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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 24, 1989)
Tuesday, October 24,1989 The Battalion Page 7 - Buck Helm astounded his his head to show he had no for 90 hours in his tiny car OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) doctors Monday by noddin pain, despite being trappet under tons of concrete. “In the next 24 to 48 hours, if he continues the way he is now, he will be out of the woods,” Dr. Floyd Huen, medical director at Highland General Hospital, said. “His love for us and our love for him is one of the major things that kept him going,” his former wife, Lorrie Helm, said at a hospital news conference Mon day also attended by three of his children. “Buck is a strong-willed man,” she said. “For him to survive this long he has proved it. He’s always been there when I needed him, and this is when he needs us.” A wave of joy spread through the hospital at news of Helm’s condition, Huen said. “When he was asked about whether he was hurting anywhere, he shook his head and everbody was incred ulous,” Huen said. Helm’s condition was upgraded Monday from crit ical to “very serious” and may improve again to serious, Huen said, adding that Helm was likely to spend two or three more days on a respirator. Helm, 57, had been trapped in his silver Chevrolet . Sprint under tons of steel and concrete since the earth quake Tuesday toppled a double-decker section of In terstate 880 in Oakland. A ship’s clerk at the Port of Oakland’s Charles P. Hamilton Terminal at the foot of Market Street, Helm was headed up the freeway to Emeryville to a legal poker parlor when the quake hit, dockworkers said. And in the freeway rubble is where he remained, slumped on his right side along the front seat, until res cue workers freed him Saturday. Helm’s kidneys, which doctors had feared were so se verely damaged by dehydration that he might need di alysis the rest of his life, appeared to be resuming nor mal function, Huen said. When a person is severely dehydrated, the kidneys shut down to preserve the fluids in the body, Huen said. However, doctors had feared that byproducts of muscle damage could have poisoned the kidneys. “In his case, he has responded so quickly we feel it wasjust severe dehydration,” Huen said. Doctors felt Helm’s recovery was coming along so well that they began feeding him through a tube in serted in his stomach and gave him a pencil and a tablet of paper to communicate. Helm, 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds, can’t talk because a respirator tube has been run down his throat. However, the broken ribs and chest wall separation appear to be mending and doctors have been lowering the amount of oxygen delivered through the respirator, Huen said. Mrs. Helm said she has read newspaper accounts of the earthquake to him, and he understands although he drifts in and out of consciousness. He communicates by nodding, blinking and squeezing her hand, she said. House committee authorizes billions in aid for quake area WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee on Monday ap proved a $2.85 billion aid package for areas damaged by she San Fran cisco earthquake, more than the White House supported but $1 bil lion less than the amount pushed by the California congressional dele gation. The plan was approved by voice vote in the House Appropriations Committee after the panel rejected, 26-7, the state delegation’s request for $3.8 billion. Committee chair man Jamie L. Whitten, D-Miss., said more money could come later but he didn’t want to send too much, too soon with too few controls. “My whole pitch is to do some thing now, straighten it out later, and don’t waste any money in the meantime,” Whitten said. Rep. Silvio Conte, R-Mass., the se nior Republican on the committee, said the Bush administration could accept Whitten’s proposal. The White House had proposed ear marking less than $2.5 billion, with In Advance Guatemalan presidential candidate speaks today Father Andres Giron, 1990 presidential candidate for Guate mala, will speak at 7 p.m. tonight in 201 MSG. Giron leads the largest peasant union in Guatemala, numbering 100,000. Giron has been seen as a threat to Guatemala’s ultraconservative leaders. His promise to seek land reform for the people has led some to call for his arrest. He said he envisions a Guate mala with no landless peasants, a place where country people have enough land to grow the food they need. Gubernatorial hopeful Hance to speak tonight Kent Hance, Republican candi date for governor of Texas, will speak tonight at 7 in 105 Har rington. Hance is one of four principal candidates vying for the Republi can party nomination in the March primary. Hance serves as chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil, gas and trans portation industries