The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, April 29, 2009, Image 1
WWW.REDANDBLACK.COM Study abroad student waits out swine flu By DALLAS DUNCAN The Red & Black Students studying abroad in Mexico may return home earlier than expected as the swine flu sickens hundreds across the country. University sophomore Randall Bourquin who is studying in Monterrey, Mexico, said the Mexican government closed all public gatherings in the coun try’s capital Saturday, and on Sunday night closed all schools until May 6. Community adds three to list of 22 deceased Memorial ‘means a lot’ By CAREY O’NEIL The Red and Black The North Campus Chapel endures the noisy crowds of football Saturdays and the laugh ter of alumni weddings, but Tuesday it endured something almost unheard of— silence. Only the faint chirping of birds and the click clack of footsteps could be heard as the University Air Force ROTC present ed the colors for the annual University Candlelight Memorial. More than 100 stu dents, faculty, family and friends gathered to remember University stu dents, faculty and staff who passed away during the last academic year. As several family mem bers stood by with grim smiles, Hannah Hall, widow of University stu dent Isaias Ramos, said she appreciated the memorial. “I think it’s great, UGA really meant a lot to [Ramos],” she said. “[The memorial] means a lot to his parents.” In his opening address, University President Michael Adams acknowl edged the community’s loss, offering his condo lences to those whose lives had been touched by the 22 people memori alized during the service. Adams also addressed the recent deaths of three Town & Gown Players. “Our community has been struck somewhat hard in the last 72 hours,” he said. “Right now we are hurting, so we weep and mourn ... In time, I KEVNEY MOSES | The Rep * Black ▲ Chris Hubbard decorated his “Heaven and Hell car” with hundreds of religious references, including wooden saints and quirky phrases. Partly cloudy. | nf ia Y High 84 \ Low 59 lliaeX Their\ Redadßlack An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community ESTABLISHED 1893, INDEPENDENT 1980 “The last three or four days [in Mexico], there’s been a lot in the news about the flu,” he said in a phone interview Monday. “There’s this huge degree of uncertainty of what international students are going to do.” The swine flu gained global attention in the past week after being linked to more than 1,300 illnesses in Mexico and 64 cases in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. No victims have been reported in Georgia as of Tuesday evening. Bourquin, whose program is jgpr — W/T~M Mggffl [ ?$. hjp.j- -If- •■:s£' '.L’lafiEL'• ' ■.•‘-Sr- L ’taggry %£/y .-rSllr //- ; * ~ C \ ‘, x tkjL Jiff ||§|lf f||| ~'V # 4 f IWKy/j" %i to Wf' ' sgmSj&i *Jr i WMM ' r ■ •• 1 Mgjgi know we will find the strength to laugh again.” Melissa Gartrell, daughter of late University Food Services worker Ruth Fleming, said she thought the ser vice was somewhat valu able, even though it was difficult to remember her loss. “It kind of makes you sad,” she said. As the ceremony con tinued, candles were lit for each of last year’s deaths. While some fought tears as the flame was passed, the quiet was broken only by the toll of the Chapel bell, rung once for each who died. Swing batter, batter The Diamond Dogs look to avenge last week’s road loss to Jacksonville State at 5 p.m. Check out a profile on pitcher Dean Weaver. Page 7. Wednesday, April 29, 2009 independent of the study abroad office at the University, is living with other international students at the University of Monterrey and said “no one really knows what to do.” Some students have left already, and others have changed travel plans, he said. As of Monday afternoon, he was try ing to get in touch with the U.S. Consulate in Mexico City to determine if he could re-enter the United States and stay in Texas until May 6, when he hopes the government will have made a decision on re-opening schools. PHOTOS BY WAITES LASETER | The Red Black ON THE WEB Burglaries are on the rise in Athens. Which neighborhoods are seeing the most crime? Are you at risk? What can you do to protect yourself? Read a story on our Web site. News 2 Opinions 6 He is concerned about whether he will receive class credit if he is unable to return to Monterrey and finish school, but he will