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