The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Monday, September 16, 2013 - 3A
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Monday, September16, 2013 - 3A
NEWS BRIEFS
DETROIT
FBI seizes
$700,000 from
Kilpatrick friend
The FBI has seized about
$700,000 from bank accounts
linked to Bobby Ferguson, a close
friend and co-defendant of ex-
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
The Detroit News says the
FBI obtained a search warrant
and made the seizures March 10,
one day before a federal jury in
Detroit convicted Ferguson and
Kilpatrick for their roles in a City
Hall kickback scheme. Their sen-
tencing is Oct.10.
The newspaper says search
warrants in the case were
unsealed Friday in Detroit U.S.
District Court.
Ferguson's lawyer Michael
Rataj says he's angry at the sei-
zure and says the money belongs
to Ferguson's 88-year-old mother.
WASHINGTON
Budget tightening
could widen
income gap
on the fifth anniversary of
the Lehman Brothers collapse,
President Barack Obama says the
Republican focus on budget tight-
ening could widen income dis-
parities in the nation even as the
economy climbs out of a debilitat-
ingrecession.
Tryingto layclaimto aneconom-
ic turnaround, Obama acknowl-
edged that despite progress,
middle- and low-income Americans
have not benefited as much as the
top 1 percent in the country.
"We came in, stabilized the
situation," he told ABC's "This
Week" in an interview broadcast
Sunday. He cited 42 months in a
row of growth, 7 million jobs
created and a revitalized auto
industry.
ACAPULCO, Mexico
Tropical storm,
hurricane batter
Mexican coast
Tropical Storm Manuel edged
onto Mexico's Pacific coast Sun-
day while Hurricane Ingrid
swirled offshore on the other
side of the country, as heavy rains
and landslides caused at least
13 deaths and led authorities to
evacuate thousands.
Stormy conditions led some
communities in affected states
to cancel Independence Day cel-
ebrations planned for Sunday and
Monday.
The U.S. National Hurricane
Center said Manuel began to
weaken as soon as it made landfall
near the port of Manzanillo dur-
ing the afternoon, but remained
a threat to produce flash floods
and mudslides. It was predicted
to dissipate by Monday.
KINSHASA, Congo
Congo accuses
Rwanda of
kidnapping' soldier
Congolese officials accused
Rwandan soldiers of detaining a
sergeant from Congo's army near
the countries' shared border Sun-
day, a move they described as a
"provocation."
The incidentappearedtoratchet
up tension in the border region,
which was the sight of heavy fight-
ing late last month between the
Congolese army and a rebel group
allegedly backed by Rwanda.
Sgt. Munanga Kafakana was
detained Sunday while trying to
visit family in the eastern Congo
city of Goma, army spokesman
Col. Olivier Hamuli said. Rwandan
officials said Kafakana had crossed
into Rwandanterritory,but Hamu-
li insisted he had not.
"He had not crossed the border,
but he was found in a neutral zone
when the Rwandan soldiers kid-
nappedhim," Hamulisaid."Weare
trying to calm the tension here at
0 the border, because the population
that alerted us to this arrest wants
to go look for him on the other side
of the border."
-Compiled from
Daily wire reports
DEMS
From Page 1A
months, recently making stops
in several Michigan communi-
ties, such as Escanaba, Man-
istee, Leland, Southfield and
Detroit.
Aaron Kall, director of the
University's debate program,
said an uncontested primary
presents a rare situation that
can greatly influence the strat-
egy of a race, as Schauer will
likely have the full support of
Democrats across the state.
At this stage in the race, Kall
said a new candidate's best
strategy is visiting counties and
districts - and shaking as many
hands as possible - in an effort
to garner name recognition and
positive media attention.
"Nothing can replace good
old-fashioned campaigning,"
Kall said.
In addition, Schauer has the
opportunity to focus all of his
energy on his likely general
election opponent, Snyder, rath-
er than dueling in a brutal pri-
mary battle.
Primaries tend to force candi-
dates to shift to one side of their
ideology, Kall said, in order to
differentiate themselves from
other challengers.
