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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1990)
9, 199[ ar PAM« TheBattalion-r Lucky 7 Aggie football goes ' to Austin for seventh win — in a row! See Page 7 U Yfl Vol. 90 No. 63 USPS 045360 1 0 Pages College Station, Texas Friday, November 30, 1990 City continues to Held Northgate complaints Jinale 3rtE6ol>t OUT of Hflfl II night ail see hotviifl rtunatelyji ind the ir,;| llion dolhi and d ■nts haver, thefirstp ening tom s to live,’'li By KEVIN M. HAMM and CHRIS VAUGHN Of The Battalion Staff Trash, poor roads, dilapidated houses and weedy lots usually do not characterize the appearance of the most well-known, popular areas of a town. But unfortunately, these things characterize the Northgate area of College Station and leave many with a bad impression. Many of the Northgate merchants and church leaders say they are tired of the image these problems create, but the city has done little to im prove the area’s appearance. “If 1 had my ’druthers, I would al ways like to be here,” said Dr. Tom Estes, pastor of A&M Presbyterian Church. “It’s an important place to be. But the University doesn’t care much and the city doesn’t either. The police say it is one of the most difficult areas in the city, but you don’t see an awful lot of evidence they’re trying to clean it up.” Litter — mostly beer bottles, plas- j tic cups and fliers — is one of the most obvious problems in the area addressed by Northgate merchants, pastors and city leaders, but the city’s efforts haven’t worked so far. The city has tried to curb the litter problem by placing seven trash re ceptacles along University Drive. Although the trashcans have re duced the amount of litter, a long- Merchants, pastors want more action, solutions from officials term solution has not been found. “We’re still in the brainstorming phase right now,” said Jim Smith, College Station sanitation superin tendent. “We realize the problems that are out there, and are in the process of forming some strategy to assess those problems.” Smith said the city is trying to maintain Northgate because of its importance to College Station. “It’s just a part of the community we want to keep manicured,” he said. “That’s about the only down town College Station has.” The Northgate issue has been on the city council’s “priority list” for five or six years, College Station Mayor Larry Ringer said. However, the Rev. Ron Petty, as sociate pastor of A&M Methodist Church on University Drive, said the city isn’t taking enough action. His church sent the College Sta tion City Council a letter expressing concerns about litter and traffic in the area, but nothing has been done. “The city sometimes doesn’t re spond as quickly as we want,” Petty said. Estes agrees the city has done little to deal with Northgate’s problems. “I’ve tried to dog the mayor’s steps, but I haven’t in the past year been able to arrange a meeting,” he said. Estes, whose church sits on Church Street behind the Northgate bars, would like to see more trash re ceptacles in the area, especially on church property. Petty agrees because he said A&M Methodist’s pastors have to spend time Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings cleaning up beer bottles, cans and plastic cups out of their churchyard. Though more trashcans in the area would help, the owner of Texas Aggie Bookstore said the responsibi lity ultimately rests with the shop pers and merchants. “There is a problem with trash, but I don’t have a solution except for individual concern,” John Raney said. “You can’t put police out to fine people. It’s the individual’s responsi bility.” Estes agrees much of the responsi bility lies with people. “Some of the patrons of the bars are not taking any care of property they don’t perceive as their own,” he said. Besides litter, the most frequent complaint about the Northgate area from the people who live and work there is the quality of roads and the lack of adequate sidewalks, curbs and drainage. “One of the problems with North- gate is the streets in the area are de teriorating,” said Vernon Schneider, a city council member and Texas A&M professor. “The streets in Northgate also are lacking curbs.” Jim Callaway, director of the city’s planning department, said the city is aware of the traffic and pedestrian congestion on Patricia Street, which runs behind the Northgate strip. He said “for a number of years” the city has drawn up plans to alle viate the traffic problem, including building a pedestrian mall that also would service vehicles, but because of a shortage of funds no action has been taken yet. However, Patricia Street is not the only road in the area needing work. Many other roads in the area are in disrepair, and are on the city’s long term agenda. “There will be activity, but in terms of capital improvement pro jects with major funds, I don’t see it,” Schneider said. “That’s not to say won’t continue to improve the quality of the area, but so far I don’t see a major push coining on.” Petty of A&M Methodist said his See Northgate/Page 10 SONDRA N. ROBBINS/The Battalion Cadets to ‘run ball’ to Austin id staff a diffete ten thei it made linistrati: glad ail a Franc the urge; says. “Hon re racism^ i 1950s ai j our enemi >ubt aboui ow we do: ;s are. Hi ig right