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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 31, 1993)
State & Local Page 2 The Battalion Monday, May 31,1993 State submits bill to control alcohol Measure leaves out provision to raise minimum age of nude dancers in bars THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — Lawmakers sent Gov. Ann Richards a bill Sunday that would give local areas more control over alcohol consumption and prohibit public drinking near schools. But the measure does not in clude a provision to increase the age at which people can dance nude or topless in bars from 17 to 21. Rep. Ron Wilson called that a disappointment. "It appears that the House was in the posture of protecting the young women across this state, and some of the folks in the Sen ate decided to protect the pe dophiles/' said Wilson, D-Hous- ton, before the House approved the measure Sunday. The bill passed the Senate Saturday. A separate bill overhauling the criminal code raises the nude and topless dancing minimum age to 18, but that doesn't take effect un til 1994, Wilson said. But Wilson said he was pleased with other portions of the bill ex tending the life of the Texas Alco holic Beverage Commission, which regulates the alcohol indus try. "It gives local people more control over their own neighbor hoods," he said. Among other provisions, the bill would: — Require a hearing before a new alcohol license is granted to a sexually oriented business. If an existing business wants to renew a license, a hearing is mandatory if requested by half of those living within 300 feet of it. — Prohibit consumption of al coholic beverages, or possession of an open container, within 600 feet of a public or private school. — Authorize cities to ban pos session of an open alcohol con tainer, in addition to prohibiting public consumption, in a central business district. — Cancel an alcohol license if the license-holder knowingly al lows an unauthorized firearm on the premises. — Prohibit a bar from substi tuting requested brands without notice, and hold it liable in a :ivil suit if it does so. — Allow restaurants and bars to brew and sell beer on their premises, and set the brewpub li cense fee at $500. — Authorize the use of nation al sweepstakes promotions in Texas by the alcoholic beverage industry. — Allow the industry to adver tise at racetracks and supplement purses, and to advertise in munic ipally owned professional sports facilities. — Require minors who buy al cohol to attend an alcohol aware ness course on a second offense. — In Houston, require a hear ing if someone raises grounds for permit suspension or denial, and the bar or similar business is with in 300 feet of a home, church, school, hospital, day care facility or social service facility. Legislature to regulate Edwards Aquifer THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — Pumping from the Edwards Aquifer would be regulated by a permit sys tem to protect the lives of endangered species under a bill approved by the Legislature Sun day and sent to Gov. Ann Richards. The aquifer, the sole source of drinking wa ter for San Antonio, extends 176 miles under six Central Texas counties. The Legislature was forced to come up with a plan to regulate water withdrawals after a federal judge ruled rare fish, salamanders and plant life which feed off of the underground water source needed protection. Regulation of the aquifer has been met with disdain by developers, city officials and farm ers, who say their crops and property will be devalued by restrictions on water rights. The court gave the Legislature until May 31 to come up with a plan, which is expected to be signed by Richards. The Senate approved the bill unanimously on a voice vote. The House approved the bill on a vote of 116-22. "This measure is a fair and balanced com promise between those who rely on the aquifer," said Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock. "I am pleased that we were able to resolve the diffi cult matter within the time constraints im posed by the court. "It's a milestone in the battle over use of one of our greatest natural resources," Bullock said. "I truly believe that this legislation will pass all elements of (the court's) orders," said Rep. Ron Lewis, D-Mauriceville. An environmental group that helped bring about the lawsuit resulting in the regulation called the plan a good first step, but said it lacks planning in case of a drought. "I think it's a step in the right direction," said Ken Kramer, executive director of the Sierra Club's Texas chapter. "The big question is, 'Does it guarantee spring flows in all situa tions, including a drought?' The court will de cide." Under the plan, pumping would be limited to 450,000 acre-feet of water annually through the year 2007, and withdrawals would be re duced to 400,000 acre-feet by the year 2008. Movin 7 on up STACY RYAN/The Battalion Elizabeth Torres, a senior BANA major from San Antonio, moves into Mclnnis Hall Sunday afternoon. Jury to decide if rap is causeldlHHlHHI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — Nineteemyear-old Ronald Ray Howard likes rap mu sic. Growing up in inner-city Houston, he and his friends listened to it, and lived by it. , This week, an Austin jury will decide whether he killed because of it. When Howard goes on trial on charges of killing Texas Depart ment of Public Safety trooper Bill Davidson, so will "gangsta rap," the outlaw fringe of the rap music genre. Gangsta's themes center around drugs, sex, violence and hatred for police, and attorneys on both sides of the case say it will be a key to Howard's trial. Defense attorney Allan Tanner says that on April 11, 1992, the night trooper Davidson was killed, Howard drove 120 miles from Houston to Victoria while listening to Tupac's "2Pacalypse Now" re lease and a tape by Houston rap group Ganksta N.I.P. Howard, who was already on probation for car theft, was driving a stolen GM Blazer near Victoria when Davidson, 43, pulled him over for missing a headlight. According to grand Jury testimony, the trooper walked up to the window and Howard shot him in the neck with a 9-mm handgun his mother had bought him. "My foot was already on the gas," Howard told the grand jury. "I heard him scream as I was leaving/' Tanner says the cop-killing rap that his client frequently played is a factor