-rL, . RA:-L,:--- 1'1 ...: i.. 'T L,.. .,.....J ..,. 1.............. '94 4 nnn C A LOCAL/S TATEm TevMicigan Daiy - Inursaay, January 21,1- 5 House Democrats push for minimum wage hike A LANSING (AP) -- A plan to increase Mici-igan's minimum wage to $6.15 an hour that minority House Democrats announced yester- day was quickly panned by Republicans, who now control the lower chamber. House Minority Leader Michael Hanley -Saginaw) said the minimum wage ought go up by $1 to $6.15 an hour by January 2000. He also wants a constitutional amend- ment adopted that would automatically increase the minimum wage by the rate of inflation each year. louse Speaker Chuck Perricone (R- Kalamazoo Township) said the bill wouldn't get a hearing in the House. "I am not interested in the same old tricks. What you have here is the prime example of liberal thinking. Democrats want keep taxes high by raising artificial mini- lcms," Perricone said. "It's much more logical to cut taxes and other expenses that hard working families have to pay rather than handing them another nickel or dime through an artificial minimum," he said. The minimum wage last increased in September 1997 to $5.15 an hour, up from the $3.35 hourly wage set in 1981. While Hanley said he expected Republicans to argue that wage increases would stifle busi- ness, he said the 1997 minimum wage increase had no such impact. He said that 4.68 million workers had jobs in September 1997 when the last increase took effect. By November 1998, that number increased to 4.93 million employed workers. "Frankly, I think it will be a job creator," Hanley said at a Capitol news conference. "It will drive our economy to be stronger." Gov. John Engler's spokesperson John Truscott said raising the minimum wage further would do no such thing. "Michigan is near the top in nearly every economic indicator, he said. "When you look at the success we've had in eight short years ... I think the only conclusion is we are definitely on the right track." Hanley said if House Republicans do not take up the bill by Labor Day, he would work to promote a ballot initiative. A similar ballot initiative was adopted by 66 percent of Washington voters last November. The measure raises the minimum wage there to $6.50 an hour on Jan. 1 and then gives annual inflationary increases starting in 2001. "The Democratic caucus wants to look out for the little guy," said Rep. Kwame Kilpatrick (D-Detroit). "We want to make sure poverty isn't "The Democratic caucus wants to look out for the little guy. We want to make sure poverty isn't a reward for a full-time job." - Rep. Kwame Kilpatrick (D-Detroit) a reward for a full-time job." The measure also would ensure that workers who receive tips would make half the minimum wage. The two-step increase from the current $2.65 an hour would push those workers to $2.83 an hour by Sept. 6, and to $3.08 an hour by Jan. 1. While there are approximately 300,000 workers earning the minimum wage in Michigan, the state law would impact the earnings of just 100,000 of them. The other 200,000 workers fall under federal minimum wage laws because they engage in interstate commerce and have gross receipts of more than $500,000 a year. The House Democrats' plan is similar to leg- islation being pushed in Congress by U.S. Rep. David Bonior (D-Mt. Clemens) who has recom- mended raising the federal minimum wage to $6.15. He shoots, he scores GU NDERSONSHOUT's student direct committee chose Gunde Continued from Page 1A sions of students who nor Gunderson has previously won the College of Many of Gunderson's fo Literature Science and Arts Excellence in Teaching her teaching style. Award. She said the thought of winning the Golden "I think she's very com Apple had crossed her mind, but she never thought it student Maya Fischhoff, on would become a reality. nated Gunderson. "She ma "This has been actually a dream," she said. "To have that a lot of students haveg that be formally recognized in the form of this award, "She's really straight-fo I can't tell you how happy that makes me." Navai said. "She breaks e "This is the only award that's given to a professor at basics." the University by the students," Musher said. Each year the Golden Ap Gunderson said being selected by students for the tion of the award as a surpri award is a great honor, especially because of "the fact who handed Gunderson the that it's coming from a course in statistics," which many students to be a part of thep students take only as a requirement. Gunderson has been Students nominated more than 175 faculty mem- University since 1989 wh( bers this year, said LSA senior Stephanie Lovinger, ate here. She now holds 1 GHB Continued from Page 1A The drug is most often dissolved in water or alcohol and is consumed typically in capfuls, which cost $5-10, according to the ONDCP GHB's effects are usually felt within 15-30 minutes of ingestion. The drug also intensifies the effects of alcohol so a user does not have to con- sume as many drinks. Ann Arbor Police Department Sgt. Michael Logghe said women sometimes take the drug to reduce the intake of calories from beer. "We're concerned with the females that may be taking GHB to allay the calories of beers'" Logghe said., Panhellenic Association President Cindy Faulk said many students have heard rumors about GHB being used to enhance the effects of alcohol but few have actu- ally seen GHB abuse. "I've never seen the drug used personally," said Faulk, an Education junior. "I've heard it's been used but not from concrete sources." tor. A 10-member student rson based on the submis- minated her. ormer students openly praise mitted," said SNRE graduate ne of the