‘Loose Cannons,’ a ‘kick-ass campus kung-fu buddy cop comedy,’ plays at Orpheum tonight ARTS
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DISTANCE RUNNERS TRAIN WITH THE BEST Former Badgers-turned pro, now training for Olympic Trials, work with young runners SPORTS
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Wis. Supreme Court may rule on ‘right of conscience’ By Rebecca Autrey THE DAILY CARDINAL
Neil Noesen, a pharmacist from Menomonie, Wis., appealed to the state Supreme Court Thursday after he was sanctioned for refusing to fill a woman’s birth-control prescription. The decision of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, which upheld the ruling against Noesen on March 25, said he was the only pharmacist working at the Menomonie Kmart when he declined to fill the prescription in 2002. According to the Associated Press, Noelsen denied the woman birth control because of his religious beliefs and said the ruling violates his “right of conscience” to refuse to provide birth control. He also refused to disclose the relevant information needed to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy. As a result, Noesen was disciplined by the Department of Licensing and Regulation. Alta Charo, a UW-Madison professor of law and bioethics, said the issue at hand is the fact that Noesen, a devout Roman Catholic, did not make his objection to contraceptives known to Kmart when
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Weekend, April 25-27, 2008
Pharmacist appeals birthcontrol ruling he was hired. Charo also said by declining to fill or transfer the prescription, Noesen essentially stole the prescription out of the patient’s hands and left the patient with no control over her own medication. Michael Hichborne, the media director for the anti-abortion organization American Life League, said a Supreme Court decision in favor of the patient would be harmful to human rights across the country. “To coerce somebody to do something within his job that he disbelieves or believes is wrong is tyrannical. It’s an infringement on his ability to live within the rights of his own conscience,” he said. According to Nicole Safar, a legal and policy analyst with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Noesen’s refusal to fill the prescription was unprofessional and put the patient at risk. “From Planned Parenthood’s perspective, we believe that the laws in Wisconsin that govern pharmacy are really clear on what the duties of a pharmacist are, and that is to dispense legal prescriptions, birth control being one of them,” she said. If the case does go to the Supreme Court, Safar said she is unsure what the result would be. Justice Mike Gableman, a strong supporter of antiabortion policies, was elected to the court in early April and begins his term August 1.
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Television personality Jerry Springer discusses political convictions and pop culture at the Orpheum Theatre in Madison Thursday night. CHARLIE BAKER THE DAILY CARDINAL
TV host Jerry Springer advocates free speech, health care to students By Katrina Rust THE DAILY CARDINAL
Talk show host Jerry Springer shared his stance on political issues at a talk sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Hillel at the Orpheum Theatre Thursday night. Although addressing political issues might seem out of character for the host of a show with episodes such as “I Married My Horse,” Springer spoke from his experience serving as the mayor of Cincinnati, a TV news anchor and city councilman. Springer explained that the reasons he defends his “outrageous” show come from his strong beliefs in tolerance and freedom to pursue the American dream.
Springer speaks at campuses across the country because he believes this dream may be out of reach for some Americans. He warned students their generation is the first to face the likelihood that they will not make a better life for themselves than their parents. The most glaring issue to Springer is an inefficient health-care system. He urged students to demand that politicians provide universal health care instead of spending billions of dollars on national defense. “You can’t protect America if you don’t protect Americans. You can’t protect your family if you can’t provide health insurance,” Springer said.
Crazylegs team to honor UW pharmacy student; Ron Dayne to be grand marshall By Rachel Holzman THE DAILY CARDINAL
A group of more than 60 runners will participate in the 27th annual Crazylegs Classic Saturday in memory of UW-Madison pharmacy school student Adam Nickel. Nickel died suddenly after completing last month’s Little Rock Marathon in Arkansas because of a rare and difficultto-detect heart condition. Nickel was an avid runner and accomplished maraCHARLIE BAKER/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO thoner finishing his third year of pharMore than 60 runners for Saturday’s Crazylegs Classic will run in honor of UW student macy school at the time of his death. and marathoner Adam Nickel who died suddenly of a rare heart condition in March. In his remembrance, Nickel’s friends, along with Group Health Cooperative, where Nickel interned, formed the Balzar said. Scholarship Fund. Recipients of the scholRemembering Adam Nickel team. “Adam would be in awe of how many arship will be decided by a committee “Crazylegs was Adam’s favorite race to people are coming out to show their sup- based on “passion for athletics, exercise, run, so we decided to run it in his honor,” port and help us remember him and would benefits to health, employment during said Nickel’s friend and co-worker at GHC love the fact that people are getting out Pharmacy School in a clinical environment Sarah Ann Balzar. and doing something active, one of Adam’s and putting learning into immediate action Friends, co-workers and people who favorite things to do,” Balzar said. to help patients,” said Diane Stojanovich, never met Nickel but were inspired by The UW School of Pharmacy also crazylegs page 3 his story are all part of the RAN Team, established the Adam Nickel Memorial
Although young people may think they don’t need health insurance, Springer said this is foolish because the future is unpredictable. “No matter how healthy you think you are, you never know who’s going to ram into you when you’re in your car. You never know when your next doctor appointment will bring you bad news. You just don’t know.” Springer’s convictions about freedom of access to health care extend to his beliefs on freedom of speech, motivating him to defend the right of people to share their stories on his show. springer page 3
NCAA honors UW teams for academics The NCAA honored the Wisconsin women’s volleyball and men’s cross country teams Thursday with Academic Performance Program public recognition awards. The awards are given to NCAA Division I sports teams based on multiyear Academic Progress Rate scores, which will be announced May 6 for all 6,110 Division I sports teams. Teams receiving public recognition awards are academically in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports. UW-Madison is one of 33 schools to receive an award in men’s cross country and one of 41 schools to receive an award in women’s volleyball. “[We’re] proud of the students, their coaches and the academic support personnel that have all teamed up to make it a very successful chapter in Badger athletics,” said Vince Sweeney, senior associate athletic director for external relations. Sweeney said the UW Athletic Department works to support UW-Madison’s academic services with personnel, funding and facilities to encourage all athletes to do well in school. “I think [the] recognition of volleyball and awards page 3
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”