The BG News March 12, 1987
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Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 3-12-1987 The BG News March 12, 1987 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News March 12, 1987" (1987). BG News (Student Newspaper). 4636. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/4636 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. THE BG NEWS Vol. 69 Issue 95 Bowling Green, Ohio Thursday, March 12,1987 Inmates protest Alleged hunger strikers cite health conditions by Don Lee Also in the grievance, inmates said that the wire editor inmate with hepatitis was not properly isolated from the other inmates. Randall said. The inmate An attorney representing several Wood County was put in a cell by himself, but full isolation Jail inmates in a grievance against the jail said facilities do not exist in the 86-year-old building. Cesterday that at least two inmates are on a The grievance is part of an on-going lawsuit linger strike in protest of health conditions there. brought against the jail in federal court last year, Jane Randall, an attorney for Advocates for Randall said. Basic Legal Equality, a Toledo-based civil-rights group, said that two immates yesterday had gone FORMER INMATE Kenneth Kerlin filed a without food since Feb. 25. She said the two were complaint in September 1986 in U.S. District Court Marc Griffin and Mark West. in Toledo charging that conditions in the jail make Randall said ABLE does not represent the it "unfit for human habitation" and "fall beneath inmates in the alleged hunger strike, but inmates the standards of human decency." are providing ABLE with information. Among the conditions listed in Rerun's com- A grievance signed by 13 inmates was delivered plaint, which was amended in October 1986 to to the ABLE offices Feb. 26. The grievance stated include the names of six other inmates or former that an inmate was kept in the jail for two to three inmates, was overcrowding, lack of recreational weeks before it was learned that he had hepatitis. facilities and inadequate medical care. Lt. Mick Shetzer, jail administrator, said that Kerlin was later transferred to a state prison. the inmate had been sent to Wood County Hospital The latest grievance adds to the list the inability on the orders of Dr. Roger Peatee "a few days" of the jail to "segregate and separate" ill inmates after he was brought to the jail, but the results of from the rest of the prisoners, and failure to tests conducted at the hospital did not come back screen incoming inmates for illness. for about a week. In addition, the jail has been cited for numerous state fire code violations, which Wood County RANDALL SAID that inmates had told her the Sheriff George Ginter has said have been reme- inmate complained of illness from the time he was died. incarcerated in January. Shetzer said there was no evidence of a hunger Kerlin's complaint sought to pressure the strike at the jail. county not to use the jail until all the conditions he "Hell, five minutes ago I passed food out in cited were remedied, but Ginter at the time said there (the jail) and they're (the inmates) eating," nothing more could be done to bring the jail fully he said. up to state standards. Randall said she had been told that the inmates In January, county commissioners unveiled who were refusing to eat said they had been told flans to build a new county jail northeast of the I- by jail officials that disciplinary action would 5-U.S. 6 interchange. The new facility, which is result if the prisoners did not take their food trays expected to cost between $6 million ana $8 million, when they were distributed. Therefore, the prison- will be able to house 100-125 inmates, commission- ers on the strike would take their trays and dump ers said. the food, Randall said, which she said allowed the The present jail has beds for 52 inmates, and is jailers to say that food was being consumed. frequently overcrowded. Trash fire spurs evacuation by Don Lee chute doors on the ninth or 10th duty truck were dispatched, but wire editor floor were opened. the ladder truck was not needed and returned to the station A trash fire in Offenhauer Joette Siertle, assistant hall shortly before 10 p.m. West forced the evacuation of director, said several smoke With East and West towers last alarms in the building went off Fire Chief Jack Gonyer said night. at once, and a resident adviser smoke spread throughout Offen- Helpful Hits Photo/Michelle Thornewell Bowling Green firefighters reported seeing smoke on the hauer West on the fifth floor and said a small fire started in the seventh floor. It was then that above, and smoke spread only Scotl Hirth, junior interpersonal and public communications major, watches the ball