State & Local
Page 2 The Battalion Tuesday, July 13,1993
NICOLE ROHRMAN/The Battalion
Ted Hastings, a geology senior from Houston and
a student worker at the Browsing Library, plays a
CD for one of the library patrons. "The library is
a great place to relax while you study," Hastings
said. The library is located on the second floor of
the MSC.
Browsing Library still unnoticed
Relocation to second floor of MSC causes visitor shortage
By MICHELE BRINKMANN
The Battalion
Even though the Texas A&M
University Browsing Library was
relocated to the second floor of the
Memorial Student Center more
than a year ago, many people still
do not know about the library.
"There has been a shortage of
people here, but I think this is be
cause no one knows of the new lo
cation," said Gina Krnavek, super
visor of the library.
Senior Agricultural Engineer
ing major Tina Robison, an em
ployee of the library, said the new
location of the library is an unlike
ly place for students to pass by, so
many don't even know that the li
brary exists.
"A lot of people that use the li
brary don't tell others," Robison
said. "It's a 'hush-hush' kind of
place."
The library has a map room
and a television/piano room. A
language lab that will be used in
conjunction with foreign language
classes is under construction and
is expected to be finished next
year. There are no research facili
ties in the library.
"The purpose of the
library is to provide a
studious, relaxing
atmosphere for
students, faculty,
employees, and
visitors."
-Gina Krnavek,
library supervisor
"The purpose of the library is
to provide a studious, relaxing
atmosphere for students, faculty,
employees, and visitors," Kr
navek said.
Study carrels with headsets to
listen to the radio and compact
discs are available. Students can
check out a room to use for
group study.
The library has leisure books
that can be checked out with a
student I.D., and magazine and
newspaper back files are also
available.
"We can be used as an alterna
tive for Sterling C. Evans Li
brary," Krnavek said. "Some
times we will have an article that
a student has been looking for in
Evans Library."
Everything in the library is free
of charge except for xerox copies
and transparencies.
The library also has old Ag-
gieland yearbooks and Former
Student Directories.
The library was moved to
Room 288 in the new addition of
the MSC in March 1992, and it is
open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon
day through Friday. In the fall se
mester the library will be open un
til 10 p.m.
Local blood centers follow guidelines
By CARRIE MIURA
The Battalion
Local blood centers are following strict
guidelines proposed Thursday by the Food
and Drug Administration to ensure the safety
of all blood donors and blood recipients.
The American Red Cross, the FDA, and the
American Association of Blood Banks served to
gether on a working committee that established
the criteria for all blood centers to follow.
According to the Associated Press, the new
guidelines are requiring blood centers to estab
lish quality assurance programs. The quality
assurance unit is required to stop the produc
tion or the shipment of blood products when
necessary because of contamination.
The Health Care Financing Administration
also proposed a companion rule which would
require hospitals to notify patients or their
physicians if a donor tests positive for HIV.
Felix Perez, media relations specialist for
the American Red Cross at national headquar
ters, said, "The Red Cross has been following
these guidelines for many years."
Since 1986, the Red Cross has been conduct
ing internal inspections every year, and the
FDA administers annual inspections to every
blood center in the U.S..
Ninety-five percent of all blood banks al
ready follow these proposed guidelines,
Perez said.
"There is nothing in the guidelines that the
Red Cross does not already follow," he said.
Some of the smaller blood centers that are
not affiliated with the Red Cross may see the
guidelines as a way to ensure more safety to
the donor and the recipient, he said.
"Everyone in the blood bank community
must have quality assurance," Perez said.
The blood donor is screened for his or her
medical history and once the blood is drawn,
seven tests are administered which includes
testing for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, syphilis ^nd
leukemia.
"The blood supply today is safer than it has
ever been in the past," Perez said.
"There are no reported cases of illness or
disease caused from donating blood."
Dr. O. C. Cooper, who works in the family
practice department in the College of Medicine
at Texas A&M, said, "The safety for donating
blood is fine and there are no dangers for con
tracting infectious diseases."
