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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1987)
14/The Battalion/Monday. February 9, 1987 V troops search Bins — comb Mexico for fugitives 1) CULIACAN Mexico <AP) — Thousands of law officers, becked by army troops and hefccopserv searched the httts and flatlands of northwestern Sinaloa state Sunday for 56 escaped convicts, some of them armed wkh high-powered ri fle* An estimated 1,500 state and fed eral police, helped by highway pa trolmen, checked vehicles at surprise roadblocks att dav Sunday 6ut Fed eral Judiciary Ponce officials coordi nating the manhunt said they had turned up nothing. Another 500 army troops and about 10 navy helicopters also searched the hilts for the convicts, a dozen of whom officials said were highly dangerous and were serving Reforms then face a popular election — caked a retention election — after one year, in which the public would vote or “no.’* A majority of no-votes would re move the fudge from office After this first election, the judge would face a retention election once every dx years. Each nominating commission would have 15 members: • Four chosen by the governor. • Three by the lieutenant gover nor • Three by the speaker of the House a Three by the president of the Texas State Bar Association • One by the Democratic Party chaaramL a One by the Republican Party The amendment programs the se lection process in such a way that each commission would seat nine lawyers and sot laypersons Each commission would seat a roughly equal number of Democrats and Re publicans. Each county would have the op tion of sucking with the old election system or adopting the new appoint- system, says Sen Kent Ca perron. loan This compromise a meant rural areas of the state D-Bryan time on drug-relate rf convictions and bank robberies. Sinaloa state has long been a cen ter of Mexico's iMicit drug trade, most of which is smuggled into the United States. Francisco I ahastida Ochoa, the new governor who took office Jan. 1, has ordered an investigation into Friday night’s prison riot and mass breakout and has psomned an over haul and reform of the state’s peni tentiary system. In a statement he issued Saturday night after an emergency meeting with top officials, Labastida Ochoa promised the number of guards on duty at the overcrowded peniten tiary will be increased, along wkh other reforms The state and the federal attor neys general are conducting sepa rate investigations of Friday s inci dents in the prison, which houses inmates serving tune for both fed eral and state crimes. State district attorney Mana Bar bara Campuzano Vega, one of the investigators, said that 61 prisoners broke out of the prison after starting a riot at around 7 p.m Friday. •Kknrofthe prisoners escaping. ■ igHMified. was shot have photographed but not fully identified yet was similarly killed further down the road.” she said. “Three of those who escaped have been recaptured, although there have been reports saving there were more," Campuzano Vega said. “But now it is confirmed that three were recaptured That leaves 56 Mill at large, it is correct. The second one was wounded, and died in hospital a while later “ She said the escaped prisoners took as a hostage the prison warden, but freed him a few hours later on a road about 17 miles southwest of the prison. "It Matted at around 7 p.m. Fri day, just as the guard was changing.’’ she said “A bunch of prisoners started gathering around the medi cal unit, ostensmlv protesting bad living conditions. “Then, as the guard changed, they started smash ing things and causing damage in I tafitnirary. the consuhatii the nmu and who we have doors and a se outside the second one, c prison who we rooms, the pharmacy, and labs locked up several guards in rooms nearby." The prison, which houses about 1,000 inmates in facilities designed lo house 700, was under control bv Saturday morning, she said. Safety •< 1) and type of research NASA funds how much it spends dome it. “Most programs with in NASA have been cut back," Anderson said, “and most programs with which I deal have been either stretched out. reduced or somehow affected by the accident ” Anderson said ARM will not be hurt much by the agency’s research cuts because the University s Space Research Center is refativelv new. “We expect