Full Body Movement Faculty dance concert starts today Page 3
Thursday, April 28, 2011
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Volume 97 | Issue 46
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ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Groups push for harsher DUI laws BY MEGAN R ADKE Intern
NEWS: Green Glory Award recipient to speak at UNT campus Page 2 PHOTO BY BRIAN MASCHINO/INTERN
UNT Air Force ROTC students listen to the names of those who died in the past year at the 5th Flight Memorial Ceremony. The ceremony took place Wednesday, honoring those who were previously and currently involved in the Mean Green community.
SPORTS: Men’s golf team places behind Pioneers Page 4
VIEWS: Women’s sports don’t get enough coverage Page 6
ONLINE: UNT bands jazz up the music scene
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Memorial service honors fallen Eagles BY M ARLENE GONZALEZ Intern
More than 100 people gathered at noon Wednesday outside the Shrader Pavilion to honor 312 students, alumni, faculty and staff members who died in the last year, as part of the 5th Flight Memorial Ceremony. The Green Tones, UNT’s contemporary a cappella group, sang “One Sweet Day” by Boys II Men and Mariah Carey. Arielle LaGuette, a communication studies senior, said she was touched by the reactions of the people while the group sang. “It was really moving, singing and watching everyone get emotional. It was really hard not to get emotional,” LaGuette said. “It definitely builds the community of UNT and makes it more of a family to come out and support everyone who has had a fallen member, a friend, and be together for that and commemorate.” This was the first year UNT President V. Lane Rawlins attended the ceremony. He said it was a good way to remember those who have died and to share their story with others who have gone through the same grief. “I think it makes a difference to the families. They like to know that someone is remembering their loved ones who have passed on,” Rawlins said. “It reminds us that we are more than just a place
PHOTO BY BRIAN MASCHINO/INTERN
Attendees of the 5th Flight Memorial Ceremony expressed their emotions during the calling of names of those who passed away last year. The ceremony served as a memoriam service of students, alumni, faculty and staff members who died in the past year. where people take classes — we are a community.” Yvonne Steadman’s son Tonny Steadman died Nov. 30, 2010, and she said she felt it was a great idea to have the Flight Memorial. She said the music and taps in the end of the service stood out to her. “Everyone has been helpful, everything is great. This is like a closure,” Steadman said. “My son was a true Mean Green.” Maureen McGuinness, the
executive dean of students, said three flags — the American flag, Texas flag and UNT flag — will be placed on the south side of the library next month. The UNT flag will be lowered for seven days when a student who is currently enrolled dies. There will also be an honorarium page on the Dean of Students’ website. “Once you’re a student at UNT, you’re always a student, whether you are here or not,” she said.
Coach Carter shares wisdom BY DREW GAINES
Senior Staff Writer
Blaring his whistle and commanding pushups from audience members, famed high school basketball coach Ken Carter gave a pep talk to UNT students Wednesday night as part of the university’s Distinguished Lecture Series. More t ha n 200 people filed into the Gateway Center Ballroom to hear the coach whose winning record both on the court and in the classroom inspired a blockbuster movie and thousands of students and athletes nationwide. Carter engaged the audience with rowdy cheers and slaps on the chest as he spoke about his life lessons, and offered students his game plan for success. “If you are trying to be
successful, you’ve got to be a part of the ra-ra crew,” Carter said. “We have to be confident in what we do. You have to take a chance… The greatest thing about life is that you’ve got to live it.” Carter is known for transforming a floundering team from the tough streets of Richmond, Calif., into a championship club that focused on more than basketball. He locked his all-star players out of the gym and made them hit the books rather than the court. His philosophy focused on four fundamental words, “integrity, accountability, leadership and teamwork,” he said. This philosophy has brought Carter seven high school state championships and is the basis for his book, “Coach Carter: My Life.”
“Do not think outside of the box,” Carter said. “Think inside of the box that you created. Knowledge is not power — the use of knowledge is power.” During the two-hour lecture, Carter told stories from his first years as a coach in which he instilled a strong work ethic, dress code and high academic standards on his players. He kept the audience laughing with his constant jokes and exchanges with some UNT basketball players. “I liked his energy,” said Marco Arce, a hospitality management sophomore. “Most speakers are too formal. He was fun, he was not afraid to show energy and he connected with the audience.”
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Although Texas is consistently ranked among states with the highest number of drunk driving-related fatalities and accidents, efforts to strengthen drunk-driving laws are facing tough opposition. Last week, law enforcement officials and other advocates testified before a state congressional committee to share ideas about how the state can cut down on drunk-driving accidents. Some of the measures presented included sobriety checkpoints throughout Texas highways, increasing penalties for driving while intoxicated and ignition locks for first-time offenders. Toni Logan, a representative for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said it has been difficult to get these measures passed because of misinformation and strong personal attitudes. “So many people have this ‘you’re not going to tell me what to do’ attitude,” Logan said. “We’ve figured that there are enough laws in the books, but things like sobriety checkpoints helps to increase public awareness of drunk driving and aren’t just consequences.” Many of these measures were rejected during last year’s Texas legislative session, and don’t appear to be making progress with lawmakers this year either. Logan said that between the arrest of a person under suspicion of driving while intoxicated and their court hearing, there is a large chance for re-offending.
By the Numbers 124,662 3-time DUI offenders
18,271 5-time DUI offenders
40% Total traffic deaths DUI related
-6% Change in DUI fatalities from previous to current year
$5.8 billion State subsidy of drunk driving fatalities Statistics courtesy of MADD “We need to make people accountable,” Logan said. Logan thinks that ignition locks would help to do just that. She also said she thinks cars in the future could be the cure to drunk-driving accidents. She hopes that all vehicles will eventually contain some type of breathalyzer or ignition lock so that if anyone, not just someone who has already had some type of drunk-driving conviction, tried to drive while intoxicated, their car would simply not start.
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Police trespass group from Hickory alcove BY A BIGAIL A LLEN Views Editor
Singing and panhandling got six homeless people trespass warnings and one man arrested Wednesday afternoon outside Voer t ma n’s Book store on Hickor y Street. Employees inside the store said the group usually loiters outside, but that Wednesday they were making more noise than normal.
said Kyle Smith, one of the people who received a trespass warning. Smith said he didn’t think they were causing any problems. “I thought everyone loved us,” Smith said. “We were being cool. We got smiles, ea r-to-ea r g r i ns, a l l t he time.” Denton Police spokesman Ryan Grelle said business ow ners have t he r ig ht to
“They were being really loud, and not just in a having-aconversation, good-time loud.”
—Michael Dellis, General manager at Voertman’s Bookstore
“They were being really loud, and not just in a havinga-conversation, good-time loud,” said Michelle Dellis, t he gener a l ma nager of Voertman’s. “But they were yelling at people across the street that were walking, and they were panhandling.” The group was sitting in a small, benched area that the store owns. When the police arrived, t he indiv idua ls were told t hey would be arrested if they returned to that spot,
control who is allowed on their property. T he assista nt store manager called the police at about 1:30 p.m., Dellis said. Four Denton police officers responded, dispersing the group and arresting one ma n who had a prev ious trespass warning at the same location. Smit h sa id most of t he people were tr y ing to get money for a cross-country trip.