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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1979)
Page 10 THE BATTALION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1979 Denver sued for spending taxpayer money on nativity United Press International DENVER — The American Civil Liberties Union doesn’t mind the brightly colored lights, the Christ mas trees or the figure of Santa Claus which decorate the Denver City and County Building each yuletide, but it says the nativity scene has to go. ACLU attorneys filed suit in U.S. District Court Wednesday deman ding that the scene be removed from the city’s annual holiday display. The suit said the city was violating both the state and federal constitutions by using taxpayer dollars to erect, main tain, disassemble and store a nativity scene on public property. James H. Joy, director of the ACLU’s Colorado chapter, said the suit was filed after the city council and Mayor William McNichols con tinued to ignore repeated requests about eliminating the nativity scene from the decorations. PREGNANCY TESTS Immediate Appointments • Confidential Counseling • Birth Control Information • Termination of Pregnancy 1 WEST LOOP CLINIC 622-2170 2909 WEST LOOP SOUTH HOUSTON, TEXAS 77027 “We recognize that many Denver citizens and visitors enjoy viewing the creche scene each year,” Joy said. “Surely an equivalent or better display could be established by pri vate individuals, corporate bodies or religious institutions. However, the city of Denver must stop participat ing in sectarian observances.” The suit said the holiday decora tions — which attract thousands of viewers each year—violate the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibit gov ernment bodies from supporting the establishment of religion. The lawsuit, filed in the name of “Citizens Concerned for Separation of Church and State,” said city offi cials appropriated $23,600 for the display for the coming holiday Conserving energy, cities alter lamps Lights obscure sky for astronomen United Press International RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN, Wash. — The starry night sky isn’t what it used to be in fast-growing southeast Washington — and that’s bad news for astronomers at the Rattlesnake Mountain Observatory. Booming towns in the area are glowing brighter than ever at nigbt, interfering with the observatory’s studies of the aurora borealis, or northern lights. The towns and the observatory used to have a pretty good relation ship, so good that several years ago many communities passed “light pollution” ordinances designed to keep night glow at a minimum. But the energy crisis has those towns thinking about replacing their current street lamps with more efficient lamps that use less electricity but produce light over a wider spectrum. “That would be a very bad light for us,” said Robert Stokes, manager of space sciences at Battelle Northwest Laboratories, which operates the observatory. “At least a part of our operation here would be less effective.” The old ordinances restricted the towns’ lighting to mercury vapor lamps, which throw off a relatively narrow band of light that doesn’t interfere much with the telescopes. But Stokes said the General Electric Co. has embarked on a major marketing campaign to persuade cities and utilities to switch to high- pressure sodium vapor lamps for conservation purposes. Low-pressure sodium vapor lamps would be even moreefficienta wouldn’t interfere with the astronomers, Stokes said, but Gene Electric doesn’t make them. The nearby cities of Kennewick and Richland already haverq their ordinances and Sunnyside and Grandview are getting read) follow suit, said Bill Holmes, spokesman for Pacific Power & Holmes said conversion could begin as early as next Thursdayifij city councils approve. The observatory plans to send scientists toti meetings to present their side of the issue. “It’s mostly G.E. that we’re up against,” said StokesV The Rattlesnake Mountain Observatory is the key facility in a work of nine telescopes across the nation watching the northern li( in a study of how solar storms affect the earth’s upper atmosphere, said. Star-gazing near any population center is increasingly threatened 1 man-made light and Stokes said the trend was disturbing for reasoni beauty as well as science. “There tends to be a lack of appreciation of the aesthetic appeal being able to see the starry sky at night,” Stokes said. “Many dwellers have never even seen the Milky Way.” • High Quality OVERNIGHT RATES — 