INSIDE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
•Letters to Santa PAGE 4 • Sports PAGE 6 & 7
Special holiday gift guide
•Campus Events PAGE 15 •Column
PAGE
17
PAGES
10 & 11
•Out and About PAGE 18 • Classifieds PAGE 19
The Student Voice Since 1903
WWW.THEVISTAONLINE.COM
BRIEFS
✓ Page 5
>Sports Pro pinner UCO's Muhammed Lawal takes top seated wrestlers but loses in finals of Las Vegas Invitational tournament. ✓ Page 6
>Features
Christmas at War
Adriana Schroeder displays an authentic soldier's Christmas at the 45th Infantry Museum in Oklahoma City. ✓ Page 13
TODAY IN HISTORY In 1969, a spectator at free Rolling Stones concert at the Altamont Speedway near San Francisco was killed by a Hell's Angel motorcycle gang member. The gang had been hired as security for the concert. In 1973, Spiro Agnew resigned the office of vice president and Gerald Ford was sworn in.
QUOTE OF THE DAY "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." — John Fitzgerald Kennedy
WEATHER Thur.
Partly cloudy, highs in upper 50's.
Fri.
Partly cloudy; lows in mid 30's, highs in lower to mid 60's.
sunny; Sat. & Mostly lows in upper 20's, highs in Sun. upper 50's.
Mon.
Partly cloudy; lows near 30, highs in upper 50's.
6, 2001
Construction continues; no new projects slated
>News Cash for books The University Bookstore and Thompson's are buying back used textbooks.
THURSDAY • DEC.
BY BRIAN CATES
Student Writer
D
espite the $33.1 million awarded Nov. 5 by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission to improve roads across the state, no funds will be used to improve roads in Oklahoma County. The $86,430 portion given to Oklahoma County by the commission will instead be used to improve traffic lights in Midwest City. The remaining amount will be used to resurface and repair bridges mostly on county roads. Many UCO students complain potholes and construction detours make their treks to school take
because of potholes on 1-235," said Shawnnessy Jiwa, political science major. "Oklahoma spends more money per mile on roads than Texas, and our construction also takes twice as long as Texas because it is state contracted," Jiwa said. New construction on Edmond Road also detour students that take rural routes to UCO. For Shannon Prater, PHOTO BY LEITH LAWS advertising freshman, a 30-minute Wittmer Construction Co. continues work on a median retaining drive to Edmond from Yukon now wall on Broadway Extension. The Oklahoma Department Of takes 40 minutes to travel due to Transportation estimates completion in the spring of 2003 . construction. twice as long to travel. because of construction, and a few "I have to take 1-235 to school months ago I had a tire blow out See DRIVE, Page 3
Winter worries with car can stall student safety BY ANNE SCHLESSELMAN
paying him $45, and threatened to put a lien on my car." The student happened to have ho has time to deal with a cellular phone and called the a stalled car, much less Edmond police. Since the victim strangers that may try to was closer to school grounds, she scam you? was instructed to call UCO's A UCO student, identity Department of Public Safety withheld by request, experienced (DPS). this the last week of October. Her "They [DPS] were very prompt car died as she was pulling out of and tried to put it off as a campus to 2nd Street. A man misunderstanding," she said. DPS recorded the incident and escorted the man off campus. "If a student has vehicle problems, the best thing to do is call DPS at 974-2345, or go to a safewalk and just dial 2345. An officer or student officer will respond and help in any way possible," said Chief Teddy Jones, director of public safety. Jones also said the DPS has jurisdiction on adjoining streets around the campus as well as on campus. "Students can call anytime day or rlight. There are officers on duty 24 hours a day and seven day.s a week to help solve any problems," he said. Some general safety tips are to be aware of surroundings and of people around. PHOTO BY LEITH LAWS "Always have your keys ready Senior marketing major Robert Slack checks his truck's fluid levels. when leaving campus," Jones said. Students having car trouble on campus are advised to call DPS.
W
Staff Writer
walked up to her and offered help. "He claimed to be a mechanic," she said. The stranger offered his help but tried to get her to move her car across the street, next to his. He cleaned the battery and started the student's car. "I didn't have any cash with me but I offered him a movie pass," she said. "He insisted on
Tips To Avoid Car Trouble courtesy of David Gillespie, manager at Midas Auto in Edmond (Q=. Have the belts and hoses checked, as well as flushing the radiator and motor to' Getting a brake check and antifreeze temperature check Deicer for frozen windshields "Unfortunately, people won't know of any potential problems unless they open their hood and look." If a student is in fear with a vehicle problem, the best thing to do is to get secured inside the vehicle until they feel safe enough to leave. "Turn on hazard lights and honk the horn, attract attention," Jones said. "There is also safety in numbers. We will escort whenever needed." "We have one of the safest campuses in the country." Students should also be aware of how the winter Weather can affect their car's performance. • Log on to www . thevistaonline . corn to sound off on current issues.