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A&M regents to consider $13.75M proposal for center and renovations
By JONATHAN RESENDEZ jonathan.resendez@theeagle.com

Thursday, sday, Ma sday, May y 26, 2011

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Ea e The Eagl

IN BRIEF
Grease fire blamed for CS duplex blaze
Fire officials said a blaze that burned part of a duplex in College Station late Tuesday started on an unattended stove. Firefighters responded at 8:05 p.m. to the grease fire at the residence on Airline Drive, Battalion Chief Thomas Goehl said. No one was injured. Six fire department units responded and extinguished the fire within 25 minutes, he said. Goehl said there was heavy fire damage to the kitchen and extensive smoke damage throughout that side of the duplex. The other side was not damaged. He said two adults and two children lived in the unit that was burned. The American Red Cross provided emergency lodging for residents of both sides of the duplex for the night.

The Quad could get upgrades

Two buildings in Texas A&Ms Corps of Cadets historic Quadrangle may soon undergo of facelifts. The Board of Regents on Thursday will consider a $13.75 million proposal that would renovate Harrell Hall and demolish and rebuild an adjacent learning center, which is known as Learning-Study Lounge D. g f for the proje ro ct would roje Financing come from a loan to be paid back through housing fees. The renovations, which are scheduled to be completed by the fall 2012 semester, would mark the first in a five-year series of upgrades to the buildings that form the Quadrangle, the oldest dorms on campus. Col. Samuell Hawes worked on committees comprised of members of the Office of the Commandant, residence life, facilities, planning and construction for more than nine months to determine students needs. We patterned our [Leadership

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Special to The Eagle renov to Hart Hall and Loung Lounge D on The Quadrangle, An artists rendering shows proposed renovations which Texas A&Ms Board of Regents will consider at its meeting on Thursday.

Food drive to aid victims of storms

A food drive for the survivors of the recent storms in Oklahoma will be conducted Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the parking lot of Village Foods at 1760 Briarcest in Bryan. The drive was organized by Bryan councilmember and businessman Chuck Konderla and Bryan businessman Jim Lewis. SERVPRO of Brazos Valley has donated a truck and trailer to transport the items from Bryan to the affected areas. Members of the Bryan Fire Department have also donated their time and will be at Village Foods loading and collecting donations. Please bring the following items: money, gift cards (to grocery stores, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.), bottled water, diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, batteries, toiletries, towels, blankets, pillows, tarps, tents and other items that could be used in a recovery effort.

Running with purpose

Amendment revives bill outlawing Salvia

AUSTIN A bill outlawing Salvia divinorum, a decorative plant that is also a hallucinogenic known as Diviners Sage, passed the Texas House on Wednesday despite a tea par ty Republicans effor t to kill it. The measure would place Salvia under Penalty Group 3 along with peyote, codeine and steroids, punishable as a state jail felony. It grows wild in Texas, and some gardening groups have opposed the bill, citing sales of Salvia for ornamental, rather than psychedelic purposes. Republican Rep. David Simpson said on the House floor that he would speak on the bill for 10 minutes, a move that knocked it off the list of bills without opposition. That looked like the bills demise since there wasnt time to reintroduce it before the legislative session ends May 30. However, the bills sponsor, Democrat Charles Doc Anderson, revived it hours later by attaching a slightly modified version to separate legislation on controlled substances.

Stuart Villanueva Eagle photos by Stuar Huth of the College Station Police Department carries the Special Olympics Torch hW Wednesday while running along Spring Loop with other members of law enforcement during the Law w Jo Johnathan Enforcement Torch Run. To watch a video of the run, go to theeagle.com.

Consol grad Cost of drought climbing to give speech at Harvard

By BETSY BLANEY Associated Press By CASSIE SMITH cassie.smith@theeagle.com

Texas park ravaged by wildfires reopens

CADDO A state park near a picturesque lakeside community ravaged by Texas wildfires has reopened for campers in time for Memorial Day weekend. April wildfires scorched about 90 percent of Possum Kingdom State Park, located near Caddo about 75 miles west of For t Wor th. But park superintendent Rocky Holland says camping areas, the beach and picnic area near Possum Kingdom Lake werent damaged. Visitors also can use the store and marina. The park was to reopen Wednesday. Campers are urged to bring their own drinking water. Holland says restrooms and showers arent working because of damaged sewer lines, but por table toilets are available. Cabins and 10 campsites remain off limits. Staff and wire reports

On Thursday morning Katie Coulson will stand in front of more than 30,000 Harvard University students, faculty, parents and guests to share her wisdom. Coulson, an A&M Consolidated High School graduate, said that while she is nervous, she feels compelled to share with her fellow graduates what shes learned and how shes grown during her four years at the college. I think being here and being a part of that has been

a huge growing experience for me, the 21year-old said. Three graduating students address the crowd at COULSON Harvards commencement each year. The speakers must audition for the opportunity, which is how Coulson came to be chosen. Coulson, whose father is College Station schools

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LUBBOCK A historic drought has already cost Texas farmers and ranchers an estimated $1.5 billion, and the cost is growing daily as parched conditions persist in much of the state. May is typiInside cally the wettest month in Winds causing Texas, but problems for parts of the Texas ranchers, mers/A5 state havent farmers seen significant rain since last August. Officials said if the drought continues into June, losses for the nations second largest agriculture producer will top $4 billion, making it the costli-

AP file photo Ty Gray stirs up a cloud of dust as he pulls a tiller across a dry cotton field Tyler near Lubbock on May 19. est season on record. Were well on our way to breaking the record of the past, said Carl Anderson, an agricultural economist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service, referring to the 2006 season. Anderson is 79 and has seen many droughts, but he said this year looks as bad as anything since the record

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Horse farm run by nuns to close this weekend

By LANA BERKOWITZ Houston Chronicle

BRENHAM So long, cowboy nuns. The last of the miniature horses at the Brenham monastery are being sold, and the two remaining Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns at the horse farm are packing for a move to a nearby rental property.

The famous Monastery of St. Clare Miniature Horse Farm has attracted tourists from around the world who were charmed by the idea of cloistered nuns breeding miniature horses. During a good year, 20,000 visitors would visit the quiet farm to pet the animals, purchase souvenirs at the gift shop or buy a tiny horse. When the sisters moved

from Corpus Christi to 98 acres west of Brenham in 1985, 20 nuns cared for a herd that would average 70 horses after spring foaling. Now only Sister Angela Chandler, 54, and Sister Joseph Palacios, 89, remain. The rest of the nuns/horse wranglers have died. The latest funeral was in January for Sister Holy Spirit Aleman, who was 96.

Its too much work for the two women, Sister Angela said. They will close the farm Saturday. Sister Angela has been running the horse farm with help from her brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Becky Chandler. It has been a difficult time for Sister Angela, Becky Chandler said. Not only has she watched her friends die, but she has to

deal with the sale of the property, which has left her in limbo while the details are worked out. Nuns from the Pax Christi Institute in Corpus Christi will take over the property June 1. The farm will be remodeled to use as a retreat, Sister Mary Elva Reyes of PCI said. The sisters will not

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