News
Thursday - July 17,1
T
Students
die in auto
accident
Valerie Lopez, a senior speech
communications major from
Weslaco, and Billy James York, a
Blinn College student and a stu
dent last year at A&M, died in an
automobile accident Sunday.
The two were returning to Col
lege Station from Weslaco when
the accident occurred, Universi
ty Relations associate director
Mary Jo Powell said.
Funeral services for Lopez
were held yesterday at 2 p.m. in
Weslaco. Service information for
York was not available.
Grant program allows for school choice
TEA hopes to make transferring from low-performing institutions easier
Health
Briefs
Product can prevent
poison ivy dermatitis
If enjoying an outdoor picnic or
campout, be aware of poison ivy.
Poison ivy may cause itching skin le
sions after contact with the plant oil. The
rash persists for two or more weeks.
Poison ivy, oak and sumac may
grow as a vine, shrub or small tree. The
three leaves on each stem may be
green or turn red as they mature.
Wear long sleeves and gloves for
protection. Wash off any contact with
in 10 minutes of known exposure.
Do not stay at home to avoid poi
son ivy. A new product called Ivy Block
can prevent poison ivy dermatitis.
This product forms a barrier against
the plant’s sap. A prescription is not
needed to purchase the product. The
active ingredient is an organoclay that
has been used in the cosmetic indus
try for years with a good safety record.
To check with a doctor, call 845-
6111 to schedule an appointment at
Beutel Health Center.
— Contributed by Dn Don Freeman,
M.D., at the A. R Beutel Health Center
Exams help detect
testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is the most frer
quent malignancy in men between the
ages of 15 and 35. Although not com
mon among all men, it has a significant
impact on this age group.
Testicular self-examination (TSE) re
mains the best tool for early detection.
However, public awareness of the dis
ease remains low, and the average de
lay in diagnosis is four to six months.
TSE should be done each month.
The best time is after a warm bath
or shower, when the scrotal skin is
most relaxed. Roll each testicle gen
tly between the thumb and first two
fingers of both hands. If you feel any
lumps, nodules or hard places, see
a doctor.
If you think you are feeling the
epididymis (the “cap” on top of and
running down the back of the testi
cle), feeling the same thing on the
other testis may confirm that it is
the epididymis. If you are not sure,
see a doctor.
To check with a doctor, call 845-
6111 to schedule an appointment at
Beutel Health Center.
— Contributed by Dr. Janet Krueger,
M.D., oftheA.R Beutel Health Center.
AUSTIN (AP) —Thousands more students
are eligible to transfer out of low-performing
public schools under a change in state law, but
they may still have nowhere to go.
The Texas Education Agency has heard
from parents who want to use the revamped
public education grant program but have not
been able to find a school district that will take
the transfers, TEA spokeswoman Debbie
Graves Ratcliffe said.
While public school districts may still be
deciding what to do, Mrs. Ratcliffe said, “I
think it’s just creating a lot of frustration
out there.” A number of school districts say
they do not have room or resources for
transfer students.
Senate Education Committee Chairman
Teel Bivins, R-Amarillo, said Wednesday he
hopes school districts will begin accepting
transfers as they learn more about the program
and the monetary incentives it offers for tak
ing the students.
. “The goal is to increase choice for parents
and students in public education,” said Bivins,
who pushed expansion of the PEG program in
this year’s legislative sessibn with Rep. Henry
Cuellar, D-Laredo.
Both lawmakers said they want to monitor
how the program works between now and the
1999 legislative session. If public schools don’t
accept PEG transfers, Cuellar said, one option
would be to start allowing private schools to
take them. That idea didn’t muster enough
support for passage this year.
The PEG program was enacted in 1995 to
give students a way out of public schools that
fall below certain standards on the Texas As
sessment of Academic Skills, a statewide test.
In the 1995-96 school year, 491,005 students
from 652 campuses were eligible under the
program. But only 31 students received the
transfers, mostly because many school dis
tricts won’t take the students.
Mrs. Ratcliffe said the agency doesn’t keep
records of how many requests were made.
Private schools are not included in the program.
This year’s measure makes more students
eligible for the transfer program; requires
school districts to notify parents that their chil
dren are eligible and give them information
about the program; and gives schools financial
incentives to take the transfers.
The law still allows schools to reject transfers.
There are 1,153 school campuses — out of
6,643 in Texas — that are considered poor
enough performers under the new law to qual
ify for the PEG program. Nearly 800,000 stu
dents are at those campuses, out of 3.7 million
Texas school children.
