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Home My WebLink AboutMisc.r theeaglexom A9 The Downtown Bryan Eco- nomic Development Associa- tion will dedicate 10 oak trees Thursday to honor the busi- nesses and community groups that together gave $120,000 to plant bigger oaks downtown. The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. at North Main .and 24th streets, between Caffe Capri and the Varisco office building. A procession will stop by each tree provided by the donors and end at the oak across from Acme Glass` Co. at Main and 28th streets. A reception will begin at about 8 p.m. at Maddens. Casual Gourmet. The donations gave the city enough money to upgrade from the smaller trees originally planned in the ongoing down- town redevelopment. The oaks were planted as part of the redevelopment's first phase, which was completed'this year. The project also added peri- od lighting, benches, wider sidewalks and landscaped medians to a stretch' of Main Street. ro Worth sued b y victims' families FORT WORTH — The families of four Chicago tourists who drowned in the Fort Worth Water Gardens filed a lawsuit Wednes- day, claiming the city showed "utter indifference" to the safe- ty of visitors, especially chil- dren. The wrongful death lawsuit filed in state district court in Tar- rant County stems from the June drownings of Myron Dukes, 39; his daughter, Lau - ren, 8; his son, Christopher, 13; and family friend Juanitrice town with fellow members of Chicago's Antioch Missionary Baptist Church for a national religious convention. Witnesses said one of the girls slipped and the others died trying to rescue her. The water in the swirling pool, which was not meant for swimming, was deeper and the suction stronger than normal because the debris- clogged drain grate strained the pool pump, according to an engineering firm's study done after the deaths. The lawsuit doesn't set a damage amount,:but it asks for more than $1 million on each of { r%" ; IL 72 counts, the Fort Worth Star a «N xi ° f V. - "eAlocau; T t 'ns elegram reported in its online JL edition Wednesday. twG d(! CLIL t f:. f r�' l" a r f °r �' .w,m r r J ✓�: - + Companies settle with p ostal service {p "` Eagle Staff Report main wing for new operating rooms and overall expanded DALLAS Cushman & fk �� x Y ,. Wakefield, Inc.', Interior Sys St. Joseph Regional Health and upgraded facilities. terns, Inc. and ISI's vice presi- Center has expanded its out- Nurses and staff in critical patient surgery ward and care. began wheeling patients dent `agreed Wednesday to pay doubled the size of its critical Wednesday from the ward's $8.4 million to settle a civil �� care division with the recent 11,000- square -foot facilities in lawsuit alleging they violated �{ relocation of those depart- the main building to the the False Claims Act by not r q ,i + ; x 4 _ ` �$ ments to a newly opened four - 33,000 square feet reserved for paying the U.S. Postal Service . a r r ` s ' ' story glass tower. the ward on the tower's sec - . " for postage owed, federal pros Eagle photo /Dave McDermand The move adds 16 beds to and floor.. The ward at times ecutors said. College Station Parks and Recreation worker pond at Central Park. The sculpture, a bronze the - space- cramped critical had been at 100- percent capac- The lawsuit claimed the com- Mario Zavala steadies a sculpture Wednesday sailfish titled "Sky Curter," weighs 800 pounds care ward and puts patients ity, which would become a by area artist J. Payne Lara being moved by fork - and is owned by the Arts Council of Brazos Val in both outpatient and critical problem when there was no panies underpaid the postage lift to its new home in the center of the upper ley. It is part of the council's public art program. care in private rooms. It also due involving a mail presort leaves space in the hospital's See ST. JOE, Page All business they operated in Dal- las from 1997 through 2000 - A. k ,Staff and wire reports �` ,�s��,�,, � �` • "in 40 sch0 fundi.11 anmysis ® r • , . ,, ... ., �^`: By APRIL CASTRO cy studies that found much . . . . . . . . . . . . textbolo%ks nk Associated Press higher costs. Taylor also r attempted to poke holes in the By JIM VERTUNO y 4 b AUSTIN A Texas 'A &M methodology used for those Associated Press r -' University