04-26-12

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INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880

The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 128, No. 135

THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012

After Three Months, Query Into IPD Lt. Yet to Show Results

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ITHACA, NEW YORK

20 Pages – Free

Construction for a cause

Mayor refuses to talk about investigation By MICHAEL LINHORST Sun Senior Writer

More than three months after testimony emerged accusing Ithaca Police Lt. Marlon Byrd of aiding drug dealers, no details about the city’s investigation into the accusations have been released. Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 insisted this week that the investigation is continuing, but declined to discuss “I have not been given any he what actions are being information of substance” taken or when the regarding the investigation. inquiry may be completed. “I can assure you the Lt. Marlon Byrd conclusions of the investigation will be made public once it’s complete,” Myrick said in an email. “I can’t talk about an investigation that is in progress.” But Byrd, who has remained on the job except for a one-day administrative leave in January, said that he has not been interviewed or told anything in connection with the inquiry. “I have not been given any information of substance” regarding the investigation, he said. Similarly, Sgt. Bryan Bangs — who testified in 2010 that he See IPD page 4

ESTHER HOFFMAN / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Habitat for Humanity hosts “Truss Day 2012” Wednesday on Ho Plaza, where volunteers helped build roof trusses for a local home being built by the organization.

Man Charged With Beating H.S.Student By JEFF STEIN Sun Managing Editor

A 36 year-old male was arrested and charged Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a high school student outside the State Theatre, a block away from the Commons, according to an email from

Mayor Svante Myrick ’09. Michael Frey of Millport, N.Y., reportedly beat the 16-year-old student from the New Roots Charter School after one of the wads of paper students were shooting at each other stuck to the rear See NEW ROOTS page 5

The Wailers Will Take Slope Day Stage Rules Reduced By MANU RATHORE Sun Staff Writer

The Wailers, a Jamaican reggae group known for being Bob Marley’s former band, will be the opening act for Taio Cruz and Neon Trees on Slope Day, the Slope Day Planning Board announced Wednesday. The band accepted its offer Tuesday morning. The Wailers last graced Cornell in 2003, when they performed at Bailey Hall the week after Slope Day. “We were looking out for acts within our budget and so The Wailers’ name came up within our list of possibilities ... We thought it would be in accordance with our mission to get the widest variety of genre on Slope Day, to get something that will appeal to everybody,” said Sam Breslin ’12, selections director of SDPB. The band was formed by the remaining members of Bob Marley and The Wailers after Marley’s death in 1981. “It’s a Bob Marley band and after 1981 they have still been touring and playing a lot of classic Bob Marley stuff like Three Little Birds,” Breslin said. “They are playing at Ithaca College the same day, so it really couldn’t have been

more perfect.” SDPB decided to book The Wailers in part because reggae artists rarely perform at Cornell, according to Noelle Cornelio ’12, chair of SDPB. “I am pretty sure that the last time we had reggae show was when the Wailers performed [in 2003],” she said. “We hope that reggae would attract a new kind of crowd.” According to Breslin, The Wailers will play “all of Bob Marley’s classics,” diversifying the line-up and providing a “great, chill vibe” for people as they arrive at the Slope. “While I can’t guarantee a

Bob Marley hologram, I can guarantee a great performance and vibe,” he said referring to the hologram of the deceased Tupac Shakur that was projected at Coachella last week. Marley and The Wailers have sold more than 250 million albums worldwide, according to the band’s website. British pop singer and rapper Taio Cruz will headline this year’s Slope Day. Pop rock band Neon Trees will also be an opener. Manu Rathore can be reached at mrathore@cornellsun.com.

COURTESY OF WAILERS.COM

Ready for reggae | Bob Marley’s former band will play at Cornell on Slope Day.

Drinking During Rush, IFC Reports

By HARRISON OKIN

Opinion Take a Breather

Patricia Kim ’14 explores the pros and cons of taking a semester off from the stress of Cornell. | Page 7

Dining Farm Fresh

Sun Staff Writer

After the University banned the consumption of alcohol during rush week this year, fraternities witnessed a large decrease in overall alcohol consumption in the spring 2012 recruitment period. However, the decline was accompanied by a trend in rush events shifting to off-campus venues, according to data released by the Interfraternity Council Thursday. According to surveys administered by the IFC to students who rushed and joined fraternities this semester, 72.6 percent of students reported that they did not drink any alcohol during rush. By contrast, 32.9 percent reported not drinking in 2011. Furthermore, students reported that hard alcohol consumption and excessive binge drinking — characterized as ingesting more than seven drinks in a single night — were drastically lower than the amounts reportedly consumed during the previous two rush weeks. “Not only are fewer students See IFC page 5

Sydney Ramsden ’14 describes her very first trip to the Ithaca Farmers Market, giving the local gem a rave review. | Page 10

Arts Hitting the Pavement

James Rainis ’14 explains why Pavement’s 20-year-old record Slanted and Enchanted is one of his favorite classic rock albums. | Page 11

Sports Ultimate Competitors

The ultimate frisbee team will head to Saratoga Springs this weekend to compete in the regional championships. | Page 18

Weather Showers HIGH: 52 LOW: 34


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