The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 19, 1989 - Page 3
EPA finds high levels of
radon gas in homes
WASHINGTON (AP) - Tests
in eight states by the Environmental
Protection Agency show surpris-
ingly widespread concentrations of
cancer-causing radon gas, including
almost three of every four homes
tested in Iowa, the agency said yes-
terday.
The latest results prompted EPA
Administrator William Reilly to re-
peat his agency's call for every
homeowner to test for radon.
Radon is a colorless, odorless and
radioactive gas produced by the decay
of uranium in all soil and rocks.
Seeping from the ground and concen-
trating in houses, radon has been
blamed for up to 20,000 of the na-
tion's more than 130,000 annual
lung cancer deaths.
"Radon is one of the most seri-
ous environmental health problems
today. It is the second leading cause
of lung cancer (after smoking) in
this country," Reilly told a news
conference.
Reilly said radon tests have been
conducted in 37,000 homes in 25
states during the past two years and
about one-fourth showed unhealthy
radon.
The latest tests in the eight states
and three regions of the Indian
Health Service covered 11,268
homes. Overall, about 27 percent of
the 9,876 non-Indian homes checked
in the latest round showed radon
above the EPA's recommended
threshold. Not enough information
was given to calculate a similar per-
centage for all 11,268 homes, but
the result would not change much.
Reilly estimated that as many as
10 million homes nationwide could
have year round-average radon ex-
ceeding 4 picocuries per liter of air,
which roughly equivalent to smok-
ing a half pack of cigarettes a day
and the concentration that EPA says
should trigger corrective action by
the homeowner.
In an effort to boost radon test-
ing, the Advertising Council an-
nounced it is launching a national
public service campaign to urge
homeowners to test.
Ruth Wooden, council president,
said a survey of 1,000 people
showed two-thirds believed radon to
be a health concern, but only 14 per-
cent planned to do anything about it.
"People believe they are safe in
their homes," she said.
The latest tests covered Iowa,
Georgia, Maine, New Mexico, Ohio,
West Virginia, Vermont and Alaska
as well as three Indian Health
Service regions: Aberdeen, covering
parts of North Dakota, South
Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska; Bemidji,
parts of Michigan, Minnesota and
Wisconsin; and Albuquerque, parts
of Colorado and New Mexico.
EPA officials were staggered by
the Iowa results. Of 1,381 homes
tested, 71 percent were above 4
picocuries per liter; 8 percent
exceeded 20 picocuries. Officials said
they had no explanation except that
soils of Minnesota and South
Dakota, where high radon was found
last year, probably extend into Iowa.
"Iowa is just saturated," said EPA
spokesperson Martha Casey.
f mm .. g:
...
'JOSH MOOHE-Daily
Diag protest
About 25 University students picketed on the Diag yesterday for the release of Palestinian Professor Riak Malki,
detained in Israel this month. The students held Palestinian flags and signs, which said, "Israel: Education is a right
nat a privilege; Reopen Palestinian schools; Release Riad Malki."
IUDGET
dontinued from Page 1
maintain its programs.
It was not the first time students
h4d faced tuition increases because
the. University was unable to main-
n programs without state funds. If
e situation remains as it has been
irk ihe last five years, it may not be
tly last.
For the past 10 years, the Uni-
versity's budget has grown steadily,
but the gap between the amount of
state appropriations to student tu-
ition fees and research indirect cost
recovery dollars has steadily grown
narrower.
Every year state appropriations
failed to meet the University's needs,
tuition was raised.
As a result, the proportion of
state dollars to student tuition dollars
in the University of Michigan's gen-
eral funds - including all three
campuses - has fallen.
In 1979-80, state appropriations
contributed 58.6 percent to the gen-
eral fund and student tuition dollars
accounted for 32.7 percent.
In 1989-90 student tuition ac-
counted 44.3 percent to the general
funds while state dollars made up
only 46.4 percent of the budget.
JUSTICE
Continued from Page 1
stands for. He is reactionary, racist,
bigoted and anti-women."'
Laur said several local groups are
unified in their demands that Rehn-
quist "reinstate and expand affirma-
tive action, defend and expand abor-
tion rights, and abolish all anti-les-
bian/gay laws. He has been directing
the court in a way that has been
rolling back our rights."
Law school administrators said
they had heard of plans for a rally
outside the Hall where Rehnquist
will be speaking. Eklund said, "We
trust it will be a peaceful demonstra-
tion."
The National Lawyers Guild ini-
tially endorsed the rally, along with
the Ann Arbor Committee to Defend
Abortion Rights, Lesbian/Gay Law
Students, Latin American Solidarity
Committee, and the Lesbian and Gay
Men's Organizing Committee.
At the last minute, the guild de-
cided to conduct a separate protest in
order to specifically address recent
civil rights decisions in a non-dis-
ruptive manner, said guild member
Dora Rose, a third-year law student.
Restaurants to give percent
of profits to local charity
by Mike Fitzgibbon
Eating out, something a lot of people in Ann Arbor
and Ypsilanti do regularly, will now benefit the hungry
thanks to local restauranteurs.
Today, 24 restaurants will give up to seven percent
of their day's receipts to Food Gatherers, a local organi-
zation that distributes food to needy people in the area.
Food Gatherers calls this "The 7% Solution," and
the group hopes Ann Arborites will support it by hav-
ing a meal in a participating restaurant.
