“There is a world out there
that is hostile to everything
for which Christians stand.”
- Amy Menefee, news editor
I “Don’t mention fairness to the
players who had to deal with
an emotional roller coaster.”
- Phillip Jordan, sports editor
Student charged in anthrax
hoax; post office to open soon
by Alicia Reece
The discovery of white pow¬
der in campus mail Thursday
shut down the Samford post of¬
fice, brought local authorities to
investigate and resulted in
felony charges for the' sender of
the suspicious envelope.
Stephen C. Downey, a junior
biology major, confessed to
sending baking soda in an en¬
velope and was arrested by
Homewood Police. He posted a
$5,000 bond Friday, a police
repot said, and was charged
with the Class C felony of “ter¬
rorist threat” According to the
Alabama Code, possible sen¬
tences for this category include
imprisonment for “not more
than 10 years or less than one
year and one day” and fines not
exceeding $5,000.
Downey said that he con¬
fessed not out of fear of being
discovered but out of concern
Campus Safety officer Tonya Moore guards the post office. Students were
not allowed near the area after the Thursday anthrax scare.
for die Samford community. He said be went to Campus
Safety as soon as he heard there was suspicion of an¬
thrax, assuring them the envelope was not a “health haz¬
ard.”
“What I did was immature, foolish and a mistake,”
Downey said. “I had no intention to harm or scare the
post office or anyone. I am sorry for causing the universi¬
ty inconvenience and any fear.”
The envelope was sent to the Health Department's Bu¬
reau of Clinical Laboratories to be tested in Montgomery
prior to Downey’s confession. The post office is estimat¬
ed to reopen today or Thursday, said Chief Henry Hope,
director of Campus Safety.
According to Samford officials, Downey will likely re¬
ceive a values violation, with consequences ranging from
reprimand to expulsion.
Natalie Stone, a student postal worker, discovered the
suspicious substance when she dropped the envelope,
causing some powder to fall onto the counter. Postal
worker Evelyn Lynn examined the envelope and in¬
formed Postmaster Debbie Hill, who notified Campus
Safety.
The Homewood Police and Fire Departments, as well
as other agencies, were then contacted .
Hazardous Materials workers took precautions to de¬
contaminate Stone, Lynn and Hill. This process included
sealing all possibly contaminated clothing and showering
in the Center for Healing Arts. They were given clothing
to wear home. "\ ". ,
The post office was sealed with polyurethane and
postal workers sorted mail on a loading dock. A plastic
box in the food court was used for mail that needed send¬
ing, and emergency mail was distributed as determined
by the Samford post office.
No anthrax cases have occurred in Alabama, but Sam¬
ford is one of numerous anthrax scares in Birmingham.
News editor Amy Menefee contributed to this article.
arreece@samford.edu
Gray takes over;
SU searches for
new head coach
by Phillip Jordan
Bill Gray left his post as of¬
fensive coordinator and is the in¬
terim head football coach for the
remainder of the season.
Gray takes over for Samford
football coach Pete Hurt, who
was dismissed as head coach of
the Bulldogs.
Hurt brought Gray in as an
assistant coach in 1994 when he
began coaching at Samford.
The move took place Oct. 16 BUI Gray
when Hurt met wife school offi¬
cials, including Samford President Thomas E. Corts and
athletics director Bob Roller, and was informed of his
dismissal.
Due to a clause in Hurt’s, contract, there is a 10-day
waiting period before the administration can voice the
reasons for Hurt’s dismissal
In a statement issued last week, Roller said, “I’m au¬
thorized to say that there is an agreement between Sam¬
ford and coach Hurt We’re not at liberty to discuss the
terms of that agreement We can say he has been placed
on leave.”
The 10-day wait ends Friday. Then many unanswered
questions may finally be resolved, and a search for a new
head coach will begin..
“Nobody expected this,” said senior Jonathan Clark, a
safety on the team who has spent four seasons playing for
Hurt “We had no idea something like this would happen
in the middle of the season.”
The surprise nature of die situation and lack of answers
from administrators have forced many team members to
question the timing and reasoning for the dismissal.
“The main question we have as a team is ‘why?’”
Clark said.
Hurt spoke to his team one final time Oct 16, essen¬
tially telling them he had to leave that day due to the ad¬
ministration ’s decision.
“it was a very emotional meeting,” Clark said. “He
told us that he had to go, and then he walked out That
was it It was like we almost kept waiting for him to come
back, because it just didn’t seem right without him there.”
“Obviously, Tuesday was rough,” Gray said. “There
were lots of sad lodes, disappointment, and questions
from everybody. All the players are very close to [Hurt],
md it was a big deal for them.”
Coach Gray took over the team immediately following
Hurt's removal.
“I had to address the guys right after Pete did, and that
was really tough,” Gray said. “He got me the job here,
and it wasn't an easy or comfortable thing for me to talk
to everybody after Pete did. He’s a good friend of mine.”
Freshman quarterback Ramon Nelson had just been
recruited by Hurt to play for him this season.
“It was difficult to get focused last week because it
was just so sudden and so shocking,” Nelson said. “But
at the same time. Coach Gray did a great job helping us
through everything and getting us back on track.”
Hurt ends his career at Samford with a 42-39-1 record.
The 42 wins are just three dry of the all-time coaching
wins record set by
Тепу
Bowden from 1987 to 1992.
Hurt’s 82 games at the helm are the most for any coach
ай
Samford.
‘World’s Fair’ comes to Samford
by Amy Travis
Samford will host an international
exposition for its latest development,
the SCIENCENTER, and will cele¬
brate with a “World’s Fair” of
Homecoming festivities.
“World’s Fairs are significant
events about new ideas and inven¬
tions feat have occurred,” said Mon¬
ty Hogewood, director of Alumni
Development ‘'That is certainly
what the new SCIENCENTER ex¬
emplifies for the Samford communi¬
ty”
Samford is spotlighting a different
continent each day in celebration of
the World’s Fait
mariachi band in Pittman Circle.
Professional hypnotist Daniel Jones
will perform in the Caf following
dinner.
“We have really tried to change
the old homecoming schedule,” said
Brad Stockton, homecoming co¬
chair. ‘The hypnotist is one of the
new additions, and we hope every¬
one will come out and get involved.”
On Thursday, Europe day, a pa¬
rade in downtown Homewood will
honor Samford 's 160th and Home¬
wood’s 75th anniversaries at 6 pun.
“Our last documented parade took
place in 1963,” said Laura WDsan,
second vice president of SGA.
are excited about l
Samford President Thomas E.
Corts will serve as grand marshal
and Homewood Mayor
Валу
Mc-
Culley will also participate in the pa¬
rade. Following the parade, Close
Proximity, a rock ‘n’ roll band, will
play in Washington Courtyard at 8
pm
Friday, Asia day, the SCIENCEN¬
TER dedication will take place from
.5-8 pm
The Samford departments of biol¬
ogy, physics and chemistry will a
show off the $27 million building
with demonstrations and exhibitions,
which include a show in the plane¬
tarium and a viewing of the*
v*my.
