Vol. 94, No. 25 1 section, 8 pages
WEDNESDAY
November 16, 2005
www.acuoptimist.com
Season’s greetings
New arrival
Regional competition
The Wildcats play their first game this week; season preview coming Friday
Books-A-Million had its grand opening in the Mall of Abilene on Friday, page 3
The Wildcats will play in the regional tournament this weekend, page 8
Drivers notice $2 gas at area pumps n Gasoline can be bought for as cheap as $1.97 in Abilene, but prices are expected to rise as travel increases for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Awareness weeks Members of an Honors colloquium class are promoting National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, and members of International Justice Mission raise money to fight injustice. • Students can sign a petition in the Campus Center asking Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R.-Lubbock, for increased federal funding to fight poverty. • IJM has a table in the Campus Center to raise money for its campaign.
Students raise funds for IJM n International Justice Mission’s campaign “Loose Change to Loosen Chains” aims to raise awareness and money to help victims of oppression around the world. By DANI LINTHICUM Student Reporter
This week, students will walk around campus carrying fast food cups with the label: “Loose Change to Loosen Chains.” These students are involved with the campus chapter of International Justice Mission and are participating
in IJM Awareness Week by collecting money from their classmates and professors for the cause of justice. IJM is a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression. The campus chapter is designed to educate others about justice, pray on behalf of the victims and IJM staff and raise money for IJM to help rescue victims of oppression. “We are the modern-day See
IJM page 7
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Joey Halbert, senior political science major from Austin, talks to Derrick Wilson, sophomore political science major from Houston, about International Justice Mission on Tuesday at the group’s table in the Campus Center.
Scraping for service
By NATHAN STRAUS Student Reporter
The price of gasoline in Abilene is declining. Some gas stations in Abilene now sell gas for $1.97 per gallon, when just a few days ago, the price was more than $2. Clay Bush, manager of the Murphy USA near the Wal-mart Supercenter, said the price of the gas at gas stations depends on how much gas corporations are selling the gas. “We try to be the cheapest,” Bush said. The Web site www.texasgasprices.com, shows gas prices per gallon in Abilene going as low as $1.97. This is a welcome change from prices of more than $2.50. According to www.fueleconomy.gov, gas prices per gallon in Texas have almost reached last year’s. The price of gas today is also more than 40 cents cheaper than last month. The price of gasoline in Texas is lower than the national average, according to www.consumeraffairs.com. This is mainly because Texas has a greater supply of gasoline than other states. Conway Jordan, president of Red Star Fuels, said the current price of gasoline in Abilene can be attributed to several factors. “We are actually selling gas under cost right now in order to keep people from stealing our volume,” Jordan said. Jordan said stealing volume refers to other gas companies attracting customers. Selling gas under cost means Red Star Fuels is selling gas for less than it pays for it, resulting in a net loss in order to convince customers to use Red Star Fuels for gasoline needs. Jordan said another reason for the cheap gasoline is many refineries are now operational after being shut down after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “It’s a matter of supply and See
GAS page 7
Students sign petition for hunger n Honors students in social justice colloquium spread news about National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in Campus Center. By TAKISHA KNIGHT Page 2 Editor
Honor students said they hope to increase student awareness about poverty as they circulate a petition to combat hunger and homelessness this week. Since Sunday, the first day of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, a group of honor students have been promoting the cause through flyers, posters and video clips as part of a class assignment. Students can visit information booths about the issues in the Campus Center and sign a petition at the ticket windows. Dr. Jason Morris, director of McNair See
HUNGER page 7
University to plant trees soon n About 150 pecan trees have been ordered and will be planted across from the entrance of the university after the winter’s first hard freeze. By DANNY GAMBERO Student Reporter
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Debbie Ortiz, senior social work major from Mesquite, and Sybil Vess, sophomore psychology major from Mesquite, scrape loose paint off of a house on Grape Street before repainting the house Saturday. Students from ACU and Hardin-Simmons and McMurry universities worked together in service for this organized Intercollegiate Community Celebration. See page 7 for an article about the event.
The university will plant 90 pecan trees in December or January after the first hard freeze of the winter. The pecan orchards will be near the entrance of the university on Judge Ely Boulevard. The orchard will be on the west and east sides of the road. “When complete, the trees will be planted approximately 50 feet apart, Nevill irrigated, and grass will be planted in the remaining area,” Bob Nevill, director of Physical Resources said in an See
PECANS page 7
Jogging track construction begins n Bontke Brothers Construction estimates the track will be complete by late January, but wet weather and students writing in the concrete could delay the project. By TIFFANY TAYLOR Features Editor
The university’s new jogging track is about two months away from completion and will be two miles
long, six inches thick and nine feet wide. Bontke Brothers Construction company has laid about 285 feet of the jogging track along Campus Court and said construction will continue to travel more inward on the university campus. Although plans are for the project to be finished in mid to late January, Rick Bontke, project manager, said weath-
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
er and students could delay the process. Wet weather can delay construction, Bontke said, and below freezing temperature cracks cement, which contains water. However, the most frequent and severe delay thus far in the process has been students writing in the cement, Bontke said. “The men are really working hard, and it does get them
frustrated to have to go back and fix it,” Bontke said. “We know that some people don’t understand that what they’re doing is causing problems, but it is.” Figures drawn into the wet concrete have to be filled in with a thinner, sand mixture, Bontke said, and the filler mixture will not last as long. See
TRACK page 7
EMERALD McGowan/Staff Photographer
A Bontke Brothers Construction crew works on the framing to pour concrete for part of the jogging track around the university Thursday.
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