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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1984)
Page 4/The Battalion/Wednesday, October 17, 1984 Explosion blasts Bryan nightclub By SARAH OATES Staff Writer A popular Bryan nightclub was extensively damaged after an explo sion ripped through the building early Tuesday morning. Graham Central Station, a coun try-rock club located at 1601 S. Col lege Ave., was a shambles after an explosion collapsed the east end of the building and cracked the back wall. The building was empty when the blast occurred at about 4:50 a.m., setting it on fire. No one was injured in the explosion. Audra Lou Shannon and her hus band Robert, who live a few blocks away from the club, were awakened by the explosion. “That thing popped,” Shannon said. “It didn’t really rattle the win dows, but we felt the vibration. It wasn’t real loud. Maybe it was like thunder.” Investigating officer Mike Hall mark, of the Bryan Police Depart ment, said there is a “good possibili ty” the explosion was the work of an arsonist. Club employees refused to com ment about the explosion. Officials from the Bryan Fire De partment and the Department of Al cohol, Tobacco and Firearms are in vestigating the explosion. Fire Inspector James Jones said the parking lot in front of the club will be swept for clues to the blast. Witnesses told police a man was seen walking behind the building shortly before the explosion. After the building blew up, wit nesses said the man drove to a phone booth at the corner of the club’s parking lot and called police. Police said witnesses reported the man told several people a bomb had gone off and that he had called the _ police. He then left the scene. Witnesses described the man as _ acting “extremely bizzarre” after the explosion, police said. Police said the rear door of the club had been pried open. A half- empty, five-gallon gas can was found just inside the rear entrance to the building and a gas nozzle that fit the can was found just outside the door. A pair of brown surgical gloves were found about 20 feet away. Police have not determined whether the objects were used in the explosion. Proposition (continued from page 1) • It would add three institutions in the A&M system and nine institu tions in the UT system to be eligible to participate in the PUF and AUF, and designate Prairie View A&M as an “institution of the first class.” Prairie View would receive a special appropriation of $6 million from the UT portion of the AUF each year for 10 years. • It would authorize the UT and A&M regents to increase the PUF bonding capacities for their institu tions to 10 percent at A&M and 20 percent at UT — a total of 30 per cent of the PUF’s value. Currently the bonding capacity is 20 percent of the PUF’s veilue. The amendment would benefit both the two system schools and the non-PUF schools because it would expand the use of the AUF money A&M and UT receive and it would set up a stable means of construction funds for the other schools. The proposal had its first stirrings of life in the state Legislature about two years ago as House Joint Resolu tion 19. It came about because of a funding problem for non-PUF schools. Until 1979, non-PUF schools re ceived building funds from a special state property tax. The tax, which was added to the state constitution several years ago by voters, was challenged in court in 1978 as unconstitutional and made inoperable in 1979. But, since the PUF is protected by the constitution from all schools ex cept A&M and UT, the non-PUF schools were unable to receive any kind of legislative appropriations. All parties involved would benefit from the amendment; A&M could broaden its funding uses and the non-PUF schools would have a guar anteed source of building income. The proposition has been en dorsed by the governing boards of all public universities in the state and by the state Coordinating Board that oversees higher education. It also is being supported by col lege presidents, faculty, the Texas Student Association, the Republican and Democratic parties and several business, labor and agriculture groups. No one is actively opposing the proposition. A political action committee has been organized to lobby for the proposition — the Education Assis tance Committee — and the regents of some of the colleges are raising money to fund heavy promotion of the proposition on TV, newspapers and other publications. Potential voters will be hearing much ado about the proposition the next three weeks before the Nov. 6 election. Pets useful to psychotherapists g|( By KARLA K. MARTIN Staff Writer By! They gathered Monday—cot paring research plans and pet pi lures — and Tuesday, their prom continued. The Delta Society's three-i ference progressed as the emotionl physical lectures of the human aii animal bond led to the lecturesd t he e m ot ional- psychological bondi, “What we’re trying to do is mail people aware of the need for pen; said Linda Hines, executivedirean of the Delta Society. “In the pets were considered as luxm items. We’re saying that they arei social necessity.” H ines referred to the Socieii, continuing research of the then peutic effects of animals on thed derly, abused children and prist inmates, as well as in the home One research idea discussed njlfcat,” Farr the role of animals in psychotic ave to say rapy. Lee Bowers, of the Norths Employee Assistance Center u Houston, said the use of animalsi therapy (called pet-therapy) isatt cent discovery. “Pets take us away from the tort rational and scientific,” Bowerssaii "I never [| about ft iere,” said icutive oil lets. “I was ; Jniversity ras in a (r ie too unr ided to co What r row most ne of the iorps. “I won’t ecause 11 nee and 1 ause I’m t Farmer 0 hours, reshman. He is exi attalion ii “My job “Most of us have been overlyconi landing t lioned to Ire constantly thin kins jj! evaluating, and there is little tolli lat he ma Farmer person to his or her emotions. An ancial tr mais provide this psychologiti link." Carol Peacock, a psychology® selor, did research on the roled nd the p fth Batta Since hi ,rmy for ‘ dogs in therapy. The results, sit led exter luttgart, ( said, were positive. “Our exploratory study sugga jjorea, Oki that the presence of...dogs in^1 “1 went consulting room helps the subjetulol them in relax, to enjoy self-disclosure,andt f While li\ participate in the process of psytb hedidnot therapy,” Peacock said. “Tnepti “I’ve for have the ability to foster people bat I had feelings of mastery and self-esteem 1 food Engl forry abo Other discussions centered oniii language,” psyc hological benefits of trainingi* At A&N minis. Matthew Margolis, of thenatiot Nol Institute of Dog Training, Inc. his company often brings pen e prisons. This, he said, gives the mates a sense of responsibility Unit WASH I using $1 tstal Ser Photo by KARLA K. MARTIN Bruce Nicolaisen shows off Kalob, his 130- pound Rottweiler. NOW “T here are over 50 milliondogsi America,’’ Margolis said. “So i le gleam! not have people in prison trJ but true tc them' This gives the inmates a(Mer snow, reel. and when they get out, it taKmerica’s them off the streets.” ■“Noma . . , , , || handle* Margolis holds 12-week seta: L s[a | se in many prisons to teach inuait L vart S;| how to train dogs to helptheha: |. e ff ec( icapped. (continued from page 1) of it, than she does,” Parsons said. In the second half of the sympo sium, members of the Brazos Valley Peace Action (BVPA) spoke on va rious topics. Dale Nave addressed the topic of American involvement in Central America and spoke against the gov ernment for supporting covert activ ities there. Hugh Stearns spoke in favor of the “tearing down of the war ma chine in America,” and non-partici pation in the draft. ment of weapons in space. Stearns, a spokesman for SWAMP, said the reason for the open air symposium was to encour age free speech. Parsons also spoke on behalf of the BVPA, condeming President Reagan’s proposed “Star Wars Pro gram,” which deals with the deploy “We are hoping that by bringing in topics that will stir people up, we will encourage people to voice rebut tals," Stearns said. On Thursday, a representative from the American Atheists »i speak and on Friday, represent* from the Gay Student Services*! speak. On Monday, a talk given on freedom of speech (ii lowed by a period of free mine phone for anybody who wants speak. All the talks are scheduled fret noon to 2 p.m. by Rudder Fount The bui c 4rMSC LOST & FOUND AUCTION To b< oppt requ man chaj grec Cafe Pore WED., Oct. 24 MSC Lounge 10 am-1pm Cash Only!