Women's Volleyball Home opener Lady Spikers begin their home season to against Duquesne Pa Vol. 98, No. 34 30 Pages ©1997 Collegian Inc By AIMEE HARRIS Collegian Staff Writer It was the strictest state inspection of an abortion facility Eric Harrah said he had ever been through. But the results were in his favor. After three months of battling local resis tance, Harrah received word yesterday from the Pennsylvania Department of Health that his facility, State College Medical Services, 477 E. Beaver Ave., has permission to perform abor tions. Harrah, director of administration at the facility, said he has gone through about 12 state inspections before for other health facilities. "I've never seen the scrutiny I did with this one," he said. "But I didn't mind the position they were in. (The inspectors) were under a lot of public pressure." Inspection of the State College facility was more detailed, Harrah said, from inspection of equipment to measurements of doorways for the handicapped. Now it's time to readjust to life out of the public eye, Harrah said. "I feel relief," he said. "I'm very happy. I'm patting myself on the back." But Harrah also feels slightly disappointed, Jeff Price (freshman-golf management) attempts to start a washing machine in Hamilton Hall by using the new laundry card system. The Laundry cards clean up washing process New laundry cards, washers and dryers make cleaning clothes on campus a high-tech process. By VICTORIA FREILE Collegian Staff Writer The new ID cards are not the only new type of plastic surfacing at the University this fall the Student may contest rejection from council ballot By DARREN ROBERTSON Collegian Staff Writer A University student who was rejected from the ballot for the State College Borough Council elections said he may be taking the county Board of Elections to court. Former Undergraduate Student Government presidential candidate Jason Covener was denied a space on the ballot in the borough council elections by the Centre County Board of Elections earlier this month. Covener (senior international politics) announced his intention to seek a place on the council as an independent candidate in July. . His bid was rejected, however, because he is actually a registered Republican, said Joyce McKinley, director of elections, Office of Elec tions and Voter Registration. "Pennsylvania state law requires the candi date to be a registered independent before the primary," McKinley said. "Mr. Covener is still a registered Republican. His petition was reject ed." The primary elections were held May 20, and the daily clinic approved "For the past three months my whole life revolved around this process and now I'm asking myself, 'What's next?' " he said. "It's sad for the past three months my whole life revolved around this process and now I'm asking myself, 'What's next?' " he said. Next, Harrah has an eviction hearing. Sue Rogacs of Centre County Citizens Con cerned for Human Life is quick to remember that the Friendly Corp., which owns State Col lege Medical Services, still has to appear in court on Sept. 9. "There is still another obstacle regarding the validity of the lease," Rogacs said. Rogacs was not surprised State College Med ical Services passed its inspection, she said. "Harrah and (Dr. Steven C. Brigham, Har rah's partner executives of the Friendly Corp.) are involved in abortion clinics. They new laundry card is also sweeping across the campus. These new laundry cards have a specialized computer chip that allows students to use the card like a debit card, said Fred Fotis, direc tor of housing. "The students put an amount on the card, insert the card into the reader in the laundry room and the money is deducted off the card," Fotis said. Laundry cards can be purchased in the campus commons areas at "There are things going on that should not be. I believe this is all because they know I am a student." rejected from borough council ballot Covener would have had to have been regis tered non-partisan 30 days prior to that date. Covener said he was misinformed by the Board of Elections and plans to appeal his rejection. "I am going to be speaking to a lawyer tomor: row," he said. "I am planning to take this to court if I have to." Covener said he believes the Board of Elec tions may not have followed proper procedures when dealing with his petition to be placed on the ballot for the Nov. 4 elections. "I think the elections commission is making decisions against the election code," he said. , i Film fr -i ' Gangster movies make . Intervals of sunshine and a few clouds today. High 75. Clear *, )1. to partly cloudy tonight. Low 53. night -- w r offer you can't refuse ~ v Mainly sunny and a bit warmer Highs in the upper t 4 44lk Page 23, Arts this weekend 70s to lower 80s. , I, 1 4 416 ..914n by Chris Patti tge 13, Sports it V ian 30 C Colleg www.collegian.psu.edu Eric Harrah medical clinic director card machines, along with new washers and dryers, replaced old laundry equipment all over campus. Features of new laundry card the new cash value centers, Fotis said. The cards are available in $lO and $5O amounts, he added. The $lO card supplies $7.50 worth of washes, Fotis said. The card itself costs $2.50, he added. When a student purchases the Jason Covener Friday, Aug. 29, 1997 know how to open them and how to meet the laws," Rogacs said. Harrah also has concerns about the facility as a crime target. He is currently arranging to have armed guards at the facility and has a team of attorneys gathered if legal action needs to be taken. "I'm not going to stand by and watch myself and my employees be intimidated," Harrah said. "We're going to be very, very tough on people who harm or cause problems." The facility is scheduled to open the week of Sept. 8. and has already received mixed reac tions from students and residents. "I think it's upsetting because the point is that girls can go right next door and get an abortion," said Kellie Weiss (junior-secondary education). Weiss is concerned that women will act too hastily if there is an abortion clinic so close to them. Michael Hancharik (sophomore-political sci