The Michigan Daily-Friday, May 4, 1979-Page 3
Stiffer penalties ahead for young drinkers
By AMY DIAMOND
Ann Arbor's lenient $5 drinking fine
may be replaced by stiffer penalties as
a result of a series of recommendations
proposed by a 19-member work study
panel investigating the 21-year old
drinking law.
The panel was appointed by Gov.
William Milliken in an effort to crack-
down on the new law and ensure that it
is carried out effectively and efficien-
tly.
ACCORDING TO Rev. Allen Rice II,
executive director of the Michigan
Council on Alcohol Problems (MICAP)
and a member of the panel, "The 21-
year old drinking law is difficult to in-
terpret, so we want to give a more
uniform way to handle infractions
because there isn't enough backbone to
the law. Our recommendations would
give it more solidity."
Among the panel's recommendations
are:
* Increasing fines from $25 for the
first offense and $50 for the second, up
to $100 for any offense, at the discretion
of the judge;
" Establishing a common statewide
standard for penalties, thus abolishing
the authority of local governments to
enact ordinances establishing lower or
higher penalties;
" Changing the offense from a civil
penalty to a hybrid misdemeanor which
carries no jail penalties or permanent
criminal record;
" Stepping up enforcement on the use
of fake ID. Fines for making, selling, or
using a false ID would be $500 and six
months in jail;
* A diligent effort by bar owners and
retailers to determine if a person is of
age or they will be subject to a $500 fine
and a six month jail term;
" Increasing enforcement of the
drinking law for 18, 19, and 20-year olds.
ALTHOUGH THESE recommen-
Possible new cabinet department splits
existing groups in education community
By ADRIENNE LYONS
and VICKI HENDERSON
With WireServiceReports
The Carter administration has
almost won its battle to create a Depar-
tment of Education separate from the
now-existing Department of Health,
Education and Welfare (HEW).
A similar bill was passed in the
Senate Monday by a 72-21 margin. The
House Government Operations Com-
mittee approved the plan by one vote
Wednesday after intense lobbying from
the administration and lobby groups for
and against the new department.
PRESIDENT CARTER strongly
supports the legislation, having
promised during his 1976 presidential
campaign to push for a separate
education department.
The legislation has split the education
community. The National Education
Association (NEA), a major teachers
union, supports the plan, but its rival,
the American Federation of Teachers,
strongly opposes it.
Wilbur McKeachie, a University
psychology professor and president of
the American Association of Higher
Education, said the major question
being faced now is: "Will the Depar-
tment of Education give education
more status and funds? My hope is that
it will give education solider funding,"
he said. "Education has taken second
place to health and welfare, and
education funding has been unstable."
INTERIM UNIVERSITY President
Allan Smith said, "I didn't think the
case for a separate department had
been made in terms of funding. It's not
a simple problem. It raises questions
with the problem of the National
Research Institute, etc."
Opponents claim creation of a
separate education department would
lead to federal interference in a
traditionally state and local function.
They also warn that such a narrowly-
oriented department would become the
creature of one set of interest groups.
"In my opinion, we are enacting
another monster in the federal gover-
nment," said Rep. L. H. Fountain (D-
N.C.). "It's going to grow and grow and
grow. This is going to become a special
interest agency."
HAROLD SHAPIRO, University
Vice-President for Academic Affairs,
said he does not favor the bill. He said
he has not seen a copy of the final draft,
but stated that he did not feel it was ad-
See CONTROVERSY, Page 14
3"lch>r
.I'm pretty pleased'
dations have not been finalized, Rice
said they are the"basic tenor of the
position towards which the group is
moving. He speculated that a final
report would be finished by middle May
or sooner.
Rice, who was one of the principle
movers in getting the 21-year old
drinking law on the November ballot,
explained, "The civil infraction is too
difficult to enforce and it's presenting
See ENFORCEMENT, Page 9
Food prices down, gas and heating oil up
WASHINGTON (AP) - Wholesale cent boost in prices at the wholesale At the White House, press secretary ths and 1.2 per cent in January.
food prices declined in April for the first level. Jody Powell found "welcome news" in
time in eight months, but not enough to MEANWHILE, an increase in overall food prices figures but forecast "OVERALL THE pace of inflation is
offset hefty prices increases in other exports more than offset an eight per "several months of bad news" on prices still too high," said Lyle Gramley, a
products such as gasoline and home cent rise in oil imports and helped lower generally. member of the president's Council of
heating oil, the government said the nation's trade deficit to $6.2 billion "THERE IS reason to believe that the Economic Advisers.
yesterday. in the first three months of the year, the worst of the bad news on food, at least, "It should moderate as the economy
As a result, wholesale prices in April Commerce Department said. It was the is behind us," Powell said. slows down later this year. At the same
rose 0.9 per cent, the Labor Department lowest quarterly deficit in more than AFL-CIO President George Meany time, we know we are dealing with a
reported. two years. said the figures "are only an indication long-term problem and it will take us a
It was the smallest rise so far this The first quarter deficit compared of the gloomy inflation picture for the long time to get it in hand."
year, but still far in excess of the rate with a deficit of $6.4 billion in the final months ahead if the administration is Whilesale food prices, which have
needed to pull inflation below 10 per three months of 1978, and was only- successful in its efforts to decontrol been rising since September, fell 0.3 per
cent. The April increase, if continued slightly more than half of the $11.9 gasoline and crude oil prices." cent in April.
for a year, would produce an 11.5 per billion deficit in the first quarter of last The April rise followed increases of THE DROP likely will be seen in
year. one per cent in the two preceding mon- See FOOD, Page 9
-to a
MSU's cement dill Happenings . . . astromoner for the University's Exhibit Museum
It's kosher, it'sbright green, and it's cement. It's .. begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Chrysler Center on Jim Loudon, entitled, "December's Venus In-
the "KosherDill,"' a 17-foot 27-pound canoe built by North Campus, where the College of Engineering vasion: First Report" in Aud. 3, MLB. .. the
Michigan StateUniversity(MSU) engineering and the Industrial Development Division of the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor's recycling station
sicigntratrae niestyeek T e hinertg University Institute of Science and Technology will hours have been changed. The station will be open
students for a race next week in Toledo, Ohio. Marty peeta"auatrn eerhAtvte
Phillips, president of the MSU chapter of the pesna "Manufacturing Resahe 0aActivities on Fridays and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30
American Society of Civil Engineers, said construc- lso a ene e p.m. only... DRUG-HELP, Inc., is interviewing
tion of the canoe gives students a chance to apply tension Service will sponsor a conference called volunteers during the next three weeks. Call 994-
the skills which they have learned in the classroom. "curren Isuesrin Voctional-Technia HELP to arrange for an appointment.
The tudntsstared.wor on he essl lat fll, Education," at the Briarwood Hilton . .. at 3 p.m.,
The students started work on the vessel last fall, noted Ann Arbor historian Wystan Stevens will con-
and just last week they broke the mold, painted the duct an architectural tour of the city. Meet at the In- On the outside
boat and padded its inside. "We had a riot building ternational Center in Room 18, if you've already
this canoe," said Jan Cote, an MSU honor student signed up for transportation ... The University Old Sol will make an appearance today, warming
from Bloomfield Hills. "We'll have a great time at Astronomical Film Festival kicks off its tenth year the temperatures to the mid-50s. It'll be a little win-
the races." UPI reports the students said they plan of free programs at 7:30 p.m. with a film on Venus dier than yesterday, though, and the low will dip to
to get "pickled" after the race. and a lecture by festival director and staff the mid-30s.