1979-04-02; Central Michigan Life

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Volume 60 No; 72
1979 Central Michigan LIFE
Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859
Monday, April 2,1979
Officials probe death
r
A state investigation so far
has turned up no clues in the
mysterious death of a CMU
student who died Thursday soon
after being committed to state
psychiatric hospital.
demons, Detroit freshman,
was discovered dead by hospital
personnel at about 6:15 a.m. in
his room at the Traverse City
Regional Psychiatric Hospital.
An autopsy conducted Thursday
by Grand Traverse County
medical examiners has failed 'to
turn up a cause of death,
although heart failure and
stroke have been ruled out, a
hospital official has confirmed.
P.B Smith, supervisor of the
hospital, said he had never
encountered a case similar to
demons' in his years at the
facility.
Clemons was transfered from
This story and the one to its right on the death of Allen Clemons were
researched and written by LIFE staff members Pete Engardio, perry FarrelU
Bernadette Jozwiak and Peter Luke.
CMU's University Health
Services to the Traverse City
hospital after physicians
determined treatment for
Clemons' condition was beyond
the capabilities of the UHS staff
and facilities.
State police from the
Traverse City and Mount
Pleasant posts are investigating
the incident as required in
deaths occurring in state institutions.
Det. William Wisney, of the
Mount Pleasant post, would not
release any tentative findings of
the investigation, except that
physical abuse by CMU officials
and hospital staff has been ruled
out.
"As far as we're concerned,
there's been no foul play,"
Winsey said. "The only thing I
can say is we are waiting for the
toxicology report."
"There ,was no physical
abuse," Wisney said.
Grand Traverse County
Prosecutor John Foresman said
Sunday the preliminary report
indicated a cause of death has
not been determined and that he
expects to receive the final
report of the autopsy from the
Michigan State Police Crime
Laboratory in "the early part of
this week."
Clemons was committed after
UHS physicians petitioned to
the Isabella County Probate
Court for authorization to have
.him transferred.
The University did not notify
demons' parents qf their intention to commit him to a
psychiatriac hospital, although
they were contacted shortly
after he arrived at UHS.
The first time his parents
knew Clemons was committed
was when they arrived at UHS
around 7 p.m., Albert Clemons
said. They had made the trip
from Detroit, but by that time,
demons was on his way to
Traverse City.
Mr. Clemons said Sunday he
should   have   been   consulted
about the decision.
(See "Allen Clemons—" page 2)
Fab '50s
-CM UFE PHOTO BY STEVE FECHT
The Tower's Drama Company presented "Grease, and
the Fabulous Fifties" this past weekend in the Cary Food
Commons. The production included segments and songs
from the movie "Grease," including the song "Greased
Lightning." featuring Kenickie, (center) portrayed by Rob
Unger, Swartz Creek junior. "Grease, and the Fabulous
Fifties" was the third production ever presented by the
drama company, which previously had done "Godspell"
and "A Night of One Acts."
Midland plant halt sought
by STEVE WRIGHT
LIFE Staff Writer
The firm which supplied the
Three Mile Island nuclear plant
with the equipment that may
have caused the malfunction
releasing radiation into the
atmosphere is under contract to
help build Consumers Powers'
nuclear plant in Midland.
Babcock & Wilson, Inc.
supplied the nuclear steam
supply system to the plant near
Harrisburg, Pa. which has
released radioactive steam a
number of times since Wednesday. The construction firm
has been subcontracted to
supply the Midland plant with a
similar system.
The Public Interest Research
Group in Michigan filed a
petition with the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission Friday
calling for a halt in construction
of the Midland plant until ex
perts complete a study of the
causes of the accident at the
Pennsylvania plant.
"This accident may cause
basic changes in the system
being installed at Midland,"
Steve Freedkin, executive
director of PIRGIM, said. "We
don't want ratepayers' money
wasted on a system that may
have to be pulled out."
Construction of the Midland
plant    is    approximately    60
percent complete.
Consumers Powers officials
say it is too early to tell what
effects the nuclear accident in
Pe—"'ivania might have on the
Midland plant. The officials
stress that nobody is'sure just
what happened at Three Mile
Island.
