One hundred ten years ofeditorialfreedom
NEWS: 76-DAILY
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WWWmichigandaily comn
Thursday
November 2, 2000
I f t t t. t. ! kF ! Yi 1 S
I
lb cited for drug sales C
By David Enders
Daily Staff Reporter
Washtenaw County narcotics inves-
tigators yesterday continued to serve
13 warrants issued this week in con-
nection with alleged sales of the drug
ecstasy at the Nectarine Ballroom, a
popular Ann Arbor dance club.
Responding to patron concerns
that the dealers had been selling the
drug at the club, undercover offi-
cers purchased an undisclosed
amount of ecstasy over a six-month
period.
The police officers participated
in "individual buys in the bar from
Female
Sens. not
common
in U.S.
By Jeremy W. Peters
Daily Staff Reporter
If Debbie Stabenow wins her bid for
U.S. Senate against Republican incum-
ent Spence Abraham she would find
herself one of only a handful of
women there.
Currently nine women are members
of what has been called the "most
CAM P A.I G N exclusive gen-
tleman's club in
2 the world."
Three are up
for re-election
this year and none are expected to lose
heir seats.
"It would be such an honor for
me. I would be the first woman from
Michigan ever elected to the U.S.
Senate," said Stabenow, who is visit-
ing campus tonight along with fel-
low Democrats Rep. Lynn Rivers
and State Rep. Dianne Byrum to
celebrate the 80th anniversary of the
constitutional amendment enfran-
chising women.
Stabenow, along with First Lady
Hillary Clinton, who is running for
Daniel Patrick Moynihan's open seat in
New York, and Democrat Maria
Cartwell of Washington state are the
three women who are running in the
tightest races this year and are consid-
ered to have fairly good chance to win.
"We have had in the course of histo-
ry of our nation, 1,850 senators and
only 15 of them have been women
elected in their own right," Stabenow
Aid.
Stabenow, a member of the U.S.
House of Representatives since 1997,
is careful to point out that if elected
senator, her perspective as a female
will not be the only factor she uses to
guide herself.
"It's not just about representing
women," she said. "Coming to the
Senate as a woman is about broaden-
ng the perspective. There are critical
ssues that touch all of our lives in so
many ways and as a woman I could
bring a different set of experiences that
are important."
To her opponent, this election isn't
about putting another woman in the
Senate, it's about who can do a better
job as a law maker.
"If you look at the simple positive
accomplishments of Spence Abraham
and Debbie Stabenow, what you see is
at I've passed 21 bills into law and
he's passed none. So if you look at it
in terms of accomplishments, I'd win
that campaign easily," Abraham said.
Ann Arbor's Lynn Rivers, who
works with Stabenow in the House,
said she wholeheartedly endorses her
counterpart.
"We do need more women," Rivers
said. "Women are 52 percent of the
population and if we're going to have a
presentative government we need to
have a government that reflects that."
On women's issues in particular,
Stabenow said she hopes to remedy
some problems she sees women facing
today.
"What I want to do is take my expe-
individual dealers," said Sgt. Lyle
Sartori, who works for the Liv-
ingston and Washtenaw Narcotics
Enforcement Team (LAWNET).
AAPD Sgt. Michael Logghe said
officers served one warrant to an
Ann Arbor resident. Metro Detroit
residents received the remaining 12.
None appear to be students. The
club is open five nights a week, and
minors are allowed in with identifi-
cation.
"We had gotten complaints that
there were open dealings going on in
the Nectarine," Sartori said. Saturday
morning LAWNET made the first two
arrests inside the club, located at 510
E. Liberty St.
A designer drug hybrid of mesca-
line and amphetamine, ecstasy is
known chemically as MDMA. Users
say it loosens inhibitions and makes
people more relaxed. Some Euro-
pean countries used ecstasy in psy-
chotherapy cases until being banned
in 1986.
Sartori said the drug is associated
commonly with "rave" and "dance"
scenes, a description that fits the
club.
"You probably just about could go
into any bar and if you sat there long
enough you could buy any drug," he
said. "Why is it unique to the Nec-
tarine? I don't know."
"It appears to be on the rise," Sar-
tori said. "We're running into more
and more late teens to early 20-year-
olds who are experimenting with it.
That is in correlation to the national
average."
Club owner Michael Bender said
he was unaware of the sale of ecsta-
sy in his establishment.
"I'm trying to help out as much as
possible - it was a shock to me,"
Bender said.
He also said his club tries to pre-
vent such activity, but that it is not
easy.
See NECTARINE, Page 7A
Police worked undercover for six months at the Nectarine Ballroom, a popular
downtown dance club, to build arrest cases against alleged dealers of ecstasy.
ABBY ROSENBAUM/Daily
Calso Cardenas, co-chair of La Voz, speaks to attendees In front of the ceremonial alter last night in the Michigan Union, in celebration of the
Day of the Dead.
Day of Dead'
celebrates life
House race
tight, could
give Dems
majonty
By Hanna LoPatin
Daily Staff Reporter
Every two years control of the U.S. House of Representa
tives comes up for grabs. In this tight election year, when
almost every race on the ticket seems like it could go either
way, both the Democrats and Republicans have their eye on
the prize.
