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2 I Tuesday, November 23,1999 | The Red * Buck
NEWS
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QuickTake Entomologist builds better ant trap
A glance at the morning’s news and the day ahead ANNA BIACI about $15 to $20 per acre. “Prom the source population, John Ruberson, an assistant ento-
Thi Rid a Black "I'm trying to perfect chemicals we can do a more direct search for mology professor who studies cot-
- that are getting Into the market," their natural predators,” he said, ton and soybean crops.
Best Bet
► See the sneak preview of 'The Green Mile” at the Tate
Student Center tonight at 8. Pick up your free passes at 9 a m.
Information 542-5S84
National & World Headlines
LAPD officer kills boy in self defense
LOS ANGELES — A police officer shot and killed a naked,
blood-covered 16-year-old boy after he allegedly chased her and
tried to disarm her.
Officers Karen Thlffault, 38, and Daniel Palma, 22, arrived at an
Intersection in the Pacoima neighborhood about 4:30 a.m.
Saturday when they saw a boy without clothes, covered In blood
and “acting in a bizarre manner," said Officer Eduardo Flutes, a
police spokesman.
Police said the boy, Identified Sunday by the county coroner’s
office as Felix Valenzuela, fixated on Thlffault after she tried to
calm him by talking.
He then charged the officer while screaming unintelligibly,
Junes said.
Thlffault, who believed the boy may have been under the influ
ence of drugs, ran away from Valenzuela, who "repeatedly reached
for and on at least one occasion grabbed” her holstered gun,
Funes said
Fearing her weapon would be used against her, Thlffault then
shot the boy, police said.
A coroner’s spokesman said an autopsy was planned.
Korean church defaced
with racial graffiti
MINNEAPOLIS - Vandals
defaced the Korean First
Baptist Church with racial
slurs, swastikas and other graf
fiti.
The spray-painted messages
expressed hatred toward
blacks, women and homosexu
als, but did not specifically
attack Asians.
Police were investigating the
graffiti, which was discovered
Saturday.
“Satan loves all” and “I love
rape” were among the mes
sages on the side of the build
ing in northeast Minneapolis,
and "I worship Satan” was
sprayed on the church van.
There were also obscure ref
erences to the Unabomber and
Tourette’s syndrome, a neuro
logical disorder that causes
abrupt, involuntary body move
ments and sounds.
Some words were misspelled
and pastor Wonho Pi said he
suspects that teen-agers were
the culprits.
EgyptAir crash continues
to baffle investigators
NEW YORK — Regardless of
what cause is finally pinpoint
ed, EgyptAir Flight 990 already
has earned a place in aviation
history with one of the most
bizarre ends to a seemingly
routine flight.
An apparent prayer uttered
just before the plane's fatal
plunge from 33,000 feet is being
closely scrutinized by the
National Transportation Safety
Board, the FBI and the
Egyptian government. The tape
from the cockpit voice recorder
is receiving nearly the same
intense study once given to the
film of the assassination of
President Kennedy.
The central question: Why
would a wide-bodied jet with
217 people aboard suddenly
crash into the ocean when
nothing appeared mechanically
wrong and no distress call was
made?
One theory is that substi
tute co-pilot, Gameel El-
Batouty, deliberately crashed
the Cairo-bound plane Oct. 31
in a suicidal act.
That account is being ques
tioned by Egypt.
A statement made by a crew
member in the co-pilot’s seat —
presumed to be El-Batouty —
just before the autopilot was
turned off and the fatal dive
began originally was quoted by
a source as: “I made my deci
sion now. I put my faith in
God's hands.”
French cavers rescued
after days underground
FLAUJAC, France — Seven
French cave explorers enjoyed
their first day above ground
Monday after a huge rescue
operation succeeded in freeing
them from a deep underground
cave where they had been
trapped by a swollen river for
10 days.
For relatives, the sight of the
tired but safe explorers being
helped to the surface early this
morning brought an end to
over a week of worry.
“One should thank and con
gratulate you and not me for
having spent 10 days down
there,” said Yvon Tazal, the
eldest of the group at 55.
The men had been exploring
caves in southwestern France
but were trapped when an
underground river rose sudden
ly after violent storms in the
area.
Family and rescuers had
gathered in Flaujac, 340 miles
south of Paris, above the cav
ern where the men were
trapped. Many popped open
bottles of champagne Sunday
when news came that the men
had been found.
Children die in trailer
fire in Catoosa County
FORT OGLETHORPE - The
state fire marshal's office sent
investigators to northwest
Georgia Monday to determine
the cause of a trailer fire that
killed two children over the
weekend.
The fire swept through the
35-year-old trailer around 2
p.m. Saturday and killed 2-
month-old Timothy Chase
LHeureux and his visiting
neighbor, 2-year-old Austin
Lewis.
