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THE RED AND BLACK
Georgia's only collegiate daily newspaper
WEATHER
Today's forecast calls for
cloudy skies with a chance
of showers in the afternoon.
The high will be in the low
ho's. Today's low will be in
the mid 60's.
VOLUME 80. NT M It Kit 17
THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, ATHENS, GEORGIA. 30002
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2. 1973
PIRG proposal
studied by senate
by RICICFLOOD
Landfill burns
Resembling a scene from Dante’s INFERNO, the fire Sunday
at the Clarke County landfill was really nothing unusual
according to the Athens Fire Department which said the
landfill "has fires all the time." The city was notified of the
blaze early Sunday afternoon and soon turned supervision of it
over to county authorities who bulldozed the area and covered
it with a layer of dirt to smother the flames. Although the fire
was confined to one corner of the dump, and was never a
serious threat to anything (except the quality of Athens' air),
it "caused quite a stink" according to our photographer, a
business manager with a nose for news. He added that the
landfill continued to smolder until Monday morning.
By MIKE CLARK
Assistant news editor
The Student Senate last week
established an executive committee to
Investigate and procure student opinion
concerning the establishment of a Public
Interest Research Group (PIRG), an
organization of professionals hired by
students to seek solutions to public
interest problems
In proposing PIRG. Steve Letzsch.
senate treasurer, said. "The idea of
students hiring a full-time professional
staff to carry out projects is not new.
Student government officers have hired
professionals to run student union build
ings and to provide athletic and cultural
services on campus."
Further, "students have hired lobbyists
and lawyers to represent them before the
legislature and the courts." he said
"The logical extension." said Letzsch.
"is that students should hire a full-time
staff to help them work on issues
affecting consumers, the environment
and other public problems."
IN ESTABLISHING a statewide or
regional organization of students and
professionals. Letzsch estimates "an
effective PIRG. with a staff of 10 or more
professionals, requires the support of at
least 70.000 students if financial demands
of the organization are to be met."
The payment system would be
voluntary, said Letzsch. with students
who object to supporting PIRG refunded
that |>ortion of their fees
"Although this kind of fee payment is
not as certain a source of funds as a
mandatory fee without a refund, it is.
nevertheless, capable of supporting a
Public Interest Research Group." stated
Letzsch.
ON EACH CAMPUS where the concept
receives student and administrative
approval, he said, students elect
representatives from all participating
colleges and universities.
The duty of the local board is to
represent the interests of its constituents
to the state board, stated Letzsch. "It
serves as a clearing house for complaints
and suggestions; it carries out prelimin
ary investigations; and it proposes worth
while projects to the state board for
consideration." he said.
THE STATE BOARD will select
priority areas from the projects
submitted by local boards "The student
board will determine overall strategy,
leaving tactical decisions up to the
professional staff." stated Letzsch
"The * professional staff is the action
arm of the student PIRG." said Letzsch
“It consists of lawyers, scientists and
other professionals hired by the state
board." With the professional staff
director responsible to the state board for
the staff's activities
Bids to come
on WGST sale
By MITCHELL SIIIKI.DS
Slate editor
When four members of the Board of
Regents file into the Regents’ special
conference room In Atlanta today they
will be concerned with an issue with no
precedent in the history of Georgia's
University System
They will be accepting bids for the sale
of a university owned radio station.
The station being sold is WGST.
Georgia Tech's commercial station, and
its sale has been raising considerable
controversy in the state's capital during
the past few months
MUCH OK THE controversy has
centered on the reason for the sale. At
first the Regents contended the station
needed to be sold because it was losing
money, but an auditor's report for the
past fiscal year showed that WGST had
just compleled one of the more successful
financial years in its history and was
definitely in the black
TIIK SALK of WGST comes at a time
when a record number of units of the
University System are adding radio
stations, a point Harris is quick to point
out. and he contends that taking bids on
WGST has "no bearing on the Regents'
altitude toward campus radio stations .".
"One has just been established near
here (Augusta, where Harris' law offices
are located i in a junior college, and more
and more junior colleges are getting
them, which I think is fine," Harris said.
Harris has been a vim al opponent of the
s»’e of WGST in the pt.st. and he said he
nsented to the sale now only because
e felt it was economically best for
Georgia Tech.
“I'll only agree to the sale if we get a
good price, one that, through investments
and such, will bring more to Tech than
WGST would." Harris said, adding there
was no feeling Tech was losing money by
retaining WGST. but only that Tech could
realize a greater return through its sale.
KVKN WITH the sale of WGST. Tech
would retain a station of its own —
student -oriented WRKK Neither that
station nor similar station WUOG is in
any danger as a result of the WGST
affair. Harris said.
