Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Vol. XXVIII, No. 5 Atlanta, Georgia March 7, 1984 Suspect Sought In A.U.C. Fire by Cary K. Foster An arrest warrant was issued for an Atlanta man accused of second degree arson for the January 30 fire at the Atlanta University General Administra tion Building at360Westview Dr. The warrant for Ely Hester of 189 Scott St., N.W., was secured February 9 by Lt. J.E. Williams of the Atlanta Bureau of Fire Ser vices. Although he was question ed the night of the fire, Hester had not been arrested at press dead line. The warrant was obtained during a joint investigation between Williams and Chief Steve Bowser of the Atlanta University Center Security Police, according to Williams. The fire started within the southeast side of the building at 360 Westview Dr., according to an arson report filed by Williams. Gasoline was poured in and ignited through a rear office window. The building sustained major fire and heat damage. The es timated value of property damage is $250,000, the report stated. On January 30, the morning of the fire, the first fire units arrived on the scene at 3:45 a.m. Two metal containers were found in the back of the building con taining liquid with the odor of gasoline, according to the report. Officer Arthur Jackson of the A.U.C. police had seen a male fleeing the scene of the fire wearing dark clothes and a light colored hat, the report stated. An A.U.C. police officer, Terry Bell, “noticed the subject on Oak Steet wearing the same type of clothing that was described to him,” Williams said. Bell saw the subject enter Grandma’s Biscuits at 538 Ashby St. The report said the subject did not place an order for food but was seen by Bell drying off his hands as if attempting to wash something off. Although the subject did not have any iden tification in his possession, he later was identified as Ely Hester. Hester voluntarily released his tennis shoes to Williams for lab analysis, according to the report. “I released him at that time due to lack of evidence,” Williams said. “On the 9th, I was informed that the tennis shoes contained gasoline. The soil that I collected from the rear area of the office was compatible with the soil that was removed from his tennis shoes.” Although a motive had not been determined at deadline, Williams said that Hester may have been hired to set the fire. “ I'm quite sure he didn't do this alone," Williams said. Investigators admit that they have not found a connection between Hester and A.U.C. students or employees. The General Administration Building housed several offices including the chancellor’s office of the A.U.C. All offices are operating on the first floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the A.U.C. Yearbook Update: Good News And Bad Jesse Jackson Visits Spelman by )an Holland For the past two years, Spelman students have not been issued yearbooks. Outraged students continue to ask many questions concerning this matter, the most recent question being, “Are we going to get a yearbook for at least this year?” Everyone wants to know what is going on. Now there is news: good news and bad news. The good news first: Spelman will have a yearbook this year. The 1983-1984 yearbook is scheduled to be released no later than the beginning of May. Meryl Johnson, the yearbook’s editor, was quoted as saying, “We have had some com plications but we still plan to have the yearbook back by the originally planned date." Meryl also feels lucky to have a “dedicated and hardworking" staff that is more organized than the staffs of the past two years. This staff is determined to give the students what they want: a really good yearbook. Meryl and her staff raised some concern over what the students expected of them. Joni Johnson, a member of the year book staff and a freshman here at Spelman says, “People don’t realize the conflicts that the staff has separating itself from last year’s. We are trying to overlook the negative attitudes students have about us and do our jobs well.” Spelman students often forget the fact that this year’s yearbook staff is not responsible for the two unfinished yearbooks of 1982 and 1983, which brings us to the bad news. Neither the 1982 nor the 1983 yearbook has promise of ever becoming a reality. The Reflec tions staffs of the past two years left pieces of precious but in complete books behind. When (Continued on Page 6) by Karen M. Burroughs Editor-in-chief Rev. Jesse Jackson, candidate for the democratic nomination for president, was featured in a political motivation rally on February 13, 1984 in Spelman’s Sisters Chapel. Sponsored by Students for Jackson, a newly established volunteer organiza tion, the rally was held to raise funds for Jackson’s campaign as well as generate support for his candidacy. Theodora Lee, president of the Spelman S.G.A. addressed the audience on the necessity of registering and voting in the upcoming elections. “We must begin at the root of the problem which many believe is Ronald Reagan,” she said. She informed the students that out of 170 million blacks, only 86 million voted in the 1980 elections. “The time is right for Black Americans and Jesse Jackson is right for the times,” she stated. Rev. Jackson, who announced his candidacy in November, 1983, was greeted with a standing ovation and cries of "Win, Jesse, Win.” He expressed his pleasure of speaking at Spelman and informed the students of the urgency to become involved with the revevant issues of today. “We will not be limited in our growth by our race, sex or religion,” he said. “This genera tion must not only fight to move in, we must fight to move up. “We’re not fighting for aid, we’re fighting for trade,” he continued. “We’re not fighting for welfare, we’re fighting for our share. If black democrats vote for white democrats, then we should reasonably expect white democrats to vote for black democrats.” Jackson also expressed the necessity for students to become active in the political process. “There's a freedom train com ing, but you have to register to ride,” he stated. "No matter what your situation, no one has deserved the right to do less than their best. When you don’t register, you do less than your best and you get what you deserve. If you’re in college and you’re not registered to vote, you’re either masochistic or a functional illiterate.” Jackson also addressed the shortcomings of America’s foreign policy. "The first thing wrong with our foreign policy is that we don't count the foreigners," he said. “You can’t cook a biscuit and not use baking powder — it won’t rise. You can’t make a foreign policy rise and leave out most of the people. “The key to world peace is human rights,” he continued. “If you treat people right, there is a reasonable chance that they will treat you right.” Jackson concluded his address by urging the students to support his candidacy and vote for him on Tuesday, March 13, the date of the Georgia Presidential Preference Primary. “Don’t vote for me because I’m your brother, vote for me because I make the most sense. “There's nothing more power ful in the world than a made-up mind and the determination to work,” he concluded. “On Super Tuesday, make up your mind.”