, Air Dateline Sports Weather Hit a friend with a snowball. 'it .; •• • Alleged serial killer Public Defender Today, accumula ting snows end, kr 1, but leftover flakes hang around, , J arraigned in Kentucky ttiblititacjil Brannon Seaman leads the Booters' defense into high 35. Tonight, mostly cloudy, —Page 10 low 28. Tomorrow, mostly cloudy NCAA tournament 4? 4 , 2, 41%. with lingering snow flurries, high ,c43" - Q oAg Page 6 by Paul Markowski `"5 • the C ol leg i an IN 30` daily Vol. 96, No. 91 18 Pages ©1995 Collegian Inc Area adapts onslaught snowfall Students, OPP and PennDOT prepare for the first major snowfall of the year. By ANNE SAVANICK and THOMAS A. MURSE Collegian Staff Writers Chris Malone knows that he's not in Oklahoma anymore. The snowfall yesterday and the forecast for last night have taken Malone (graduate-English), a for mer resident of the Sooner State, by surprise. While other State College resi dents were stocking up on supplies, Malone went about his daily busi ness. "What are they talking about?" Malone said, referring to people who were preparing for the winter siege. "I don't think I've been tak ing this seriously enough." Although the snow continued to fall yesterday, Bill Syrett, weather station coordinator forihe Campus Weather Service, said a little snow is expected this morning, but it should taper off later in the day. "The best bet is six to 12 inches on the ground in the morning," Syrett said. The storm developed as a low pressure system and began moving north from the Virginia coastline early yesterday. Strong easterly winds carried moisture inland across Pennsylvania. The State College Police Depart ment requested late last night that citizens restrict their travel to emergency situations. Heavy snows are br'ught down numerous trees in the borough, causing haz ardous situations for pedestrians and vehicles. Residents were Blood donor numbers th Michigan S ate - Penn: o State:: •od Donor Chati- ge As of .V 0 p.m. yes - ; • Disney's The Four Diamonds premiers at Schwab, tells story behind 'Thon By AMY GEYER Collegian Staff Writer Medieval royalty and trumpets greeted students passing by the doors of Schwab Auditorium last night. The medieval entourage was there to herald the premier of Disney's The Four Diamonds. The movie introduced and explained the story behind The Four Dia monds Fund to prospective participants in the 1996 Interfraternity Council/Panhel lenic Council Dance Marathon. The technique seemed to work. Debby Waltemyer (junior-material science and advised to stay indoors to avoid being struck by falling trees. The amount of snow may not have prompted Malone into action, but for other students the threat of a major snowfall was enough. Tammy Etris (senior-recreation and park management) said she bought a hat in preparation for the storm and does not plan to go out for the next few days unless it is necessary. Jason Binder (sophomore-biolo gy) has also taken precautions. In addition to buying new gloves, Binder said he left work early yes terday in anticipation of bad side walk conditions. On campus, the Office of Physi cal Plant plans to have workers clearing sidewalks starting at 5 a.m. today, said Larry Mayes, cus todial supervisor for OPP. He also said OPP would be work ing on campus roads through the night. Many custodians will be working 12-hour shifts in an effort to combat the storm. The first storm of the season caused some community colleges and some of the Commonwealth Campuses throughout the region to cancel evening classes. Also, heavy snow yesterday knocked out power yesterday afternoon along College Avenue and Atherton Street. Residents near the intersection were without power for less than an hour, a spokesperson for West Penn Power said. While the University does its part to maintain safety, local gov ernments have been working to prevent the early taste of winter from inhibiting residents' travel. Area road crews planned to be out in force throughout last night. State College Borough plows, Please see WEATHER, Page 18. Court decision on WAMs affects local groups By JIM KINNEY and MICHAEL O'SULLIVAN Collegian Staff Writers The State College Little League planned on using a $35,000 grant to help defer the cost of building the new Stonebridge Fields. But a deci sion by the Commonwealth Court Monday may mean the league will have to foot the whole bill. Tom McElhaney, president of the ;tate College Little League, said hat although they may not get the ;rant, they still hope to have the fields ready for opening day. "We'll find a way, we always lave," he said. The appropriations that the Little League will have to make up are known as WAM grants walking around money. These allocations given to local governments and non-profit organizations by individ ual legislators were ruled unconsti tutional by the court. Common Cause/Pennsylvania, a government watchdog organiza tion, challenged the legality of the grants earlier this fall. The group engineering) was walking by and was drawn into the show. She was very impressed by what she saw. "I think it was a really good motivation for 'Thon. The movie was really touching," she said. Marty Dell, Four Diamonds Advisory Board chair, said that was the reaction the fund was hoping for. "It helps to inspire the students. It tells the story behind the story that Chris wrote," he said. The dance marathon has been put on every year since 1973 to benefit the fund which raises money to help children with Wednesday, Nov. 15, 1995 A white layer of snow covers trees and lawns at yesterday. Roadcrews from PennDOT and OPP will said the grants were unconstitu tional. Among its concerns, Com mon Cause held that the grants were unconstitutional because they provided state funds to local gov ernment and religious organiza tions, along with concern about the budget process. The State College Little League is not alone in trying to make up for the loss funds. The Penn Eagle Industrial Park was already under construction