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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1993)
State & Local Dru esday, N' Page 2 The Battalion Tuesday, November30,11 Still burning... TU Electric fights to recover losse Rebound expected despite back-to-back major accidenl The Associated Press DALLAS — Reeling from back- to-back major accidents involving its facilities, TU Electric still expects to recoup its losses without passing on costs to the ratepayers, a spokesman said Monday. "As far as accidents go, it certain ly has not been a good year," TU spokesman Jim Lawrence said. On Oct. 28, a ruptured gas line in Arlington sparked an explosion and raging fire, toppling 17 of the compa ny's electric transmission towers and temporarily cutting off power to more than 40,000 homes and businesses. Authorities said the blaze appar ently was triggered when a con struction vehicle hit a line that car ries natural gas to a TU Electric plant in Grand Prairie. TU Electric's equipment sustained $2.5 million to $3 million in damages, officials said. Two and a half weeks later, a 600- foot concrete emissions stack col lapsed onto a TU Electric power plant at Mount Pleasant, about 120 miles east of Dallas. One person was trapped and killed in the Nov. 14 ac cident; four others were injured. Dave Fiorelli, a spokesman at the Monticello Plant in Mount Pleasant, had estimated the damages at sever al million dollars. "As far as accidents go, it certainly has not been a good year." -Jim Lawrence, TU spokesman Lawrence said: "We regret that there was a fatality and there were injuries at the Mount Pleasant site. In addition to that, of course, there is some expense involved. There is a matter of operating without one of our major lignite-fueled units until it can be restored. "All those things combined have not made it an especially good year," he said. Lawrence said the company insured for damages at the Mo; Pleasant plant. It still was collec bills associated with the Arlinji fire, but expected to turn them® to Pate Brothers Construction h; Kennedale, the contractor TU siv responsible for the accident. "We're operating on theth# that we're going to recoup ourlt es," Lawrence said. Kevin Pate, president off; Brothers, did not immediatek turn a telephone call to The Ass ated Press. Because TU Electric expects repaid, it does not anticipate!: electric rates will rise as a resui: the two incidents, he said. Guillermo Garcia, spokesma.1 the state Public Utility Coirunk said TU Electric could decide tofe losses from the accidents as a ret for seeking a rate hike. The com sion staff would then decide whe: the expenses are reasonable andc a recommendation to a judge. Fishing trip leads to wild raccoon rescue missior The Associated Press Tim Moog/Tm Battalion (from left) Juniors Leach Schneler, Schwinn Monday afternoon. The fire, which was lit Mesecke and Brian Tully climb atop Bonfire Wednesday night, is still burning. CORPUS CHRISTI - David Neal and his son Jason set out to catch a fish or two not far from home on Padre Island. But the sight of a raccoon, cling ing tenaciously to a barge, led them on a 31/2-hour rescue mission all the way to Aransas Pass. And despite catching no fish, Jason declared the Saturday trip a success. "We caught a raccoon instead," the 14-year-old said. Jason said he first noticed the rac coon, on the back of a barge near a support strut for the rudder, as he and his father steered their 18-foot motorboat on the jetties at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. "I had to think about it for a minute, to figure out what I saw, then I told my dad we had to go back," Jason said. The Neals followed the barge from underneath the John F. Kennedy Causeway to Aransas Pass, nearly 20 miles away. On the way, they watched as the half-drowned raccoon clung to the struts, fighting for its life. When the barge finally stopped outside Conn Brown Harbor in Aransas Pass, the Neals fished the ring-tailed mammal from the water with a net and a canvas bag. It recovered Saturday at their home in the pen that normally holds the family Doberman. They released the raccoon Sun day into an undeveloped canal. "That leads to the National Seashore," David Neal said. "There are plenty of things for him to eat and I know there are some other rac coons there, so that might be a good place for him." Neal, a lieutenant commands: the Coast Guard and