Monday, July 12, 2004
THE BATTA1
by Will Uoy<4
NEWS IN BRIEF
Israel orders
construction of
barrier to continue
JERUSALEM (AP) - A defiant
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said
Sunday that Israel will keep build
ing its West Bank separation barrier,
despite a world court ruling that the
system offences, trenches and walls
is illegal and must be torn down.
In Tel Aviv, Palestinian mili
tants blew up a bus stop with
a nail-studded bomb hidden in
roadside shrubs, killing a female
soldier and seriously wounding
five people.
It was the first deadly attack in
Israel in four months, and Sharon
linked it to the ruling against the
barrier, which Israel says is need
ed to stop such attacks.
“The decision sends a destruc
tive message to encourage ter
rorism, and denounces)
that are defending themss
against it,” Sharon
promised an all-out dip
fensive against the ruling.
The Palestinians also
preparations for what
would be a long diplomatic!)
Although the court decisionj
nonbinding, the Palestinians:
to push the United Nationstt
force the ruling.
i
Boy allegedly beaten
by stepfather dies
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — A 4-year-old boy who
was allegedly beaten unconscious by his stepfather has died at an
Austin hospital.
Tyrone Fenner Jr. was taken to Brackenridge Hospital on June 22
with injuries to his head and abdomen. He was taken off life support
and died Saturday morning, College Station Police Sgt. Donnie An-
dreski told the Bryan-College Station Eagle.
“Its just a real tragic situation and, unfortunately, it came to an end
that no one wanted to see,” Andreski said.
The boy’s stepfather, 26-year-old Timothy Lewis of Heame, was
charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony punishable by up
to 99 years or life in prison. He remains in the Brazos County Jail on
$50,000 bond.
With the boy’s death, Assistant Brazos County District Attorney
Earl Gray said charges against Lewis will likely be upgraded to mur
der within the next week.
Autopsy results to determine the boy’s exact cause of death are
pending, Andreski said.
Fenner was taken by medical helicopter to Brackenridge Hospi
tal after emergency responders found him unconscious at his apart
ment home.
According to Child Protective Services, Timothy Lewis and
Fenner’s mother, Virginia Lewis, said the boy had fallen off a toi
let. Virginia Lewis later changed her story and told authorities that
Timothy Lewis was responsible for her son’s injuries.
Authorities said a doctor also found signs of past physical abuse,
including old fractures to a finger and rib.
No charges have been filed against Virginia Lewis.
Timothy Lewis was arrested at his home four days after Tyrone
was hospitalized.
Timothy Lewis had a permanent residence in Hearne but also
occasionally lived with Virginia Lewis and her children, authori
ties said.
The couple’s two other children, 18-month-old and a 1-month-
old, have been removed from the home and placed in foster care
by CPS.
Report
Continued from page 1
which begins on July 26.
The public release will be dic
tated by the White House, which is
reviewing the report to ensure that
no classified information is dis
closed. That is not seen as a major
stumbling block, however. Once
the report is cleared for release it
will be available to the public via
the Internet and at bookstores.
The commission met several
times last week in private ses
sions, online and by telephone.
“High-level concepts” have been
agreed upon, commissioners said.
Nuances of language, tone and
specific detail are being debated.
The commission’s preliminary
reports have outlined failures in all
those areas that helped the Sept. 11
hijackers carry out their plot.
Republican commissioner
John Lehman said the reforms
will be “very strong, substantive
and practical.” He has pushed
for centralizing the intelligence
agencies as well as improving
domestic surveillance beyond
FBI Director Robert Mueller’s
proposal to create an indepen
dent intelligence service within
the bureau, such as by creating a
domestic spy agency.
Research
Continued from page 1
whoever speaks the loudest and
longest, but not necessarily the
best, will carry the weight.”
Honors program executive
director Edward Funkhouser
said programs like the under
graduate research fellowship
give students an edge in post
graduate studies.
“Students who participate
in the honors program and
become university under
graduate research fellows
are able to ‘test-drive’ gradu
ate school as they complete
their baccalaureate degrees,”
Funkhouser said.
Barbara Gastel, professor of
journalism, medical humani
ties and biotechnology, was
a plenary speaker at the Sixth
Undergraduate Conference In
Bioethics 2003. She said Boat
man’s work will prove benefi
cial for his future.
“I’m very pleased to see
that he did his thesis on this,”
Gastel said. “Writing a thesis
is a very valuable experience,
and it appears he is address
ing a very serious and impor
tant topic.”
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Japan’s ruling coalition holds majorii
in Parliment vote, but opposition gain
eagern<
Felden
By Joseph Coleman
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOKYO — Japan’s ruling coalition
clinched a majority in the upper house of
Parliament in elections Sunday, but gains
by the opposition signaled discontent with
the prime minister’s cuts in pension benefits
and deployment of troops to Iraq.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s Lib
eral Democratic Party and coalition partner
Komeito party won 60 of the seats under
contention, ensuring their dominance of
the upper house, according to final results
released early Monday by the Ministry of
Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts
and Telecommunications. The LDP alone
won 49 seats.
The opposition Democratic Party boost
ed its standing in the chamber by 12 seats,
taking 50.
Official results were expected during the
day Monday.