when it received a $lOO,OOO appro priation from the state legislature. And after the $2 million project was approved, the project was expanded. Chuck Mong, Chamber of Busi ness and Industry of Centre County president, said the project was already under construction when it received a $lOO,OOO WAM. Mong said the project, just off state Route 150 outside Bellefonte, was approved as a line-item within the budget bill. After the funding was approved the project was expanded. "We were already under con- cancer and their, families. It has grown to be the nation's largest student philan thropy. The Four Diamonds Fund was founded by the parents of Christopher Millard the boy who wrote the story that the movie was based on. Millard, a 14-year-old who struggled with cancer for three years wrote the story "The Four Diamonds." It symbolized his fight against cancer. The event began with Allan Anderson, chief operating officer of the University's Hershey Medical Center, Deborah Saline, head of public relations for the medical the corner of be working to struction when we got the word we were going to receive that grant. In our case the work is already done," Mong said. The infrastructure project "The job is done. We don't have which built roads and laid water, anything we can pull back. There's sewer and gas lines is different nothing we can cancel," he said. University funding not touched by decision By PAULA SHAKI Collegian Staff Writer Although the Commonwealth Court ruled earlier this week to the Port Matilda Fire Company, "It is my understanding that block the state from spending York County Youth Justice Facil- there was an appropriation of. about $2O million for programs ity, Washington County Redevel- local organizations and entities throughout the state, the Univer- opment Authority, United Way of that receive state funding that sity's appropriation will not be Berks County and the Council will be blocked," said Richard held. for State Governments when Boyajian, analyst on the Senate it ruled the legislature violated Nothing in the ruling will Appropriations Committee staff. prose- p affect state appropriation for the the state constitution with " It should not affect Penn State's University, said Alan Janesch, a dices it used to enact the 1995-96 a pp ro p r i at i on i n any wa y. " et. spokesman for the University's state budg et . Tim Reeves, Gov. Tom Ridge's Department of Public Informa- But the court did not block $36 press secretary, said the amount tion. million in funding for the Penn- Please see PSU, Page 18. South Pugh Street and Irving Avenue keep the streets clear of the snow. than other projects that will feel But, Mong said, the corporation the effects of the court's decision will face $lO,OOO interest fees each because it is finished, not pro- year for the loans it will have to posed. take out in order to make up for the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Sylvania Higher Education Assis- Court blocked the state from tance Agency and spending for spending about $2O million for other state-related commissions individual programs such as in its decision. center and Jason Cartwright, chairperson of the 1996 Dance Marathon, introducing themselves. With a small introduction to the story behind the movie, the three exclaimed, "Lights, camera, action," and Chris Millard and his story about Squire Millard and his quest for the four diamonds that repre sented his courage, wisdom, honesty and strength began. The movie blended scenes of Chris' fight with childhood cancer and his short story about Squire Millard. In the beginning, after Chris' parents had his stuffy nose checked, a doctor dis- Published independently by students at Penn State leglan Photo/Kristin Costello covered he had a tumor in the muscle behind his nose. Throughout the movie, the audience saw his treatments and how he dealt with them. As the scenes were played, the striking connection between the squire's fight for his freedom from the evil sorceress Rapte nahad and Chris' fight with cancer could be seen. Each time he had a recurrence, he retreated into his story. The people in his story were played by the people who also played his family and friends. Squire Millard had been trapped by Please see 'THON, Page 18. Regatta plans altered By AMY BROSEY and JAKE STUIVER Collegian Staff Writers The 22nd Annual Beta Sigma Beta Sy Barash Regatta may not exist in its conventional form in the spring. Mike Steinberg, Beta Sigma Beta fraternity brotherhood adviser, said yesterday the philanthropy's agenda has been altered for the coming year. "For the 1996 regatta, there has been a change of events, plans and venue. The Sy Barash Regatta as a philanthropy has not been can celed," Steinberg said. Stan Kanevsky, president of Beta Sigma Beta fraternity, 255 E. Fair mount Ave., said the regatta will be placed on hiatus and a new philan thropic program will take its place. "The status is that it is officially canceled for the year. There will be a new philanthropy, just for this year so far," Kanevsky said. "It will be co-sponsored by another sorority," he added. Laura DeGange (senior-psychol ogy) said she did not like the choice of performers last year. Although she has never attended the regatta, she said she would go if she liked the featured bands. "The bands never excited me too much, especially Eddie Money," she said. Regatta co-chairman Ryan Fink said the event will be replaced indefinitely by a program working with the Basketball Coaches Alliance and Coaches Vs. Cancer. The philanthropy, which includes assistance from coaches Rene Port land and Jerry Dunn, will be called The Sy Barash Three Point Attack, Fink said. "We will not have a regatta this year. That does not mean there won't be a regatta forever. It was not in the best interest of our house or the American Cancer Society to Please see REGATTA, Page 18. lost state funding. Meanwhile, the fallout will be felt by Centre Coun- Please see WAMS, Page 18.