Food Gatherers member Lisa De Young said the title
of the day is because seven percent of the people in this
country go hungry every day. The group's "solution" is
to educate the public and raise funds for the hungry.
The group distributes food donated by restaurants,
caterers, and stores to various food distribution points in
the Ann Arbor area. Part of the money raised from the
day will help Food Gatherers buy a van for this pur-
pose.
Janet Ledford, a cook at the cooperatively-run Del
Rio bar and grill, said the bar's employees recently ap-
proved the Del Rio's participation. She said the Del
Rio's contribution, based on its percentage, will proba-
bly total $50 to $100.
The Del Rio, she said, already gives food on a regu-
lar basis.
"Every weekend we donate enough beans, cheese, and
tortillas to make 50 burritos," Ledford said. "It just
seems like a wonderful idea to feed people who need
food with community resources instead of having to use
taxes."
Food Gatherers works out of Zingerman's Deli-
catessen. Although Zingerman's will not give a per-
centage of its receipts to Food Gatherers, Paul Saginaw,
an owner of the delicatessen, said, "We are a 'special
participant."'
"We provide support for Food Gatherers over the
year, which comes out to about $40,000 in food, staff,
and other services," he said.
Zingerman's is "committed" to providing support for
Food Gatherers until the group is self-sufficient, Sagi-
naw said.
Restaurants near campus participating in the effort
include Afternoon Delight, American Subs, Bagel Fac-
tory, Bicycle Jims, Escoffier, Expresso Royale, Jaques,
Pizza Boh's .Raia Rani .eva. and Sotinni'.
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Meetings
Michigan Student Assembly
Student Rights Commission -
5:30 p.m. in Union Rm. 3909
Earth Day Organizing Commit-
tee - 7 p.m. in the Union 4th
floor
Palestine Solidarity Commit-
tee - 7:30 p.m. in the lounge of
the International Center
Campus Crusade for Life -
College Life meeting at 7 -8:30
p.m. in Kellogg Aud. Rm. 6005;
enter in the dental school
Rainforest Action Movement
-- Rainforest Education in the
Public Schools: Training &
Workshops; preparation for World
Rainforest Week; 7 p.m. in Dana
Rm. 1040
Michigan Student Assembly
Communications Committee
- 7:30 p.m. in Union Rm. 3909
Speakers
"Point-Process Estimation
Problems in Positron-Emission
Tomography" - Prof. Don
Snyder (Washington U); 4-5:30
.pm. in EECS 1200
"Making the Empire Re-
spectable: Race and Sexual
lMIorality in Twentieth Century
Colonial Culture" -Ann Stoler
speaks at the CSST Series:
"Power and the Discourse of So-
cial Science"; 8 p.m. in LSA
4560
{ "Pueblos, Plazas, and
+ Pothunter Holes: The 1989 Ex-
cavations at the Homol'ovi
} Ruins State Park, Winslow,
Arizona" - a brown-bag lunch
with Tineke Van Zandt; Natural
Science Museum Rm. 4009
Guild House Writers Series -
William Matthews and Laurence
* Goldstein read and discuss their
works; 8 p.m. at the Guild House
"Dogon Fertility and Sexual
Cycles" - Beverly Strassman of
the Biology Dept. speaks at 4
p.m. in the East Lecture Rm. on
the 3d floor of the Rackham
Bldg.; part of the Evolution and
Un mn )a.r. nmm..r.
"The Present Political Climate
in Israel and how it affects the
US-Israel Relationship" -
Nancy Schecter from the
Jerusalem branch of the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee
speaks at 7 p.m. at Hillel
K. Szego - the Director of the
Institute for Particle and Nuclear
Physics, in Budapest Hungary
speaks on an unannounced topic;
3:45 p.m. in the Space Research
Bldg. Rm. 2231
Furthermore
Pre-Interviews - Lockheed
Missiles from 6-8 p.m. in EECS
1003; American Management
Systems from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in
1301 EECS
Applying to Medical School -
4:10-5 p.m. in Angell Hall Aud.
A
Recital - Bernard Bartelink, or-
ganist from Holland, and flutist
Johan van Kempen; 8 p.m. in the
Music School's Moore Hall
Women in Spirituality - a
Journe Women gathering; 7:30
p.m. at the Guild House
Mainstreet Comedy Showcase
- Peter Berman; $8; 996-9080
Free tutoring - all 100/200
level math, science and engineer-
ing courses; from 8-10 p.m. in
Rm. 307 of the UGLi; sponsored
by Tau Beta Pi
Safewalk - the night-time walk-
ing service is open seven days a
week from 8:00 p.m. to 1:30
a.m.; 936-1000
Northwalk - North campus
night-time walking service, Rm.
2333 Bursley; 8 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.
or call 763-WALK
"Ojibwa Basket Making: The
Tradition Lives On" - the ex-
hibit is on display from 9-5 at the
U-M Exhibit Museum
ECB peer writing tutors -
available at Angell-Haven and
611 Computing Centers from 7
to 11 p.m.; Sunday through
Thursday
Music at Midday - Mezzo-So-
prano by Alicia Hunter will be
accompanied by Louise Toppin;
12:15 in the Union's Pendleton
Hair Styling with
a Flair
- 7 Barber Stylists
for MEN & WOMEN
- NO WAITING!!!
DASCOLA STYLISTS
Opposite Jacobson's
668-9329
CINEMA DIRECTOR
II
III