Monday, October 3,1983/The Battalion/Page 7
Summer sports in winter
Sports bubbles spreading
United Press International
— Summer sports are in
creasingly translated into win
ter sports by means of airsup-
ported structures popularly
called “bubbles.”
From Miami to Vancouver,
bubbles are rising on the sur
face of the map like the fizz on
champagne. Some 3,000 ten
nis courts are estimated by the
industry to be sheltered by
sturdy, translucent polyester
structures secured by ground
anchors and inflated by
forced air. They account for
80 to 90 percent of the racquet
sports facilities in U.S. and
Canadian cities.
Some 7,000 other bubbles
are doing duty as enclosures
for swimming pools, ice skat
ing rinks, soccer fields, riding
I arenas, school gyms, and
other recreation facilities.
Sports bubbles can be he
ated in the winter, usually at
an ideal 55-60 degrees, and
air-conditioned in the sum
mer for round-the-calendar
play. But most bubbles are are
taken down and folded up
next to the site during the
warm months in order to save
on energy costs.
Since most of the newer
bubbles are translucent, day
time use does not require arti
ficial light and there is a 25 to
35 percent saving on electric
ity. Lights are used at night, of
course.
Next to their use for ware
housing, racquet sports clubs
and resorts are the biggest
customers of bubble manufac
turers. Dan Fraioli, who is
president of Air Structure In
ternational, Tappan, N.Y.,
said 42 bubbled courts have
surfaced in the New York-
Long Island-New Jersey area
in the past three years and ab
out 20 have been installed in
Colorado alone in the past two
years.
“The tennis boom is sup
posed to have slowed down,
but the call for air-supported
tennis enclosures is amazing,”
he said. “An enclosure covers
three courts on an average.
The fabric most in use now is
Dupont polyester coated with
Dupont Tedlar which pro
vides self-maintenance be
cause every rain leaves the
structure clean and white. Dirt
just rolls off it.”
Most bubbles are encapsu
lated in a net system sup
ported by aircraft quality
cables attached to the field
anchors. The cable support
system relieves the structures
of wind-load stress.
“An air-supported struc
ture in Hawaii withstood
winds of 146 miles per hour
that blew down so-called per
manent structures,” Fraioli
noted.
Skip Hartman, who owns
three tennis clubs in New
York City including one that is
bubble-enclosed, said the life
of a polyester bubble is 10 to
15 years based on continued
translucency, whereas pre-
Tedlar translucency was good
for only a year or two.
“It only takes a few days to
install bubbles and a day or
two to take them down again,”
Hartman observed. “Gas or oil
is used as fuel and the same air
that holds the bubble up is re
circulated into the heater and
forced into the bubble.
Hartman and others noted
that in almost all communities,
bubbles are considered tem
porary structures and are not
taxed as permanent improve
ments to property.
“It’s allowed a lot of clubs to
go into the business because of
the initial low investment and
the no-tax aspect,” said Walter
Ptaszek, international sales
director of Air Tech Products,
Fairfield, NJ.
Death toll climbs
in Arizona floods
United Press International
PHOENIX, Ariz. — A heli
copter flying a rescue mission
through a heavy storm over
flood-ravaged Arizona crashed
Sunday in a mountainous re
gion, apparently killing the two
crewmen aboard.
At least eight people were
feared dead as the storms swept
across the state. Gov. Bruce Bab
bitt declared a state of emergen
cy before making a helicopter
tour for a personal assessment
of the situation. Damages
mounted into the millions of
dollars.
Thousands of people aban
doned their homes, particularly
in the mountainous southeast
corner of the state. Flood warn
ings were extended for some
areas through Monday
morning.
“It’s like something out of a
bad movie,” said state Sen. John
Mawhinney, who watched water
runoff thunder out of the Santa
Catalina mountains north of
Tucson. “The force of the water
is enormous, just tearing up the
roads and everything in its
path.”
Homes, trailers, cars, house
hold appliances and other de
bris were swept down flood-
swollen rivers. Power lines were
threatened by the rising water
and utility service was cut in
many areas.
Two Department of Public
Safety officers were believed
dead in a helicopter crash. They
were identified as pilot Thomas
P. McNeff, 36, and paramedic
Richard G. Stratman, 27, both of
Tucson.
Residents trapped on roofs
and cartops were being picked
up Sunday by state and National
Guard helicopters flying despite
the winds and rain. At least two
highways — U.S. 89 and State
Route 19 — were closed.
The retirement community
of Green Valley south of Tucson
was reported isolated because of
bridge closures.
“It’s a mess,” said Allan
Schmidt, a spokesman for the
Department of Public Safety.
He said authorities were con
cerned because many hard-hit
areas were so isolated it would be
difficult to bring in food and
other supplies.
