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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1994)
iidenfe: atldiii 'm •dents of; : ConfeJ C0I iferei!, ? expandit hwest C ( iern Me^ -hristian commis? ^HasMoJ esday (diir | call shoi' e said it'i e presidt: > half. In’t knot IWednesday, April 6, 1994 The Battalion Page 7 Singing birds breed a big, bothersome brood The Associated Press chook iningtkfV Nevada, Isa. g is po •gin dec:;, not say rhey nii and pti^l little mot; he po FORT WORTH — As far as Betty Simmons knows, Charlie could be dead by now, gone from her life as mysteriously as the litde green parakeet appeared five years ago. Yet Simmons’ sorrow is not without some so lace: at least 30 of Charlie’s offspring remain in die trees near her home in south Fort Worth. Recendy, she talked about how Charlie joined her family and the noise that forced her husband to finally set Charlie and her mate free, only to have them breed more noise. Charlie is a breed of parakeet called quaker or monk. It is a native of Argentina, where the cli mate is similar to that of Texas, said Chris Brown, curator of birds for the Fort Worth Zoo. The birds, which usually sell for less than $100, started showing up in the Metroplex about four years ago, when one was sighted in Arling ton, he said. “They’re pretty common as pet birds,” Brown said. “The main reason that there are probably so many of them is that people found out that they are so noisy and obnoxious and were purposely released.” The way Simmons tells the story, Charlie, a fe male, literally stumbled upon Simmons’ husband Before long, Simmons said, the parakeets took up resi dence in some nearby trees and began multiplying. while he was working at Rosemont Middle School. When no one else at the school wanted the sick, starving bird, Simmons said, her husband put Charlie in a box and took her home. “I didn’t have anything to feed her that night but crackers and water,” Simmons said. “I crum bled them up and by morning she had eaten every bit of it.” For the next two years, Simmons said, Charlie was a welcome companion, a kind of child-pet, to a house long empty of children. Then one summer, heeding the shrill calls that are common to the small birds, Pete showed up. Simmons said the two birds became constant companions, but the noise they made became so overwhelming, “I told my husband either they go or I go.” Much to her surprise, Simmons said, her husband released the birds. Two days later, they were back. Before long, Simmons said, the parakeets took up residence in some nearby trees and began mul tiplying. Simmons, whose back fence is lined with ap- E les and plastic containers of wild bird feed, sun- ower seeds and water, said that she buys food every other day for the birds. Sometimes, she said, neighbors or passersby donate money or buy food for tier wards. “Sometimes I say I’m going to quit feeding them, but you’d be surprised how much people want to help out,” Simmons said. Brown warned that it is illegal to release die birds into the wild because they are an exotic species, and they compete with native Texas birds for food and nesting space. Brown said that the birds are widespread in die United States, and they have been known to live in climates as cold as those of Chicago and New York. Charlie and Pete could even be there, but Sim mons said that she hopes they’re still close to home. "I still look for the bands that were on their legs,’’ she said. “I think we’ll always wonder whether they’re still alive or not. They’re part of the family.” Yes! 1 We Have Student Airfares 'imp London Paris Frankfurt Madrid Tokyo Costa Rica $285" $255" $295" $305" $399* $165" * Fares are each way from Houston Dased on a roundtrip purchase. Restrictions apply and taxes not included. Call for other worldwide destinations. Council Ttavd 2000 Guadalupe St. • Austin, IX 78705 512-472-4931 n\ ■ i BISIAftCH ACNE STUDY VIP Research is seeking females 15 to 49 with facial acne to participate in a 6-month research study using a currently available hormonal therapy. Qualified participants can receive up to $200 HERPES STUDY Individuals with genital herpes infections are being recruited for a 52-week research study of an investigational anti-viral medication. A current herpes outbreak is not necessary. $300 will be paid to qualified volunteers who enroll and complete this study. For more information, call: k. VIP Research, Inc. (409) 776-1417 TONIGHT | Worn an liable for spending AIDS patient’s inheritance otiatc nth agent The Associated Press — The Hu Prison's $ iating a:: cut thecu ))' $1 n# tarting Iik ith the ter deal wji! year veil: mg for'!. /ikingsb al that to h-round ft a third-toil Kchangel; Chronidt? ions. r ic Vines.:' for a in ■ral manif icralo t weelCu kjacatoii vesa$l i, who is® million co ^ear. add anoii rking on: hip Na® lefinitelyji ) figure c it willbi ed tot ■ and Si® HOUSTON — Harris County ju rors have sent a $ 1 75,000 message to the caregiver of AIDS patients, found liable for spending a 41-year-old AIDS patient s inheritance. “We