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CT^uck’s Pizza. PIZZA STRO/VIBOLI HOAGIES Medium One Topping Pizza 3.50 "Order 3 for free delivery 409 693-BUCK STATED NATION Page 10 THE BATTALION Hhursday, Febnian Teens charged with murdei j_ ( Two Houston firefighters die in McDonald’s arson, burgh a ru^Ut oj Jliue. SaUa & Mesiest^ue MuAac 5. Tba+uU+Uf, Tickets only $5 at MSC Box Office for info call 845-1234 & FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH G. ROLLIE WHITE COLISEUM Dance Lessons 8PM - 9PM Live Concert & Dancing 9PM - 1PM Sponsored by MSC L.T. Jordan Institute and MSC Town Hall Persons wtlh disabilities requiring special assislance are requested to cast 845-8770 to communicate special needs Pick up your favorite supplements now at GNC’s best prices ever... Sale $ 39.99 kilo (good thru Feb 29, 2000) Now Accepting AGGIE BUCKS!!! Post Oak Mall 696-6159 Freedom Blvd. (across from Super Walmart in Bryan) 774-9699 GuarantyBank Financial Services Company or GuarantyBank, the cornerstone of Temple-Inland Financial Services, invites you to follow your path to a career in commercial lending If you are a finance accounting major graduating in May or December 2000, we invite you to explore the exceptional career opportunities at GuarantyBank. Visit our representatives at the GuarantyBank Information Session and Reception on Tuesday, February 22 at 6:00 p.m. at Cafe Eccell. Register with the A&M Career Center for on-campus interviews held Thursday, March 2. MEMBER FDIC To R.S.V.P. or for more Information, please contact GuarantyBank, College Relations 8333 Douglas Avenue, Suite 620 Dallas, TX 75225 800/999-1726 ext. 1929 214/360-4894 FAX E-mail: collegerecruiting@gfbank.com www.gfbank.com lTJSR O 2000 Guaranty Federal Bank, F.S B. IIOUSTON (AP) — One night they were busy burglarizing a MeDonald’s, po lice said, using a blowtorch to cut into the safe for a much larger payday than any of them made in their own jobs at other franchises in the fast-food chain. Less than 24 hours later, the three young men were rounded up and accused of two counts of felony murder each because an inferno at the restaurant killed veteran firefighters Lewis Mayo III, 44, and Kimberly Smith, 30. Allen Gerome Davis, 17, and brothers Pedro Isreal Loredo, 19, and Juan Manuel Torres, 17, made initial court appearances this morning in magistrate’s court. State District Judge Mary Lou Keel canceled their appearances in her court, and sched uled their arraignments for March 14. A bond hearing is set Friday for Loredo and Torres, whose bonds were raised from $50,000 to $100,000 after prosecutors expressed concern the suspects’ family was planning to move to Mexico. Defense attorneys denied their clients, who are broth ers, intended to flee the country. Davis, whose bond remained at $50,000, was described as “sad, upset, remorse ful, unhappy,” by his lawyer, Alan Percely. “There are a lot of people surprised by this. It’s a tragedy,” Percely said. An alleged 15-year-old accomplice, who worked at the restaurant that burned Monday and was demolished Tuesday, remained in custody pendingjuvenile charges. He eventually could be charged as an adult under Texas law. “We questioned the employee, and ultimately that led to othersusp* ease,” Houston police Capt. Richard Holland said. “Warrants were obtained the individuals involved and they were subsequently arrested, questioned^ confessed their involvement,” A blowtorch allegedly used in the burglary is thought to have touchedoffl officials said. Fire Chief Lester Tyra said it was unclear whether the firetj dentally or intentionally started. Authorities initially summoned the juvenile from class at Llsik High v cause he closed the restaurant Sunday night, Iiolland said. As questioning Monday and investigators began to suspect a crime. I Iolland said the teen ca and implicated the others. 3 Torres and Loredo were arrested at their apartment around 9:55 p.m.M Davis was picked up around 2 a.m. Tuesday. There are no other suspects, said. “In the last 24 hours, I’ve been through all sorts of emotions,” Tyra said tainly, whether it was an accident or whether it was arson, it doesn’t bring bad berly or Lewis.” Funeral services for Smith, the department’s first woman killed in the were pending her parents’ arrival from Fountain Valley, Calif. Sen ices for May left behind a wife and three children, are set for Friday after a 10 a.m. memaii mony for both at Rice Stadium, the city's largest sporting venue. jr an Classroom Internet use shows increase since ’94 Internet boom in the classroom Percent of schools 100% 80 WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly every public school in America has an Internet connection, with access jumping from a little over one-third of schools to 95 percent in just five years, the Education Department said Wednesday. The rapid expansion from 1994 to 1999, say school tech nology supporters, is due to everything from increased do nations by technology companies eager to train future work ers to Clinton administration efforts such as the E-rate program — funded by a special fee on phone hills — that helps provide discounted Internet con nections for schools and libraries. “Technology can improve student performance and provide the competi tive skills necessary for future success,” said Education Secretary' Richard Riley. “It is critical that we provide a link for those in the smallest towns to the largest cities.” Edith McArthur, a department de mographer who conducted the study, said, “It looks like schools are actually responding to the recognized need for access. There’s a lot of pressure to con nect.” The connecting appears to have brought the Internet to more school- children, she said. In 1999, on average there were nine students for every one instructional computer with Internet access nation wide. The previous year, on average, the ratio was 12 students for each such computer, the report said. The E-rate program has committed more than $3.6 billion over the past two years to assist schools and libraries in paying for discounted Internet connec tions. Officials say the program has helped connect more than 1 million classrooms to the Internet, mostly by helping them pay for internal