in Texas. The speech is sponsored by Texas A&M College Republicans and is open to the public. During his brief stay in College Station, Hance also will speak to the Republican Club of Brazos County tonight at 6 at the Ra- mada Inn in College Station. Groups plan Great Brazos County Trash Out II Bryan and College Station will get the spic-and-span treatment Nov. 4 when area groups and businesses come together for the Great Brazos County Trash Out II. The communitywide cleanup, sponsored by Brazos Beautiful, Bryan Forward! and the College Station Community Appearance Committee, will kick off with a presentation by the mayors and choirs from Bryan schools in the Casa Tomas parking lot on Texas Avenue. Each group will be assigned a specific portion of Texas Avenue or another appropriate area to clean up during the morning. Containers also will be placed in city parks to involve homeowners in the project. Groups interested in partici pating may contact Diane Craig, executive coordinator at Brazos Beautiful, at 696-5391. nearly $1 billion of that coming from existing federal accounts. Full House action was expected on Tuesday, as the aid was attached to a stopgap spending bill which must be sent to the President by Wednesday to avert a government shutdown on Thursday. Rep. Vic Fazio, D-Calif., who led his state’s effort in the committee, said the $2.85 billion “does not, of course, meet all our needs.” He said he was also concerned that the com mittee refused to waive require ments for local matching of some of the federal highway aid. The committee votes came during a somewhat testy session, during which lawmakers from other states questioned why California’s aid package should be so big. Rep. Bob Livingston, R-La., pro posed and then withdrew an amend ment which would have allocated $5 billion for his home state to compen sate for the hurricane damage it has suffered in hurricanes since the turn of the century. Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, said he was “troubled by the lack of ac countability” in the California plan. Congress should “look at it a lot more carefully with hearings,” he suggested. “We are the Golden State and I think there is a certain amount of jealousy,” Fazio said afterward. The committee approved $1.1 bil lion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s efforts to re pair the devastation and $1 billion for the Federal Highway Adminis tration’s emergency fund. Most of the fatalities, and the worst damage from the quake, was related to high way structures. In addition, $500 million would be given to the Small Business Ad ministration for emergency loans, and $250 million for President Bush to spend at his discretion on other operations. The California delegation. Con gress’ largest at 47 members, had wanted $1 billion for highway re pair, $1.1 billion for FEMA, $1.2 bil lion for SB A disaster loans and $100 million for loans to low-income peo ple. FREE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT* Bring your insurance claims to us and we will pay your deductible up to $50.00. AAA AUTO GLASS After the quake... Survivor pulled from mbble continues to steadily improve Rescuers lose hope for more life Massive death toll of quake reaches 62 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Freeway survivor Buck Helm im proved Monday but crews search ing the collapsed highway where he was rescued gave up hope oth ers would be found alive. The death toll from last week’s earth quake climbed by three to 62. Bay area commuters, after con quering heavy morning traffic and rough seas on the first full workday since the quake, faced early and tangled afternoon traf fic. In Congress, relief legislation worth $2.85 billion moved ahead. “We’re very certain nobody’s up there alive. We’ve searched, searched, researched, triple- searched,” said Oakland Police Lt. Kris Wraa, referring to the crumpled H/Tmile stretch of In terstate 880 where huge slabs of concrete teetered in the rain. Asked if officials had given up hope of finding another survivor, she said, “That’s fair wording.” With rescue efforts suspended, crews began dismantling a shaky 100-yard section, officials said. Kyle Nelson of the California Department of Transportation, whose job is to make sure the structure was safe for rescuers, called it extremely dangerous. “Given the right conditions of rain and wind, it could have col lapsed,” he said. About 150 residents of a hous ing project just 10 feet from 1-880 joined thousands of homeless be cause of fears that more of the highway could fall. Commuters did return to the earthquake-ravaged transit sys tem, many boarding extra trains or a flotilla of ferries because the Bay Bridge from Oakland to San Francisco remained closed. