State & Local
Mond;
Page 2
The Battalion
Monday, Aprils
Teachers remember Perot's
efforts to change education
AUSTIN (AP) - Those who
fought alongside and against Ross
Perot as he tried to change public
education in
Texas are not
surprised by
the Dallas
billionaire's
flirtation with
a presidential
bid.
Perot's last
crusade,
however, left
the two sides
with different
Perot
impressions.
His leadership of the Select
Committee on Public Education
suggests how Perot might act on
the national stage, as his
supporters try to get him on the
November ballot as an
independent presidential
candidate.
Perot spent more than $1
million in the school reform fight.
Imagine what he could do with a
$100 million campaign and targets
such as Congress.
''His dogged determination is
his greatest strength," said
Raymon Bynum, who was sacked
as Texas education commissioner
in the wake of Perot's reforms.
"It's also his greatest weakness."
Many people liked Perot
because he got results. Others felt
alienated by his autocratic
methods.
"He was exciting and dynamic
and very surprising," said John
Cole, president of the Texas
Federation of Teachers, the only
teacher group that supported
Perot's education battle. "It will
be well to remember that
hurricanes and tornadoes could
also be described by those
adjectives."
In 1983-84, Perot blew away
the state's education
establishment after Democratic
Gov. Mark White named him to
head a committee on education.
Perot attacked the premium
placed on athletics: coaches
making more than teachers,
students playing sports despite
failing courses, class time lost to
pep rallies and extra activities.
When the Texas Education
Agency hesitated to tell Perot how
many principals had previously
been coaches, he made up a
number. "1 started saying in
speeches it was 80 percent," Perot
said at the time. "That got 'em
jumping. 'No way,' they said. 'It's
only a little over 50.'"
Perot championed the
controversial "no pass, no play"
rule that bars students from
extracurricular activities for six
weeks if they fail a class.
Tornado touches down in Trinity
HOUSTON (AP) — A tornado touched down
north of Houston in Trinity Sunday afternoon,
causing a three-hour blackout in most of Trinity
County and damaging the local high school and
several homes, police said.
No injuries were reported from the tornado that
was spotted at 5 p.m. said John Raiford, a dispatcher
with the Trinity County Sheriff's Office.
However, electricity was knocked out for most of
Trinity's 2,648 residents for about three hours,
Raiford said.
Windows and the roof of the gymnasium at
Trinity High School were damaged, forcing officials
to cancel Monday classes, said County Judge Jimmy
Thornton.
Several homeowners also reported some damage,
Raiford said.
Elsewhere, a thunderstorm near Fulshear, about
30 miles west of Houston, produced 60 mph winds
and golf ball-size hail. Orchard in Fort Bend County
also reported similar storms, west of Houston. No
injuries or serious damage were reported at any of
the sites, according to county officials.
The Jasper Sheriff's Office reported hail 11/2
inches in diameter in Ebenezer, 10 miles northwest of
Jasper. Jasper is about 130 miles northeast of
Houston.
m
?f-rf GN, j • V. /
:>',f
■ w .. 'Ik >Vi.
BILLY MORAN/The Battalion
Puttin’ on the Ritz
Bobby Hayes, 12, of Bryan practices his putting at the Texas A&M golf course
clubhouse Sunday. Hayes has been playing golf for four or five years and is on
the Sam Rayburn Junior High School golf team.
Truck cm
awaits tria
for bus era
City council to vote on rebuilding beach
GALVESTON (AP) - The vanished
beach below the island city's sea wall may
be rebuilt if a city council vote goes as
‘expected this week.
I The council is set to approve building a
new 300-foot-wide beach from 10th to 61st
Streets along Seawall Boulevard by next
spring. Officials foresee the $5 million,
4-mile project as just a first phase in
rebuilding all of Galveston's eroded
beaches.
Residents have long talked about
restoring the seashore, the last vestiges of
which were ripped away by Hurricane
Carla in 1961.
Supporters of the renourishment plan
believe the council action would be the first
step toward bringing the resort town out of
the economic doldrums and spurring
Residents look forward to restoration of shore;
official evaluates economic benefit for Galveston
renewal along its shabby eastern beach
front.
"I cannot think of a project under
consideration now that will have a greater
economic benefit for Galveston and
Galveston County than new beaches in
front of the sea wall," said state Rep. Mike
Martin, D-Galveston, who has helped bring
the project financing to a vote.
"When you put a 300-foot beach in there
and people find out about it, they're going
to flock to the coast."
Finally getting the concept off the
ground took years of work by ardent
advocates such as Russ Eitel, co-chairman
Beach
of the Galveston County
Preservation Association.
It also took last year's passage of the
Texas Coastal Zone Management Act and
the vigorous support of Col. Brink Miller,
the Galveston U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers district commander.
And it took an unprecedented consensus
of the island's often-fractious interest
groups to agree on a way to raise the $2.5
million local share of the project cost. The
federal government would pick up the rest
of the tab through the Corps' ship channel
dredging budget.
The Coastal Zone Management Act
allows issuance of Texas Water
Development Board bonds for erosion
control projects such as the Galveston beach
renourishment plan, Martin said. The plan
calls for issuance of $2.5 million worth of
bonds backed initially by part of the city's
hotel-motel tax revenues.
