Wednesday September 4, 2002 @2002 The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXIII, No. 2 Election Day ballot expected to be long By Loule Meizlish Daily Staff Reporter With the passing of the Labor Day weekend, the campaigns for elective office in Michigan are heating up with a ballot expected to be chock full of deci- sions for voters. Voters will be choosing new office- holders in the state's four top elective offices as well as deciding the compo- sition of the state's congressional del- egation, the state House and Senate and the fate of as many as five statewide ballot proposals. The most watched race will likely be that to succeed three-term Republican Gov. John Engler, who is barred by term limits from seeking a fourth term. Run- ning to succeed him are Democratic state Attorney General Jennifer Granholn, fresh off a big win in a very contentious August primary with two political veterans, and Republican Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus, who wants to continue Engler's legacy of tax cuts and welfare reform. The campaign "is going to be a con- tinuation of what she said in the pri- mary," Granholm spokesman Chris De Witt said. "Education will be the prime issue, as well as health care and pre- scription drugs." Posthumus and Granholm's running mates, whose election for lieutenant governor is decided with the same checkmark as that for governor, are both veterans of the state Senate. They are- Sens. Loren Bennett (R-Canton Twp.) and John Cherry Jr. (D-Clio). "Posthumus has been a part of the problem," De Witt said, referring to the state's budget woes. "His party has been in control of the Legislature and the executive branch." The Posthumus campaign has been countering those messages by saying Granholm is intent on raising taxes for -Michigan voters by supporting a See ELECTION, Page 7 One-hundred-eleven years of editorialfreedom TODAY: y Sunnyan sod clear skits dur-As jog the day, HI82, cooling off in LOW-56 the evening. Tomorrow. s1-so Many expect t, case to head to Hih ourt Shaman Drum Bookstore employees Patrick Elkins, Colleen Woods, Dan Velleman and manager Bob Carrie crossdressed yesterday to help raise HIV awareness. Drag, condoms used as tools in HIV education By Maria Sprow Daily Staff Reporter Although the University is still awaiting a decision by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding its under- graduate admissions policy, some legal experts say the case has become insignificant nationally because the Law School's use of race in admissions will most likely be accepted by the Supreme Court. "As far as Supreme Court review is concerned, the undergraduate case is not important," Wayne State Law Prof. Robert Sedler said. He said the court would most likely be interested in ruling whether diversi- ty is a compelling interest, which the Court could address with either case, and not whether the individual admis- sions policies are constitutional. While the policy itself is specific to the University, the question involving diversity affects the whole country, he added. On May 14, the 6th Circuit reversed the district court's decision, made by U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman, in the case Grutter vs. Bollinger. In its majority opinion, written by Chief Circuit Judge Boyce Martin, it declared that diver- sity is a compelling state interest. The Center for Individual Rights, a Washington-based law firm, which represents plaintiff Barbara Grutter, filed papers Aug. 9 asking the Supreme Court to hear an appeal in the case. The University has 30 days to ask the Supreme Court to deny CIR's request. The 6th Circuit has yet to reach its decision regarding the case against the College of L atetauie, 'cA e and the Arts. The most likely reason for the delay is a disagreement about whether its admissions policy is pre- cisely tailored to the college's needs, Sedler said. University Assistant General Counsel Jonathon Alger maintained that the policy is precisely tailored and is not unlike the Law School's policy. He said applicants to both schools are individually reviewed and both schools take into account a variety of factors to determine whether a person is qualified. "Certainly, our position has been that the current policies are constitu- tional," Alger said. "It's certainly our hope that the court would not say that admissions have to be done in one par- ticular way, because there are going to be different needs for different schools. We think it's important that there hasto be some room left for schools in deter- mining how best to run the admissions policies." He said the main difference is that the Law School uses what is called a "whole file review" process, while the LSA used a selection index that gives students a certain amount of points