Thursday, March 1, 2001

Thursday, March 1, 2001
Volume 5, Number 91

NEWS IN BRIEF

1) Three separate incidents warrant Swat Police involvement
2) World news roundup
3) Campus events

SPORTS IN BRIEF

1) Women’s basketball advances in NCAA tourney
2) World sports roundup
3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

WEATHER FORECAST

Today: Mostly cloudy early on, with sun in the afternoon. High 41.
WOOOHOOOO!

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low 29.
WOOOHOOOO!

Tomorrow: A mix of clouds and sun. High 45.
Oh, my bad. The women’s basketball team won their first round NCAA game last night. WOOOHOOOO!

TODAY’S SHARPLES MENU

Lunch: Tortellini with rose sauce, foccacia, *indian style chick peas, crinkle cut carrots, zucchini italiano
**Hoagie bar

Dinner: Salsa chicken, spanish rice, *vegetarian dumplings, eggplant parmesan, tex mex cauliflower
**Potato bar

NEWS REPORT

1) Three separate incidents warrant Swat Police involvement

The events of the last four days have raised serious questions about safety issues on campus, as three separate, unrelated incidents are currently being investigated by the Swarthmore Police Department.

Early Sunday morning, over 20 cars and vans had their tires slashed in the parking lot outside the field house. Many of the afflicted vehicles were college-owned vans; as a result shuttle service was drastically disrupted on Sunday and Monday while repairs were being made. The total amount of damage has yet to be determined, but it is expected to cost at least $5,000 to replace all the tires.

At about the same time on the other side of campus, Than Court ’03 was being charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

At about 1:00 a.m. borough police officer Edwin Kline responded to a report of a disorderly person involved in a disturbance in Parrish. When Kline finally caught up with Court near Willets it took mace, handcuffs, and substantial backup to get him under control and in the police car. Court kicked the officer, tearing his pants and causing numerous cuts; he also resisted placement in the car, kicking at the officers repeatedly.

Despite repeated attempts, Chief Brian Craig could not be reached for comment.

Craig did comment yesterday on this week’s third indecent incident. Early Monday morning a female student was sexually assaulted by an unidentified man. Craig later termed the incident “attempted rape,” as the man’s intentions were made clear by the presence of knife which he used to cut part of the victim’s clothing.

Craig told the Delaware County Times on Tuesday that the events of this weekend were unrelated.

– Jeff Heckelman

LINKS… Wednesday’s Delaware County Times: “Swarthmore Student Charged in Cop Assault” http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1675&dept_id=18171&newsid=1467969&PAG=461&rfi=9

Wednesday’s Daily Gazette: “Swat police investigate sexual assault of female student” http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily/archive/spring_2001/20010228.html#assault

2) World news roundup

An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale hit the Pacific Northwest yesterday, sending tremors from Vancouver to Portland. The quake, which lasted for about a minute, was centered about 35 miles southwest of Seattle and led to severe structural damage in a number of the older buildings in the area. An elderly woman died of a heart-attack during the disaster and dozens of people were injured, with Washington Gov. Gary Locke declaring a state of emergency.

President Bush took to the road yesterday to promote his $1.6 trillion tax cut plan as a solution to the nation’s slowing economic growth rate. The President visited Pennsylvania, Nebraksa and Iowa, telling citizens that hte measure would prevent the “retrenchment” of the economy that Alan Greenspan has warned of. With a vote on the bill scheduled for next week in the House of Representatives, Bush needs support from moderate Republicans and Democrats to have it passed.

Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic is being targeted by the new Serbian government, which has ordered a police investigation into accusations that he tansferred more than 400 tons of the country’s gold to private bank accounts in Greece and Cyprus. This charge is believed to be the first step in trying Milosevic for war crimes in relation to the ethnic conflict which ravaged the Baltic states over the last decade. The UN war crimes tribunal, based in the Hague, has also indicted the ex-leader, but Serbia is currently choosing between extradition and trying him domestically.

3) Campus events

Information Session with Student Conservation Association
Kohlberg 230, 3:00 p.m.

“The Comic Strip Art of Alison Bechdel: Dykes to Watch Out For” Illustrated Lecture
Scheuer Room – Kohlberg, 4:15 p.m.

Summer Job Workshop
Trotter 301, 4:15 p.m.

“Arts-Led Rural Redevelopment: the Ballinglen Project” by Peter Maxwell and Margo Dolan
LPAC Cinema, 5:00 p.m.

Reception for “Passages: Work by Ballinglen Arts Foundation Fellows”
List Gallery – LPAC, 6:00 p.m.

Hunger Awareness Meal
Bond Memorial Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Poetry Reading by Mary O’Malley
Scheuer Room – Kohlberg, 8:00 p.m.

SPORTS UPDATE

1) Women’s basketball advances in NCAA tourney

Playing to a crowd of over 400 rabid fans, the women’s basketball team defeated Gwynned Mercy 66-55 to advance past the first round in the team’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Swat jumped out an 11-0 lead, holding the Griffins scoreless through the first 7:30 of the game. The run was highlighted by two three-pointers by Ali Furman ’03, who was coming off a career-night this weekend against Johns Hopkins, when she hit seven threes in a row.

Swat plowed through the Griffin defense, streaking to a 30-20 halftime lead. Bursting out of the gate in the second half, they extended to a 41-22 lead just five minutes into the second frame.

The Griffins would battle back, behind the strong shooting of star guard Mary Ann Wade, who finished with 25 points. Gwynned cut the Garnet lead to just nine with 36 seconds to go, but Swat hung on for the emotional win.

Swarthmore was led by the usual suspects doing what they do best. Heather Kile ’02 led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds while first-half star Sarah Tufano ’03 contributed 18 points and eight boards. Katie Robinson ’04 continued to do a little bit of everything for the Garnet, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and a game-high six steals.

Through it all, the game was controlled by floor-leader Heather Marandola ’01, who finished with seven points, five assists and two steals.

The second round of the tournament takes the Garnet to Elizabethtown, P.A. for a 2:00 Saturday game. The Dean’s Office and the Athletic Department are planning to sponsor a coach bus to transport those rabid fans for continued support.

2) World sports roundup

After months of controversy, the Buffalo Bills have decided to cut popular, but aging quarterback Doug Flutie and keep young, but unproven Rob Johnson. The Bills, who were some $16 million over the NFL’s salary cap with the deadline for meeting the requirement set for 4 PM today, saved more money by keeping Johnson, but insisted that cap restrictions did not play a factor in the selection.

The St. Louis Cardinals have signed Mark McGwire to a 2-year contract extension worth $30 million, despite the recurring back pains which forced the slugger to miss half of last season. McGwire, who is 37, is now under contract through the 2003 season.

New York Rangers’ left winger, Theo Fleury, has entered an inpatient substance-abuse program with no date for his return to hockey set. Though details of the problem are not yet available, it is thought that Fleury, who is fourth in the NHL in scoring, will miss the rest of the season.

3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

QUOTE OF THE DAY