LOCAL!STATE
The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 4, 1997 -- 3
Same thieves
suspected in 2
robberies
*Two incidents of armed robbery
occurred early Sunday morning on
South Forest Avenue, according to Ann
Arbor Police Department reports.,
The first victim was approached
around 4:20 a.m. on the 900 block of
South Forest Avenue. The suspect
pulled out a gun, pointed it toward the
v~ictim and said, "Give me your wallet"'
The suspect is described as a 20-year-
old male, about 5-feet-I0.
*According to reports, he was wear-
ing a dark coat and blue knit cap with a
pom-pom on top. The suspect's weapon
is described as a small silver pistol,
which police believe could be a .22-cal-
iber handgun.
The second call came in at 4:29 a.m.
from the 1000 block of South Forest
Avenue. The second victim was
approached in front of an apartment
.building by two suspects, one of whom
Waholding a silver handgun. The sus-
pects took $65 cash from the victim.
The suspects were described as two
males, one wearing a yellow jacket and
the other a black ski mask and green
coat, all according to AAPD reports.
Ann Arbor police said they believe
the two robberies were committed by
the same men.
tJwo attempt to
Iteal cans, oven
Two suspects entered the Sigma Nu
fraternity house last Thursday in an
attempt to steal returnable cans, AAPD
reports state.
The suspects entered the house and
removed returnable bottles and a
microwave oven from the kitchen.
Residents chased the two suspects out
Of the house. When AAPD arrived, one
suspect was hiding behind a tree. The
suspect was arrested for breaking and
entering.
Child ingests
toxic mothballs
A two-year-old child was taken to
the University Hospitals emergency
oam last Friday after he had difficulty
'reathing, Department of Public Safety
reports state.
The caller reported he had taken the
child to University Hospitals two days
earlier after the child had swallowed
mothballs. The child was admitted to
the hospital Wednesday and released
after a short time. He was taken to the
emergency room Friday by Huron
Valley Ambulance.
Pager stolen at
'U' Hospitals
A caller reported Sunday that her
pager had been stolen from University
Hospitals, DPS reports stated.
The caller later received a call at her
residence requesting money for the
stolen University pager. The caller then
*ed a report with AAPD.
Chemicals found
near Main Street
AAPD officers found two bottles of
4 na unknown chemical in an alley off of
South Main Street, according to DPS
reports. The officers found the two 64-
~ ce capped bottles of chemical on
- rsday. The bottles had tags that read
"toxic inhalant" and "flammable liquid.'
The bottles had not spilled, but the offi-
cers requested, that University
Occupational Safety and Environmental
Health dispose of the liquid.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Jenni Yachnin.
State rep. pushes for
curriculum reform
in K-12 classrooms
Democrats fight for
mandatory curriculum
standards
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Staff Reporter
Continuing to push their sweeping
90-day agenda, the state House
Democrats are proposing legislation to
fix the problems of -a much-debated
topic - education.
Rep. James Agee (D-Muskegon)
proposed a bill that wold set a core K-
12 curriculum standard for state
schools. The curriculum would set stan-
dards in math, science, writing, com-
puter literacy and reading.
"There is no legitimate argument
against these standards,' Agee said.
"We simply need to set basic stan-
dards.'
But many state House and Senate
Republicans object to the establishment
of statewide standards.
"Wie took it out for a purpose - the
curriculum should be set by local
boards," said Pat Masserant, an Engler
spokesperson. "You are giving the state
power without any way to work with the
parents.'
In his State of the State speech, how.
ever, Engler called for the state takeover
of failing school districts.
"We have no choice," Engler said.
"We must change the system?"
However, many House Democrats
who disagree with a state takeover said
there is a choice - curriculum stan-
dards.
"That is the point at which (angler's)
logic breaks down,' Agee said. "He
wants to take over schools, but you have
to set standards first."
For schools to be taken over, 80 per-
cent of their students must haive failed a
standardized test. Some said the test is
unfair because districts may-teach from
different materials.
"Kids need a chance to learn what
.PVL VYLOIt/IL
Graduate student Shideh Shahideh participates in a bartending course held at North Campus Commons yesterday
evening after a friend encouraged her to take the class.
Uncomm on' coursles offeretvd
for reldaaton, enjoyment
"I1 don't see a
standards until
we see a defi-
nite problem,"
Rep. Penny
Crissman (R-
Rochester)
said.
