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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1989)
The Battalion ESTATE & LOCAL 3 | Friday, June 23,1989 [ISO ighl A tradition may die with Shasta V University may not replace mascot with another live cougar By Kelly S. Brown Jeff Osborne Contributing Edra 20/20” and rams have rti investigative joi rruption and t into our socie esty and intep I SENIOR STAFF WRITER After the cougar mascot at the University of Houston, Shasta V, died in May, the school was left in a J uandary — do they try and raise 125,000 to expand the “box-size” I cage for a new cougar, or do they let the tradition of having a wild animal I as the holder of school spirit die? Slowly, universities around the I country that have had wild animals I for a mascot, like Penn State — a I lion, or LSU — a tiger, have re- | placed them with another type of an- | imal or a person dressed like the ani- I mal, citing safety and expenses as I reasons. UH already has a student I dressed in a cougar costume at some I games, but the live cougar is consid- I ered its mascot. Shasta V faculty can be there to voice their opinions Some people ninds. se companies ae bandwagi people, freedi >nly to views d :hey oppose, it to agree ot e views of the; ul corporatie; 'ican ideal offn there are al»i or misguided ger to take 'ity recently d tg it had accoi d' censorship £ ing views, sm rest in pea dved the i t we cannot al perverted ses ecide exactly* 1 other people. the Bryan-Col ree with thee scontinue the bee. She did egrity any u omises its ova ippear as ne« The dilemma UH faces as to continuing the tradition has split the school down the center, and officials said a decision won’t be made until the fall when all the students and >le have already made up their mine" After an informal vote Wednes day the faculty senate opposed a plan that would replace the cougar with new one. Roland Smith, vice president of Photo by Russell James student affairs and final decision maker as to whether they get a new cougar, said, “Under no circum stances will they find a new cougar until a new facility is built.” Animal rights groups have pro tested in the past, arguing the cou gars existance in the 10 foot by 10 foot cement cage is inhumane. Were a new cage to be built, officials said it would be larger and have indoor- outdoor living areas. Costs to ex pand are estimated at $ 125,000. Smith said the money will have to come from sources other than the university. The Cougar Guard — a group of 10 to 15 students who care for the mascot and her living quar ters — raised $20,000 for the new fa cility, but this was done before Shasta V died of kidney failure last month. Supporters of a plan to replace the animal said the feline is a part of their school tradition, and that a cougar would be just as content in their facilities — if expanded — then it would be in a zoo. Judy Myers, president of the fac ulty senate, said because of the in tense feelings on both sides about the cat, she recommended the senate members to talk with their constitu ents about the issue. “I hear people saying that just the idea of having a wild animal for a See Cougar/Page 4 i has caused® The Battalion? >meneni memo society of Irani deplore theidd id of the Islai imber freedom right to disajf tample of out n though wei views of oliii it to speak free!' : is taken away, government, t 'orations, even ndividuals w! tie of freedom >f choice. runs, opinions olumnists are fhe Battalion.' bmitting guesi the Opinion ll Lawmakers’ agreement on workers ’ comp fails AUSTIN (AP) — State law makers said Thursday progress is being made on resolving the bat tle over reforming the workers’ compensation system, b it a move to speed a compromise along ap parently fell off the tracks. “We saw a little ray of light at the end of the tunnel, and unfor tunately it turned out to be a train,” House Speaker Gib Lewis said. Lewis had earlier said he and Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby agreed to a fast-track maneuver for a work ers’ comp bill, which indicated state leaders may have been near an agreement. Later in the day that plan evap orated, but state officials still claimed they were making head way on the thorny issue of over hauling the method of compen sating employees injured in on- the-job accidents. “My impression is we will have a bill and it will be a done deal by this time next week,” Gov. Bill Clements said. Sen. John Montford, one of several senators crafting a work ers’ comp bill, agreed. “I think we can have a bill in about a week, if we roll up our sleeves and hash it out,” Montford, D-Lubbock, said. The Senate State Affairs Com mittee approved a workers’ comp bill 8-2 and the full Senate will consider it Friday. Clements called lawmakers into a special session after the Legislature failed to reach a com promise on workers’ comp dur ing the 140-day regular session. The controversy has pitted business groups against orga nized labor and trial lawyers, who represent injured workers in court. The major stumbling block be tween the House and Senate has been whether to allow jury trials to resolve some workers’ comp disputes. Businesses say jury trials are to blame for skyrocketing workers’ comp insurance premiums, which have increased 148 percent over the past four years. Suspected AIDS carrier jailed for sexual assault of teen-ager CORPUS GHRISTI (AP) — A suspected AIDS car rier has been charged with aggravated sexual assault because his alleged sexual activity caused “serious bod ily harm” to a 15-year-old boy who recently tested posi tive for the deadly virus, a prosecutor said. Thomas Anthony Zule, 42, was being held in the Nueces County Jail on Thursday in lieu of $100,000 bond on