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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1996)
news BRIEFS Ministers available for guidana A&M student killed in automobile accident Douglas Talmage Blaz, a 20 year-old sophomore wildlife and fisheries major, died Feb. 7 in an automobile accident. Blaz, from Dallas, was participat ing in an internship at Rancho Ires Hijos in Tilden, Texas, at the time of his death. Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral in Dallas is handling the funera arrangements. ~3 ETEl In cJ La cJ La cJ la cU ET SEzai SUMMER ’96 Teen injured while using in-line skates Limited spaces Ei H STILL AVAILABLE. Reserve yours now! Take courses in: Arts and Civilization European Politics Pick up an application at the Study Abroad Programs Office. CORPUS CFHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A teen-ager was hospitalized in criti cal condition Monday after he appar ently lost control of in-line skates and rolled out of a parking garage in front of a passing vehicle. John David Segovia, 13, of Sin- ton was taken to Memorial Medical Center in Corpus Christi Sunday with severe head injuries, a nursing supervisor said. The seventh-grader at Sinton Ju nior High School was skating inside the Mercantile Bank-Corpus Christi parking garage shortly after 5 p.m. He rolled swiftly down a ramp and "shot right out in the street," said police Sgt. Bill Heuston. Segovia was not wearing a hel met, police said. UH reinstates author of violent poem HOUSTON (AP) — The Universi ty of Houston has reinstated a doctor al candidate whose poem two years ago depicted the murders of five pro fessors at the school by a disgruntled student resembling himself. The university's history depart ment two months ago dismissed Fabi an Vaksman because he had not made sufficient progress toward his dissertation, the original work re quired for a doctorate. However, school administrators restored Vaksman's academic stand ing last week against the history de partment's wishes, giving him a $10,000 assistantship and two more years to finish his studies. The new deadline gives Vaksman a total of nine years to finish his de gree, four more than doctoral stu dents typically are allowed. The 50,000-word poem, titled "RRacist," depicts a student resem bling Vaksman who shoots and kills five history professors modeled on ones he fought with at the university. □ Campus ministers will be stationed at All Faiths Chapel to advise students, regardless of their religious affiliations. By Danielle Pontiff The Battalion A group of campus ministers is setting up an of fice in Texas A&M’s All Faiths Chapel in an effort to make religious and other guidance more accessi ble to students. Members of Campus Ministers Association, an organization of ministers from various denomina tions, will be available Mondays through Thurs days from 1 to 4 p.m. to talk about anything on students’ minds. Rev. Barbara Grant, CMA president and minis ter at Peace and Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, said the office will be open to students of any de nomination, regardless of the religious affiliation of the CMA representative present. “The CMA has a code of ethics concerning reli gions,” Grant said. “We uphold the privilege of all people to worship as they please.The CMA minis ters are all professional people hired to answer questions without pressing any specific religious denomination.” Grant said students who have questions about specific religious denominations will be referred to the appropriate CMA representative or can pick up a brochure in the office. The CMA has been working with the University since Fall 1995 to set up hours at All Faiths Chapel. The project was finalized Feb. 6. Thomas McMullin, CMA member and educ?,; at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S13 Institute of Religion, said that even thoughii University remains neutral on spiritual beliefs^ cause of the separation of church and stated student affairs department is aware that relip is important to students. “The student affairs office recognizes* spiritual concerns are important in many 11 dents lives,” McMullin said. “They are interesiij in the spiritual well-being of students andwai; ed the facility at the All Faiths Chapel tows; in a beneficial way.” Amy Pr IE Batta "We uphold the privilege of all peoplt to worship as they please." — Rev. Barbara Gnt Campus Ministers Association presik McMullin said CMA will be working withtheSs dent Counseling Center to handle crisis situations "Not all campus ministers are comfortablet: crisis counseling,” McMullin said. “This isaji effort. If students are in need of crisis counsel^ we will get them in touch with someone attheSn dent Counseling Center.” Pam Martiniano, a junior recreation parla and tourism sciences major who works Mary’s Catholic Student Center, said the office is conveniently located. “There are people calling here all the time as ing to speak to a priest about religious issues,' Martiniano said. “The CMA office at the All Fai Chapel is a good idea because students are