ence), however, thinks an abortion clinic in State College is necessary to a free society. "This (clinic) is allowing for due process of human rights to flow in a democratic society," he said. $5O card, the full $5O of washes are included with no cost for the actual card. Money can be added onto the card in $5 increments, he said. Although Tom Powell (sopho more-telecommunications) said the $5O card was too expensive, he did say the system is more convenient. "Instead of having to walk to the dining commons, purchase a ticket and possibly lose (it), you can just punch in the card and you're done," he said. Page 2 "There are things going on that should not be. I believe this is all because they know I am a stu dent." Although his name has not been placed on the ballot, Covener could still seek a write-in vote, McKinley said. "If he wants to do a write-in campaign, that would be allowed," she said. "He talked about it." Covener said he will campaign as a write-in candidate if he is not granted his appeal. "I am prepared to do a write-in and win it if I have to," Covener said. "So students will still have the option , of voting for me." There are five candidates vying for three open seats on the borough's seven-member council, McKinley said. Currently, there no Uni versity students on the ballot. "We make up 70 percent of State College," Covener said. "There should be at least three or four students as councilmen." The foremost issue on his platform is the reform of the borough's housing ordinance, Covener said. Please see LAUNDRY, Page 2 Please see COVENER, Page 2 Published independently by students at Penn State Citizens' group to protest clinic By PAULA K. KNUDSEN Collegian Staff Writer Local pro-life activists will march through State College Sunday afternoon to protest a Beaver Avenue medical clinic that administrators said will offer abortions. The walk, sponsored by repre sentatives of State College and Penn State religious communi ties and Centre County Citizens Concerned •for Human Life (CCHL), will begin at 2 p.m. on the corner of Hetzel Street and Beaver Avenue. The march will end on the HUB lawn with a solemn prayer assembly, said Susan Rogacs, CCHL political education direc tor. Megan's Law finds way into Centre County A Rockview inmate, previously convicted of sexual crimes, refused to register his address with police and now faces felony charges. By ELISA SCHEMENT Collegian Staff Writer Before his arraignment Wednes day, Miroslaw Piktas, 41, asked to register his planned address in accordance with Megan's Law, Rockview state police Trooper Warren Sasserman said. "He told me it was between him and the judge now and he would sign the papers," Sasserman said. "I advised him it was too late. He had already violated the law." Piktas' case is the first violation of Megan's Law in Centre County. He finishes his 10-year sentence for deviant sexual intercourse today. Pennsylvania state law says sex offenders must register their future addresses 10 days before their scheduled release from prison. Piktas refused to give his intend ed address twice, said prison offi cials at the State Correctional Insti tute at Rockview. Refusal•to register is a third degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, Centre Coun ty District Attorney Ray Gricar said. District Justice Brad Lunsford set Piktas' bail at $lOO.OOO. "It's a requirement that persons who are convicted of child molesta tion charges must registe'r (their addresses) within 10 days prior to release," Lunsford said. "He was asked on two occasions, but refused to do so." After the much-publicized sexual assault and murder of 7-year-old Megan Kanka, of Hamilton Town ship, New Jersey, President Clin ton signed a federal law requiring community notification of a sex offender's intended residence. The 1996 law was created to protect children from convicted sex offenders. Because of failure to meet bail and an Immigration and Natural ization Services detainer, Piktas will remain in custody tomorrow. Piktas, who is not an American citizen, speaks broken English, Sasserman said. The Polish immi grant asked for a translator for his arraignment, he added. "I believe he would understand what's-going on a little better if he was being spoken to in his native The prayer walk is protesting State College Medical Services, Suite 210 of the Uni-Mart Build ing, 477 E. Beaver Ave., and director of administration Eric Harrah's pledge to provide abortion services, Rogacs said. A traffic detour has been planned by the State College Police Department to steer traf fic away from the march by temporarily halting westbound vehicles on East College Avenue. "It's going to be a large crowd, Rogacs said, adding that she expects 1,000 or more walkers. The walk was advertised in area churches and through word of mouth, Rogacs said. Please see CLINIC, Page 2. tongue," Sasserman said, adding that no interpreter was available for his arraignment. Prison officials said they made the two previous address requests in English. INS Special Agent Michele Kennedy said Piktas may be affect ed by the stronger criminal depor tation laws Congress passed in April. He will not enter INS cus tody until all state and federal charges are completed, she said. "I think (he's withholding his intended address) mainly because of his immigration detainer," said a prison official, who refused to be identified. "He may be trying to avoid deportation." If Piktas' officially releases his intended address, it will not alter the charge, Gricar said. "He can't say, 'Oh, I changed my mind,' and we have to drop the charges," Gricar said. "Sex offend ers should be required to register so that the people are protected.... It's a very important law. It's a very serious matter and we intend to enforce the law." An article in The Daily Collegian yesterday incor rectly stated that area Wal- Mart stores reserved Penn State Barbie. Wal-Mart does not take reservations for the doll. Also, in the same arti cle, the Collegian incorrectly identified the Lion's Den, 118 S. Garner St., as a store that sells the Penn State Barbie.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers