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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2001)
Page 4 Tuesday, January 16, 2001 STATE THE BATTALION Midland residents debate naming street after Martin Luther King Jr. MIDLAND (AP) — Martin Luther King Jr.’s name has been the subject of a debate in President-elect George W. Bush’s hometown. The debate began two years ago, when a city councilman introduced a motion to rename a street after the slain civ il rights leader. Ever since, the issue has sim- B mered and cooled — mostly along M racial lines. —^ “It got real hot toward the latter ^■oart of the summer of 1999,” city ouncilman Mike Canon said Mon- lay. “And it continues to come up. I TTovo 1 lon’t think it’s resolved in some -Lvdyl) oiks’ minds, and short of namirig a \ I itreet after Dr. King, I don’t know is histrajaj }j at j t w jj] ^ settled.” In the past, officials have pro- iosed renaming Fairgrounds Road, vhich lies on the eastern edge of Midland, after King. City councilman James Bradford aid he will propose naming a road cheduled to be built around a lanned sports complex after King. What has been the problem is here has not been the support in the ouncil or in the majority of the com- nunity to rename an existing street, o to me, let’s go for something that oesn’t have a name,” he said. Bradford, who is black and the nly minority on the city council, has ssembled a 12-member committee am natural' i little broad- ' than Bobto. d].| arical movi . Whenever! w fortunate rdmirablek i uman beir ; elves andk •ugh, becaii' uman belt of residents from various racial back grounds to study his proposal. The committee’s first meeting is slated for next Monday. Bradford said he will present his proposal before the city council in April. In 1999, Bradford’s predecessor, Julius Brooks, failed to get Fair grounds Road renamed after King. I don't care if it's renaming it for Dr. Martin Luther King or George W. Bush or George Washington. I don't think it serves any particular purpose.” — Mike Canon city councilman During an Aug. 24, 1999, council meeting. Brooks filed a motion to have the street renamed. The motion was shot down when council mem bers refused to second it. Mayor Bob by Burns said at the time he would have seconded Brooks’ motion, but could not because of a legal restric tion. The council’s position was that Midland needed to “preserve the historical significance” of Fair grounds Road. Longtime residents remain divid ed on the issue. Many of Midland’s older, white residents said renaming Fairgrounds Road would violate its historic past. “They used to have the county fair and the rodeo off Fairgrounds Road,” said longtime resident Joan Baskin. “Some of the really old folks who lived here said, ‘Wait a minute, let’s not start changing historic roads’ names.’ When you get into discussions like that, you find that people polarize.” Meanwhile, Alma Marshall, who is black and has lived in Midland for 43 years, said Bradford’s proposed alternative amounts to pandering. “The black community is not monolithic, so we don’t always have the same feeling about everything, but my feeling about it is if they want to name just a little side street around a sports complex after Dr. King, they can keep it. That is an insult.” Canon said he did not like the “business of renaming roads” and said there were better uses of gov ernment funds. “I don’t care if it’s renaming it for Dr. Martin Luther King or George W. Bush or George Washington,” he said. “I don’t think it serves any par ticular purpose. I’d rather see what ever money it costs to rename a road — and it does cost money — go into programs to help the impoverished.” Marshall called the lack of a road named in King’s memory an “insult.” “I think this speaks pretty poorly of Midland and is an insult to Dr. King and Dr. King’s memory not to honor him with anything other than a little, rinky dink park,” he said. Other officials have suggested other streets, including Front Street, which runs east to west through Mid land, a city of about 100,000. “One of the reasons I like Front Street is it is a business street,” said Robbyne Hocker Fuller, who ran against Brad ford for his council seat. Renaming any street after King could prove to be volatile, given Midland’s recent history, including disputes over the waving of the rebel flag at high school football games and school integration, said Marshall. “It is somewhat of a controversial issue, and I certainly can't speak for those who are in favor of honoring Dr. King,” Canon said. “I respect him as a great American and someone who did something very important for our country, but there are a lot of other people who did important things for America too.” ina thisgffi it script.®. » «r ““Man may lose eye for freeing blue heron from histoi FO rt WORTH (AP) — An effort to free a •> luck blue heron may cost a man one of his eyes, card hast)* a heron that appeared to be dead jabbed ? comingtcjhristopher Leeper, while he was out on the wa- tory bool ^ j n the eye after he tried to free the bird, which l lasvsnagged in a trotline, hooks buried in its act that it dim j n g anc i breast. the wayitpff As Leeper freed the bird, it struck him with its conveying sharp bill. a a tickli^S Now Leeper, is in danger of losing his left eye, lotipht 11 fi\\ds himself temporarily unable to work and faces growing stack of medical bills. His friends jokingly tell him to hunt down the ird and kill it. Leeper, though, speaks fondly of lis attacker. “It wasn’t his fault,” he said. “I would do it again.” The weather had been cold and icy for several ind see ,. Little fla» d redo.. days, but Jan. 6 was nice. Leeper, 26, and a friend, Dustin Ward, 24, loaded a canoe and headed to Lake Arlington. Recent rains and snow had raised the lake lev el, and only a few branches were above the water at their favorite fishing spot near an island. Tan gled in branches was a migratory blue heron. The heron tried to flap its wings when Leeper reached out for it. Leeper cradled it with one hand and began removing the hooks with the other. He said he kept the bird at arm’s length, watch ful of its long, sharp bill. “I tried to keep him as far away as I could,” Leeper said in Monday’s editions of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “He thought I was trying to hurt him, turned around and gave me a funny look.” Later, Leeper realized the bird was pausing to take aim, as if it were spearing a fish. Despite his injury, Leeper removed the hooks and untangled the bird. The heron moved only about 10 feet away after Leeper set him free. “After that, he knew what I was trying to do,” Leeper said. “He looked like he felt sorry. He watched me as I grabbed my eye. I think he felt re gretful, if a bird can feel regretful.” Despite two surgeries, and another one scheduled, he said his left eye is not expected to regain sight. A year ago, Leeper started a general contract ing business and has yet to get medical insurance. His medical bills are approaching $20,000. “I don’t know where I’m going to find the mon ey,” he said. “I’m barely making my house pay ment right now. But I'm an optimist, and every thing will work out, I think.” Quality Mens & Ladies Boot & Shoe Repair VICTOR'S. i ORDER BOOTS BY END OF JANUARY FOR PICK UP IN MAY 2001 www.seniorboot.com 3601 Texas Ave. 1 mile north of campus Serving Aggie's Since 1966 Hours Mon.-Fri. 8-6:30 Sat. 9-3 846-4114 Don’t Forget Us For Lunch & Late Night Pizza by the Slice Value Meals Cheese & Drink $ 2.25 1 Topping & Drink *2.50 Speciality & Drink *2.75 Add a Slice *1.25 11 a.m. -1 p.m. M-F at Northgate Location Only 1 Large 1 Topping *6.99 p.m. - Close College Station 764-7272 Bryan 268-7272 TAMU/Northgate 846-3600 Open till 2 a.m. on Thursday 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday WHERE THERE'S HURT THERE'S HOPE POST ABORTION PEER COUNSELING ♦ Peer Grief Counseling ♦ Help for Symptoms of Abortion Trauma ♦ 10-week Recovery Program ♦ Emotional & Spiritual Support ♦ Free & Confidential cMofie P'leqttatuuf' GetU&ti, Call and ask for the PACE (Post Abortion Counseling & Education) Director. 695-9193 205 Brentwood • College Station www.hopepregnancy.org New Restaurant in Northgate! — * J in’s Chinese Restaurant 691-8688 Free Delivery starting Sept. 11- limited area Enjoy great Chinese food and a wonderful atmosphere, just walking distance from campus. Parking available in back of the building 7am - 6pm Ihr. free parking across the street See http://jins.tjgy.com for menu 317 Church Ave., College Station Jin’s. College Main Church Ave. ■ University Dr. Post Office tchtfifs^ 'else, but/fl 1 never be 3 ere in town v Year’s, an Corrections employees equest higher wages 11 said, irilliant. I® AUSTIN (AP) — Prison guards and other corrections employees are tak- most I eJi'' ,g their requests for better pay and benefits to the state Capitol, as really aW £ | Members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Em- act that I ^'iployees were scheduled to have a candlelight vigil late Monday, a day before ok at it and '-they planned to take their requests to lawmakers. I “This campaign will continue to push for professional wages, improved Irorking conditions and benefits,” a