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THURSDAY
July 6, 2006
Vol. 113, No. 157 | Athens, Georgia
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ONLINE: www.redandblack.com
An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
ESTABLISHED 1893, INDEPENDENT 1980
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>• Cuban flavor heats
up Athens’ food scene
VARIETY, PAGE 7
Athens' safely questioned
Mayoral candidate considers
new facility ‘biological threat’
By AUBREY SMITH
basmith@randb.com
Richard DeRose said he.
thinks it’s “too late” for
Athens.
The mayoral candidate so
opposes what he considers
the biological threat of dis
eases being studied in facili
ties like the University’s
Animal Health Research
Center and the possible
National Bio- and Agro-
Defense facility that he’s
using it as a foundation for his
campaign — a strategy that
he said makes him a “light
ning rod” for these issues.
“Sooner or later something-
bad is going to happen here,”
Derose, a contractor, said,
referring to potential environ
mental contamination fears
from the research facilities.
“Most people don’t even
know the risk.”
However, University pro
fessor and Georgia Research
Alliance Eminent Scholar,
Ralph Tripp, who will head
the team of investigators
operating in the AHRC labs,
assures the Athens communi
ty it shouldn’t worry.
“There is no need for con
cern. All these facilities are
state of the art and modeled
after the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention or
other government institu
tions,” Tripp said.
“There is no more danger
in these facilities than in a
hospital.”
“These diseases are
already out in the environ
ment. We are not bringing in
any exotic pathogens.”
In fact, the opening of the
University’s $63 million
Animal Health Research
Center as well as the area
being named as a candidate
for the $450 million National
Bio- and Agro- Defense facili
ty and a $1 billion vaccine
manufacturing facility code-
named “Project Aardvark”
have many members of the
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GRAPHIC BY CUBBY WEST | The Red & Black
Beatmakers
bring battle
to the ATH
By TRAVIS WILLIAMS
twillia@randb.com
Music is competitive, and
hip-hop — being founded on
a tradition of men and
women battling for the top
position in rap as emcees,
scratchers and now as pro
ducers — is perhaps more so
than other musical genres.
Embracing this tradition,
John Vereen, a local musician
and producer, is attempting
to give local producers a lime-
lit arena in which to show
their stuff.
“This is a one-of-a-kind,
first-ever event for Athens,
and frankly it’s quite over
due,” said Vereen, who has
been making a name for him
self locally.
Having competed in sever
al producer battles in
Atlanta, Vereen promises that
his event won’t be like any
other battle anyone has seen.
“We’re going to have local
acts perform and real net
working going on. These
chances for like-minded indi
viduals to get together and
make great music and lasting
relationships is what the
Athens hip-hop movement is
all about,” said Vereen.
The event will take place
Thursday, July 6 at 10 p.m. at
Tasty World, and although
this event is local in presenta
tion, it is attracting attention
from Atlanta and beyond.
“This is a great opportuni
ty for us producers,” said
Mark Foster — a.k.a. Pops —
a producer from Miami, Fla.
“Events like this are just what
real producers and musicians
need.”
Keli, a producer from
Tallahassee, Fla., who is
spending his summer intern
ing in Atlanta, plans on com
peting in the event. When
asked whether the competi
tive spirit of the battle could
work against the undertone
of unity that Vereen is trying
to promote in the hip-hop
community, Keli said, “No
way. Win or lose, I’m just
happy there is something for
us. I haven’t been producing
that long and things like this
are still new to me, but I’m
excited to give it a shot.”
For the Athens hip-hop
community, it seems Vereen’s
competition comes at a very
opportune time.
“We are hitting them hard,
and we don’t plan on stop
ping,” said Vereen, referring
to the recent AthFest focus
on local hip-hop and other
major happening events in
the area. “This is going to be
an epic story.”
BORN TO RIDE
PHOTOS BY LEIGH AUERBACH | The Red * Black
A The American Motorcyclist Association and the International Motorcycling
Federation’s International Women & Motorcycling Conference took place in Athens
from Saturday, July 1 to Monday, July 3.
They’re not just motorcycle
mamas — they’re also sisters,
wives, nieces and aunts —
and from July 1-3 they set their
sights on Athens for the
American Motorcycle
Association/Federation
Internationale de
Motorcyclisme International
Women and Motorcycling
Conference. More than 1,000
attendees rolled into town
for a weekend of speeches,
seminars and a chance to share
their hobby with others. They
also got the down low on
motorcycle repair and riding
tours, as well as the chance to
buy new gear made specifically
for women riders.