wiring. The money comes from fees im posed on telecommunications compa- The number of public schools with Internet access has increased dramatically along with the number of classrooms with Internet connections. Percent of classrooms 60 40 20 0 1994 1996 In addition, there is a better ratio of students per computer in both small and large schools. Enrollment of less than 300 ’98!SttMM 9 Enrollment of 1,000 or more ,,, Note: Survey was based on 1,000 public elementary and secondary schools. The margin of error is plus or minus 1 to 3 percentage points. Source: U.S. Department of Education Access still differs among types of schools. Students were more likely to have to share access in larger schools, where the ratio was 10: l; in the smallest schools, that ratio was six students for every computer with Internet access. Poor students and those in large cities also were more likely to share Internet access. “We need to continue our efforts to ensure that all schools and students have equal access to the vast network ^ of information on the Internet,” Riley said. Clinton, who has set a goal of connecting all Americans to the Internet, not just classrooms and libraries, has proposed for the fis cal 2001 budget a $2 billion tax incentive package over 10 years, as well as $380 million in ex panded federal grants, to encour age the private sector to donate computers, sponsor community technology centers and train workers. Researchers say schools pro vide Internet access to their pupils in varying ways. For example, some schools have large computer labs that give students individual time on the Internet during their school day. “Typically what happens is that teachers tend to let kids rotate through for whatever they are do ing,” McArthur said. Classroom computer hookups have increased 20-fold since 1994, from 3 percent to 63 percent. Public schools also upgraded their network connections and the speed at which they are able to connect. By 1999, schools were six limes as likely to use faster dedi cated-line networks (63 percent) or other high-speed technologies (23 percent), than simply dial-up Olympic committe named The Bryar 109 to 979 Fc Between 1 ew 979 code voice mess, vill give the i Starting A lot be complt PUC) Websi The chang egion which aid Betsy Ty The weste Iryan-Collet mated for th he 409 code “Nothing c sidered local v distance will < 1998 1999 13 10 AP nies, which pass them on to customers in phone bills. States also have pumped funds into computers, telecom munications and Internet access. But critics worry that the momentum could wane as pol icy makers realize' the high cost of such technology. Louisiana, for example, gave school districts $38 million for technology in 1997-98. The next year it gave $25 million, and for 1999-2000, the districts received $14 million. connections (14 percent). The survey was based on a nationally representative sam ple of about 1,000 public elementary and secondary schools in the fall of 1999. The margin of error is plus or minus 1 to 3 percentage points. The also found that 39 percent of classrooms in high- poverty schools have Internet access, while 74 percent of classrooms in low-poverty schools are connected to the In ternet. FORT WORTH (AP)- For Arlington Mayor Richard Gref who was instrumental in building Ballpark in Arlington, on Tuesday named president and chief exect of the I )allas 2012 Olympic BidCt mittee. (ireene, 56, has served ontku: mittee since its inception in will be the only full-time sab; member of the group, which hasak' 70 members and includes areabi ness leaders, current athletesandpi Olympians. His salary wasnoldii closed Tuesday. "I will become the No.laiiffloJ the region and hopefully stsstoi example of what needs to beta Greene said ip an inlen icwwM_ Associated Press. “1 think that alii experience is good training for much larger undertaking." Wh i le serving as mayor ofArl ton for five terms, from 1 %!■' Greene led the fight in 1991 tob the city’s General Motors plant op I le also was a driving force behind creation of the River Legacy and Arlington's Nature Center. “We are excited. This is an e» pie of how successful we have been such a short time,” said Michaelk rell, a spokesman for the commit!! Eight cities, including House are contending for the right tobei U.S. candidate to host the 2( games. Also in the running areC® nali, Los Angeles, New Yorkf Francisco and the Tampa-Orlando Washington-Baltimore areas. The U.S. Olympic Committee* announce in 2002 the 2012 city,wi will compete against other cities! around the world to be the Inter 5 tional Olympic Committee’s fc choice in fall 2005. Fair Park and the Cotton Bowl good bases for the Olympic V® and Olympic Stadium, NorthTesi colleges have Olympic-qualltyspd facilities, and mass transport# such as the light rail are cominp age, Greene said. A1 CII □ 9-1-1 calls programmed PUC Website, The PUC s issue numbers Tyson said tions options pagers. She sa signing telepl the speed atw A single ai bers. Tyson s; bers in blocks These nui whether or no PUC has 1 smaller chunk bers, Tyson sr Be a T/VMU Exchange Student Immerse Yourself Another Culture in the World in Informational Meetings 358 Bizzell Hall West, 4:00 p.m. February 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29 March 1 deadline Learn about becoming a Doctor of Optometry OPTOMETRY DRY! FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS Saturday, March 4, 2000 8:30 am - 9:00 am, Registration 9:00 am - 3:00 am, Program (Lunch Provided) • Tour the College • Observe Clinical Procedures See the Latest Trends in Contact Lenses and Pediatrics • Disuss Admissions and Financial Aid Call for Reservations by February 25,2000 or Register on the internet: http://www.opt.uh.edu/optoda) UNIVERSITY of HOUSTON COLLEGE of OPTOMETRY 4901 Calhoun, UH Entrance #2 The Untanity d Houston « an Equal Opportinity/AMirmaiK* Action InsUutkn Person* wrtti diMbMUes who deiure accommodations sfexid call (713) 743-1800 bltMirtliiW 11 A& More thai Texas A&M constitution? which made nent Univers The PUF owned land j schools affili versity of Te; Tom Kah vices, said t Texas A&M versity and " system schor Pea Upon gr first step wr cle help wai Instead, year assigm Her assi: public, to h< ter years of