for different factors. A student may receive up to 150 points, the majority coming from his or her high school grade point average and other academic factors. They also receive 20 points if they are an under- represented minority, are ata socioeco- nomic disadvantage or attend a predominantly minority high school. "It's more quantifiable. ... It's not just a simple matter of adding up the numbers," Alger said. "Somebody real- ly is looking at the file to see if any- thing stands out, or if an application merits further consideration or further review." Ile added that he did not know what steps the University would take if the See LAWSUITS, Page 5 By Janes Ng Daily StaffReporter Students visiting Shaman Drum Bookshop on South State Street yester- day may have been surprised to find bookstore workers dressed in drag and free chocolate-flavored condoms being distributed ata stall outside the store. Shaman Drum has been holding what it calls "Drag Day" in collabora- tion with the HIV/AIDS Resource Center since 1995, Shaman Drum trade manager Nancy Rohlen said. Dressed inmen's blue jeans and a black tank top, Rohlen explained that Shaman Drum workers began dressing up in drag for the first day of every Fall semester to promote HIV awareness after one of their managers died of AIDS. "We decided to hold Drag Day in his memory," Rohlen said. HARC is a non-profit HIV/AIDS service provider based inYpsilanti that serves Washtenaw, Jackson, Livingston and Lenawee counties. "Shaman Drum asks us to provide condoms on Drag Day," HARC out- reach worker Ben Fife said. "We are doing this so that students know where to get condoms and to get them think- ing about how to protect themselves against AIDS and other (sexually trans- mitted diseases)." Bookstore patrons were generally amused by the sight of workers dressed in drag, but they also realized the deep- er message behind the reason for dress- ing in drag and distributing contraceptives. "Well, someone has to do it," LSA freshman Lauren Dolega said. "It's great that they were willing to dress in drag to draw students' atten- tion to the very real threat of HIV and AIDS." Rohlen added that besides being for a good cause, Drag Day helps to bring a bit of humor into their day's work. "It also helps build camaraderie between our workers, especially at this time of the year when many of our workers are new," Rohlen said. RC film depicts local{ homelessness problem By Rob Goodspeed little shack." Wolfe said the people they met that first day Daily Staff Reporter were receptive to the idea of creating the documentary. The filmmakers say they made the documentary with spe- You might see Lyzz browsing at the Ann Arbor public cific goals. library, or spot Shiloh relaxing in the grass near the Diag. "We want to make the voices of Ann Arbor's homeless You might encounter Little Bear outside Ulrich's or Rich sit- population heard," the documentary's website states. "This ting outside at a restaurant on State Street. Willis and Mau- documentary presents a diverse group of personal stories rice attend classes at Eastern Michigan University during and comment from people who are or have recently been the day and spend their nights on the street. All of these peo- homeless in Ann Arbor. Our goal is to present these voices ple are featured in a new documentary on homelessness in as our interviewees intend them to be heard." Ann Arbor. Titled "Listen," the filmmakers attempted to present the Filmmakers and RC graduates Elisha Wolfe and John stories of the people they met, not to view homelessness as a Mathias spent last year filming and editing the documentary problem with clear solutions. for their senior project. "We tried to make it something that would bring their "'I was really aware of the homelessness issue in Ann voices out," Mathias said. "I don't have the answers. ... It's Arbor," Wolfe said. Students "don't really understand these probably not going to be one solution." people." The filmmakers held eight public screenings in August in Wolfe and Mathias said at first they were unsure how to venues ranging from Expresso Royale on Main Street to approach the project. Pierpont Commons on North Campus. The filmmakers plan "We went to the shelter association. ... There we met a six additional showings in Sept., including a midnight show- couple guys who took us around," Wolfe said. "The first day ing at the State Theatre Sept. 26. we were filming we went under a bridge ... and there was a See FILM, Page 8 BRENDAN4o DONNELUDaily A local homeless man who refers to himself as Sclechet sits at sunset on the corner of State Street and North University Avenue. Patients fear transmission of West' Nile Inside: West Nile virus strikes areas of the Midwest. Page 3. By Kylene Kiang Daily Staff Reporter The death