"The only reason we can sell WGST is
that it is a commercial station. It can
accept advertising, and as a result is
attractive to buyers," he commented
But WUOG. Harris continued, is not
licensed as a commercial station, and to
sell time on it would result' in a
revocation of its FCC license
"Sure we could sell it. I suppose But
there would be no reason to. and no
market WUOG costs money to run.
Nobody would want it. There's really
nothing to sell." Hams said.
While agreeing that he had had
disparaging words to say about the
musical selections of some campus
stations. Harris contended that the
remarks were merely personal opinion
and reflected no attitude shift on the
regents part
“We haven't had any complaints about
WUOG Apparently its editorial policy
has never stepped on enough toes to
cause any trouble,” Harris said “We
would like the stations to appeal to a
higher class student, play a higher class
of music. Bui that's not a major concern
The main thing about campus stations is
they give not only entertainment but
provide a means of contact between the
students. No, we haven't received any
kicks on the campus type stations yet."
ANOTHER RKASON for the sale of
WGST that would have no bearing on
stations such as WUOG is the problem of
fair competition. While WUOG may
compete with commercial stations for the
listeners' time. WGST also competes for
the advertisers' dollars
"We get criticized for this, perhaps
fairly While we compete with the other
stations, we re tax free I'm not certain
this is right, and I think probably it
would be best for the Regents to get out
of such a situation." Harris said.
But still. WGST for years has been
affiliated with Georgia Tech, and the
decision to put it up for sale was made
without the knowledge of the majority of
the Tech campus, a situation that has
caused some dissatisfaction Some Tech
personnel have complained that, with
WGST gone, much of Tech's athletic
program would have no radio outlet.
The Regents, meanwhile, hold that
most at Tech either support the sale or
simply don't care. Harris pointed out that
the Tech president has come out in favor
of the Regents' action, and added he feels
the students don't "give a rip The
station's not campus oriented at all. and 1
don't think they care much."
The final word on the sale of WGST.
however, may come from neither the
Regents nor the people at Tech but from
Governor Jimmy Carter He. too. was
left out of the decision to sell WGST, and
has expressed concern about the
oversight All transactions such as the
sale of WGST must be approved by the
Governor's office, and whether Carter
will approve it is still a question
COMMENT STOPPED
Reasons differ
By STEVE ONKY
'Commentary," a radio editorial by
Elton Manzione. is no longer being
aired on WUOG-FM. However, explana
tions for the program's discontinuation
differ.
According to Program Director Don
Sylvester. "Manzione was not canned.
One of the reasons we have had no
commentary is because all our
equipment had not arrived until Friday.
The second reason is that we're waiting
to see if we get any reaction from not
having any commentary We just want
to find out what people think."
WUOG Station Manager Gene Christie
said last week. "We are just not going
to have a regular commentary.”
Christie did add though, that News
Director John Hillis would have some
type of commentary following his news
broadcasts
Michael Simpson, in an editorial
column appearing in last Friday’s R&B,
quoted "inside observers at the station"
as having reported "that some of
Manzione s comments have been
‘stepping on the toes' of certain
powerful persons and interests." Thus.
Simpson added, "The radio station
manager had come under pressure to
discontinue the program.
"WUOG came under no pressure
from anyone to discontinue Elton
Manzione's 'Commentary ." Sylvester
said. "I know he never got any bad
feedback unless it concerned the
journalistic aspect of his commentary.
In fact, the statements by Michael
Simpson in Friday's Red and Black are
100 per cent wrong and couldn't be
further from the truth." Sylvester
added
M WZIONK’S BROADCAST editorials
this summer dealt with the Athens
paper's editorials and against SGA
President Steve Patrick's candidacy for
a Third Ward City Council seat
Manzione accused the papers of poor
journalism, lack of facts, and personal
vindictiveness.
Manzione also protested Southern
Bell's $20 telephone installation fee.
charged to victims of last spring's
tornadoes who had to move when their
homes were destroyed.
He also opposed the University
administration's handling of this year's
student handbook and the University
Athletic Association’s handling of funds
for women's athletics.
Manzione. when asked if he thought
WUOG had come under pressure to
discontinue his program responded, "I
don't know.
I /
ELTON MANZIONE
"I OFFERED MY services again this
quarter and was told that WUOG would
not air a commentary program." he
said
"It's strange though, that all of a
sudden I raised some controversy last
quarter and the program has been
cancelled." he added
Manzione continued. "WUOG is
placing too much damn emphasis on
music. They want to be a rock n' roll
station and don't know that a lot of
people on this campus are interested in
news."