Mgj. Barry Dill of the
Catoosa County Sheriff's Office
refused to say anything about
where Timothy’s parents were
when the fire started. He said
only that the fire is under
investigation.
— Associated Press
[JGA Today
meetings
► UNICEF, weekly meeting, Nov 30,
5:30 p.m., Tate Student Center Room 143.
Inlormation: 357-3387.
► Young Democrats, weekly
meeting, Nov. 30.6 p.m., Tate Student
Center Room 140. Inlormation: 548-6769.
► Pagan Student
Association, weekly meeting. Nov. 30,
8 p.m. Memorial Halt Room 102.
Inlormation: (paganOwww.uga.edu).
► WoridwMe Dtadpieship
Association, weekly meeting, Nov. 30.
8 p.m. Pharmacy Building Room 149.
Inlormation: 759-2176.
► Amnesty International,
weekly meeting, Nov. 30,7 p.m. Tale
Student Center Room 145. Information 357-
1307.
► Habitat lor Humanity, gener
al meeting, Dec. 1.7 p.m, Tale Student
Center Reception Hail. Information: 353-
0406.
► PM Kappa Literary Society,
debate and public speaking. Dec 2,7 p.m,
Phi Kappa Hall Information: 227-8922.
► Students for
Environmental Awareness, gener
al meeting. Dec. 2.7 p.m. Memorial Hall
Room 213. Inlormation: 549-9846
ANNOUNCtMOnS ~
► CMneae Porcelain Art
Exhibit, opening reception, Nov. 28,1:30
p.m, Georpa Museum 01 Art. Information
542-GMOA.
► The Economics ol Manure
. 1 debate and put*c speaking,
Dec. 2,7 p.m, Oemosthaman Hal.
Information 542-3816.
er lecture by Bruce Babcock, Dec. 1,11
a m, Georgia Center Room K-L
Inlormation 5420753.
> Lunch and Learn Sertee,
Dec. 1, noon, Tate Student Center Room
145. Topic: surviving stress. Information:
(www.uga.edufoounseiing).
— Items for UOA Today must
be submitted in writing two
days before the date to run.
Items may run only one day
and are published by a first
come, first-served basis accord
ing to space available.
By ANNA BIAGI
The Rid a Black
Whtch your step — living in
Georgia, you’re likely to at least
once In your life step In a fire ant
mound. But methods of dealing
with fire ant populations come In
various forms that University
researchers are Investigating.
Most treatments that kill fire
ants don't prevent them from
relnvading the area, said Beverly
Sparks, an entomology professor
8he Is trying to find an affordable
chemical that will control fire ant
populations.
One chemical under Sparks'
scrutiny destroys 90 percent of
the ants and must be applied
twice a year. The annual cost is
about $15 to $20 per acre.
“I'm trying to perfect chemicals
that are getting Into the market,"
Sparks said.
Sparks said the chemical,
called Amdro, Is good for large
areas, like golf courses and athlet
ic fields. For yards, Sparks said
simple pesticides are effective but
not long-lasting.
“It's by no means a one-time
thing," she said. “You'll have to
worry about fire ants again.”
Ken Ross, also an entomology
professor, has a different
approach to killing fire ants. He
studies their genes, hoping to dis
cover where In South America
they originated. Knowing their
origin will enable researchers to
find a biological treatment
“From the source population,
we can do a more direct search for
their natural predators,” he said.
“We don't have any of the natural
enemies of fire ants here."
Some predators — like para
sitic files — already have been
found. Before they're Introduced
in the Southeast, they will be
studied extensively.
“You have to assure yourself
that they're not going to jump
onto some alternate host," he
said. “That’s worse than not hav
ing done anything In the first
place."
But one researcher said fire
ants are a benefit to the state’s
agriculture.
Fire ants help Georgia's agri
culture by killing crop pests, said
John Ruberson, an assistant ento
mology professor who studies cot
ton and soybean crops.
“They're actually outstanding
predators or caterpillars and other
things that are damaging to these
crops,” he said.
Ruberson studies conservation
tilling — or planting cover crops
during the winter — as an alterna
tive to plowing fields. This process
reduces erosion, and the residue
formed fosters ant populations.
“In fields where we’re using
residue and not plowing, Insecti
cide use is cut by 50 percent, and
sometimes It’s completely elimi
nated," he said.
"They're really helpful as long
as they stay off me," Ruberson
said.
Homeless for the holiday
International students ‘stuck in Athens'
By R. LEE GUARNELLA
The Red a Black
Sung Yi wouldn’t be as happy in
Athens as he would be In his home of
Seoul, Korea, for the holidays, but he’s
still going to have a good time.