0 t hi e r
Republicans
said a state-
ordered cur-
riculum might
leave the state
financially
need to change the
they're being tested
"There is no
legitimate
argument against
these standards"
- Rep. James Agee
(D-Muskegon)
on," said Rep.
Sharon Gire (D-
Clinton Twp.),
chair of -the
House education
committee. "We
can't take over
the district when
we haven't evenl
given them the
proper tools?'
Other oppo-
nents of the cur-
riculum plan
said different
By Prachish Chakravorty
Daily Staff Reporter
Swing to folk music, assume the
lotus position, relax to the healing
scents of flowers or just make great
drinks.
Classes like Scottish country danc-
ing, yoga, aromatherapy and bartend-
ing are some of the courses being
offered to University students this
semester by the Pierpont Commons
Office of Arts and Programs.
The 10 'uncommon' courses,
which are not available for academic
credit, start this week.
"They're great stress relievers to
get away from the monotony of regu-
lar classes,' said Carmen Harrison,
assistant program coordinator for arts
and programs at Pierpont Commons.
"Students like classes where they can
learn a skill in a very short amount of
time, or learn how to relax and enjoy
themselves."
LSA senior Kyla Byas said that
such courses will help to relieve stress
and encourage much-needed relax-
ation.
"Everyone needs a balance in their
lives - they can't just live on books,'
Byas said. "I think (the classes) are a
good alternative?'
LSA senior Stephanie Mah, who is
enrolled in a massage class, she said
the class attracted her because it
offers a way to escape from the pres-
sures of campus life. "None of (the
classes) interested me except for mas-
sage," Mah said. "I thought it was a
good thing to learn - this school can
be stressful sometimes?'
Most of the classes have been
offered in previous semesters and arc
very popular among students,
Harrison said.
"Bartending is the most popular?'
she said. "It teaches a skill and (stu-
dents) can take that class and use it to
their advantage for employment?'
LSA sophomore Matt Gribas said
he and his roommate are interested in
the bartending course, although they
have not enrolled yet.
"I have to take a lot of requirements
for my accounting degree - bartend-
ing would be something different?'
Gribas said. "It wouldn't seem like a
class, but a fun activity."
The office has added aromatherapy
to the choices available to students
this semester.
"Aromatherapy is our newest class
- we're hoping for a positive
response from that;' Harrison said.
Aromatherapy employs the sense
of smell for relaxation purposes.
"I think aromatherapy is in now?',
Byas said. "People are really into oils.
COure nclude~
0 Aromatherapy; Tuesdays .7-8:30
p.m., begins Feb,11.
9 Bartending: Session 1.: Mondays
6-8 p.m., begins Feb.3
Session 2: Wednesdays 6.8 p.m.,
begins Feb.5
*® Massage: Wednesdays 7-9 p.m.,
begins Feb5
U Meditation: Saturday Feb.15, 9
a.m.-3:30 p.m. & Thursday Feb.20.
7:30-9:30 p.m.
8 Scottish Country Dancing:
Wednesdays 7-9 p~m.,begins Feb,5
® Tae-Kworn d4: Tuesdays 7-9
p.m., begins Feb.4
® Beginning Tai Chi Chuan:
Tuesdays 6-7 p.m., begins Feb.4
Continuing Tai Chi Chuan:
Thursdays 7-9 p.m.. begins Feb.6
8 Women's Self Defense:
Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 p.m., begins
Feb.4
8 Yoga: Tuesdays 8-9:30 p.m,,
begins Feb.4
soue Pierp ontCommnns-
incense and candles."
Students may register at the admin-
istration office of the Pierpont
Commons on North Campus until
4:30 p.m. on the day of the first class.
Students also can register by mail.
The classes cost $40 each, except for
meditation, which costs S20.
responsible for school districts.
"If we pass a core curriculum, does
the state have to pick up the cost (for
implementing it)?" asked Rep. Alan
Cropsey (R-DeWitt).
Agee rationalized the core curriculum
by citing a survey conducted by the State
Board of Education, which found that 87
percent of Michigan residents want a
core curriculum for the state.
Agee also said the standards are fair
because they were created with the
input of students, teachers, parents,
administrators and businesspeople
from across the state.
"It was a laborious process ...;" Agee
said.
The state previously had a core cur-
riculum standard, but it was repealed
from the School Code last year by Goy.
John Engler and the Republican-con-
trolled legislature.
districts have different needs.
