Eastern Kentucky University Encompass Eastern Progress 1997-1998 Eastern Progress 4-16-1998 Eastern Progress - 16 Apr 1998 Eastern Kentucky University Follow this and additional works at: http://encompass.eku.edu/progress_1997-98 Recommended Citation Eastern Kentucky University, "Eastern Progress - 16 Apr 1998" (1998). Eastern Progress 1997-1998. Paper 29. http://encompass.eku.edu/progress_1997-98/29 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Eastern Progress at Encompass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Eastern Progress 1997-1998 by an authorized administrator of Encompass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ■ Tackling a ► WEATHER 'FOUR!' touchy issue Hi: 62 ► Sports ► Arts Low: 56 Conditions: FOUR teams vying for OVC Mark Smith and Rebekah Salyer star Thunderstorms / *V/# « women's golf title at Arlington. in ISeery and Du.' The new spring play Mfc 56, showers 4 t\*t%ttt\ •AT: 63, parity cloudy focuses on the abortion debate. SUN: 65, mostly cloudy Looking asked to for another focus on way out New transmitter in Hazard stretches Surrounded by barbed wire, the Bluegrass Army station's audience Photos by Brian Simms/Progress BY CHAflif 8 Lew Depot holds chemical weapons, and for some, worry. Assistant news editor Inside the Bluegrass Chemical Activity area at the depot, 49 igloos like the one above store three Several groups are now trying to figure out the best way different chemical agents — VX nerve gas, QB nerve gas and mustard gas. Chances are if you have tuned into Eastern's radio station WEKU-FM for Eastern students to be safe in case of a leak. (88.9) lately, you have noticed a change in the news coverage. The station recently changed its programming to ► What we do now BYJ*C"T>FEU»*W Scones from tho Depot emphasize more news from southeast News editor ► Kentucky. According to evacuation plans, a I hould we stay or should we go? "We now have a transmitter in leak at the depot would require Two chemical awareness About 70,000 M-55 missiles like this are Hazard, and we are doing more work Eastern students to drive 22 :>ups tried unsuccessfully in housed at the depot. They contain one of two there," said John Francis. WEKU pro- 'the 1998 General Assembly to gram director. "Eastern has stretched miles to Jacobson Park in different types of nerve gases. out its wings a little bit" Lexington lor shelter. change the way Madison County resi- dents protect themselves in case of a The station is also trying to hire spill at the Blue Grass Chemical some part-time reporters, or stringers, Activity. in the Hazard, Berea and London areas, Francis said. The Disaster Emergency Services The gate leading and the Kentucky Chemical "A lot of interesting things are hap- Jdcobson Park Demilitarization Citizen's Advisory to the chemical pening in Berea, and often we don't is 22 miles Commission (CAC) tried to broaden area of the receive them," he said. from campus the law to allow options to evacuation, depot displays Marie Mitchell, WEKU news direc such as in-place shelter. this sign, which lor, said it's an area they've wanted to The Blue Grass Chemical Activity depicts the pro- better serve, but because of their loca- stores 523 tons of chemical agents trying to tective clothing tion it was hard to reach unless some- , * s fWETTE , » * inside a 250-acre area at the Bluegrass needed before one spent a lot of time on the road. Army Depot just off U.S. 25 South. It is entering. "We only have three news reporters, MADtSOtT one of eight sites in the United States duck and we can only do so much, so if we that house army chemical stockpiles. beef up the coverage through The Blue Grass Chemical Activity responsi- stringers, it will be a plus for the listen- stores three types of chemical agents: ers in those areas," Mitchell said. GB nerve agent, VX nerve agent and bility, ifs She said WEKU win still cover sto- mustard gas. ries of interest in Lexington, but not as The attempt to add legislation much as in the past so that they can go allowing other options to evacuation just out into the Eastern Kentucky region failed in the last weeks of the session. A 'King Tut' block more. In-place shelter is a protective mea- of our like this one is "If we can get more voices from [amohmond sure that instructs people to move placed in front of Eastern Kentucky it will be a richer inside instead of evacuating the city. jurisdic- the closed door of newscast and a richer news service," Once they are inside, people should each igloo as a she said. close all the windows and doors, turn means of In addition to covering more stories off the ventilation system, go into a security They Tim MoHette/Progress room and seal it off and turn on the from Eastern Kentucky. WEKU will radio. weigh two tons produce more campus stories. "They have adopted a slogan of ► What wo could do Under current Kentucky law, to get Dick Sloan, pub- each. a permit to construct or operate a haz- lic information "Eastern First," said Virginia ln-place shelter attempts to provide ardous waste site for treatment, stor- Falkenberg, associate vice president of officer for graduate studies. protection from nerve gas without age or disposal of specific substances Bluegrass evacuation. To perform the shelter outlined by the legislature, the person Falkenberg said the station will con- or company must be able to demon- Chemical tinue to do government-related stories program, strate a plan to evacuate the area in case Activity from Frankfort ■ move inside immediately, of a spill. "We have a responsibility to report "We just changed a few words the Kentucky government news out of ■ close all windows and doors, around," CAC chair Worley Johnson said. See WEKU/ A4 ■ turn off ventilation systems, Johnson said the rewritten section ■ go into a room and seal it off, ■ turn on the radio. See Depot/back page ► Residence Hall Association: 1998 elections Tim Graham and Rodney Oreen his running mate hopes to reallo- Jo Ann Wilder are Candidates strive cate some of the hoping to bring parking lots on balance to the campus to make positions of for involvement more parking Talk soup RHA president BY JAOWT* FELOMAN available to resi- Candidates, Including' and vice presi- News editor dents and com- were campaigning on campus dent because The two tickets running for president and vice president of muter students. Monday for the 6th Congressional they represent Residence Hall Association (RHA) outlined their plans and District seat. l*age At both male and ambitions for next year in their election speeches at the RHA Accent B1 female view- meeting Monday. Activities B5 Ad index A4 points. And getting more student involvement in campus activities was a high priority on all the candidates' lists. Arts B3 Photos by Classifieds. A4 Both Rodney Green, who is running for president with Perspective A2. 3 Brian Simms/Progress Ashley Womack as vice president, and presidential candidate Police Beat A4 1 im Graham, running with Jo Ann Wilder as vice president, set Profiles B4 their goals on getting bigger turnouts at events and activities. Sports B8-* Green and Womack spoke first Their main goals for next Where On Tap B2 year, if they were elected, are improving commuter and resi- dence parking, get more recognition for RHA and involving Cl Brockton Apartments more in residential life. TRF SeeRHA/AS • Tim MoSette, actor A2 Thursday, April 16.1996 The Eastern Progress Perspective Traffic problems could pose more than headache for depot tor years the Madison The problem with the existing ple are trying like mad to escape take a serious look at its evacua- escape plan. it is time County Emergency plan is traffic and construction. the deadly toxins would be ludi- tion plans for this area in case a Residents need to feel safe FiOperations Center has told With all the residents of crous. spill or leak does occur. until the weapons can be proper- to start us to drive to safety if any chemi- Richmond, Berea and the sur- Traffic jams would extend for Yes, finding a way to get rid of ly disposed of, and simply being cal weapons were to leak from rounding areas of the depot try- miles, leaving people at a stand- the weapons is good in the long told to drive north isn't helping ing to flee at the same time, traf- still. All the nerve gas would run, but until that time, residents ating the Bluegrass Army Depot when chemical weapons can kill which stores chemical weapons fic would be more than a little have to do is hang around for need a way to get out in the hectic. awhile in order to claim its vic- unfortunate occurrence of a leak. in a matter of seconds in some approximately five minutes south cases. gency The construction on 1-75 to tims. And right now, the assurance of campus. make the expressway wider Another factor to look at is dis- that driving a car would get them Depot officials have a big But that escape route may not makes it even worse and it does- abled or handicapped people. It out is not there. responsibility in keeping the get people out in time. It may not n't look like that is going to be would be very difficult to get If there were some things that depot safe.