According to Manzione. he has been
offered a talk show on WUOG since the
appearance of Simpson's column
However. Station Manager Christie
said. "We are now looking for someone
to do a talk show . but I do not know that
U has been offered to him <Manzione) "
Board to act
in Stapler case
By BILL KING
News editor
The University Board of Student
Communications planned to meet this
morning to resolve the difficulties arising
from the candidacy of a staff member of
The Red and Black for an Athens City
Council post
According to Dr Richard Noles, chair
man of the board, both Emily Stapler
(the staff member in question) and The
Red and Black's Editor Jimmy Johnson
were slated to meet with the board at
8:30 this morning to discuss Johnson's
ruling last week that Stapler must leave
her |)Ost as associate sports editor and
the paper's staff for the duration of her
campaign for the Third Ward seat on the
council.
Johnson's decision came shortly after
Stapler announced that she planned to
qualify for the council race, which would
pit her against Student Government
Association President Steve Patrick, the
Democratic nominee, and incumbent
Republican Paul Oeland
At the time of his decision. Johnson
stated. "The Red and Black, since the
last SGA election, has had a policy that
persons who are candidates for public
office should not be given the extra
publicity or influence that comes with the
journalism field in general In profes
sional journalism they take a leave of
absence in cases such as this."
JOHNSON ALSO noted that The Red
and Black had taken an editorial stand
against Patrick running for the Third
Ward Council post while serving the
student body, and that Stapler's situation
might cause a similar conflict.
In a letter to Noles. Stapler noted that
she had suggested a compromise in
which she would work for the paper
anonymously, that her sports position
gave her no op|M>rtumty to influence
pa|>er policy, and that her position was a
job and all council members hold
full-time jobs
She also cited the fact that Patrick’s
SGA position is elective and thus he must
Guess who?
Photo by TIM BRAMLETT
Some concern has been expressed to the University Police about the role ol this
relatively unmarked car that has been seen on campus Some students were
worried that the vehicle was being used as a surveillance cruiser for the
undercover work of the campus police "Those cars aren't any good for
surveillance." said William Dean, chief of the University Police "They still have
the government tags and antennae on them " He explained that cars are stripped
of a majority of their marking to enable them to go off campus without the stigma
attached to a marked state vehicle being used off University property . Dean said
the cars, two in number, are actually the older of the police cruisers that are being
used less often than the newer vehicles "The older cars cost more to operate with
the repairs they need." Dean said Therefore the cars are used primarily by
detectives who do not require the cars on a 24 hour basis The cars, a 1969 Ford
and a 1970 Plymouth, will eventually be replaced by the other cars on the fleet as
they accumulate more mileage The cars are both station wagons equipped with
the two way radio and have been painted "because they need it,’* Dean said
serve two constituencies, unlike a Red
and Black position.
She argued against Johnson's point
about publicity by pointing out that
Patrick had been allowed to write a
column in The Red and Black the
previous week.
AT LAST TUESDAY'S regular meet
ing. the board delayed action on Stapler's
appeal so that they might give "needed
consideration to a legal aspect of the
case.”
Noles declined to comment on the legal
aspects of Stapler's appeal, saying only
that the board would listen to both sides
and that the matter would then be
settled
County
budget
approved
By MIKK WKBH
The Clarke County Commission unani
mously approved a 1974 county budget of
$4,214,940 at a special meeting Friday
afternoon
The $4 2 million budget is $53,000 higher
than the expected budget proposal, which
was presented to the public earlier last
week
The rise in the budget comes from a
$17,000 increase in county recreation the
commission approved and $36,000 set
aside for future matching Law Enforce
ment Assistance Administration (LEAA
grants in amendments to the proposed
budget
The $17,000 boost to county recreation
raised the available funds in that
department to $50,000 However, the
commission failed to designate specific
uses for the funds
IN OTHER ACTION, the commission
set millage rates for both incorporated
and unincorporated areas of the county.
Incorporated area taxpayers will pay 11
mills — a decrease of 92 mills from last
year Taxpayers in unincorporated areas
of the county will pay 12 mills — .8 mills
higher than last year
Meanwhile the 1974 budget cuts the
funds of Clarke County Sheriff Tommy
Huff from $335,000 to $150,000 and shifts
$299,000 to the operation of a newly-form
ed county police force expected to be
ready in January.
HUFF, in an effort to stop the
formation of the police force filed a
request for an injunction in Clarke
County Superior Court last month The
adopted budget cuts Huff from 33 to 14
deputies and strips him of all county law
enforcement duties
Superior Court Judge James Barrow
has set a hearing in the dispute for 2 p m
today
County Administrator Ben Lumpkin
said after last week's meeting that
regardless of the suit's outcome. "The
dollars are there for law enforcement in
Clarke County ”
Sheriff Huff declined comment at that
time.
