Monday, September 19, 2005 [email protected] LIGHT NEWS Hungry, Black actors SPORTS Homeless take control Intramural Need Help of the movie sports come Atlanta Mayor, Shirley Franklin, enforces new industry to Spelman panhandling law. SSGA establishes recre­ ational sports league. P2 P8 'S- •• Orleans, were evacuated from their schools on Saturday, Aug. 27. Like many of the hurricane survivors, they have migrated to Atlanta. Rae Lundy, a senior psychology / pre­ med. student from Xavier, has come to Spelman to try and register for the semester so that she can graduate on Commuter Student time. She is among a few others. The Issues week after evacuation, Lundy called Features section explores transportation Spelman, hoping that she would be able problems, financial hardships and staying to attend on a provisional basis. connected with life on campus. "I called Spelman a couple of days ago, but I did not hear back from them until 10:45 p.m. last night, when they told me to come here and [they would] P3 see if they could get me in,” said Lundy. ENTERTAINMENT Spelman helps displaced students like Xavier’s Mlchellee Moss, left, a freshman from St. Louis and friend “I had started to lose hope.” Shannette Cofield from Los Angeles. Lundy is still waiting to hear back Morehouse hosts from Xavier about their plans for stu­ Katrina’s survivors find dents in the upcoming months. At this Trey Songz point, students like Lundy do not know Audience gives cool reviews to this up and safe haven at Spelman how they are going to pay for Spelman coming artist. Evan Seymou, if they are accepted. All of their finan­ Staff Writer cial aid has already been released to Hurricane Katrina has run its course, billion in aid will be needed to rebuild their respective schools. P4 but the devastation it left behind is far the city. Lauren Jones, an Atlanta native and a WELLNESS from over. Over 500,000 New Orleans As President Bush said in his nation­ senior at Dillard, waited in line along­ residents have been forced to evacuate, al address on Aug. 30, "This recovery side Lundy. Spelman promotes leaving behind all of their possessions, will take years," and the Spelman com­ “Spelman has been helpful in getting and in some cases, even their loved munity is doing its part to make that me back into school, and I need all the healthy living ones. process a little bit easier for a few help I can get,” said Jones. "[Dillard's] Wellness writer gives overview of Spelman’s New Orleans mayor, C. Ray Nagin HBCU students. entire campus is flooded, and there is health initiatives for the school year. estimated that thousands have perished Students from Dillard University and probably nothing left of the school. My as a result of the disaster and over $25 Xavier University, both located in New see Katrina on Pg 2 »> Spelman students compete in Japan Anesha Williams Staff Writer canines kick, block, pass the ball and In the very heart of Spelman College, execute strategies all on their own, while there are six young ladies who success­ playing against other teams of robotic fully shattered the boundaries and canines. stereotypes of African-American women However, the Spelbots did not stop by doing what they do best—computer there. They showcased their computer programming. programming skills using their robots at Aryen Moore-Alston, Brandy Kinlaw, the RoboCup U.S. Open from May 7- Ebony Smith, Karina Liles, Ebony 10 at Georgia Tech. CALENDAR O’Neal and Shinese Noble make up the In addition to this competitive expe­ Spelman Robotics Team, also known as rience, the Spelbots traveled to Osaka, O’Neal, a junior computer science Looking Ahead the SpelBots. With the assistance and Japan to compete in the International major. A quick look at some upcoming events. guidance of Dr. Andrew Williams, the RoboCup 2005 Four-Legged Robot Japan may have been something of a The Rededication of Sisters Chapel, students wrote a series of complex algo­ soccer competition from July 13-19. culture shock, but the girls could not Career Fairs, comedy shows and more. rithms, which allowed them to program “The experience in Japan was a little help being proud. Sony AIBO ERS-7 robots (which awkward because we were the only “It was a blessing to qualify for the P7 resemble four-legged dogs) to play soc­ blacks there. The opposing teams competition. There were no other cer. would watch how we conducted our­ blacks in competition. We were the As much fun as this may seem, the selves and we observed how they con­ only all women team and the only students had to make the robotic ducted themselves,” said Ebony HBCU [represented],” said Ebony see Spelbots on Pg 2 »> [email protected] Monday, September 19, 2005 z News 2005-2006 EDITORIAL BOARD No panhandling in the City of Jessica Young Editor in Chief Atlanta Terricha Bradley Shayla Ball News Editor Co-Editor in Chief The panhandling ordinance created to Alexa Harris stop excessive begging in downtown Krlstllyn Whigham Atlanta and at tourist attractions was Managing Editors signed into law by Mayor Shirley Franklin last month. Terrlcha Bradley The ordinance, which was approved on News Editor Aug. 16 with a 12-3 vote, banned spoken requests for money and food. Atlanta has Monique Hathorn joined cities like Orlando and Feature Editor Indianapolis. The law covers a “tourist tri­ angle’’ that includes: Centennial Olympic Ebony J. Williams Photo Editor Park, the Americas Mart, the soon-to- open Georgia Aquarium and several major Deanna Jenkins hotels. Gina Lawrence Boundaries also extend from Martin Arts & Entertainment Editors Luther King, Jr. Drive, northward, to Atlanta drivers often encounter homeless Individuals looking for food and money on Interstate 85/75 South’s Ralph McGill Boulevard and from University Avenue exit. Pictured above, a man holds a sign for those willing to give. Sllindra McRay Marietta Street, eastward, to Piedmont City of Atlanta needs to reconsider this Officials are beginning to crack down Sports & Wellness Editor Avenue; also, Auburn Avenue, Jackson decision. If someone from New Orleans is on panhandling by issuing citations and Street, Irwin Street, the new Ebenezer homeless on the street and is asking for making sure that begging does not occur Katrina Moore Baptist Church and King historic site. money, will they be questioned by the within 15 feet of downtown businesses. Ad Manager Supporters think the crackdown is nec­ police as well?” said Pickens. For a first offense, violators get a warning, essary because panhandling is perceived as However, excessive begging causes a second offense gets them a referral to a Yvonne Prabhu a nuisance and hurts the city’s image, problems, such as driving away tourists city resource center and third offense gets Chief Copy Editor according to Atlanta Journal Constitution and it makes the city unsafe. Even stu­ them a possible jail sentence, according to Tjazha Mazhani reports. dents attending Georgia State, Georgia Atlanta Associated Press reports. Copy Editor However, advocates for the homeless Tech and the AUC schools are constantly “Why focus on a certain geographical feel the law will not help keep them off the being approached by the homeless asking area when there is a law on the books Nenne Akpan street; it will only hinder and abandon for money. about panhandling?” said Pickens. “The Layout & Design them. Spelman sophomore Laini Edwards is city needs to enforce the current law, not Wendy Pickens, Director of Operations often approached by homeless around the make a new one.” Edwards also feels like Qulsa Foster-WIttingham for Metro Atlanta Task Force for the West End. the law will not solve anything. Renlta Mathis Homeless, said that the law is unsympa­ “I feel awkward being approached by “The law will only cause more prob­ Advisers thetic to the homeless because it will homeless people asking for money, but lems and more people will address this penalize those in need of assistance. that is the only way for them to earn unfair decision. The city should put A very special thank you to “In the midst of Hurricane Katrina, the money to support themselves,” she said. themselves in the position of the home­ Daniel Perry and his dedicat­ less,” she said. ed assistance to our first issue of 2005 - 2006 »> Katrina continued from cover apartment is gone. Everything I have is gone." The Spelman Spotlight wel­ Spelman students have been affected by the devastation as well. Bridgette Wright, a senior economics major from New Orleans, has comes all submissions. Submissions are edited for spent a good portion of the week in the financial aid and scholarship offices trying to find any financial assistance she can get in this space and to correct errors in time of need. grammar and punctuation. Wright’s father, who normally pays half of her tuition, has no way of getting to the bank to send her money for tuition and books. Opinions in the Perspectives "Ms. McQuay and other Spelman administrators have been very helpful to me in my time of need," she said. section of The Spelman There are many more students in the AUC whose families have been directly impacted by this disaster, and hopeful Xavier transfer Spotlight are solely the views of student put it best when answering the question of what she would like to see Spelman students contribute to the aid effort. the author, not the opinions of "First and foremost," said Lundy, "please pray for everyone and donate money if you can. As a race, and as HBCU students, we The Spelman Spotlight.