choose “health before credits,” he said. He has been keeping in touch with both of his schools to keep track of events, he said. Bourquin does not know any one who has been infected with the swine flu, but knows of one death in Monterrey so far. Colleen Larson, a professor of international affairs, is in charge of a University-sponsored study RIDIN’CRAFTY Car manifests themes of religion, afterlife By KATIE ANDREW The Red & Black Editor’s note: Every Wednesday, variety writer Katie Andrew profiles a different local artist. This is the final installment in the series. Most car-owners have a blank canvas sitting in their driveway and don’t realize it. Four Athenians, however, have unlocked the full potential of these automotive blank slates. Chris Hubbard “Most people react to it with puzzlement and Variety 4 Sports 5 More than 100 students, faculty, staff, family and friends attend ed the annual University Candlelight Memorial, held at the Chapel on North Campus Tuesday night. The Chapel bell rung for each person in the commu nity who passed away this year. shock, the same way they would a punk rocker walk ing down the street with a bunch of piercings,” said Chris Hubbard, owner of the local “Heaven and Hell Car.” For those who haven’t faUen victim to whiplash in the wake of this automo tive spectacle, Hubbard’s vehicle is completely adorned in objects and text that exhibit a colorful, cohesive theme of religion and the afterlife. “Whether it was Michelangelo or Howard Finster or Latin American [religious art], I’ve always liked it,” he said. Hubbard credits his ON THE WEB Watch a video with updates on missing marketing professor George Zinkhan, with his link to the Netherlands and the May 2 ticket he purchased weeks ago. Crossword 2 Sudoku 7 See where the men’s and women’s tennis teams were seeded. Page 8 Athens, Georgia Vol. 116, No. 147 abroad in Monterrey. In a phone interview Tuesday, Larson con firmed that all universities in Mexico are closed through May 6 and said “if [students] want to come home, we’ll work with them on that.” She said the University of Monterrey will be granting stu dents who may decide to leave the country early online access to submit remaining coursework for the rest of the semester. Larson said the study abroad See FLU, Page 3 ZINKHAN UPDATE • A woman reported a red Jeep matching the description of George Zinkhan Ill’s parked in a neighbor’s driveway in Bogart Saturday. Becky Stonecipher said she saw the Jeep parked in Gail and Michael Harsh’s driveway between 2 and 3 p.m. Saturday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We were here all day [Saturday] and we didn’t see any jeep, and it certainly didn’t come down our driveway,” Michael Harsh told The Red & Black in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. Stonecipher gave the tip to police Sunday morning and told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday morning police had yet to investigate her sighting. But the police eventually fol lowed up. “[Police] have been here and asked about it,” Harsh said. “But again, I don't think there was a red Jeep around here." • Amsterdam’s Vrije University plans on firing George Zinkhan, a school offi cial told Volkskrant, a newspa per in the Netherlands. The university posted a message on its Web site, writ ing in Dutch it was shocked by the report and “we only can guess at the motives of Mr. Zinkhan that we know as a calm and pardoned researcher.” In 2006 he was guest facul ty with the economic sciences and business administration and he was appointed in April 2007 as a part-time faculty member. • Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalized. Platt's Funeral Home of Augusta is managing arrangements for the Bruce family and Bernstein Funeral Home of Athens is managing arrangements for the Tanner and Teague families. interest in statues and imagery to a Catholic upbringing. His car dis plays hundreds of different physical manifestations of religious metaphors: tiny wooden saints with clever names, a “casket” luggage carrier and quirky phrases representing the dichoto my between good and evil. A self-described agnostic, Hubbard particularly eryoys watching public reaction to his car. “I like to celebrate my interest in religious art, even though I don’t prac tice organized religion,” he said. “I knew that some See CARS, Page 4 UGA Today 3