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system carried twice the normal load and ferry passengers had to stomach rough seas and whip ping winds, but there was little of the feared gridlock on the roads. “I’ve just been through hell, but heck, I have to admit I made it through it,” said John Trow bridge, a commuter who nor mally would have driven across the Bay Bridge but instead rode a ferry that lurched constantly, bat tling swells that washed across the tip of the boat. “It can only get better, this can’t get much worse,” he said. Helm did get a bit better Mon day, doctors said. The 57-year-old long shoreman, who spent four days trapped under the freeway rub ble in his Chevrolet Sprint before being rescued Saturday, was awake and was given a writing tablet and pencil so he could start responding to questions while on a respirator. He was no longer in pain and his kidney function improved to the point where doctors no longer think he will need further dialysis. Dr. Floyd Huen said. “In the next 24 to 48 hours, if he continues the way he is now, he will be out of the woods,” Huen said. “When he was asked about hurting anywhere, he shook his head and everybody was incredulous.” Damage from Tuesday’s 6.9- magnitude quake topped $7 bil lion, surpassing Hurricane Hugo as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, according to the In dependent Insurance Agents of America. Two more deaths were re ported in San Francisco. One, an unidentified female, was found in fire rubble in the Marina district. DOORS OPEN 6:00 P.M. BEGINNERS WELCOME! Speed (Ex Frl) 6:30 1st Session 7:15 2nd Session 9:00 2111 S. College Bryan Paint & Glass 779-1011 THIS WEEK OCTOBERFEST FOOD SPECIALS TCIES: Silver Dollar Might! 8 Games + Speed •BONUS Dollars •Dollar Food & Drink Specials WEDS: $2 Double Fun, 12 & 18 Face Specials THCIRS: 1/2 Price Option FRI: 5x5 Night, 10 BIG Games SAT: Family Nite, Beginners Pack $5/session Extras-.50 per front face MAXIMUM NIGHTLY PAYOOTS 2015 TEXAS AVE. S. doys clubs or bhazos county UC 11746079S94G TOWN SHIRE b.v.c^csjc UCl 30008731373 BRYAN 822-9087 CHILD PLACEMENT CENTER UC« 17.33510375 WATCH YOUR MAILBOX THE I/Ml Air Fare Busters Brings You The World ARE YOU 12 TO 25 YEARS OLD If you are 12 to 25 years of age, enjoy Eu rope even on Christmas with no restrictions. 518.00 Geneva 532.00 518.00 Hamburg 518.00 578.00 Munich 518.00 700.00 Milan 614.00 500.00 Zurich 532.00 ‘Open Weekends 10-4 'Ask for other destinations (800) 232-8783 (713)961-5109 (800)AFBUSTER IS COMING THIS WEEK -~L Breckenridge plus $20 tax 1-800-U.B.SKHNG DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS TICKET DISMISSAL—INSURANCE DISCOUNT October 27, 28 (6-10 p.m. & 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) November 8, 9 (6-10 p.m. & 6-10 p.m.) 845-1631 MSC POLITICAL FORUM PRESENTS INSIGHT o ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION MSC Political Foum 12:00 MSC Cashiers Room in MSC Cafeteria Professor Ming Shen Zhou visiting professor from China will discuss CHINA S DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT admission is free This program is presented for educational purposes , and does not necessarily reflect the views of MSC Political Forum. ^Tr $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 VZ IRRITABLE BOWEL STUDY $^0 finn Symptamatic patients with recent physician diagnosed, irri- | 100 lioo tal:) * e bowel syndrome to participate in a short study. $100 $100 incentive f° r th °se chosen to particpate. $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 ||S PAINFUL MUSCULAR INJURIES ||S $50 Individual with recent lower back or neck pain, sprain, strains, $50 $50 muscle spasms, or painful muscular sport injury to participate $50 $50 in a one week research study. $50 incentive for those chosen $50 $50 to participate. $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY $300 $300 Individuals with high blood pressure, either on or off $300 blood pressure medication to participate in a high blood $300 pressure study. $300 incentive for those chosen to $300 participate. $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 FEVER STUDY Short at home study to evaluate individuals 17 years and older who have a temperature over 100° f. $50. incentive for those chosen to participate. Nights and weekends call 361- 1500. $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 550 $50 Cold Study $50 $50 . . 550 $50 Individual 18 years & older who suffer from recent onset of | 50 $50 the common cold. $50 incentive for those chosen to partici- $50 Pate $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 Hacky Cough-Bronchitis-Pneumonia We are looking for these symptoms in individuals to partici pate in a short study to monitor and treat your illness. Free chest x-ray, EKG and monetary incentive for those chosen to participate. CALL PAULL RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 776-0400