"Not having primary oppo-
nents allows both candidates to
be who they are, who are very
moderate, in a state that kind
of leans blue, but is purple and
could go either way," Kall said.
Kall said some of Snyder's
policies, such as Medicaid
expansion and the implementa-
tion of the Affordable Care Act,
have angered many subscribers
to the Tea Party faction of the
Republican Party. An issue that
could greatly differentiate Sny-
der and Schauer may arise with
debates concerning labor, ref-
erenced by Snyder's support of
Right-to-Work legislation.
Snyder has also refrained
from speaking on an array of
social issues, instead choosing a
narrative centered on economic
growth for families and busi-
nesses.
Kelli Ford, press secretary for
the Michigan Republican Party,
emphasized Snyder's commit-
ment to rebuilding the economy.
"Right now, Governor Snyder
is focused on doing the job he
was elected to do: build Michi-
gan's comeback," Ford wrote in
a email interview. "New jobs are
being added because Governor
Snyder and the Republican leg-
islature know what it takes to
get our economy back on track."
In a January op-ed published
in the Detroit Free Press, Snyder
cited multiple economic reforms
initiated under his administra-
tion that he said contributed to
Michigan ranking as the sixth
fastest-growing economy in the
nation.
However, Schauer said Sny-
der's economic policies, which
he believes cater to corporate
special interests, have made
it difficult for communities to
remain viable and retain young
people.
"I see Rick Snyder talk-
ing about those things, but his
actions don't back them up,"
Schauer said.
Education, it seems, may also
arise in potential debates as the
electorate begins to pay more
attention to the gubernatorial
race.
Schauer has dedicated mul-
tiple recent op-eds and social
media posts to education-relat-
ed issues. Though Schauer has
not laid out a specific policy
platform, he has a track record
from his time in the state leg-
islature and has recently railed
against Snyder for large-scale
budget cuts in both higher and
k-12 education.
"We need to fundamentally
reconnect to our constitutional
promise of a quality public edu-
cation for every child," Schauer
said. "We need to recommit to
supporting our universities.
We have seen consistent cuts in
state support for higher educa-
tion. I think it should be one of
our values; it should be one of
our top priorities in Michigan."
At the 18th-annual Gover-
nor's Summit on Education
in April, Snyder's comments
focused on better matching
skills with high-demand jobs
through collaboration with
business leaders.
When asked about potential
initiatives to engage college stu-
dents, both Schauer and Ford
emphasized the importance of
involving young voters.
"College students are a
very important demographic,"
Schauer said. "They are engaged
in issues, and their energy is
infectious."
Ford welcomed young Repub-
licans to join campus teams as
part of their effort to recruit
college students from across
Michigan. And in a mid-term
election, lacking a presidential
election to drive turnout, Kall
said engaging voters in every
demographic will be crucial.
In a Detroit Free Press poll
released last week, Snyder is
polling eight points ahead of
Schauer. But with more than a
year to go, the race is far from a
final call.
WHEELCHAIR
From Page 1A
experience" that shows how inac-
cessible campus can be for handi-
capped persons.
Guys said the hills and potholes
around campus are especially
difficult for those with physical
disabilities. He said he has been
working with the University's
Office for Institutional Equality to
improve accessibility, but progress
has been slow.
The brothers also handed out
fliers to curious passersby. Nurs-
ing sophomore Asa Smith stopped
briefly to chat and offer support.
"When I saw them passing by I
really wondered if they all had dis-
abilities," Smith said. "Then I saw
their shirts, and I thought it was
really cool."
Though the 5K is the frater-
nity's most visible event, they also
host other events to raise funds,
including a charity dinner for
students, faculty and community
members with disabilities.
"It's good for us to learn and to
build some solidarity," Guys said.
Adam Glanzman contributed
reporting this story.
BUS
From Page 1A
police reported Sunday that all
three have been released.
Police determined that the inci-
dent was not due to operator error
or from excessive speed and said
they didn't know if the bus was
over capacity. Many University
buses are modified to have signifi-
cant standing room.
