Smoking Ban Begins Today
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University of South Carolina Scholar Commons October 2008 10-1-2008 The aiD ly Gamecock, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008 University of South Carolina, Office oftude S nt Media Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/gamecock_2008_oct Recommended Citation University of South Carolina, Office of Student Media, "The aiD ly Gamecock, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008" (2008). October. 21. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/gamecock_2008_oct/21 This Newspaper is brought to you by the 2008 at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in October by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Sports The Mix Stoddard begins State museum fi nal season on hosts Da Vinci tennis court. See exhibit. dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008 VOL. 102, NO. 38 ● SINCE 1908 Smoking ban begins today USC’s green efforts earn New ordinance restricts smoking in public workplaces in Columbia, Richland County follows suit Kara Apel average grade ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR An ordinance to ban implementation date this smoking in all public May, bars were included, GreenReportCard.org rates workplaces, including according to SCTC’s State restaurants and bars in the Program Coordinator, Gina university C+ in sustainability City of Columbia, took effect Lane. at today at midnight. Another change to the Richland County followed ordinance was reducing the Elena Bloudek suit as its ordinance also penalty from a $500 criminal THE DAILY GAMECOCK took effect at midnight and a charge to a $25 civil penalty. Lexington smoking ban will Lane was happy about the USC received a C+ on its first begin on Friday. ordinance taking effect. sustainability report card, according to Offenders of the ordinance “We are thrilled that the GreenReportCard.org. will receive $25 fines and City of Columbia is putting The Web site, sponsored by the businesses that violate the its workers fi rst, and they are Sustainability Endowments Institute, ordinance could have their going to be protecting the uses nine categories to grade 300 schools licenses revoked. health of all of their workers,” on their commitment to sustainability. According to the ban, Lane said. USC’s grade was average, with more any person “smoking or Lauren Vincent, public than 75 percent of schools earning possessing a lighted tobacco relations and quality between a B and C. Nearby, Clemson product in any workspace or improvement coordinator for earned an overall grade of B. workplace shall be guilty of Student Health Services, also A total of 15 schools earned the highest an infraction.” agrees with the ordinance. overall grade of an A- and achieved the Violators also include “We know so many of our Keri Goff / THE DAILY GAMECOCK title of College Sustainability Leaders. managers who fail to comply students work at bars and Some of these leaders included Harvard, Restaurants and bars might feel the effects of the new smoking ban in public with the ordinance. restaurants and this will help Stanford and Columbia. workplaces. Dr. Rocco’s, pictured above, has an outside patio for smokers. Exceptions to the rule them decrease their exposure The highest score for USC was a B include private residences, to smoke,” Vincent said. in administration. The administration’s private clubs, hotel and Despite the change, some 2008 U.S. SMOKING RESTRICTIONS efforts to create a full-time sustainability motel designated smoking local businesses don’t seem to position and implementing an rooms, retail tobacco stores, be worried about their sales environmental policy that incorporates religious ceremonies (where being affected, such as Dr. sustainability into operations both smoking is part of a ritual), Rocco’s in Five Points and contributed to the high scores. medical research facilities and Jillian’s in the Vista. Other initiatives that USC excelled in smoking during a theatrical Ellie Ede, a bartender were the new West Quadrangle Living event which requires the at Dr. Rocco’s, said she is and Learning Complex, the availability smoking as part of the not worried about the ban of information about the university’s context. affecting sales. endowment and the replacement of Columbia City Council “I don’t think it will affect boilers, chillers and cooling towers with passed the ordinance in our business at all,” Ede said. updated models. November 2006 without an Ede said Dr. Rocco’s has a Rebecca White, the Residence Life implementation date, but very large patio area which coordinator at South Quad and a the ordinance had to go to is already popular, so asking member of a sustainability committee at Supreme Court before it customers to smoke outside USC, said that small details can change could necessarily be enacted. should not make many attitudes on campus. The original Columbia waves. A simple step could be to have ordinance exempted bars, Jamie Pharr, service recycling bins next to trash cans, White but when the ordinance manager at Jillian’s, felt the said. was