The Oklahoma Daily

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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2010

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Read about this week’s newest comics. See page 6B. The Sooners S host Nebraska tonight Nebr in a battle of top 12 teams. Big 1 See page 5A.

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Cell tower to be built near OU

NEW CREDIT CARD ACT TARGETS STUDENTS

Monopole to be an ‘attractive’ improvement on current reception technology, finance director says

DANIEL SIMON Daily Staff Writer

CASEY PARVIN Daily Staff Writer

Alltel Communications will build a permanent cell tower on the corner of Lindsey Street and Classen Boulevard. Existing reception technology exists on the water tower on the same corner, but the water tower is being torn down. A new monopole will be built 50 yards northeast of that location, Norman Finance Director Anthony Francisco said. “Alltel has had a temporary pole there for years and they wanted a permanent one with more height,” Francisco said. Norman will own the pole, but Alltel will pay for the pole itself, as well as for the installation, Francisco said. As per their agreement with the city, Alltel will use the pole for 15 years, lease-free. Other providers, such as Verizon and U.S. Cellular will continue to pay lease for use of the pole. “After 15 years, [Alltel] will pay $1,000 a month,” Francisco said. “Other providers already pay $1,000 a month.” The monopole will take a “matter of months” to construct, Francisco said. The 180-foot monopole will take six months to build. Mayor Cindy Rosenthal said the new pole will be a winwin situation for the citizens of Norman. “In addition to the lease revenue and bringing in more potential providers, the city of Norman can place its own equipment on the new pole,” Francisco said. “It’s also attractive to the city.” Francisco said the new monopole can also be used to help improve Norman police cars and the reception they receive. Aesthetically, the monopole will resemble the pole on University and Highland Parkway, yet the city does not own that particular pole, he said. Ward 3 councilman Hal Ezzell said normally this creates a lease stream revenue in which the providers pay the city, so this is a positive thing for the city of Norman. “This is a positive thing, especially if you are a Alltel customer,” Ezzell said.

Act bans marketing of credit cards on campuses, requires disclosure of revenue

A new credit card law that took effect Monday has been called one of the biggest reforms on credit card issuers in this lifetime. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 targets primarily college students and persons under 21. Jared Bernstein, senior economic adviser to the vice president, said in a White House telephone conference Tuesday that President Barack Obama hoped for more transparency from credit card issuers upon

signing the act. Some of the new regulations under the act include parental cosigning on credit cards issued to those under 21 years of age, a ban on marketing on college campuses, no interest rate hikes during

t h e first year the card is issued, prior notices of interest hikes and a ban on shifting payment dates. Also under the act,

universities are required to publicly disclose revenue made from the sales of credit cards issued to students. Many campuses and credit card

companies make deals that allow both institutions to

make revenue, sometimes at the expense of the college student. Credit card issuers in the past have participated in “misleading and unfair practices,” said Bernstein. Bernstein said this act is important for younger people because “shady” practices can make it difficult for young people to start their careers. Credit card practices in the past caused “considerable damage to your credit score,” he said. It also is vital for the economic health of the country, Bernstein said. He said regulations were placed on the credit markets because they

CREDIT CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

ASHLAN BARTA/THE DAILY

Josh King, University College freshman, pours syrup on his free short stack of pancakes Tuesday afternoon at IHOP in Norman. The event was from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and all donations went towards Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Students take advantage of free pancakes National Pancake Day brings students to IHOP for cheap meal while donating to Children’s Miracle Network CAROLINE PERRYMAN Daily Staff Writer

IHOP saw no shortage of OU students at its free pancake day Tuesday, but the purpose behind the special day was about more than

just pancakes. The annual free pancake day is an effort to support the Children’s Miracle Network, and IHOP asked customers to consider donating to support local children’s hospitals through the Miracle Network or other local charities, according to IHOP’s Web site. IHOP gave each customer one free short stack of pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at stores across the country.

Bailey Robinson, Miss OU and public relations sophomore, sat next to the Children’s Miracle Network donation box asking for donations Tuesday evening. “I’m so excited that [donating] is such a big deal here in Norman,” Robinson said. “So many people are willing to give to Children’s Miracle Network because it’s one of those things that once you are involved with it, the children steal your heart, you’ll always want

PANCAKES CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

Legislators seek sanctions for underaged drinking on buses Oklahoma House of Representatives will consider bill that would impose sanctions to party bus companies that serve alcohol to minors RICKY MARANON Assignment Editor

OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill to crack down on underaged drinking on party buses is swiftly moving through the state legislature, said the bill’s author. Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, said her bill to establish penalties for operators and owners of party buses who serve

alcohol to minors while using their services has moved out of the Oklahoma State Senate and will be brought up in the Oklahoma House of Representatives within the next few weeks. Leftwich said the bill is based off of an incident that occurred in her district last spring when a group of high school students showed up to their prom heavily intoxicated. “They literally fell off the bus and out the door because they were so drunk,” Leftwich said. “However, state statues did not have anything on the books about prosecuting these types of situations, so many have asked me to take action.” Leftwich said she attempted to take action last spring, but failed to pass any type of

emergency legislation because the legislative session was coming to an end. “The students were suspended from school, but there was no action taken toward the bus driver and the bus company,” Leftwich said. A new bill was brought up with the same language this session, she said. Leftwich said the bill is meant to target high school aged minors who receive alcohol from the buses. “This bill could affect some college students, but college students are not the intended target of this bill,” she said. “This bill is to focus on getting alcohol out of the hands of high school students who have had alcohol provided to them on these buses.”

Elizabeth Lucas, University College freshman, said she remembers hearing rumors about alcohol being transported to school functions such as prom. “I always heard about students who came in limos stashing wine in the sides of the cars,” she said. Lucas said she thinks a crack down would be a good thing and would prevent minors who rent the vehicles from becoming intoxicated. Leftwich said aside from her constituents, she has received support from companies that operate party buses in the metro area. “We support the legislation,” said Jennifer Paris, spokeswoman for Paris Limousine of Oklahoma City. “We never serve alcohol to PARTY CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

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© 2009 OU PUBLICATIONS BOARD

VOL. 95, NO. 104


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