"The problem with mandated core
curriculums is we have 564 school dis-
tricts' said Rep. Jessie Dalman (R-
Holland). "How can we have some of
these small districts fund foreign lan-
guage programs when they just can't
afford it?"
Gire said the core curriculum will
benefit the state in the long run.
"We'll know what we're getting from
someone with a high school diploma?'
Gire said.
Rep. Kirk Profit (D-Ypsilanti) said i
curriculum will help the educatioO
problem, but it is not a cure-all.
"The core curriculum is part of the
answer to the problem?' Profit said.
Profit said other moves, that may
increase the quality of education
include fiscal equality among districts
and increased parental involvement.
City Council votes to improve
A2 downtown parking structures
By Meg Exley
Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council passed a
resolution last night in hopes of clear-
ing up downtown parking crunches.
The resolution encouraged "creative
alternatives" to costly parking structure
repairs in the downtown area.
The resolution, proposed by coun-
cilmembers Tobi Hanna-Davis (D- 1st
Ward) and Heidi Cowing Herrell (D-
3rd Ward), will offer suggestions to the
Downtown Development Authority to
curb costs on repairs to the existing
parking facilities.
In the University area, the Forest
Street parking structure has been desig-
nated as a top priority for repair.
Some suggestions offered in the cost-
cutting resolution are the creation of an
Ann Arbor Transit Authority shuttle to
the downtown area, increased use of
ecologically safe government vehicles,
and increased affordable downtown
housing so that people who work in
downtown businesses will not need to
have a car to get to work.
Hanna-Davies said she is optimistic
that the proposed suggestions will be
less expensive than the $22 million the
DDA is projecting for repairs and
replacement projects.
"The DDA does not have enough
money in its budget to meet this cost,'
Hanna-Davies said. "By offering other
ways to pay for the repairs, we hope to
prevent an inflation in local taxes."
Not all councilmembers were sup-
portive of the resolution.
"Though I can't deny that there are
serious problems with the state of the
parking structures in the downtown
area, I'm hesitant to back these
requests?' said CouncilImember Jane
Lumm (R-2nd Ward). "The resolution
offers so many alternatives to look at -
I'm afraid it will be very tough for the
DDA to look at them all without taking
their eye off their immediate needs.
"I think the DDA will get so bogged
down in all of the suggestions that noth-
ing will be resolved," Lumm said.
Councilmember David Kwan (R-2nd
Ward) said he shared Lumm's concerns.
"I think the DDA has enough obsta-
cles at this point in trying to find parking
alternatives,' Kwan said. "Realistically, I
think (the proposals) are too much for
the DDA to consider at one time?'
Kwan_ suggested increasing fees for
downtown parking might be a better
way to cut repair costs.
Whats hppeingin Ann Arbor toda
a -
±GROUP MEE1INGS
UAllanza, 995-6732, Michigan Union,
Pond Room, 7:30 p.m.
U Anthropology Club, Film and disc us-
sion, 663-3139, LSA Building,
Room B134, 8:30 p.m.
~U Black Undergraduate Law
Association, 332-6122
Michigan Union, Welker Room,
7 p.mn'.
UChaverlm, Hillel, 1429 Hill Street, 7
p.m.
JCeptomaniacs And Shoplifters
Anonymous (CASA), self-help
a. roup, 913-6990. First B aptist
Building, 6 p.m.
EVENTS
U "AIDS Awareness and Education
Through Art," sponsored by
University Health Service,
Pierpont Commons, Piano Lounge
U "Architectural Student Exhibit,"
sponsored by The College of
Architecture, Art and
Architecture Building, Jean Paul
Slusser Gallery, lla.m.-4 p.m.
U "Aristophanes In Modern Greece:
The Paradox of the Anti-feminist
Women's Plavs." sponsored by
sored by Hillel, 1429 Hill Street, 8
p.m.
J "Prof. Henry Wright Speaking on
Madagascar," sponsored by The
Anthropology Club, SSA Building,
Room B134, 7:30 p.m.
Q "Spiritual Strength for Survival,"
sponsored by The HIV/AIDS
Resource Center, Michigan Union,
Kuenzel Room, 6:30 p.m.
U "Rush Event," Throw Down, spon-
sored by Phi Sigma Pi, Touchdown
Cafe, 7 p.m.
SERVICES
r-n..... -- - Us. .. t!.s.... S....i...
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