HOUSTON (AP) -1
driver charged inthedea;
Rio Grande Valley stui
awaiting trial nearly
after Texas' worstsdi;
accident.
Ruben Perez, 28, is ate
running a stop sign whit;
a 22-ton Dr Pepper tracts;
The truck collided*!;
Mission Independent!
District bus on Sept. 21,®
Plea negotiations aresii
conducted.
But a public tug
between Hidalgo Counfti
Attorney Rene Guerra
presiding judge in the
destroy any plea-bargar
The Houston Chronide
in Sunday editions.
A May 4 trial date has
but more than 100
motions filed by Perez
Joseph Connors, may
trial back. The judge
earliest his court scheduk
allow for a lengthy trial is
or October.
Guerra said he has
three plea-bargain
including a deal thatwi
Perez to plead guilty
misdemeanor and sene si
as 90 days in jail.
In the accident,
83-passenger school bus-
aboard veered off the
plunged into a flooded
drowning 19 studenS
causing the deaths
others.
There have been sh
hearings since Perez was
on 21 counts of invo
manslaughter in Novembrj
He is free on bond.
But as the matterdi
appears Perez may not
jail time.
The prosecutor, t
vowed that Perezwoi
time in prison, nowsayslifl
will probably be disp
through a misdemeasi
plea.
VEGE
meat-
Chris
NATL
ASSO
oppor
inforn
847-5
CARE
this s
prepa
strate
Servic
semin
benefi
p.m. ii
for mo
AGGII
promo
are
at i
PI SIC
50CIE
:all M
Mayor Barbara Crews said Friday she
expects council members to vote to finance
the project this week.
The sand for the new beach would come
from up to 1.5 million cubic yards of
dredge material from the Corps' regular
1993 dredging of Bolivar Roads, the
entrance to Galveston Bay from the Gulf of
Mexico, and from an anchorage area in
Bolivar Roads used by ships awaiting
berths at area docks.
CORRECTII
A headline in Fill
Battalion incorrectly!
Donnie Bowman was2
to a state office, when
actually appointed I
Texas office a federal c
The Battalion re
error.
The Battalion
USPS 045-360
The Battalion is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, holidays, exam periods, and
when school is not in session during fall and spring semesters; publication is Tuesday
through Friday during the summer session. Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building,
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University
in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial
offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. The newsroom phone number is 845-3316.
Fax: 845-2647.
A University Lecture
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO
THE BUFFALO
A NEW INTERPRETATION
r
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the contributor,
and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M student body, adminis
trators, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For
classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and
office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50
per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
Prof. Dan Louie Flores
Texas Tech University
DEPRESSION STUDY
Are you currently taking Prozac* to treat your depression? VIP Res
is recruiting individuals who are currently taking Prozac* to partidp!
a research study of an investigational antidepressant medici
Participants who qualify and complete the study will be paid$12(!|
more information, call
CALL
VOLUNTEERS IN PHARMACEUTICAL
RESEARCH, INC.®
776-1417
4 p.m. Tuesday, April 21
301 Rudder Tower
Reception immediately following
CarePlus Medical Center's new location at 2411 Texas Ave. & Southwest
Pkwy. in College Station.
CarePlus Medical Center is moving to
a new location at Texas Avenue and
Southwest Parkway in College Station.
Improved facilities and parking mean
added service and convenience for our
patients. As always, CarePlus Medical
Center offers affordable medical care
plus professional service.
Open 7 days a week
until 8 p.m.
CarePlus^tft
Medical Center
Currently at
1712 Southwest Pkwy
College Station
696-0683
Interested in Public Relations?
The
MSC
Public Relations
Committee
is now accepting applications for
membership
Pick up an application at the information
desks at either entrance to the Student
Programs Office f216 MSCJ.
Applications are due Monday. April 20.
by 5 p.m.
J
r GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER STllf
Individuals are being recruited for a research
Generalized Anxiety Disorder. If you experience^
or would like to find out more about this study,
Research. $200.00 will be paid to qualified vol
who enroll and complete this study.
CALL
VOLUNTEERS IN PHARMACEUTICAL
RESEARCH, INC.®
776-1417
ULCERATIVE COLITIS
VIP Research is seeking individuals with ulcerative cols|
you've been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and you're •
years of age or older, you may qualify for a five monthstudjij
a currently available medication. $200.00 will be paid to IW
who complete this study.
CALL
VOLUNTEERS IN PHARMACEUTICAL
RESEARCH, INC.®
776-1417
rr
GENITAL HERPES INFECTION
Individuals with genital herpes infection are being recruited!o i: |
research study of an investigational antiviral medication,
would like to find out more about this study, call VIP,Reseat
A monetary incentive will be paid to qualified volunteers*
enroll and complete this study.
CALL
VOLUNTEERS IN PHARMACEUTICAL
RESEARCH, INC.®
776-1417
BRA2
Lectur
5.m. a
lore i
3APTI
fellows
Oollec
liscipl
lain.
ExCE
EDUC
applic
Respo
the
92. Ap
Mu
Depar
ervic
862-2(
in
of
ALCOI
111:30 <
for mo
CLASS
com mi
the cl: