The Battalion
Et Cetera
Thursday *^111131722,
Judge delays decision in
Texas tobacco settlement
TEXARKANA (AP) — A federal
judge overseeing the $15.3 billion set
tlement between Texas and the to
bacco industry on Wednesday de
layed his decision on the case and
lawyer fees.
U.S. District Judge David Folsom
of Texarkana said he will enter his
decision all at once, rather than han
dle the case piecemeal.
Folsom spent Tuesday and
Wednesday reviewing details of the
settlement and planned to release his
decision on Thursday.
The deal was made public last
week by Attorney General Dan
Morales, who has come under fire
for deciding how to spend the first
year’s $1.2 billion payment to the
state and for negotiating fees with
outside attorneys.
Those issues have resulted in sev
eral complaints filed by disgruntled
parties as the state and tobacco in
dustry await Folsom’s approval.
John Cornyn, a former Texas
Supreme Court Justice running for
attorney general, filed a lawsuit on
Tuesday in state district court to
block the 15-percent cut for five pri
vate attorneys who had been
brought in to help with the case.
Their share would come out to
roughly $2,295 billion, or $459 mil
lion each.
Also filed on Tuesday was a mo
tion by Dallas County and the Dallas
County Hospital District asking the
judge to throw out the allocation of
the first-year payout.
Morales earmarked the 1998
money for a variety of health-care
services for all Texans, children’s
health care, anti-smoking education
and enforcement.
The remaining $14.1 billion will be
doled out by the state Legislature over
the next 24 years.
‘ The settlement benefits the
| public health, especially that
i of children.”
WARD TISDALE
DAN MORALES SPOKESPERSON
The Dallas motion calls the entire
deal “clandestinely negotiated” and
objects to it because there are no
provisions made for Dallas County
or its hospital district.
A third issue for Folsom to consid
er also involves the payout.
A complaint filed by state Rep.
Rob Junell and state Sen. Bill Ratliff,
heads of the Legislature’s budget-
writing committees, argues the
agreement violates the Legislature’s
role of setting state spending.
The lawmakers filed a motion
asking to be allowed to intervene in
the case. The pair say they will also
ask the Texas Supreme Court to stop
the agreement.
Ward Tisdale, a spokesperson for
Morales, said the attorney general was
not concerned about various parties
trying to intervene in the settlement.
It’s expected, he said, because there’s
a lot of money involved and “a lot of
envy and jealousy.”
“The settlement benefits the pub
lic health, especially that of children,”
Tisdale said.
Tisdale noted that the attorney
general regularly negotiates payouts
as part of settlements. However, be
cause this is the largest settlement in
U.S. litigation history, it is drawing
more attention.
“We do it all the time,” he said.
That could change as soon as next
year under legislation that state Rep.
Tom Craddick, R-Midland, said he will
file in the next legislative session.
His plan would bar state agency
heads from entering into contin
gency fee contracts with private at
torneys without prior approval of
the Texas Legislature.
Morales negotiated the contract
with the private attorneys in 1996 be
fore filing the lawsuit against the to
bacco companies alleging violations of
federal racketeering, mail fraud and
conspiracy.
As part of the settlement, the state
ended its lawsuit against the cigarette
makers, who deny all wrongdoing.
Sharp proposes scholarshi,
for all native Texas studei
AUSTIN (AP)—State Comp- Once in college, the student;
Sharp said his pla
troller John Sharp says Texas
would have to carr
y a full load
cost
85 million a )ij
can afford to pay college tuition
of classes — generr
illy 15 hours
moi
icy
would
eomefaj
and fees for all of its native col
a semester — and
maintain a
ing
stai
e funds, hesaiU
lege students.