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Sale to protest
iReaganomics
United Press International
NEW ORLEANS — Groups
|n 100 communities nationwide
I hold a bake sale Monday to
protest Reaganomics and the
bovernment’s cuts in programs
lor the needy, organizers said
Sunday.
The First National Let Them
Eat Cake Sale will be held in
Irontof the Hale Boggs Federal
Tourt building in New Orleans
knd is a protest of “Ronald
Jieagan’s half-baked policies,”
■aid Dr. Saundra Hunter, a
Jpokeswoman for the Coalition
|or Nuclear Disarmament.
The sale was named after a
Statement Marie Antoinette
Jllegedly made when she was
Sold France’s poor did not have
Inough bread: ’’Well, then, let
hem eat cake.”
Organizers said T-shirts and
lome-baked cakes and cookies
lould be sold, and the proceeds
would be given to the poor or
used to replace funding slashed
by local governments because of
federal budget cuts.
“The idea is to raise money
for local groups, to raise peo
ple’s consciousness about what
Reaganomics is doing to local
communities and to raise peo
ple’s spirits away from the gloom
of the cutbacks,” said Peter Har-
nik, a consultant to public in
terest groups.
Confections being sold at the
bake sale will boast witty but bit
ter names, including Chocolate
Bargaining Chip Cookies, Got-
a-Hole-in-My-Pocket Dough
nuts, That’s the Way the Cookie
Crumbles Cookies, Breadline
Pudding, Guns or Butter
Cookies, Upside Down Budget
Cake, Tin Cupcakes, A Fore
closed Gingerbread House, Flat-
broke Bread, Strawberry Short
Recovery Cake and Prune the
Military Muffins.
Shooting spree
part of‘feud’
United Press International
I TEMPLE — A 19-year-old
Jian was arraigned Saturday on
In attempted murder charge in
lonnection with a shooting
Ipree which injured three Tem-
lle teenagers — one critically —
It a high school football game.
I The suspect, Prince Ellison,
las held in the city jail Saturday
ilieu of $7,000, officials said.
Police Lt. Dale Fletcher said
he shooting, which took place
[ear the entrance of Wildcat
Itadium in Temple Friday
light, had nothing to do with the
aotball game.
“I understand this was just an
Ingoing feud between these
leopie that had been going on
for several days,” Fletcher said.
“It had nothing to do with the
ball game at all.”
Dawayne Morrison, 17, the
most seriously injured, was in
critical condition at Scott and
White Hospital with a wound to
the abdomen Saturday.
Yolanda Chestnut, 17, who
was shot under the arm, was in
serious condition. A 15-year-old
boy, whose name was withheld,
was shot in the back. He was
listed in fair condition Saturday
at the same hospital.
A 15-year-ofd girl who wit
nessed the shooting and became
hysterical was treated, but not
hospitalized, spokesman Don
Nelson said.
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PUBLIC NOTICE
BRIEF EXPLANATORY STATEMENTS
OF PROPOSED
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
SPECIAL ELECTION
NOVEMBER 8. 1983
PROPOSITION NO. 1
ON THE BALLOT
House Joint Resolution
91 proposes a constitution
al amendment which re
quires a county with a pop
ulation of 30,000 or more
to be divided into not less
than four nor more than
eight justice of the peace
precincts. A county with a
population of 18,000 or
more but less than than
30,000 shall be divided into
not less than two nor more
than five justice of the
peace precincts. A county
with a population of less
than 18,000 shall be des
ignated as a single justice
of the peace precinct or,
upon a finding of neces
sity by the commissioners
court, shall be divided into
more than one justice of
the peace precinct but not
more than four. The
amendment provides fur
ther, that in any precinct
in which there is a city
with a population of 18,000
or more, two justices of
the peace shall be elected.
The amendment allows a
justice of the peace, con
stable or commissioner to
continue in office until the
expiration of his term, al
though a change in pre
cinct boundaries results in
the officer no longer being
a resident of the precinct
for which he was elected
or appointed and allows a
justice of the peace or con
stable to continue in office
until the expiration of his
term even though a change
in precinct boundaries re
sults in the abolishment of
the precinct or more than
one justice of the peace or
constable serving the pre
cinct. Vacancies in the of
fice of justice of the peace
or constable that result
from a precinct boundary
change shall be filled by
the commissioners court
until the next general elec
tion. The amendment would
take effect on January 1,
1984, and counties with
populations of less than
30,000 and with more than
four justice of the peace
and constable precincts
would have until January
1, 1987 to comply with the
amendment.
The proposed amend
ment will appear on the
ballot as follows: “The
constitutional amend
ment authorizing fewer
justice of the peace and
constable precincts in
counties with a popula
tion of less than 30,000
and providing for con
tinuous service by jus
tices of the peace, con
stables, and county
commissioners when pre
cinct boundaries are
changed.”
