---------- - -------- - Thursday, February 13, 2003 Tickets THE debate before vote page 3 The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's VOL XXXVII NO. 94 HTTP://OBSERVER.ND.EDU Sharon's body found in river +Autopsy on +Sharon's parents Sharon's body to be express thanks to conducted today ND community By TERESA FRALISH By TERESA FRALISH Assistant News Editor Assisrant News Editor Missing freshman Chad After learning that their only son Sharon's body has been tenta­ had been identified as the body tively identified as the one found Wednesday in the St. Joseph found partially submerged in Hiver, Chad Sharon's parents, Steve the St. Joseph Hiver, police and Jane announced at a press confer­ Sharon said ence Wednesday. Sharon's body they wanted was discovered floating under­ to express neath the Angela Bridge that their thanks runs over the river. and gratitude "There were some gentlemen to the Notre from a concrete cutting compa­ Dame com­ ny [working near the bridge] munity dur­ and they spotted the body in ing the past approximately two feet of two months Sharon water," said Commander Tim for the sup- Corbett of the County Metro port offered by students, faculty and Homicide Police. The workers administrators. notified police about the body "They'll never know how much and it was pulled from the river we appreciate it," said Steve by otTicials at about 3:30 p.m. Sharon. "Everyone really cared," he Wednesday. Above: An impromptu said. Corbett would not comment In particular, Steve Sharon said on the possibility of foul play in memorial to Chad Sharon he wanted to thank Notre Dame the case. lie said after Sharon's was set up on the Angela students for their prayers and con­ body was pulled from the river cern since Chad Sharon's disap­ police transported it to Bridge, where Sharon's pearance. "I want to thank aU the Memorial Hospital. body was discovered. students for everything," Steve "The autopsy is scheduled for Sharon said. tomorrow," said Corbett. After Steve Sharon said he and his wife the autopsy is completed, police Right: Sharon was last seen would use their visit to campus will consider whether or not today to bring closure to their two­ foul play was involved. at the Corby Street party, monthlong ordeal. "Now we can "There's nothing further we then may have traveled to bring Chad home," said Steve can say until that autopsy," said the Madison Center to ask Sharon. "We're coming down there Mike Dvorak, the St. Joseph [Thursday] morning. I want to say County prosecutor. for directions, and his body goodbye to Chad," he said in an Father Mark Poorman. vice was found underneath the interview with The Observer president for student affairs, Wednesday night. said Sharon's parents were Angela Bridge. Chad's father also discussed his notified early Wednesday after­ son's feelings about being a student noon that a body .closely match­ at the University. "That was his ing their son's description had dream- to go to Notre Dame," said been found in the river. "We • Steve Sharon. called [them[ back to let [them] know it was positively identi- PHOTO BY Contact Teresa Fralish at [email protected] see SHARON/page 4 TIMKACMAR Dec. 12 2 a.m., Sharon last seen at a Corby St. party Jan. 3, ND offers $25,000 reward Feb. 12, Sharon's body Jan 17, Sharon's parents appear on •Good Morning America• found In St. Dec. 14, Pollee begin a search Involving river and helicopter searches Jan. 29, Reward Increases Joseph River to $50,000 Dec. 19, A Madison Center employee who may Jan. 29, NDSP meets with Investigators from have spoken with Sharon steps forward other colleges with missing students Jan. 16-17, Sharon's parents meet with students Dec. 13, Fisher Hall staff reports Sharon missing and Investigators at ND ANDY DEVOTO!The Observer ND students react to loss of one of their own some comfort," said sophomore for the worst since Sharon's disap­ that Chad's family can have some Fisher Hall. "But the element of fear By MATT BRAMANTI Sarah Bates. pearance Dec. 12. "After about a relief." and not knowing has been taken News Writer Tom Gorman, a resident of FISher day, I thought [the river] was where The macabre discovery still leaves away." I !aU and friend of Sharon, expressed he was," said senior Billy Small. questions unanswered among con­ The University is flying the The tolling bells of Sacred Heart similar sentiments. "Part of me Others expressed hope that the cerned students who fear for their Sharon's parents to South Bend to Church took a mournful tone wants to say it's closure, but another discovery might finally unravel the safety. Students also questioned how pick up their son's body today. Wedn!