Newspaper Page Text
i
■ Possible loss of Yoculan has some worried - 6
The Red & Black
An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
INSIDE
Proposed parking deck
called unsafe by some
student organization
leaders.
6
Weather The three H’s: hot,
hazy and humid (as opposed to
hip, hellish and henpecked).
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1992 • ATHENS. GEORGIA • VOLUME 99. ISSUE 138
Meningitis confirmed; patient doing well
By JENNIFER PETERSON
Staff Writer
Physicians at St. Mary’s Hospital con
firmed Thursday that University student
Virginia Murray has bacterial meningitis,
according to Jacquelyn Kinder, director of
the Gilbert Student Health Center.
The diagnosis comes from a culture
report from spinal fluid removed Tuesday,
she said.
"(But) it is not classified as spinal
meningitis," Kinder said. “One way to
determine the organism is to do a spinal
tap."
Murray’s prognosis is good and she is
doing well. Kinder said.
She is in stable condition, according to
Lorraine Edwards, public relations director
at St. Mary’s Hospital.
Murray was released from the intensive
care unit Thursday and moved to a regular
medical nursing unit where her parents can
see her regulany, Kinder said.
Murray’s parents are staying at the hos
pital and declined comment Thursday.
Her doctor was also unavailable for com
ment.
Murray, whose friends call her Ginny, is
a freshman from Griffin and member of Chi
Omega sorority. She was admitted to St.
Mary’s Tuesday night.
The Gilbert Student Health Center
began Wednesday giving Rifampin, a pre
ventative drug, to students who might have
been exposed to the disease through contact
with Murray.
“As of noon (Thursday), 95 students
have been seen and treated at the health
center," said Sharron Hannon, assistant
director of Public Information.
There have been no further signs of the
disease in any of those students, Kinder
said.
The disease is spread primarily through
sneezing, coughing or by sharing food or
drink with the infected person. Bacterial
meningitis can be fatal in a matter of days
if untreated.
“Rifampin doesn’t allow the bacteria to
duplicate its DNA, making it impossible for
the bacteria to multiply," said Jim Stowe, a
pharmacist at Horton’s Pharmacy.
The bacteria that cause bacterial menin
gitis are called Neisseria Meningitidis.
“It (Rifampin) can be given to asymp
tomatic carriers who are at risk for the dis
ease, but show no symptoms,” said Bill
Horton, pharmacist and owner of Horton’s.
Rifampin can also be used to treat
patients with active cases of meningitis and
tuberculosis, he said.
“This is not a vaccine; it’s actually a pre
ventative drug,” Stowe said.
TTie dosages being given at the health
center are short-term doees to stop the dis
ease before it starts, so patients shouldn’t
experience too many side effects, he said.
The drug is bright red and may discolor
bodily fluids, including tears.
“People who wear soft contact lenses
may experience staining of the lenses, so
they might choose not to wear them while
taking the drug," Stowe said.
Only about 1 to 5 percent of the people
who take Rifampin experience allergic reac
tions, which are the only problems short
term users might encounter, Horton said.
“And even allergic reactions are
extremely rare," Stowe said.
Freshman
drowns; no
foul play
suspected
By JEFF COEN
Staff Writer
Athens-Clarke County police
said they don’t suspect foul play in
the apparent drowning death of
University freshman Sherell
Pralour.
“Our initial indications show
that this was an accidental drown
ing," said Athens-Clarke County
police spokeswoman Hilda Sorrow.
^Apparently he was swimming by
himself."
‘Our Initial Indications
show that this was an
accidental drowning.’
- Hilda Sorrow
Police spokeswoman
Police said Pralour’s body was
discovered by his roommate, Kirk
Reynolds, a University sophomore,
at 10 p.m. Wednesday in the indoor
pool at Villa East apartments off
Lexington Road.
After the body was removed
from the deep end of the pool,
paramedics took Pralour to St.
Mary’s Hospital, where he was
declared dead on arrival, police
said.
Autopsy results are expected
this morning.
“We don’t suspect any foul play
at this time," said Maj. Gerald
Guntharp of the Athens-Clarke
police. “We will look at the medical
side of the investigation and go
from there. But right now, it looks
like it was just an accident.”
Reynolds couldn’t be reached for
comment by presstime Thursday.
A representative from Villa
East apartments refused comment
Thursday and wouldn’t answer
questions regarding pool regula
tions there.
Pralour, 18, was registered in
the developmental studies pro-
S im and is the son of Edward
rter of Decatur and Sylvia
Pralour of Kayce, S.C.