2.8 grade point ave
rage to con-
If
Sharp, the only Democrat
tinue receiving th
e Lone Star
you’re
go-
running for lieutenant gover
scholarships, Sharj
)s said.
ing
to
pro-
nor, on Wednesday proposed
“Ronald Reaga
n said very
due
e(bud-
giving every Texas college stu
eloquently, if you
want more
get
dent a one-year scholarship
of something, u
tx it less,”
sur
plu
ses,
for every year they attended
Sharp told reporte
rs after out-
giv
e
the
high school in Texas.
lining the prog
ram for a
mo
ne'
i
A similar program aimed at
House committee
;. “What we
bac
'k t
o the
low and middle-income stu
need more of in
this state is
pec
)pl<
> who
dents already exists and was
more smart kids.
This has to
paj
/ it
in tax
given a substantial funding in
do with a tax
rut for the
cut
s.
This
crease last year.
smartest children
pre
>gn
mi is
Sit
Sharp says his “Lone Star
lawmakers' next regular ses-
a t
ax
cut,”
Scholars” program would make
sion is in 1999. She
irps propos-
he
sai
d.
college scholarships available
al would require
new legisla-
Stu
dents
who tea
to all Texas students who get
tion, meaning tha
it could not
ot)
icr
financial aic
into Texas colleges or universi
take effect until lav
vmakers and
ha'
ve
heir L
one Slat
ties — public and private — re
the governor con
sidered and
shi
ps
adjust
ed.
gardless of their family income
approved it.
A c
ampaign spota
or their high school grades.
The existing program re
quires students to have an 80
grade average in high school on
a 100 point scale.
Regents
Belore last year, the current
Texas Tuition Assistance Grant
program was getting S150,000 a
year from the Le
it will get $5 mil
fislature.
>n a ve
N<
\^i u-u I une Commissi
Pern', the only Reputs
ning for lieutenant
did not have an
comment VVednesdat I
Continued from Page 1
The Board of Regents will also consider guide
lines for the 1999 fiscal year budget, a name
change of the Texas Animal Damage Control Ser
vice to the Texas Wildlife Damage Management
Service, the campus enrollment management
plan projections for the 1998-99 academic year
and the designation of land for the development
of a west campus greenway.
I he Board will also considerdesictj
acre area of land between theGeorgeB
,ii ul i hr 1 loi iii nil m r Sumer building
campus greenway.
Gene Ray. deputy director fort
plant, said the land would functional
greenway in order to preserve ihei:
set aside, it could be developedina
for the benefit of academic progra
tors to the campus.
Tiffany Inbody, Editor in Chief
Helen Clancy, News Editor
Brad Graeber, Visual Arts Editor
Robert Smith, City Editor
Matt Weber, Night News Editor
Jeremy Furtick, Sports Editor
James Francis, Aggielife Editor
Mandy Cater, Opinion Editor
Ryan Rogers, Photo Editor
Chris Huffines, Radio Producer
Sarah Goldston, Radio Producer
Dusty Moer, Web Editor
Staff Members
City- Colleen Kavanagh, Amanda Smith, Rachel
Dawley, Stacey Becks, Stephanie Dosher, Jeremy
Magnum, Susan Atchison, Kelly Hackworth, Lyndsay
Nantz, Jennifer Wilson & Julietta Amanda Jordan.
Science - Jill Reed.
Sports - Assistant Editor: Jeff Webb; Michael
Ferguson, Chris Ferrell, Travis Harsch, Robert
Hollier, Al Lazarus, Colby Martin, Aaron Meier,
Katie Mish, Philip Peter, Jeff Schmidt & Michael
Taglienti.
Aggielife - Marium Mohiuddin, Rhonda Reinhart,
Chris Martin, Leah Templeton, Travis Hopper, April
Towery, Brandi Ballard, Travis Irby & Stephen Wells.
Opinion - Len Calloway, Adam Collette, Jesse
Czelusta, Donny Ferguson, Kendall Kelly, Caleb
McDaniel, Beverly Mireles, Manisha Parekh,
Stewart Patton, Mickey Saloma, Joe Schumacher,
Michelle Voss, Frank Stanford & Jennifer Jones.
Night News - Joyce Bauer, Jaclynn Barker, All Belin,
Shane Elkins & Aaron Meier.
