The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 09, 1997, Image 1
H ber 8, ft showing^ id offers! rom unri^ al life to | therwise: me. isands of it to thanii nd to helf reirways )rGod is. 1 thoui Texas A & M University TODAY TOMORROW TH YEAR • ISSUE 29 • 16 PACES COLLEGE STATION • TX See extended forecast. Page 2. THURSDAY •OCTOBER 9 • 1997 investigates sexual assault case lersr he College Station Police De- ortment is investigating an at- SSS^empted sexual assault that oc- ■el Scta !Ured Tuesda y n 'g ht - ■The victim reported at 9:12 that r colurar 1 ; ^ nan assaulte d her about 20 min- I , ites after she was involved in a mi- 16 -lorcar accident with him on the liripre ' : .|00 block of Southwest Parkway. . . , Blhe victim said she pulled into '' 1! j tiap '! |larking lot to speak to the man le, but( mc j [- |er he was g 0 j n g iq V10le " ce iall the police. People"’ The police said she said he re- is practiti|, rneC j angry, threatening to kill her keeping jnci saying he was going to sexually idles u$;:j Ssau |t p er _ r. Hovvev: ••|The police said the victim said le isconsiife was able to spray mace in the I, inbotlryian’s face and escaped, heNewlfBNo medical attention was re- ry clearly |ui red. mosexual (V5CE places 2nd nessageoiL . _ _ „ „ _ j.;*- „ echooselt competition loveand:;|The Texas A&M chapter of the ng we do American Society of Civil Engineers ■ believinyren second place in the Regional itionfor|4el Bridge Building competition ofGod.wW. 4 in Arlington, ray from* Seven universities from Texas rdingtoi^nd Mexico competed in the event dudehonJlich requires civil engineering ncludeslRodents to design, fabricate and g and ha® 1 s t ruc t a steel bridge. ■re is noelI Texas A&M’s bridge won first le, butthiil ace in the “aesthetics” category nt within®! a l so earne d the chance to com ically bar^ 6 a tthe national competition in Kimberm^ ' c ! v 'l engineering students have been working on the design and assembly of the steel bridge since January 1997. assembly team which consist- ■ of Martin Maingot, Rene Gon zalez, David Williams and Brian Rjiodes, led by Dr. Gary Fry, were ned while they put the bridge to- vans Library to ost Fun Run The fifth annual Friends of the erling C. Evans Library Fun Run is iturday, Oct. 11 at 8 a.m. at the <as A&M Research Park near the ean Drilling Program Building. The Texas A&M Roadrunners will sistwith the 5K run and one mile less walk. The run is open to different age >ups. Participants will receive T- irts,fanny packs and Koozies atthe Money raised from the event will onvicted serial iller executed HUNTSVILLE (AP) — A convicted rial killer tied to four murders in as and suspected of at least ht more deaths was executed dnesday for a sexual mutilation lying almost 11 years ago. Ricky Lee Green, 36, was pro- lunced dead at 6:31 p.m. ie ‘Jeopardy!’ fans: Here’s the answer By Joey Jeanette Schlueter Staff writer Texas A&M students who love to watch “Jeopardy!” and can answer in the form of a question can now play College Jeopardy! Online to win prizes including a 1998 Pontiac. During the 1997-98 school year students can play and help Texas A&M win the title of College Jeop ardy Online champion. The tournament features hun dreds of colleges across the country Game show offers students chance to become online champ competing for the title. The top 100 students, the top 100 colleges and the top 15 campus rivalries will be tracked online to keep record of the performance of each school. Lynda Keeler, public relations officer for Columbia TriStar Inter active, said the online game is identical to the television show “Jeopardy!” She said students representing more than 200 universities are ready to begin competition. “This game is about promoting Internet access and getting college students involved in competition for ‘Jeopardy,’” Keeler said. Any full-time student with ac cess to the Internet can log on and play to win prizes each week. They must play three games a week, and each week’s ten highest scores will qualify for semi-final competition. The semi-final round will result in 50 players left, and they will play until three players are left for finals. All semi-finalists will receive a Pon tiac jacket and other prizes. Keeler said finalists will play for the grand prize, a 1998 Pontiac Sun- fire, Grand Am or Grand Prix. Sony Corp. also is providing oth er prizes. Those include Sprint products, compact discs, Sony Walkmans, Sony Discmans and other Sony merchandise. The contest takes place on The Station@sony.com (www.sta- tion.sony.com), which is spon sored by Sprint, Pontiac and Sony. Richard Glosser, producer of Jeopardy Online, said he knew the online game would be a success. He said 3,000 students have signed up to play. “We hope that students will re cruit their friends to join in the game and win for their school,” Glosser said. Please see Online on Page 7. Class of’01 elects new president By Erica Roy City editor The Class of ’01 elected Ben Joseph Ar menia, an elementary education major, as the freshman class president with 61 percent of the vote. More than 1,200 students voted in the run-off elections yesterday. David Kessler won Class of ’99 vice president. Armenia said winning the election was overwhelming. “I feel confident and I feel that all the candidates that were elected will make the Class of’01 have a successful year,” he said. “I’m proud to be in this position.” Armenia said his main goal this year as class president is to work on the relation ship between the Northside, Southside and the Corps of Cadets and unite differ ent groups at A&M. Other results: • Class of ’01 yice president is Brian J. Youngblood. • Class of’01 treasurer is Brandon Schlaffer. • Class of ’01 secretary is LeaAnne Heath. • Class of ’01 social secretary is Brian Schlaffer. • Class of ’01 historian is Elizabeth Boyd. Freshman senators are Reagan O’Reil ly, Cory Whitaker, Trey Herndon, James Benham, Leana Divine, Peter