1989 December
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Dec. 1, 1989 A oamplln{; of recent artidea of interest to Morehead State University MEDIA RELATIONS • MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY • UPO BOX 11 00 o MOREHEAD, KY 4035 1-1689 • 60 6-783-2030 LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, LEXINGTON, KY., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1989 MSU ARCH\VES conducting experiments at the site. Three kinds of sphagnum moss Swamp given The studie:- examine the waler have been found growing in tt,e beneath the swamp and the differ swamp, he said, and there is also ent kind:; of plants and animals that some swamp loosestrife, a species h e there. that is on Kentucky's unofficial list to Morehead Howell said they e\'entually of rare plants. would have more to study. Bryan said it was the plant lifo Besides building ponds and that first attracted him to the wet ·for studies earthen dams, Glimcher will plant lands about six years ago. nearly 1,000 trees at the site, said After making se\'eral field trips By Todd Pack Hal Bryan of Eco-Tech, a Frankfort there on his own, he said, it was the Norlheaslern Kenlucky bureau consulting finn hired by the compa first location that came to mind ny to restore the wetlands. when Glimcher hired him to find a BLUEBANK - There are not many "Anytime you add trees or site they could reclaim. swamps left in Kentucky, but Morehead State ponds," he said, "you'll add spe- University just got one of them. cies." Acres of wetland have dwindled in recent years. Custom-made. A number of frogs ha,·e taken There were once 1.6 million "People talk about a swamp as bein~ up residence in the swamp, Bryan acres of wetland in the state, he useless but I think this was useless before it said, and the water there e,·entually said, but developers and fam1ers was a ~wamp," said Jerry Howell Jr., a biology will attract other wildlife, such as have cut that figure to about professor at the university. deer, wood ducks and flying squir- 200,000. He was standing in a puddle at the edge of rels. By giving the university com the Rowan County Sphagnum Swamp, a re- The site is fenced in and is off. plete control of the Rowan County stored, 30-acre site about 10 miles west _of limits to hunters, Howell said. The Sphagnum Swamp, Howell said, Morehead. It was given to Morehead earlier university also owns the mineral "The idea is to keep it in its natural this month by The Glimcher Co. of Columbus, rights to the land, guaranteeing that state forever." Ohio. no one will be able to dig for the oil Bryan said that would be fine Unti! about the 1950s, Howell said, the site shale ben.eath it. with him, because "it's a neat had been a swamp, covered with s~allow water The wetlands, besides being a place." and with plants that grow only 111 wetlands. haven for animals, will provide a But a farmer drained away the water and used place for several kinds of plants the land for his crops. 1 that have become rare in the hills of Glimcher bought the farmland near Blue- Eastern Kentucky, Bryan said. bank and reclaimed it at a cost of about $93,000, meeting a federal law requi~ng _any- one who destroys wetland to replace 1t with a site nearby that is at least twice as large. The THE COURIER-JOURNAL, FRJDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1989 company used eight acres to develop the Ashland Town Center mall in Boyd County. Bill on students' visas vetoed "People in Ashland don't want to ~av_e a WASHINGTON - President Bush yesterday announced he was swamp downtown anyway," Howell said, JOk• vetoing a bill to allow Chinese students to remain in the United ingly. States after their visas expire, calling It unnecessary and an in• fringement on his presidential authority. He said students from at least eight biology Bush_~id In_a statement that the measure wasn't needed in light classes would be able to watch ho~ wetland of administrative steps he had taken to accomplish the same ends develops. "This is a chance ~o trace 1t fro,m the - Includ ing new measures taken yesterday. beginning to the end," he said. ''You don t find The president said he was directing the attorney general "to that very often." take the steps necessary to extend administratively to all Chinese Earthen dams have been built around the students in the United States the same benefits" that were in the lower end of the site to prevent water from rejected bill. flowing away. Biologists have studied the site In most cases, visas for visiting foreign students are issued for and found the remains of several plants that two years. The bill Bush vetoed would extend the Chinese stu dents' visas for more four years and then give them a chance at