The Student Voice Since
WWW.THEVISTAONLINE.COM
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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2002
Construction continues in Edmond by Michael Larson ml@thevistaonline.com Construction may force UCO commuters to deviate from their favorite routes this fall and learn Edmond's geography. According fo Tom Minnick, traffic planner for the city of Edmond, 33rd Street will be expanded to four lanes from Coltrane to Bryant, a project scheduled for completion in winter of 2003. Thirty-third street was closed-off from west of Still Meadow eastward to Coltrane on Aug. 22 so workers could erect a new bridge and prepare the roadbed for four-lane traffic. In six months, that area will be re-opened, and workers will
close off 33rd Street from Bryant to the Still Meadow intersection for the next six months of construction. The project, conceived with pedestrians in mind, will install sidewalks on both sides of 33rd Street and add cross-signals at intersections inside the construction area. Aiming to improve traffic in front of Chisholm Elementary School, the project will cost about $2.6 million, 80 percent of which is derived from federal funds. Twenty percent comes from revenue from the 1996 Capitol Improvement Projects sales tax, which goes to pay engineers and utility companies to relocate underground gas lines. According to the City of
Edmond official website, another project, which began last spring, will widen 15th St. from Santa Fe to Fretz in order to include left-turn lanes and a center median, which will house a landscape of over 200 trees and 4,000 shrubs. It is scheduled for completion in spring 2003. Danforth is being widened, just west of its intersection with Santa Fe, and should blaze four lanes across the Edmond border. North of the intersection, Santa Fe will expand to four lanes, lightening traffic for Santa Fe Church-goers. Both projects were scheduled to finish late this summer, but Minnick said there have been some hold-ups. "The contractor ran in to some problems and it's not
going to be ready on schedule," he said. The contractor, Crapth Renolds, failed to meet Edmond's standards for quality, and is trying to meet those requirements, Minnick said. Other construction in the Edmond this fall includes installation of new traffic signals, pedestrian signals, and wheelchair ramps at Ayers and Broadway and Edwards and Broadway. At Second Street and Littler, workers will replace aging poles and equipment and re-stripe the road. All three of these projects should take a few months, according to Minnick, and be mostly street-side affairs. The Broadway Extension, a heavily trafficked stretch of
highway used by many people traveling from Edmond to Oklahoma City, has been under construction since early 1999. Construction has narrowed the strip of highway, which extends from N.W.63rd to Memorial Road, two lanes each way and often creates lengthy detours. A spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said the area surrounding Wilshire will be finished in November, and only one more major construction project will remain before the road is complete. When it is finished, the Broadway Extension will be four lanes northbound and three lanes southbound.
Lisa Loeb takes the stage as part of "Rock the Vote," just south of the Hamilton Field House today at noon. - Page 3
UCOSA elects speaker, agenda includes changes by Mark Schlachtenhaufen ms@thevistaonline.com
Photo by Steve Sisney of The Daily Oklahoman
President Bush addresses group at fundraiser in Oklahoma City Aug. 29.
President visits Oklahoma City by Mark Schlachtenhaufen ms@thevistaonline.com
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President Bush told listeners attending a Republican fundraiser in Oklahoma the world would be safer once those wanting to harm Americans have been brought to justice. "My most important job now is to defend innocent life in America," said the commanderin-chief. Bush made his remarks Aug. 29 during the invitation-only fundraiser in Oklahoma City for Steve Largent and Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa. But his spoken words were related to the events transpiring in the Middle East. The United States-led military campaign against Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaida terrorist network continues along
parts of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. "There's no cave deep enough or dark enough to hide," said Bush, alluding indirectly to the war being waged against the terrorist network." "No matter how long it takes, one by one we're going to hunt them down and bring them to j ustice." Bush didn't mention Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by name. But the president did say he believed that if the U.S. attacks Iraq, there would eventually be some support from other countries. And, once again, Bush cited the importance of being patient with Iraq. "By being tough and strong, patient, smart and wise about using our assets and all the tools at our disposal, we can make the world more peaceful for genera-
tions to come by fighting terror where we find it, by rallying people to join us," Bush said. However, the president said the world's leaders "must not the world's worst leaders to develop and harbor the world's worst weapons." More than 500 Republican loyalists assembled in the Cox Convention Center to support the Largent for governor campaign and Sen. Inhofe's re-elecdon campaign. Bush drew applause when he said, "I'm glad to be here with `Governor' Largent." A single luncheon ticket was $1,000. Two went for $5,000. It was a whirlwind stop for the president in Oklahoma City. He arrived at Tinker Air Force Base about 10:20 a.m. and was on his way back to the base by about 12:30 p.m.