flyer announcing the 7 p.m. vigil said. |We will continue this fight until results are made for the future of cor- ctions e'mployees.” Several top lawmakers have said they are in favor of pay raises and in- eased funding to pay for additional staff at the state’s prisons. But while the 2002-2003 proposed state budget includes $42 million for Prison guard pay raises promised last summer, it does not include any new :i ^|fF money for additional raises or staff. I And finding funding for additional raises will be tough. Only $300 million ||e estimated to be left from the $108.2 billion budget for all new spending. I Union executive director Brian Olsen said the guards had no specific dol- .. ftr requests, but want the state “to pay them something decent to keep them. I mean, it’s a public safety issue. They’re going to have to dig deep to take |are of this or the public isn’t going to be safe.” Starting pay for a prison guard is about $18,000 in Texas, the 43rd lowest vel in the country, according to the union. A “reclassification” last year by then-Gov. George W. Bush boosted vet- an officers’ pay to slightly more than $28,000, compared with the national [verage of about $34,000. Currently, there are 23,622 guards working in the Texas prison system, the .ation’s largest. A total of 2,595 positions are open. ■See news as it happens. r ■Report on the issues that matter to our campus. ■Learn the Journalism field. ■Gain valuable experience for any career. ■Earn extra cash is looking for reporters Pick up your application at 014 Reed McDonald, or call Brady at 845-3313 for information. News in Brief Police respond to Federal aid offered Pizza Hut shooting to storm victims HOUSTON (AP) — Police were responding Monday afternoon to a reported shooting outside a Piz za Hut restaurant in eastern Har ris County, authorities said. One person was reported wounded in a vehicle in the park ing lot, according to William De- vazier of the Channelview Fire De partment, and at least one suspect was thought to be in the restaurant Monday afternoon. No hostages were thought to be inside the eatery, Devazier said. Rescuers were unable to get to the victim immediately because of a dog inside the vehicle, Devazier said. Animal control workers were en route shortly after 4 p.m. Fire officials also were con cerned about who might be inside the Pizza Hut. “We do not want to take any | chances of any of our guys being in danger by getting up near the building,” Devazier said. Residents of three Northeast Texas counties whose homes and property sustained damage from severe ice storms that hit last month need only pick up the phone to get the process of financial as sistance under way, state and fed eral officials said late Sunday. Individuals in Cass, Red River and Bowie counties can apply for low-interest loans and grants to repair homes, replace personal property and offset losses to agri culture and small businesses. There is also relief available in the way of disaster unemploy ment benefits and housing. About 1,000 calls have come in to a toll-free number set up to take information. A Disaster Field Office was set up in Texarkana, but that is only for management of the relief efforts, said Don Rogers, spokesman for the Texas Depart ment of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management. Open Door Policy • The Office of the Vice "President for Stu dent Affairs wants you to be aware of our open door policy. • Our office is here to help you. Please feel free to come by the 10th Floor Rudder Tower or call 845-4728. • You may also visit our website http://studentaffairs.tamu.edu or email Dr. Southerland at malons@tamu.edu. r FREE DIGITAL PHONE| Wireless, Smc. 1500 $25 MINUTES /mo VGti70n wireless Authorized Agent With minimum $25/mo. rate plan & annual contract. Some restrictions apply/, see store for details. 2230 Texas Ave. S., College Station 979-693-8888 Luncli With Dr. J. Malon Southerland Vice President for Student Affairs • Luncheons are held in the Memorial . Student Center during the noon hour. • There will be open-ended informal discussion with the opportunity to ask questions • This is a great chance to interact with other students/faculty/staff and share your experiences at TexAs A&M. Name E-mail Address Local Address Phone # Fresh/Upper/Grad/Transfer/Faculty/staff (circle one) Return Forms to : Vice President for Student Affairs Office 10th Floor Rudder Tower E-mail : malons@tamu.edu Phone # : 845-4728 Sign up on the web at: http://freelunch.tamu.edu campus and community news 1:57 p.m. Monday through Friday on KAMU-FM 90.9 College Station / Bryan