Under the expanded law, students are eligi
ble to transfer if they are assigned to a campus
at which 50 percent or more of the students did
not pass theTAAS in any two of the preceding
three years.
They also are eligible if their campuses have
been rated low-performing in any of the pre
ceding three years under the state account
ability system.
Under the accountability system, a school
was rated low-performing last year if less
than 30 percent of its students — or any cat
egory of students, such as blacks or whites —
passed the TAAS.
Mrs. Ratcliffe said the agency has received
dozens of calls, mostly from parents.
“Some have called to get more information
about the program and how to participate in
it. Some have called back when they found that
after calling school districts in their areas, they
couldn’t find anyone who was accepting PEG
transfers,” she said.
Company owes
Texans $80 mill
in electricity refi
AUSTIN (AP) — Morethan2ntj
Texans are getting a small break on
summer electricity bills and couldi
line for more refunds later this yei
The Texas Public Utility Comraii
on Wednesday ordered Texas Uli
Electric Co. to refund $80 million toi!
million customers, including2.ini:
residential customers.
The Dallas-based company prc:
electricity in north Texas.
The refund is a result ofnegotiai
between TU, the PUC and the Oil
Public Utility Counsel, a state officii
argues utility issues for consumer^
talks began last year after agencyoi
said TU was making more moneyi
allowed by the commission.
In addition to the refund, the
agreed to delay any TU rate cuts
next year.
The refunds will amount toroughl
per customer, credited towardAugustl
Jim Lawrence, aTU spokesman,said«
dential bills in August average SbZu
ing the refund an 11 percent credit.
tionl
wavl
Chel
Lobbyist
Continued from Page 1
Woodford said government offi
cials must work to improve their ethics.
“Some lobbyists leave their cred
it card at a restaurant for their legis
lator to use freely, and they don’t
have to sit through the dinner,” she
said. “It became a trough for them.
Then the lobbyists or PACs (politi
cal action committees) expect them
to vote for their cause.”
Woodford said conflicts of inter
est have been prevalent in govern
ment for years. She said some legis
lators cannot live on their
$7,200-a-year salary from the state,
so they pursue other jobs. It is these
jobs, she said, that sometimes cre
ate a conflict of interest when legis
lators deal with contracts and bills.
“Campaign finance reform and
ethics — you’ve got to have them
both,” she said.
Wo o dfqrd ^id^pmip^^ause
Texas’ greatest disappoint ment ol
this year'sSession was the killing of
a revision of the Open Meetings
Act bill. The bill proposed prevent
ing legislators from having briefin
gs behind closed doors. Legislators
said private briefings do not vio
late the Open Meetings Act be
cause no deliberation happens
during such meetings.
Although the bill was killed,
Woodford said her organization has
succeeded in getting other issues in
legislation passed.
“The Ethics Reform Bill was a
major victory,” she said. “The Texas
Mir
Continued from Page 1
“We expect to reach the final
agreement next Tuesday,” said
Valery Ryumin, deputy mission
control chief. “But we have
agreed to start work. We should
move ahead.”
Should the two sides agree, the
prospect of an American astronaut
pitching in on repairs to a Russian
spaceship would seem to take in
ternational cooperation in space to
new heights.
Russian officials are clearly turn
ing to their American partners out
of desperation.
The two Russian cosmonauts on
Ethics Commission has just begun,
and we are making headway on im
portant issues.”
Judicial campaign finance re
form is another area where Com
mon Cause Texas has succeeded,
Woodford said. In the past, law
firms contributed money to judges,
and those judges were making deci
sions in favor of the contributors.
Judges and all county officials are
required to file financial disclosures,
such as income tax returns and
their main source of income, with
the County Clerk beginning Sept. 1.
This applies to counties with a pop
ulation of 50,000 or more.
Karen Howard, a Bryan resident
and a librarian, said she is glad
Common Cause Texas stands up for
citizens’ rights.
“It makes me feel good to know
that there is an organization that is
not out to get my money,” Howard
said. “Someone has to say some
thing. Our government needs help.”
Woodford said the government
should not be allowed to take away
something that does not belong to it.
“We want to protect what the
taxpayers pay for,” Woodford said.
“We have to battle to preserve vic
tories won in the past.”
Common Cause Texas is a na
tional nonpartisan citizens’ lobby
ing organization. Its goal is to pro
mote integrity and openness at all
levels of government and to make
public officials more accountable
and responsive to citizens.