researcher studies. N t Wednesday defended a study About 300 wealthy and poor w~ E -- AUSTIN — Social conserva �r - that found Texas on average school districts have sued the "" tives and sex education advo x ;tom ' x spends more than is neces state over the school funding Cates squared off Wednesday�w� sary per student for an ode system arguing that its a M95Y 3gSBLf1A3R arcnir'+SYth Y a Pick 3 numbers for Wednesday: in the final public hearing x 4 xus Y W' wr�xaea �EGn quate education. dependence on local property Day: 8 Q' AP p h oto/Harry Cabluck before the state Board of Edu- ~ p ° • • •h The testimony came in the taxes is unconstitutional. The cation' adopts new health text - p second day of the state's districts argue that the state Night: 4 4 7 books for Texas school 'stu State Board of Education members Gail Lowe (left) and Bob Craig 'defense in the lawsuit chat- doesn't spend enough to edu- dents. look over samples of health textbooks before a board meeting lenging the way Texas funds Cate Texas' 4.3 million stu- It was the latest round in the Wednesday in Austin. public education. dents. Lotto Texas numbers for Wednesday: debate over what's too sexy to Attorneys queotioned Attorneys for the state con-.. 8 11 2 36 41 (23) be in the classroom and ing room, many of them wear- the texts. researcher Lori Taylor, who tend that Texas satisfies the whether abstinence -only or ing "Abstinence Only" stick - "We have to give our chil- helped author the stiady for minimum constitutional Estimated jackpot: $36 million lessons in contraception are ers, and more than 300 people dren a clear message they are the Legislature. In tedious requirements and any Cash Five numbers for the better policy. were scheduled to testify. not expected to have sexual numbers - oriented testimony, changes to the share -the- Wednesday: The 15- member board will In a news conference before activity until marriage," said Taylor spent the morning wealth system should be vote in November on which the meeting, abstinence -only Jim Sedlak, executive director describing her research and made by the Legislature, not 1 3 4 910 books will be used in the 2005- supporters railed against of the American Life League's analysis methods. the courts. 06 school year, replacing 11- Planned Parenthood, one of STOPP International, which Attorneys for . the suing : The Taylor study was com- * These numbers are not official. Please year -old materials now being several organizations behind he said has 4,000 Texas mein- school districts had attempt - missioned by the state and venom numbers with the Texas Lottery Commission at vuww.txlottery.org. used. • the effort to get more informa- ed to discredit the study, com- . Spectators jammed the hear- tion about contraceptives into See TEXTS, Page All missioning their own adequa- See TRIAL, Page All ,. /..., _,. s,f S+w ,..k.J: .,, x,,., _.. +,.,f,.+., a.:+„ ,. ... J, 2dk. , • ---- '- ' - -__� - __— .�...___ ,_ , __...:_,_ .. _ _ ......_::'.� , .,.: _:_�,.. :. ;.. �.., _.__":___ <_..t._ :_ >r_ , -. ,: .... ,, a.: e..,:._ �,. �t�. r. i+_..«_ w._ ;..+... y.. a_ w... �.-....: ��12,: E4... d... �.. -- "`.. �-- �'= "' a°. WC.. . rr•.. ✓ ..+. ..+•.:.+- ti•.�,.✓..r.1.. "v�..n., Grace Rogers Alva June 4, 1911 - -Sept. 6, 2004 A memorial service for Grace .Rogers Alva, 93, of Bryan is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Santa Tere- sa Catholic Church. The Rev. Albert Ruiz will offick ate. Entombment will be in Rest- Ever Memorial Park Columbar W Arrange—n s ments are under the direction ` of Callaway -Jones Funeral Home in Bryan. ALVA Mrs. Alva died Monday at her .home. She was born in Leon Gua- najato, Mexico. She was the owner of El Tropical Restaurant for many years. Survivors include a son, Rafael Perez of Bryan; three daughters, Rosemarie Dickson of Bryan, Mary Agnes Equia of Conroe and Grace Ellen Lartigue of College. Station; a sister, Stella Bressler of Dallas;. eight grandchildren; seven .great- grandchildren; and one great - great - grandchild. Memorials may be made to Hospice Brazos Valley, 502 W. e es day as the Texas Department of Thursday of every month at 3 Transportation's first toll road. ap k S The roadway also is the Laredo I region's only crossing for certified haz- Lillie Mae 'Tuft' Gents ardous materials