ty*|VisrtTheDlgitaTCollegianl 55 ML tomorrow afternoon for «HfcNri% football updates.! a ACollegian www.collegian.psu.edu Vol. 99, No. 78 26 Pages ©1998 Collegian Inc. Letters to assist hate-crime law By KATIE O’HARA Collegian Staff Writer To encourage legislators to amend the state’s hate-crime law and include considerations of sexu al orientation, the Statewide Penn sylvania Rights Coalition (SPARC) is encouraging a letter-writing campaign. Hate crimes were brought to national attention recently when University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and murdered because of his gay sexual orientation. “It’s a shame that someone had to die to have these bills pushed forward,” said Sue Rankin, senior diversity planning analyst for the Office of the Vice Provost for Edu cational Equity and SPARC co chair. SPARC is a group of organi zations and individuals working to reduce the instances of hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity through state legis lation. College students who want to see legislation changes need to write letters to elected officials, Rankin said. Pennsylvania is one of 41 states in the nation that has a hate-crime law, which attempts to protect indi viduals from crimes motivated because of race, ethnicity or reli gious beliefs. The state law does not address crimes motivated by an individual’s sexual orientation, which proposed House Bills 730 and 731 would modify. Have you seen 'Oprah'? Legend spooks, tricks students for Halloween By MARK PARFITT Collegian Staff Writer Like many people, Cristina Lara heard it from a friend a psychic appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and predicted there would be a massacre this Halloween in a H-shaped dorm on a Big Ten college campus. Not willing to take the risk, Lara (freshman-liberal arts) decided to find other accommodations instead of her Simmons Hall dorm room just to be safe. “There’s probably some psycho out there like in ‘Scream,’ ” Lara said. “I’ll make sure I’m sleeping somewhere else this weekend.” But Lara, like thousands of other Big Ten students, got tricked early this Halloween season. There was no such episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” or any other talk show for that matter. The rumor is an urban legend one that has been circu lating on college campuses for decades. “The rumor is false,” said Audrey Pass, senior pub licist for Harpo Productions Inc. in Chicago, which produces “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Pass said she first heard about the rumor a few weeks ago, about the same time it was circulating at the University of Illinois, University of lowa and Michigan State Uni versity campuses. Although versions of the legend vary, common details among the current version say the massacre will occur at a Big Ten or Big 12 university and it will take place near a building or a dorm shaped like an “H,” according to the San Fernando Valley Folklore Society. Some versions have the killer dressed as Little Bo Peep and the murder weapon as a hatchet, knife or ■ House Bill 730 would amend the state’s hate-crime law to include crimes committed because of the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation. ■ House Bill 731 would require state police to collect information on crimes and incidents motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation. Now the bills, introduced more than a year ago by state Rep. Lita Cohen, R-Montgomery, are being stalled by the state House Judicia ry Committee, according to a SPARC press release. “They are elected by you and they want to know what you think,” Rankin said. According to the release, Gov. Tom Ridge said he will sign a bill to correct the law if it passes the legislature. “We are asking the people of Pennsylvania straight, gay, les bian, bisexual and transgendered to call and write their state rep resentatives and senators as soon as possible to get sexual orienta tion included in the hate-crime law and include these crimes in the state police reports,” said Steve Glassman, SPARC co-chair about the campaign. Changing the law would entail proposing Cohen’s bills again and amending the existing bills on the floor of the House or Senate. But because the legislature is in recess, no action can be taken until its members return to Harrisburg Nov. 9. another sharp object, according to the society. The myth currently circulating is actually a version of a classic fright legend that resurfaces every few years, according to the society. This year is the leg end’s 30th anniversary since it began in the Midwest in 1968. After the rumor resurfaced in 1974, psychic Jean Dixon eventually sent a denial of the prediction to The Daily Collegian in 1980. The last time the society said there was an outbreak of the legend in central Penn sylvania was in 1986. However, some students, such as Maria Lashinger (freshman-aerospace engineering), never believed the rumor. “It’s ridiculous,” Lashinger said. “I know three peo ple that are going home this weekend because of this supposed massacre.” Locally, the legend has mostly been confined to the immediate Centre Region area. Lisa McManus, opera tion manager of WTAJ, the local affiliate of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” said yesterday she had not heard of the legend and Channel 10 had not received any calls by viewers asking if such a program had aired. The current urban legend circulating through cam pus is not the first time a widespread rumor has caused panic among Penn State students. In March 1993, a rumor spread in State College about a Domi no’s Pizza driver who delivered a pizza contaminated with HIV-infected bodily fluids. The legend became so widespread that both the State College Police Department and Penn State Police Services had to issue letters stating their departments had not received any complaints pertain ing to the rumor. Friday, Oct. 30,1998 Lions set for Big Ten brawl Penn State looks to stay in conference race as it hosts struggling Illinois at tomorrow’s