The Batt vei on
Vol. 72 No. 47 Monday, November 6, 1978 News Dept. 845-2611
14 Pages College Station, Texas Business Dept. 845-2611
Silky paintings
One of Taiwan’s most promi
nent painters is the 72-year-old
mother of a Texas A&M
graduate student. Chen Chin is
visiting her son and tells her
story on page 10.
Election races
neck and neck
United Press International
AUSTIN — The outcome of races for
exas two top political offices may be
lose enough with two days remaining in
lie campaign that bad weather on election
lay or a last minute campaign error by a
undidate could have a major impact on
Ihe outcome.
I Republicans show unprecedented op-
imism that Dallas millionaire Bill Cle-
nents can upset Attorney General John
lillanmbecome the state’s first GOP gov-
imor this century, but are concerned
bout the chances for survival of their only
jirrent statewide ofBceholder, Sen. John
1. Tower, R-Texas.
Hill appeared an easy winner in the
[overnor’s race after his upset of Gov.
)olph Briscoe in the Democratic primary,
iut Clements, aided by a $6.4 million
ampaign that shattered all previous
pending records in Texas political races,
us closed the gap.
Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, who faces only
oken opposition from Republican Gaylord
farshall in his re-election campaign, said
iweekagohe thought Hill would win with
it least 55 to 56 percent of the votes in
Tuesday s election.
I But Hobby said he thinks now, for the
list time, there is a possibility Clements
kuld win and that Hill s vote will be no
Bore than 51 or 52 percent if the Demo-
[rats maintain control of the governorship.
Another Capitol political observer says
loter turnout could be a factor in the gov-
imors race, with Clements’ chances ris-
ng with lower voter participation in the
lection.
“If it rains in South or East Texas on
llectionday, Hill could be in trouble, the
ibserver said. Hill has traditionally run
strong among Mexican-Americans in
South Texas and blacks in East Texas, his
home region.
John Rogers, the chief strategy man in
Hill’s campaign organization, says Hill will
win regardless of the turnout, but said the
turnout could be a factor in how big a mar
gin Hill has.
“If Clements is successful in his turnout
effort, he’ll cut the lead to 54 or 55 per
cent,’ Rogers said. But he said if the turn
out is “normal” — meaning ordinary per
centages from each faction of the popula
tion — Hill could receive as much as 57 to
58 percent of the vote. Clements’ perform
ance in the Republican primary is convinc
ing evidence his supporters will make it to
the polls. The GOP nominee, who has
personally signed loans for $4.2 million to
his campaign, has organized an astonishing
phone bank operation that pinpoints his
supporters then urges them to vote on
election day, in some cases checking with
the voters on the day of the election to see
if they voted and offering necessary trans
portation to polling places.
Some Democrats have expressed con
cern at a lack of enthusiasm among Hill
supporters in the fall campaign, contend
ing Hill’s campaign organizers have spent
too much time planning his activities as
governor and too little time working to as
sure his election.
The race between Tower and Rep. Bob
Krueger, D-Texas, could be even closer
than the governor’s race. Both sides in the
final week have claimed polls showing
their candidate in the lead.
Also at stake are nine proposed
amendments to the Texas constitution, in
cluding a “tax relief amendment” adopted
by a special summer session of the Legisla
ture.
The se students got a bird’s eye view of the Texas good use. The game was regionally televised. For a
A&M-SMU football game, by putting a television to review of the game, please see pages 13-14.
Handshake
could topple
Texas Tower
United Press International
AUSTIN — Candidates in the U.S. Sen
ate campaign have spent more than $5.5
million in a heated, year-long campaign for
that office, and now it appears the out
come of the contest may hinge on voters’
reaction to a handshake attempt.
Sen. John G. Tower, R-Texas, elected
to the office from a field of 70 candidates in
1961 to succeed Lyndon B. Johnson, has
spent more than $3.5 million in his effort
to fight off the challenge of Rep. Bob
Krueger, D-Texas, a two-term con
gressman openly ambitious for national of
fice.
Krueger, given the best chance of any
Democrat in 17 years of ousting the state’s
only Republican statewide office-holder,
has spent slightly more than $2 million in
his race against Tower.
Despite the heavy spending and intense
campaigning by the two major candidates,
the campaign incident that has over
shadowed issues in recent weeks is Tow
er’s refusal to shake hands with Krueger
at a joint appearance before the Houston
Press Club.
Tower, steamed at the circulation by
Krueger’s campaign organization of a
newspaper column questioning the morals
of an unnamed senator, had canceled four
joint television appearances before
Krueger approached him at the Houston
Press Club and extended his hand.
Tower turned away and pictures of the
incident made front pages throughout the
state.
Tower now has taken the offensive con
cerning the incident, running television
commercials explaining he was taught a
handshake was a sign of friendship and ac
cusing Krueger of slurring his wife and
daughter.
County judge candidates...
GOP: cities need some help
By KAREN ROGERS
Battalion Staff
County government should take re-
iponsibility in helping to alleviate some of
be problems experienced by its cities,
iays Republican candidate for county
udge, John Raney.
