Newspaper Page Text
Fire guts downtown Athens’ stores, causing heavy damage
staff photo-Hal Brooks
Bv MAH' Till KSTUN
Assistant rit) Hllor
A fire last nigl.' caused • extremely
heavy damage" to Beusset’s Florist. 220
East Clayton St., ai cording to Fir° Chief
Thomas H Eberhart .’’he fire, which
began at the flower shop, also damaged
Pants Circus next door
According to Eberhart, the fire I* gun
about 6:30 p m . but the cause of the lire
was unknown Six trucks were called to
fight the blaze. Eberhart said he did not
know how many firemen were involved,
“hit we did call some men who were off
duty," he said
Eberhart said the weather was a major
problem in lighting the fire. “We had it
about under control once and the high
winds came up and started it up again."
The weather is a big factor." he added
The cold is not so bad. it's the wind "
Eberhart said one fireman was given
oxygen after he became ill from smoke
inhalation, but was able to “go back to
work.”
The entire upstairs of the corner
building appeared gutted by the fire, but
Cookies & Company and the Carson
Barbershop did not catch fire, although
water and smoke damage was apparent
Water poured down the stairwell of the Art
School at 170'- College St as firemen
moved to spray the roof of the building
from both streets at the corner
Problems with the fire were com
pounded by freezing temperatures
Sheets of ice formed on the street around
the area as water was blown by the
heavy winds Water spraying out of the
building from firemen inside froze in the
air One spectator slipped and fell on the
sidewalk near Cookies & Company,
injuring his elbow A crowd of about 75
watched for awhile, but quickly dispersed
as the cold winds whipped past them
An employee of Marvin's Shoe Service,
156 College Ave . the building next to the
burned building, said things looked okay
inside ' He said there was some smoke
damage
The owner of Durham Tailor Shop.
156*-» College Ave said he had a little
smoke damage From here on down, I
guess thing 1 - are okay, but on up the
street everything else is probably
ruined, he added He said he thought the
fire had started with a heater in the
flower shop, used to keep flowers warm
at night The police department called
me, he said “I was at home lying down "
An employee at Sanford & Son, Ltd .
152 College St said she did not know who
had called her. She said there was a little
smoke damage in the clothing store.
An employee at Barnett's News Stand,
across the street at 147 College Ave. said
he did not see the fire begin “Someone
came in and told me about it." he said
"It was really strange It looked l.ke it
was out and then flared up all over again
I guess it was the wind."
The fire was under control at 9:00, but
Fire Chief Eberhart said, "It'll be a long
night "
Stall pftnto-Hal Brnnk<
Red and *BlacK
University of Georgia Thursday, January 25,1979 Volume 85, Number 50
"Georgia's only collegiate daily newspaper"
News 542-3441 Advertising 542-3414
Key motion fails; President Strauss fires Jocoy
Staff photo Jark Waterman
Senate President Hilly Key deft) and Student Body
President Roger Strauss
Bv BRIAN O'SHEA
and MIKE ROBERTS
A motion to strip Student Senate
President Billy Key of his office failed
Wednesday night and Student Body
President Roger Strauss announced the
firing of Minister to Consumer Affairs
Greg Jocoy at the senate meeting in
Brumby Rotunda The senate voted dowm
the ouster motion 11-24 in a secret ballo*
vote
Immediately after the vote’s results
were aired, Key said, "I will say what I
said when I took office as president. I am
not in this thing to lash back at people or
sling mud."
"The vote was 24 in support of me and
11 against That's almost a two-to-one
support." Key said. He added the senate
showed a "strong show of leadership"
with the vote.
Of the motion. Key said, “It was petty
politics. 1 know it was mudslinging."
The motion’s co-sponsors. Sens. John
King i Business > and Lynn Johnson (Arts
and Sciences), also commented on the
vote King said the motion had nothing to
do with politics.
"I think a few of us are disturbed with
what the senate president is getting away
with It nothing else, people are aware of
what's going on
Johnson said, "We had a chance to let
the students speak 1 can't believe we did
that (defeated the motion» "
Strauss announced Jocoy s dismissal
before the senate body during the
l
K.