roc likely to go there than cross University get to a church on Northgate.” Drive:; jei Kevorkian judge limits jury questionin na mor ry of th Associa i is setti lest and Tonigb issione thin th( unity. Freddie AACP v mior ele< at i: |fr: ajor, sai< :ularly i icause ican-A: ty divide “What 1 improv reen Afri :nts am Duntz sa [ether t als. Th le comn □ Dr. Jack Kevorkian is accused of violating a now-expired law banning assisted suicide. PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge railed Monday that poten tial jurors in Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s assisted suicide trial cannot be asked about their reli gious beliefs or their views on a law that banned the practice. After first approving a de fense motion to ask such ques tions, Circuit Judge Jessica Cooper switched positions and threw out juror questionnaires proposed by both sides. In her order, the judge told lawyers not to ask any questions that require prospective jurors to reveal their religious beliefs or their views on a now-expired state law banning assisted suicide. Kevorkian, an outspoken ad vocate of physician-assisted sui cide as an option for the severely ill, is accused of violating the ban by aiding two 1993 deaths. Merian Frederick, 72, of Ann Arbor, had Lou Gehrig’s dis ease, and Dr. Ali Khalili, 61, of Oak Brook, Ill., had bone can cer. Both died after inhaling carbon monoxide. Earlier this month. Cooper approved a survey by Kevorkian attorney Geoffrey Fieger con taining such questions as ‘‘Does your religion forbid suicide?” and “Do you tithe or contribute a portion of your income to your place of worship?” “We’re absolutely entitled to know whether there is religious bias in this jury,” Fieger said Monday outside of court. Prosecutors appealed Coop er’s ruling, arguing that the de fense questions would invade ju rors’ privacy and bias the selec tion against the prosecution. link we’r at every NAACI ion. Spot Cooper changed her mindaf jtill we l' ter a state appeals court orderal|etwo mo her to submit more information about her original decisionio support of FMeger’s request. Jury selection had beende layed until the appellate revie* was complete. It was not imme diately clear when the appeals panel would rule on the prosecu Lovely IAACP < (AACP v etter unc This is now the el! said. “ lave hap tion motion, but Prosecutor vantedto vhere we Octevi ihair am Richard Thompson said the trill could begin as early as Tuesday The assisted-suicide law, which took effect in February (frican-A 1993 and expired in November ware ar 1994, carries a penalty of up to four years in prison. Kevorkian, who has acknowl edged being present at 21 deaths since 1990, also charged with assisted suicidein ;hetic al ihe Univt “Stude ngs and locial clii African two 1991 deaths. In 1994, Kevorkian wasac quitted of charges of assisted suicide in the 1993 death of a Michigan man. FNAACP, \4m Feds probe Russian gem company with government links aw, □ The owner of Golden ADA and up to $400 million in diamonds^ gold and cash is missing. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — In the months after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Golden ADA emerged among the crop of new companies seeking fortunes from the marriage of Russian raw materi als and Western know-how. Golden ADA boasted the best asset a Russian business could have: personal con nections to Boris Yeltsin’s government. Russia shipped hundreds of millions of dollars in uncut diamonds to the San Fran cisco company, which was supposed to cut and polish the gems and send them back. But few, if any, ever returned. Now, up to $400 million in diamonds, gold and cash has vanished from Golden ADA, and federal in vestigators suspect the Russian mob stole the riches. The company’s Russian owner, Andrei Kozlenok, is also missing. Investigators want to know where the valuables are and why Russia continued to ship them even though the company had failed to pay. Russia contends Golden ADA illegally sold its diamonds and kept the cash. Some of the money apparently helped buy a stun ning array of luxury items, including a Faberge egg created for Czar Nicholas II, a $377,000 Rolls Royce, nine speedboats, a $20 million Learjet and a $4.4 million Lake Tahoe estate used in “The Godfather Part II,” outside auditors found. Kozlenok, a relative of Yeltsin’s Deputy Fi nance Minister Anatoly Golovaty, also used his money to buy connections on this side of the Pacific. Golovaty refused a request for an interview from ’The Associated Press. After it was launched in 1992, Kozlenok’s company showered California politicians with money, including $25,000 to the failed guber natorial campaign of Kathleen Brown and thousands more to state and city politicians. In January 1995, Kozlenok recruited two well-connected San Francisco politicians to rescue his company after Russia in mid-1994 finally cut off further shipments and demand ed an accounting of the gems and money. He hired veteran state Sen. Quentin Kopp, a powerful California legislator, as corporate counsel, and made Jack Immen- dorf