■
Monday, December 7,1987/The Battalion/Pac e 3
State and Local
loliday parade draws crowd
n spite of tornado watch, rain
n
says
you
?re. Dei’
m. ’
n. “The)
ige. The
s behinii
nd
By Drew Leder
Staff Writer
In spite of a tornado watch, oc-.
asional showers and a tempera-
ure that didn’t exactly lend to the
]hristmas spirit, the Brazos
bounty Chamber of Commerce
loliday Parade proceeded on
chedule Sunday to the cheers of
tnlookers lining Texas Avenue.
Even Santa Claus braved the
Joudy skies as he descended by
aracnute onto the Texas A&M
’olo Field to mark the beginning
ifthe parade.
The Confederate Air Force ap-
leared with six planes flying in
airs, and although appearing a
ittle later than scheduled, a hot-
lir balloon hovered over the area
ifthe Texas Avenue-University
)rive intersection.
The procession of floats, cars,
nopeds, horses, bands and wav-
B participants began their 2.1
e trek down two lanes of
Texas Avenue from the main en-
rance of campus to Villa Maria
load at 3 p.m. The last of the 122
Mrticipating organizations filed
into the track at 4:30 p.m.
Although 20 scheduled en-
i:.’ .ufcrants didn’t show up for the pa-
, , rade, Kim Autrey, a Chamber of
0311 w Commerce employee who helped
organize the parade, said she was
pleased, considering the weather,
j to havt ^ die turnout of participants
loon 01' anc ^ s P ectators - Autrey said the
’ parade — the largest ever sched
uled — came off without a hitch
y histon except for one stinky situation.
“The biggest problem is that a
lot of people (with horses) don’t
have pooper scoopers,” she said.
The Ross Volunteers were the
first of the nearly 3,000 paraders
to march along the wet avenue,
spinning their weapons as they
walked. Close behind, members
of the Texas Aggie Band filed by
to the sound of marching music.
Miss Texas A&M Melinda Fritz
was perched on the back seat of a
convertible, draped in a full-
length gown with crown on head,
ing and waving.
Local children ride a float on Sunday.
Many local politicians also tra
iled along, like state Sen. Kent
Caperton of Bryan, College Sta
tion Mayor Larry Ringer and
Bryan Mayor Marvin Tate.
Most of the organizationsin the
parade were judged by local
members of the media on the cre
ativity and overall appeal of their
entries. The $100 grand prize
went to a city of College Station
float that featured a huge papier-
mache cat sticking its nose against
a cage housing two obviously
happy goldfish.
A group of postal workers
dressed as letters took first place
in the marching units category
while the A&M Consolidated
High School Band came away
with the grand prize in the musi
cal competition.
As would be expected at a holi
day parade, the traditional
Christmas theme was evident in
several of the entries. There was a
live manger scene, an old-time
Christmas scene complete with
tree, presents and eager children
and a towering green grinch who
didn’t appear to be thrilled with a
role in a Christmas parade. There
was even a “Santa Claws,” pre
sented by Red Lobster, with pin
cers for hands. And, of course,
the “real Santa” made an appear
ance on one of the floats.
Besides the usual holiday pa
raders, there were some partici
pants that normally aren’t asso
ciated with a holiday festival. Car
club members cruised by in their
holiday-decor'ated low riders,
Photo by Sam B. Myers
blaring rock ’n’ roll on the radio.
Children marched to the rhythm
of “just say no to drugs” and
McGruff, the crime dog, sang
anti-drug songs of cheer.
Like many of the onlookers,
Bryan resident Bob Taylor and
his young son Sean stuck out the
brief rain shower at the begin
ning of the parade and sat along
the curb for the duration. Taylor
said the parade was worth getting
a little wet.
“We’re out here having some
fun,” he said. “I think the parade
is great.”
Sean also said he enjoyed the
g recession, but for him, seeing
anta was the best part of the day.
Arab-Americans
can influence U.S.,
speaker reports
DALLAS (AP) — Arab-Ameri
cans in recent years have exercised
some influence in the United States,
helping to overcome stereotypes,
said a speaker at the 19th annual
convention of the United Holy Land
Fund.
“I think that up until five years
ago, Arab-Americans had no influ
ence in this country,” Suhail Miari,
president of the United Holy Land
Fund, said Saturday.
“However, five years ago, Arab-
Americans realized they have to or
ganize somehow, through local clubs
or national organizations,” Miari
said.
