Texas A & M University
ph..
t
102
75
Today Tomorrow
See extended forecast page 2.
olume 103 • Issue 159 • 6 Pages
College Station, TX
Thursday, ]uly 3, 1997
S
/ith d
i towaii
tnd easi'
jo noit-
the Chi-
j’sjusti
jplecai
ed pho-
lies, pro-
isiraplf
i weeks
ifire cut
seBon-
mt thai
turning
wlfwav
ndstu-
jerenot
make
astyear
Isaid
firevi
apan’s largest oil spill
eads for main coast
YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — A su-
rtanker ran aground today in busy
ikyo Bay, dumping nearly 4 million
Jlons of crude oil in Japan’s worst
El ever and threatening the fishing
ounds that help feed its most
owded region.
The spill released noxious fumes
atsickened more than a dozen peo-
eon shore, mostly children. As the
imes abated, concern over the spill
itched from the possible risk of fire
its impact on the environment.
The 147,012-ton, Panamanian-regis-
redDiamond Grace ran aground less
im four miles off Yokohama and 22
les southwest of Tokyo. Officials said
light crude oil had stopped leaking
moon, 1 1/2 hours after the accident
lone of Japan’s busiest bays.
The tanker was dislodged by nightfall
idwent under its own power to near-
[Kawasaki, where its remaining oil was
ilieremoved. The 3 1 /2-mile-wide spill
was drifting north toward Tokyo.
“This is the worst oil spill Japan has
ever experienced,” said Transportation
Minister Makoto Koga.
The spill threatens to sully the fishing
grounds in Japan’s most heavily populated
region. The sprawling Tokyo metropolitan
area — which encompasses Yokohama,
Kawasaki and Chiba—rings the bay and is
home to 25 million people.
Authorities initially feared a spark could
set the spill on fire. A dozen coast guard
boats patrolled the fouled bay, warning
fishermen to keep their distance and avoid
using cigarette lighters or matches.
About 40 boats were throwing ab
sorbent mats onto the water to soak
up the crude. A helicopter sprayed
solvents to break up the oil and work
ers used everything from barrels to la
dles to scoop it up. The cleanup was to
continue through the night.
Coast guard helicopters hovered
over the bay. The oil sparkled on the
water, with the silhouette of Mount
Fuji in the distance.
The Maritime Safety Agency,
Japan’s coast guard, said the tanker
dumped nearly twice as much as
Japan’s previous worst spill in 1974,
when 2 million gallons poured from a
storage tank in southwestern Japan.
The Exxon Valdez tanker spilled 11
million gallons in Alaska in 1989.
The Kyodo News agency said the
tanker scraped a reef in shallow waters,
tearing holes in two oil tanks near the
starboard bow. Officials were ques
tioning the captain, Kyodo said.
Government investigator Shigehiro
Sakamoto said three tanks were dam
aged, but only two of them held oil. He
said officials were investigating exact
ly what the tanker hit. One of the gash
es was 10 feet long.
Please see Tanker on Page 6.
Community celebration
Olsen Field ho
By Jenara Kocks
The Battalion
Residents of Bryan-College Station can
celebrate America’s independence at the “I
Love America” celebration at Olsen Base
ball Field on Friday, July 4.
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a
dunking booth and other games for kids
and country music by Texas Wind. Oth
er musical entertainers, including
KBTX-TV meteorologist Bob French,
The Children’s Troupe, Kathy Ross and
Brazos Valley Chorale, will perform from
8 p.m. to 9 p.m. The audience also will
be able to participate in a patriotic sing
along. A fireworks display will begin at
9:40 p.m.
The event is sponsored by the College
Station Noon Lions Club, the cities of
Bryan and College Station, KBTX-TV,
KKY1 Radio and The Eagle.
Jennifer Bohac, president of the College
Station Noon Lions Club, said that for 30
years, the club has sponsored a Fourth of
July celebration that Bryan-College Station
residents can enjoy for free.
“The celebration is a way for the Lions
Club to give back to the community be
cause the community gives so much to
us,” Bohac said.
Bohac said between $6,000 and
$ 10,000 worth of fireworks will be set off
at Olsen Field Friday. She said the ma
jority of the funding for the fireworks
came from donations and sponsors
such as Bryan and College Station.
Please see Celebration on Page 6.
'Jews
Briefs
Worth Zoo honors
iuimy Stewart
FORT WORTH (AP) — Jimmy
Stewart's legacy will reach beyond
miehistory to include his support
ItheFort Worth Zoo, zoo officials
aid Wednesday.
Stewart served on the zoo’s
)oard of directors in the 1950s
md was considered a generous
ontributor.
Tbeactor best known for his role
‘volt's a Wonderful Life” died of a
't/ood clot in the lung Wednesday at
pe age of 89.
[ Stewart became involved with the
in the 1950s because he was
odfriends with one of its founders,
Kirk Johnson, zoo spokeswoman
ttatewis said.
itewart dies at
alifornia home
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The actor
id at his Beverly Hills home, the
% Variety columnist said.