to and from Mexico; . Private investors poured $90 . million Fowler, free on bond, into the new road in the late 1990s, think- March 17, 1929 — ing truck drivers would be willing to `•": 3 j spend up to $16 and take a 23 -mile detour -£ R"L�' J _ y t ✓£ r q„ 5b �'ff v¢� "C ° &�i, , '� to avoid Laredo's heavy traffic. - But traffic during the bridge's first Talley also was fined $1,000 three years was only 13 percent of what AP photo /Ricardo Santos /Laredo Morning Times was expected, and the Camino! Colombia The' Texas Department of Transportation's first toll road, Camino Colombia, a 22 -mile high - went on the auction block in January. way between the Mexican border and Interstate 35, opened Wednesday. The roadway is The state bought ^the road in May for the Laredo region's only crossing for certified hazardous materials to and from Mexico. $20 million and has spent the past few TEMPLE - Services for Lillie months on minor improvements such as a two -axle vehicle and $2 for every addi- road will not be a money - losing proposi- mowing the grass and re- striping the tional axle. There will eventually be toll tion. for. the state. roads. tags for frequent users. "It was picking up, she said. "We are The roadway will be free for the first TxDOT: spokeswoman Diana De La confident that we will have sufficient two months. After Nov. 8, it will be $2 for Garza said officials are confident the vehicles and sufficient traffic." Man pleads- gunty in -Byrd grave dc-,sriec7hcrauloln Associated Press part in a cultural awareness 26th St., Bryan, Texas 77803, Thursday of every month at 3 results of a recent poll that showed 90 percent of adult Tom Chambers, an assrstant body was on the same page bras or prejudice. and 7, p.m. at City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. Evening meetings Lillie Mae 'Tuft' Gents by including more detailed district attorney for Jasper with this. Mr. Talley looked Fowler, free on bond, Norma Jean Nash March 17, 1929 — JASPER — One of two white County. remorseful [Wednesday] and remains scheduled to go to tive methods in a separate stu- - men charged in the desecra- Talley also was fined $1,000 he has written [ Byrd's mother] trial for desecrating Byrd's- Nov. 27, 1946 — Sept. 5, 2004 tion of James B d Jr.'s yr grave and ordered to pay $28,000 in an apology letter. She appreci- grave and as well as the other Sept. 7, 2004 TEMPLE - Services for Lillie ` pleaded guilty Wednesday to restitution, perform 250 hours ated that." charges, Chambers said_ Graveside services for Norma Mae "Tutt" Gentry, 75, of Lyons criminal mischief. of community service and take Several tips led police to `.`There's little or no doubt Jean Nash, 57, of Bryan are set are 'set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Byrd is the black man who part in a cultural awareness arrest Talley and John that what they did to Jaynes for 10 a.m. Friday at Steephollow Mount Ziono Baptist Church in was dragged to death behind a program. Matthew Fowler, 19, of Call Byrd's [grave] was racially Cemetery. Lyons, pickup truck in East Texas by The restitution will pay for. Junction. Each was charged in he said. The Rev. Dale Suel of Steep- The Rev. Basel Lister will offi ` three white men in 1998. On the restoration of Byrd's grave, with one criminal mischief If Talley does all he is . hollow Baptist ciate. May 6, racial slurs and profan and repairing damage to other charge related to the desecra ordered to do and completes . and a margin of error of 3 Arrangements are under the -ities were found etched into a gravesites and thefts commit- tion of Byrd's grave and seven his probation, the Jasper Church will offi direction. of Branford Dawson steel plate covering part of the ted during their "little crime unrelated theft, burglary and County District Attorney's cute.. Funeral Home in Temple. . vault of Byrd's grave. His spree," Chambers said. criminal mischief charges. Office will dismiss the case Local immediately were available. headstone also had been top p Talley will have to s pend p Talle 's Y guilty plea means he .against him, meaning arrangements 3,� Mrs. Gentry died Sunday at pled. only an, additional month in will not face trial on the seven won't have a felony conviction are under the :, her home. Joshua Zee Talley, 19, of