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Wednesday, August 20, 1986/The BattaJion/Page 5
Medical jboard seeks
^bigger, better’ staff
; AUSTIN (AP) — Members of the
Slate Board of Medical Examiners
defended themselves Tuesdav
against claims from lawmakers and
others that thev are doing a poor job
ol policing Texas physicians
'We want to get the bad doctors
oat of practice just as much as you
do.” Dr Carlos Godinez, the board's
chairman, told the Senate Nomi
nations Committee
Seven ol Gov. Mark White s nomi-
natKHis to the 15-member board are
before the committee pending Sen
ate confirmation
Five of the nominees took turns
Tuesdav saving the board needed a
bigger and better staff. Thev also
asked for changes in the law to pro
tect hospitals and doctors who blow
the whistle on incompetent and
criminal doctors.
Senators took turns probing a
backup of malpractice cases before
the board, some several years old.
Thev also asked why most discipli
narv action against doctors is behind
closed doors
Dr. Philip Sanger, a Wans physi
cian who appeared as a public wit
ness. said ‘ Bad doctors are hurting
us all They are ruining the profes
sion. Policing of physicians is being
done very poorly
Dr. Charles Dryden, appointed to
the board a year ago. said. "We've
E m three lawsuits filed against the
Mird now because we are trying to
do something about bad doctors.
Sen. Chet Edwards. D-Duncan-
xille. committee chairman, referred
several times to a national TV pro
gram recently that said a Texas doc
tor who made a SI 10 million set
tlement over the 1080 death of a
patient was still practicing in Texas
Several members of the board
said thev had not heard of the case.
Dr. James Lively, a Corpus Christi
osteopath reappointed to the board,
said he understood the case Edwards
spoke about would be presented the
hciard within two montns.
“What kind of staff would have to
go for six vears before taking action
on a SI 10 million malpractice case?"
Fdwards asked.
(iodine/ said board attornevs do
ihm give them details on a case until
it is actually before the board.
Edwards said. “I think this must
raise the question of whether there
are <Mher cases like this out there
that the staff has handled this way."
Sen Bob McFarland. R-Dallas,
said the board proposed to the Leg
islature two vears ago the hiring <>t
hearing examiners who could clear
up the oacklog of malpractice cases.
“Here it is two vears later, and you
are even further behind." McFar
land said. "We have a crisis in the lia
bility insurance industry and one
reason may be is that malpractice is
high in this state "
He said the board handled 669
complaints in 1085 and 271 discipli
nary actions were taken. He said
there were 54 cancellations of medi
cal licenses and administrative sanc
tions handed out in 125 cases.
Ikidinez said if the full board
takes anv action it is made public.
However, it a doctor voluntarily
agrees to a suspension or cMher ad
ministrative sanction, the action is
not made public
Sen Hector Uribe. D-Brownsville,
said. "I think we have heard a con
fession todav that malpractice cases
are not being prosecuted properly in
Texas I would like to see more than
verbal committment to tougher
tasks."
V YESTERDAYS
NBC plans
new Alamo
siege film
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The
walls of the Alamo will ring once
again with the sounds of battle as
NBC-TV recreates another
screen version of the historic
siege
The producer and stars of the
tefevisMin movie. "The Alamo: 13
Davs to Glorv." visited the mis
sion in downtown San Antonio
Monday. .
The siege of the Alamo ended
in defeat few Texas when an esti
mated 4.000 to 5.000 Mexican
troops led by Gen. Lopez de
Santa Anna stormed the mission
on March 6. 1856 After more
than a week and a half of holding
off the Mexicans, 187 Texans
died fighting
But the defeat was trans-
formed into victory seven weeks
later when Texas troops rallying
to the cry of “Remember the
Alamo" surprised Santa Anna
taking his afternoon siesta and
killed, wounded or took pnscwier
virtually the entire Mexican
army.
The cast and crew were in
Brackett vide on Tuesdav — 125
miles west of San Antonio — for
the first of 32 days of production.
According to Alamo lore, Travis
drew a line with his sword and
asked all who would die with him
to cross the line All but one man
crossed the line.
] No broadcast date has been set,
but exechtives sav the movie mav
air during the important Feb
ruary rating pet Mid
'Off-duty' officer
was 'on job' when
he killed co-worker
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — An off-
duty police officer who sh«M and
killed a fellow policeman was work
ing with superiors at the time, au
thorities saio Tuesdav.
