The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 29, 1994 - 3
.Key Democratic state House leader, Jacobetti, dies at 74
LANSING (AP)-Rep. Dominic Jacobetti
died yesterday, ending the 40-year career of
an Upper Peninsula state lawmaker.
The 74-year-old Negaunee Democrat
chaired the House Appropriations Committee
for 18 years until scandal forced him out of the
post in 1993. But colleagues said they knew
Jacobetti, who was overwhelmingly re-elected
n November, would never voluntarily give
up the job he loved.
"Frankly, he died with his boots on," said
Democratic Rep. Maxine Berman from
Southfield.
"He wanted to prove a point that he would
be re-elected, that people in the U.P. still
loved him. Clearly, they did."
Jacobetti was pronounced dead at Bell
Memorial Hospital in Ishpeming. His wife,
Marie, said she called for emergency help at
3:50 a.m. after Jacobetti got out of bed but
didn't return earlier in the morning.
The cause of his death was not immedi-
ately known, his son, Dominic Jr. said. He
said his father had been in ill health for some
time. The hospital would not release infor-
mation on the death.
Jacobetti was the Legislature's longest-
serving member and one of its most power-
ful. He won re-election Nov. 8 over Republi-
can Terry Talo with 70 percent of the vote in
the 109th District, which hugs the shore of
Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula.
Jacobetti would have begun his 21st two-
year term in the Legislature in January.
He was known for a devotion to constitu-
ent service and a determination to bring state
projects to the Upper Peninsula, earning him
the nickname "Godfather."
"He had a heart as big as the state trea-
sury," said Rep. Don Gilmer from Augusta.
"He truly believed when people needed
help from state government, government
should step to the plate and pass it out for a
wide variety of reasons."
He also had a quick temper and tough
style. Gilmer recalled how after he opposed a
pay raise for lawmakers one year, Jacobetti
retaliated by removing Gilmer from all the
subcommittees he served on.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Gary
Corbin said Jacobetti was a living legend when
Corbin came to the Legislature in 1975.
"When he got up to speak, it was like a
'Give 'em Hell, Harry Truman' speech,"
Corbin said, recalling watching Jacobetti talk
to a group back home.
Rep. Dick Young, from Dearborn Heights,
said other lawmakers would yell, "Give 'em
hell, Jake" when he rose to speak. "He would
jam his glasses into the middle of his nose and
then he'd take off. ... He'd try to shame the
Republicans for having no feeling for the
underdog and not caring about human suffer-
ing and things like that," he said.
Lately, age and illness caught up with him.
His last two years in the House were marked
by frequent absences and a quiet disposition on
the floor.
Jacobetti was criticized, but never charged,
in the wake of the 1993 scandal over the
misuse of $1.8 million at the fiscal agency,
which the Appropriations Committee over-
sees. Democratic Speaker Curtis Hertel, from
Detroit, stripped him of his chairmanship.
"I think Jacobetti served the last two years
with a broken heart," Gilmer said.
Jacobetti is survived by-his wife, Marie;
sons Colin and Dominic; and daughter Judith
Fuery. Jacobetti was born July 20, 1920
Funeral arrangements were incomplete.
*Jews light
menorahs,
celebrate
*Hanukkah
By LISA DINES
Daily Staff Reporter
Candles will shine in many win-
dows tonight and throughout the week
as students follow an ancient tradi-
tion and rekindle the lights of Hanuk-
kah.
Hanukkah - a Jewish holiday
whose observers light candles each
*tight to commemorate an ancient
miracle - started Sunday night and
ends Monday.
The supply of oil for the Temple
of Jerusalem was destroyed during a
battle in 165 B.C. According to tradi-
tion, only enough pure oil remained
to light the sacred lamp for one day.
Yet, the oil burned for eight days until
new flasks were ready.
Jews light the menorah - a nine-
branch candelabra - that contains a
candle for each night and a helper
candle that is lit every night.
"We light the candles as symbolic
that there is light to look forward to,"
said Esther Goldstein, assistant direc-
tor of Chabad House. "It gives hope
to those in darkness."
Students in the residence halls are
forbidden from kindling menorahs in
Neir rooms due to a prohibition on
open flames. Last year, a menorah
touched off a small fire in Mary
Markley residence hall.
"We prohibit all open flames in
the residence hall rooms for safety
reasons," said Alan Levy, spokesman
for the Housing Division.
LSA first-year student Jake Gehl
said he has violated the ban on light-
Ong menorahs.
"We have a little menorah that we
light every day," he said. "I don't think
there is any harm with a few candles as
long as people are in the room."
Many Jews and non-Jews alike
associate Hanukkah with gift-giving,
especially because of its proximity to
Christmas. Jews do exchange pre-
sents but traditionally they give money
alled gelt, instead of toys, clothes or
adgets.
"I don't think it is anywhere near
as commercialized as Christmas," said
Michael Brooks, executive director
of Hillel. "You don't have quite the
same kind of buying frenzy."
But many Jews do bestow store-
bought gifts on friends and family
instead of money.
LSA junior Rachel Wolfson said
*er family has always celebrated Ha-
nukkah with gifts, pomp and circum-
stance, noting that there were few
Jews in her hometown of Naperville,
Ill. "My parents really did it up when
we were little so we wouldn't feel left
out."
WORKING OUT AND STEPPING UP
Legislature back
for lame-duck
session on crime
By JONATHAN BERNDT
Daily Staff Reporter
As the Michigan Legislature re-
turns for its final session of the year,
crime is the major issue on the agenda.
Student groups, including MSA
through its lobbying firm, will con-
tinue pressuring the Senate to approve
the Campus Sexual Assault Victims'
Rights Act, which has already passed
the House. The various bills are stuck
in several Senate committees.