Ceremony to mark Sept. 11 The University of Central Oklahoma will mark the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and remember the victims by holding a brief ceremony for the entire campus and surrounding community at 9 a.m. Sept. 11 on UCO's Evans Field. During the ceremony, the UCO trumpet choir will per-
form under the direction of James Klages. In addition, UCO President W. Roger Webb, Edmond Mayor Saundra Naifeh,and. UCO Student Association President J.P. Jordan will speak. Following the ceremony, students will be invited to participate in a service project, which will consist of visiting a number
of Edmond fire departments to prepare a meal for firefighters. There will also be a "Remembrance Banner" that all are welcome to sign in UCO's Nigh University Center. UCO's Y Chapel will be open during the day for the public to visit and reflect, as well. More than 2,800 people were killed in the terrorist attacks.
Installing a new alcohol policy, having classes canceled during finals week and getting students out to vote in November are on the agenda of the new UCO Student Association Speaker of the House, Jake Winkler. Without a challenger and without debate, Winkler was elected Aug. 27 during the UCOSA House meeting. , "I cannot think of a better choice than Mr. Winkler for Speaker of the House," said J.P. Jordan, UCOSA president. "Jake is the kind of guy who will be able to get things done. He's very approachable and he's not self-serving. Those are great characteristics to have in a Speaker of the House." For example, during last year's election, Winkler withdrew his name from contention, feeling his opponent was more qualified for the job, Jordan said. Winkler also offered his support to the other candidate at the time, Jordan said. Winkler said he has held numerous leadership roles in his fraternity. He has been treasurer, fundraiser chair and served on the executive council and rush committee. For the past two semesters, Winkler had been a House representative. He said he helped with getting incoming representatives on campus and worked toward improving university-student communication over the summer. Having a new alcohol policy in place and getting classes canceled during finals week are pieces of legislation the House considered but did not pass last year, Winkler said. This year, he said he hopes the House will pass them. UCO's current alcohol policy strictly prohibits the possession, use or distribution of alcohol by students or employees in any building or anywhere on the campus. Winkler said in the present university policy, a gathering of three or more students is considered a student organization. The "third party vendor bill" would allow a student organization, after gaining university permission, to sell
Photography students shoot England for credit. Jake Winkler alcohol during off-campus events to students more than 21 years of age, Winkler said. The campus would still be dry. Last year, both the UCOSA House and Senate passed the "third party vendor bill," which was not signed by the former president, Winkler said. The legislation's aim is to reduce UCO's liability and make student organizations responsible, Winkler said. Canceling classes during dead week is "something every big university does, that I would really like to see done here, to help students with their grades," Winkler said. Currently, UCO has classes during finals week. Winkler said with the elections coming up in November he hopes the university will focus on Rock the Vote, a national campaign, initially started by MTV, aimed at increasing the number of students that vote. "You've got to exercise that right," Winkler said. Winkler said he also wants to improve communication between UCOSA and students. Many students aren't aware of who their UCOSA representative is, Winkler said. "What I'm wanting to do is get our name out there a lot more and let them communicate problems they have with this campus with us," Winkler said. In other business, UCOSA disclosed its recent expenditures. The organization paid $107.50 for a reusable UCOSA banner and $283.50 for two advertisements published in The Vista. There also was a $2,000 appropriation for business needs in the UCOSA coffee center.
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Jewelry artist and teacher calls UCO home for 50 years. - Page 4
Soccer's opening over Southern Colorado scores a victory. - Page 11