Page 4
The Battalion
Tuesday, September 1,1952
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Storm hits close to home
Meteorology graduate student witnesses hurricane's fury
By KARI ROY
Special to the Battalion
Last week, hurricane Andrew ravaged southern
Florida destroying over 80,000 homes and leaving
behind it a trail of devastation, with damages up to
$30 billion, and $10 to 20 million in additional
property loss.
During the storm, Chris Samsury, a meteorology
graduate student at Texas A&M, was in Coral
Gables, Florida, at the National Hurricane Center
working on meteorological research.
"I planned the trip weeks in advance, I wasn't
expecting the storm," Samsury said.
During the hurricane, Samsury stayed on the sixth
floor of the 14-story Hurricane Center building, a
structure designed to withstand extreme weather
conditions.
"The building itself didn't take much damage, but
they lost all their radar, two satellite dishes and most
of the instruments that were on the roof," Samsury
said.
"We had a wind gauge going during the storm,
and it's last reading before it blew away was 160
mph."
After the storm passed, Samsury traveled with
three scientists from the center to do an informal
damage assessment in the Miami area.
"The devastation was unbelievable. Every mile
the damage got worse," Samsury said.
During hurricane Andrew, Samsury was exposed
to the heart of his research, collecting emotional as
well as statistical information.
"When you do academic research you're removed
from your subject," he said. "You do your report
and move on.
"I find hurricanes to be scientifically fascinating,
but when you get to talk to people and see their
homes destroyed- you just can't explain it."
Samsury had friends in Florida who lost
everything they owned.
"People who haven't seen it firsthand don't
understand," he said. "They don't realize what went
on."
Agency to protect victims of abuse
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — The doors open
this week at the state's newest
agency, one designed to protect
children, the elderly and disabled
from abuse.
The Texas Department of
Protective and Regulatory Service
with a $380 million budget, will
draw its nearly 5,600 staff from
two other agencies — the Texas
Department of Human Services
and the Texas Department of
Mental Health and Mental
Retardation.
The Legislature created the
agency to bring more impartiality
to abuse investigations and more
vigor to services designed to
protect vulnerable people.
"If we can do anything to
prevent or cut down on the
amount of abuse that is occurring
to children, elderly, disabled and
other vulnerable Texans ... I will
consider that a great
accomplishment," said Camille
Miller, PRS' interim executive
director. "I won't consider it a
success until we have significantly
made an impact."
The agency's creation was
mandated by a federal court pact
that settled a long-running
lawsuit against the state over the
care of the mentally retarded.
Although the agency isn't
officially open until Tuesday,
Miller and the agency's six-
member governing board have
been working in the wings.
Last week, $1 million in
unused DHS money was spent on
computers and software for abuse
investigators.
Track applies for upgraded license
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Trinity Meadows
Raceway, which has been operat
ing as a Class 2 horse racing track
since May 1991, Monday was rec
ommended for a highly sought
Class 1 racing license for the Dal-
las-Fort Worth area.
Trinity Meadows is one of four
groups seeking the license, which
state racing officials say is the
largest and most lucrative left in
North America.
Racing Commission executive
secretary David Freeman said the
formal proposal for a decision
was made by administrative law
judge Dudley McCalla, who con
ducted hearings in June.
McCalla's recommendation
now goes to the horse section of
the Texas Racing Commission,
which is scheduled to meet in ear
ly October. Sept. 21 is the earliest
the panel could act. Freeman said.
Racing Commission spokes
woman Jean Cook said it wasn't
yet certain when the commission
would consider the license recom
mendation. The commission can
accept, reject or modify McCalla's
proposal.
She said each applicant for the
permit has 10 days to file objec
tions to the proposal, plus another
seven days to respond to those.
The Racing Commission staff
had previously said that Pinnacle
and Trinity Meadows were not
qualified to receive a Class 1 pari
mutuel wagering license.
"It was my opinion that given
the problems we have had with
regulatory compliance" and ques
tions about Trinity Meadows'site,
Freeman said Monday, "I felt that
they were not, did not, warrant a
Class 1 license."
He also said he planned to file
comments within the next 10 days
about the license proposal.
State racing law limits the Ken
tucky Derby-style Class 1 tracks
to the areas around Texas' three
largest cities.
The Racing Commission al
ready has granted licenses to Sam
Houston Race Park for a Class!
track in Houston and to Retama
Park for the Class 1 track in the
San Antonio area, Cook said.
Officials seek preventive measures
Heat affects cyclists in race
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WICHITA FALLS — With four deaths in four
years, officials of the Hotter'N Hell Hundred, the
nation's second largest bike ride, said Monday they
were looking over data to determine whether any
were preventable.
Enrique McLean, 45, of Houston, and Siegfried
Mosemann, 51, of Wichita Falls, collapsed during the
ride Saturday and died at area hospitals.
"This was somewhat of a shock to us," said Dr.
Brian Hull, one of the medical advisors for Hotter'N
Hell. "We ^o to great length on this ride to educate
the public.'
The event attracted 11,334 riders this year,
including 888 who raced competitively. Only
Milwaukee's Miller Lite Ride For the Arts, draws
more riders, about 13,000.
In 1991, Lowell Riggs, 47, of Texarkana, Ark,
collapsed and died while riding in the event. An
autopsy later showed Riggs had an undetected
congenital heart disease.
In 1989, a Kansas man who. had bypass surgery
rode in the 50-mile portion of the event against
doctor's orders. He died shortly after finishing.
"In the past we've changed our starting line
because of too many accidents," said Roby Christie,
chairman of the annual event. "There is always more
to learn and one thing is our medical committee is
never satisfied. We are going to get better."
Hotter'N Hell is a favorite among cyclists. Held
each year nine days before Labor Day, the event
attracts riders of all ages and abilities. Ride officials
offer several seminars on heat exhaustion to the
public.
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