TECHNICIAN
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House approves bill to outlaw smoking in most public places Staff Writer
Derek Medlin Managing Editor
The N.C. Legislature could vote on a bill to ban text messaging while driving as early as next week in an attempt to improve road safety. A judiciary committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill Tuesday and the full House could vote on the bill soon. If the legislation passes, it would be illegal for drivers to send or receive text messages or use other phone technology while operating a vehicle. Gina Fantozzi, a senior in business finance, said she is glad to see the Legislature trying to make the roads safer. “I mean, it’s a good idea. It’s really dangerous to text and drive,” I’m guilty of doing it too, but it’s really dangerous.” Lauren Kotwicki, a senior in communication media, said she probably wouldn’t change her texting habits even if the law is passed. “I’ll probably just keep doing it,” she said. “I can text and not look at my phone so I think it’s unfair. Sometimes things are vital and you need to say them right then.” According to the bill, violators of this law would be fined up to $100 and court costs. The only people exempt from the legislation would be police officers, members of fire departments and the operators of public or private ambulances. Fantozzi said she doesn’t see how law enforcement officials will be able to enforce the law efficiently if it’s passed. “I don’t know how they will enforce it,” she said. “If you’re just looking down you could be getting a drink out of a cup holder or changing your radio. I guess if they see the phone they can enforce it.” If the legislation passes, North Carolina would be the 11th state to adopt such a law. Kotwicki said her home state of Connecticut already has strict laws about phone use while driving. “In Connecticut, we can’t even
secondhand smoke has been proven to cause disease r Prompted the introduction of legislation by the General Assembly r Smoking ban would include restaurants and other public places r The General Assembly expressed a desire to protect the health of individuals in public places by passing this legislation SOURCE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY
MEREDITH FAGGART/TECHNICIAN
Bryce Wyatt, a freshman in chemical engineering, smokes a cigarette outside of Turlington Hall. “I live over in FYC and they took away our bench,” Wyatt said. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous.”
don’t want to infringe on other people’s enjoyment,” Scott said. “But it is kind of ridiculous for the government to make this kind of decision and to get involved
in private business.” Owners and employees in the restaurant business share this ambivalence towards the smoking ban.
Randy Mosteller, an employee at Mitch’s Tavern, a local pub on Hillsborough Street, said in a statement that they went ahead and went smoke free while the previous bill was being debated. “I am conflicted about this because I’m a smoker but I have children,” Mosteller said. “But I think [the owner] isn’t a huge fan because legislators shouldn’t be messing around in private matters.” Scott said he also questioned the enforceability of this sort of law. “It’ll be really hard to enforce,” Scott said. “I’m sure there are a lot of places where people have always smoked and it might not go over too well with some of them.” Grier echoed Scott’s sentiments. “Cops won’t want to waste time hunting for smokers,” he said. The consensus among students and professionals alike was that the government has simply gone about this the wrong way. “I know why they did it, they just shouldn’t be forcing this kind of legislation on private businesses,” Scott said.
Thompson Hall construction completed
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tile management, said. “I’ve been waiting ever since I was a freshman for it to reopen and now I can’t wait to get a studio pass.” The pass would cost between $50 and $60, Miller said, and Jester will use her pass to create ceramics and expose photos. “I’m really excited about the dark room and the pottery studio,” Jester said. “I’ve never had anywhere to go for those things until now.” This fall will be the first chance for students to use the facilities,
and Thomas Jones, a sophomore in history and political science, said the project has come a long way since the last time he was inside the building. “It’s better than I thought it would be,” Jones, who attended the first tour of the building when construction had just begun, said. “It’s amazing to see it come this far in one and a half years.” Jones said he was most excited about the pottery and wood crafts studios, especially since he
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hasn’t been able to experience having a craft center during his college career. John McIlwee, director of University Theatre, was very pleased with the option of having simultaneous performances with the new theater setup, especially with acoustics that don’t allow noise to be heard between the stages. “We’ll be able to have performances and rehearsals at
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Alex Miller, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, talks to a group of students from the Arts Village in one of two new dressing rooms in the renovated Thompson Hall on Tuesday, April 14. Before the renovation, men and women had to share a single dressing room.
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Arts Village residents toured Thompson Hall’s renovated crafts center and theaters Tuesday just days before the building will host its first function. Donors to the restoration project will meet for a luncheon to celebrate the realization of the reconstruction goals Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Stafford laid out when the project began. Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Alex Miller, who gave the tour, said the project was finishing up right on time—almost too close for comfort. “We’re cutting this by the skin of our teeth,” Miller said. “We were supposed to have it inspected last week, but our final inspection is this Thursday.” While the project is finishing up without a moment to spare, though, Miller said the facilities and specifications he wanted to see in the finished product make Thompson one of the finest buildings on campus. “In the original design, large, wide-spaced rooms kept things from going on at the same time,” Miller said, alluding to the noise from different projects keeping simultaneous production down. “That issue has been addressed by creating multiple, smaller craft rooms.” While the craft center will fea-
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Ty Johnson
House could vote on bill by next week
r Bill will take effect Jan. 2, 2010 r General Assembly determined that
ture state-of-the-art facilities and space, Miller stressed the appeal of the space wasn’t about what it looked like, but what students created using the space. “The craft center isn’t about the beauty of the space,” Miller said, alluding to the new pottery tools available in the center. “It’s about the beauty of what you make with your hands.” And, according to Miller, students will have options when it comes to getting involved with the center. There will be a schedule of non-academic courses where students pay a small fee to attend six to eight week courses and an available semester-long studio pass for users who display the skill necessary to use the center safely, Miller said. Beyond the functions of the building, the renovations team took care to preserve Thompson Hall’s storied past, from leaving a stone engraved on the front of the building that says “Thompson Gymnasium” to the woodshop downstairs which is housed on top of the filled-in pool students used to swim in. “The basement also used to house a rif le range,” Stafford said. “But when the U.S. Army inspected it, there were so many violations, my predecessor shut it down that very day.” But the students on the tour, beyond being content with the renovations, were mostly ready to get to work on projects. “I’m incredibly impressed,” Chelsea Jester, a junior in tex-
House could ban texting for motorists
SMOKING BAN LEGISLATION INFO
John Cline
First play, Amadeus, planned for next fall in state-of-the-art theatre
Raleigh, North Carolina
Restaurant owners, students react to limited smoking ban The N.C. House passed a landmark bill April 1 when it voted 75 to 42 in favor of a bill that effectively outlaws smoking in most public places and restaurants. This comes in the wake of a similar bill the House voted down in 2007. In a statement released shortly after the vote, House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman said that while the true effects are still unknown, the bill represents the beginning of a new age in North Carolina. The bill still needs one more vote to clear the House before moving on to the Senate. If passed, smoking cigarettes would become illegal in any public place that employs or serves anyone under the age of 18. This would include many restaurants but would exempt many bars. Exemptions are also in place for private residences, private vehicles, tobacco shops, cigar bars and designated hotel or motel rooms. North Carolina would be the 35th state to put a smoking ban in place. Students, including Steven Grier, a sophomore in statistics, say they see the bill as more of a political tool and believe that the government is overstepping their bounds. “I don’t like it. I feel like it’s a hot issue that politicians use to get votes; it’s just an attention getter,” Grier said. “It’s just politicians trying to get publicity, not really helping people out.” Hunter Scott, a junior in mechanical engineering, says he is more positive about the actions of the bill but agrees the government shouldn’t be getting involved. “[The ban] doesn’t really bother me, I’d rather smoke outside anyway. I can understand how people wouldn’t want cigarette smoke around them, and I
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