students who nomi- anages to bring alive a subject gone into sort of hesitantly" rward," LSA junior Neema verything down to complete pple winner receives notifica- se during class, said Lovinger, letter yesterday. "We want the presentation," she said. teaching statistics at the hen she received her doctor- the position of a permanent lecturer for the department and coordinates several undergraduate classes. "Teaching is indeed my joy," she said. "It's what I love to do, and it's what I always want to do." SHOUT has been honoring University teaching for nine years. Past Golden Apple winners include English and religion Prof Ralph Williams, and histo- ry Profs. Sidney Fine and Tom Collier. This year marks the second time that a female has won the award. Nursing Prof. Carol Boyd won the award sev- eral years ago. Lovinger said Gunderson will deliver her "ideal last lecture" and receive a cash prize and trophy during a ceremony March 24 at 7:30 p.m. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in the auditorium of the Rackham Graduate School building Gunderson's lecture should say "anything that she'd most like to tell the University community" as if it were her final teaching opportunity, Lovinger said. In addition to receiving local attention during recent months, the drug has also caught the attention of national agencies. NIDA reports heavy GHB usage in cities across the nation, including Detroit, Phoenix, Honolulu, Miami and New York. "In recent years, abuse of GHB has increased," DEA spokesperson Rogene Waite said. "It's popular with high school and college students." DEA has documented more than 3,500 overdoses and law enforcement encoun- ters involving GHB, Waite said. GHB is not illegal nationally but has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Michigan is among a handful of states to outlaw the drug. Sexual assault experts warn women to be careful not to have the drug slipped into their drinks. "It's important to uphold safe practices such as not leaving a drink unattended or letting anyone get a drink for you," Chitanda said. AP~ PHOTO Dave Wieszclecinski, 9, gets in a little hockey practice by gliding over the ice last night at Veteran's Memorial Park ice rink in Bay City. Dow Coming sued over implants GRE CAT #376 BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) - -Dozens of lawyers representing clients from six continents haggled yesterday over the details of a plan to pay thousands of women with silicone breast implants and bring Dow Corning Corp. out of bankruptcy. The complicated $4.5 billion plan to be voted on by women who filed suit against Dow Corning, as well as the company's other creditors. Dow Corning has filed a 300-page descrip- tion of the plan that it wants to be used as the basis for voting. Attorneys for Dow Corning and a major group of creditors and women who sued told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Specter that the description was as good as it could Pet in its current form. We did achieve a delicate bal- ance of conflict and competing interest in this case," said Barbara Houser, Dow Corning's lead attor- ney. She advised Judge Specter there was little room for change: DRINKING Continued from Page 1A partment is investigating the incident. Ferris State University student Adriane Allen died last week after falling from her third-floor apartment window. Allen had been drinking with friends before she fell. Some students said they alter their behavior after hearing about alcohol- related deaths. "I think it affects me because it's closer to home. I think that it could have been me;' LSA first-year student Lisa Ruff said. Others disagree, arguing the number alcohol-related deaths does not affect their behavior. "College drinking is always a constant - there will always be those that do and those that don't," LSA junior Heather Carleton said. The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, published in the Journal of American College Health last September, concluded that there has been a decrease in binge drinking Wong college students across the nation between 1993 and 1997. But, the study also found that the college students who are binge drink- ing are doing it more frequently. Frequent binge drinking is defined by the survey as consuming five drinks or more in ai sinele night at least five "It's the Pillsbury Doughboy - you poke it and it pooches out some- where else." But other attorneys, including one who flew from Korea to make his case, argued the plan was unclear and unfair in some areas. Judge Specter ordered a few changes, but delayed many deci- sions for later hearings. An avalanche of claims from women who believed silicone implants were making them sick drove Dow Corning into bankruptcy in May 1995. The company and lawyers for the women who had sued announced a settlement in July. They have been working out the details since then. Under the settlement, women who claim they suffered illnesses due to Dow Corning silicone breast implants could get between $12,000 and $300,000 each. Women can also receive up to $25,000 for ruptured or leaking implants, and up to $5,000 for implant removal. Test 1 Class 1 Worksh TEST 2 Class 2 Worksh TEST 3 Class 3 Worksh Test 4 Class 4 op 1 Sat. Jan 23 Tue. Jan 26 Thu. Jan 28 9:00am-1:00pm 6:30pm-10:00pm 6:30pm-10:00pm Get An Edge. 0 Expert Instructors # Guaranteed Results 1 Maximum 15 students per class Free Extra Help # Proven Techniques TAKE BYSUNDA Y, JANUARY31 Tue. Feb 2 6:30pm-10:00pm op 2 Thu. Feb 4 6:30pm-10:00pm TAKE BYSUNDA Y, FEBRUARY 7 Tue. Feb 9 6:30pm-10:00pm op3 Thu. Feb 11 6:30pm-10:00pm Sat. 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