are native to wetlands. Howell said students applying for permanent residency. and others would try to grow those plants there again. · Although reclamation is not complete - THE CQYRIER·JOURNAL, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1989 · runoff has yet to fill the swamp with 4 feet of water - professors and students have begun Gordon won't seek Murray State pest SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Southwest Missouri State University President Marshall Gordon said Wednesday that he had with drawn his name from a list of candidates for the presidency of Murray State University. "As far as my personal situation is concerned, I'm very happy here in Springfield," Gordon said. He said he did not submit a resume for the Murray State post but was nominated by a former colleague at the school. Gordon, 52, was a chemistry professor and administrator at Murray State for 20 years before being hired as SMSU president in 1983. Murray State is seeking a replacement for President Kala ~ Stroup, who will not be rehired by the boa rd of_r egents after this school year. - A service of the Office of Media Relations- THE COURIER-JOURNAL, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1989 ihe first or second year, you will re. ., ;l:_eive your principal, bu\ will have : · ,o pay an administrative fee of no ' more than $25. In the third through I -the seventh years, you will receive principal plus int_erest, but still pay ;i fee. If you withdraw in the eighth year and beyond, you get principal and Interest, but do not owe a fee. ·: Also,upon withdrawal, any inter- est would be taxable by the state. .; : State soljcit~ ·corporate help :.. Wells said the state hopes the en ~owment will reach $5 million with for tax-free college savings plan in three ·years, and said contribu ·-.·· - tions have started coming in. ·By KEN BERZOF interest similar to what the state earns on , ~ In appealing !or endowment sup Business Writer its Investments. Last year, Wells said, the port, ·wens .told corporate leaders state earned 8.1 percent on its investments. yesterday that In addition to tax : ·Kentucky's answer to a state-run college- · When used for coliege, KEEP interest benefits, '.'your participation will savings plan has graduated Into high gear. will be exempt from Kentucky taxes, and mean you'll have a better-educated, :. KEEP - Kentucky Education Enhance- Wells said• legislation pending In Congress better-trained, better-prepared work .ment Program - ls a tax-free savings plan would make it exempt from federal taxes as force; productivity will Increase; designed to help families plan for and a!- well. · and so will profils. And the bottom _ford higher education for their children. It's The account - principal and interest - line for all or this ls a better quality already generated hundreds or calls. can then be withdrawn.to pay education ex- ; . Or lite." :-:-'.'.'_By the year 2000 (for youngsters now In penses at any.accredited college, vocational ;: The state announced ICEEP In se·cond grade) the cost or a four-year bache- or technical school tn the United States. ea"rlier October, and discussed It lo(s degree at a public regional university 1, But if the child chose to attend a Ken Iwith about 400 corporate and loun in Kentucky will be about $50,000," said , lucky Institution, Income from the special , dation leaders and educators state Finance Secretary L. Rogers.Wells Jr. ' endowment will supplement the KEEP ac- Ithrough gatherings like yesterday's . ;Wells was in Louisville yesterday to seek count to help close the."gap If the KEEP IThe session at the Kentucky Center support from · corporate and foundation account ls Insufficient to pay for the full i for the Arts was the last of six and leaders to help fund a special endowment cost of education. · i 1 drew about 100 people. , · . i that will make KEEP unique.· The amount that beneficiaries will re- ' 1 , KEEP falls under the jurisdiction ·•, Here's how the plan will work: ceive from the endowment will be based on of the Kentucky Educational Sav ; .Anyone can open a KEEP account for as the size of the endowment and the number 1 ings Plan Trust, a state agency un llttle as $25. Subsequent deposits of as little of KEEP partlcipants. · · .. der Wells' department · . ·; ·as $25 can be made on a flexible basis. De- 1 There are penalties, however, for pulling , In conjunction with KEEP, the , "posits can be inade automatically through a· \ out of KEEP early. If you withdraw the in ' agency also can provide estimates checking account, by mail using a coupon [. · · , ~ -· - • • · •-, • ' of what costs could be at any college book or through payroll deductions. ; · In the nation, provided the lnforma- . :_.