jail because he's been locked unrelated charges, Chambers on his record: direction of She was _born in Burleson Jasper, was sentenced by state up for the past four, Chambers said. "I didn't want to necessarily Callaway Jones County and attended school District Judge Joe Bob Golden said. If Talley had gone to trial for stick him with a felony convic- Funeral Home there: to five months in jail and 10 "I think our office was satis- desecrating Byrd's grave, he tion at such a young age," .in Bryan. NASH Mrs. Gentry was a member of years probation after pleading fied with the result," he said. could have faced up to 10 years Chambers said. "If we're going Mrs. Nash died Tuesday at her Mount Zion Baptist Church in guilty to desecrating the grave "We kept in, constant contact in prison if it was proven the to try to rehabilitate him, we home. Lyons. out of racial prejudice, said with the Byrd family. Every- crime occurred as the result of should go all the way." She' was born in Henderson and lived in Houston before mov She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband; Edward Gentry. ®: Repo Most unil full t V1*11 ing to Bryan in 1985. She; a member of Steephollow Baptist Survivors include a daughter, Church. Shirley L. Gentry of Lyons; four By ANGELA K. BROWN group's conference on health- employers. Hammond said sumer knew exactly what he Survivors include her husband, brothers, John Townsend d an .Associated Press care issues. the new law was an important was getting," Sloane said. C harles Nash o fBry_an;�o_s l ris Floyd To bo th of Hous -- - -- — Texas has the h ighest rat g _° `off unmsure non- elderly ste toward_ more affordable _ - _p o insurance but his The __T_exas_Association _ of _ Business also recommends DAX1 A Th' r e o -urtff Robert C Nash and Samuel A. ton, James Townsend of Somerville and Arron< Townsend of uninsured Texans have dents, about one - fourth of the group wants lawmakers to exempt that the state adopt -a more : Nash, both of Bryan; her father, of Brenham; two grandchildren; full -time. jobs but cannot state's .population, according 'census : companies from more enforceable health -care fraud Sam Keel of Whitehouse, and afford health insurance, to U.S. data. Some 4.8 requirements - .including statute modeled after the two sisters, Janie Ruth Osborn of and seven.great grandchildren. :according to a repo released p million Texans had insur paying half of costs when an. Texas Deceptive Trade Prac- - Canton and Claudene Stainback Wednesday by the Texas ante in 2003, an increase of employee goes to a doctor out- tices Act. of Whitehouse. Obituaries are printed in The Bryan - Association of Business. 300,000 from 2002, according g ide a network. The g roup and others also g p Memorials may be made to the College Station Eagle as a free public The study also shows that to the National Academy of Consumer advocates have want,the state to create a con- Steephollow Baptist Church service. The information is provided by more than ;half of Texans Sciences. said the state must continue sumer right -to -know act pro - Building Fund, 7328 Steephollow the funeral home. More detailed obit- uaries may be for a fee without health coverage live In its report called "Texas to require HMOs to cover viding access to information Road, Bryan, Texas 77808. printed through the advertising department. in households earning more Health Care in Crisis: No services related to certain about the cost and quality of than $75,000 a year. Easy Cure," the group asks major illnesses. health care, as well as data The statistics show the state lawmakers to expand a Dr. Robert Sloane, a Fort about doctors' and hospitals' Adult becomes 'official. Some council members said need for changes to the state's insurance laws to combat the 2003 law allowing insurance companies and HMOs to offer Worth trauma surgeon - and a member of the Texas Medical medical errors. . "This information is in Wednesday that public safety soaring costs, said Bill. Ham - lower- priced plans that Association, said the busi - what we call a black box, and funding. is high on a. list of mond, president and CEO of exclude benefits previously ness group's recommenda- that's what needs to be B'®ifH items they want to revisit the Texas Association of Busi- required by the state = bene- tion "sounds like a great opened," said Marianne . before approving the budget. . ness, which represents more fits the group says have run idea" unless the consumer Fazen, president of the Texas The revisions would open Such items include a request . than 140,000 small and large up costs. choice plans offer so few ben - Business Group on Health. up more than 5 percent of the from the fire department for companies and 200 chambers "The question is — is it bet- efits that gaps in coverage city for adult businesses he more personnel to man a ded- of commerce. ter to have some insurance or still exist. said. "We honestly thought we icated ladder crew and a push to help the police department "Businesses' are struggling to provide their employees none at all?" Hammond said. Such "consumer choice "One needs to make sure you're not subtracting bene- had cleared five percent of the fund school resource officers with health insurance," Ham- plans" are primarily intended fits that help the entire popu- city until it was challenged [by Silk Stocking] this year for the College Station school district. mond said Wednesday at the for , individuals and small lation and make sure the con- F>'® Brown said. "If you're going to regulate and prohibit [sex- The approved property tax, rate will affect how much publications that. were not being considered by the school can't opt out." The books in question have was presented to the Legisla ture ually , oriented businesses], extra funding, if any, is avail- in March as they pre - the Supreme Court says you ' able in the budget to "fulfill board. already been reviewed by a pared for a special session on have to still have room in such requests. ' " Smoot and members of the Protect Our Kids Campaign panel of educators and parents appointed by the Texas Educa school finance. The session your city for them. These are The could adopt a�- . ended in June without a new freedom of expression ,council tax rate Thursday as low as bers. say they also support absti- tion Agency. funding method to give home- issues." 45.05 cents per $100 valuation, nence. teaching, but that it is ; The decision could affect . owners property tax relief The strip club was told in which, because of increased Samantha Smoot, president .unrealistic by itself. dozens of states because books while 'keeping schools well June 2003 it would have one property values across the of the public watchdog group . Texas has the nation's high- sold in Texas, the nation's sec - funded. year to comply with the new city, would generate the same Texas Freedom Network est teen birthrate, with a rate and largest buyer of text . The study, which has been provisions in the Unified amount of tax revenue as the which supports more contra - ' of 64 per 1,000, according to the books, often are marketed else - revised, suggested it takes Development Ordinance. To 2004 rate of 46.53 cents.. ceptive education, said the National Vital Statistics where. about $6,400 annually per stu -. comply, it would have to Assessed property value information would help p re- Rep . orts dent to maintain a 55 percent either stop operating as a sex- across the city rose 8.6 per- vent teen pregnancy and the The state - mandated curric u passing rate of the state's ualey - oriented business or cent for 2004, with $154 -mil- spread of disease. ,, This is not a battle of lum . requires - that h alth books "analyze the effecetive - annual standardized test — move to another area of town. lion in new property- added "The he Texas, Assessment of The proposed changes 'and $107 million in increased morals," Smoot said: ness and ineffectiveness of Knowledge and Skills. That's would include the area value, officials have said: moral thing to do is provide information that could save a barrier rotection and oth p er contraceptive methods." " From ;. about $300 less than the aver - around Silk Stocking just But setting the tax at the age amount spent per student north of Earl Rudder Freeway lowest rate would force the teenagers life. "Protect Critics argue three of the in 2004. South as a special district in city to trim $370,000 from its On Tuesday, the submitted books do not men - room for additional critical The trial is n1 its fifth week. The which adult .businesses are 2005 budget. .Our