to have our space pro gram increasing at a fairly rapid rate over the next few years, even though a lot of larger programs are gome to have to be trimmed back." he said. wkh the Status quo Anderson said a good working relationship between the Johnson Space Center Mifff and ARM re searchers has been an advantage. "The JSC people go over projects with our people, and therefore our people get the encouragement ahead of tune that thev need to keep focused," he said. Anderson believes that lack of fo cus is a problem plaguing NASA as a whole. "The accident and the things lead up to the accident are symptoms much deeper problems, rather than problems themselves." he said "The shuttle disaster has focused everyone’s attention to developing modifications to the shuttle to make it better, and to designing new types of vehicles and systems Tor space." Anderson said. ARM will be doing that research, he said. "The people in engineering and at the Space Research Center lateh have been focusing on new ideas and proposals they can make (to NA SA).” Anderson said c laims, and they look to judicial re form for relief, he says. To help smooth the plan over this urhan/i legislators proposed Thursday that each county be given the choice to adopt the cotnmitsioa system or stick with the aid partisan elections. But one thing many key players agree on is that judicial selection is no longer a strictly Dmnocrabc-ver- s us-Republican issue today as R was when Democratic incumbents were losing elections. In 1962, all 23 of the Republican judges Gov BUI Clements appointed during his term of office lost to Democratic challengers. Chief Justice Hill is a Democrat, but he denies that the merit selection plan is an attempt to keep Detno- craiic judges on the bench. "There have been many Judicial leaders that have undertaken to bring this change about for many years — long before there were any Republican judges," Hill says. In fact, legislation to eliminate partisan elections in Texas has been ice 1974, long before became snssous chal lengers injudicial eiertiooa. Hill adds. "Ir is true that the em phasis ow straight-party lever putting has been an added circumstance bringing about support for the bill, hut it wasn’t the reason for the bdl. Coming from Hitt’s bps, this statement has the nngof understate ment In 1964, the year Ronald Rea gan won with a 64 percent majority in Texas. Hitt eked out a victory over Republican challenger John Bates wita a scant 54 percent majority Hill’s fragile victory cost him over $1.4 mifton. compared to the mere $12,000 Bates spent in the election. What’s more. Hitt is a former attor ney general and gubernatorial can- • iidate.while lineally Bates is little-known po ll’s tempting to believe that Hill’s expensive and slender victory over a Republican unknown moveo him to spearhead the judicial reform effort. But Hitt prefers to emphasiar the legislations other motives, such as the excessglk costs associated with ju dicial elefftans in recent years. "It’s public awareness," he says. “The public recognizes that they have been overwhelmed by highly Fi nanced campaign tactics. The very excessive campaign contributions that are being made by special inter est groups that have legal with the court creates the of impropriety " HiU may very well have had Clin ton Manges in mind when he said this. A south Teaas rancher and oil man. Manges contributed $206,000 toward the unsuccessful candidacy of a Supreme Court justice in 1962. Champagne's article notes Manges also has made contributions totaling $100,000 or more to several other judicial candidates, including one Supreme Court justice. Supreme Court elections are nat- uratty the costhesc of all judicial elr< tions The three Supreme Court jus tices elected in 1964 collected campaign contributions averaging over $660,000 per man. Champagne notes. One of Hill’s most outspoken op ponents in the reform issue is one of his colleagues on the Supreme Court. Justice Franklin Spears, who argues that the Legislature should pass laws limiting campaign costs rather than throw out the whole Spears also says the appointive system would not bong an end to costly elections. In Califbrnia. which uses an ap pointive system and retention elec tions. a November election that un seated California Supreme Court Chief lustier Rose Bird and two