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