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Thursday, November 13, 2008
BU: Students say rope was for swing, not noose
BU interim president David E. Garland issued a statement this afternoon stating investigators believe a crudely fashioned noose found on campus last week after the election of Barack Obama as president, was in fact not a noose at all.
“On Wednesday afternoon, a student met with Baylor police and provided information pertaining to the rope that was found on campus,” the statement reads. “This student claimed responsibility for the rope and described its origin. The student explained that he had been spending time with a group of friends on Fountain Mall the evening before the election and had discovered a rope he believed to have been from one of the tents used during the university’s homecoming activities. The students thought they could use the rope to create a rope swing. The students tied one end of the rope to a limb of the tree and tied the other end in a loop from which they attempted to swing. Later they abandoned the swing. The students strongly deny that the rope was intended to mimic a noose or to convey a message of any sort.”
The call for unity comes on the heels of racially charged incidents on campus after Obama was elected the nation’s first black president. A rope was found hanging from a tree outside Morrison Hall. Later in the evening, black and white students exchanged words outside Penland Residence Hall but were dispersed by police before the incident turned physical. Outside Brooks Flats, students reportedly burned Obama/Biden campaign signs, though that incident has since been downplayed by school officials who said they understand students were burning empty computer boxes.
Garland’s statement said the group who had been involved in the creation of the rope swing talked to student leaders who were together Wednesday night planning the unity march that is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday on campus. The Friday march is one of several events held at Baylor this week to encourage tolerance.
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Stocks rebound big time
Wall Street launched a massive rebound Thursday, muscling the Dow Jones industrial average up nearly 553 points after driving it down near its lows for the year, as investors decided they did not want to miss out on cheap stocks.
After three days of selling that wiped out about $1 trillion in shareholder value, many investors, though nervous about the economy, appeared convinced the market had priced in enough bad news. So when the Standard & Poor’s 500 index managed to recover from multiyear trading lows, investors swarmed back in.
According to preliminary calculations, the Dow rose 552.59, or 6.67 percent, to 8,835.25, after falling as low as 7,965.42 and rising as high as 8,876.59. That’s a trading range of 911 points. The Dow did not sink below its Oct. 10 trading low of 7,882.51.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 58.99, or 6.92 percent, to 911.29, after dropping to 818.69 - well below its intraday low of 839.80 on Oct. 10.
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Obama resigning Senate seat
President-elect Barack Obama says he’s resigning from the Senate, effective Sunday.
He is calling his four-year term “one of the highest honors and privileges” of his life.
The move was expected. Obama won the presidency last week over Republican John McCain.
It’s now up to Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to name Obama’s replacement. Congress is scheduled to meet in a special session next week.
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City, Sanger School group meet with judge about building
The badly damaged Sanger School building won’t face a possible wrecking ball until at least Dec. 11 when a hearing has been scheduled on the structure’s fate.
Waco City Attorney Leah Hayes and LaNelle McNamara and John McNamara, who own the building and head Sanger School Foundation Inc., met with 74th State District Court Judge Alan Mayfield for about 30 minutes today in his chambers.
Mayfield announced that both parties are working together. The city had called for the building to be torn down after an early-morning fire on Oct. 25 gutted the building along with two other structures. Fire officials called all three blazes arson.
But the city did say it didn’t want to raze a historic building, while the McNamaras said they won’t continue to support renovation of the structure if it’s determined to be a danger to the community.
The Sanger School Foundation sought a temporary injunction to keep the city from tearing it down. The city wants a mandatory injunction either to force the owners to tear down or have it approved for the city to tear it down.
Structural engineers will be examining the building soon, Mayfield said.
The postponed hearing will resume Dec. 11, Mayfield announced, though he said if the weather or other factors caused further deterioration to the building he would reschedule the hearing sooner.
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Getting out the ‘brainwashed’ college vote
A county treasurer in New Hampshire who lost her bid for a fourth term last week to a 20-year-old Dartmouth College student from Montana blames her failed candidacy on “brainwashed college kids.”
Republican Carol Elliott said students just voted for the Democratic ticket, which included Dartmouth junior Vanessa Sievers. Sievers won by nearly 600 votes out of 42,000 cast after targeting voters at Dartmouth and Plymouth State University through a $42 ad on the Web site Facebook.
“It was the brainwashed college kids that made the difference,” Elliott, 66, told the Valley News of Lebanon. She said she had little faith that Sievers will fulfill her duties adequately.
“You’ve got a teenybopper for a treasurer,” said Elliott, who has held the position for six years. “I’m concerned for the citizens of Grafton County.”
The part-time job pays $6,408. It involves keeping tabs on all county money, making investments and making payments ordered by county commissioners.
Sievers said Wednesday she was surprised by Elliott’s “brutal attack.”
“She’s never met me before,” Sievers said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “She has no idea what I’m like.”
Sievers, a geography and history major from Big Sky, Mont., said she has been active in politics for years and has worked on numerous New Hampshire campaigns, ranging from the mayoral race in Lebanon to Bill Richardson’s presidential campaign.
“I’ve always believed that being involved in local government is part of your responsibility as a citizen and is a way to get involved in your community,” she said.
