1990-01-22; Central Michigan Life

              TOP NOTCH
Students can get an 'Ivy League' education
by carefully chosing professors, programs, 5
CREATIVE JUICES
Two Delta College professors combine their artistic,
poetic talents for an art exhibit at Central, 8
33/24
Cloudy today with
lif.M snow. Snow
stioAtr-rs likely tonight.
Central
Michigan
BIG SHOTS
Precision shooting helps men's basketball
team trim Falcons 72-58 Saturday, 12
MONDAY
January 22, 1990
Serving The University Community For 70 Years
Living every
day on M-20
Local resident knows 'crazy
way people drive on this road'
by NANCY SALLA
When Duane Emory saw patrol cars in the
1111<1«]l»- nl tin- road on Jan. !(. he pit out of his
11 ink .iiid forced hi- way past the police line
-in rounding the accident.
"I knew my wile lelt town ju-t a few- minutes
1'i-lore ] did to go home." Finery said. "When I saw
llu- accident. I thought it might he her in the
wieck. I pushed my way into the scene until I
i  .iilil mt the vehicle* "
The accident did not involve Kmery's wife, hut
ilul involve five people — two of whom were
killed
A vehicle driven liy Kenneth Michael Cleary.
I!i>val Oak tic*hman. crossed the center line and
-l i lick Mary Catherine Jukietek's car. Isabella
Cumtv Sheriff Harrv Del.au said.
See M-20 Page 2     collision Jan. 9.
Firefighters work to free Kenneth M. Cleary. Ruyal Oak freshman,
.from the vehicle he was driving on highway M-20 after a head-on
Lfft Ptioto^Jim fm%%inq*r
Three police departments working
to make 'Death Road' less hazardous
by NANCY SALLA
"Death Hoad" i* under Ihe from area law enforcement
..nicer*
IsaU-lla County Sheriff* Department, Michigan State
1'olice Mount Pleasant 1'o-t and the Midland County
Shenil's Dep.n tinrnt are working in a cooperative i-lfort to
toinbat driving hazard* on M-20
"Tralfic   Safety   Knfnrci nicnt   Team next   20   miles"
\\.lining* appear on two large lnad-ign* erected in
Deii'inher to inform M-20 travelers of the traliic enforcement cr.u kdow n.
()ne m;;ii i* near Mount Pleasant next to the ca-tbound
I.inc.* and the other sign face* the we.*tlx>und lanes near
Midland
Midland County Shcnlf .lames McNutt said he has
icceivcd several complaints from concerned citizen* about
the danger* of traveling on the highway.
"It * obvious driving practices on M-20 are very
dangerous." McNutt said.
"Something needs to he done ahoul the driving conditions
.•ii thai road." hi- added. "I get complaints ahout the traffic
.ill the time, and people ate calling it 'Death Koad.' "
McNutt said the trafl'ic enforcement program — which
-tailed in (Ktoher - came from his own idea to join force*
to crack down on traffic violations alone; M-20.
DEATH ROAD?
Th» two raoanl tata&UM on U-20 hu nnmwd Of corCrxrvrty
ooncaMntaq thm ial«ty ol ft* stat* H&m*j. ru»ua*g it a bt ot
•ccttets on M-20 Urea) tM4. tt» 1Mv nucrb«ra av» from
Jsnuatr/ afvoiign «njnat cvy.
89
•88
■87
'88
'85
38  accidanta
2  Lalaati**
is  mjort»»
?mmm®mmmmwmmmzm\
9 UUHM
39   Injuria*
tmmmmmmmmmmmmmmA
1  lautty
SO   trajurtM
mmmmmmmmmm
2 laUMai
SO  b^urVM
0 tataMan
88
67
«*•?«■. ~0- a\  .v-o'S*?':-ya^m    \. '   '::
;■ •.-■;U "-*"   >.
Source: Michigan Deportment of Transportation
"I thought if the three forces pooled their resource* and
< uncenti ated on M-20, it would he much more effective
11 i.t n each team stopping violators on a hit-and-mi-* ha-i*."
lie -aid
McNutt. shentl of Midland County for 1-1 years, said he
mentioned his idea to ofllcials at the Isahella Sherill's
Department and the Michigan State Police Mount Pleasant
P.,-t
He added the other law enforcement department*
-uppoi ted hi* idea
Captain William Hum-, of the Isabella County Sheriffs
Ik | i.i I tine nt. said t he program i* a response to several fatal
aiculent* on M-20 in the last few years
"When accident* happen on that highway, thev are
u-ii.illy very had with multiple deaths." Hum* said
"-l.iiui.it>■ if* latal accident was a prime evample of
po"il>lc accident- on M-20." he added.