David Fletcher, assistant to the
vice president fen* Student Affairs,
said services for Pralour will be
scheduled after the weekend.
"Since this was, of course, very
unexpected, we’ll let things pan out
before we make any arrange
ments,” Fletcher said.
Businessman: Americans, Japanese
need to learn about each other
Fraternity adviser Ron Binder demonstrates his level of coordination for Mike Phillips of the University
police Thursday at the Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol’s DUI Awareness Day at the
Tate Student Center. Members of the Interfratemity Council, student government and several fraternities
volunteered to drink alcohol and be tested to show how a small amount of alcohol can impair one’s abil
ity to operate a motor vehicle. After registering a .08 blood-alcohol level, Binder volunteered to take the
Field Sobriety Test and failed, according to Phillips. “They would have said I was drunk," Binder said.
“The biggest thing is that it would have cost me an incredible amount of money."
By MELANIE THOMAS
Staff Writer
A Japanese businessman offered his recipe for
mending Japanese-American relations to a group of
about 30 students Thursday afternoon in the Tate
Student Center.
Jack Sasaki, a marketing manager for the
Southeast division of YKK, a Japanese-owned multi
national company, said both cultures need to become
more educated about one another. He discussed
Japanese impressions of the U.S. business environ
ment and American workers.
“All of you know a couple of months ago, a member
of the (Japanese) house of representatives said that all
American workers are lazy,” Sasaki said. “I’m very
sorry for that statement. TTiat was a big mistake.
Which people? America is many people.”
Sasaki’s speech was sponsored by the Japanese
Friendship Society and tne International Business
Club. The clubs came together to increase awareness
of Japanese culture and to counter some of the
Japanese bashing many feel is only breeding hostility.
Sasaki came to America from Japan six years ago to
work with YKK, one of the world’s largest zipper man
ufacturers, and he now works in the Atlanta branch.
YKK has offices in 42 countries and 171 plants.
Americans shouldn’t feel threatened by what many
consider Japanese taking over the economy, Sasaki
said.
“Understanding Japanese culture is what’s impor
tant," Sasaki said. “One tragedy of the American peo
ple is that so many people speak English, they don’t
feel it’s necessary to learn other languages. They need
to have a look outside the country so they can under
stand different views.”
Sasaki said one of the company’s primary premises
is to produce all of its materials because this makes
more jobs for Americans.
“We don’t believe vou should import from the out
side or go to Mexico for cheap labor,” he said.
Not all students are intimidated by the increased
presence of Japanese companies in the American econ
omy, and many said they think Americans should be
more considerate of Japanese culture.
“I think that Americans are a little bit prejudiced
and and not very open-minded about Japanese coming
in," said Angela Fulford, a junior from Marietta.
“If you really have an interest in working with
Japanese, you have to understand the people and the
environment," she said.
Shuhei Kato, a senior international business miyor
from Tokyo, said he understands both cultures and
feels any misunderstanding between them is the result
of poor communication.
“I don’t think many Japanese think that American
workers are lazy,” Kato said. “I don’t think American
workers are lazy. What we are really lacking is oppor
tunity to communicate, and misconceptions occur prob
ably because of lack of respect for each other."
Shuhei will return to Tokyo after graduation and
Ians to work for a trading company that will allow
im to return to America often. Shuhei said his three
years in the United States have made him more appre
ciative of the American workplace.
“The Japanese can learn a lot from this country,"
Kato said, “and Americans hopefully can find some
thing to learn from the Japanese.
“What I learned from staying here in the states is
that people are people.”
Nader to speak at law
school commencement
Class chooses consumer
advocate for ceremony
By RUSS BYNUM
and AL DIXON
Staff Writers
Consumer advocate Ralph
Nader will deliver the keynote
address to 221 graduating law stu
dents during Saturday’s School of
Law commencement.
The commencement will begin
at 10 a.m. at the University’s
North Campus quadrangle adja
cent to the School of Law.
Nader, who graduated from
Harvard Law School, thrust him
self into the public eye with his
1965 book “Unsafe At Any Speed,”
which challenges the safety of the
Chevrolet Corvair.
Since then, Nader and his vari
ous consumer agencies have
endorsed auto safety legislation
and formed several public interest
agencies, including the
Environmental Protection Agency
and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission.
The graduation speaker is cho
sen by members of our graduating
class, and they told me early in the
year that they would like to have
Ralph Nader as graduation speak
er,” said Ron Ellington, dean of the
law school.
