Gas prices edging down, lowest in four years
WASHINGTON (AP) — With
spring in the wings and vacation sea
son on the way, there is good news for
many Americans: cheaper gasoline.
No, the nation is not heading
back to the two-bits-a-gallon days.
But in some parts of the coun
try, prices have fallen under $1 a
gallon in recent months, the low
est since 1994.
Ten gallons for less than ten
bucks? “I knew they were going
down, but this is the first day I no
ticed the price was less than the gal
lons I bought,” said Toni Walling of
Des Moines as she purchased gaso
line at 99.9 cents-a-gallon.
“It gives people a little break,”
added Matt McKinney of nearby Wau-
kee, Iowa. “It saves a little money.”
But Ronald Mudge of Bon-
durant, Iowa, was not satisfied. “It’s
not low enough,” he said. “There’s a
lot of gas out there and someone in
the middle is making a whole lot.”
John Strack of Little Rock, Ark.,
said he was paying about $1.30 in
Jacksonville, Fla., before he moved
recently. He was filling his sport util
ity vehicle at $1.01 and said “I no
ticed it drop four or five cents over
the last month.”
Gas is not that cheap everywhere,
but an American Automobile Associ
ation survey found the average price
for a gallon of self-
service unleaded
is $1.11 this
month, 17.3 cents
less than a year
ago. That is the
lowest national
average since
May 1994 when it
was $1.10.
In Kansas City,
Mo., where he
was filling up at
94.9 cents-a-gal
lon, ice cream
truck driver George Novick said,
“You never know why the prices are
going up or down.”
Thank the Asian financial crisis, El
Nino and improved technology, said
Mike Shanahan, a spokesman for the
American Petroleum Institute.
Asia’s financial problems have
reduced the amount of oil being
bought in that region, causing a
drop in oil prices. In addition, the
El Nino weather pattern so widely
blamed for storms in California
brought a mild
winter to the
normally cold
er parts of the
country, reduc
ing the need for
heating oil.
And, finally, oil
companies
have been able
to find more oil
because of bet
ter prospecting
techniques.
And the ap
parent settlement with Iraq may
bode well for the future.
"We’re going to get more Iraqi oil
hitting the oil terminals and the ter
minals are full so prices could come
down more,” said economist Donald
Ratajczak of Georgia State University.
The Petroleum Institute’s Shana
han notes that local prices depend
on a variety of other conditions
such as taxes, the need for special
air cleaning additives in some areas
and the competition — or lack of it
— between gas stations.
Gasoline is most expensive in
the West at $1.24 for self serve un
leaded regular and cheapest in the
Southeast at $1.04.
The AAA survey found self serve
unleaded averaging $1.16 in New
England, $1.11 in the Mid-Atlantic
states, $ 1.06 in the Great Lakes area,
$1.05 in the Midwest and $1.10 in
the Southwest.
But within the regions there are
scattered areas where gas can be
had for under $1. These include
parts of the Washington suburbs,
and, according to a report in Oil &
Gas Journal, Atlanta; Des Moines;
Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; Okla
homa City; St. Louis; Tulsa, Okla.;
Wichita, Kan.; Houston; Little Rock
and Cheyenne, Wyo.
“It’s not low enough.
There’s a lot of gas out there
and someone in the middle
is making a whole lot.”
Ronald Mudge
Bondurant, Iowa
ALOT Month
Continued from Page 1
Conference activities include several
small group discussions and three large
group presentations. The small groups will
discuss topics such as goal setting, team
work and communication. The large pre
sentations will explore the definition of
leadership and what students can do to get
involved at A&M. The high school seniors
will spend Friday night either on campus or
in the Student Recreation Center.
Jason Potts, a SLOT staff member and a
freshman microbiology major, said he is ex
cited that the high school seniors will be
staying on campus.
“Housing people will give me the time to
explain some of the intricacies of dorm life at
A&M and how college life really is,” he said.
ALOT is a leadership group that provides
fieshmen with opportunities in leadership, de
velopment, guidance and friendship. It con
sists of 80 freshmen and 26 upperclassmen.
Anderson said he has learned many
things from ALOT.
