------------------------------------------------------------ Newsbriefs ------------------------------------------------------------ Hopkins breaks ground for new cancer center Today at 3 p.m., leaders of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions will be joined by Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer and Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke to break ground for the planned comprehensive cancer center. The event will celebrate Hopkins' commitment to build a state-of-the-art facility. The current Oncology Center at Hopkins is the only center in Maryland designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. The new building, scheduled for completion in 1997, will expand existing clinical and research space and bring under one roof many of the departments involved in the treatment of cancer patients. The new facility will provide the most advanced technological support for cancer patients in an attractive setting softened by natural light. Programs and services will include a radiation therapy unit, an outpatient chemotherapy treatment area, inpatient beds, operating rooms, surgical intensive care units and research labs. Schaefer has committed $30.5 million to the cancer center as part of the state's initiative to address high cancer rates in Maryland, which has ranked among the top three states in cancer death rates for the past 40 years. Additional funding will come from private donations and institutional allocations. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the corner of Broadway and Jefferson streets, the site of the new center. The ceremony will be followed by a reception in the new Johns Hopkins subway station, scheduled to open in 1995. Public radio veteran joins WJHU as programming director Chris Wienk, a veteran of public radio, joined the staff of WJHU Radio last week as the station's new director of programming. Wienk arrived at WJHU from Vermont Public Radio, a three-station state network where he served as director of broadcasting. Prior to that he was program director at WXXI-FM in Rochester, N.Y., a classical music station. "I'm very excited to be part of WJHU," Wienk said. "It's an outstanding station and has the potential to affect even more listeners than it has in the past." Station general manager Dennis Kita said WJHU is fortunate to have Wienk on board. "He brings with him a deep commitment to public service and an accomplished record of programming leadership in classical music, jazz and public affairs," Kita said. Engineering alumni sponsor weekend retreat "The Shore and More," a two-day recreational and informational outing at the Tidewater Inn in Easton, will be held Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25. The event is sponsored by the Maryland Regional Subcommittee of the Society of Engineering Alumni at Hopkins. Scheduled events include golf at the Hog Neck Golf Course, a bicycle tour to Oxford and St. Michaels, a walking tour of historic Easton, a champagne brunch and a 90-minute cruise on the Miles River. Highlighting the weekend will be Saturday's dinner and program, which will feature "Bridging the Disciplines," a presentation on the interdisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering. Professor Artin Shoukas, Assistant Professor Elliot McVeigh and Associate Professor Joshua Tsitlik will discuss their research. Registration and payment for the event must be received by Nancy Anderson, in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, by Wednesday, Sept. 14. For more information, call 516-6568.