“Many students in the class
admire him as someone who has
used his law training to make a dif
ference in society," Ellington said.
“I think the pressures of prac
tice and the economics of practice
have taken a toll on the tradition
al involvement of lawyers in their
communities and civic affairs," he
said. “It’s important that people
sense that they have an obligation
to do more than earn a living prac
ticing law."
Katie Desmond, a representa
tive of Nader’s lecture agency, said
Nader plans to challenge law
school students “to get involved
and feel an obligation to the unrep
resented in American society."
Ellington scud 201 students will
receive th^ juris doctor degree on
Saturday, and 20 foreign students
will be recognized for earning mas
ter of law degrees and will receive
their formal degrees at the gradu
ation ceremony in June.
During the commencement, the
graduating class will present a
check for $3,000 to the School of
Law to benefit future students,
Ellington said.
Athens-Clarke County Sheriff
Ralph Nader
Jerry Massey, dressed in 19th cen
tury garb and carrying a drawn
sword, will lead the procession of
law school faculty and students,
followed by law school registrar
Marc A. Galvin, carrying a sterling
silver mace symbolic of leadership
and authority.
‘Nader popularized the
kinds of things
students study in the
academic world.’
- Carol Meeks
Carol Meeks, acting head of the
housing consumer economics
department, said she is pleased to
have Nader here. Her department
offers classes which study his
accomplishments in consumer law.
“Nader popularized the kinds of
things students study in the aca
demic world," Meeks said. “I think
it’s great that he’s coming, partial
ly because I think today we’ve lost
our awareness of consumer issues."
Meeks said awareness of con
sumer rights was high in the
1970s, but interest has since
lagged. Nader, however, is still an
active voice for consumers. His
most recent book is entitled “The
Big Boys: Power and Position in
American Business "
Plainclothes
By ROBERT HAM
Start Writer
Of the 1S2 alcohol-related ajrente made
B nee Aug. 1,1991,90 percent have been for
underage poaaeeaion, according to Athene-
Clarke police Sgt. Janice Richardeon, who
collect! the county*! police etatiatica.
Sgt T. O. Cochran, who ia in charge of
Athene-Clarka Drug and Alcohol Diviaion,
•aid plainclothea police officer! often enter
bare to make aura drinking patrona are at
leaat 21.
Cochran aaid the police can eaaily identi
fy eomeone who ia underage.
Two Univeraity atudenta, who did not
want to be identified, each received finee of
$180 after being found guilty of underage
poaaeeaion.
Underage drinkera are ueuallv charged
with underage poaaeeaion and rarely charged
with public drunkenneea, Cochran aaid.
Cochran aaid police uaually charge eome-
ona for public drunkenneaa if their dothee
are in diaarray and if they are ataggering
and belligerent.
police patrol
*They have to be an undesirable,” he said,
such as having their pants unzipped.
Police chooee places to enter randomly,
but Cochran said they will also respond to
complaints.
If a parent calls saying their underage son
or daughter was served alcohol, then the
police will do a spot check on the establish
ment, he said.
Last fall, Cochran said the police received
several complaints about underage con
sumption before the open container law was
reinstated. During that time, the Athens-
Clarke police were checking bars daily.
A whole police unit is assigned to patrol
downtown. But the drug and vice unit is usu
ally reiqjonsible for entering the bars and
arranging for an underage person to attempt
to purchase alcohol.
If police see someone underage being
served a drink, the patron, the bar’s owner
and the bartender are sill charged with
breaking the law.
Tfie owner faces state charges but admin
istrative action is also taken. If found guilty,
the bar is cited and fined. If the bar is found
local pubs pursuing underage partiers
es
lty twice in one year, its liquor license can
revoked.
Cochran said some bars are trying to keep
underage drinkers from breaking the law,
but have a problem because of the volume of
people they serve.
It is easy to prevent underage drinking at
the Globe because of its small size, bar man
ager Lawrence MacSheain said.
To prevent underage consumption, a per
son at the door checks IDs starting at 9 p.m.
every night MacSheain said police under
stand The Globe’s 21-and-up age limit is
"strictly enforced."
One University sophomore, who did not
want to be identified, said he was recently
convicted of underage possession when he
and some friends were drinking at Lowery’s.
He said police entered the bar and escorted
him and four girls out of the bar and charged
them with underage poeeeesion. He eaid he
was angry because many other underage
drinkers were in the bar, but they were the
only ones taken out.
Tm guilty," he eaid. That wae my beer,
but they didn’t know that"
Sons of Italy is a popular place for beer drinkers to hang out.