other Supreme Court justices cost a total of $13 million, Spears says Hitt acknowledges that Che cost of removing Bird was excessive, but he says a situation of this kind would be "It’s true that the occasional situa tion could arise under merit selec tion in which excessive campMivu funds would be used to unseat a judge." Hitt says. "But that would be extremely rare;in my ©pinion Another common criticism of the appointive system is that retention elections are ineffective in removing jutfoes. In Spear’s words: "When you get a bad judge under the patronage plan, you can’t get nd of bun. The retention elections are a joke Basically, it’s an appointment for life " According to Champagne's arti cle. of all states that employ reten tion elections, only 1.6 percent of the judges involved in such elections were turned out of office during the 1970s. But Hill argues that the high re tention rase is a testament to the suc cess of the appointive system. “You don’t rate the quabty of your judiciary by bow many pedfl6t T*** remove,” Hitt says. “I think it s a trib ute to ment selection that it doesn’t result in wholesale removal. If you you don’ moval judge t arefutty to with, >n’t have much need for Helmet 1) 17 years old to successfully com plete the program, sponsored by the Motorcycle Safetv Founda tion. in order to take the DPS ex aminations to be licensed for street operation of a motorcycle, Tom Gerney. a certified in structor at the local motorcycle t>\ the Col- years old sscer a rider course offered by lege Station Community Educa tion program, said he recom mends that everyone wear a helmet. He said Texas should enforce the laws it has now stiiody — make people get a hcenae, make younger nders get the apgropn ate training they need, at people under 18 Garney. also a member ef the Cavaliers, said many probAems re sult from people not being prop erlv trained to operate certain mot ore vices “When you turn 18. you Can go buy vourself the biggest and bad dest thing made, he said. "It shouldn't be that way The higher powered bikes ought to be qual ified by a little bit better licensing or training. "1 feel like there * Mould be some licensing levels similar to what we have for driving four wheel vehicles. For example, if you have a regular vehicle opera tors license, you cannot drive a big truck oi bus So I fed like you should have regular cle driving license for res torcycles To handle the exceptional speed of certain models of qiocor- c vcies. Perry said motorcyclists should be required to get a license requiring more training. He said TMRA is in favor of a more stringent mototcyle driving test to increase the cofopetancy of motorcycle drivers before they get on the street. They believe re inforced safety will decrease the number of deaths and accidents. regular mo- DRIVE-THRU SERVICE MCDONALD’ INTRAMURAL HIGHLIGHTS University Drive Hwy 21 Texas and S.W. Parkway BREAKFAST EVERY IM GAMEPLAN Free Throw: ENTRIES OPEN: Men.. Feb 9. ENTFSES CLOSE Tueo.. Feb. IT. FLAY BEGINS Wed , Feb 16, 7pm-10pm LOCATION: Mein Boor, Q. BoBe lhvic>kj^4o knun s vvofYiDn s ano i/Oriac •on la i Register m i a ares f*T ^ in ■■■■ ■ — law fsmkj Dunorng tfiFocma- i d tie dtmmurei Oftce. Sign upe at the consist wM boonanavt- V There MB be no entry toe ENTRIES 1 Feb 17 FLAY BEGINS Wed.. Fob. 24 TOURNAMENT: Oeaaas A. B. and C ttbiay i 3pm on Thursday I be no entry f OPEN Mon . Fab B ENTRIES CLOSE Tu OURNAMENT Classes A. B ar D wM be a round robm tournament t«ouity staff and their apmunn rnay participate monte in rh» Intramurat Caiandsf location By north of the Ponbarthy Intramural Complex am provided tor da oompetior SCHEDULES! ice S9 Re, Scions OGoe, 156 Read BuNttng after ENTRIES OPEN Friday. Fab 13 Open to nd Nad at Texas ASM. This double elimination tournament la I Be. Stay tuned tor mors delatts. Thanks to MoDonakfs Leg- i tor toetr aponaorehip of F* ENTRIES CLOSE: Tuee , Feb 10 Dtvi SIGNS: Man’s. Women's andCoRecinctaaeee A andB ENTRY FEE $10 "par team RULES: Thie toumemnat wM uee el intramural rules, pottcias and proce- duree SCHEDULES SchadMaa be at its jmremxral-Recraationai Sports OfHos on Thurs., Feb. 12. Att games wMl be played at da Penberthy intramural Com- piaa and new dtramu's SpoOs Cantor on Feb 13 6 14. In case of rain, da tour nament wM be held Feb 26-22 RIE8 CLOSE Tuee.. Fab 10. DIVISIONS Corps. Man's and Womens Derm. Man's and Women’s independent. Fee and CoRec in ctoaaas A. B, C, and D RULES ASA with dtramu COMPETITION Round robin laepua play m class an A B C. and O Sinaia shntoetnn ptoyofto in cW da toeamural flecrsaannal sports Office ENTRY FEE S30.