The embattled premier, who took office
in April 2001 promising far-reaching re
form, insisted there was no reason for him
to resign to take responsibility for the re
sults. But the Democrats claimed victory.
“The people have issued a resounding
‘no’ to Koizumi’s policies,” said party
leader Katsuya Okada.
The election had not been expected to
seriously threaten the LDP’s hold on gov
ernment. The party, which has governed
almost uninterruptedly since 1955, holds
a firm majority in the powerful lower
house, the stronger of the legislature’s
two chambers.
The election also bolstered thetj
gence of a two-party political sysis
Japan, with the LDP increasingly bait
by the Democrats rather than easilyJi
nating an opposition splintered ii
er groupings.
Half of the chamber’s 242 sealsi
contested. Before the vote, the Lii
Democrats held 115 seats in the t
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The people have issued
a resounding 'no' to
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house and controlled a majority of a if y o
together with Komeito’s 23 seaislhey wi
Democrats had 70. I no son
The LDP had set a total of 51 seaislliis fal I
gain of one seat — as its modestkJhe bell
the election. While local media specl ng witl
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Koizumi could face pressure to stepdol
— Katsuya Okada
Democratic Party leader
But the robust turnout for the opposition
could undermine support for Koizumi with
in his own party.
“What we’re seeing is a result of Koi
zumi’s diminishing popularity — the
’Koizumi effect’ is wearing off,” said Jiro
Yamaguchi, a political scientist at Hokkai
do University. He predicted the party would
become even more resistant to reform.
the goal was not met, the premierdisi
talk of resignation.
“There would be no need forthai
said in an interview with NTV, a
wide television network. “As longi
can keep control of both houses, w
continue with our reform policies."
The Liberal Democratic Party
to win political points from the rew
economy, but with little success.
“We did well considering the»
were against us,” said party secretar.
eral Shinzo Abe. “It’s still possibles
stable government.”
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Parents
Continued from page 1
dependant on their federal income tax.
“The student owns his or her record, and with this system the
student controls access to the record,” Harper said.
Reactions among parents and students have been mixed.
Senior kinesiology major Robert Ringo said he has mixed feel
ings on the new system.
“The system has pros and cons; your parents can see what classes
you’re taking and how you’re doing, but if your grades aren’t very
good that could be a bad thing,” Ringo said.
However, Ringo said, it is good that students can control who has
access to their record, preventing parents from finding information
the student wishes to keep private
Nancy Curtiss, mother of junior environmental designi
Kristin Curtiss, said she thinks it is crucial for parents toto;
cess to grades and other information to ensure that theirchilite
receiving a quality education.
Ra
I TheT
“I feel it is very important for parents to have accessing toomucT
schedules, etc. Parents technically have the right to accessi
their dependent student’s information,” Curtiss said. “Parents
a great investment in their son or daughter’s education.and
need to have full disclosure of all pertinent information.”
However, Curtiss said that as long as the student is
pendent on the parents, the school should allow parentstoai hisatmc
information about their child.
The first information available to parents will begraden >Lhisty
from the first summer session of this year.
Plant
Continued from page 1
carefully through those situations. We have
a lot of discussion with professors and build
ing proctors about the impact it will have on
their research.”
Commission teams concentrate on facili
ties that are larger in square footage because
they are the most energy intensive.
Rudder Theater Complex is one of sev
eral such buildings that have undergone
heating, ventilation and air conditioning
recommissioning. Rudder Theater Complex
manager Bill Bielamowicz said he has wit
nessed the efforts and success of commis
sioning teams.
“The crew has been in this building and
spent a lot of time working on it,” Bielamowicz
said. “I believe that there has definitely been an
improvement in air quality in the building.”
Bruner said recognition is part of the re
warding experience of successfully recom
missioning a building.
“When our team goes through particu
larly challenging buildings and, through
meticulous processes, brings a system back
with minimal costs and receives recognition
for that, it is very rewarding,” Bruner said.
A&M’s commissioning program is
ranked highly among other universities’
similar programs.
“As I go to conferences and seminars
and talk to people from all over the world,
I find that many people have toured our of
fice here. We are certainly in the top five
nationwide,’’Bruner said.
Bruner said that with the new energy con
servation commission under A&M Presi
dent Robert M. Gates, new life has been
breathed into the energy program.
“We’re very excited about this,” he
said. “We want to get students and faculty
more involved.”
Future involvement efforts include more
seminars, a Web site offering news of re
cent achievements and competitions be
tween residence halls to see whichci la lf will
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the least amount of energy.
“We are also hiring more people If
get the job done,” Bruner said. “Weai 0 enter I
terviewing now for a new energy coot )g the A
tor to make sure the program is knoicpwce
talked about.”
Swick said students can contribl
conservation efforts by taking o
their buildings.
“Turn off electrical items that areroI
ing used,” Swick said. “This includes!;
computers and stereo equipment.”
He also suggested reporting leakin
cets or other toilet fixtures that arenol
ating properly.
“It takes energy to produce and Iran
utilities to a building, including«I
Swick said.
Since 1996, more than 60 building
been recommissioned, and direct
controls have been added to others,
are currently 31 buildings schedul
lighting retrofits by December 2004.
The Ri
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Joshua Hobson, Editor in Chief
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Lauren Rouse, Copy Chief
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