PROPOSITION NO. 2
ON THE BALLOT
House Joint Resolution
105 proposes a constitu-
ional amendment which
would limit a homestead in
a city, town or village to a
lot or lots amounting to
not more than one acre of
land, together with , ^py
improvements on the larid.
The constitutional require
ment that, at the time of
designation, an urban
homestead not exceed ten
thousand dollars in value
without reference to the
value of any improvements
on the land would be elim
inated.
The proposed amend
ment will appear on the
ballot as follows: “The
constitutional amend
ment replacing the limi
tation on the value of an
urban homestead with a
limitation based on size.”
PROPOSITION NO. 3
ON THE BALLOT
Senate Joint Resolution
1 proposes a constitutional
amendment that authorizes
the Legislature to enact
legislation that permits
representative associations
of agricultural producers
to collect refundable as
sessments on their product
sales to be used solely
to finance programs of
marketing, promotion, re
search and education relat
ing to those products. It
provides, further, that
adoption of the proposed
constitutional amendment
will bring into effect Sen
ate Bill 607, Acts of the
68th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1983, with rejec
tion of the amendment re
sulting in Senate Bill 607
having no effect.
The proposed constitu
tional amendment will
appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitu
tional amendment pro
viding for the advance
ment of food and fiber
production and market
ing in this state through
research, education, and
promotion financed by
the producers of agri
cultural products.”
PROPOSITION NO. 4
ON THE BALLOT
House Joint Resolution
30 proposes a constitution
al amendment which au
thorizes the Legislature to
enact laws to provide for
the succession of members
of the Legislature in the
event of enemy attack and
allows the suspension of
procedural rules imposed
by the Constitution in the
event of, or immediate
threat of, enemy attack.
The amendment empowers
the Governor, after con
sultation with the Speak
er of the House and the
Lieutenant Governor, to
suspend the constitutional
requirement that the Leg
islature hold its sessions
in Austin and allows the
suspension of procedural
rules by the Governor issu
ing a proclamation in
which the House of Rep
resentatives and Senate
concur by resolution ap
proved by a majority of
the members present. Sus
pension of the constitu
tional rules may not
exceed a period of two
years under a single proc
lamation; however, the
Governor may renew the
suspension by issuing a
new proclamation con
curred in. by the House of
Representatives and the
Senate through a resolu
tion approved by a major
ity of the members pres
ent.
The amendment will ap
pear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitu
tional amendment autho
rizing statutory provi
sions for succession of
public office during dis
asters caused by enemy
attack, and authorizing
the suspension of cer
tain constitutional rules
relating to legislative
procedure during those
disasters or during im
mediate threat of enemy
attack.”
PROPOSITION NO. 5
ON THE BALLOT
Senate Joint Resolution
12 proposes a constitution
al amendment that autho
rizes the Legislature to
enact legislation providing
for the use of the perma
nent school fund and in
come from the permanent
school fund to guarantee
bonds issued by school dis
tricts. The amendment
provides, further, that the
Legislature may appropri
ate part of the available
school fund for adminis
tration of the permanent
school fund or of a bond
guarantee program estab
lished pursuant to the
amendment.
The constitutional
amendment will appear
on the ballot as follows:
“The constitutional
amendment authorizing
use of the permanent
school fund to guaran
tee bonds issued by
school districts.”
PROPOSITION NO. 6
ON THE BALLOT
House Joint Resolution
1 proposes a constitutional
amendment which would
permit the Legislature to
provide for the garnish
ment of wages to enforce
court-ordered child sup
port payments. The gar
nishment remedy would
not be available for other
purposes.
The proposed amend
ment will appear on the
ballot as follows: “The
constitutional amend
ment allowing the Legis
lature to provide for
additional remedies to
enforce court-ordered
child support pay
ments.”
PROPOSITION NO. 7
ON THE BALLOT
Senate Joint Resolution
14 proposes a constitution
al amendment that autho
rizes the Veterans’ Land
Board to provide for, issue,
and sell general obligation
bonds of the State of
Texas in an amount not to
exceed $800 million to pro
vide financing to veterans
of the state. The amend
ment requires that three
hundred million dollars of
the state bonds be dedi
cated to the Veterans’
Land Fund. The Fund is to
be used to purchase land
to be sold to veterans
under such terms, rules
and regulations as may be
authorized by law. The
amendment creates the
Veterans’ Housing Assis
tance Fund and requires
that $500 million of the
state bonds authorized by
the amendment be dedi
cated to the Fund. The
Veterans’ Housing Assis
tance Fund will be utilized
by the Veterans’ Land
Board for the purpose of
making home mortgage
loans to veterans for hous
ing within the state and
for the administrative
costs of administering the
fund and issuing the bonds.
