Battalion
Friday, February 10, 1978
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Inside Friday:
Student government officers con
sider resignation, p. 6.
Ransom Wilson Quintet in review,
p. 3.
Aggies lose to Arkansas 80-79, p. 7
Police say drug use
increases, arrests drop
Battalion photo by Ken Herrera
where
pean
Moncrief on the move
Arkansas forward Sidney Moncrief (No. 32) drives to the hoop
against Willie Foreman. Foreman fouled Moncrief on the play. The
Aggies lost to the Razorbacks 80-79. See related stories on page 7.
By JANICE STRIPLING
Local police officials say drug traffic is
increasing in the Bryan-College Station
area, even though arrests have declined.
“If a citizen calls in with information
concerning an individual smoking pot, the
first thing I ask is, ‘Are they dealing?’ If
they’re not dealing, I’m not interested,”
said Bobby Yeager, detective for the Col
lege Station Police Department. “We just
don’t have the time to pursue every
marijuana investigation,” he said.
Yeager added that an officer will arrest
someone if marijuana is discovered while
the officer is giving a traffic citation.
“The Bryan-College Station area has a
severe drug traffic problem, and it is grow
ing," said Yeager.
Yeager s statement that drug traffic is
increasing is not evident in the arrest rec
ords from 1976 to 1977.
In 1976, there were 59 drug abuse
violations. There were 52 drug abuse
violations in 1977.
Yeager said the decline in arrests is be
cause many previous offenders were smok
ing marijuana for enjoyment in their own
homes.
Now the department does not place
much emphasis on apprehending
marijuana users. They are more interested
in apprehending dealers.
The Texas A&M University Police rec
ords also show a decline in drug arrests. In
1976, there were 45 arrests and 19 convic
tions. There were 13 arrests and eight
convictions in 1977.
“Most of the students get caught with
drugs off campus, said Sgt. J. D. Gossett,
chief investigator for the University
Police.
Gossett agrees that College Station has
some drug problems.
\ When Gossett arrests someone for pot
he says he “throws the book” at them.
“I know the offender will not tell me
where he’s getting the drugs, and if he
does it’s probably a lie,” he said. “So I try
to get as many charges as possible against
the offender. This way the drug abuser
will think twice before using drugs again.
Even though arrests have declined,
local police, say there is an increase in drug
traffic.
There are several possible reasons for
this increase, said Yeager.
Greater student enrollment combined
with population growth in College Sta
tion could be affecting the drug traffic, said
Yeager. Between 1973 and 1977 there was
an enrollment increase of 10,894 at Texas
A&M.
Drug offenders coming out of jail and
returning to this area are another potential
reason for the increase in the drug traffic,
he said.
“The known offenders are returning,
not being rehabilitated. ” Only a few of the
offenders have reformed, he said.
The College Station Police Department
does not have a designated narcotics divi
sion, Yeager said.
“Because the department does not have
a narcotics division, the offenders think
they won’t get caught.”
The department has three detectives
who primarily handle felony cases. The
same three men handle illegal drug cases.
“We need a full-time person to handle
just the illegal drug cases,” Yeager said.
“Criminal offenses such as theft, rob
bery, rape and murder, take jurisdiction
over drug offenses,” he said.
The Bryan Police Department has a
separate narcotics division. Jerry Fiekey,
narcotics detective , handles all cases
involving illegal drugs. 'We need
at least three people in the narcotics
division to get the job done,” he said.
There are a variety of drugs in College
Station because there are A&M students
from all over the country, said Yeager.
When students come back to school
after Christmas or summer break they will
bring marijuana from their hometowns, he
said.
Yeager said that within an hour, anyone
in College Station could purchase a lid of
grass (marijuana) without any difficulties.
“I don’t think it would even take 20
minutes to purchase a lid in Bryan,” said
Fiekey.
The average price for an ounce of
marijuana in Bryan-College Station is be
tween $10 and $15.
Marijuana confiscated by the College
Station Police is usually found in small
quantities through traffiee violations, said
Yeager. Small quantities are two ounces or
less. Possession is a class B misdemeanor.
The penality for a class B misdemeanor
is either a fine not exceeding $100 or a jail
sentence not exceeding 180 days, or both.
“The largest bust in College Station was
for 50 pounds, two years ago,” Yeager
said.
Two weeks ago a citizen turned in three
kilos (almost seven pounds) of marijuana,
he said. It was found within five blocks of
the police station, he said.
“Most of the marijuana that we confis
cate is through complaints from citizens,”
said Campus Police Chief, O.L. Luther.
He said there is not much of a problem
with drugs on campus.
“If we have a drug problem I don’t know
about it,” Luther said.
Bryan is also experiencing an increase in
drug traffic.
“Since I am the only narcotics officer,
the drug offenders know who I am so they
avoid me like the plague,” said Fiekey. “I
can’t even try to go undercover. I am too
well known by the drug dealers and abus
ers.