Dr. Cooper, who has been practicing in the
Bryan and College Station community since
1954, said, "Donating blood does not harm the
individual."
Bill Thomas, manager of the Brazos County
chapter of the American Red Cross said the us
age of donated blood in Brazos County has in
creased throughout the years.
"There has never been a threat to a donor's
health or safety," he said.
"The risk of contracting an illness or a dis
ease from a transfusion is lower than the risk
of not getting a transfusion at all," Perez said.
The American Red Cross has collected over
6 million units of blood from 4 million donors.
The Red Cross also provides the public with
over half of the nation's blood supply.
Over 3,000 units of blood a year are donated
by Brazos Valley residents through donor pro
grams and over 5,000 units of blood a year are
needed in the Brazos Valley area, Thomas said.
"We need to increase the number of donors
to meet our local needs and to not rely on
donors out of Brazos County."
The next blood drive sponsored by the
American Red Cross will be held at Saint
Joseph Hospital and Health Center on July 22.
Jurors end day 4 of deliberations
Jury of 7 gangsta rap' trial struggles for verdict
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Jurors ended a
fourth day of deliberations Mon
day without issuing a sentence in
the trial of a Houston man who
claims that hard-driving rap mu
sic swayed him to gun down a
state trooper.
The eight-man, four-woman
jury quit after eight hours. They
are scheduled to resume their de
liberations Tuesday.
On Sunday, State District Judge
Whayland Kilgore said that the
jury was deadlocked 10-2 in favor
of sentencing Ronald Ray
Howard, 19, to death in the slay
ing of Department of Public Safety
Trooper Bill Davidson.
All jurors must agree for
Howard to receive the death
penalty.
When the panel ended its
meeting Monday, Davidson's
widow, Linda, cried as she
walked out of the courtroom.
Defense attorney Allen Tanner
made four motions for a mistrial
between Friday and Sunday. Tan
ner said forcing the panel to con
tinue deliberating would put un
due pressure on the two dissent
ing jurors to change their minds.
Kilgore has turned down the
motions.
If the judge were to declare a
mistrial, Howard automatically
would be sentenced to life in
prison.
The same jury took just 40 min
utes last month in finding Howard
guilty of killing Davidson.
The trooper was shot near Vic
toria in April 1992.
Howard's attorney said that a
childhood of violence in Hous
ton's inner-city, including brushes
with gangs and hours of listening
to angry "gangsta rap'' music,
taught him to hate police.
In his closing argument. Tan
ner had told jurors: "This music
builds up in a young kid's head ...
We're not saying it's the only
cause, but it's a contributing cause
along with everything else."
Jackson County District Attor
ney Bobby Bell has said listening
to anti-cop rap music is not a de
fense for killing a law enforce
ment officer.
"No gangsta rap music in the
world is going to get Ronald Ray
Howard to violate his moral con
science," Bell said. "There is no
way listening to that music re
duces his (responsibility)."
"No gangsta rap music in the world is going to
get Ronald Ray Howard to violate his moral
conscience."
-Bobby Bell, district attorney
U&I CAN prepares to
vaccinate Brazos area
Clinic needs community volunteers
By GENEEN PIPHER
The Battalion
Unified & Involved Community Action Network (U&I CAN), in
cooperation with the Brazos County Division of the Texas Department
of Health, is sponsoring free immunization clinics for Texas A&M Uni
versity students and members of the community with children.
Kay Claybourn, funding and resources facilitator for U&I CAN
said the organization is looking for volunteers to work at the immu
nization clinics.
"We need non-medical personnel to work at the clinic," Claybourn
said. "Any students or student groups could get involved, particularly
those who are interested in health and children."
Re'Donna Christian, immunization outreach worker for the Brazos
County Division of the Texas Department of Health, said U&I CAN
aims to make immunizations more accessible to the community.
"There is not just going to be one clinic from eight to five, but many
clinics set for after five hours and weekends," Christian said. "This
will accommodate those who couldn't make the clinics that are held in
the daytime."
Claybourn said, "What we're doing is complementary to the Brazos
Valley Health Department clinics that are scheduled during the day.
We complement their programs by holding ours in the evenings and
on weekends."
Claybourn said many parents do not realize or forget the impor
tance of immunizations.
"In a lot of families, both parents work and getting their child im
munized is not as high on their priority list as it is to see to their day to
day needs," she said. "We're trying to give a big push to let parents
know about how important it is to immunize."
Christian said, "Young parents are kind of slacking up on getting
their children immunized. The younger generation hasn't seen many
cases of these diseases because they have been immunized, so they
don't think the diseases still exist."
Claybourn said only 30 percent of children age zero to two in Texas
start their immunization series on time.
"Thirty percent is a very low rate, "Claybourn said. "In the Brazos
Valley, the number is probably about 50 percent. Our goal is to bring
that number to 100 percent."
Claybourn said the diseases the organization is immunizing against
are very preventable.
"There is no reason that these kids should have to suffer through
these diseases," she said.
Christian said the key to prevention is getting the children immu
nized and doing it on schedule.
"Get the children immunized as soon as possible," she said. "Start
at two months old and keep up with the program."
People interested in immunizations or volunteering can call the Bra
zos Valley Division of the Texas Department of Health.
SCOTT & WHITE
CLINIC, COLLEGE STATION
Announcing
Weekend Clinic Hours
for Urgent Care
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Scott & White Clinic, College Station, is now offering
weekend Clinic hours for urgent care by appointment
only! The Weekend Clinic is conducted from 8:30 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. in the Clinic Annex building located across
the street (Glenhaven Dr.) from the main clinic.
By Appointment Only
(409) 268-3663
▲
Scott & White
Annex
S&W
Clinic
UNIVERSITY DRIVE EAST
Scott & White Clinic, College Station 1600 University Drive East
Heartburn Sufferers Call Us!
Infected Bug Bites?
Individuals of any age with symptoms of impetigo (bacterial infection
of the skin, including infected bug bites) to participate in an
investigational drug research study using a cream with drug in it.
$150 for those chosen and completing the study.
Asthma Studies
Individuals, age 18-60 years, with mild to moderate asthma to
participate in a clinical research study for approx. 16-18 weeks with
an investigational medication in tablet form. Up to $700 paid for
participation.
Sinus Infection Study
Individuals age 13 and older with a sinus infection to participate in a
clinical research study for 3 to 5 weeks with an investigational
antibiotic in capsule form. $250 incentive paid to those who
complete the study.
BioLogica Research Group, Inc.
776-0400
The Battalion
JASON LOUGHMAN, Editor in chief
MARK EVANS, Managing editor
DAVE THOMAS, Night News editor
MACK HARRISON, Opinion editor
BILLY MORAN, Photo editor
STEPHANIE PATTILLO, City editor
ANAS BEN-MUSA, Aggielife editor
KYLE BURNETT, Sports editor
SUSAN OWEN, Sports editor
Staff Members
City desk - Jennifer Smith, James Bernsen, Reagan Clamon, Michele Brinkmann, Jason Cox, Lisa Elliott, J. Frank
Hernandez, Janet Holder, Jason Jeffus, Carrie Miura, and Geneen Pipher
News desk — Lisa Borrego, Joe Holan, Lance Holmes and Denise Wick
Photographers - Richard Dixon, Mary Macmanus, Nicole Rohrman, and Stacy Ryan
Aggielife - Jacqueline Ayotte, John Bayless, Margaret Claughton and Jennifer Salce
Sports writers - Roy Clay, Matt Rush and Mark Smith
Opinion desk — Matt Dickerson, Tracey Jones, Frank Stanford and Robert Vasquez
Cartoonists — Boomer Cardinale, George Nasr, Joe Reyes, Sergio Rosas and Paul Stroud
Graphic Artist - Angel Kan
Clerks- Grant Austgen, Alishia Holtam and Lisa White
The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and
Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods), at Texas
A&M University. 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.
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.
Newsroom phone number is 845-3313. Fax: 845-2647.
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.
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