Sievers said her age has nothing to do with her qualifications, noting that she has worked as a bookkeeper, managed her family’s finances and has been thoroughly researching investment options to prepare for her new job. She also took issue with Elliott’s claim that college students were brainwashed.
“I don’t know why people think college students are less informed than other members of the community. A lot of students get very, very involved in their communities, are extraordinarily involved in politics in the area, in doing community service, everything,” she said. “I think college students are connected, and sometimes know more than the ‘real’ citizens. … I think we’re just as real citizens as anyone else in the county.”
Editor’s note: The New York Times also reported on this story. In that story, it says the Facebook ad cost $51.
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More weird stuff from Austria
Not sure what’s in the water in Austria these days. First, we had the creepy tale of Josef Fritzl, who is accused of keeping a daughter imprisoned for 24 years and fathering seven children with her. In an earlier blogpost, I noted the new news today that he’s been charged with murder.
But now there’s this strange story about four human fetuses found preserved in containers in the home of a 68-year-old woman who died.
What’s happened to the days when the first thing you thought about Austria was “The Sound of Music”?
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Alaska senator Stevens now trailing in vote count
Just as Sen. Ted Stevens appeared set to return to Congress, felony conviction and all, his re-election bid has faltered. If he loses, it also closes a possible door into the Senate anytime soon for Gov. Sarah Palin.
As counting of early and absentee ballots continued in Stevens’ race against Democrat Mark Begich (seen at right), the contest for Alaska’s only House seat was settled Wednesday, with the re-election of Republican incumbent Don Young for his 19th term.
In the Stevens race, Begich jumped to an 814-vote lead, after trailing by 3,200 when the day began. The tally late Wednesday was 132,196 to 131,382, with an estimated 30,000 ballots remaining to be counted, some on Friday and some next week.
“After watching the votes today, I remain cautiously optimistic,” Begich, a two-term Anchorage mayor, said in a news release. “We ran an aggressive campaign, especially when it came to early voting and absentee.”
Stevens’ campaign did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Last month, a federal jury in Washington convicted Stevens of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil field services company.
That might have spelled quick political doom for a lesser figure, but Stevens is revered here for his decades of public service — and especially for scoring the state enormous sums of federal money.
Begich would be the first Democrat to win a Senate race in Alaska since the mid-1970s, and a victory would put his party one step closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority in the Senate. Democrats are also trying to unseat Republicans in unresolved contests in Georgia and Minnesota.
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TSTC group seeks help with Galveston cleanup effort
Twelve members of Texas State Technical College’s SkillsUSA Advanced Technology chapter have volunteered to travel to Galveston Island Saturday to help with cleanup in the Crystal Beach and Bolivar Peninsula portions of Galveston County.
According to a release from TSTC, the students are in great need of donations of shovels, wheelbarrows, wader boots, a dolly and other related items. Additional donations of DEET bug spray and suntan lotion are needed. The goal for donations is 10 or more of each of these items.
Here’s the remainder of the release:
If you can afford to donate, please bring items to the John B. Connally Center on the TSTC campus at the corner of Crest and Campus drives, located at the main entrance of the campus. Donations can be processed by Trish Kimberly, Carol Salvato or Walton Yantis in the Computer Networking and Systems Administration Department. Also joining in the project is Network Security Technology students.
Tractor Supply has graciously donated gloves and facemasks for the group, and Bush’s Chicken has donated gallons of iced tea.
After the project is completed, the group will donate all useable items for further use by the local fire department.
Please give today!
To find out more, call 867-3592 or 867-3852 or visit http://cns.tstc.edu/skillsusa.
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Domestic violence workshop for church office administrators next week
A free workshop luncheon for church office administrators titled “Domestic Violence 101: Resources for First Responders” will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Family Abuse Center in Waco.
The event is cosponsored by the Baylor Center for Family and Community Ministries and the Baylor Center for Ministry Effectiveness and Educational Leadership.
Becky Ellison, executive director of the Family Abuse Center and a Baylor MSW alumna, will present the workshop. “We believe this workshop will be a great opportunity to learn and get resources that you need to help those who come to the church hurting as a result of domestic violence,” Ellison said. “We also would like to see pastors attend.”
The two Baylor Centers offered a similar workshop in the fall on the topic of benevolence, with training and information about response to those who come to the church doors in need of food or services.
Register by Monday, Nov. 17, by contacting Tammy_Woods@baylor.edu or at 254-710-3704. Directions to the Family Abuse Center will be given upon registration.
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U.S. stocks going south after decent start
U.S. stocks turned lower after a higher start on Thursday as an oversold market tried and failed to take in stride rising unemployment claims and reduced outlooks from Intel Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
“This market has been pricing in at a very fast pace some pretty bad news.” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist, Jefferies & Co.
After rising more than 100 points at the start, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was more recently down 40 points. The S&P 500 dropped 0.7 points to 851.6 and the technology-laden Nasdaq Composite fell 11.68 points to 1,487.53.