Kids €m, Cam ai p a group tion latex condoms and there- care patients, hospital John Dietz is ,.expected allowed. City Attorney Har- The College Station City of sex education advocates fore do not adhere to the state spokesman Tim Ottinger to make a ruling late n next vey Cargill said that if the Council meets the second ranging from Planned Parent- requirement. One of the books said: week, though his Tulin g pr council approves the changes Thursday of every month at 2 hood to the Texas State. Teach includes a brief description of The new unit also 'puts a ably will be appealed. this month, it could resolve and 7 p.m; and the fourth ers Association, released condoms. nurses' station near every pri - - the lawsuit. Thursday of every month at 3 results of a recent poll that showed 90 percent of adult Publishers have argued the books meet the - requirements vate. room. Rest rooms shared by every two private rooms Council members could approve the city's $177 mil- and 7, p.m. at City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. Evening meetings Texans favor teaching "age - by including more detailed and an extra hour of visiting lion budget and tax rate for ,` are broadcast.live on Channel appropriate, medically accu- . information about contracep- time for _ critical 'patients fiscal 2005 during their regu- 19. rate sex .. education that tive methods in a separate stu- make the new ward more fam- lay session Thursday, though includes information on absti- dent supplement and teacher ily- friendly, Ottinger said. they have until the end of the N Sommer Hamilton's e -mail nence, birth control and pre- editions. "The design of the tower month to make, changes and address is shamilton@ vention of sexually transmit- Under Texas law, school dis- really includes all the latest approve the plan before it theeagle.com. ted diseases and HIV." tricts have the option of pro- research on how to make it a The survey question was viding abstinence -based sex healing unit," he said. "Larg- commissioned by the group education studies: Parents er windows in the rooms and ' make direct contact with and • conducted by the Scripps also may choose to take their artwork in the halls make our Wo mia n Wales but was .able to help Howard Texas Poll. The tele- children out of sex ed courses. facility more relaxing. It's police by providing informa- phone survey polled 1,000 By putting contraceptive stressful to be at a` hospital, tion about the woman, Melnyk adult Texans from Aug. 9 -26 and other information in the and we're trying to reduce Fop ++ said and a margin of error of 3 health textbooks, the state that stress." Police believe the husband percentage points. would eliminate the parental The outpatient surgery dence, Melnyk said. No other : was the one who made his wife Socially conservative organ- option on sex 'ed, said Kyleen ward moved into the tower's details on the suspected assault leave her . mother's house izations, such as Texans for Wright, president of Texans first floor Aug. 30. The reloca- immediately were available. before she went back to her Life Coalition and the Texas for Life. tion adds six beds in day sur- Police said Wales was alone own home, Melnyk said. Eagle Forum, disagree. "Sex education is not under gery, bringing the total to 22, in her home throughout the Police have not been called At . the news conference, attack. But you can't opt your and 13 beds to the recovery standoff. to either home before, Melnyk they challenged what would be kid out of a textbook for a area. Wales' husband, who told said, and he did not know of deemed "appropriate" materi- mandatory course," Wright Five. of the 27 recovery police he saw his wife assault any previous violence between _ als for children and railed said. "They want to sneak this rooms are reserved for car- her mother, was not allowed to the mother and daughter. - against Planned Parenthood in the textbooks so parents diac patients. -..- � i 1': .. >.�_._s.��i. -,. i :_ .� _..i :_� .,- J. �.. ..: ..: - =-.:v_ . _•_:..:�. _ _ ��._.,. r_..�_ti. �... _.. _..._r_.::J�.... �,....� -.. _. u �- i...:- a. �.. �-... . _- ._.. - '•�.�._��.�_ _ , .. �h. _ ..�....... .�• ° - :%v.�a. -��. `.: ^:r Xt= y.� _..- �. �- �.... r.... �- �..,+` V'".:_' �': J�a .i._- ....'�:.....ti+.�- ....�.: ,