Common Cause Texas has more
than 7,500 members statewide and
a state office in Austin.
the Mir, Alexander Lazutkin and
mission commander Vasily Tsib-
liyev, were to carry out repairs this
weekend to return the spacecraft to
nearly full power.
On Monday, Tsibliyev began
complaining of an irregular heart
beat. On Wednesday, Vladimir
Solovyov, chief of Russia’s Mission
Control, said space controllers had
decided that the Mir commander
was unfit for the difficult repair job,
expected to take four to five hours
in a bulky spacesuit.
“As the commander has medical
problems, we have decided that he
shouldn’t take part,” he said. “As a
brave man, he’s distressed about
that. But you can’t give orders to
your heart.”
Campus Calendar
Thursday
The Writing Center (Dept, of English,
Texas A&M): The Writing Center in
249 Blocker will consult with anyTAMU
student who needs help with his or her
writing projects for Summer II. Hours
are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Come by or call 862-
4181 for more information.
Aggie Roadrunners: There will be a
daily run of 2-3 miles beginning at 7
p.m. in front of G. Rollie White. Run
ners of all levels are encouraged to
attend. For more information call
Hank Bullinger at 821-6339.
Texas A&M Women’s Rugby: There
will be practice from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
at the TAMU Rugby Field. No experi
ence is necessary. For more infor
mation contact Wendy at 696-9012.
Friday
The Writing Center (Dept, of English,
Texas A&M): The Writing Center in
249 Blocker will consult with anyTAMU
student who needs help with his or her
writing projects for Summer II. Hours
are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more informa
tion call 862-4181 or come by.
Sunday
TAMU Chess Club: The TAMU
Chess Club will be playing chess
in 308 Rudder from 1 p.m. to 5
p.m. For more information con
tact Scott Griggs at 696-3879 or
griggs@myriad.net.
Monday
The Writing Center (Dept, of Eng
lish, Texas A&M): The Writing Cen
ter in 249 Blocker will consult with
any TAMU student who needs help
with his or her writing projects for
Summer II. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Come by or call 862-4181 for more
information.
Aggie Roadrunners: There will be a
daily run of 2-3 miles beginning at 7
p.m. in front of G. Rollie White. Run
ners of all levels are encouraged to
attend. For more information call
Hank Bullinger at 821-6339.
Texas A&M Women's Rugby:
will be practice from 6 p.m.
at the TAMU Rugby Field. Noeid
ence is necessary. For more ini
mation contact Wendy at 696-901
Tuesday
TAMU Waterski Team: Therewil
a general meeting at 8:30 p.i
Fitzwilly’s. For more information:
Mike Coyle at 268-2076.
The Writing Center (Dept. ofEngls
Texas A&M): The Writing Centei
249 Blocker will consult with any Hi
student who needs help with hisml'
writing projects for Summer II. H#i
are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Come by or callS
4181 for more information.
Aggie Roadrunners: There vfilllh
daily run of 2-3 miles beginrp'
p.m. in front of G. Rollie Whited
ners of all levels are encouragei
attend. For more information c
Hank Bullinger at 821-6339.
Weather Outlook
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Thunderstorms
High: 99°
Low: 75°
Partly Cloudy
High: 99°
Low: 75°
Partly Cloudy
High: 97°
Low: 75°
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please call us at 846-8855 or 268-6050.
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Stew Milne, Editor in Chief
Helen Clancy, Managing Editor
John LeBas, City Editor
April Towery, Lifestyles Editor
Kristina Buffin, Sports Editor
James Francis, Opinion Editor
Jody Holley, Night News Editor
Tim Moog, Photo Editor
Brad Graeber, Graphics Editor
Joey Schlueter, Radio Editor
David Friesenhahn, Web Editor
Staff Members
City- Assistant Editors: Erica Roy & Matt Weber;
Reporters: Michelle Newman, Joey Schlueter &
Jenara Kocks; Copy Editor: Jennifer Jones
Lifestyles- Rhonda Reinhart, Keith McPhail,
Jenny Vrnak & Wesley Brown
Sports- Matt Mitchell, Jeremy Furtick &
Travis Dabney
Opinion- John Lemons, Stephen Llano, Robby Ray,
Mandy Cater, Leonard Callaway, Chris Brooks,
Dan Cone, Jack Harvey & General Franklin
Night News- Assistant Editor: Joshua Miller
Photo- Derek Demere, Robert McKay,K
Angkriwan & Pat James
Graphics- Quatro Oakley, Chad Malian*
Ed Goodwin
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Web- Craig Pauli
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Mandy Cater
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of^
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