee also had to deal with pleasing the diverse tastes of UNC students. "We have to satisfy the greatest number without ruining the concert for others," he said. "Some people like rock and roll while some like jazz." The Union concert committee also had to work with the constraints of a limited expense fund. Committee member Richard Terrell said many bands are too expensive. "We started out with real high hopes, but we just can't afford bands like Earth Wind and Fire. They arc way out of our range. "Bruce Springsteen was available but he absolutely refuses to do an outdoor concert," he said. "There is a lot of luck involved. Wc had to bite the bullet and keep on going. "It worked out the best way we could have worked it. I don't think wc could have done any better," Terrell said. Si VV' r r?vSs3! ' t Waw.". i ... .... . ..M.. T ......... . : ff 1 ..... 7Z- a if J K l Aft' h ' t I X 4- Housing employees Glenn Bsldwin end Ed Goehlng drive In stakes ...students usually ignore 'don't walk on grass' signs said. "We'd like for this (grass) to grow rather than have people play on it," said Walter Dunsmore, a grounds supervisor who was recently helping plow dirt, scatter grass seed and cover it with straw in this area. "We started (planting grass seed on campus) the week before last, hoping to have it (grass) up so it'll look nice for commencement." And with a lot of sun and "a shower or two," he said the grass should be making its way through the straw in a couple of weeks. U nless, of course, students decide to keep walking on it. Regardless of how much students insist on making their own paths, Swecker said, the physical plant will not give up. "We'll keep trying," he said. People always comment on the beauty of the campus, and in order to keep it looking nice, "we'll keep planting grass seed," he said. Physical plant workers have used many things, such as signs and ropes, to combat the grass trampling problem but have had no success. Swecker said. They once placed shrubbery around one bare spot on campus but students even ignored the shrubs. "The shrubs are gone now," he said. Workers also planted azaleas by a grass growing spot near Howell Hall, but students walked over the azaleas, he said. Physical plant personnel sow grass seed around the entire campus twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, said the plant's ground superintendent Larry L. Trammel. - The plant uses three tons of grass seed for each planting. Swecker said that each ton of grass seed costs the University about $800. So the next time you are late for class and start to dash across that patch of blossoming, green grass, stop and go around. If not, it may be a treacherous mud puddle next week. Students claim elections unfair to undergrads By LYNN CASEY Staff W riter After listening to eight hours of testimony Tuesday and Wednesday concerning the validity of a Feb. 5 referendum, the Student Supreme Court adjourned Wednesday night. It will continue hearing testimony next week. Five UNC students arc seeking to have voided the election results of a referendum which gives the Graduate and Professional Student Federation 15 percent of the activities fees paid by graduate and professional students. The referendum, an amendment to the Student Government constitution, passed by a required two-thirds margin. 2,105-956. Most of Tuesday's testimony concerned the issue ?' 4 : ' """"" Chief Justice Cooper, justice Allen ...hearings postponed until Tuesday "We thought this was in fact gerrymandering." Wright said. 7 he bill to establish the three polls pacd by only one vote after the CGC agreed that offampu of prohibiting offampus undergraduate students undergraduate students also would be allowed to from voting at three new polling sites Ronau vote at the polU. Wright aid. Hall, Kenan Laboratories and Hamilton Hall. Only graduate students were allowed to vote at these polls Feb. 5. Craig Brown, a UNC law student representing the five students, is charging that by refusing to let undergraduate students vote at the three polling But the CGC did not mention in the bill w ho w a to be allowed to vote at the polls. Elections Board Chairman F. Scott Simpvon. who also testified Tuevday. said he understood that only graduate students were to vote at the three polU and that no CGC member ever informed him of the sites, the elections board chairman misinterpreted intent to allow both graduate and undergraduate the intent of the Campu Governing Council bill students to vote at the additional po!l. which established the additional polling sites. Jit Linker, the 1978-1979 election board Although the bill doe not specify who can vote at chairman, unified Wednesday tnat if a CGC bw the new polling sites. David Wright, former CGC establishing polls doe not specify who can vote member and plaintiff in the cac. testified Tuesday there, then the elections board chairman has the that the intent of the bill was to allow both graduate power to decide who can vote at thoe polls, and undergraduate students to vote at the polls. Wright said lie believed that allowing only The CGC objected to the bill when it was first graduate students to vote at those polls prejudiced proposed. Wright said, because members believed the vote. the bill gave graduate student an unfair voting , advantage. See COURT on page 2
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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March 28, 1980, edition 1
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