a helicopte: lot, said the raccoon's determina: and stamina surprised him. "The guy on the barge said he:, been there for the last 50 miles, s sunup," Neal said. "A coupleoffc he just disappeared under there but he managed to hang on." To no avail, the man aboard: barge had tried to toss firstaro then a pole in hopes the aniir: would climb up onto the deck. The raccoon, nicknamed! cal," didn't put up muchofai when the Neals rescued him. "He tried to submerge him and get away, but we still fishedtr out," Neal said. "He growledal bit, but he was pretty docile h been real quiet. I think he' pretty tough day." >; , \ ili liilii Fish Camp ‘94 Counselor and Fish Crew Applications Available January 24, 1994 Requirements: Must have 2.0 GPR and must be in the B-CS area during Fall 1994. Fish Camp 90, 91, 92, 93 T-Shirts for sale in MSC Hallway this week. Challenge Yourself for the Class of ‘98!! DANCE ARTS SOCIETY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY PRESENTS FALL SHOW '93 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1, 1993 7:30 P.M. RUDDER THEATRE ADMISSION $3.00 TICKETS ON SALE AT MSC BOX OFFICE Now, you can get a head start on the MCAT! PORTLA newest a ly reserv they beg The Princeton Review's Early Enrollment Option was designed to competitive students who want to begin reviewing biology, physics chemistry, ;md organic chemistry before our course begins. TIk program consists of a pre-course diagnostic, a personalized pre-comt study plan, and the powerful Caduceus MCA T review software. Caduceus is an extensive science review package with exhaustive on current MCAT topics. It includes over 3000 pages of review abovf and beyond the material otherwise included in The Princeton Revies MCA T Course. It retails for over $200, hut is provided to Princeton Review Early Enrollment Students at no charge. Early Enrollment Test Dates Saturday, Oct. 30 Saturday, Dec 4 THE PRINCETON REVIEW A MSC Miss Texas A&M University Pageant Committee PRESENTS: Mr. Rggie THUR., DEC. 2 7 P.M. MSC 201 $3 STUDENTS $5 NON-STUDENTS CASUAL WEAR TALENT FORMAL WEAR Tickets at Rudder Box Office Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform of you special needs. We request notification three (3) working days prior to the event to enable us to the ‘ to assist you to the best of our ability. U • sv,.., \f. For more information, call today! 696-9099 .» I .1. .•.-.i v. jrb v V \ K I ‘7%S& (2<MutHittee fat AWAKSnSSS 'Tftextccut-fArtteru&itt' (^ctCtcvte Las Posadas \ Christmas Tradition celebrating Mary and Joseph’s journey. ‘DecewtAJesi /, 1993 7:00 filcaAt, ccM $45- / 515 te- effect 4./iccCcLt Ht-tcCd.. 'T&i xtqueAt (Tiiee (3) etayt pUo* t/lc cv&tt to- uo to aAOtat tfocc to t6c 6eot <*/ acco aiilttcf.. The Battalion CHRIS WHITLEY, Editor in chief JULI PHILLIPS, Managing editor MARK EVANS, City editor DAVE THOMAS, Night News editor ANAS BEN-MUSA, Agg/e//7eeditor BELINDA BLANCARTE, Night News editor MICHAEL PLUMER, Sports editor MACK HARRISON, Opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, Sports editor KYLE BURNETT, Photo editor Staff Members City desk - Jason Cox, James Bernsen, Michele Brinkmann, Lisa Elliott, Cheryl Heller, Kim Horton, Jan Higginbotham, Jennifer Kiley, Mary Kujawa, Kevin Lindstrom, Jackie Mason, Kim McGuire, Carrie Miura, Slept# 11 * Pattillo, Geneen Pipher, Jennifer Smith, Mark Smith and Andrea Taormina News desk - Rob Clark, Jennifer Petteway, Irish Reichle, Khristy Rouw and Heather Winch Photographers - Mary Macmanus, Marty Allen, Amy Browning, Lauren Donahue, Varnell Hopkins III, . Tommy Huynh, Kevin Ivy, Tim Moog, Gus Morgan and Holly Organ Aggielife- Dena Dizdar, Jacqueline Ayotte, Margaret Claughton, Lesa Ann King and Joe Leih Sports writers - Julie Chelkowski, Matt Rush and David Winder Opinion desk - Toni Garrard Clay, Lynn Booher, Tracey Jones, Jenny Magee, Melissa Megliola, Jay Rot)bi ns John Scroggs, Lrank Stanford, Jason Sweeny, Robert Vasquez and Eliot Williams Cartoonists - Jason Brown, Boomer Cardinale, Clifton Hashimoto, George Nasr, Gerardo Quezada and Edward Zepeda Graphic Artist - Angel Kan Clerks- Grant Austgen, Eleanor Colvin, Wren Eversberg, Carey Fallin and Tomiko Miller The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semd^ and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam pefi<xM‘ Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. 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