pe multiculi!' studeni: to reportf. ' The magi g intimidc 41,000 i f ) profess® ink anythitj sartment reported o in residenl nator ob mulitculMf .rial incidei ByTWILA WADDY Of The Battalion Staff While bonfire blazes in the hearts of most Texas A&M students, some Corps of Cadets members are carry ing the torch of another tradition all the way to Austin. For the past 16 years, members of Squadron 7 and the Texas Marine Platoon have run a football to the annual A&M vs. University of Texas game, squadron member Phillips Robertson says. This annual event has become an important bonfire tradition, Robertson says. “My favorite part of being in the Corps is the ‘running of the ball’ and the attitude everyone has,” he says. The running of the ball started at the bonfire site when R.C. Slocum, A&M head football coach, presented a football to Steve Hayes and Todd Perry of the squadron and two other platoon representatives. The run began in the Fish Lot. Then a relay system was used to al ternate the running among mem bers of the squadron and platoon. Robertson says the run takes about 16 hours. Members of the squadron and platoon should arrive at UT during midafternoon today. During the pre-game ceremony, Robertson and a representative from the platoon will present a foot ball to Slocum. The squadron and platoon also use this tradition to raise money for charity. The squadron is raising money for the Brazos County United Way. The platoon is helping the Brazos County Boys and Girls Club. Mem bers of the squadron hope to raise $700, Robertson says. For more information about do nations, contact Perry at 847-4569. UN authorizes military action UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Security Council, led by the United States, on Thursday au thorized military action to liber ate Kuwait if Iraq does not with draw its troops and release all hostages by Jan. 15. The vote was 12-2, with an abstention by China. Cuba and Yemen voted “no." Adoption of the resolution marked only the second time, during the Korean War, in the 45-year history of the United Na tions that the council authorized the use of force to counter ag gression. In an extraordinary meeting of 13 foreign ministers, the council handed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein an ultimatum to vacate the small oil-rich sheikdom that his troops invaded Aug. 2, or risk military conflict with U.S.-led forces. “Our aim today must be to con vince Saddam Hussein that the just, humane demands of the council and the international community cannot be ignored,” said Secretary of State James A. Baker HI, top representative for the United States as president of the council. “If Iraq does not reverse its course peacefully, then other nec essary measures, including the use of force, should be autho rized,” Baker said. “We must put the choice to Saddam Hussein in unmistakable terms.” “If wkr is imposed upon us by the United States, this will be our destiny,” Iraqi Ambassador Ab dul Amir al-Anbari said. Yellow ribbon, protest distinguish Bonfire ’90 need to sm. icse racial 1 11 continot xist. on can 1 : minority' ,e tokens 1 te orga' 5 ' ;’s not th c j izations k Awar^l everyon® backgro"! trees sh 0 ' : M tradi 111 r student* By ISSELLE MCALLISTER and ELIZABETH TISCH Of The Battalion Staff A yellow ribbon tied around bon fire’s third stack gave special mean ing to the annual ceremony that symbolizes Aggies’ burning desire to “beat the hell outta t.u.” Senior redpots honored those in Saudi Arabia by displaying the na tional symbol of support for soldiers overseas at Thursday night’s bon fire, Sgt. Maj. Ted Hastings from the 5th Battalion said. The festivities began at 8:15 p.m. when redpots ignited the bonfire. However, it collapsed six minutes af ter being lighted. According to tradition, the time bonfire collapses determines the outcome of the A&M vs. University of Texas football game. If it col lapses after midnight, the Aggies will win — if not, the Longhorns claim victory. Despite bonfire’s premature fall, several thousand Aggies and Aggie fans appeared undaunted. However, a group of about 35 joined the Aggies Against Bonfire protest behind Duncan Dining Hall for one hour before bonfire. Protesters carrying signs reading, “Build Homes Not Bonfire” and “E- ven the Roman Empire Fell Even tually,” replaced the words to the “Farmers Fight” yell with “Farmers Think.” Police officers were stationed around the protesters to prevent any violent confrontations between the protesters and bonfire supporters. Although they did not attract a large audience, those who watched were passive. Bob Wiatt, director of security and the University Police Depart ment, said he thought passers-by re acted politely to the protest. “There were a few catcalls, but the crowd was very well behaved,” Wiatt said. Brian Skipworth, an AAB mem ber, said the reason the group staged the protest was to inform visitors and young children of the negative effects of bonfire. “It (bonfire) teaches waste, and the University condones it,” Kelly Harper, president of AAB, said. “We can think of something more productive to do with it (the wood).” Although she could offer no spe cific alternatives, she said the wood possibly could be used to build furni ture or be sold as firewood with pro ceeds donated to the community. m :;gIBW sis?'