Monday, August 26, 2013

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News: Many students partied in foam on Friday – read about the students who had to clean up the mess. (Online) W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

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DRUNK DRIVING

Police campaign boosts strictness Service provides a secure alternative to drunken driving KAITLYN UNDERWOOD Campus Reporter

The OU Police Department is patrolling Norman in force now through Sept. 2 as part of an annual nationwide campaign focusing on drunken driving. The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign through the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration runs August through early September and is designed to reduce drunken driving over the Labor Day holiday. The campaign will include “high-visibility

enforcement, high-profile events and will be supported by paid national advertising,” according to a press release. OUPD has participated in the campaign in years past, said police Maj. Bruce Chan. August through Labor Day is an important time to crack down on drunken driving because more motorists are on the road through the holiday weekend, Chan said. “Here in Norman, there’s going to be a home football game, so a lot of students are going to be sticking around for Labor Day weekend,” Chan said. The SafeRide program is an alternative for OU students in Norman over Labor Day who may need a way home without driving under

the influence of alcohol. SafeRide is a way for students to get a ride for free, no questions asked. One voucher guarantees a ride for an OU student and their friends. Trips involving multiple stops require more vouchers, one voucher per stop. If a student loses or forgets his or her voucher, he or she may still use the Yellow Cab or Airport Express cab companies, but he or she will have to pay for the ride. “You can’t decide at the spur of the moment that you need SafeRide, you have to make arrangements ahead of time during the week to get vouchers, so I would urge students to think ahead,” Chan said.

AT A GLANCE SafeRide Vouchers Vouchers available: noon to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday in room 181 of Oklahoma Memorial Union. What you need: A valid OU ID Vouchers valid: 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday to Saturday Source: Brynn Daves, Director for Student Affairs Operations and Student Programs

NORMAN SKIES OF SMOKE

CHRIS JAMES/THE DAILY

Norman firefighters respond to a blaze Sunday at Hibdon Tires Plus Auto Care, 221 N. Interstate Dr. Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey said the fire took about an hour to get under control but the structure appears to be salvageable.

Flames engulf local business Customers, residents forced to stay in parking lot until fire clears ARIANNA PICKARD Campus Editor

Crowds gathered outside the parking lot of Hibdon Tires Plus Auto Care at 221 North Interstate Dr. to watch flames protrude from the roof of the building Sunday evening. Firefighters were called to the scene around 5:45 p.m., and a total of 33 firefighters had the fire under control within about an hour, said Jim Bailey, Norman Deputy Fire Chief. Waffle House restaurant and Norman Travel Lodge hotel customers were evacuated from the buildings and asked to move their cars out of the parking lots nearest to Hibdon Tires, said Jeff Robertson, Norman

Police Department Lieutenant. Golden Corral Buffet & Grill customers and some Walmart customers also were asked to move their cars. Many of these customers were stuck watching the fire because the parking lots connecting Waffle House, Norman Travel Lodge and Golden Corral only have exits to Interstate Drive, which was closed off because of the fire, and a fire hose blocked the other exit. Robertson said customers were asked to either wait until the firefighters were done using the hose or drive over a curb to get out of the parking lot. “It’s kind of a bad deal …” Robertson said about customers being stuck in the parking lot. Royce Johnson, a Moore resident who was eating at Golden Corral when the

News: An OU student journalist’s lawsuit against OU president David Boren and the former Open Records Office director heads to hearing Monday. (Online)

SEE FIRE PAGE 3

Sports: It’s almost time for Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to be filled with Sooners, but there are some things you need to know before the season starts. (Page 5)

RESIDENCE HALLS

Smoke rises out of Couch Center

OU emergency responders were called to the third floor of Couch Center on Sunday afternoon when fire alarms sounded due to an excess of smoke coming from the floor’s kitchen. For precautionary measures, students living on floors one through five were asked to evacuate, weekend desk assistant Sitta Tarawall said. The third floor was evacuated for an hour and half while other floors were cleared in 30 minutes. No visible damage was uncovered by Daily staff. Staff Reports

VOL. 99, NO. 06 © 2013 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢

INSIDE TODAY Campus......................2 Clas si f ie ds................6 L i f e & A r t s ..................7 O p inio n.....................4 Spor ts........................5 Visit OUDaily.com for more

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