THE STUDENT VOICE OF FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY
“The Number 1 HBCU Newspaper” According to the Black College Communication Association
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www.TheFamuanOnline.com
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
VOL. 112 ISSUE 22
SGA officials forced out MATTHEW RICHARDSON SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR Come next Senate meeting, a few more empty seats might be available. Twelve members of SGA were notified by Dean of
NEWS BRIEFS INTERNATIONAL
ANGON, Myanmar (AP) — From almost the moment Le Yati Min was born, her mother knew the girl had a little something extra. Born with 12 fingers and 14 toes, Le may be the most “digitally enhanced” person in the world. Now, the 16-month-old girl’s family in impoverished Myanmar is seeking a Guinness World Record to prove it. SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
STATE TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Insurance giant State Farm is back before Florida insurance regulators asking for significant increases in homeowners premiums. The Comapny presented its case at a public rate hearing on Tuesday. The insurer seeks a hike of nearly 28 percent in homeowners policies. The company is also asking for a hike of nearly 96 percent for coverage that protects against multiple perils for businesses and homes or combines property and liability coverage in one policy. SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
WEATHER Today
70 48 Thursday
74 47 Friday
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Students Henry Kirby to relinquish their position due to poor grades and/or insufficient credit hours. “We just got the grade point averages back from the registrar’s office yesterday and they were notified today,”
It is a violation of the Federal Education Rights of Privacy Act to disclose exactly which students fail to meet academic requirements. The Famuan reported on
Kirby said Tuesday. During a sit-down with Kirby in his office, he was asked to respond to questions about SGA being forced to resign. Kirby said he sent letters to each member but was not allowed to release the names.
SGA 4
Haven for the weary
Jasmine Mitchell The Famuan The Shelter, located at 480 E. Tennessee St provides lodging, laundry services, and other support services to the cities neediest residents. The Shelter opened in 1986, after several men froze to death in winter. See Page 3 for the full story.
Tech waste meets recycling KENTA JOSEPH STAFF WRITER In a small, 10,000-squarefoot facility, just off Woodville Highway in Tallahassee, workers are destroying data, disassembling parts and recycling unwanted PCs, flatscreen TVs and other electronics. This process continues daily at Veolia Environmental Services, while most consumers remain unaware of one of the fastest growing waste streams globally – electronic waste.
In 2005, 76 percent of Americans owned a personal computer and 67 percent owned a mobile phone, according to an Opinion Research CARAVAN poll. New technology drives the development of new products and the replacement of old ones. Ahmdiel Ahmdyah, a third year agricultural science student from Orlando, said that he has owned everything -- camcorders, digital cameras, computers, remote control devices, tape recorders -- but he would just trash them. “Now I know you can recycle
just about any electronic, computers, your cell phone and even household batteries,” Ahmdyah said. When unwanted electronics are disposed improperly, hazardous toxins like lead, mercury and cadmium are released, polluting the soil and air. Still, more than 4.6 million tons of e-waste ended up in U.S. landfills in 2000. According to Greenpeace International, e-waste is generated at an WASTE 4
Summit promotes awareness NI’TAVIA JOHNSON STAFF WRITER Former USDA official Shirley Sherrod will be a keynote speaker at a twoday summit at Florida A&M addressing agricultural and environmental issues. The summit themed “Embracing Our Traditions of Partnership,” is scheduled to take place on campus on Friday and Saturday. The purpose of the summit is to bring stakeholders together at the planning table in an effort to collectively frame an agenda that addresses sustainable agriculture for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 1890 Land Grant institutions over the long term. The summit will officially open on Friday evening, with a plenary session presided over by Makola Abdullah, Dean of FAMU’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture. Sherrod will provide the keynote address. “We are most powerful and most impactful when we connect with the community; farmers, students, activists, and others we can empower to help us help them,” Abdullah said. Last summer, Sherrod found herself at the center of controversy after an edited video of a speech she gave at a NAACP banquet falsely depicted her as a racist. Sherrod has since filed a defamation lawsuit against Andrew Breitbart over the video released on his website BigGovernment.com that ultimately led to her dismissal from the USDA. GREEN 4
Red-light cameras may face speedy legislative challenge MARCUS JOSEPH STAFF WRITER Florida’s red-light violators may have something to celebrate if a proposed senate bill is passed. An act related to uniform traffic control has been filed, and if passed would remove traffic cameras from the state of Florida. Newly acquired state Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, and Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-New Port Richey, respectively proposed SB 672 and HB 4087, concerning uniform traffic control measures. If either bill is passed, they could call off the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act signed by
File Photo The Famuan Traffic cameras may be removed completely from the state of FLorida if the proposed bill is passed.
Gov. Charlie Crist last July. The law’s repeal would have a direct impact on the city of Tallahassee. The Traffic Safety Act was created for many reasons, but
mainly to decrease the number of casualties caused by red-light runners. As of Aug. 1, 2010, the city of Tallahassee has been enforcing
Sports
Lifestyles
Tennis player Brittney Dean has been in love with the sport since the first time she took to the court.
In-house movie critic Matthew Richardson gives his spin on the newly released film “Just Go With It”
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Lifestyles | 6
fines for violators who are captured by traffic cameras, already installed at some of the city’s major intersections. On Jan. 13, The Famuan reported safety cameras have been monitoring major intersections around the city. “The Red Light Camera Safety program is an effort to reduce the number of red light violations that could have important life saving benefits to the citizens living and working in Tallahassee,” said Alison Faris, a representative in the city of Tallahassee’s communications department. Garcia, deemed traffic cameras TRAFFIC 4