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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1991)
State & Local Page 2 The Battalion Wednesday, June 19,1991 The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Editor Timm Doolen Managing Editor Todd Stone City Editor Sean Frerking News Editors Jennifer Jeffus Callie Wilcher Art Director Richard James Lifestyles Editor Rob Newberry Opinion Editor Krista Umscheid Sports Editor Jayme Blaschke Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a commu nity service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the edi torial board or the author, and do not necessarily rep resent the opinions of Texas A&M students, administra tors, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents. The Battalion is an entirely student-managed branch of Student Publications, an inde pendent entity that operates closely with the Department of Journalism. The Battalion is published daily, except Saturday, Sun day, holidays, exam periods and when school is not in ses sion during fall and spring se mesters; publication is Tues day through Friday during the summer session. News room: 845-3313. Subscriptions Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year: 845-2611. Our address: The Battal ion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col lege Station,TX 77843-1 111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTER: Send ad dress changes to The Battal ion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col lege Station TX 77843-4111. Advertising Advertising information can be obtained from the ad vertising department at 845- 2696 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit the of fice at the English Annex. Advertising Manager Patricia Heck Battalion Adviser Robert Wegener Production Manager Paige Force BATTIPS The Battalion encourages its readers to contribute story ideas and suggestions by call ing BATTIPS, The Battal ion’s phone line designed to improve communication be tween the newspaper and its readers. The BATTIPS number is 845-3315. Ideas can include news sto ries, feature ideas and person ality profiles of interesting people. Readers also are en couraged to offer any other suggestions that could im prove the newspaper. Avoid damaging rays of summer sunshine By Michelle Herren Special to The Battalion Now that summertime is here, one pressing question is how to prevent sun damage. Obviously, avoiding the sun completely is the best solution, but not a very practical one. We can, however, try to avoid the sun during the worst hours of the day, or from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you are outside during these times, be sure to use a sun screen. The SPF (Sun Protection Fac tor) number tells you how much protection you are getting from the sun. A common myth is that if SPF 15 is good, then a higher number is even better. That, however, is not nec essarily true. If you multiply the SPF number by the amount of time it usually takes you to bum, you will have the length of time you are protected from the sun. For example, if you usually burn in 30 minutes and you use an SPF 4, you can stay in the sun for 2 hours. SPF 2 blocks about 50 percent of the sun while SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of the sun's harmful rays. After SPF 15, protection in creases very little. Another common myth is that you will not burn on a cloudy day. That simply is not true. More than 80 percent of the harmful ultraviolet rays pass through clouds. You also can sunburn through three feet of water while you are swimming or from the reflective rays off the water. Another area that is important to protect is your eyes. Sung- k lasses stop a person from squint ing and allow the pupils to widen, letting in more light. There are sunglasses that are coated to provide protection from UV rays. Uncoated glass let in more harmful rayswl can lead to serious eye proble: Your best bet is to purcl sunglasses that protect the n against UV rays. The damage to youreyesist mulative, so start wearing; protected sunglasses as soon possible. For more information on t damage, stop by the A.P. Be: Heath Center from 10 a.m. t p.m. Wednesday during "St; mer Health Day '91," or call!;. 1341. Board scolds principal for prom incident NEWTON (AP) — The sister of a black student who was asked to leave the senior prom because he arrived with a white date is unhappy with the school board's decision to reprimand the principal. Principal Lidney Thompson was reprimanded Monday by the school board after a closed- door session with Carrie Levias, the sister and guardian of James Weaver. "A letter of reprimand has been written as dictated by our attorney and has been placed in Mr. Thompson's personnel file by me personally," said Thomas Inman, school board president. Levias said she was unhappy with the board's decision be cause she had wanted trustees to fire or reassign Thompson. Thompson had asked Weaver to leave the Newton High School prom in May after the 19-year- old senior arrived with compan ion Sara Moak. Thompson said he asked the two to leave because he feared allowing a mixed-race couple into the prb'm might have sparked a fight between black and white students. At a May 10 board meeting, the principal apologized for the prom decision, saying he made an "insensitive error" when he asked the couple to leave. ROBERT METZLER/The Battalion Wildly exploring the holding cell at the Bryan Police Station, these chil dren in the Jack and Jill summer camp program enjoyed their tour of the facility Tuesday. Sgt. Walling lead them through with Melissa Corvyn and Kim Elliott controlling the kids. State treasurer says income tax harmful AUSTIN (AP) — One of the state's top Republicans, Trea surer Kay Bailey Hutchison, Tuesday said a proposed state income tax is the wrong idea at the wrong time. Hutchison said such a levy would slow the economic recov ery, scare away new business and strip the state of a key ad vantage in the competition for new jobs. "Tne mere mention of an in come tax probably has scared off some businesses considering a move to Texas," Hutchison said. "It's time to halt this runaway train before it does irreparable damage. "The fact that Texas has no state income tax is one of the few state policies that sets us apart. It's our major drawing card in the area of economic devel opment. Let's not give it away." Tne treasurer's remarks were made in essays authored for dis tribution to Texas newspapers. Democratic Gov. Ann Rich ards has called the Legislature into special session July 8 to write and fund a 1992-93 state budget, work left undone in the 140-day regular session fc ended May 27. Revenue for the two-year; riod is projected to total $52.3t lion, but legislative budget a; lysts have forecast a $4.7 bt deficit if all programs are funt: at current levels. Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and: mer Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, b Democrats, have proposed ira tuting state personal and c porate income taxes to help!; ance the budget and prow local property tax relief. Former Gov. John ConnalT Republican chairing Richa:: special tax committee, has: ommended increasing the mf fuels tax and instituting a to businesses' gross receipts raise additional revenue. Hutchison said the Treasn - forecast indicates that state p ernment should end the cum two-year budget period Aug with a $300 million surplus. In addition, she said, to state government income i 1992-93 is projected to incm about 7 percent over cum spending levels. What’s Up School finance debated Funding estimates higher than expected AUSTIN (AP) — Texas' new school finance law will cost $1.67 billion in new state aid over the next two years, $370 million more than a previous projection, an education expert said Tuesday. Consultant Lynn Moak made the comment dur ing a break in a court hearing before State District Judge F. Scott McCown. The hearing concerns wealthy school districts' challenge to the law, passed in response to a Texas Supreme Court or der to even out funding available to school dis tricts. Lawmakers, who will meet in special session this summer to write a state budget, already face a projected $4.7 billion deficit over the next two years. That estimate assumed $1.3 billion would be needed in additional state aid for schools, said Andy Welch, tax information director for the state comptroller. He said the estimate likely will be re vised when the Legislature meets in special ses sion. The higher projected cost for the school finance law stems from an $11 billion drop in property va lues, based on successful school district appeals to the State Property Tax Board, and changes law makers made to the measure shortly before it was - passed, Moak said. Moak, former deputy state education commis sioner for research and development, has been working with Texas Education Agency staff and said he recommended the higher estimate to the TEA. The estimate is "our best guess right now," said Kevin O'Hanlon, TEA general counsel. The Texas Supreme Court twice has declared school funding laws unconstitutional. The current $14 billion-a-year system, sched uled to be replaced by the new law for next school year, allows wide funding disparities because of school districts' reliance on their own property wealth. Before lawmakers approved the new law, McCown appointed Moak as an expert to update a school finance blueprint devised last year by for mer Supreme Court Justice William Kilgarlin. After the law was passed in April, McCown told Moak to keep the plan confidential. The new law is designed to shift hundreds of 'millions of dollars in property tax revenue from wealthier to poorer school districts within new education taxing regions drawn largely along county lines. Wednesday EPISCOPAL STUDENT CENTER: Eucharist and free community dinner at 6:15 p.m. attof Canterbury House, 902 George Bush Drive. Contact James at 822-4653 for mo: information. LUTHERAN STUDENT FELLOWSHIP: Evening prayer at 6:30 p.m. at the University Lutlw Chapel. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: General discussion at noon. Call COPE at 845-0280 for mo: information. TAMU SAILING CLUB: General meeting at 7 p.m. in 410 Rudder. Call Russell PowellatSft 6503 for more information. Thursday MSC SUMMER PROGRAMS: Sand sculpting contest registration through Friday in MS! 216. $10 per team of 4 people. Prizes will be awarded. Call 845-1515 formoreii' formation. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: General discussion at noon. Call COPE at 845-02801:: more information. GAY AND LESBIAN STUDENT SERVICES: General meeting at 7 p.m. in Rudder 507AE Call 847-0321 for more information. ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS: General discussion at 6 p.m. Call CDPE at 84 5-026: for more information. Items for What’s Up should be submitted to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald^ later than three business days before the desired run date. We publish the w and phone number of the contact only if you ask us to do so. What’s Up is a Bad; ion service that lists non-profit events and activities. Submissions are run on a in come, first-served basis. There is no guarantee an entry will run. If you have qua tions, call the newsroom at 845-3316. T’S NOT TOO LATE HQ CREW APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE ROOM 209 PAVILION DUE: MONDAY, JUNE 24 HQ Crew is a new, specialized team designed to run one of the most important operations at Fish Camp. They will be in charge of running the information center of camp and interacting with staff, freshmen, and visitors. If you have any questions please come by room 209 Pavilion M S C ApGIE C 1NE MA L PRESE NTS~ OUT THERE WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST. "" "" " " N Wednesdsay, June 19 9:15 pm in the Grove 50$ w/ TAMU ID $1 w/o TAMU ID l Popcorn & Drinks Available j