News

News

D.C murder rate drops to 237

By Andrew Noyes | January 22

A strong local economy, lower unemployment and blossoming neighborhood development projects across the city contributed to a decline in the number of recorded homicides in the Washington, D.C. for the fourth year in a row. Murders fell by 50 percent in past decade, hitting their lowest level since 1987, Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey announced earlier this month.

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President Bush decides to remove D.C. tags from limousine

By Andrew Noyes and Sarah Schumacher | January 22

As one of the first controversial actions of the days-old Bush administration, the new president removed his limousine's "Taxation Without Representation" license plates - a move made by Clinton to show support for the District's full voting rights. Bush told The Associated Press last week that the tags will be replaced with special 2001 inaugural tags issued by the city, citing no interest in using license plates to make a political statement.

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AU student stands in for Mrs. Bush

By Brett Zongker | January 22

She will not appear on an episode of "The West Wing" as Mrs. Bartlet, but Sally Renfro, a junior in College of Arts Sciences, was playing the role of the real first lady for the cameras of NBC on Friday morning before the inauguration. Renfro was recruited by friend and fellow AU student Kate Black, a senior in the School of Communication, who was serving as a runner for NBC's pool coverage of the Inauguration.

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George W. Bush sworn in as 43rd President of the U.S.A.

By Evan Wagner | January 22

An estimated 300,000 to 500,000 people attended President George W. Bush's Inauguration Saturday, braving 30-degree weather and a chilly downpour from a sky that would before long yield still-present snow.

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Students question Gen Ed

By Andrew Martel and Dorothy Hughes | January 22

The General Education Review Committee, as part of its yearlong review of the program, is currently debating several changes concerning the structure of General Education classes and clusters. Surveys were conducted both by the AU administration and by the Student Confederation to get a feeling for student opinions on the General Education program as it stands.

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AU students spend break in Israel

By Simone Weichselbaum | January 22

In the last two weeks of winter break, a group of AU students joined thousands of Jewish college students through out the world in a free pilgrimage to Israel. Hillel, the campus run religious and social organization that is geared towards the Jewish student population of American colleges and universities across the country, sponsored the 12-day trip.

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Homecoming court selection arrives

January 22

"Action Through the Ages" is the theme of this year's homecoming celebration, which will be held February 18-24. The highlights include men's and women's basketball games, a fashion show and silent auction in the tavern, a block party on the quad and the Founders Day Ball.

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Parade entertains thousands

By Kate Anderson | January 22

Despite the cold and the rain, the 54th Inaugural Parade, themed "Celebrating America's Spirit Together," drew a large and enthusiastic crowd on Saturday. The parade began at the Capitol Building at about 2:40 p.m. - almost an hour later than originally scheduled due to delays at the inaugural brunch.

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Chemical weapons not found

By Andrew Martel | January 22

The Army Corps of Engineers found no chemical warfare agents during an excavation on campus this month, but results of soil tests for further arsenic contamination are pending and expected to reveal further arsenic contamination. Between Jan. 8 and 11, engineers removed 55-gallon barrels of soil within a 55-meter radius of the excavation pit behind the Hamilton and Kreeger buildings.

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WWF celebrates voter campaign in D.C.

January 22

A yearlong campaign to promote youth voting registration sponsored by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) titled "Smackdown Your Vote," culminated in a gala on the eve of the Presidential Inauguration at D.C.'s Club Insomnia.

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A four-month wait for fries

By Andrew Martel | January 22

Following more than four months of construction and permit acquisition, a McDonald's franchise opened last Monday in the Tunnel at AU. The restaurant occupies the former site of Armand's Chicago Pizzeria, who had lost their lease in 1999 and vacated the space after an out-of-court settlement with AU at the end of spring semester 2000.

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CCPS holds early politics seminars

By Anne Stopper | January 22

After last year's extraordinary presidential election, the last thing most people wanted to concentrate on was another political campaign. Most Americans, it seemed, had more than their fill of the speeches, commercials and public relations battles that dragged on well into December of 2000.

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MLK speakers call for equality

By Margaret McElligott | January 22

Standing at a "crossroads on the way to equality," as one speaker said, students and faculty came together in Kay Chapel Wednesday to remember the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and pledged to work for social justice in his memory. The Commemorative Ceremony featured speeches by AU President Benjamin Ladner, student leaders, a performance by AU's gospel choir and a candlelight ceremony.

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Wagshal's, Ruby Tuesday's restaurants open near campus

By Andrew Martel | January 22

An American Caf? and a Rolling Stones-inspired restaurant are soon to become part of the AU community of dining services as Wagshal's American Caf? construction nears completion while Ruby Tuesday is tentatively scheduled to open at 4200 Wisconsin Ave. Wagshal's, which is occupying space once owned by Blue Mountain Caf? in the Tunnel, has been undergoing construction since October in preparation for opening this semester.

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United Students Against Sweatshops protests working conditions in Mexican factories

By Andrew Noyes and Kate Anderson | January 22

In the wake of the firing of Nike-related sweatshop workers in Mexico, student groups on more than 20 university campuses rallied together on Wednesday to protest Nike sweatshops and their monitoring agents, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC). The event was sponsored by United Students Against Sweatshops, a federation of 175 chapters on U.S. campuses.

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Davenport to remain autonomous

By Rachel Beamer | September 11

The Davenport Coffee Lounge in the School of International Service building will reopen next week and remain exclusively student-run, in spite of recent talks of restructuring, Provost Cornelius Kerwin said. When the building was closed for renovation this summer, there were some regulatory issues in regards to serving food, and the University considered having Marriott run the shop.

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'Wheel' comes to Bender

By Brett Zongker | September 11

At least one AU student will have the opportunity to join Pat Sajak and Vanna White as a participant in "Wheel of Fortune's" College Week. "America's Game" recruited contestants at AU on Friday for the show's first visit to the Nation's Capital. "We're looking for people with big personalities," Lisa Dee, "Wheel of Fortune" Promotion director, said.

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