the aggravated sexual assault charge. Justice of the Peace Ben Garza Jr. set the bond for Zule on Wednesday. It is the first local case of criminal action brought against someone alleged to have knowingly trans mitted acquired immune deficiency syndrome, author ities said. AIDS, for which there is no known cure, is a disease caused by a virus that attacks the body’s immune sys tem. In its advanced stages, it leaves the body suscepti ble to fatal diseases. The complaint against Zule alleges that he “inten tionally and knowingly caused serious bodily injury (to the 15-year-old) while (Zule) was infected with a trans- mittable and deadly disease, to wit, AIDS.” Nueces County Prosecutor Michael Hummell said he charged Zule with aggravated sexual assault instead of simple sexual assault because of the “serious bodily harm” allegedly suffered by the 15-year-old. Hummell said a case of assault is considered “aggra vated” because the victim has been beaten, shot or stabbed. “In this particular case, (the victim) was not injured by beating, shooting or stabbing, but by being inflicted with a transmittable, deadly disease,” Hummell said. Corpus Christi Police Sgt. Phil Cunningham said the man is accused of engaging in anal intercourse with the boy early last month. The youth told police that Zule had committed oral sex acts with him since last August, according to Cun ningham’s affidavit. Three Texans charged in coupon scam LUBBOCK (AP) — Ten people, including three Texans, face federal conspiracy and mail fraud charges after the U.S. Postal Inspectors Serv ice uncovered a $2 million coun terfeit coupon scam. A federal grand jury here on Wednesday handed down a 24- count indictment in connection with the scheme, in which coupons for food and other products from 47 major consumer product companies were allegedly printed and distrib uted nationwide from Texas. Among those charged were David George Rackmill of Stamford, Texas, and James Floyd Richards and David Keith Rees, both of San Antonio, said assistant U.S. attorney Steven M. Sucsy. The defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. The indictment said that begin ning in June 1988, Rackmill adver tised the coupons in a circular mailed to hundreds of people na tionwide after buying the fake cou pons from Rees, who had them printed by Richards. The coupons were similar to those offered by manufacturers to custom ers in exchange for proof-of-pur- chase seals and were valued between $1 and $10.89. “They were generally much better than what would be issued by man ufacturers in newspaper circulars,” said Sucsy. Program offers taste of India The India Association is sponsor ing an Indian music, dance and en tertainment program Friday at 7 p.m. in 201 MSC. V. K. Dorai, chairman of the exhi bition committee, said they are spon soring the program to increase inter est in an art exhibition in the MSC Forsyth Center Galleries titled, “In dia: The Land and the People.” The exhibition features 25 pic tures of India taken by photogra pher Beatrice Pitney Lamb. Dorai said the free program and exhibition will increase people’s cul tural awareness of India. “At the program we will have singing and dancing from people in the community,” he said. “These events will give people the opportu nity to participate in some real In dian activities.” FAMOUS FIRSTS FIRST AIRPLANE The Wright Brothers began experimenting with kites in the 1890’s and in 1903 became the first to sustain flight for 852 feet over the beach at Kitty Hawk. FIRST CAR FIRST LOVE She was the only one who didn’t laugh when you fell off the jungle gym and broke your leg. She even let you win at checkers. What a woman! The world’s first motor car, the Lenoir, named after its inventor, ran at an average speed of 4 miles per hour. In 1863 the 1 1/2 horsepower vehicle made its first drive of 6 miles in only 3 hours. UNIVERSITY TOWER It’s time to introduce another Famous First, University Tower. In August, the privately-owned and managed property will open as a dormitory. At University Tower you'll find 24-hour on-site security, a huge bedroom and private bath, full meal plans, an exercise and weight room, study rooms & com puter room, an indoor pool, a sport-court, a volleyball pit, laundry facilities, housekeeping service, and a shuttle bus to campus. It’s the first and only dorm of its kind at A&M. Call or come by for leasing information for Fall/Spring '89-'90! “Above and Beyond the Rest” University Tower 410 South Texas Avenue (409) 846-4242 1-800-537-9158 Univcrsltv Tc University Dr. TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY A University Tower is managed by one of the most experienced student housing management company in the United States. Dr. Richard A Bems. general manager for Wallerstein Property Management, manages dormitories at the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University for over 1800 students. •f- AM/PM Clinics CLINICS Our New College Station location « \ offers Birth Control Counseling Women’s Services Female doctors on duty Student 10% discount with ID 693-0202 Sign a lease before July 4 and get special rates for Fall and Spring No Utility DEPOSIT 6 FLOOR PLANS Mon-FTi 8-6 Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5 ^ N Hwy 6 Bypass m MimTlON 0U5 s Post Oak Mall 1 I Texas Ave • Swimming Pool • Tennis Courts • Basketball • Volleyball • Jacuzzi PLANTATION OAKS 1501 Harvey Road/693-1110 Pizza -Hut Northgate Pizza Hut 501 University Dr. Presents A John Wayne Weekend Friday 5pm-l 1pm Saturday llam-llpm Continuous showing of 9 Free John Wayne Movies Cowboys The shootist Rio Bravo True Grit Rio Lobo Chisum Rooster Cogburn Big Jake Cahill US Marshall Food & Drink Specials 50tf Lonestar Longnecks 99tf Nachos