“I have learned about myself and how to
deal with other people,” he said, “and I have
learned that leadership is about caring
about people enough to make a difference
in their lives.”
Continued from Page 1
Emile Car Shavazz, coordinator for the
African-American Studies Program and pro
fessor of American studies at the University of
Alabama, said the Hopwood decision occurred
because people have forgotten the history of
discrimination African-Americans have en
dured throughout history.
Shavazz said that from the contributions
made by the first black student at A&M in 1963,
Leroy Sterling, African-Americans have had a
legacy of leadership at A&M. Other landmark
leaders include the first black student body
president, Fred McClure, in 1976, and the first
black yell leader, Ronnie McDonald, in 1993.
Shavazz said that the recent institution
alization and commercialization of Black
History Month has caused the real issues of
it to be ignored.
“The United States has a history of discrim
ination against African-Americans and many
people have forgotten this and think there is
not longer a need to firmly address the issue,”
Shavazz said.
Rice said despite the implications of the
Hopwood decision, the struggles for equality
and civil rights will never die due to the inhu
mane treatment African-American received
throughout history.
What's Up 1
Friday
Alpha Phi Omega: Meet to go visit Crestview Retirement
Home at 6:30 p.m. at Crestview.
Alpha Phi Omega: Meet to go to Kemp Gym at 5:30 p.m. at
133 Koldus.
Study Abroad Programs Office: An informational meet- j
ing to promote the Italy Spring '99 program will be held I
from 1:30 to 2 p.m. in Room 154,161 Bizzell Hall West.
ATM Roadrunners: Will run three to four miles starting in
front of G. Rollie White at 5:30 p.m. All students and skill
levels are welcome. Call Steve at 847-7905 for further in
formation.
Asian American Christian Fellowship: Join us for worship
and a speaker at 7:30 p.m. in Richardson 144. Call Sunny j
at 847-3064 for details.
What's Up is a Battalion service that lists non-profit stu
dent and faculty events and activities. Items should be
submitted no later than three days in advance of the de
sired run date. Application deadlines and notices are
not events and will not be run in What’s Up. If you have
any questions, please call the newsroom at 845-3313.
Two science quiz competitions in one!
Albert Einstein
Jacques Cousteau
Come
Iheer for th<
top science
^students ini
Texas!
Texas Regional Finals of the
National Science Bowl and
National Ocean Sciences Bowl
Saturday, Feb. 28, 3:30 p.m.
Rudder Theater
NSB Info: 845-7361 NOSB Info: 862-3290 or www-ocean.tamu.edu/NOSB
Hosted by the colleges of Engineering, Geosciences and Science
WORK FOR THE
PREMIER RESORT OF THE
TEXAS GULF COAST
Play on our sandy beaches...
Many different job opportunities are available
- servers, cocktail servers, front desk clerks/
reservations, room service, valet, bellman.
Make some great money this
summer while meeting new friends.
For more information, please call
Susan Gipe, Human Resources
The San Luis Resort
and Conference Center
1.800.445.0090
STEAKH0USE
THE SAN LUIS
Resort and Conference Center
—-
at stage stores
the spotlights
on you!
Stage Stores, Inc. parent company
to Bealls & Palais Royal stores,
will be hosting an Information
Session on Monday,
March 2nd from 6-8 pm
in the Hilton Hotel Ballroom. We will
be discussing the following career
opportunities at our Corporate
Office in Houston:
• ASSISTANT BUYER
• FINANCE & ALLOCATION
• INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Visit our session to find out how
you can join one of the nation's
fastest growing retailers!
Check out our website at:
www.stagestoresinc.com
STAGE STORES INC.
BEALLS / PALAIS ROYAL/STAGE
An equal opportunity employer
Last chance to
PREPARE FOR THE
April GRE :
Hestl
Sun.Mcr.7th
9anrv
1pm
Class 1
Sun.MCT.8th
6-9pm
Class 2
lhu.MCT.12lh
6-9pm
Tesf2
Sat. Mar. 21 st
9am-
1pm
Class 3
Sun., Mar. 22nd
6-9pm
Class 4
Thu., Mat 26lh
6-9pm
Test3
Sat..Mar.28ttr
9am-lDm
Oass5
Sun., Mct 29th
6-9pm
Gass 6
Thu., Apr. 2nd
6-9pm
rse starts on
March 7th. Designed for motivated
students, it teaches our highest return
TECHNIQUES in the SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE.