changed and given an BAN ● 3 The grades on GreenReportCard. org are available to provide prospective students with information. A recent SMOKING BAN BASICS poll from the Princeton Review shows — Ban was enacted at midnight today. COMPREHENSIVE LAW, INCLUDING BARS AND RESTAURANTS that 63 percent of college applicants said that a school’s commitment to — Includes restaurants and bars. the environment could affect their — Smoking or possessing a lighted tobacco product in any COMPREHENSIVE LAW PASSES, NOT YET IN EFFECT decision. workspace or workplace is considered an infraction. Tom Robinson, Senior Communication Fellow of The — The penalty is $25. STRONG LAW IN EFFECT — The ban’s enforcement will depend on customers reporting Sustainable Endowments Institute, said “the goal of the report card is to to the city. The city’s business license offi ce can be reached at WEAKER RESTRICTIONS help institutions and would-be students 803-545-3345. understand the commitment that has created by AJ Bikowski been made to sustainable practices.” *Information gathered from the American Lung Association — Compiled by Assistant News Editor Kara Apel The Web site is equipped with features that make it possible to compare schools based on their grades in each area. It also offers a search for schools with programs ranging from composting to USCPD takes action to reduce campus crime green dorms to car sharing programs. Progress in sustainability at schools Safety precautions hope to help students According to Ellis, property crimes are bad, assist investigators in apprehending anyone ● but crimes attacking students are worse. suspected of committing a crime. REPORT 3 feel secure with lights, video cameras “The worst kind of crime is obviously a Several test cameras have been in place crime to one’s person,” Ellis said, “There are this year in the Horseshoe, Bates parking USC’s GREEN GRADE Rick Stone THE DAILY GAMECOCK many devices implemented around campus in lot, Barnwell and Greene streets and in the order to help prevent that from happening.” Greek Village. The cameras are expected to Overall — C+ In recent months, USC has experienced Emergency call boxes are designed so that be fully active starting this spring or summer an increase in dramatic crime, from a civil once the call button is pressed and the blue according to Ellis. Administration — B disturbance in Russell House to various armed light fl ashes, an offi cer will be there shortly. Despite the increase in crime, some students Climate Change & Energy — B robberies. Another precaution is the many lights carry simple methods of personal defense Food & Recycling — C In response to this increase, the USC Police around campus which help give students who such as mace or pepper spray like Stephanie Green Building — B Department is encouraging students to practice have to walk at night a lit path. Thompson, a second-year psychology student. Student Involvement — C safety precautions daily. Students are also strongly encouraged to “I always feel safe on campus, but I still Transportation — C Director of Law Enforcement and Safety walk in groups instead of going out alone. carry mace on my keychain just in case of an Endowment Transparency — B Ernest Ellis said economic problems can A new security measure the USCPD is emergency,” Thompson said. contribute to crime rising. implementing is the installation of outside USC police said they feel such devices Investment Priorities — C “It is true that in times of economic downfall, video cameras around campus. The cameras work well as long as they are bought from a Shareholder Engagement — F property crimes certainly increase” Ellis said. will be active 24 hours a day and will greatly CRIME ● 3 Sports The Mix Opinion............... 4 TODAY THURSDAY Crime report............ 2 See which players made this See what’s hot on YouTube, Puzzles................ 7 week’s Gamecock Honor Roll. from rapping to satire. Comics................ 7 Classifi ed.................. 10 See page 9 See page 5 83 55 76 53 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008 pageTWO Wednesday PIC OF THE DAY Campus Crusade for Christ prayer meeting 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Fun Facts: Rutledge Chapel VOX Bake Sale 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williams-Brice Stadium Greene Street Student Senate meeting • It was constructed in 1934 by the Works 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Russell House, Rooms Progress Administration. 322/326 • When Willy B was fi rst built it seated Young Life Girl’s meeting 17,600, it now seats 80,250. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. RH, Room 204/lounge • Th e ename name was was offi offi ciallycially changed changed from from American Red Cross Carolina Stadium to Williams-Brice CPR Class 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Stadium in 1972. Christine Galligan / THE DAILY GAMECOCK Leconte 121 • USC consistently ranks among the top 12 Nashville-based rock band Florez jumpstarts their college tour with the patio series Carolina Productions put on by Carolina Productions on Tuesday afternoon.