032811

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CATCH ’EM ALL

HOYA SAXA

Pokémon Black and White brings new dazzle to an old favorite

Georgetown knocks Terps out of NCAA Tournament SPORTS | PAGE 8

DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

THE DIAMONDBACK THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Monday, March 28, 2011

Our 101ST Year, No. 115

Police arrest two in Commons burglaries Officials look Court dates set for next month; most of students’ stolen belongings were found BY ERIN EGAN Staff writer

Two men were arrested and charged with firstdegree burglary and theft over spring break in connection with two March 13 burglaries from apartments in South Campus Commons 3 and 4. Devin Lamar Jackson, 21, was arrested at his Upper Marlboro home on March 19; the following day, detectives arrested Anthony Michael Fields Jr., 19, at his home in Clinton. Both were arrested without incident, police said. Neither man is affiliated with the university. “The Criminal Investigations Unit’s vigor-

ous pursuit of these offenders using various advanced investigative techniques led to the quick closure of these burglary cases,” University Police wrote in a press release. “It’s a big boost for our detectives,” University Police Chief David Mitchell said. “They worked hard on this case.” The men allegedly entered two first-floor apartments through open or unlocked windows and made off with residents’ belongings, police said. In the first incident, property disappeared

see ARRESTS, page 3

Peddling it

DEVIN LAMAR JACKSON

ANTHONY MICHAEL FIELDS JR.

Board of Regents will issue a final recommendation by Dec.

forward

Two students will bike 3,800 miles to educate communities, build homes for those in need to a certain degree and participating in service,” said Fine, a senior electrical engineering major. “I’m excited to see the country from the saddle of a bike rather then from the seat of car ... but really what I’m most excited for is the grassroots organizing.” Simhai said learning about the importance of affordable housing — defined as housing that costs less than 30 percent of one’s income — has been an eye-opening journey already, and the trip hasn’t even begun yet.

BY RACHEL ROUBEIN Senior staff writer

In the grueling summer heat, two students hope to connect their activist spirit with their inner cyclist, biking from Virginia Beach, Va., to Portland, Ore., to help build homes and educate communities about affordable housing. Through the Bike & Build organization, Natan Simhai and Noam Fine will be part of a 34-member group traveling 3,800 miles to offer daily presentations about affordable housing and work weekly on active construction sites with Habitat for Humanity and other organizations. “The trip basically combines everything that I love: being outdoors, traveling

into merging College Park and UMB

Senior electrical engineering major Noam Fine (left) and senior bioengineering major Natan Simhai will take off on their crosscountry service trip in May. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

“It’s certainly something I feel more passionate about now than at the beginning of the summer,” said Simhai, a senior bioengineering major. “It seems to me to be such an important and ubiquitous issues, and it seems to be one of the most deserving things you can bike across the country for.” The two have spent ample time researching the subject, as they will be giving a presentation about affordable housing to each community they ride to in exchange for shelter and food. “It becomes very difficult for low-income families to survive, and the United States is no exception,” Fine said. “In a country like ours, I feel that we have the resources — they’re just not allocated properly. There could be a greater emphasis on building affordable housing.” Already, the two have started preparing, training and fundraising for their summer vacation. Before the cross-country extravaganza begins, each participant — the pair will be participating on the central United States trip — must ride 500 miles, raise

see CYCLING, page 3

BY LEAH VILLANUEVA Senior staff writer

State officials are calling on Maryland’s top administrators to consider combining this university with another state institution to create a powerhouse for research and education. On March 21, state Senate President Mike Miller proposed that the University System of Maryland study and develop a plan for a possible merger between this university and the University of Maryland, Baltimore — an institution in Baltimore City made up of seven graduate programs, including the university system’s medical and law schools. System Chancellor Brit Kirwan, Gov. Martin O’Malley and university President Wallace Loh expressed support last week for Miller’s bill to examine a merger,

see MERGE, page 3

Reformed GI Bill to extend benefits to National Guardsmen Break pay will also be done away with, effective in August BY MOLLY MARCOT Staff writer

As student veterans are facing eliminated break pay, National Guard members will receive additional benefits under two components of a modified GI Bill that will save $734 million throughout the next decade. Veterans attending this university said they generally support the measures, which take effect Aug. 1 for the fall semester and preserve most students’ extensive tuition, books and housing benefits. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act covers the college costs for veterans who served in the armed forces any time after Sept. 11, 2001; the bill began to apply to students at this university in fall 2009. When the Post-9/11 GI Bill first became law, Congress

see VETERANS, page 2

New pizza shops, hookah, pub coming to city Officials say interest is proof city is a desirable location BY RACHEL ROUBEIN Senior staff writer

New businesses are leasing retail space along College Park’s Route 1 corridor, both in long-vacant storefronts downtown and on the ground floor of newly constructed student housing complexes. If all goes according to plan, the city should soon be gaining two new pizza places, a Mexican restaurant, a pub, a Royal Farms convenience store and a cafe complete with coffee and hookah, according to

College Park Planning Director Terry Schum. “The economic climate is hard, but I think what this says is College Park is a desirable location, and it has always been strong,” Schum said. “It’s a college town, and retailers and restaurateurs want to be here. And that’s just a positive sign.” For Hakan Ilhan, the owner of incoming Pizza Autentica in the University View II, the student clientele attracted him to the city. In addition to

see BUSINESSES, page 3

Cluck-U is undergoing renovations to reclaim its former storefront downtown as part of a slew of new or improved businesses opening in coming months. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

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TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Mostly Sunny/50s

INDEX

NEWS . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . .4

FEATURES . . . . . .5 CLASSIFIED . . . . .6

DIVERSIONS . . . . .6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . .8

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