“I don’t put a great deal of emphasis on
alifornia mudslides
Residents evacuated, major highways closed after rain
i
:IAL
ieef
her
)ole may request secret session
o air drug smuggling allegations
United Press International
ounding rains inundated Southern
lifornia today, marooning dozens of hill
ellers and loosening huge mounds of
lid that mired highways and moved
’uses off their foundations,
n the snowbound Northeast, residents
ged a dramatic effort to overcome the
eets of the worst blizzard to hit the region
a century and kept wary eyes at more
low to the west.
A 40,000-ton mudslide, the second in a
week, closed southbound lanes of In
terstate 5 — California’s main north-south
artery. Numerous streets and highways
were closed by slides. A Transportation
Department spokesman said it was “too
dangerous” to clear the oozing mud, “espe
cially with the forecast for more heavy rains
and high winds.”
Four young men, who abandoned an
off-road vehicle moments after it was swept
into the raging San Gabriel River, swam
the chest-deep waters to a sandbar where
they were rescued by sheriff’s deputies.
There were no reports of serious in
juries.
A hillside home was loosened from its
foundation in Matilija Canyo north of
Ventura, and slid five feet toward a
mountain road. A San Pedro family was
forced to evacute their ocean-front home
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Sen. Robert Dole,
Kan, said today he will seek a secret ses-
nof the Senate if necessary to air for his
(leagues persistent allegations that high
namanian officials have engaged in drug
aiggling.
Tlf necessary. Dole said, “I am pre-
fed to offer a motion for a closed session.
If that is what is required to assure that the
entire Senate has an opportunity to learn
the facts and to consider their relevance to
the treaties, then 1 am prepared to propose
it an early point in the debate.” In a speech
prepared for today s treaty debate, Dole
said he believes the charges “deserve to be
explored and explained to the satisfaction of
all members of this body.
ClAl
DIP
ice
ising
ifany
ighting continues in Mideast
United Press International
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syrian peace-keeping troops and Lebanese right-wing
militiamen clashed today in the fourth straight day of the worst fighting since the
end of the civil war 15 months ago.
Diplomatic sources estimated that up to 70 people died and many more were
wounded in the past three days of clashes between the Syrians and rightist militia
units and Lebanese troops.
Rightist militia sources put the casualty figure considerably higher and said many
Jof the dead were Syrian soldiers and Lebanese civilians. The Syrian-dominated
Arab peace-keeping force has issued no casualty figures.
A spokesman for the right-wing National Liberal Party said the fighting appeared
to center on the Furnal Chebbak and Hazmieh suburbs, which are predominantly
Christian sections of east Beirut.
There was no immediate indication whether clashes had also developed again
between Syrian troops and Lebanese army units at the Fayadieh military base, two
miles east of the city, the site of the first outbreak of violence Tuesday.
Relative calm prevailed in Beirut until roughly midday, when the shelling was
reported in the eastern suburbs.
Area residents said they heard at least 20 shells landing in the eastern sectors in
the space of about an hour.
“I will not consent to drop the issue sim
ply because of personal assurances that
might be given to me as an individual,” he
said.
The Senate today went into its third day
of debate on the controversial accords,
which would turn the historic waterway
over to Panama at the end of 1999.
Dole and Sen. Paul Laxalt, R-Nev., last
week received plain white envelopes con
taining documents taken from the files of
the Drug Enforcement Agency with allega
tions relating to Panama s Gen. Omar Tor-
rijos. Dole said the envelopes were deli
vered to his office anonymously.
Aides said Dole believes that if the alle
gations are true they have a bearing on the
integrity of the Panamanian government
and its ability to adhere to any treaties it
concludes with the United States.
However, the Kansas Republican has
been unable to receive any comprehensive
briefing on what the U.S. intelligence
community knows of the narcotics smug
gling allegations.
When Dole raised the issue dirctly with
Torrijos, the Panamanian leader said he
would urge the DEA to make available
whatever information it has on the charges.
DEA has declined to do this, instead
telling Dole he may read the complete
files, which are on deposit with the Senate
Intelligence Committee.
smoking pot for pleasure, as long as the
person doesn’t have an excessive amount.
“I comb down hard on offenders caught
dealing,” Fiekey added. “A person can talk
himself into jail by not cooperating. ”
Fiekey said he does not have problems
with students. “I deal mostly with blacks,”
he said.
The use of hard drugs is also increasing
and use of phencycladine (“angel dust,” or
PCP, an animal tranquilizer) is increasing
rapidly, said Fiekey.
‘Th ere is a lot of money made in drug
dealing here in Bryan,” he said. “On a
good day a dealer can make $1,090.”
“Due to the great amount of profit that
can be made dealing, illegal drugs are in
creasing,” said Yeager.
Both the College Station and Bryan
Police have found illegal drugs scattered
on highways and dropped in dumpsters.