If you thought you didn't have time
to prepare, think again.
Want $$$ for grad school? Acing the
GRE can make you eligible for nnore
and better scholarships. Our only job
is to help YOU get those scores.
*
THE
PRINCETON
REVIEW
(409) 696-9099
(800) 2REVIEW
Catch me if you can
. V
.-a v&aP
plat! Wt)
sounds
ous Joke
aintball w
Paintball l
one of tli
ir activitit
lar sport h
in aniate
ntballhas;
«Sf§
V
m
| g
r
CORY WILUS/W
Brian Walburn, a junior mechanical engineering major, andir
bers of the Texas A&M Cycling Team practice for a cyclingmsf
this weekend.
fu
CONTRACT RENEW
For Fall 1998 - Spring 1999
ON THE WORLD-WIDE WEB
February 28 (12:00 a.m.) -- March 3 (11:59 p.m.)
@ http ; //r^siif e , tamu.. adteZ
ALL current on-campus residents are required to either
renew or cancel their housing for the Fall 1998-Spring
1999 academic year.
Options for Fall 1998-Sprinq 1999 academic year:
• Reserve current space
• Request hall change
• Request room change
• Transfer to Corps, Cain, or Residence Life
• Cancel housing contract
• Future housing reservations for Co-op, Student Teaching,
Study Abroad, & Internships (must be approved by
TAMU)
Proposed (Maximuni) Rental Rates for Fall 1998-Sprinili
Modular
Commons
Balcony
Corridor, Legett
$1536
$1416
$1052
$ 985
Hotard
Non-Air
Corps of Cadets
Cain Hall (includes full meal plan and tax of $1005)
Tiffany inbody, Editor in Chief
Helen Clancy, Copy Chief
Brad Graeber, Visual Arts Editor
Robert Smith, City Editor
Jeremy Furtick, Sports Editor
James Francis, Aggie life Editor
Mandy Cater, Opinion Editor
Ryan Rogers, Photo Editor
Chris Huffines, Radio Producer
Sarah Goldston, Radio Producer
Dusty Moer, Web Editor
Aaron Meier, Night News Editor
Staff Members
City- Colleen Kavanagh, Amanda Smith, Rachel
Dawley, Stacey Becks, 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 Collett, John
Lemons, Donny Ferguson, Caleb McDaniel, Beverly
Mireles, Manisha Parekh, Stewart Patton, Mickey
Stanford & Jennifer Jones.
Night News - Joyce Bauer, Jaclynn Barker,
& Shane Elkins.
Photo - Assistant Editor: Brandon Bolloia;
McKay, Greg McReynolds, Mike FuentesJanS
Francis & Jake Schrickling.
Graphics - James Palmer, Chad Mallamjai# 1
Faulkner & J.P. Beato.
Cartoonists - Ed Goodwin, John Lemons, Da«
Hoffman, Gabriel Ruenes, Victor VanscoMr
Nordfelt and Quatro Oakley.
Copy Editors - Leslie Stebbins, JenniferJo«s
David Johnston, Martha Gidney, Patrick Pa#*
Veronica Serrano.
Radio - Andrew Baley, Jody Rae Sartin, LaiW
Stuart & Karina Trevino.
Web - Anita Tong & Jeremy Brown
Saloma, Joe Schumacher, Michelle Voss, Frank
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publicatro.!-'
Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone: 845-3313; Fax: 84526*'•
batt@unix.tamu.edu; Website: http://battalion.tamu.edu
Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsoiship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and natal dP- 1
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Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy oflhe Battalion. MaHsiM* 1
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The Batmion (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall spring semesters and Monday Iftrougilfus#^
the summer session (except University holidays and exam penods) at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College SiafaifT'
Postmaster: Send address changes to The Battalion, 015 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station,Ik 77843-lllt