On Campus
Cancer survivor performs at Robsham
Tonight JoJo David, associate campus minister and vocal coach for BC bOp!, and pianist Adam Birnbaum, BC '01, will perform on the stage of Robsham Theater. This will be David's first public concert since recuperating from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancer of the lymphatic system. Doctors had said that the illness would permanently paralyze his vocal cords, but after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments and a bone marrow transplant, David steadily regained the ability to sing. The duo will perform pieces from their new CD, Small Hours. The CD includes "Here's That Rainy Day," "Imagination," and "Have A Little Faith."
Local
Faculty boycott hurts school activities
School trips and other extracurricular activities may face a crunch this year due to the boycotts organized by faculty members at Newton grade schools, according to The Newton TAB. Union members began boycotting last week and show no signs of stopping until they reach a contractual agreement with the city. Faculty members continue to teach but are forfeiting any involvement with "voluntary" activities, such as a school trip to a New Hampshire farm to study the outdoors, internationally-oriented events for Franklin and Lincoln-Eliot Elementary Schools' International Day, and Math Night at Ward Elementary.
Police find home explosives, cocaine
A man and a woman from Needham, Mass. were arrested last weekend on multiple charges, including possession of a homemade bomb, according to The Needham Times. Karen Dabreo, 44, was charged with cocaine possession and possession of an explosive device. Richard Sites, 43, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, possession of cocaine, and possession of an explosive device. Officers responded to a 911 call Saturday morning to Dabreo's home, according to Lt. Phil Droney. Bother were released on bail. The two are due for a pretrial conference on March 2 in Needham District Court.
Universities
Course phases out Southern accents The increase of Southern accent reduction courses are leaving many locals questioning the value of the course, according to The Collegiate Times. Some say the courses encourage professionalism while others say it provokes a loss of Southern heritage. "We have very talented local actors who have the ability to work outside of this area, but their accent might hold them back," said Martin Chiders, managing director of the Jenny Wiley Theatre. "A lot of people have to wait until they're older to [take a course like this], so we're offering it to them now." The course was originally designed for teenagers, but many adults have taken it for acting purposes.
Resolution seeks to bring back the keg Brown University students are looking to bring the keg back to campus, according to the Brown Daily Herald. The Undergraduate Council of Students (UCS) will introduce a resolution that urges the university to lift the ban on kegs and regulate their use on campus. The resolution says kegs should be allowed to return because of their lower cost in comparison to canned beer and the environmental benefits of using one plastic cup versus many aluminum cans of beer. University officials, however, cite health concerns about the use of kegs "because of the way beer is provided," said Frances Mantak, director of health education. She said "topping off" the cup and keg stands are risky behaviors that can lead to alcohol poisoning.
Nation
Teen cites Zoloft as cause for murder In Charleston, S.C., jurors are considering the possible affect of Zoloft on Christopher Pittman, 15, who is on trial for murdering his grandparents when he was 12 years old, according to The New York Times. If "involuntarily intoxicated" by Zoloft, he can be found not guilty of the murder, to which he admitted. Defense lawyers claim that Zoloft caused him to act violently. Judge Danny Pieper of Circuit Court said the defense's claim of involuntary-intoxication must meet three criteria: defendant must not have been cognizant that the drug had an intoxicating side effect, must have used the drug according to a doctor's prescription, and at the time of murder, have been incapable of differentiating between right and wrong.
Chocolate industry under scrutiny Lawmakers began investigating the proceedings on West African cocoa farms Monday, according to MSNBC. In 2001, Rep. Eliot Engel, (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Thomas Harkin, (R-Iowa) collaborated on a protocol for child labor practices within the chocolate industry. Industry representatives said they would miss the July 1 deadline for confirming that child exploitation was not taking place at their farms. Spokeswoman Susan Smith told MSNBC that The Chocolate Manufacturers Association is "puzzled and surprised" by the lawmakers' allegations and plans on meeting the deadline. The congressmen promoted legislation against child exploitation in the cocoa industry, but stopped when manufacturers volunteered to monitor the labor system in producing countries.
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