“I don't go out as much here as if I
were still in Korea,” said the junior com
puter science major. “If I were in Korea, I
would party all night."
Many international students like Sung
Yi have to fend for themselves during the
holidays because they can't go to their
home countries.
And because there is no program at
the University to ensure a location for
these students during the holidays, many
are left with few options.
Saehee Chang, coordinator of
International Student Life, said the
University needs such a holiday program.
“There are no resources (for these stu
dents) at UGA," Chang said. “I would
love for people to know the need for a
program for these students.”
Chang said because Athens “shuts
down," international students, especially
undergraduates, are left without a place
to go.
“Graduate students either travel or
stay in Athens, but undergraduates are
sort of stuck in Athens," she said. “The
dorms close , and they are very lonely.”
HOSTING INFORMATION
II students are interested in hosting an interna
tional student lor the holidays, contact the Offices
of International Student Life at 542-5867.
Swagata Banerjee, a first-year gradu
ate student in agricultural economics
from Calcutta, India, is one of these stu
dents.
He was going to see some friends out
West, but now he has to stay in Athens
for the holidays.
“I had a plan to go to Nevada,”
Banerjee said. “Now it’s not happening
because of the high-ticket price."
Banerjee said the situation was “not
too good” and his holiday plans were
shaky.
“I'll probably stay with some family.
I’m not sure. Things are unplanned and
undecided,” he said.
He said there should be lists of all
international students and then the
University should match them up with
American families.
“I haven't been to India in three years,”
he said. “I really wanted to go back, but I
couldn’t afford the high-price tickets."
Chang said the international students
without holiday plans want a place to go.
“We try to tell them where to go,” she
said. “They are interested in meeting
American families."
The Red & Black
redesigns online
publication site
If you're trying to save a few trees by reading
The Red & Black online, then you’ll be happy to
see some new changes.
Last week, the newspaper redesigned its Web
site for the first time since the newspaper went
online In November of 1997.
Now you can apply for a job at The Red &
Black, submit classified ads and UGA Today
information for on-campus clubs and organiza
tions.
The biggest change, said Frank Harris, online
editor, is that the Web site is a vast improvement
both cosmetically and functionally.
“It’s more user-friendly and easier to navi
gate,” he said.
Harris has been working on redesigning the
Web site for almost a year and has spent the last
month revising the most recent version.
Students can also submit letters to the editor
via the Web site and vote on the weekly poll. The
poll attracted more than 300 votes in the first
seven days on the Web
The site also features a link to the Fanatic
Zone, which for all you sports fans is an in-depth
analysis of SEC sports.
Visit the newly redesigned site at
(www.redandblack.com).
— Miranda Mangum
Leaving for Thanksgiving? Make sure to lock up
By JENNIFER COPELAND
Thb Red a Black
Your waistline isn’t the only thing
that could come under attack this
Thanksgiving break.
Student volunteers from Safe
Campuses Now are speaking this week
to students about ways to prevent
burglaries in apartments and houses
emptied over the holiday break.
Volunteers for the local safety pre
vention organization are giving stu
dents tips for protecting their belong
ings from break-ins and thefts.
"Take valuables with you,” said
Stephen Rebillot, a student volunteer
for Safe Campuses Now. “That’s the
best way to make sure they don’t get
taken, no matter what.”
If you can't take your valuables with
you, take other measures to protect
the items you leave behind, said
University police Chief Chuck Horton.
“Make sure you can ID the property
if it is stolen or recovered," Horton
said. Take pictures or videotape what
you leave in your apartment."
One tip for students’ personal safe
ty is to inform someone when you plan
to leave and the route you will be driv
ing, Horton said. If you’re going to be
delayed, let someone on the other end
know.
“Be sure you have plenty of fuel in
the tank of your vehicle," Horton said.
HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS
Tips for keeping your apartment safe during winter break:
► Leave a radio set to a talk show station.
► Set interior lights on a timer.
► Turn on outside lights to illuminate possible entry sights.
► Ask your local police department to check on your premises.
► Take your valuable items home.
► Engrave driver’s license number on televisions and stereos. Safe
Campuses Now, University Police and Athens-Clarke police offer
engravers.
► Stop your mail and newspapers.
► Do not keep a key outside because burglars know hiding places.
► Do not leave a message on your answenng machine that informs
callers you are gone for the holidays.
► Keep all windows and doors locked.
source: Safe Campuses Now
Change is Good.
Applications Now
being accepted
for Spring
Semester
STUDENT COPY
EDITORS
■ :■ ' Vi V
For information
call Jeri Godfrey
546*6000 ext 240
Red&Black
An independent student newspaper serving the University 0/l-eoryia tommunUy
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