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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

High temps. will not slow 1988 Games

February 8, 1988

CALGARY, Alberta (AP)—Call this the Icebox Olympics. No matter how warm it gets, Calgary organizers expect to keep cool.

With the 1988 Winter Games scheduled to start Saturday, organizers aren't worrying about Calgary's flukey weather.

About three feet of man-made snow covers the trails for Alpine skiing. Workers at the cross-country and biathlon courses have used farm tractors and manure spreaders to haul in 10 inches of computer-generated snow at their venue.

And even if temperatures rise to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, bobsled and luge managers say they can just turn up the refrigeration.

"Last March, we held a World Cup luge meet at about 70 degrees fahrenheit," said Francis Saville, venue chairman at Canada Olympic Park, which also will be the site of the Olympic bobsledding and ski jumping competitions. "The mid-60s is about as high as we'd care to see it go, but our refrigeration system is supposed to keep the ice solid up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit."

Actually, the weather has favored Calgary organizers lately. After a warm January, temperatures have cooled off with only an occasional warm Chinook wind blowing in off the Canadian Rockies.

You can almost see a Chinook coming. The clouds part just above the horizon, forming a narrow window of blue sky over the mountains. That's when a Chinook is building.

Even such a wind, which can raise temperatures 20-30 degrees in less than an hour, would pose little problem for these refrigerated Olympics, though.

"We're in good shape—Chinook or no Chinook," said venue chairman John Rule of the Canmore Nordic Centre, which will be the site of Olympic cross-country skiing and biathlon.

$86,690 in budgets await final OK

By Sandi Patyk | February 8, 1988

More than $87,690 for the Office of Campus Recreation and club sports' budgets was recommended Saturday by the Student Association Finance Committee. All budgets must receive final approval from the SA Senate. OCR's request totaled more than $68,800 after...

Short-flight smoking ban receives OK in Congress

February 8, 1988

WASHINGTON (AP)—U.S. Rep. Richard Durbin of Illinois never expected to win when he took on tobacco interests by pushing an amendment to ban smoking aboard short airline flights. Defying both the odds and House elders who fought him all the way to the...

FY89 could present fee hikes again

By Suzanne Tomse | February 8, 1988

Students might be faced with another tuition increase, if the Illinois General Assembly does not approve a tax increase necessary for higher education funding for fiscal year 1989. Board of Regents Chancellor Roderick Groves said, "If we get no additional...

Council to consider new tax district

By Susie Snyder | February 8, 1988

The first of a series of two ordinances needed to establish the Greek Row Special Service Area taxing district will be presented to the DeKalb City Council at its regular meeting tonight. Assistant City Manager Gary Boden said features of this ordinance...

Voter registration drive draws 500 NIU students

By Tammy Sholer | February 8, 1988

More than 500 NIU students registered to vote during the Student Assosiation's voter registration drive last week. SA Sen. Joe Annunzio said even though the drive ended Feb. 4, students are still able to register today in the SA office, located on the...

Blood bank plans to replenish low supply

By Stephanie Bradley | February 8, 1988

The Aurora Area Blood Bank will be on campus today and Tuesday in an attempt to replenish its low blood supply. Sigma Nu fraternity will sponsor the blood drive in the Illinois Room of the Holmes Student Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The blood drive is...

Battle of the Bands to feature local talent

By Tanya Myles | February 8, 1988

The second annual Battle of the Bands will feature the local bands Artemis, Dreams, Big Picture, Loose Shoes, and the X-Tras Wednesday. The battle, presented by the NIU business fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon, is being co-sponsored by Stroh's and White Mountain...

Seminar targets racial diversity

By Stephanie Bradley | February 8, 1988

Officials from midwestern colleges said during NIU's Feb. 4 conference on racism that diversity should be made more apparent. Barbara Henley, assistant vice president for student affairs, said during a seminar entitled "Racial Diversity on Campus," minority...

Israeli troops kill 3, injure 25 Palestinians

February 8, 1988

JERUSALEM (AP)—Israeli troops shot and killed three Palestinians on Sunday and hospital officials said at least 25 others were wounded. Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek declared that "co-existence between Jews and Arabs has collapsed."

Widespread demonstrations rocked the occupied territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in one of the worst days of bloodshed since the protests began Dec. 8. Jerusalem also suffered as Arab activists cut a water main, leaving several neighborhoods dry.

Two other Arabs—a 15-year-old boy hit in the head by a soldier Saturday and a 10-year-old boy struck by a bullet last week—died of injuries suffered earlier and dozens more were hospitalized after they were beaten and tear-gassed by Israeli troops.

The disturbances began after Jewish settlers launched an overnight attack on Arab-owned cars in Hebron. Other attacks by Jewish vigilante groups were rumored to have occurred around the West Bank.

The United Nations said the fatalities brought to 48 the number of Palestinians killed in more than two months of demonstrations against the Israeli occupation, which began in 1967. A woman killed Saturday in the West Bank was not included after the United Nations said it could not confirm that she was killed by Israeli soldiers.

"This is the worst day I have ever seen," said Dr. Hani Abdeen, an internist at Mukassad Hospital in Jerusalem, where 31 Palestinians were treated Sunday for gunshot wounds, beating injuries and tear gas poisoning.

In addition, 32 Palestinians were hospitalized in Gaza City with beating injuries, hospital officials said.

Jewish settlers in the West Bank apparently angered by stonings and firebombings of Israeli vehicles drove into Hebron overnight and smashed windows of Arab-owned cars, an army spokesman said.

News of the vandalism in Hebron sparked rumors of other vigilante action Sunday, including a report denied by the army that Jewish settlers had entered two Arab villages near Bethlehem driving bulldozers to uproot trees and fences.

The most violent clash came in the West Bank village of Beit Ummar where three people were killed. Arab reports said 10 were wounded and 15 were injured by tear gas and beatings.

A Palestinian, interviewed in his Mukassad Hospital bed where he was recovering from a bullet wound in the shoulder, said residents blocked the village entrance after rumors spread that Jewish settlers were planning an invasion.

At 9 a.m. several carloads of settlers arrived, and "they started to shoot the people from 500 meters away," said the man, who identified himself only as Khaled because he feared reprisals.

Khaled said the army had promised to protect the villagers from the settlers but "instead the soldiers started to attack."

The army denied settlers were present and said violence began after dozens of Palestinians thronged to the entrance of Beit Ummar throwing stones and chanting.

The army chased the Palestinians away from the main road, firing tear gas and bullets, officers said.

Quoting officials fom six hospitals, the Palestine Press Service listed the names, ages and hometowns of 25 Palestinians said to be wounded by Israeli gunfire throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The army said it could confirm seven Palestinians were wounded.

Israeli authorities clamped curfews on 15 refugee camps or towns, including the Shufat refugee camp within Jerusalem city limits, the army said.

Labels are simple; it’s solutions that are hard

February 8, 1988

Suppose on your way home from classes today, as you prepare to get on a Huskie bus, someone deliberately cuts you off. Do you say something to that person? What if you're black and he's white—or vice versa? Suppose an argument ensues. Is this a racial...

Committee to review three parking permit proposals

By Greg Rivara | February 8, 1988

The Administrative Ad Hoc Parking Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. today to address three parking proposals in order to make a recommendation to NIU President John LaTourette. Ad Hoc Committee Member Henry Winsor stated in a report dated Jan. 31, three...