game. By DON STEWART Collegian Staff Writer It looks like there will be anoth er beating in the Big Ten neigh borhood. Riding the crest of a three game losing streak, Illinois (2-6, 1-4 Big Ten) brings a sputtering offense to Beaver Stadium for a 12:10 p.m. meeting tomorrow with No. 10 Penn State (5-1, 2-1). The Illini have been the little sick kids on the conference block the past few seasons, carrying a 2-19 Big Ten record since 1996. They will meet one of the neighborhood’s bad boys, the Nit tany Lions, in their own house. “We’ve just got to go in there fighting, hoping to compete and take some steps forward,” Illinois coach Ron Turner said. In the midst of trying to revi talize a once-strong program, Turner leads one of the youngest squads in the conference. It boasts just five starting seniors, three of whom are on the offen sive line. Offensively, Illinois hasn’t done ■much to live up to the tradition of legendary alumnus Red Grange. Aside from a 48-point explosion against Middle Tennessee State, the Illini have failed to eclipse the 14-point barrier all year. Illinois has scored just 12 points in its last three games. Last week against Purdue, the offense struggled to just nine points, all in the fourth quarter. With a speedy Penn State defense lying in their path, things don’t bode well for the Illini. The Lions are rated No. 5 in the nation against the run and second in sacks per game. “They have a great defense and a lot of great players,” Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner said. “We’re going to have to work hard to put points on the board.” In their last contest, the Lions used a three-man defensive front to hold the usually potent Boiler maker offense to just 13 points and minus-12 yards rushing. While they will shift back to their usual four-man front, there will be few changes this week. “We make minor adjustments for each team, but we’re just going to do what we’ve been doing being aggressive and fly- Lion defensive end Brad Scioli (5) attempts to deflect a pass while Courtney Brown (86) sacks Purdue quarterback Drew Brees earlier this season. For more football coverage, please see page 9. ing to the football,” Penn State safety Shawn Lee said. The Lions’ young offense has been cast in the shadow of the defense all season. It struggled through road games at Pitts burgh, Ohio State and Minnesota before rebounding against Pur due. Penn State will have to compen sate for the losses of some key offensive players tomorrow. Receiver Joe Nastasi, recovering from a broken wrist, will miss his second consecutive game. Offen sive tackle Jordan Caruso and The space shuttle Discovery rises Into the air yesterday over Kennedy Space Center In Cape Canaveral, Fla. John Glenn was one of the seven in the crew. h s oj start with bits of sun in the afternoon, tge 2 for the extended forecast. Campus Weather Service 'lllinois vs Penn sIaSH on the for long periods of time and been worn down. flllisaturclay, Oct. Despite the apparent mis match, Penn State coach Joe ff&fJ 12:10 Paterno isn’t ready to laugh at the mJLr— little sick kid hoping for an Beaver StadlufflHßl unlikely win. “Illinois is a better football backup tight end Tony Stewart team than some people are going are both listed as doubtful. to suppose,” he said. “When they An often scrappy Illinois have played teams that were not defense will try to exploit the just a cut above them talent-wise Lions’ offensive weaknesses. The or experience-wise, they played Illinois defense has suffered hard. We expect a very tough because of the team’s offensive football game this week and a woes, as it has been forced to stay very physical football game.” Glenn launches into space aboard shuttle Discovery By PAUL RECER AP Science Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. John Glenn rocketed back into orbit today on a mission of science and sentiment, returning as the world’s oldest astronaut to the high fron tier he pioneered for America 36 years ago. “Let the wings of Discovery lift us on to the future,” said launch control in its final words to the seven-member crew before liftoff. “Liftoff of Discovery with a crew of six astronaut heroes and one American legend,” added launch commentator Lisa Malone. Discovery rose majestically from its seaside launch pad, riding the roaring flame of its five rocket engines through a cloudless blue sky. The craft quickly gained speed, arced toward the east and slowly faded from view, gaining orbit 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff. “America is very, very proud of you today,” President Clinton told NASA engineers at the launch con trol center. Glenn’s journey began 19 min utes late a lot better than his first trip to orbit in 1962, when he had to endure 10 postponements over two months. The countdown had proceeded Published independently by students at Penn State flawlessly until about 10 minutes before the scheduled 2 p.m. launch, when an alarm sounded inside Dis covery’s cockpit, triggering a nine minute delay. Shortly after the count resumed, it had to be held again briefly when a plane intruded into the restricted area. NASA said later it was a private pilot jockeying for a good view, and an Air Force plane escorted him out of the zone. One small problem did occur during liftoff, NASA said at a post launch briefing. A panel that may be the door covering a drag chute used during landing jarred loose during liftoff and may have hit one of the main engines. Officials were studying video of the craft but said the incident was unlikely to have any impact on the mission or landing. The weather at the Cape was per fect for writing a new chapter in space history temperatures in the 80s and winds calm with just occasional gusts. Glenn, 77, was the first Ameri can in orbit in 1962, on the third U.S. manned mission. He returned to space on the nation’s 123rd manned mission. Clinton called it “a great day for America and a great day for our senior citizens.”
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