Photo - Assistant Editor: Brandon Bollom; Robert
McKay, Greg McReynolds, Mike Fuentes, James
Francis & Jake Schrickling.
Graphics - James Palmer, Chad Mallam, Jared
Faulkner & J.P. Beato.
Cartoonists - Ed Goodwin, John Lemons, Dave
Hoffman, Gabriel Ruenes, Victor Vanscoit, Michael
Nordfelt and Quatro Oakley.
Copy Editors - Leslie Stebbins, Jennifer Jones,
David Johnston, Martha Gidney, Patrick Pavlik &
Veronica Serrano.
Radio - Andrew Bailey, Jodie Rae Sartin, Laura
Stuart & Karina Trevino.
Web - Anita Tong & Jeremy Brown
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the
Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone: 845-3313; Fax: 845-2647; E-mail:
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tising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Postmaster: Send address changes to The Battalion, 015 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111.
Last Chance! Limited Spaces!
Summer
Session
I‘98
Receive 6 hours of credit taking the following two courses:
ARTS 350: Arts and Civilization
PSYC 469: Special Topics in the History of Psychology:
Psychology & the Renaissance
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
in 154 Bizzell Hall West
-Wednesday, January 21
10:00-10:30 am
-Friday, January 23
12:00-12:30 pm
-Monday, January 26
10:00-10:30 am
-Thursday, January 29
10:45-11:15 am
Pick up an application at the meeting
or drop by the
Study Abroad Program Office.
Study Abroad Program Office,
161 Bizzell Hall West, 845-0544
Theater Arts Program
AUDITIO
for CO
book by
George Furth
NS
MPA NY
music and lyrics?
Stephen Sonl3
January 24th - 7 pm - Rudder Forunt
Please prepare a song to sing :
Information:
web page: www.tamuedg
e-mail: theatertStamued^
office phone#: 845-!
i .—273*?
KcySrufa/
Association A
.( tk. V»l|,,
presents
The 1998 Bridal Show & M
Sunday, January 25th 12~5 pm # Brazos
Proceeds will be donated to Hospice Brazos Valley.
TWO EXCITING FASHION SHOWS will feature selectionsfrc
Al’s Formal Wear, Ladies & Lords, Sir Knight, Special Occasions & Xanadu Brit
(jin rfip (&> rSn rfip fft) cm? rfi? (Sp r£?
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EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ATTEND THIS SPECIALEW
Tickets are $ 10 at the door, or may be purchased in advance for $7.5I)J
Al’s Formal Wear, Ladies & Lords, Party Time Rentals, Vogue Hair Safc'
University Flowers, Wenonah's Pantry, and Special Occasions
For More Information Visit Our Website: www.ido-ido.net
Qrei ml Prize Dr a iv i n us
Diamond Piece Honeymoon Trip
Sponsored by Sponsored by
Montelongo Jewelry ITS Cruises & Travels ami
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• Over SO Exhibitors • Guest Bags with Valuable Cou(
• Register to Win Door Prizes & Grand Prizes
Diamond Sponsors
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Cahlctimc • CablcMart • TV FACTS • etc.Magazine
• KTEX • MacResource Computers
Gold Sponsors
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• Creative Planners • Lowes • Memoir Photography ‘The Castle IP
• Vogue Hair Salon • Wenonah’s Pantry • WTAW
AGGIFLAND
creditMunioim
a branch of Greater TEXAS Federal Credit Union
Open a new account & receive 1 box of Custom Aggie land cUecWs
(IT'S) checks FREE! Plus, you’ll receive a maroon Aggieland Pulse Card,
Aggieland checkbook cover and 1 dozen starter checks - all FREE!
Unlimited Check Writing, No Mini mom Balance,
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201 Southwest Pkwy. E & 501 University Dr. W Offer expires 1/30/98 696-1440
ff | TIP THE SCALES IN YOUR
/ FAVOR:
I /\ CO-OP, INTERNSHIPS
A & SUMMER JOBS
The TAMU Career Center invites you to attend
Panel Discussion
on the "other" education.
601 Rudder
Tuesday, January 27
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.