4* DURING THE DAY Reductions & Dissertations Collation & Binding & Padding WE HAVE A XEROX 9400 — THE BEST COPYING MACHINE IN THE WOMDf Kinko’s Graphics, Inc. 201 College Main St. 17131846-9508 MSC Political Forum presents: Texas Legislator John Sharp discussing “Permanent Uni versity Fund — What it Means to T.A.M.U. and to YOU.” December 3,1979 Noon, 226 MSC Free Interest rates make home owning luxun United Press International WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress says if prices and interest rates keep soaring, “home own ership for young couples will be come a luxury for the privileged few.” Committee Chairman Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas, said soaring prices and high interest rates are “turning the American dream of home ownership into a nightmare. ” Jay Janis, chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, told the committee what most people already suspected — soaring interest rates will result in sharply lower housing starts in 1980. Janis said he neverthelesl ports Federal Reserve Boardi that have pushed mortgage! rates to 14 percent in some^ Janis said the fed’s strategy! “not necessarily” hurt housin!| long run. “The fed’s actions might wl to a sharper decline in interest! over the longer run than wo occurred without these adi said. Dr. Saul Klaman, president! National Association ofNiutitl ings Banks, testified manys houses would take them offtk| ket rather than cut prices. Unil 10UST 4 people gunned do\ going to birthday pa\ 'tzger, £ muted its nex (“our fing irsday i fident. letzger id finge were letown ce’s Ho: ISurgeon [tzger ar linst rea ng seve lectors United Press International PHILADELPHIA — A gunman, for no apparent reason, fired on a group of elderly guests at a birthday party for a 104-year-old woman. Three of the partygoers were killed, including the woman’s 106-year-old brother, and a fourth was critically wounded. The dead were identified as Moses Beckett, 106, Shade Sherman, 63, and Althea Denmark, 60, all of Phi ladelphia. Edward Durrah, 75, also of Phi ladelphia, was hospitalized in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. hjm surge The incident occurredoutsicLod conc ] Haven Memorial United M^Beball w; Church in North Philadelphiir“it was Inside the fellowship hall joefors tha ing the church about 40 gue^Sev/hat ready to celebrate the KMtk day of Beckett’s sister, Ellaft Police Inspector Donald f ore,” sai son described the incident “A car going south on 23rd stoj The driver of the car got outani multiple gunshots, reloaded fired again many more times.l back into his car and continued on 23rd Street.” ■ the fin; ild nev< at a Pizza Inn of Bryan Introduces Sunday Night Buffet 6-8:30 $259 ALL YOU CAN EAT FOR A r „ 1 CL o o o Next time you're in Mexico, stop by and visit the Cuervo fabrica in Tequila. Since T795we’ve welcomed our guests with our best. A traditional taste of Cuervo Gold. TEXAS AVE. PI Ex-workersr found guilt; of cat beatii United Press International BOSSIER CITY, La. —At j fj, _• i ■ _i_ i ,_ijr I', p about t wi 'V was mis ife, H |y the d uired ac cipal judge has convicted fourfc city animal pound employee ,j to n0 | cruelty to animals, including worker who was shown on teled beating a cat to death withal* C.I. Blanton, Robert Jacks* Jones and Alejandro VasqueP yfoe (fj tl convicted Wednesday by Judgfl j wa; Ross Robinson. He scheduled tencing for Dec. 11. All four were charged with® lead pipe to beat cats to death animal shelter. Uniti FAN AN captain fined $ e tear nst the ted Thu ild have ★★★★★★★ Visitors to Cuervo have always been greeted in a special way. They're met at the gates and invited inside to experi ence the unique taste of Cuervo Gold. This is the way we've said rr welcome" for more than 180 years. And it is as traditional as Cuervo Gold itself. For this dedication to tradition is what makes Cuervo Gold truly special. Neat, on the rocks, with a splash of soda, in a perfect Sunrise or Margarita, Cuervo Gold will bring you back to a time when quality ruled the world. Cuervo. The Gold standard since 1795. CUERVO ESPECIAL® TEQUILA. 80 PROOF IMPORTEO.AND BOTTLED BY © 1978 HEUBLEIN. INC.. HARTFORD, CONN IZACHARIASI GREENHOUSE dub & 0*uc parlor never a. cover charge OPEN 4 pm DAILY 1pm WEEKENDS HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY TILL 7 4- t * * * * 4- root tournaments every Monday night hsGfcjsinmGH tournaments every Tuesday night 1201 HWY. 30 (IN THE BRIARWOOD APTS.) 4- ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★**★★★★★★★★★★★★★★