? I — Civil rights activists call for changes in attitudes w - a| ~ ’|jt ' f/ ; ■ L JAY JANNER/The Battalion (Right) Senior redpots James Henderson (left), David Cheever and Joseph Dollins circle the bonfire before lighting it in front of a crowd of tens of thousands. This year the redpots cut down on the fuel used to start the fire, using less than 300 gallons com pared to 400 gallons last year. (Above) Lynette Clark yells anti bonfire slogans along with 35 other protesters before bonfire was lighted. See Page 7 for a preview of tomorrow’s game against the University of Texas. Former redpot Mike Mulholland said the building of bonfire is not wasteful. “People won’t know what it’s like to build bonfire until they’re out the re,” Mulholland, Class of’89, said. He added that it’s hard to explain the feeling when thousands of dif ferent students work together for one purpose. Keith French, a genetics major from Oklahoma City, said he is not bothered by the protest. Editor’s note: The following is the final story of a four-part series on racism on the Texas A&M campus. The first of the series examined how racism has become more apparent in society, the second focused on how the Ku Klux Klan has targeted Texas universities for members, while the third discussed racial inci dents which plague campus daily. By BILL HETHCOCK Of The Battalion Staff Ethnic intolerance still exists in hidden forms throughout society, al though racism and discrimination might not be as visible as they were in the past, advocates for ethnic har mony say. Civil rights legislation has helped ease racial tension, but attitudes must change before discrimination is eliminated completely, says Carey Cauley, president of the local Na tional Association for the Advance ment of Colored People. “In order for a law to be effective. See Discrimination/Page 10 Student body presidents work for representation By BILL HETHCOCK Of The Battalion Staff “They have a right to protest and more power to them, but I don’t think they’ll ever stop bonfire,” he said. Daphna Ausburn, a 10-year-old from College Station, agrees. “I don’t think anybody’s going to stop bonfire — and if they do, I’ll protest!” Dax Soule, a junior from com- S N-1, said he thinks the positive igs for bonfire are evident. “They have 50 people against it and 70,000 tor it,” he said. “It’s ob vious how A&M feels about it.” As of 11 p.m. Thursday, Wiatt re ported 30 arrests were made by Col lege Station and University police departments in connection with public intoxication and disorderly conduct at bonfire. The Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission and UPD issued 80 cita tions, primarily for minors in posses sion and making alcohol available to minors. Student body presidents from universities across the state are get ting an early start in a campaign for student representation on all state universities’ boards of regents. Presidents from six universities met recently on the Texas A&M campus to determine what to focus lobbying efforts on during the up coming legislative session. Texas A&M student body presi dent Ty Clevenger says he thinks a combined effort by student leaders will increase the chance of success for bills they push. “We want to get our bills intro duced to the state legislature early this year,” he says. Student body presidents from A&M, Texas Tech, University of Houston at Clear Lake, University of Houston at University Park, Tarlton State University and Sul Ross Uni versity gathered in Rudder Tower. Clevenger says more than 30 stu dent body presidents will meet in Austin in mid-January to push for bills which will benefit students at state schools. He says he expects a bill will be passed this legislative session to put students on boards of regents. A bill of this type was introduced last legis lative session, but died in the House due to lack of support from the cal endar committee. “We’ll have all the campuses working together this time,” Cle venger says. “We were too uncoordi nated last time. I think it has a better chance of passing now than it’s ever had.” The bill will have increased sup port from both parties this session, Clevenger says. The group of student presidents is pushing a version of the bill which calls for two non-voting students on the boards of regents of each state university system. The students will serve two-year overlapping terms. Student leaders also will push for a bill to allow student service fee caps to be raised by student referendum, Clevenger says. Student fees pres ently can be raised only with legis lative approval. The group also tentatively agreed to support flexible tuition increases as long as the increases are approved by the student senate of each univer sity before regents vote on it, Cle venger says. Flexible tuition increases would allow the regents of each system to set tuition levels without a vote by the state legislature. Clevenger says the leaders also will lobby for a requirement mandat ing student senate approval for all tuition and fee increases at the grad uate and undergraduate level. “That’s a long shot, but we’re going to try for it,” Clevenger says. “Students are not unilaterally op posed to fee increases. If students see a legitimate reason to raise fees, they will raise them.”