he just hit sail toward trash compactor on the first the buildings were evacuated into the rooms where the resi- pitcher Roger Start, junior finance major, at the second Annual Lambda Chi Alpha Whiffleball floor of West tower and smoke and firefighters called. dents had left the doors open Tournament held Saturday in Anderson Arena. Eleven fraternities and five sororities competed in the traveled upward through the Firefighters said they re- when leaving the building. tournament, which raised $240 for the "Saturday Morning Love Affair," a program designed to help trash chute. Smoke then spread ceived the alarm at 8:49 p.m. A Siertle said that the building the handicapped interact with others. to the upper floors when trash- pumper, aerial ladder and light- C See Fire, page 5. Board's decisions affect campus Ohio legislator Trustees' duties range from research grant reviews to renovations favors 21 law COLUMBUS (AP)-Ohio ing this bill," Suster said. Editor's Note: This is the first of may influence the lifestyles of governor for a Board of Trustee favor University alumni when should raise its minimum He cited figures showing a two-part series concerning the University employees by re- appointment. Each trustee rec- selecting Board of Trustee ap- drinking age from 19 to 21 that in 1985, 135 deaths and University Board of Trustees. viewing proposed salary recom- ommendation is screened by the pointments, although it is not a even if the federal govern- more than 5,000 injuries in Tomorrow's segment will dis- mendations; that supplement governor and Richard Murray, prerequisite. ment is not permittedby the Ohio were attributed to driv- cuss the backgrounds Of individ- and enhance education by re- Celeste's assistant on trustee "The governor prefers Uni- courts to mandate the reduc- ers between the ages of 11 and ual hnarrf mpmhers viewing research grants; that appointments. versity graduates for the board tion, the House State Govern- 20 who were under the influ- by Kate Foster improve the physical plant by Usher said individual recom- because you want someone who ment Committee was told ence of alcohol. Persons in staff reporter recommending building renova- mendations for members are has a real tie to the University, yesterday. that age group hold only 8 tion ; and other issues vital to the not measured against a specific but it is not necessary," he said. Rep. Ronald Suster, D- percent of Ohio's driver li- They make decisions which operation of the University. set of standards. Rather, the Cleveland, said the move is censes, he said. arouse controversy, stimulate Trustee recommendations for Sovernor attempts to achieve Usher said the governor at- needed to curb highway fatal- Gov. Richard Celeste and praise or sometimes go unno- state-supported universities lie Iversity in the board so the tempts to appoint a few mem- ities and injuries which can leaders of both houses of the in the hands of the governor. trustees may apply their spe- bers with strong business and be attributed in dispropor- Legislature have said they Brian Usher, press secretary for cific talents effectively in order finance backgrounds in order to tionate numbers to drunken wUT reluctantly support rais- The University Board of ing the age because the state Trustees are responsible for de- Ohio Governor Richard Celeste to carry out all of the functions successfully manage the Uni- drivers in their late teens and cisions that extend or terminate explained that anyone may sub- of the University. versity budget. early 20s. cannot afford to lose the fed- mit a recommendation to the He added the governor does See Board of TrusWes, page 5. Suster Is sponsor of a bill to eral funds. the president's contract; that bring Ohio into line with the demands of the federal gov- HOWEVER, OHIO, ernment to raise the drinking through Attorney General An- age or face loss of highway thony Celebreae Jr., has subsidies totaling up to $50 joined a lawsuit by the state House approves contra aid freeze million in the next two years. of South Dakota which seeks He said he shares with leg- to nullify the federal man- islative leaders and others date. That case is pending in WASHINGTON (AP) - The House voted Democrats. at an end, sends the issue to the Senate. their resentment of "this fed- the U JS. Supreme Court, and Sesterday to freeze $40 million in aid for the Democrats said yesterday's action was A Senate vote is expected next week on a eral blackmail" but feels the Suster said he understands a icaraguan contras for six months and to justified by alleged corruption in the ranks resolution disapproving the $40 million out- legislation is justified on Us decision could come as soon order the Reagan administration to use the of Nicaragua's anti-leftist insurgents.