e Battalion
TATE & LOCAL
Wednesday, December 13,1989
mm# *m&~ '^ ^mm
Photo by Sotography
l&M senior Randy Rudell races his 650-horsepower boat at the International Hot Boat Association’s
World Finals in the modified eliminator class.
irefighter’s
iee speech
ase refused
WASHINGTON (AP) — A
Kilgore Firefighter’s attorney says
he Supreme Court has sent a
nessage to government officials
ay refusing to uphold a Firefight-
:r’s suspension for criticizing the
:ity.
“This sends a message that
ublic employees do not surren-
er their First Amendment rights
b engage in public debate,” said
attorney, Betsy Julian of Dallas,
ivho represented firefighter Gary
Moore.
The court refused Monday to
hear the city of Kilgore’s appeal
stemming from comments Moore
made after a 1985 fatal fire.
Moore had been an active op
ponent of budget cuts that re
duced the number of city fire
fighters.
When a fire killed one fire
lighter and injured another,
oore told reporters “We are in a
osition to say, T told you so,’ to
he city.”
He was suspended without pay
Bor 30 days and placed on proba
tion for “unsanctidfted com-
Jfirients” and “insubordinate
Speech.”
j U.S. District Judge William
Steger of Tyler sided with the
ity, but the 5th U.S. Circuit
iourt of Appeals said the city had
iolated Moore’s constitutional
guarantee of free speech.
UPD annual reports show
decrease in DWI arrests
By RICHARD ROSS
Of The Battalion Staff
Either students at Texas A&M are
getting smarter about driving while
intoxicated, or police aren’t enforc
ing the law as closely this semester.
The University Police Depart
ment’s annual report shows a major
decline in DWI incidents by A&M
students.
The report said there were 46
DWI cases during the 1988-89
school year. According to the report,
only two students have been arrested
for DWI since the beginning of this
semester.
University Police Associate Direc
tor Elmer E. Schneider said in
creased public awareness is one of
the reasons for the decline of stu
dent DWI cases.
“Public awareness and media cam
paigns are partly responsible for the
drop of DWI incidents,” Schneider
said. “Active participation by MADD
(Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
and SADD (Students Against Drunk
Driving) have put the issue in the
spotlight.”
Schneider said alternative bever
ages served at group-sponsored
events have helped decrease the
A&M DWI rate.
“The DWI rate has also been in
decline because of the inactivity of
the Joint Task Force,” Schneider
said. “The task force is composed of
the Bryan, College Station and Uni
versity police departments.”
He said the Texas Alcoholic Bev
erage Commission assists the three
departments.
“The task force will be at full
strength by the end of December,”
Schneider said. “The first patrol for
the task force will begin New Year’s
Eve. The mission of the task force is
to specifically find the maximum
number of DWI violators.”
During these events, every avail
able officer in each of the three de-
E artments is out on the streets
joking for drunk drivers, Schnei
der said.
He said the task force has been
hampered by the decrease in federal
funding.
Kristi Matthews, coordinator of
the Anti-DWI Program for Brazos
County, said the task force has been
funded through! the State Depart
ment of Highways and Transporta
tion. She said Brazos County admin
isters these funds.
Matthews said the task force re
ceived funding from federal grants
in the past three years. This in
cluded a comprehensive anti-DWI
grant.
“This year federal funding has
decreased' ifW&use Cff govern rrtent
cutbacks,” she said. “Emergency
medical systems and school bus
safety are now getting part of the
funding that once was devoted to
DWI enforcement.”
She said the cutbacks have compli
cated the enforcement of DWI, but
police officials are hoping to receive
more funding.
Merry
Christmas
<6^
—
THANKS AGGIES
From all of us at:
ffliLOUPOTSiB
A&M students place first
in international boat race
Tough year proves worthwhile in final roundfor drag-racing team
By CHRIS VAUGHN
Of The Battaljon Staff
In his first try at international
competition, Texas A&M senior
Randy Rudell defeated a field of 32
and captured first place in the mod
ified eliminator class of the Interna
tional Hot Boat Association’s World
Finals of Drag Boat Racing.
Rudell and A&M senior Donald
Campbell, the crew chief, however,
did not get to savor the victory in the
winner’s circle.
The two civil engineering majors,
barely dry from their last race,
hopped on a plane back to College
Station without the four-foot tall tro
phy and cash winnings they had just
earned. Rudell’s father stayed to
pick up the winnings.
The drag boat racing finals, which
were held in Phoenix in November,
were the culmination of several
months of racing in Texas and Loui
siana for the two A&M students.
“This is the first year we entered
the international finals,” Rudell, a
native of Manuel, said. “We didn’t
expect to do so well, but things just
worked out for us.”
The modified eliminator class,
which is for boats that can race a 1/4-
mile in 10-11 seconds, featured com
petition from all over the United
States and Canada, according to
Campbell, a native of Abilene.
Rudell said the victory in the in
ternational level of drag boat racing
more than makes up for a tough
year elsewhere on the racing circuit.
“We went through three motors
in one year,” Rudell said. “Three
motors in one year is pretty bad. But
this made it all worth it.”
The boat, which currently has a
650-horsepower engine, is under
going another engine change soon
when the two students will upgrade
the engine to 1,000-horsepower.