LSA freshman Tristan MacK-
ethan was on the bus at the time of
the incident. He said the bus was
packed with the usual amount of
students for a game day, and he
did not see anyone standing past
the yellow line thatccautions riders
to stay away from the door.
"As we went around a turn
going left, people were pushed to
the right of the bus ... three people
were pushed against the door, the
doorswere pushed open and three
people fell out," MacKethan said.
He said the bus stopped a short
distance from where the students
fell out, and someone called 911.
Ambulances arrived on the scene
about two or three minutes later.
MacKethan accompanied two
of the victims to the hospital, but
said students were able to take
other buses to the football game.
"Two of the girls are back in our
dorm and they're OK after they
were treated," he said.
As of Sunday evening, the Daily
wasn't able toreachthe twovictims
to which MacKethan referred.
The investigation to deter-
mine the cause of the accident
is still pending, police said. The
bus has been removed from ser-
vice for evaluation of a mechani-
cal failure, and it's not yet clear
when the bus will be back in
service.
STUDENTS
From Page 1A
Before Oct. 15, teams of stu-
dents will submit their plans
concerning one of the 10 to
20 challenges. Five or six stu-
dent groups, each working
with a faculty member, will
coordinate remotely with the
tech companies during winter
semester before implement-
ing their plan in summer 2014.
The School of Information is
covering travel and housing
expenses, along with provid-
ing a small stipend for partici-
pants to help cover food and
other needs.
Pal said the dynamic
between the Indian organi-
zations and University stu-
dents is different from typical
development opportunities
where external organizations
find an issue and formulate a
plan without local consulta-
tion.
"There is a lot of local com-
munity working on problems
that we can learn from and we
can bring unique skills from the
site itself," Pal said. "This is a
great collaborative opportunity
for us."
Alabama church observes
50th anniversary of bomb
ENTREPRENEUR
From Page 1A
said he hopes the class allows his
students to interact meaningfully
with entrepreneurs, who may be
able to offer guidance on how stu-
dents can shape their careers.
Besides listening, students are
also required to pitch their own
idea in front of a camera and sub-
mit it to 1,000 Pitches, n competi-
tion between the University and
Pennsylvania State University
that's hosted by entrepreneur-
ship group MPowered. The goal
of 1,000 Pitches is to encourage
students to turn their ideas into
actual business plans. The winner
of any of the nine pitch categories
is evaluated by a panel and is eli-
gible to receive a $1,000 prize.
While this is only his first year
teaching the seminar, Thompson
has played a prominent role in
the course's evolution. Histori-
cally, the format of the class was
a traditional lecture, with speak-
ers standing behind a lectern and
clicking through a PowerPoint
presentation. However, Thomp-
son felt that speakers were limited
by the formal setting of the course.
"In other words, some entrepre-
neurs are really good at communi-
cating in alecture format, and some
are ... OK at it," Thompson said.
The class "pivoted" toward a
more TEDx style, ditching the
lectern for a more intimate envi-
ronment. Thompson said he began
to notice some recurrring themes
from multiple speakers last year.
"You would start to hear things
like ... 'fail fast, fail early', over
and over again," Thompson said.
Drawing inspiration from "The
Charlie Rose Show," Thompson
proposed another "pivot" - mak-
ing himself a journalistic-style
interviewer to better engage with
the course's guests. With a more
intimate format, Thompson said
there is "a little bit more facility to
draw out who this person really is
and you get some fun stories."
For instance, in response to a
question about how an engineer
becameadoctorandentrepreneur
of homeopathic medicine, Polich
delved into a personal anecdote
about discovering a homeopathic
cure for her sick daughter while at
Whole Foods.
After class, Polich also offered
praiseforthenewinterviewformat.
"The problem is that if I just try
to make something up myself," Pol-
ich said, "it might be the same thing
somebodyelselecturedonlastweek,
but I'm not going to know that -
where he can direct me into specific
areas, which really was helpful."
LSA senior Conrad Brown said
the talk-show format was more
engaging than a traditional lec-
ture and a good way to expose stu-
dents to new business disciplines.