A start would be a common tax ap-
iraiser’s office, Raney says. He advocates
laving one tax appraiser instead of the five
hat are working for Bryan-College Sta-
ion, their school districts and the county.
“Presently every piece of property is
ippraised by at least three appraisers. I
bink this could be eliminated and possible
iroduce a tax savings.
“The only way to implement this pro-
pam is in a suggestive manner. I would
lave to present it to each taxing body so as
io prove to them it would be a savings of
noney.”
Ambulance service, especially a prob
lem in Bryan-College Station, may need to
be county-supported to insure adequate
service to everyone, Raney says. A study
to determine if a countywide service is the
best solution should be conducted, he
says, but adds that “we need coordination
between the county and cities to make
sure everyone has ambulance service.
Raney has not drawn up a plan for com-
John Raney
bined service since he has not talked with
Bryan-College Station officials.
He says he thinks problems in the fire
departments are being taken care of by the
volunteer fire departments. He explained
that since they are not equipped to handle
major structural fires he would like “to
eliminate the cities from having to make
rural calls unless for these major fires.”
The effect county involvement in these
services would have on the tax rates would
have to be decided later, he says.
“Our tax rate is already the highest al
lowed by law. We re either going to have
to trim the present budget which I’m in
favor of doing or raise taxes. He explains
taxes could be legally raised by reapprais
ing property.
Raney says he has not formed an opinion
on the gerrymandering suit filed against
the county in federal court. The suit,
which involves six other counties, alleges
that voting districts were drawn to dilute
the Hispanic vote. It was filed last
month by Mexican-American Legal De
fense and Education Fund. Raney adds he
would need to talk to the individuals in
volved in the suit before he could discuss
it.
Raney is a graduate of Stephen F. Aus
tin High, Bryan and Texas A&M. He now
operates a College Station bookstore.
The bid for county judge is his second
try for elective office, the first being an
unsuccessful attempt for a Bryan City
Council seat.
Democrat stresses services
By KAREN ROGERS
Battalion Staff
Cautiousness could describe Democrat
HJ. Dick” Holmgreen’s campaign for
county judge as he emphasizes knowledge
of existing situations and studies on what
changes could be made.
Holmgreen explains that while many
areas within the county need attention, he
must, if elected, become more familiar
with the facts and commission studies for
possible solutions before he could make
decisions.
An answer to adequate county ambu
lance service at a reasonable cost is one
area for which Holmgreen says he would
like to see a study done. This is necessary,
be says, because “it depends on what
people in different parts of the county ex
pect from an ambulance service.”
If reaction time is important to them,
Holmgreen says “we couldn’t afford
enough ambulances around the clock to
provide them with short reaction time
services. ” He explains that it would not be
possible to have enough equipment to
reach outlying county regions within two
or three minutes.
The same problem exists with having a
countywide firefighting department, he
says. “There’s no way to get enough prop
erly equipped fire stations to handle struc
tural fires. The tax rate would be unreal.
Tm a great advocate of volunteer fire
departments to handle small fires. I would
like to see the city fire departments back
up the volunteers on major fires.”
Tax rates may not be affected should the
could be derived from this.”
Improvements in railroad safety, roads
and bridges and the county jail are also
needed, he says.
“The railroad tracks, in my judgement,
are not up to what they should be as far as
safety, especially running through so
closely knit a community.” He adds that a
study would have to be done before he
could suggest a solution to the county
commissioner’s court.
“Our roads and bridges are bearing a
tremendous amount of traffic,” he says.
“They were designed for rural use and
now that we re getting to be a metropoli
tan type of community, we’re going to
county decide to support these services,
Holmgreen says because cities in the
county “are experiencing a lot of growth
and revenues from some of these monies
have to upgrade some of our road sys
tems.”
Improvements in the county jail and
construction of a juvenile jail unit are also
necessary for a growing Brazos County,
Holmgreen says.
“You can’t have communication be
tween an adult and a juvenile and meet jail
standards,” he says. “Something must be
done, although I won’t be sure what until
after the election.”
R. J. “Dick” Holmgreen
The bid for the county judge’s seat is the
second time around in politics for Holmg
reen. He has previously served as secre
tary on the Bryan Independent School
Board. He has been a Bryan resident since
he was one-year-old and is a graduate of
Bryan High School. He now runs a local
tire store.
Brazos County polls open
More than 30,000 Brazos County
residents are registered to vote in
tomorrows general election, and
polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m.