Officials: String of disasters
stretch Red Cross’s budget
By Timothy King
Special to The Battalion
In the past few months, the United States has ex
perienced several natural disasters, stretching the
American Red Cross to the limit of its ability to pro
vide relief to victims in need.
In September, Hurricane Hugo struck the Carib
bean and the east coast of the United States. Hurri
cane Jerry then played havoc on the beaches of Gal
veston Island and the shores of Texas and
Louisiana, and then in October the San Francisco
area suffered massive damage from a huge earth
quake.
Since September 18, the day that Hugo roared
into the Caribbean, the Red Cross has sheltered
188,735 people, served 12.4 million meals and given
financial assistance to 143,698 families and individu
als.
The Red Cross, which receives no government
funding and exists on donations alone, has a charter
from the U.S. Congress mandating that it “provide
services to the U.S. Armed Forces and relief to disas
ter victims at home and abroad.” The Red Cross Di
saster Relief Program states that the organization
has “both legal and moral mandates in the field of
disaster relief,” and does not have either the power
or right to surrender these mandates.
Before Hurricane Hugo, the American Red Cross
had $10 million dollars in the bank. Hugo resulted
in the costliest relief effort in the organization’s his
tory, a $42 million project that left the orgaiff^it^on
with a $32 million dollar debt.
Just a short time after Hurricane Hugo struck
South Carolina, Hurricane Jerry struck the coast of
Texas. Although considered a minor hurricane,
Jerry left Texas with several million dollars worth of
damage. Shortly after Jerry, an earthquake register
ing 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the San Francisco
area, leaving hundreds dead or homeless, and in
flicting billions of dollars of damage. When the
string of disasters started, the Red Cross also was
providing relief to flood victims in Kentucky.
Since that time the American Red Cross has been
able to raise $98.7 million for their Disaster Relief
Fund, while estimating expenditures at about $94
million. In a Dec. 4 news release, Gene Dyson, co-
chairman of the Red Cross Disaster Relief Cam
paign, said, “This proves there is at least one force
more powerful than Mother Nature: human nature.
This is more than twice as much as we’ve ever raised
for a disaster campaign.”
Dyson said that the just having enough money to
meet current expenses does not mean that all of the
disaster victims’ needs have been met, because relief
efforts often continue for months or years.
Emily Stiteler, Director for the Brazos County
chapter, says that in addition to meeting the immedi
ate needs of victims, the Red Cross also tries to pro
vide funds to help relocate families and individuals
into new homes and to buy furniture and clothing.
In addition, the Red Cross will fill medical or optical
prescriptions for those victims in need.
Although the American Red Cross National Disas
ter Relief Program will come to the scene of any di
saster of a large magnitude, the local chapters are re
sponsible for providing funds for any local disasters
that might occur. Stiteler said that each community
is expected to meet its own local needs, with those
needs usually appearing in the form of single family
fires. Such fires usually, increase in number as the
' winter months and cold weather approach.
Anyone wishing to make donations for local relief
should make checks payable to the American Red
Cross and send them to 207 W. 29th St., Bryan, TX
77803. Checks to support national relief efforts can
be sent to Midwestern Operations Headquarters,
10195 Corporate Sq., St. Louis, Mo., 63132. Persons
interested in becoming a Red Cross Volunteer or
blood donor can call 822-2157.
Congratulations to the Class of ’89)
Messina Hof Salutes You.
Messina Hof Wine Cellars is a Brazos Valley tradition and an
investment for ones future.
Take a bottle of Brazos Valley Tradition with you
Best Wishes
Paul & Merrill Bonarrigo ’75
Messina Hof Wine Cellars
Retail Hours:
Monday-Friday 8-4:30
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-4
For Reservations
778-WINE
Directions to Winery
1) Exit Hwy 6 at Hwy 21
2) Travel east 2mi. to Wallis Rd.
3) Follow Signs to Winery
MEAT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
HOLIDAY SPECIALS!
GREAT GIFT IDEAS
SAUSAGE AND CHEESE GIFT BOX $19.95 ea.
An Aggie decorated box containing approximately 1 lb. of Summer Sausage, I lb. of Beef Stick Sausage, and 2 lbs. of
Cheddar cheese.
BEEF RIBEYE STEAKS (5 and 10 lb. boxes) $5.79 per lb.
The gift for the extra special person. These steaks are boneless, closely trimmed and cut l- 1 /*” thick. Approximately 12
to 14 steaks per 10 lb. box.
BEEF STRIP STEAKS (5 and 10 lb. boxes) $5.49 per lb.
These top loin steaks are boneless and ready for the grill. They are extra trim, and cut l-'/i” thick. Approximately 12 to
14 steaks per 10 lb. box.
STOCKING STUFFER
REEF JERKY
(HALF POUND BAG)
$6.99 per bag
HOLIDAY COOKING
HICKORY SMOKED &
CURED HAMS
Bone-in (15-20 lbs.)
$1.98 per lb.
Boneless (3-5 lbs.)
$3.29 per lb.
VISA
Other Beef, Lamb, Pork, Sausage, Dairy products, and Farm Fresh Eggs are available. All products are sold
on first come first serve basis. Prices effective while supplies last or untilTDecember 21,1989. We are open for
business Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We will be closed from December 21 through
January 1. (Phone: 845-5651)
k
!>
8
s
!>
8
s