' In Jan !(. two pcr-on* were killed in a two-car. head-on
lollisjon oiie-h.'ili mile ea-t of Shcplu rd Koad
P)Uin~ s.ud he agree- with McNutt that M-20 i* highly
11 aveled
"M-20 i» ihe main artery connecting Midland and Moimt
Pl.-asant." liunis said "About 7.000 cars travel that
h i_;ln\ ay  e\ ery day   "
~~~~     S-...' TEST Po<k' 2
Midland, Isabella
make M-20 'high-
Law enforcement officials aren't the only one*
keeping an eye on M-20 these days.
H event attention directed toward accidents on
the stretch of highway linking Midland and
Mount Pleasant has the Michigan Department of
Transportation investigating the risks of
traveling on M-20.
William Ixbel. traffic operation engineer for
MDOT. said he started .Jan. 12 collecting
information and statistics concerning accidents
along the 18-mile roadway.
"We have initiated a study of the safety of
M-20. paying special attention to fatal accidents,"
Ix-bel said
At this point he said he is uncertain what
actions — such as widening the highway — mayor may not take place as a result ofthe study.
I/clx-1 said MDOT is responsible for the safety
of Michigan's roads. He added Isabella and
Midland county residents have made improving
the safety of M-20 a "very high-priority" for
MDOT.
LIFE Pticto John Starki
Michigan State Police, and Isabella and Midland
county police departments are enforcing a traffic
safety patrol on M-20, east of Mount Pleasant, in
an effort to decrease accidents on the highway.
County residents
■priority' for state
"1 think whenever people show so much
interest in a subject, they make the subject a high
priority," he s.ud
I-ebel said he is using five \ ears' worth of data
in the study and plans to submit a finished study
bv mtd-Februarv to James P. Pitz. director of
MDOT
"When I finish the study. I will make any
recommendation* to Pitz on improving the safely
of traveling on M-20," he said.
The most recent fatal accident on M-20
involved a two-car head-on collision in which two
people were killed on Jan. 'J.
A vehicle driven by Kenneth Michael Cleary.
Royal Oak freshman, crossed the center line and
struck Jakielek's car head  on.  Isabella County   -
Sheriff" Harry Dcl.au said.
Cleary and his parents — Daniel William and
Janice Marie Cleary — who. were also in the
vehicle were taken to Central Michigan
Community Hospital. 1221 South Drive, to
undergo surgery.
Student
in critical
condition
following
accident
A female student is in critical
. .until ion after *hc wa* *truck by
.i pick-up truck ju*t south of
Nuks Saloon as she attempted
tn walk aero** Mi**ion Street
e.u ly  Friday morning
Jennifer Wazny. 19-year-old
(Jtand Wane sophomore, was
-truck by a southliound vehicle
driven by a Sterling Heights
-indent at 12:55 a.m. Friday.
A Mount Pleasant City Police
-pokestnan said Wazny was hit
approximately 275 feet south of
Nicks, llll S. Mission St.
The spokesman said the driver
■ ■I the ttuck had In-en drinking
and had a blood alcohol level of
OS He added the driver was
lodged at the Isabella County
Jail.
Under Michigan law, a blood
alcohol level of .10 indicates a
lH-rson is legally drunk, while a
level c»r .07 to .09 constitutes
legal impairment.
The spokesman added Wazny
wa* taken by ambulance to
Central Michigan Communily
Uo*pitat. 1221 South Drive, and
immediately transported by
helicopter to St. Mary's Medical
Center. Saginaw.
The spokeswoman said she
could not release any more
information.
The police spokesman said
there were witnesses to the
incident- and they are currently
under questioning for police
inve*tigation. He added Wazny
was the only person injured in
the incident.
UHS acts
much like
hospitals
by MATTHEW BACH
'   ■ r   .-■    ■   • i- i :..■■-. . M" ■	
Cough, cough, cough, sniffle,
-nillle. sniffle
I'h oh! Sounds like someone is
sick
Put before this unhealthy
person consults a doctor
-omewhere off campus they
should know the facts about the
treatment they could receive on
campus
"You can come Ho University
Health Service*) for anything
that vou would normally go to
your private doctor for." said Kd
P.iown. director of University
Health Services
"I do argue that we do for the
-indents what no one else is
willing tr. do for the students."
Prow n said "We encourage them
to talk, we listen to what they
*av and follow up on things they
want."   ,
He added the normal family
doctor does not have time to
work with the average student,
but doctors at University Health
Services are trained to work
specifically with students.
"I know you cannot satisfy all
See HEALTH Page 15