A former amateur magician,
ttvart conjured up some of the
*)st memorable performances in
nema history, appearing in more
bn 75 films.
Stewart won a best actor Acad-
oiyAward for “The Philadelphia
lory” and was nominated for the
scar four other times.
He starred in such righteous
lies as “The Man Who Shot Lib-
ty Valance,” “Destry Rides
’ and “The Flight of the
hoenix.” He also played more
oubled characters in films like Al-
Hitchcock’s “Vertigo.”
- Av -
\ t %
m
>
«-4 air t
" ■ '
0
\
m-.
m
M
Photograph: Shannon Castle
Marvin Seal climbs the rock wall at the Rec Cen
ter on Wednesday.
Off-campus housing grows;
more vacancies produced
By Robert Smith
The Battalion
Students searching for off-campus
housing may now have an easier time
finding a place to live because housing
development in Bryan-College Station
has increased over the past four years.
Victor Romero Jr., a lease specialist for
the Department of Student Life, said the
occupancy rate for Bryan and College
Station apartments has decreased since
four years ago.
“Four years ago there was a 100-percent
occupancy rate,” he said. “Right now, I’d
say it’s at about 90 or 91 percent. We expect
it to go up to about 95 percent in the fall.”
Rosemarie Selman, a Bryan-College
Station Apartment Association executive,
said recent increases in apartment con
struction have produced more vacancies.
“From June 1993 to December 1996,
there has been an increase of 1,939
rental units in College Station,” she said.
“There has also been 500 rental units
added in Bryan during the same time.”
Selman said she expects the occupancy
rate to increase to 92-93 percent in the fall.
Selman said there has been a signifi
cant amount of apartment development
on Holleman Street.
“Arbors and Jefferson Ridge are both
new complexes in that area,” Selman said.
“There are many units in a tight radius.”
Selman said many apartments being
built are designed with student-orient
ed amenities.
“Many are now offering computer labs
to attract students,” Selman said.
The Department of Student Life’s
housing guide lists 17 apartment com
plexes with computer labs and/or Inter
net access.
Future development will add to the
number of rental units in College Station.
A 460-unit apartment complex is be
ing planned for development on High
way 2818, and a 250-unit-apartment at
Wellborn and Holleman will be com
pleted in August.
Please see Housing on Page 6.
mmm i WMHHM
one: Texas misses mark
1 *ith effectiveness of the
| ! eath penalty.
See Page 5.
Hanging Around
Killer bees migrate north; Texas counties quarantined
LIFESTYLES
orn to be wild: Aggies
ake adventure into the
treets of B-CS.
See Page 3.
OPINION
ONLINE
tap://bat~web.tam it.edu
links to
slated
Nicies.
At least eight injured in
attack by aggressive bees
SAN ANTONIO (AP) —At least eight people were
stung and police cordoned off a four-block area after
a lawn-mowing crew apparently disturbed thou
sands of swarming bees.
Ambulances and fire trucks were dispatched
during the emergency Tuesday afternoon, as au
thorities warned everyone in the neighborhood to
stay inside their homes.
All those stung by the bees — seven adults and a
young girl—were treated by emergency technicians
at the scene. None were seriously injured.
The bees came from an abandoned lumber yard
near an alley, fire department officials said. A sam
pling of the bees was taken to determine whether
they were the more aggressive Africanized variety.
Yolanda Alviso, 14, who lives across the street
from a house where one attack took place, said
three men were using a lawn mower to cut grass
when they suddenly started swatting themselves
and yelling.
“We were looking when all the bees were on the
man. He was all freaked out. He was putting water on
him. He looked scared,” Alviso said. “I don’t know
what happened, but all the bees came out.”
Julie Trujillo, 14, and several friends were walk
ing along a street when they heard a loud buzzing
sound, she said.
Please see Bees on Page 6.
nrn
"Killer ” Bees
"iftnas Counties
QuarajiBm?tl
mm* two
Graphic: Stew Milne
A&M technicians study
new bee swarming cases
By John LeBas
The Battalion
Texas Honey Bee Identification Lab Director
Lisa Bradley, who dissects and identifies honey
bee species at the Texas A&M-Riverside facility,
is swamped this bee swarming season with sam
ples from Texans worried they may have discov
ered Africanized honey bees.
“Last year, I didn’t receive many [bee] sam
ples because it was so dry the bees weren’t do
ing much,” Bradley said. “But this month has
been bad.”
Africanized bees, hybrids of traditionally com
mercial European honey bees and their African rel
atives, have been detected throughout southern
and western Texas since 1990. But although about
20 percent of the samples Bradley recendy has an
alyzed were Africanized bees, no “killer” bees have
ever been found in Brazos County.
Dr. Rodney Holloway, an extension specialist with
the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, said killer
bees are not a menace to Bryan-College Station.
“The Africanized bee situation has not been
shown to be anywhere near as dangerous as was
once perceived,” Holloway said.
Please see Study on Page 6.