Fiekey said some of the drugs possibly
came from drug stores that had been rob
bed.
“Nine out of ten times a person gets
these drugs and doesn’t know what to do
with them, Fiekey said.
D-hall policies
to stay the same
By TAMMY LONG
Trustee Bruce Robeck said this week “there are no plans to schedule a review of
A&M Consolidated High School’s new detention hall guidelines, nor a review of
serving chocolate milk in the schools.
“We’ve had other things to do,” he said, “As long as things are going well, we
won’t address them in the near future.”
In an earlier interview, Robeck said the board has never established a policy
concerning detention halls. Therefore, the high school administration will abide by
its own policy unless the board approves a district policy.
Parents, protesting the treatment of children in detention halls, confronted the
board last October about revising detention hall practices.
Paula LaRocque, a professor at Texas A&M University , produced signed state
ments by students saying last year they had been forced to sit up straight in
detention halls with feet flat on the floor, knees together, hands flat on desks and
fingers outstretched. This position had to be maintained for the entire 50-minute
period.
According to some statements, students had to sit in this position while staring at
a dot drawn on the wall; others had to hold a file folder between their knees. Failure
to comply with the rules meant spending another session in detention hall.
Consolidated’s new guidelines state that students assigned to detention hall are
required to maintain good posture and keep their feet on the floor. They may not
talk and they must study or work on “school-related materials.” Failure to report to
detention hall as directed may result in suspension.
Rodney LeBoeuf, principal of A&M Consolidated High School, said the new
guidelines have been in effect since the beginning of the school year. However,
they were not formally written until November.
“It seemed to me to be a useless exercise,” said LeBoeuf. I don’t know why
guidelines had to be written down for detention hall.”
LeBoeuf also said he had not heard of any harsh treatment in detention hall while
he has been principal this past year. In another matter left hanging since last
October, Robeck suggested serving chocolate milk to students only once a week
until the nutritional value of the milk could be determined. However, the program
has not changed.
Robeck said the board dealt with the issue because it received many petitions
from children. “Everyone seems relatively content now,” said Robeck. We don’t
want to rock the boat. If it comes up again, we ll spend one or two more hours
discussing it.”
Dieticians and dentists were concerned with the nutritional value and the sugar
content of chocolate milk as compared to white milk.
Dr. H. L. Wade, a children’s dentist, showed slides at an October meeting of
decayed teeth and gums of 6-to-8-year-olds. He said chocolate milk offers children
nothing but empty calories.
Ann Barton, head of food services, said the sweetness of chocolate milk makes
other foods taste bitter in comparison.
Mary Sweeten, a dietitian, was the only proponet of chocolate milk. She said
many parents had complained because their children would not drink milk unless it
was flavored.
when the steep hill behind them showed
signs of giving way. Sheriff s deputies were
standing by in Hacienda Heights to
evacuate eight homes endangered by
slides.
Dozens of homes in Big Tujunga Canyon
near Los Angeles were isolated by swirling
flood waters. Flood gates were opened at
the Big Tujunga Canyon reservoir to al
leviate the flooding in the lower canyon
that washed out roads and gouged at the
mountainside.
“Most of these homeowners are used to
this sort of thing, ” a police spokesman said.
“A few of the residents left their homes
early in the day to stay with friends or rela
tives but most will stick it out.
Up to six inches of rain drenched South
ern California Thursday with pouring rain
forecast through today. The storm dumped
2.14 inches of rain at the Los Angeles Civic
Center by late Thursday. More than 9
inches deluged the San Berrnardino
Mountains community of Lytle Creek Vil
lage and Lake Arrowhead recorded 7.61
inches.
The Northeast, meanwhile, slowly dug
out from the blizzard that killed at least 70
persons.
“By now, the biggest problem here
seems to be cabin fever,” said Gail Harper,
a nurse aiding 200 people sheltered at Re
vere, Mass., High School.
More than 10,000 Army troops. National
Guardsmen and state and local workers
used heavy equipment and shovels to free
more than 2,500 cars packed in the snow on
Boston’s beltway. The work was expected
to continue into next week.
Gov. Michael A. Dukakis extended his
state of emergency order through today,
but said banks would be allowed to reopen
if employees use public transportation.
Reports of more snow moving from the
West scared many Northeasterners, but
the National Weather Service said it was
too early to tell if the region would get more
snow this weekend.
Freezing rain and snow fell on northern
Texas and Louisiana and on Oklahoma.
Snow warnings were issued throughout the
mountains of Arizona and Wyoming.
Winter storms dotted the Upper Plains of
northern Texas and Louisiana and on Okla
homa.
Battalion photo by Susan Webb
It's not going to melt
Though the temperature is hovering around 30, Candice Hill can
still enjoy her ice cream. A sophomore from Houston, she seems to
get as much ice cream on her nose as she does in her mouth.