(Above right) Elizabeth
Nevil, a University alumni,
poses on her bike after rid
ing in a parade through
downtown. Nevil, 67, says
that she is proof that you
are never too old to enjoy
riding motorcycles.
(Left) Motorcycles fill the
parking lot of the Classic
Center, which was the head
quarters for the AM A/FI M
International Women &
Motorcycling Conference
Sunday.
Diabetic drug
may be linked
to cure for HIV
University scientist tests drug
in last stages of FDA approval
By PHILLIP BLUME
pblume@randb.com
A potential cure for HIV
may have been discovered
by a research team that
includes University scien
tists.
Neither the University
nor the drug
company
that pro
duces the
potentially
HIV-curing
drug have
officially
announced
the new
treatment, which is still in
its last phases of clinical
studies. Already used to
treat a chronic condition
associated with diabetics,
the drug is designed for
long-term use and would be
less harmful than other HIV
drugs.
Thomas Hodge, a senior
research scientist at the
University’s College of
Veterinary Medicine, is
hopeful about its prospects.
“The existence of this
useable drug put us ahead
by ten years,” Hodge said.
“Now we can cut to
the chase.”
The “chase” is getting
the drug to the tens of mil
lions of people diagnosed
with HIV worldwide, if it
passes clinical studies.
Hodge is now waiting for
drug samples to test on cell
cultures, which he feels cer
tain will be a
success.
“We know
what the drug
does, and it’s
exactly what
we need it to
do,” Hodge
said. “It
works so well,
researchers are saying
they’ve never seen anything
like it.” It’s just a matter of
doing the cell cultures and
getting the FDA to approve
the drug’s use for HIV, he
added.
The FDA process for
approving the drug is in
progress, according to
Hodge. He expects to see
human trials of the drug as
early as January 2007.
The 25 drugs used to
treat HIV work by shutting
off genes or proteins of the
► See VIRUS. Page 5
“It works so well,
researchers are saying
they’ve never seen any
thing like it. ”
DRUG FACTS
What: Potential cure for HIV
Who: A team of scientists including Thomas Hodge, James
L. Murray, William A. O’Brien and Don Ruben
Why: The 25 drugs used to treat HIV work by shutting off
genes or proteins of the virus, but this approach is not a per
manent solution since the virus can mutate.
When: Human trials of the drug are expected to begin
January 2007.
Ex-dean lawsuit
reaches final
stage of appeal
By DAVID PITTMAN
dpittman@randb.com
The lawsuit filed June 27
by the former dean of the
Grady College of Journal
ism and Mass Comm
unication in Fulton
County superior
court is the last
effort in a line of
appeals, his attorney
said Wednesday,
July 5.
John Soloski, a
current professor
and former dean of
the Grady College of
Journalism and
Mass Comm
unication, already
has lost his appeal
to the University,
Board of Regents and Equal
Employment Opportunity
Commission after resigning
his deanship amid claims of
sexual harassment last
summer.
“Dr. Soloski looked at
everything he could do
before filing suit in this
case,” said his Atlanta-
based attorney, Brandon
Hornsby.
Hornsby said Soloski is
not after money, even
though the former dean
seeks damages in excess of
$1 million in his claim.
“This law suit is about
Dr. Soloski’s right to a fair
hearing,” Hornsby said.
“That has been what
he’s been looking for since
day one.”
In his resignation
letter on June 27, 2005,
Soloski stated his salary for
this year be no less than
that of the highest-paid
full professor in
Grady College.
In the academic
year starting July
1, Soloski will go
from making
$130,015 to
$190,000, accord
ing to a letter from
Stephen Shew-
maker, University
director of legal
affairs. The latter
amount equals the
salary of the high
est-paid full pro
fessor in Grady College.
With that salary, Soloski
is scheduled to teach two
classes this fall: a 280-seat
undergraduate course, In
troduction to Print Media,
and a graduate-level semi
nar.
Regents spokesman
John Millsaps said it is “not
uncommon” for an employ
ee of the University System
of Georgia to sue the school
where they are currently
employed.
However, it’s unclear how
often or who sues the school
for which they’re working as
that information is not
explicitly stated on any
legal documents filed.
SOLOSKI
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