The Daily Tar Heel

Serving the students and the University community since 1893

Thursday March 23rd

Women's Tennis


Professor `Shu' Faces Multiple Cancer Battles

The University community was met with sad news last week as renowned journalism and mass communication Professor Jim Shumaker, the basis for the comic strip character "Shoe," was hospitalized Nov. 18. Shumaker's adult son Karl said doctors at UNC Hospitals have found cancer in his father's brain, shoulder blade, lungs, and femur, and are trying to determine from a biopsy whether his liver is cancerous as well. "He is receiving radiation treatment on his brain lesions," Karl Shumaker said.

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Erosion Compensation Dredges Up Concerns

By Tim Sullivan Staff Writer Dare County residents whose homes and businesses have been threatened by erosion will soon receive aid from the federal government, despite protests from some environmental experts. Congress recently passed a bill calling for a comprehensive beach nourishment program along a 14.8-mile stretch of beach in Dare County. The program, which will cost roughly $1.8 billion over the next 50 years, involves relocating sand from the ocean floor to the rapidly eroding beach. Rep.

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Mammoth Moves On

Six months ago, Carrboro lost a vital component of its grassroots music scene when Mammoth Records packed its bags for New York City. The move prompted lamentations from artists, music aficionados and community leaders. But now that the dust has settled, the company, its former employees and the area musicians it once sponsored are not slowing down. "All the staff is fairly new, and looking forward to (running the label)," said Mammoth representative Giovanna Melchiorre from the company's new New York headquarters.

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Brown Taps 1st Black Leader

A black woman was recently selected to head Brown University, making it the first Ivy League school to appoint a black president. But higher education leaders are more impressed with the candidate's resume than her race. Smith College President Ruth J. Simmons was unanimously elected by a search committee Nov.

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University, Community College System Presidents Thank Voters

TO THE EDITOR: We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the voters of North Carolina for their overwhelming support of the higher-education improvement bonds and for their demonstration of confidence in our public university campuses and community colleges. With their votes Nov. 7, our citizens affirmed that higher education in this state must continue to open the doors of opportunity for their children and grandchildren, as it has done for generations past.

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Contrary to Accusations, Liberal Bias Not Likely In Election Night Stories

TO THE EDITOR: Richard Rankin Russell's election-coverage analysis ("Media's Election Coverage Indicative of Liberal Bias, Lack of Professionalism" Nov. 14) is seriously flawed. Citing the news media's early Florida call as evidence of a liberal bias betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the Election Night news-reporting process. All of the major networks employ the nonpartisan Voter News Service to provide them with election-return data.

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Gov. Hunt Commutes Carter's Sentence; Committee Calls for Moratorium

In the final days of his administration, Gov. Jim Hunt did something that he has only done once before during his 16 years in office - halted an execution. Hunt took Marcus Carter Jr. off death row Tuesday and commuted his sentence to life in prison without parole. Convicted in 1992 of the 1989 murder and attempted rape of Amelia Lewis of Goldsboro, Carter was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 2 a.m.

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Be Most Thankful for Small Things

Go back in time to Sunday night about 1 a.m., and here I sit. My column is written, but I don't like it. But who cares; we can all be thankful to leave this hell-bent palace called UNC. Yes, we're all thankful. Blah. Blah. Blah. And why do I feel compelled to have a central theme when all I want to do is ramble? Then I realize the beauty of writing this column. I can say precisely whatever the hell I want to. How could life be any more grand? (If I got paid.) Sunday it snowed. I woke up, not having gone to church since about 1997, but it was like God was saying hello.

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Laycock Makes Most Of Chance

Matt Laycock knows how to use his time wisely. The redshirt junior's playing time had been limited to 20 minutes a game due to knee and hamstring injuries during his first three years at North Carolina. This year, the midfielder has only made seven appearances. But that didn't stop him from making an impact when his team needed him on Sunday. Laycock scored two goals to rally the Tar Heels from a 2-0 deficit and send the game into overtime.