The amendment provides,
further, that if there is
not money in either the
Veterans’ Land Fund or
the Veterans’ Housing As
sistance Fund available for
payment of principal and
interest on the general ob
ligation bonds issued pur
suant to the amendment,
then money coming into
the Treasury in each fiscal
year is appropriated in an
amount sufficient for pay
ment of principal and in
terest due in that fiscal
year.
The proposed constitu
tional amendment will
appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitu
tional amendment for fi
nancial assistance to
veterans and to autho
rize the issuance of $800
million in bonds of the
state to finance the Vet
erans’ Land Program
and the Veterans’ Hous
ing Assistance Pro
gram.”
PROPOSITION NO. 8
ON THE BALLOT
Senate Joint Resolution
1 proposes a constitutional
amendment that authorizes
political subdivisions to ex
empt veterans’ organiza
tions from ad valorem tax
ation on their property.
The amendment requires
that the veterans’ organi
zations be chartered by the
United States Congress,
be composed of members
or former members of the
United States Armed
Forces, and be organized
for patriotic and public
service purposes. The
amendment provides, fur
ther, that political subdi
visions may exempt fra
ternal organizations from
ad valorem taxation on
their property. The amend
ment requires that the
fraternal organizations be
organized to perform and
be primarily engaged in
charitable or benevolent
functions. The Legislature
would be authorized to en
act laws that prescribe eli
gibility requirements for
fraternal organizations to
benefit from the exemp
tion and to pass legisla
tion limiting the types or
amount of property owned
by a fraternal organiza
tion which may be exempt
ed from ad valorem taxa
tion.
The proposed constitu
tional amendment will
appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitu
tional amendment to au
thorize taxing units to
exempt from taxation
property of certain vet
erans’ and fraternal or
ganizations.”
PROPOSITION NO. 9
ON THE BALLOT
House Joint Resolution
70 proposes a constitution
al amendment to authorize
the Legislature to provide,
by local or general law, a
method by which judges
of statutory courts with
probate jurisdiction may
be assigned to any other
statutory court with pro
bate jurisdiction and to
any constitutional county
court in any county in the
state.
The proposed amend
ment will appear on the
ballot as follows: “The
constitutional amend
ment providing for as
signment of judges of
statutory probate courts
to other statutory coun
ty courts with probate
jurisdiction and to coun
ty courts.”
PROPOSITION NO.
10 ON THE BALLOT
Senate Joint Resolution
17 proposes a constitution
al amendment that autho
rizes the Legislature to
enact laws which would
allow a city or town to ex
pend public funds to relo
cate or replace sanitation
sewage laterals on private
property if done in con
junction with the replace
ment or relocation of sani
tation sewer mains serving
the property. The amend
ment requires that the law
authorize the city or town
to affix a lien on the pri
vate property, with the
consent of the owner, to
cover the costs of the re
placement or relocation of
the sewer laterals on the
property. The lien may not
be enforced until five
years have expired since
the date the lien was af
fixed. The amendment
provides, further, that the
law require that the costs
of the replacement or re
location of the sewer lat
erals on the private prop
erty be assessed against
the property with repay
ment to be amortized over
a period not to exceed five
years and at an interest
rate provided by law.
The proposed amend
ment will appear on the
ballot as follows: “The
constitutional amend
ment to permit a city or
town to expend public
funds and levy assess
ments for the relocation
or replacement of sani
tation sewer laterals on
private property.”
PROPOSITION NO.
11 ON THE BALLOT
Senate Joint Resolution
13 proposes a constitution
al amendment that would
change the Board of Par
dons and Paroles from a
constitutional agency to
a statutory agency and
would eliminate the Gov
ernor’s power to revoke
paroles. The Legislature
would be authorized to
establish the Board of
Pardons and Paroles and
to require it to maintain
records of its actions and
the reasons for its actions.
The amendment would em
power the Legislature to
enact parole laws. Consti
tutional language specify
ing the qualifications and
terms of office for mem
bers of the Board of Par
dons and Paroles is elimi
nated. The constitutional
language governing the
composition of the Board
of Pardons and Paroles
and the manner of filling
vacancies on the Board is
eliminated.
The proposed amend
ment will appear on the
ballot as follows: “The
constitutional amend
ment to change the
• Board of Pardons and
Paroles from a constitu
tional agency to a statu
tory agency and to give
the board power to re
voke paroles.”
Estos son los informes
explanatorios sobre las
enmiendas propuestas a la
constitucion que apare-
cerdn en la boleta el dia
8 de noviembre de 1983. Si
usted no ha recibido una
copia de los informes en
espahol, podrd obtener una
gratis por llamar al 1/800/
252/9602 o por escribir al
Secretario de Estado, P.O.
Box 12887, Austin, Texas
78711.