"We  don't  know  what  the
problem    was    there,"    Norm
Saari,    a    spokesperson    for
(See "Plant—"page 2)
In brief
Drivers who do not have 1979 license plates
affixed to their cars by 12:01 a.m. Tuesday face
ticketing by local police.
License plates can be obtained today at the
Secretary of,. State's Office, 300 W. Michigan.
Proof Of insurance and a 1978 car registration
are required to buy plates.
Plate prices vary by auto weight.
Campus
Students who are
eligible for financial
aid next year will be
receiving award
letters by mail this
week.
Page 3
Sports
The CMU baseball
team returned from
Ohio .after sweeping a
doubleheader from
Xavier and splitting a
twinbill With the
University of Cincinnati.
Page 7
Parent says
son was quiet
liked school
Shock, disbelief and most of
all wonderment mark the
feelings of friends and family
members of Allen Clemons,
the 18-year-old CMU
freshman who died Thursday
morning at a Traverse City
hospital.
In a telephone interview
from his Detroit home Sunday
afternoon; demons' father,
Albert, said, "To tell you the
truth, we don't know what
happened. We'd-like to know.
As far as Allen's life, well, it
was good."
The elder Clemons drew a
profile of his son as a quiet,
non-violent, serious studier
who was content with his life.
"We took him back to
school the 18th. He was
happy. We understand he got
a little distressed up at
school, but other than that,
we just don't know.
"His personal life was OK,"
Clemons said of his son, a
former Detroit Mumford High
School star football player
who saw medical doctors
yearly and didn't have a
history of health problems.
Clemons was studying
political science and had his
sights set on becoming a
.lawyer, according to., his
father, who said he had about
a C-average but was shooting
for at least one A this
semester. As for CMU, his
father said he enjoyed it.
"He ate it up, he was crazy
about it, always talking about
it. He always told me he's
going to make it and be a very
important man someday."
He also noted that aside
from a few arguments with
his roommates recently, his
son was not having any
problems he knew of.
It's Clemons' depiction of
his son as a quiet person that
fellow students concur with
and that has family and
friends wondering what had
him so distraught to have
been transferred Wednesday
from CMU's University
Health Services to the
Traverse City Regional
Psychiatric Hospital, where
he died.
For the most part, students
Services for Allen Clemons
will take place at 11 a.m.
Tuesday at the Sulee Stinson
Chapel in Detroit, with burial
in Memorial Park Cemetery.
The chapel, at 16540 Myers, is
located between Puritan and
James Couzens roads.
There also will be a family
hour at which friends may
express their condolences,
from 6 to 7 p.m. today, also at
16540 Myers.
Clemons is survived by his
parents, Albert and Annie; his
brother and sister, Richard, 22
and Sandra, 17; and his
grandmother, Mrs. Desseree
Clemons. All reside in Detroit
who knew Clemons said he
was a "regular guy" who
usually kept to himself.
"Everybody got along with
him. He was an introvert in
his own way, he didn't have
any enemies. Problems he had
he didn't like to talk about,"
said Larry Owens, Saginaw
sophomore and Clemons'
roommate last semester.
Until recently, Clemons
had not given fellow students
or his family any indication he
was undergoing any serious
emotional upsets.
(See "Reaction—" page 5)
Wayside makes bid
to purchase Alibi
byTOMMcEACHIN
LIFE Staff Writer
The owners of the Wayside Central and its across-the-street
competitor, the Alibi East, have entered into a preliminary
agreement that would sell the Alibi to the Wayside owners.
Dalli Inc. entered into the agreement Saturday with the Alibi,
Dave Hunter, president of Dalli, said.
Dalli is comprised of the same stockholders who own the Wayside,
4055 S. Mission, Hunter said.
There will be an approximate two-month wait in the transaction,
for approval of the liquor license transfer. Hunter said he will apply
today for the transfer of license.
"I think it is pretty definite. Unlike other businesses, when you
buy a bar, you have to change the license. That will take a couple of
months," Hunter said.
"But I don't see any problems," he added.
Richard Andresen, president of Alibi Inc., could not be reached
for comment Sunday night.' :
Hunter said Alibi Inc. was willing to sell the Alibi East, 3965 W
(See "Wayside—" page 2)
Index
Classifieds.
Comment .	
Doonesbury ...
Entertainment.
Horoscope,
Off the Wire...
Sports........
Spotlife.......
TV Listings..,.
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