*per x uiee wB be evtolabto el da team manager's meeing on Thurs. Feb 12 at in Rm 001 Rudder Tower Corps manager * masting wM be held Thurs 12 el TSO pm In Rm 162 Read Buttdtog atom Dunk Cantosl: ENTRIES CLOSE: Tuee.. Feb. 10 PRELIMINARIES Wed . Fab 11 at TGO pm an tie main floor of G. RoBa White EUQIBIL!TV: All TAMU students. facufly. and atoff may parflolpeto V day meet da reomraments kmt' league p*hv m emeses a. i*. h kj A B. and C No playoffs in caias D neners s mas* wn an oa furrsanad o\ ENTRY FEE $30 "par team Sched- 5:00pm t day. Fab TOES CLOSE Tuet A. B and C. EUGMUTY No ssvr,: . Feb. 10. Men a. Women s and CoRec in more dan one TAMU voAeybeM dub mam mm Thai team must parfldpsto in claaa A ryers CoRec toems oonalet of 2 mates end n* Slam Dunk Charnploo, Thanks to General Motors A apecMM fienks QOM Id General Motors for sponsoring CoRec Bas- k*tbaN and CoRec Softball Wlnnaf of CoRec tournaments in i A B. end C wM racafve long alaavad General Moios t-flNrts. McDonald s intramural HlghUghte *oca» mcuotmikj s hmubui dvmb Hwy 21 and on Texes Avenue Stc ice ere by Mike Cemreli and phoi Ovoaby Strom Memorial Wrestling Tournament The Tesme ASM University ie announcing the Firel Annual John oifOfri W'p*sT!iog v oumarnDni jono otrofn, a rrMfrUMf Of ww Wieefng Club leet yew. wee killed in en ecrtomobtle Occident d tie Spring of 1966 Strom, eieetflng tor the ASM Club, wee the Stale Cham pion m 19SS. He wee e freshmen, member of the Corps end an outstand ing wrtflttsr for the teem. According to Robert Simpton. prestdem of toe Wrestling Club, Strom wee a positive driving force In the dub The Toumement. to be held Feb. 14 in 361 Q. Role While siaitfbg at 10am, B open to any wrestler 18 years and older Spectators ere also welooms. Anyone interested in wrestling in the toumement should con tact Robert Simpton at 846-2852 The dub hopes to keep the positive force of John Strom a part of toe dub by having e tournament to encourage new members Strom’s love of toe sport and hie positive attitude in hie time with the dub were greet re- cmfting tools tor toe dub it is hoped tost the spirit wW live on through Tits tOUm*ir T> **n’ AM students are invited to attend the Wrestling Club’s practices if they are inters sled in the sport The dub practices from %0 pm. Mon end Wed and 5-7 pm. Toe and Thurs in 260Q. Rollie Wfflk For more intor- ... s i r**y a ji-u-u. ■-> gs>6X2 T-Shirt Design Contest A oonteet wM be held tor t-ehtit designs for Pie 1967-66 Intramural AM University Champion T-shirts. Cntrtea open Monday. January 26 and does Tuesday, March 3 at 6 pm. Aff entiles may be turned In to PJ. Na deau 159 Reed Buildtog The intramural-Recreational Sports Depart ment e looking for a dasign that beet dspice the All-University Cham pion A $50 prize wM be awarded to toe winner The oonteet B open to an ekgtoie intramural participants including faculty and stolf The Wnner wB be notified by Monday. March 30 Rules ere evaaiehle in tie Intramural Recreational Sports Department For more Information contact P J. Na deau at 645-7826 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in toe Battalion py your Drive. Manor East Matt on by Germi Mttler. graph- i MCLJonngiii ana onan ov Tom Footnotes -Soccer finals wB be held Wad.. Fab. 11 at Penberthy fields from 5-6 pm. barring rWn -Outdoor Recreation Club Masting will be Tue., Feb. 10, 7 pm tii 205 MSC. Any interested students may attend -Softball Teem Captains Meeting is scheduled for Thurs., Feb. 12 at 5 pm in 601 Rudder for Dorm and Independent captains end 7:30 pm in 162 Read tor Athletic Corporals. -WatteybaN Team Captains Ms sting B scheduled tor Thurs., Fab 12,6 pm in 167 Read. Oaaksthall Playoffs will be posted Tue , Feb. 17 on the buietin boards across from raquattMli courts 2 and 3. Playoffs begin Fab. 19 % « Pedernales Falls State Park Feb. 20-22. Join us In hiking through ths Texas MM Country!! The $35 toe includes camping eepuipment, backpacks, food, permits, and axpartanoad guides Sign up in the Inira- Sports Office In 159 Read until Fab. 16. For Patsy at 845-7826