The three-day conference, which
focused mainly on the plight of the
Palestinians, was organized by the
fund, a non-profit organization that
solicits donations to help Lebanese
and Palestinian families.
Mohamed Ghanayem, a spokes
man for the group’s Dallas chapter,
said the fund last year raised more
than $250,000 to support health, so
cial and educational institutions.
“We have active people, com
mitted people, who, whether they
are Palestinian, American or Arab-
American, believe in helping the Pal
estinian people financially as well as
morally since these people have been
subjected to negative measures,”
Miari said.
“I think we are a newly-emerging
group trying to ameliorate the situa
tion, to improve upon the image of
Arab-Americans as camel-riders,
women chasers, and money or war
mongers,” Miari said.
Don Betz, dean at Northeastern
Oklahoma State University, one of
the non-Arab speakers and a long
time supporter of efforts to aid Pal
estinians, said such stereoptypes rob
people of the perspective they need
to make astute political decisions.
The progress being made by Ar
abs toward assimilation into the
American political system was equa
ted by Miari with that of other ethnic
groups.
“We are newly emerging on the
American scene.” he said.
Hassan Abdul-Rahman, a rep
resentative of the Palestinian Liber
ation Organization in the United
States, said, “One can easily say there
is increasing activism of Arab-Amer
icans in the United States. They are
becoming more involved in the
American political process.
Jackson says press labels
him as loser despite polls
AUSTIN (AP) — Democratic
presidential candidate Jesse Jackson
says reporters too frequently classify
him as a candidate who cannot win.
After a Saturday speech to a
Texas Democratic Women’s forum,
Jackson said that even news stories
about his strong showing in some
polls sometimes label him a loser.
“There is a slant or a slander, a
media slander, that I’ve learned to
wear on my back,” Jackson said. “No
matter how well I’m doing it is said,
‘But he can’t win.’”
Jackson, Tennessee Sen. A1 Gore
and Massachusetts Gov. Mike Duka
kis all brought their presidential
campaigns to the Saturday forum
that drew a crowd of 650.
Jackson told the audience, “You
want a leader? You want a choice?
You want a change? Here am I. If I
can win, every Democrat can win be
cause never again will race and sex
and religion and excessive military
appetite be a prerequisite for win
ning.”
Jackson, Tennessee Sen. A1 Gore
and Massachusetts Gov. Mike Duka
kis all brought their campaigns to
the forum that drew a crowd of
650.
satellites
Wei
e.
e bridge
er in l
“this just
here is
oebas of
n. “Wo"
ik to jo®
;. Final!'
ires! Mt
nd i
is left t«
apty us 1 ''
l scien*
,e B««»l
5,
STUDY BRE
FREE
® BUY ONE
PIZZA...
GET ONE FREE!
Buy any size Original Round
pizza at regular price, get
identical. pizza FREEI Carry
Out Only.
Save $6 18
TWO LARGE
PIZZAS
"with everything"
lO toppings for only
99
$ii !
Good Mon.-Wed. Only
Valid with coupon at participating Little
Caesars. One coupon per customer. Carry
out only.
Toppings Include pepperonl ham, bacon, ground
beef, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onions.
Anchovies and hot peppers upon request.
Ask About Our New 3-Day Loan Approval
FIRST FEDERAL
STUDENT LOANS
Help
for the high cost
of higher
education.
B-M-12-7
Exp. 1-11-88
B-M-12-7
Exp. 1-11-88
VALUABLE COUPON
With all the studying you have, you're entitled
to a break. At Little Caesars you always get
two pizzas, but you pay for only one.
Norhtgate
2680220
University fie Stasney
Outdoor Seating
College Station
696-0191
SW Parkway fie Texas
Bryan
776-7171
E. 29th fie Briarcrest
If you want to go to college, First Federal
Savings & Loan Association wants to help.
We offer Federally Guaranteed Student
Loans administered by the Texas Guaranteed
Student Loan Corp. to qualified students.
The interest rate is currently 8%, far
below current market loan rates, and
you have up to 10 years to repay your
loan. Plus, with our new application
and processing procedures, we can
now provide three day approval on
your loan. Learn more about our
guaranteed student loans. Infor
mation and loan applications are
available now at First Federal.
First Federal
Little Caesars Pizza
* 1984 Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc.
Savings & Loan Association of Beaumont
409/268-8675
3608 East 29th St.
Bryan, TX 77805
An equal opportunity lender.