"I think there's a real need so that
women feel that the institution is be-
hind them and will support them,"
said Rep. Mary Schroer (D-Ann Ar-
bor), who sponsored part of the origi-
nal package.
The act requires universities to
inform students of their rights and
sets up a commission to deal with
complaints.
A separate proposal sponsored by
Rep. Alan Cropsey (R-DeWitt) in the
House would change the way permits
are obtained for concealed weapons.
"It's to make the gun boards uni-
form," said Barb Ross, one of
Cropsey's aides. "It puts the onus on
the board to prove someone is not fit."
State police would no longer have
a representative on the county boards
- composed of the county sheriff
and prosecutor, and three people ap-
pointed by the county commission.
The bill also sets criteria for boards
to use when considering requests.
"Currently they can deny you a
permit because they don't like the
way you part your hair," said Tom
Washington, president of the National
Rifle Association.
The requirements include complet-
ing a gun safety course, state residency,
a fingerprint check and not having any
convictions or court orders prohibiting
possession, including mental problems.
The current age requirement is 18,
which Ross said may be raised to 21.
A $10 fee also is required.
Ross said the bill would make it
easier for people to protect themselves
with a gun, like they can now protect
their property. "The Second Amend-
ment was not written to assure we
have hunting rifles," she said.
Law enforcement groups have said
the proposal would make police con-
sider everyone armed at crime scenes,
making their job more difficult.
Craig Roderick, Ann Arbor's
deputy chief of police, said there are
enough weapons now on the streets to
make that a concern.
"Right now there are a lot of illegal
guns on the street," he said. "Most law
enforcement people are looking to get
fewer guns on the street, not more.'
Mi : HA E LIZUGH/Daily
Central Campus Recreation Building.
Instead of running outside, students use the Stairmasters yesterday in thec
MADD, police push awareness
By AMY KLEIN
Daily Staff Reporter
Every year a shocking number of
December holiday celebrations and
New Year's Eve parties end tragi-
cally in drunk driving accidents.
On Nov. 21, the Ann Arbor Police
Department teamed up with the local
chapter of Mothers Against Drunk
Driving (MADD) in their most ag-
gressive public awareness campaign
to date.
Last year, 50 percent of Christmas
traffic fatalities and 21.1 percent of
New Year's Eve traffic deaths were
alcohol related.
The annual statewide campaign,
which began in 1986, kicked off last
week in Lansing and will run until
Jan. 1, 1995. More than 150 officers
and citizens attended the ceremonies
and motorcade at the state Capitol.
"Tie One On For Safety" promotes
sober driving by displaying red rib-
bons on patrol cars to remind motorists
of the hazards of drinking and driving.
Lisa Murlick, a youth issues coor-
dinator at the MADD state office,
attributes some of MADD's state-
wide success to the involvement of
law-enforcement officials.
"The officers take part to show
their support and to then bring that
support back to their home towns,"
Murlick said. "It's wonderful because
over half of the 150 people at the
ceremonies were law enforcers."
In Ann Arbor, the police are play-
ing a more active role in the red rib-
bon campaign. So far, more than 500
ribbons have been distributed to offi-
cials and local businesses.
In addition to tying the ribbons on
patrol cars, a banner will be hung on
the corner of South University Av-
enue and Church Street, reading,
"Take a stand - friends don't let
friends drive drunk."
Wilma Purcell, a traffic safety
education officer with the Ann Arbor
police, emphasizes that the campaign
is working to promote safety, not to
discourage drinking.
"We're working on a positive
message, one that's not preachy,"
Purcell said. "We're trying to come at
this whole thing from a different angle,
in a pro-active manner."
The Ann Arbor chapter of MADD
enthusiastically welcomes the added
help from the police department, said
Tom Geilock, a local MADD employee.
"We're ecstatic that (the police)
are involved this year. We really
haven't had a strong liaison before
this," Geilock said.
Involvement has spread to the
streets of Ann Arbor where local busi-
nesses, including Comerica bank and
Afternoon Delight, are distributing
ribbons to employees and clients.
"It's going really well. The more
we get the community involved the
more we get our message across,"
Geilock said.
In addition to local efforts, the
state MADD office annually deco-
rates a Christmas tree with red rib-
bons, each representing a life lost to
drunk driving in Michigan over the
past year. Last year, gold ribbons also
were hung to symbolize the decrease
in the number of deaths.
This year, 575 red ribbons will
adorn the tree, and, unlike last year,
no gold ribbons will be seen.
See HANUKKAH, Page 7
Group Meetings
U Alianza Meeting, Trotter House,
Mail lobby, 7 p.m., 764-2677
0 American Movement for Isreal
Meeting, Hillel, 7 p.m., 668-
0746
Q LSA Student Government,
LSA Building, Room 2002, 6
p.m.
U Michigan Students for Peace
Meeting, Modern Languages
Building, Room BI118, 7 p.m.,
764-5943
Q U-M Ski Club Mass Meeting,
Michigan League, Conference
Room 6, 8 p.m., 764-9886
Events
Q Archery, Sports Coliseum, 7-9
p.m., 913-5896
Q Association for Worksite Health
Promotion Meeting and Elec-
tions, CCRB, Room 1250, 7:30-
9 p.m., 998-6274
Q Author Chuck Wachtel Read-
ing His Work, Borders Books
U Practical Training for Inter-
national Students, Interna-
tional Center, Room 9, 3 p.m.,
764-9310
D 76-GUIDE, peer counseling
phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
Q ECB Peer Tutorial, Angell Hall
Computing Site, 747-4526, 7-
11 p.m.
D Campus Information Center,
Michigan Union, 763-INFO;
events info 76-EVENT or
UM*Events on GOpherBLUE
O4 AlND 4OPENING
304 S. State Street o 4 doors South of Liberty *"998-3480
.!