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Waco Tennis Association to dedicate courts to Charlie McCleary
The Waco Tennis Association tonight will dedicate a marker naming two of the teaching courts at Waco Regional Tennis and Fitness Center after Charlie McCleary. McCleary was a key figure in developing the sport in Waco and the Charlie McCleary Tennis Center just off downtown was named for him, though parts of the site are now being used as a skate park.
The dedication ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. McCleary’s family will be there and the Waco Tennis Association’s annual meeting will follow.
The WTA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the furtherance of tennis development in Waco and the surrounding communities, both competitive and recreational. Founded in 1926, the Waco Tennis Association is the oldest continuing non-profit tennis association in the State of Texas.
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A&M Corps of Cadets to march in Waco before game
The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets will march in downtown Waco Saturday morning before the Aggies play Baylor at Floyd Casey Stadium.
The march will begin at 11 a.m. on Avenue Avenue between 13th and 14th streets. The group will march east down Austin Avenue and end at Fourth Street near Heritage Square.
The reviewing stand for the parade will be on the corner at Eighth Street.
The night before, the Greater Waco A&M Club will have yell practice beginning at 11:30 p.m. Friday at Indian Spring Park near the Suspension Bridge. For more information about that event, call 776-8282.
I have mentioned before on this blog that I am an A&M graduate (Class of ‘82), so what do you think it’s like for me working in the Waco Tribune-Herald newsroom a few football fields-distance away from the Baylor campus? We have this video to show you.
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Two-vehicle accident near Richland Mall
Emergency personnel are working a two-vehicle accident this morning near Richland Mall at State Highway 6 and U.S. HIghway 84.
It isn’t known if there are injuries, but ambulances and two tow trucks have arrived at the scene when a Ford Explorer and minivan have collided, according to a Waco Police Department spokeswoman.
We’ll update as more information is available.
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California to stage large-scale disaster drill
Some 5 million Californians promise to drop to the ground, cover their heads and hold onto furniture today as if an earthquake had just struck.
Don’t worry, it’s not real. But because earthquakes are a big threat to California, the state is starring in a mock quake disaster drill billed as the largest in U.S. history.
The exercise is based on a hypothetical magnitude-7.8 temblor that ruptures the southern San Andreas Fault — an event scientists call the “Big One.” Such a quake would cause 1,800 deaths and $200 billion in damage, researchers estimate.
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Austrian incest father charged with murder
I’m sure you recall the sordid story of Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man accused of imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering her seven children. Today he was charged with murder, as prosecutors contend one of the children who died in infancy might have survived if treated.
Here’s the story.
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Catholic Church cuts off ACORN funding
The Roman Catholic Church is cutting off funds to the community organizing group ACORN, citing complaints over its voter registration drives in the Nov. 4 election as part of the reason.
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development froze its contributions to the group in June amid allegations that Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, had embezzled nearly $1 million.
This week, as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in Baltimore, the campaign’s chairman said it was cutting all ties with the group.
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Unemployment claims highest since post-9/11
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment insurance last week surged to the highest levels since the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the number continuing to collect benefits rose to a 25-year high, the government said today.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported that initial filings for state jobless benefits reached 516,000 for the week ended Nov. 8. That’s the highest total since the week ended Sept. 29, 2001, two weeks after the attacks against New York and Washington, when 517,000 initial claims were filed.
Claims increased by 32,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 484,000. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com expected 479,000 claims.
The report shows the number of Americans continuing to collect unemployment benefits surged by 65,000 to 3,897,000, the highest level since January 1983. The data comes from the week ended Nov. 1, the most recent available.
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City sets public meeting on McCleary tennis, skate site
The city of Waco parks and recreation department will host a public meeting on Tuesday to gain input for a master plan for the McCleary Tennis Center and Waco Skate Park, according to a city news release.
The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the Waco Regional Tennis and Fitness Center, 900 Lake Shore Drive.
With assistance from Skate 254, Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, local citizens and area tennis players, the city plans to examine the potential of creating a more natural park setting that would include a variety of recreational amenities.
For information, call the parks and recreation office at 254-750-5781.
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Democrats: Biden selects his chief of staff
Vice President-elect Joe Biden chose as his chief of staff a man who once served in that same role for Vice President Al Gore, Democratic officials said today.
Ron Klain also was an adviser for Biden during his Democratic primary bid and helped the Delaware senator prepare for the vice presidential debate during the fall campaign.
The officials disclosed Biden’s selection on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly for President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team. That group is planning to announce senior staff appointment later this week.
Klain is the latest former Clinton administration official that Obama has turned to as he moves from campaigning to governing and sets up his own administration.
Last week, Obama named Rahm Emanuel, a former Clinton political and policy adviser in the White House, as his chief of staff, and former Clinton veteran John Podesta is among those leading his transition team.
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That’s some thick fog
If for some reason you haven’t yet left home for work, be careful out there as the fog is thick. It’s kind of eerie sitting at a stoplight and watching cars 500 feet ahead or even less slipping into a bank of gray and vanishing.
We’re at 48 degrees right now and the fog will likely be with us until at least 9 a.m. After that, look for sunny skies with a high around 78 degrees. The wind will pick up during the day, but only around 5-10 mph.
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