The voting precincts for Brazos
County are as follows:
1 - Millican Community Center
2 - Wellborn Water Supply Build
ing
3 - S.P.J.S.T. Hall at Smetana
4 - Cav School
5 - Fellowship Hall
6 - Edge Community Center
7 - Steep Hollow Community
Center
8 - South Knoll Elementary
9 - A&M Consolidated Kindergar
ten cafeteria
10 - College Station Fire Station
11 - Crockett Elementary School
12 - Sul Ross Elementary School
13 - Henderson Elementary School
14 - Ben Milam Elementary School
15 - Fannin Elementary School
16 - Bowie Elementary School
17 - Travis Elementary School
18 - Bryan Central Fire Station
19 - Bonham Elementary School
20 - TAMU Center (MSC)
21 - College Station Municipal
Building
22 - Army Reserve Center
23 - LBJ Elementary School
24 - College Hills El ementary
School
from 7 to 7
25 - American Legion Hall
26 - Bryan High School
27 - Bethel Baptist Church
28 - Peach Creek Community Cen
ter
29 - VFW Hall
30 - Fellowship Hall
31 - A&M Consolidated High
School
Anyone in line at 7 p.m. Tuesday
will still be eligible to vote. Voters
should bring their voter registration
cards.
Person who do not know what
precinct they should refer to may
call the county clerk’s office at 822-
7373 for assistance.
Brazos sheriff candidates...
Incumbent: more staff needed
By JAMIE AITKEN
Battalion City Editor
Acting Brazos Gouty Sheriff
Bobby Yeager says manpower is the
priority problem with the county
law enforcement department.
The 38-year-old Democratic can
didate for the sherifFs post is an 11-
year veteran of police work in the
county, having worked with both
Bryan and College Station police
departments and the sherifFs office.
“The main problem that I brought
to the attention of the commission
ers court is our being understaffed
with enough people to carry out this
job and render the service to the
people that they’re entitled to,”
Yeager said in a recent interview.
Yeager asked Brazos County
commissioners last month to finance
additional jailers and deputies for
the department. The commissioners
turned down the request for next
year’s budget.
Yeager said that currently only
one jailer is on duty after 5 p.m. and
on weekends, and is away from the
telephone and sherifFs office much
of that time while attending to pris
oners on the fourth floor of the court
house.
Three more deputies were re
quested by Yeager to work criminal
cases in the county.
“We have three civil deputies
now who serve citations, subpoenas,
warrants and handle mental pa
tients,” Yeager said. “These three
deputies cover the whole county.
“That leaves me with five criminal
deputies to patrol the county and to
investigate and follow up on cases,”
he said. “We do utilize the reserve
force, but still it spreads us pretty
thin.
“I’d like to bring up our staff to
where we could have a car roving in
the north part of the county and one
in the south part of the county to
give us quicker response to these
calls”
Yeager said he is satisfied with the
job his office is doing at this time,
taking its size into account. He said
he is confident he will be able to
work with commissioners to eventu
ally add personnel to the depart
ment.
He said that although the newly
enacted Speedy Trial Law will place
added case loads on the sherifFs of
fice, it will work within his policy of
a firm hand in law enforcement.
“I think if we had enough people
to apprehend these people who
commit crimes, the Speedy Trial
Act will help us render justice to
them,” he said.
Yeager said he does not anticipate
any administrative changes in the of
fice if he is elected. He was ap
pointed acting sheriff after the death
of Sheriff J.W. Hamilton earlier this
year.
Owens: Use facilities better
By JAMIE AITKEN
Battalion City Editor
Republican sheriff candidate
W.R. “Bill” Owens says the key
issue in the race is how well the
Brazos County sherifFs department
is run with the personnel it has.
The 65-year-old Bryan resident
cites his private investigation work
in persons and property investiga
tions as qualifications for the office.
“The most pressing issue,” he
said in an interview last week, “is
utilizing what we have now — the
jail, the deputies, the time that they
spend — in other words, what re
sults are the people getting for their
money?
“I don’t think we have any prob
lem whatsoever in getting the com
missioners court to give us what we
need,” he said. “I don’t think
they’re going to give you five or ten
or twenty men right off the cuff. I
think they’re going to want to know
what you can do with what you’ve
got.”
Owens said his main priority is to
“get something done about crime in
Brazos County.”
Owens said he doesn’t think the
present sheriff administration is ef
fective enough in fighting county
crime, and he added that he doubts
commissioners will give them the
added personnel being requested.
He agreed that additional per
sonnel is needed in the department,
but that administrative changes
should be instituted as well.
“We ll have to assign the men a
little differently,” he said. “We
don’t need that stack of unserved
papers up there. You have three
men serving civil papers who are
way behind. There’s no need for
that.
“The greatest need is to reduce
this crime,” he said. “People have
no fear of the sherifFs department,
or a whole lot of the police depart
ment. Anytime rape is going up as
fast as it is there’s something that
can be done on that matter,
“In fact,” he added, “it can be
done on all this stuff if you put your
self to it and do it.”
Owens said he does not think
changes in the sherifFs department
will be as costly as expected. Acting
sheriff Bobby Yeager has estimated
an additional $80,000 a year is
needed to beef up the department
personnel.
“We’ve got to get it where a lady
can walk to the Post Office with no
danger,” he said. “You’ve got to
teach a criminal to think twice. You
never know when that heavy hand is
going to drop on your own shoulder
if you accost her — and it will drop
sooner or later on those guys.”