"The talk-show setting is keyto
it not being boring, that you're not
being lectured with a PowerPoint,
like we are in 90 percent of our
other classes," Brown said. "I'd
recommend it to anyone, no mat-
ter what major, what year. If you're
not busy 2 to 3 on Fridays, there's
no reason you shouldn't be here."
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -
Hundreds of people black and
white, many holding hands,
filled an Alabama church that
was bombed by the Ku Klux
Klan 50 years ago Sunday to
mark the anniversary of the
blast that killed four little
girls and became a landmark
moment in, the civil rights
struggle.
The Rev. Arthur Price taught
the same Sunday school lesson
that members of 16th Street
Baptist Church heard the
morning of the bombing - "A
Love That Forgives." Then, the
rusty old church bell was tolled
four times as the girls' names
were read.
Bombing survivor Sarah
Collins Rudolph, who lost her
right eye and sister Addie Mae
Collins in the blast, stood by as
members laid a wreath at the
spot where the dynamite device
was placed along an outside
wall.
Rudolph was 12 at the time,
and her family left the church
after the bombing. She said
it was important to return in
memory of her sister, who was
14, and the three other girls
who died: Carole Robertson
and Cynthia Wesley Morris,
both 14, and Denise McNair, 11.
"God spared me to live and
tell just what happened on that
day," said Rudolph, who tes-
tified against the Klansmen
convicted years later in the
bombing.
Congregation members and
visitors sang the old hymn
"Love Lifted Me" and joined
hands in prayer. The somber
Sunday school lesson was fol-
lowed by a raucous, packed
worship service with gospel
music and believers waving
their hands.
During the sermon, the Rev.
Julius Scruggs of Huntsville,
president of the National Bap-
tist Convention USA, said, "God
said you may murder four little
girls, but you won't murder the
dream of justice and liberty for
all."
Later Sunday, attendees of
an afternoon commemoration
included Attorney General Eric
Holder, Alabama Gov. Robert
Bentley, former U.N. Ambassa-
dor Andrew Young, Jesse Jack-
son, Rev. Joseph Lowery and
director Spike Lee, who made a
documentary about the bomb-
ing.
The church was full, with the
only surviving mother of one of
the girls, Maxine McNair, sit-
ting in the front row.
Holder called the girls'
deaths "a seminal. and tragic
moment" in U.S. history and
recalled gains that followed
their killings like the Civil
Rights Act and the Voting
Rights Act.
Alluding to the Supreme
Court decision this year that
struck down a key part of the
voting law, Holder said the
struggle continues decades
later.
"This a fight that we will
continue," Holder said.
The dynamite bomb went
off outside the church Sept.
15, 1963. Of the Klansmen con-
victed years later, one remains
imprisoned. Two others died in
prison.
Two young men, both black,
were shot to death in Birming-
ham in the chaos that followed
the bombing.
Birmingham was strictly
segregated at the time of the
bombing, which occurred as
city schools were being racially
integrated for the first time.
The all-black 16th Street Bap-
tist was a gathering spot for
civil rights demonstrations for
months before the blast.
The bombing became a pow-
erful symbol of the depth of
racial hatred in the South and
helped build momentum for
later laws, including the 1964
Civil Rights Act and the Voting
Rights Act of 1965.
During the morning com-
memoration, an honor guard
composed of black and whites
officers and firefighters
watched over ceremonies with
mixed-race crowd, something
that would have been unthink-
able in Birmingham in 1963.
That same year, white police
officers and firefighters used
dogs and water hoses on black
demonstrators marching for
equal rights.
President Barack Obama
issued a statement noting that
earlier this year the four girls
were posthumously awarded
the Congressional Gold Medal,
one of the country's highest
civilian honors.
NSA Is Coming to
Your
Campus
University of Michigan
SWE/BP Career Fair
Monday, September 23-
Tuesday, September24
E3
U.S. CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED
Meet and talk with recruiters to discover
excellent career opportunities
N SA.gov/Ca reers
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