Accident reenacted; fault decided
Bv GEORGIA BATTY
Assistant city editor
Both the driver of the fire truck and the driver of the 1977
Ford Mustang were at fault in the accident at Baxter and
Lumpkin Streets on Jan 14. according to Corporal
Swatzenburg of the Georgia State Patrol
The report, completed Wednesday morning, states that
the driver of the fire truck disregarded the stop light, and
the driver of the Mustang disregarded the fire truck's red
lights and sirens
The accident was reenacted by Swatzenburg. who said
"The girls should have seen the fire truck and could easily
have stopped "
However. Swatzenburg feels that the embankment on the
corner of Baxter Street below the bookstore parking lot
was a contributing factor and "something should be done
about it."
In the reenactment, where Swatzenburg ‘ tried to
duplicate the accident as perfectly as possible." the speed
of the fire truck was estimated at "37-42 miles per hour
The investigation has been turned over to Harry V
Gordon, district attorney for Clarke and Oconee counties
No charges have been pressed against the city as yet.
according to Gordon, and he said. 'We re not going to push
it."
If a suit is filed, it will be handled like any other
vehicular homicide cas«. Gordon said
According to Georgia Code 68 903 annotated, there are
iwo types of vehicular homicide This case would fall under
the second degree of this statute in which there is no
reckless or dunken driving involved, according ,o Gordon,
who added that a second degree violation is a
misdemeanor
Small cities grant slated for Arch Street area
By MARY THURSTON'
Assistant city editor
Federal rehabilitation funds in the
form of a small cities grant are slated for
application in the first year to Arch
Street area and south of Pauldoe near
Hawthorne, if the grant is approved
The Community Development &
Planning & Zoning Committee Tuesday
night picked the two areas from the
seven target areas chosen for a five-year
community development and rehabilita
tion effort
The grant is a project of the National
Department of Housing and Urban
Development Bob Carson, committee
chairman, said the money is for use in
“correction of health hazardous housing
and expansion of "employment opportuni
ties"
The two areas cited for aid in the first
year may use the money tor street and
sidewalk paving, sewerage, renovation of
deteriorated homes and social services
including child care, family counseling
and aid to the elderly
The East Athens area was split in half.
Trail Creek north to the bypass and south
to A/ch is slated for attention the first
year The remainder of the area will
receive funding later as the program
continues
Athens-Clarke County Planning Dir
ector Ron Neislar said criteria for the
choice include the number of owner-oc
cupied homes, single and two-family
homes in the area, public facilities and
community centers
Alderman John Taylor suggested the
possibility of building a neighborhood
health center Carson agreed, saying.
"There's no point in fixing up a house it
you can’t make the people healthy
Ron Neislar emphasized that “a go»-d
showing" must be made the first year if
additional money was to be obtained
‘ We need to choose an area we can make
real progress in. where the impact we
make will be obvious
Carson pointed out that additional
grants are possible All we have to do ;s
ask for them
The Brooklyn Branch area and the
Kocksprings area are to receive funding
in the second year Mayor Upshaw
Bentley told the committee that the
Corps of Engineers would complete a
report about the flooding problem in that
area in several months The third-year
area is the Prince-Chase quadrant, and
New Town
Bentley will submit the preapplication
proposal to HUD authorities by Feb 5 If
approved, further council and committee
meetings and public hearings will
determine specifically how the money
will he used
president’s report. "I am sick and tired
of him sitting up in the (Student
Government Association) office and
using it as a platform" to promote his
political party. Jocoy is a member of the
All Campus Ticket.
After the senate adjourned. Jocoy said,
"I wasn't surprised by the decision. I was
surprised that (Strauss) had as little
class as to announce it before the senate
without giving me a chance to tespond "
The former minister added he has his
work "cut out for him' in preparing facts
on the student book exchange for the
incoming consumer affairs minister I
won’t leave this office with the job
unfinished, although I have every right
to." Jocoy said.