Underwood and Kevin Weeks. From the outside looking in BRANDON BOLLOM/The Battalion Kevin Kastl of Mid Continental sprays off the windows of the Administration Building Wednesday morning. Former German POW reflects on personal chaflenges By Erica Roy City editor A former German prisoner of war said Wednesday night that difficulties and chal lenges help make life a worthwhile experi ence. Fritz Haus, a Baptist minister, said his four years as a POW in Camp Hearne during World War II provided him with the opportunity to improve himself and preach to others. “I believe the best things in life are given to us and that they fall into our lap — like this Texas thing,” he said. “I didn’t plan it. I didn’t know about it.” In 1943, Haus was captured with thou sands of other German soldiers in North “To be satisfied behind barbed wire in Hearne, it takes more than a good disposition. It takes faith.” FRITZ HAUS BAPTIST MINISTER Africa and transferred to Texas where more than 4,500 POW’s were kept in Hearne. Haus said his belief and trust in God helped him survive the experience and keep a purpose in his life. “To be satisfied behind barbed wire in Hearne, it takes more than a good disposition,” he said. “It takes faith.” Haus said this attitude has helped him through his life. “I see all along that if you are able to ap preciate it and if you feel there is a reason you are on Earth and alive and you accept your self, you’ll have no problems,” he said. Although he was a POW, Haus said U.S. citizens treated him with kindness. Throughout the war, he met American mil itary personnel who did not abuse German POW’s. “American people have been so good and so wonderful to us that I and other German pris oners can never repay you,” he said. “What you have done makes us humbly grateful and I’m so glad I spent four years as a prisoner of war in America.” Haus said the four years he spent as a POW made him a better person. “To have heartache and hardships and to work through them and pray through them, it’s worth the battle,” he said. Please see POW on Page 7. lifestyles FestiFall brings out-of-town and local bands to downtown Bryan. See Page 3 sports M welcomes Dick Vitale Aggieland for Bogey with rone festivities. See Page 11 opinion -allaway: Students should apen their eyes to lack of snjoyment alcohol provides. See Page 15 § E3E h ftp ://b a t-web. tamu .e d u Ipok up with state and national news through The Wire, AP’s 24-hour online news service. Brazos Beautiful project awaits city council vote By Joey Jeanette Schlueter Staff writer With the approval by the College Station City Council tonight, visitors to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum will enjoy a Brazos Beautiful project. The city council will decide on a pro posed budget that will provide a $50,000 grant to Brazos Beautiful for the use of land scaping along Texas Highway 60 and FM 2818 to beautify the entryway to the city in conjunction with the George Bush Presi dential Library. Highway 60 (Raymond Stoltzer Parkway) and FM 2818 both are routes to the library and museum. Peggy Calliham, public relations officer for College Station , said the money will go toward enhancing the pathways to the Bush Library. Enhancements include planting crepe myrtles along the highways leading to the li brary’s entrance. Brazos Beautiful may also plant 60 dogwood trees along the route. Grass and curbs along the route also will be considered. John Delaney, project designer, said at tractive signs stating directions to the library are needed. “The library itself is breathtaking,” De laney said. “So the path leading to it should be as well. This project is just the beginning to im proving the environment and making the Brazos Valley a beautiful place to be.” The crepe myrtles and dogwood trees will bear white blossoms along the stretch. De laney said crepe myrtles were chosen be cause Bryan-College Station is the crepe myrtle capital of the state. He said dogwood trees may be used to symbolize strength and beauty. The City Council has studied the plans and will make a decision tonight at the meeting. Please see Bush on Page 7 Muslim leader: Growth of Islam does not pose threat By Robert Smith Senior staff writer Siraj Wahaj, a Muslim imam (leader of prayers), said Wednesday night that Is lam is not a threat to the United States and it can help the United States. “If you knew who a Muslim was and the life he lived you would want to have a Muslim as your neigh bor,” he said. “If the Muslims come and rep resent what they should be, they can only add safety to a neighbor hood.” Wahaj spoke at Rud der Theater in honor of Islamic Awareness Week. Wahaj said drugs are a problem in America that Muslims are fighting. “Muslims do not want drugs in their neighbor hood,” he said. “Islam could help soci ety and clean up the society.” The former Christian said he con verted to Islam in 1969 after reading the works of Muhammed. Wahaj said people who say Islam is a threat to the nation must prove it. “If you knew who a Muslim was and the life he lived you would want to have a Muslim as your neighbor.” SIRAJ WAHAJ MUSLIM IMAM “If you say Islam is a threat, you must bring evidence,” he said. “You are inno cent until proven guilty.” Wahaj said Muslims should be aware of their enemies. “An enemy can make your friend ap pear to be an enemy and your enemy appear to be a friend,” he said. “Every prophet had enemies. Even though a prophet does good, the enemy will put a negative on it.” The continuous growth of Islam could af fect government policy through elections, which may threaten some peo ple, he said. Wahaj encouraged non-Muslims to learn the principles of Islam. “I think you owe it to yourself to learn Islamic literature,” he said. “If in fact we are a threat, learn about it.” Wahaj also urged Muslims in the au dience to inform others about the reli gion. “Please continue not only to study and to grow, but share it with your neighbors,” he said.