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Rural Counties Surprise N.C. With Highest Support for Bond

The four N.C. counties in which the Higher Education Facilities Improvement Bonds referendum passed by the largest margin might not be the counties you would guess. They are not the counties that will benefit most directly from the bond - they are small and rural and they contain no universities or community colleges. Hertford, Bertie, Martin and Scotland counties all garnered 86 percent approval for the bond - the highest approval rate in the state.

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Service Program Kicks Off 2nd Year

In its second year of existence, Project Uniting and Nurturing our Community hopes to expand what was initially a single day of community service into a monthly program. Last year, more than 500 students, faculty and staff participated in more than 85 projects around Chapel Hill and Orange County during the service day.

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Torbush Deserved More Time to Rebuild Program

Some people are upset because a great man was fired as North Carolina's football coach Monday. Indeed, the fate Carl Torbush met was sad. No coach was more genuine or fair than he was in his three years at the helm. From a personal standpoint, he deserved better. But that's not what this column is about. Life isn't fair, and college football is a business. Everyone, including Torbush, knows that. If you don't win, some little guy in a suit asks you to leave. But UNC's little guy, Director of Athletics Dick Baddour, shouldn't have been so quick on the trigger.

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Brown Delivers in Tar Heels' Blowout Win

The North Carolina women's basketball team faced one major question as it opened its season last week. Everyone wanted to know if sophomore Coretta Brown could be an effective point guard. Brown's answer? A resounding yes. She scored 17 points and handed out a school-record 16 assists in the Tar Heels' 101-33 home-opening victory against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday night. "I've been telling people all along that Coretta is a great player," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "Our unproven point guard has proven herself now.

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Donnan, Walker Take Names Out of Hat

North Carolina Director of Athletics Dick Baddour is convinced he has an attractive football program to sell. But Baddour's task of finding a new coach might just be a little tougher than planned. One day after Carl Torbush was fired as UNC's coach, Northwestern coach Randy Walker and Georgia coach Jim Donnan said they weren't interested in the job. Walker, who was an assistant coach at UNC from 1978-87, released a statement that said he would remain the Wildcats' coach. "I am not interested in the coaching job at North Carolina or any other coaching position," Walker said in th

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Students Give Tickets to Kids in Hospital, Poverty

Some UNC students want to give local children struggling with poverty or illness the opportunity to experience the excitement of North Carolina basketball games. On Tuesday, the Helping Heels, a UNC service group, completed its effort to collect UNC vs. Buffalo men's basketball tickets that will be donated to children from underprivileged families or those coping with medical problems. "This is our first year and our first event," said Michael Songer, Helping Heels co-president.

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'79 Carolina Graduate Thanks Torbush, Wishes Him Best in the Future

TO THE EDITOR: Dear Coach Torbush, Please accept my sincere thanks for representing my alma mater with true class and dignity. I have been very proud of being a fan of Carl Torbush-coached teams and will continue to be a fan of those teams wherever you may land. I am sure that this change will be a positive one for you and your family. You should not feel bad for the players, coaches and fans who have supported you. We have been lucky to learn from your leadership and example. You and your family deserve the best in a supportive environment. Lonnie Buff Class of 1979

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Viewpoints Column About American Habits Insulting to DTH Readers

TO THE EDITOR: Kirsty Carter's point of view column ("America Is, Like, Different From the Rest of the World" Nov. 20) was appalling and hurtful for me to read. I have never been to Zimbabwe, and I do not profess to understand its customs and societal norms. But based on what you think is "wrong" with America, I will not be visiting your country anytime soon. Apparently Zimbabwe is a place where politeness is nonexistent. Kirsty certainly seems surprised that we are polite to her here. Also, the argument about whether your vote counts or not is flat-out wrong.

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UNC Will Not Offer Abortion Pill

Health officials at universities up and down the East Coast - including UNC - say they will not provide students with access to the controversial RU-486 abortion pill due to safety concerns. The survey, conducted by the American Life League, an anti-abortion group, found that at least 30 universities did not plan to offer RU-486 in their campus health clinics partly due to the required surgical procedure. Scott Weinberg, ALL media director, said the survey results prove that college health officials do not think the pill is safe enough to prescribe. "Colleges are admitting that it is

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