The motion for Key’s removal accused
the senate president of misappropriation
of SGA funds, printing posters with his
name prominently placed without senate
clearance and of discussing with Dean of
Student Services Dwight Douglas a
senate committee report to the Board of
Regents
Johnson and King said Key misused
student government money by charging
the rental of a public-address system to
SGA The equipment was used last
Price of beer
is protested
By LAURA HIGHTOW ER
A petition protesting a proposed price
increase in Miller beer is being
circulated among Athens beer retailers
who are planning to send the petition to
President Tarter and Georgia legislators
The Miller Brewing Co announced
plans this month to raise the price of
their products in February The proposal
will be at least the third such increase in
12 months
Merchants who are signing the petition
feel they are being made to pa> for an
intensified advertising campaign on the
part of the Miller brewery, according to
one retailer who did not wish to he
named He also stated that the price
increase in Miller produts may lead to an
increase in other brands of beer
“The past trend has been that when
one premium beer goes up. then the rest
of the premium beers seem to follow suit
We re just going to have to wait and see
on this one. commented Skip Neagle.
owner of Village Beverage. Inc Neagle
did not sign the petition because he felt it
would orove ineffective
Bill Tomkin. general nu.nag.*r for
Northeast Sales Distributing O , stated
that the Miller company |i .ted rising
costs in aluminum and m scellaneous
brew ing materials, as well $ an increase
in overall operation costs i the reasons
for the price hike He dded that he
thought the petition wa? unfair to his
company which distnbi es Miller pro^
ducts in Athens
Tomkin also said f iat the Miller
brewery spent less on a< .ertising than its
competitor Anheuser B sch
Leon Farmer Jr., ice-presideni of
Premium Distnbutin Co staU-d that
the advertising bur get for Anhe iser
Busch was increases over the past /ear
He added that one of the reasons for this
increase was to keep up compettve'* with
the Miller Company Farmer sa.d ne was
uncertain as to the role the icre.ise
would play in future price inerra**
Wednesday at a political rally at which
Key announced his candidacy for student
body president.
Investigations have shown that two
days after the rally. Key paid the rental
with a personal check and canceled
SGA’s obligation to pay.
As for the bus posters. Johnson said
Key spen! (10.10 fW poaMTI TM
posters were placed in University busses
This is a campaign poster. Johnson
said
In defense. Key said he printed the
posters after consulting the senate and
getting no co-operation on the topic of
publicizing the SGA.
And of talking w ith Dean Douglas. Key
said. “(Douglas) asked if the...committee
represented the senate's views."
The committee was to report on
recommendations for the proposed
revision of the core curriculum
UGA Today
Be shrewd,
get tickets early
The National Players will produce
Shakespeare's well-known comedy.
"The Taming ol the Shrew.'' on
Saturday. Jan 27. at H pm., in the
Fine Arts auditorium
Tickets are available now in the
Memorial Hall Business Office
Student tickets are SI 00. general
admission tickets are S3 00. and
children A ticket- .ire Si M
Of course you will travel
An environmental problems course offered Spring quarter is open to
undergrads for the first time The course. ESS 420-620 involves traveling, on
alternate week-ends of the quarter to various regions of Georgia
Enrollment is limited (all Dr Robert Saveland at 542-7265 'he’s in room
203 in Dudle> Hall for additional information
Today’s addition
\nd now aliout the insert m today's
paper it s called Ampersand. This
issue features Malcolm McDowell as
H G Wells in Once More Into the
Time Machine " Read it. it won t take
too long
Field investigator
R J Eason, a field investigator from
the Insurance Commissioner’s office,
will be in Athens from 9am until
2 3o pm today. :n the Courthouse
(third floor 1
Eason will he there “to help with
your insurance problems and ques
tions "
Ampersand
Calling Coach Mike
An Honors Program Square Dante
is on for tonight in Brumby Rotunda
It will cost you II oo to dance from 3
p m until lo p m
"Coach Mike’ Castronis is sched
uled to do the calling
It's a toss up
The Hawks play the Seattle
SuperSonics tonight at the Omni The
game will be televised at 7 30 on
channel 17
Then at in p m you can stay tuned
to 17 for the Wake Forest vs North
Carolina college basketball game Or.
switch to "Family" on channel 11 a**d
live through another crisis with Kate
and Doug and their kids
Pandora pageant postponed
The Miss Ll*A Pageant will NOT be held tonight The pageant,
-ponsored by Pandora has been rescheduled for April 24.