wanted to set an example to others in that kind of trust position,” said Mary Beth Melvyn, a juror for the civil suit filed by Lawrence White. Clortis “C.C.” Roberts, president of the Foundation for Women and Children with AIDS, never denied spending White’s money. She claimed White gave it to her as a gift while under her care. But White and his attorneys said he had wanted the money reserved for his future medical expenses. Evidence from the civil trial could trigger criminal investigations into Roberts’ activities. jurors deliberated for about an hour Monday before finding that Roberts broke the fiduciary trust between them and fraudulently spent more than $50,000 of White’s money. In addition to awarding him an amount equal to what Roberts had misspent, jurors awarded him $ 1 25,000 in punitive damages. In testimony at the trial, Roberts never denied spending the money, which records show went for a va riety of personal expenses, includ ing getting her jewelry out of hock, buying clothing and repair ing her car. Roberts’ attorney, Bill Bussey told the jury that White “wanted C.C. to have that money and make her life better.” White left Roberts’ home desti tute, and now relies on charities for housing, according to testimony in the lawsuit. White may not live to receive any money from Roberts because she has said she is broke. White left his hospital bed Mon day to tell reporters that he hopes the verdict ensures that Roberts never de frauds others. ‘‘Sometimes you have to put your trust in someone, and that’s what I caught myself doing,” said White, who sat in a wheelchair and spoke hesitatingly but cogently. Ordinance restricts public smoking The Associated Press AUSTIN — Restaurant goers can enjoy a smokeless breakfast and lunch under a new city ordinance. ‘‘We’re recognizing a national trend in Austin,” said Council Member Brigid Shea. ‘‘People can make adjustments.” Under the ordinance, no smok ing is allowed in any restaurant or bar dining room between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. After 2 p.m., smoking is allowed in enclosed areas with separate ven tilation systems in new buildings. Older buildings have until March 1996 to comply with the rule or become non-smoking. After 10 p.m., smoking is al lowed in restaurants and bars in certain areas. A violation is punishable by a fine of up to $500. The ordinance represented a compromise between restaurateurs, club owners, and tavern keepers who objected to a total smoking ban that was proposed by Mayor Bruce Todd and Council Member Gus Garcia. The first business day of the or dinance received mixed reviews. “Non-smoking sections haven’t really worked in the past,” Greg Tingle, a computer programmer who ate at a downtown restaurant, said Monday. “One little no smok ing sign doesn’t keep smoke from drifting over and bothering those of us who don’t smoke.” But a customer in a South Austin restaurant said the new ordinance was idiotic. ‘ ‘A private business has a right to decide what they will allow in their business,” said Barry Stambaugh. ‘‘This is just another example of government intrusion.” Under other provisions of the ordinance, smoking is banned in all city buildings, and within 1 5 feet of an entrance to a public facility. Smoking is allowed in outdoor areas of restaurants, bars, taverns and lounges if at least 25 percent of the outdoor seating is reserved for non-smokers. The new ordinance has appar ently caught on at some dance halls. Under the new policy, at least 25 percent of the performances at live music venues must be non smoking. Dr. Love and Tex-Mex Tony I • Happy Hour Pitchers ALL NIGHT! H 21-1 Tecate & Tecate Light • All Longnecks*! 00 until 10 pm • Cover Charge $4 for men / $1 for women See our ad in Thursday's Battalion for band line-ups this weekend! 823-2368 201 W. 26th St v Downtown Bryan Off Campus Aggies General Meeting Wednesday, April 6 301 Rudder 8:30 pm It’s crazy boxer night! Last awesome prizes of the semester! For more info., please call 845-0688. ittL MSC Variety Show Presents... 99 ion. Parents’ Weekend April 15,1994,7:30 PM Rudder Theatre Tickets are available at the MSC Box Office for $7. Persons with disabilities please call us at 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. We request three (3) working days prior to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our ability. The 12th Man Student Foundation Announces: 0 ❖ University Lecture Series and the CoUege of Science April 6, 1994 4:00 p.m. Scientific Literacy for AH Americans: An Achievable Goal Prof. Kenneth Wilson, Ohio State University 1982 Nobel Laureate in Physics “Scientific literacy for all Americans requires a relentless focus on the problems, in and out of school, that block learning by disadvantaged or lagging students.” Engineering Physics Room 202 Engineering - Physics Building Cyclotron Spence Street o § n] 5) Q .&• McDonald’s 6} <Sv 2 G SPRING SEMESTER 7:00 PM Wednesday, April 6th MSC Room 292b DIRECTORS NEEDED FOR FALL SEMESTER Applications will be available at the meeting