In the present Congress the
Republicans hold a six-seat
majority.
But the close political races
could dictate a minuscule and
ineffectual majority. rri
"No matter who wins control,
it's going to be almost impossi-
ble to govern the House," Inside
Michigan Politics Editor Bill
Ballenger said,
As far as Ballenger is con-
cerned, the winner is most likely ILO
going to be the Democratic Party.
"There are more open seats
that tend to tilt Democratic than there are Republican,' he
said.
But there are several special circumstances that make this
election year different than any other.
"The two parties are perhaps in more equal strength than
in any time in the last quarter century" Ballenger said.
One of the tightest races in the country is taking place
in the 8th District of Michigan, right next door to Ann
Arbor.
The most recent EPIC/MRA poll showed Democrt
Dianne Byrum favored over Republican Mike Rogers by
one point with a five point margin of error. Roger's Pre
Secretary Sylvia Warner said political pundits have predict
ed "as the eighth district goes, so goes Congress."
But representatives from both parties said they were
confident that their candidate would win the election.
Marit Babin, spokeswoman for the National Republica
Congressional Committee, said that the Ohio Democrar
James Traficant vocalizing his support for Dennis Hastert'
(R-Ill.) for Speaker of the House over Dick Gephardt (D-
Miss.) will additionally hurt the Democrats.
"There's no way the Democrats are going to be able to
make up the difference," Babin said.
Babin said the Republican Party is confident in at least
three seats that they can take away from the Democrats in
races in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.
Losing Traficant's vote, combined with the three seats the
Republicans are confident in gaining, adds up to 10 seats
that the Democrats need to win to get the majority, Babin
said.
"There are not 10 seats that they are going to win," she
said.
But spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Cam
See HOUSE, Page 7A
By Rachel Green
Daily Staff Reporter
An alter covered with sugar skulls, can-
dles, pictures of lost loved ones and colorful
streamers decorated the Art room in the
Michigan Union last night, as Latino stu-
dents celebrated the Day of the Dead.
About 40 students attended the Day of the
Dead Alter Ceremony, a celebration to
remember loved ones who have died.
Donney Moroney, student services
associate for the office of multi-ethnic
student affairs, said this holiday is "a cel-
ebration of the continuation of life." She
said the two-day holiday commemorates
the memory of children yesterday and
adults today.
Calso Cardenas, co-chair of La Voz, the
Latino student group that sponsored the
event, said last night's festivities marked the
seventh Day of the Dead celebration at the
University.
"This holiday, specifically, I just like what
it's about," Cardenas said.
"It's supposed to be like our version of
Halloween but instead of mourning death,
we celebrate life," he said. "They lived, they
were here, they made an impact in our
lives."
LSA sophomore Rebecca Casas, said
she wants to remind students that this
holiday is a joyous occasion, rather than
a solemn one.
"The main point of Day of the Dead is
that it's a happy time because your family is
returning home," she said.
Casas, co-chair of La Voz, said on both
days participants leave bread - made
especially for the holiday - and a glass
of water on the alter dedicated to return-
ing spirits so they can eat and join in the
celebration.
"Usually you also have a picture of the
See DEAD, Page 7A
Electoral college confuses race
By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Presidential candidates Al Gore and George W
Bush have repeated it again and again: "I want
your vote," and "your vote counts."
But with recent speculation that one candidate
may win the popular vote but lose the necessary
electoral college votes, many are left wondering
if their vote counts at all.
The popular vote "means nothing in terms of
who actually gets elected," Inside Michigan Poli-
tics Editor Bill Ballenger said.
The electoral college is a group of elected
officials selected at state party conventions.
The number of electors varies from state to
state and is based on the number of members
a state has in the House of Representatives
and the Senate.
While the nationwide popular vote does not
count in terms of who gets elected "it counts
toward the choice of these electors," Universi-
ty political science Prof. Chris Achen said.
Voice Your Vote Chair Shari Katz said the
group registered nearly 6,800 University students
to vote this year, adding that she does not believe
that her vote is futile. "The responsibility of the
electoral college is to represent the majority of
voters," Katz said. The electors cast ballots in
See COLLEGE, Page 2A
States with the
most Electoral votes
r California
New York
Texas
Florida
Pennsylvania
Ohio
* Illinois
Michigan
* New Jersey
' North Carolina
54
33
32
25
23
21
22
18.
15
14
Mold keeps 'U' workers away
By David Enders
Daily Staff Reporter
University employees at the Argus
Building with flu-like symptoms have
blamed their troubles on mold entering
the building through the air circulation
system.
None of the symptoms have been
classified as life-threatening, and the
University has not mandated an evacu-
"In principle, we can work anywhere we
can find bandwidth."
- Pete Honeyman
Computer Information and Technology Integration Director
their workplace after as many as 18
people complained of the symptoms.
"Mv frmmendatin was to spnd
the front door."
The building's owner, O'Neal Con-
strucntio~n of Ann Arbor. has hired an
_ U s e.