Western Front - 2000 February 29

              TUESDAY, February 29,2000
The Western Front Western Washington University Volume 111 Issue 14 Bellingham, Washington
Presidential hopeful Bradley visits Bellingham I Renovation
Democrat addresses more than 1,000 on health care, education at Bellingham Cruise Terminal pfOIDPtS VU
By Kristin Bigsby
THE WESTERN FRONT
Presidential candidate Bill
Bradley spoke to a crowd of
more than 1,000 Whatcom
County residents Friday night
at the Bellingham Cruise
Terminal, promoting himself as
a liberal Democrat sensitive to
the issues of child poverty, uni­versal
health care and the envi­ronment.
Bradley's visit to Bellingham
was part of a six-day tour in
Washington to gather support
for today's primary election.
"We want to make sure to put
a qualified teacher in every
classroom," he said, standing on
a platform lined with vibrant
blue Bill Bradley signs. "We
want to make sure to set a
numerical target for the reduc­tion
of child poverty. ... We need
registration and licensing of all
handguns. Politics, as usual, is
what can prevent us from
achieving those things."
He spent Friday campaigning
in Seattle, Everett and Mount
Vernon before appearing in
Whatcom County.
Former Washington state Sen.
Barney Goltz and Bellingham
City Councilman John Watts
introduced Bradley as a humble,
widely respected human being.
"I support Bill Bradley for
President because I believe both
his solid integrity and visions
are needed to find solutions to
the major problems facing
America," Watts said. "Bill
walks his talk and has been
doing so for years."
Bradley, a six-foot-five-inch
former basketball star and sena­tor
of New Jersey, towered over
the supportive crowd in the
upper level of the ferry terminal.
Spectators on the first floor of
the building could not see the
candidate, but he broadcasted
his speech through a micro­phone
for all to hear.
Twenty-five enthusiastic sup­porters
stood behind Bradley as
he spoke, including Western's
Associated Students President
Victor Cox and Vice President
for Legislative and Community
Affairs David Toyer.
Bradley emphasized the need
for "a politics that tells the
truth." He said money has been
setting the American political
agenda for far too long.
"That's why what we need is a
cold mountain stream to run
through Washington D.C., tak­ing
the corruption with it and
restoring reform to the people of
this country," he said.
Chris Goodenow/The Western Front
(Left) Bradley signs autographsCf&rlsupfMffS&^^A3wby''~'
Bradley urges the audience to make a difference by voting.
Bradley extended his theme of
verbal warfare against democra­tic
opponent Al Gore, citing a
lack of initiative on his part to
propose programs for health
care and education.
After his speech, Bradley
made his way downstairs to
shake hands with supporters.
Secret Service men surround­ed
the candidate and kept the
excited crowd at a distance.
"I want to tap the energy and
idealism of Western in order to
get this campaign moving in its
last weekend," Bradley said,
standing behind a velvet rope
separating him from the crowd.
"I'm so glad so many young
people were here," Bradley said
after his speech as he worked
his way down a line of out­stretched
hands. "I think they're
responding to my message that
we can make a difference in the
future of our country."
If elected, Bradley said he
See BRADLEY, page-4
Ridge residents surveyed about possibile new ATM
Peter
Terrill Simecki/The Western Front
Plantenberg grabs his cash from the Miller Hall ATM.
By TerriU Simecki
THE WESTERN FRONT
Western students living in the
Ridgeway Complex have a
chance to take control of their
fiscal futures.
Monday, David Toyer,
Associated Students vice presi­dent
for Legislative and
Community Affairs and a
Ridgeway resident, mailed a
survey to each of the Ridge's
approximately 1,235 students
(39 percent of Western's 3,200
campus residents) asking them
if they want an automatic teller
machine.
With the survey, Toyer hopes
to find out if enough support for
a cash machine on the Ridge
exists, because most ATM ser­vice
providers require a mini­mum
of 3,000-4,000 transac­tions
per month for their
machines to remain productive.
"It's difficult to estimate how
much need or how much
demand there is per month,"
Toyer said.
Toyer said Ridge residents
spend their money locally at the
Ridgeway Market and on laun­dry
cards, and many catch the
Whatcom Transportation Auth­ority's
west shuttle on Highland
Drive to Haggen.
At least 20 people personally
asked Toyer to find out about
placing a cash machine on the
Ridge, and he said he rarely
gets requests about specific
issues.
"I haven't really got any
requests from anywhere besides
Ridgeway," Toyer said. "Nash
and Mathes and Edens are pret­ty
well off."
Students can access two US
Bank ATMs in the Viking Union
area, one in the VU and one in
the Associated Students
Bookstore, and two Whatcom
Educational Credit Union
ATMs, one outside Miller Hall
and one inside Arntzen Hall.
The two US Bank cash
machines charge non-members
$1.50 per transaction while the
See ATM, page 4
relocations
By Craig Kanaya
THE WESTERN FRONT
The $22.4 million Viking
Union renovation broke ground
earlier this month, causing
some inconveniences and relo­cation
of services.
"It has been a real challenge,"
Viking Union director Jack
Smith said. "The staff and stu­dents
put in a lot of hours to
make it go as smooth as possi­ble.
I am impressed with the
students' ability to adapt and
accommodate the change."
Most services, such as the
Outdoor Center and KUGS
89.3-FM, have moved to tempo­rary
locations in High Street
Hall.
Jason Guerrero, KUGS hip-hop
director, said he will need to
get used KUGS' new office on
High Street.
"It's cold and cramped,"
Guerrero said. "Maybe after a
month I'll get used to it."
Guerrero said the one bright
spot about the move is bigger
--xwHicesL ...
Other organizations and ser­vices
that have relocated are
the Associated Students board
of directors, the VU Market, the
lost and found and the off-cam­pus
housing listings.
The A.S. board of directors
has moved to the fourth floor of
theVU.
The VU Market has relocated
to the VU Main Lounge.
The lost and found is now
located in the Information Desk
at the High Street entrance to
theVU.
See VU, page 4
IN THIS ISSUE
Life in someone
else's shoes
Seven African-American stu­dents
com­ment
on what
their lives are
like at Western
and whether
the school is
truly diverse.
See story, pages 7 and 8.
We are the
co-champions
Western's women's basket­ball
team captured at least a
share of the PacWest cham­pionship
with a 96-57 win
over WNMU Saturday.
See story, page 9.
WESTERN FRONT ONLINE
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