During a news conference. San
AntonKi police officials confirmed
that Stephen Richard Smith. 31. was
sh<M and killed by officer Tarrell
Tucker. 35.
Btnh men had been with the de
partment for seven years. Tucker
was questioned bv homicide detec
tives after the shooting and then re
leased pending a department inves
tigation. said police spokesman Paul
Buske.
Police spokesman Ricardo Valdes
said. “Tucker was working even
though he was off-duty. He was still
working with two high ranking offi
cers here in the department to try to
get some information.
Valdes saKi he could not say what
tvpe of case Tucker was working on
because the matter is under investi
gation.
Smith was pronounced dead
Monday night near the apartment
complex where he lived in north San
Antonio. Buske said
Accused rapist says woman
coaxed him to her house
SAN ANGELO (AP) — A man
kidnapped from a Mexican jail and
returned to face charges of raping
and kidnapping a Terlingua woman
testified I uesdav he was lured to the
woman's home and offered sex.
drugs, alcohol and money.
Refugio Gardea Gonzalez. 22. of
Jimenez. Mexico, said the woman
who ac cused him of attacking her in
late 1985 coaxed him with marijuana
and beer He said she agreed to sex
ual intercourse during the time she
alleges he assaulted her
"bhe told me she had what I
needed and I had what she needed,"
(nm/ale/ said through an inter
preter in I uesdav testimony.
The 39-year-old Terlingua
woman, however, denies (Gonzalez'
claim. She told jurors Monday she
was forced to walk over desolate de
sert canyons for several hours before
she was robbed at knifepoint and
raped repeatedly over an eight-hour
period.
She said she escaped by jumping
from her pickup truck after tricking
the man into believing she could get
him more money from her office
Jim Smith, a Terlingua business
man. told jurors Tuesday that the
woman showed up at his house Oct.
27, 1985, sc teaming hysterically that
she had been held prisoner, the San
Anrelo Standard- Times reported
At the time of the incident.
Brewster (x>unty authorities had
chased a suspect to the Mexican bor
der who escaped across the Rio
Grande. Mexican authorities latei
captured (ninzalez about four miles
inside Mexico but refused to surren
der him to Texas authorities.
Seminars give study hints
Teaching ‘how to learn’
SHERMAN (AP) — Educators
Susan Rolte and Nancy Benzon tell
students to cook breakfast in an iron
skillet on mornings before big tests.
It mav sound odd. but it's one tip
Roffe and Benzon include in their
study skills seminars. They also ad
vise youngsters on methods of note
taking. listening skills and how to
study
Iron stimulates the memory and
recall abilities, said Rolfe. a Sherman
native. "Thev may not cook in an
iron skiHet. but they’ll remember
they need iron.” she said.
For the creative student, the web
method of note-taking relieves class
room doldrums. Thu method maps
out the notes instead of ordering
them in. sav. an outline fashion
The advice of Rolfe and Benzon is
unconventKHial. but results show
that it works. They describe students
with learning disabilities and poor
self-images who have found success
through the studv skills course.
Rolfe, a reading teacher, and Ben
zon, an English teacher, left their
positions with the Richardson Inde
pendent School District last year to
open Learning Unlimited, a school
to teach study skills. They also have
written a book. Learning How To
Learn, outlining their curriculum.
The course is their answer to
House Bill 72. “Texas did not man
date a study skills course, which we
think was wrong because they did
mandate no-pass, no-plav." Benzon
said.
“Everyone, at sometime, is not
going to do well in a subject." Ben
zon said, “and to say All right, you
cannot run track, you cannot play
basketball, you cannot do this be
cause you’ve had a bad six weeks in
one subject . puts that much more
pressure on the kids, which is why
thev need to know how to study "
Rolfe added. "There are some
people who cannot, no matter what,
do math, but they can run like the
wind. And if they make a 68 in math,
they can’t get out on that track.”
Simple, logical tips such as sched
uling studv tune wnen you feel the
best and using flashcards as aids are
new ideas to students
Benzon and Rolfe also talk to stu
dents about test anxiety , student-tea
cher personality conflicts and lazi
ness.
Self-image is another important
aspect for being-a successful student,
thev sawf
Gravedigger says he enjoys job
WAXAHACH1E (AP) — Most
people retire to a life of leisure or
the pursuit of some hobbv for which
there was never enough time
Not 72-vear-old GarneN Polk
He digs graves —- by hand
Polk nips the last shovel of din
out of a grave, wipes the early morn
ing sweat from hts forehead and
chuckles "I don’t even consider re
tiring. he savs. “I've already retired
twice in mv lifetime, and I’m in no
hurry to retire again
“We live m a different time where
it takes a whole lot to live I’ve a wife
and home to suppon So I guess I’ll
be digging graves for a whole lot
longer .
