LOCAL/STATE Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 15, 1998 - 5 *STD rates high among Michigan teen-agers Cuttin', it up DETROIT (AP) - The highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea in Michigan last year were found among those aged 15-19, even though state records show the overall rates for most sexually trans- mitted diseases fell statewide. "It's a serious problem," said Mark Wilson, program director for sexually transmitted disease prevention at the Detroit Department of Health. "You're dealing with attitudes in a lot of these cases. Young people of today have the attitude that they have the world ahead of them and it's not going to happen to me." Nearly three-fourths of the state's reported cases of chlamydia - an inflammation that can lead to death or sterility if untreated - and more than half of the cases of gonorrhea involved young adults under age 25, the state Department of Community Health reports. Chlamydia - a parasite -- can lead to infertility and tubal pregnancies. Gonorrhea causes painful, burning urina- tion and a puss-like discharge from the urethra or vagina. Michigan educators say parents need to accept some responsibility for teach- ing teens about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, The Detroit News reported in a story yesterday. Nationally, teens make up about one- quarter of the 12 million reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases, includ- ing HIV and herpes, each year. That means one out of four sexually active teens will become infected with some type of disease each year because of risky behavior, the newspaper reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last month that it is starting its most intense effort yet to combat sexually transmitted diseases. Over the next year, the agency will encourage states to work with parents, schools and local television stations to start prevention programs. It will pursue a nationwide effort to eliminate syphilis and expand testing for chlamydia, which has no symptoms in most women. Health officials attribute the soaring rates among Michigan teen-agers to a number of factors: Ignorance, easy trans- mission of some sexually transmitted dis- eases, stealthy symptoms or reluctance to get treatment, the News reported. In the study of I1 states by Advocates for Youth, a national teen health organization, only Georgia fared worse than Michigan in providing ser- vices and teaching young people about topics such as teen pregnancy and sex- ually transmitted diseases. The survey studied state policies in 10 areas including health education in schools, school-based health care and programs for youths outside of school. Michigan fell short in three areas: sex education for runaway, homeless and delinquent youths; support ser- vices for young gays and lesbians; and access to confidential health ser- vices such as HIV testing, counseling and treatment. ALLISON CANTER/Daily Betty Lemmer and her granddaughter Mandy Lemmer construct origami yesterday at the Ann Arbor Public Library. Student causes severe dorm fire at Northwestern Michigan College TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - A student at Northwestern Michigan College has been charged with setting a fire that severely damaged a dormi- tory and injured nine residents; one resident of the dorm was injured critically. Michael Sheffer of Royal Oak, was arraigned yes- terday in District Court on a charge of arson of a dwelling house, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He was jailed on $50,000 bond and requested a court-appointed lawyer for his preliminary hearing, scheduled for April 21. Sheffer told investigators he lit a piece of paper in the lounge area of East Hall, then left for a late-night walk with friends, Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Dennis LaBelle said. "He claims that someone dared him to light the paper ... horsing around, according to him," LaBelle said. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Matthew Wooten remained in critical but stable condition at Blodgett Hospital Regional Burn Center in Grand Rapids, hospital spokesman Bruce Rossman said. Wooten's face, hands and back were burned in the fire, which broke out about 2:30 a.m. Monday in the lounge area of the residence hall. The other injured students were treated for smoke inhalation, said Kathleen Guy, spokesperson for the 3,800-student community college. LaBelle said Sheffer, a first-year student, had been partying with friends before igniting the paper. Sheffer claims he laid the burning paper on a table, but another student found it on a couch and "thought she had extinguished it," LaBelle said. The flames and smoke apparently spread quickly, tripping several alarms. Some residents told the Traverse City Record-Eacle they didn't take the alarms seriously at first because pranksters sometimes set them off Wooten was in his room at the time. Trying to find his way out through the heavy smoke, he ended up in a hallway leading to the lounge and "literally walked into the fire" LaBelle said. Wooten then cut himself trying to break a win- dow. lie was pulled to safety by Selena Somers, a resi- dent assistant who heard his screams. Guy said. East Hall, opened in 1967. consists of two wings, each with 60 rooms. Officials planned to reopen one wing this week. EY GAUATIG SA'AY GREAT MEORESFROM Yn YEARS IN ab ' HRE THEM WITH READERS* E-MAIL YOUR FAVORITE ANECDOTES TO rday. JOBS Spring/Summer Term Apply EL at the Law Library-- * non-Law Students * Law Students * SI. Students Apply in person: Room S-180 in the Law Library's underground addition, 8-noon and 1-5 Monday through Friday. r it Owen proposes to take away .drop-outs' driver's licenses AA/EOE LANSING (AP) - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Larry Owen wants to give students a choice: Stay in school, or hand over your car keys. The East Lansing lawyer yesterday unveiled his plan to take away the driver's licenses of students who seriously mis- behave or drop out of school. "A lack of respect is a major problem in our schools," he said. With 26,000 dropouts last year, not keeping students in school could have serious repercussions for their future and for the state's, he said. East Kentwood High School Principal Joe Beel said he HARRISON Continued from Page 1 Associate Vice President for University Relations Lisa Baker said no discussion has taken place in connection with the replacement of Harrison. 'H e's a finalist in this search, but he's still (at the University)," Baker said. "It would be premature to speculate." Hartford President Humphrey Tonkin announced that he would step down from his position this past July to return to teaching and spend more time with his family. Tonkin will finish his presidential term June 30. His departure follows a decade-long term during which he improved the school's financial situation by eliminating a siz- READ THE GUADJ MICHIGAN DAILY FOR 6-week sessi THE BEST Intensive Sp COVERAGE OF 3-week sessi LOCAL AND Intensive Spa NIVERSIT 5-week sessi EVENTS For i The University o E-M thought the idea had promise. "It is amazing what a significant thing that driver's license is," he said. "I wouldn't be opposed to seeing something like that, anything that would motivate kids to be here and to do well while they're here." But Jackson Northwest High School Principal Erik Bergh said he isn't sure misbehaving students will be deterred by the threat of a lost license. "I've seen students who have had all kinds of driver's license sanctions put on them tell me they were driving anyway," Bergh said. able budget deficit. Hartford recently started a S150-million fund-raising cam- paign to be spread across 10 years. Tonkin said he wants the new president to be able to shape the campaign. "We weren't getting as much income as we had hoped. This is also a chance to build our alumni base," said Tom Jones. director of media relations for the University of H artford. The presidential search committee is chaired by Peter Eio, vice chair of the University of Hartford Board of Regents and president of LEGO Systems, Inc. The search committee will seek input from all of the University's constituencies - including faculty and staff, stu- dents, alumni and others in order to establish the criteria used to select a new president. ALATARA SUMMER SCHOOL 1998 ,, i ' ' i it 1eetJs, W loekem. +vc 4 ~ vres jliAC 41,fe WOdo c ofczz. 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