that must be considered in determining his fate. If convicted, Howard faces up to life in prison or the death penalty. "We’re not saying it excuses anything," Tanner said. "But it should be considered in the sentence he gets." Jackson County District Attorney Bobby Bell agrees. He intends to call as witnesses Tupac and members of Ganksta N.I.P. "I don't think all that gangsta rap made him do it, but it rein forced it," Bell said. "He hated cops. Hated cops." The power of rap music, and it's role in this trial, may also influ ence a civil suit filed by Davidson's widow against California rapper Tupac Amuru Shakur and Time Warner Inc. Mrs. Davidson's lawyer, Jim Cole of Victoria, contends rapper Tu pac's anti-cop message provoked Howard. Railey's trial leads to loss of acceptance Former Dallas minister seeks employment after acquittal THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DALLAS — In the six weeks since Walker Railey's trial ended in San Antonio, the former Dallas minister says it's frustrating to discover that many people still think he tried to choke his wife to death. "It is kind of irritating that peo ple won't accept that there has been an ac ¬ "It is kind of irritating that people won't accept that there has been an acquittal." quittal. But it doesn't take a majority vote in the city of Dallas for it to take ef fect," he told The Dallas Morning News. The newspaper reported in its Sunday editions that Railey has found it difficult to find work un der that cloud. He seeks a private- sector or church job, one that will employ the talents that once fu eled his meteoric rise in the Unit ed Methodist Church. Railey, 45, has a tight group of friends who are administrators and elders at the church where he worships, Immanuel Presbyterian Church in downtown Los Ange les. But there is also a faction, which Railey dismisses as a "fringe element," that passionate ly resents him and seeks to limit his influence, he said in an inter view Thursday. Colleagues say Railey contin ues to explore as a consultant to urban churches, congregations facing the same demographic shifts as his former church in downtown Dallas. It was there, at First United Methodist Church, that Railey's gift for preaching and organiza- ‘ tional skills spurred a climb up the church ladder. He was on track to be come bishop soon, many -Walker Railey f e it. In April 1987, his ascent ended. His wife, Peggy, was found choked nearly to death on the garage floor of their residence. Soon Railey was named as a suspect. He revealed eventually that he had been hav ing an affair, resigned his ministe rial credentials and moved to Cal ifornia. His wife has persisted in a veg etative state since the attack. She is in a nursing home in Tyler, where her parents live. Railey has never visited his wife in the nursing home, and he filed for divorce after his April 17 acquittal. Election Continued from Page 1 numbers of voters, but because of the publicity of the senatorial runoff between Kay Bailey Hutchison and Bob Krueger, the council race should have a good turnout. "The turnout probably won't be as high as it is in other races," he said, "but it also won't be as low." Bryan residents can participate in early voting tomorrow between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at any of the fol lowing locations: • Bryan Municipal Building, 300 S. Texas Ave. • Brazos County Courthouse, 300 E. 26th St. • Arena Hall, Tabor Rd. • Galilee Baptist Church, 804 N. Logan • C.S.I.S.D. Teacher's Learning Resource Center, 1812 Welsh • Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M Campus Voters need to bring a Brazos County voter's registration card or a valid Texas Driver's License to the polls. Absentee excuses are not required to participate in ear ly voting. Amphitheater Continued from Page 1 Haddox with the vision to get the project started, Haddox said teamwork enabled the project to be a success. "It couldn't have been done without the work of hundreds of people," Haddox said. "We need everyone's support and help to make this thing complete." Ron Ragland, city manager of College Station, said there will be many future developments in store for the Wolf Pen Creek Cor ridor "This is a cornerstone in the project," Ragland said. "This is just one lake in a series of lakes." Ringer said this is an improve ment to an area that was previ ously undeveloped. "We had the opportunity to take an area that was once an eye sore and turn it into an attrac tion," Ringer said. Bob Yancy, a public relations assistant for the city of College Station, said said the amphithe ater is the major feature of the Wolf Pen Creek Corridor. "The city will conduct events out there, but the majority of the events that will be taking place out there are not city events," Yancy said. Yancy said any revenue raised from Friday's event will go to ward Phase II of the project. Ringer said the developments in the Wolf Pen Creek Corridor improve the appearance of the city. "It will build up a tax base and attract businesses to this area," Ragland said. "The city council is very concerned with what will happen to this city in the next 10 to 20 years." JT+ tutoring 260-2660 8pm 10pm midnite Monday 5/31 Tuesday 6/1 Wednesday 6/2 Thursday 6/3 Chem. 101 Chap 1&2 Chem. 101 Chap. 3 Chem. 101 Chap. 4 Chem. 101 test I Review Phys. 201 Chap. 1 Phys. 201 Chap. 2 Phys. 201 Chap. 3 C&W DANCE LESSONS BEGINNING: LEARN THE BASICS-2-STEP, POLKA, WALTZ, & TURNS. DATES/TIMES: JUNE 7,14, 21 28 / 8 - 9:30 P.M. INTERMEDIATE: BEYOND THE BASICS-LEARN INDIVIDUAL TURNS, PROMENADE, LARIAT, THE EL PASO, JITTERBUG &. MORE. DATES/TIMES: JUNE 8,15, 22, &. 29 / 8:15 - 9:45 P.M. ADVANCED: ADD MORE VARIATIONS WHILE KEEPING STEP. LEARN THE WHIP, DONNA, PRETZEL, SPINS, &. MORE. DATES/TIMES: JUNE 10,17, 24, &.JULY 1/7:15 - 8:45 CLASSES MEET AT JAZZERCISE $20/STUDENT - $22/NON-STUDENT CLASSES TAUGHT BY DURANGO COUNTRY DANCING * 846-7023 * CONTACT LENSES ONLY QUALITY NAME BRANDS (Bausch & Lomb, Ciba, Sola/Barnes-Hind) Disposable Contact Lenses Available For Standard Clear or Tinted FLEXIBLE WEAR Soft Contact Lenses (Can be worn as daily or extended wear) FREE SPARE PAIR SAME DAY DELIVERY ON MOST LENSES. ASK ABOUT OUR “BUY MORE PAY LESS” PRICING ► Call 846-0377 for Appointment *Eye exam not incluaea Charles C. Schroeppel, O.D., P.C. 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