He took up grave digging about
seven years ago, mostly tor the exer
cise and the extra money. He digs
about two graves a week. During the
heat of the summer, he gets started
about 5 a.m. and quits about four
hours later. He takes on a helper on
rare weeks when he gets more or
ders.
On a typical morning. Polk will
start and finish a typical grave, mea
suring 8-bv-3 and a halt feet and 4
and a half feet deep
He's dug more than 600 graves,
most of them around here. He's dug
graves as far as 30 miles away in Mil
ford and neighboring Italy and Red
Oak.
“I took on this job because 1 was
concerned, that in my retirement,
my physical condition would get
bad.'says Polk, who also owns a veg
etable store that he has been run
ning near his home in east Waxaha-
chie for about three years. “I wanted
to keep in shape "
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The MSC Opera and Performing Arta
Society of Texas AdfM announces the
1986-87 season MSC OPAS Fourteen: eight
enchanted evenings filled with extra
ordinary music, dance, comedy, and
culture from all over the world. Save up to
25% over single ticket prices —If single
tickets are available.
Itzhak Perlman, violinist with the San antonio Symphony September 28 I‘♦86
The magk that Itths* f+rtman perform* on the otoltn never reaae* to astonish —BOATOH OMMB
r.lly Ameling. Dutch soprano soloist October IO. 1986
She can left a stor g in a song face hand* <fu Hon tone of voice and rhythm all c ontnbule at every vivid
moment as though there were no other po**tbte u<ay of doing It -HKW TO«X Tinf S
Festival tat India November \ 1986 , .. _ _
f speriencr the intensity the rich diversity ol colors costumes and dance* the haunting tones ol nutm
and the exotic si tars and percussion ot a fascinating and vibrant CutturT
The Canadian Brass December 2. 1986
Brilliant virtuosity and ensemble playing -ME* VOHH Tints
The Cambridge Buskers January 29 1987
Astonishing musicians/ —SAM rXAhClSCO CXAnihES
Werner Klemperer narrating Lincoln Ihrtrait with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra
February 19 1087 _
Werner Klemperer something of a specialist at this symphonic narration business gave a brilliant ac
count -mW xroisrrs
The entire performance (of the brato* Valley Symphony Orchestra) wa* startlingly beautiful —■mm*
COLLEGE ST AXIOM EAGLE
The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Bazimierz Bord conducting and Misha Dichter.
piano soloist March 7. 1987 _ _
With mutual sensitivity between Dichter and hoed the dialogue between piano and orchestra could hardly
have been Improved upon —Aft* ARBOR MEWS
Houston Ballet Mined Repertoire April 8 1967
Vitality clarity and speed seem so prodigiously distributed among the dancers that It Is dl/fh utt to pick
favorites -WASHIMGTOM TOST ,
MSC OFAS performances will surely sell out Don t miss one minute of the music Order your
season tickets today.
MSC OPAS members are guaranteed the same great seats for every performance Special
reserved parking is available to members who support MSC OFAS through contributions Hor
more Information regarding reserved parking call the MSC Bo* Office 845-1234.
Special Student Offerl 2 for I for $SS
For a limited time Texas A8rM students may buy two MSC OFAS season tickets for the price
of one That s two season tickets for the entire 1986-87 season of music for only »5S This
special package Is limited to Texas A8fM student tickets in Zone 3.
1986-07 Tone 2 Zone 3
Season ticket (Orchestra or Balcony) (Balcony)
Prices Regular 77.25 81.SO
Student 65 75 33 00
MSC OPAS 1986-87 TICKET ORDER
Mail to MSC Box Office • Box J-l • College Station, TX 77844 • For Information,Call:843-1214
List my loml name tm the following manner
NAME
APT •
SEASON TICKETS
ADDRESS
C ITY STATE ZIP
PMONt •
I choose ki retain same seat* as last vear
( Cunthbwturs Only)
I wish Hi be assigned best available seats
Ow hestra Balcony No Preference
I %* ish hi donate at mv season lick
hv students
Check Enclosed (payable to MSC OPAS )
lard Holders Same.
Programs and performance dales subfecl to change without notice
VW regret there wd be no refunds or exchanges