\'iday, as Notre Dame students part is deeply saddened by it," mystery surrounding Sharon's disap­ authorities had searched the river in Funeral arrangements have not yet responded to the discovery of missing Gorman said. pearance and death. "It's really December without finding the body. been announced. fn'Shmru1 Chad Sharon's body. South Peter Nebel, another friend of unsettling to the whole community," ''I'm still waiting to find out exactly The women's basketball team Bend police n..'COvered the body from Sharon, said he was distressed at the said sophomore Maggie O'Connell. what happened to him," said junior marked Sharon's death with a the Sl Joseph Hiver ncar the Angela news. "I was shocked .... I saw a Sophomore Maria Destino agreed, Kevin McCall. Fisher residents moment of silence before Thursday's Street bridge earlier in the afternoon. cameraman walk by and I immedi­ saying, "It scares me to think it could prayed for Sharon and his family at a game against St. John's in the Joyce Some students reacted with sur­ ately knew something was wrong," happen and be unresolved for so mass Wednesday night. Center. prise and hoped for closure. "When I he said. long." "There is an atmosphere of sur­ first heard, I was shocked, but it's Though many students had been Junior Sarah Finch said, 'We need prise and quiet," said Father Robert Contact Matt Bramanti at mbra­ nice to know that his fu.mily can have hopeful up until today, others feared to find out exactly what happened so Moss, who was Sharon's rector in [email protected] ----------------------------------------------. page2 The Observer+ WHAT'S UP Thursday, February 13, 2003 INSIDE COLUMN WHAT'S INSIDE CAMPUS WORLD& BUSINESS Hovv the NEWS NATION NEWS VIEWPOINT SCENE SPORTS south was Panel speaks U.S. dismisses Democrats Confirming Real women, Irish breeze against U.S. calls for praise Fed racial remarks Mr. Wang and through Red lost preemptive additional Chief at Heartland Gilliam Storm How fitting for Georgia Gov. Sonny strikes inspections Perdue to announce his ref­ erendum to rein­ state the confeder­ Experts on the White House Federal Reserve Students respond Scene reviews Women's basket­ ate flag Middle East and officials dismiss Chairman Alan to letters to the edi­ "Real Women Have ball team defeated Wednesday- on Islam discussed the Europe's request Greenspan pleased tor regarding Curves," "Shanghai St. John's 76-48 Lincoln's birthday. consequences of a for more and better Democrats after he alleged incident of Knights" and "Lost Wednesday at the I also recall Bush preemptive strike weapons inspec­ criticizes President discrimination at a in La Mancha." JACC. unfolding his against Iraq. tions. Bush's tax cuts. local nightclub. administration's plan to begin the process of tearing Klflln Turner down atrrrmative action policies on Associate Martin Luther page 6 page 5 page 7 page 10 page 12-13 page 24 King Jr.'s birth­ News Editor day. How apropos for them both. Politicians definitely have a way of lit­ WHAT'S GOING DOWN erally driving the nail into the coffm. WHAT'S HAPPENING @ ND Despite the historical significance that may or may not have influenced the • Lecture with Mike Dersch, University of Kentucky Student reports files stolen moment he chose to announce his "Democracy and Victory: Why Hcgime Type Hardly Matters" A Walsh Hall resident reported that plans, it is troubling to hear that Perdue 12:30 p.m. at llesburgh Center, Hoom C-102 files had been removed from her wants to revisit the old glory of the computer on Tuesday. Stars and Bars two years after the new flag unfurled atop the state capitol. • Lecture with Fransisco Weffort, Kellogg visiting fellow Pilot found in parking lot This issue is arguably one of the main "Brazilian Culture an Polities: an exercise on the history of A student found a Palm Pilot in 002 reasons Perdue was voted into office ideas" 4:15p.m. at Ilcsburgh Center, Boom C-103 South parking lot on Tuesday and after Democratic incumbent, Gov. Roy turned it into NDSP for safekeeping. Barnes signed a bill to replace the • SUB Movies Battle Flag of the Confederacy with a "The Hing" and "Animal I louse" NDSP transports student new flag that hoped to neutralize the 10 p.m. at DeBartolo, Booms 101 and 155 On Tuesday NDSP transported a tensions between staunch advocates of student from the Joyce Center to the the old version, and those in support of University Health Center for treat­ a change. ment of a sports injury. The new flag design is a sort of com­ promise, featuring a prominent Georgia Employee's car towed seal with the history of Georgia's past On Tuesday a University employ­ flags located beneath, including a much ee's vehicle was towed from smaller image of the old confederate DeBartolo Hall for a parking viola­ version.