ofa transplant patient last week and illnesses in three other patients who received organ donations from the same donor in Georgia may prove to discredit what is known of the West Nile virus and how it is transmitted. Further testing by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta may confirm the first instance pf human-to-human transmission of West Nile virus. The virus is typically trans- mitted to humans through mosquitoes. "Although transmission of the West Nile virus via blood transfusion or organ donation has been a theoretical possibil- ity, transmission via these routes has not been previously observed," the CDC said ina statement Sunday. The organs of an infected Georgia woman, who died last month in a car accident, were implanted in the four patients in early August. Before her death, she had received blood from 37 transfusions, raising the possibility that the woman had received infected blood; however, the chances are "very low," the CDC said. The remaining blood from the 37 blood donors was recalled. Encephalitis, which is caused by West Nile virus, was the confirmed cause of death in an autopsy of the transplant patient. Two others remain hospitalized with neurological ill- nesses, and the fourth organ recipient is recovering at home after developing fevers. Robertson Davenport, medical director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Services in the University of Michigan Depart- ment of Pathology, said no test currently exists to detect West Nile virus during blood screenings. Despite the small possibility of receiving infected blood, Davenport said no immediate changes will be made to donor screening procedures, as any potential donors who have received mosquito bites will not be turned away. "Deferring people in that way would be more ofanegative impact on the blood supply," he said. Washtenaw County American Red Cross spokeswoman Pamela Reading-Smith said the blood donation program will not change its protocol for blood donor screening at this time. "We are working intensely with the (Food and Drug Administration) and the CDC to get this situation straight- ened out." Spanish ketchup Unknown man found dea d in 500 block of Church St. By Jeremy Berkowitz Daily Staff Reporter The body of a 58-year-old man was found last night at the back of a house located in the 500 block of Church Street behind the David M. Dennison Building, Ann Arbor Police Depart- ment Sgt. Andrew Zazula confirmed early this morning. Ann Arbor police received a call last night around 8:20 about the corpse. They reported to the area and questioned residents who lived near the house. Police could not confirm whether the man was a resident of Ann Arbor or affiliated with the University. Although an autopsy will not be performed until later today, police told residents they believe the man died between noon and 8 p.m. Zazula said he doubted there was any violent confrontation. "Medical examiners at this point feel (the cause of death) is natural causes. There is no sign of foul play," Zazula said. Zazula would not release any information about the male victim because the family had not been notified as of 12:30 this morning. But area residents believe the man was a maintenance worker because a maintenance van was parked near the scene. Zazula would not give any informa- tion on who discovered the body. Although Zazula is fairly confi- dent the man was not murdered, recent events on campus have heightened student fears about their safety. Two and a half weeks ago, a male suspect assaulted a female law student at the Law Quad, choking her and stealing her purse and backpack. The police currently have 56- year-old Joseph Robinson detained as a suspect. His preliminary hear- ing on charges of assault to commit robbery while armed and assault with intent to commit murder began last week. In addition, three men attacked a man on the Diag near the Shapiro Undergraduate Library about a month ago. They hit the victim from behind and stole his wallet. Youths pelt ripe tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight in the town of Bunol, Spain last week. COMING TOMORROW OPINION Kickoff 2002 Presidential expectations The Michigan football team kicked off its season Columnist Zac Peskowitz attacks the notion with a spectacular last-second win last Saturday. Our that student activism is glamorous, urging football writers look ahead at what the rest of the students to tackle hard issues. 2002 campaign has in store. Page 4. ARTS The good, bad ad ugly Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids: Island of Lost Dreams," and Clint Eastwood's flick "Bloodwork" go under the knife. Page 9. SPORTS Touring in Europe Bernard Robinson has returned in better health from Europe and is ready to lead the offense. Page 15. 4 1