chief executive. Immendorf was then- Mayor Frank Jordan’s campaign finance chairman and still heads the city Recreation and Park Commission. In a February 1995 letter to Yeltsin, Immen dorf warned that Golden ADA would fail disas trously if Russia did not resume shipments of diamonds. But the appeal was unsuccessful, Until the shipments were cut off, Russia kept sending the gems because “it was a question of trust,” said Russia’s California attorney, Mark Beck. Russia’s diamond marketing agency has admitted shipping at least $178 million ia uncut diamonds, gold coins and other valu ables to Golden ADA without pre-payment or security, in violation of its own rules. Diamond industry experts say the embar rassed Russian government may be concealing its real losses, which could hit $400 million. Political pressures both in Moscow and Washington could smother the U.S. investi gation, which gives ammunition to Yeltsin’i Communist and nationalist opponents ia Russia’s presidential elections in June. Yeltsin’s critics have repeatedly accused; his government of corruption and of helping;| to plunder Russia’s vast natural resources. One federal law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the U.S. investigation was going slowly because “there is concern in Washington.” Immendorf and Kopp left the company shortly before Russia filed a lawsuit in Octo ber and the IRS raided Golden ADA’s head quarters in November, seizing its remaining assets for $63 million in unpaid taxes. 1 \ February 12 & 13, 1996 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Zachry Lobby 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ★ ★ ★ ★★ ALL MAJORS INVITED For more information Cooperative Education 207 John J. Koldus Building 845-7725 The Battalion Sterling Hayman, Editor in Chief Stacy Stanton, Managing Editor Stew Milne, Photo Editor Michael Landauer, Opinion Editor Tara Wilkinson, City Editor Tiffany Moore, Night News Editor Gretchen Perrenot, Night News Editor Amy Collier, Aggielipe Editor Nick Georgandis, Sports Editor Dave Winder, Radio Editor Toon Boonyavanich, Graphics Editor Brad Graeber, Graphics Editor Staff Members City Desk - Assistant Editor: Lily Aguilar; Reporters: Marissa Alanis, Pamela Benson, Eleanor Colvin, Johanna Henry, Lisa Johnson, Michelle Lyons, Heather Pace, Danielle Pontiff, KendraS. Rasmussen, Wes Swift, Courtney Walker & Tauma Wiggins Aggielipe Desk - Assistant Editor: Amy Uptmor; Writers: Rachel Barry, Kristina Buffin, Amber Clark, Marisa Demaya, Tab Dougherty, Jonathan Faber, James Francis, Elbe Goad, Jere my Hubble, John LeBas, Amy Protas, Wes Swift & Alex Walters; Page Designers: Helen Clancy & Kristin Deluca. . Sports Desk - Assistant Editor: Tom Day; Sportswriters: Kristina Buffin, Stephanie Christopher, Pne Leone, Lisa Nance, Nicole Smith & Wes Swift; Page Designer: Jody Holley Opinion Desk - Assistant Editor: Jason Brown; Coeumnists: H.L. Baxter, Rob Clark, Erin Fitzgerald, Jason Glen, Shannon Halbrook, Aja Henderson, Elaine Mejia, Chris Miller, Jeff Nolen, Chris Stidvent, Dave Taylor, Jeremy Valdez & Kieran Watson Photo Desk - Assistant Editor: Tim Moog; Photographers: Rony Angkriwan, Amy Browning, Shane Elkins, Dave House, Gwendolyn Struve, Cory Willis & Evan Zimmerman Page Designers - News: Asad Al-Mubarak, Michele Chancellor, Kristin Deluca, Jody Holley, Jill W az ' za, Tiffany Moore, Gretchen Perrenot & Kyle Simson Copy Editors - Brian Cieselman & Amy Hamilton Visualization Artists - Michael Depot, Dave Doyle, Ed Goodwin, John Lemons, Jennifer Lynn' Maki, Quatro Oakley, Gerado Quezada, lames Vineyard & Chris Yung , Office Staff - Office Manager: Kasie Byers; Clerks: Abbie Adaway, Mandy Cater, Am* Clark & Anieanette Sasser Radio Desk - Heatner Chealwood, Will Hickman & David Taylor -• News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in theU- vision of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone: 845-331 3; Fax: 845-264/ , Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Ban ion. For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. Forclassj! advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and o 11 hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-2678. -if Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a j>' n 8 copy of the Battalion. Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $W full year. To charge by VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express, call 845-261T , The Battalion (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall ^ spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer sessions (except , „ , gh Thursday during the summer sessions (except c University holidays and exam periods), at Texas A&M University. Second class postal 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. Officers By Amy I |The Bat 01 and app may be a Amba tural d< iust tha* tural ly aware c; Amb; between the Mul the scho Kevir Multicu tnand o outside him to c; “I wo from a Carrea looking Panels a tizatior and ha there al hepartn ?o dowi dents tc In ac and spi Ambass Texas A before aampus Chr sador a Bineeri is sigt People
