The Battalion: August 3, 2011

Page 1

news for you

thebattalion

texas Heat causes 12 deaths

● wednesday,

august 3, 2011

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media

DALLAS — A health official said 12 people in Dallas died from the heat this summer, already three more than last year’s total with the hottest month still ahead. Dallas County Health and Human Services spokeswoman Blanca Cantu said Tuesday that officials were encouraging residents to check on family members and neighbors. Temperatures are expected to reach record highs this week in several big Texas cities, including Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.

lowest gas price

$3.54 1900 Texas Avenue South and Holleman Drive www.texasgasprices.com

Shuttle pieces found HOUSTON — A NASA spokeswoman said a piece of the space shuttle Columbia has been found in a droughtstricken Texas lake. The shuttle broke apart and burned in February 2003, killing seven people and scattering shuttle pieces across East Texas. NASA spokeswoman Lisa Malone said Tuesday the spherical object, 40 inches in diameter, was a tank and part of the shuttle’s electrical power distribution system.

Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION

From patch to plate Farmer’s market provides students shopping alternative Fresh eats ◗ To find a local farmer’s market near you visit http://www. picktexas.com/ farm_market/ farmers_market2. htm

nation &world Oil prices drop NEW YORK — Oil settled below $94 per barrel Tuesday as investors continued to worry about weak consumer spending and sluggish economic growth. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery lost $1.10 to settle at $93.79 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, which is used to price many international oil varieties, fell 35 cents to settle at $116.46 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London. Crude has dropped for five straight trading days, losing almost $4 a barrel, as oil supplies grew in the U.S. and reports on manufacturing pointed to tepid growth in the U.S. and China. Associated Press

Pg. 1-8.3.11.indd 1

Connie Thompson The Battalion

C

ollege students are presented with many obstacles that they cannot change: a loud neighbor who throws parties late into the night, the professor who doesn’t cancel class even when he’s out of town and the level of difficultly on an exam. Students can change something for themselves that can positively or negatively affect their health and their wallets. Students can choose their food. Not just what they eat, but where they purchase their food. Claire Ogren, a junior agricultural economics major, said that she chooses to purchase her produce from the local farmer’s market because she prefers to eat locally-grown food for the nutritional benefits. “I like to shop at the farmer’s market because the produce is more fresh and nutritious because the time from farm to market is greatly reduced, so the nutrients aren’t as diminished,” Ogren said. “I also like knowing who is producing my food. Sometimes at the farmer’s market you can interact with the farmers and it’s neat to know your neighboring

farmers. I became friends with one of them, and he gives me my carrots.” Other students choose to shop at the farmer’s market because some items can’t be found in stores. Jordan Specht, a junior agricultural economics major said that he gets jalapeño relish from the farmer’s market because it’s not available in the grocery stores. Specht also said that he prefers to shop for local foods because he thinks the foods tastes better. He, like Ogren, tries to buy everything he can from the farmer’s market instead of the grocery store. “I prefer to get all of my fruit at the farmer’s market beSee Market on page 2

sports

Head Coach Sherman recieves $400,000 raise

Beard, Big 12 Athlete of the Year Adrian O’Hanlon III The Battalion Texas A&M senior Jessica Beard has rewritten the school’s record books in track and added the 2010-11 Big 12 Athlete of the Year title to her résumé when the conference office released their selections Friday. Beard was the first Aggie to earn Big 12 Athlete of the Year after an impressive senior campaign. Nominations are made by each Big 12 institution and selected each year based on individual performance on the field, the classroom and in the community. She swept the NCAA titles in the 400-meters and anchored A&M’s 4 x 400 relay teams that won both indoor and outdoor titles. This feat made Beard the third sprinter to win all four NCAA titles in a single season. “I’ve been fortunate in getting to know so many of the other athletes in the Big 12 and to hear that the conference chose me for this award it’s a great honor and humbling experience,” Beard said. “For this to be the

Adrian O’Hanlon III AGGIE ATHLETICS

Senior Jessica Beard with her four NCAA championship awards. first time a Texas A&M athlete has won this award, I feel very honored.” Beard bested a field of nominees for the award including Texas volleyball player Juliann Faucette, Oklahoma basketball player Danielle Robinson, Kansas sprinter Diamond Dixon and Baylor basketball superstar Brittney Griner. Beard’s performance in her senior season also earned her a spot as a finalist for the Bowerman award, awarded each season to track’s top performer. She said even against a starstudded field for both awards she was stunned by the nominations. “Everything has been a surprise for me with the honors I have been nominated for,” Beard said. “We are great athletes with a great program and now others are noticing and recognizing what we have achieved here.”

The Battalion The Texas A&M Board of Regents upped Head Coach Mike Sherman’s contract to $2.2 million a year and five years remaining. A&M originally signed Sherman to a seven-year deal worth $1.8 million a year. The raise came after Sherman led the Aggies to a 9-4 record and the Cotton Bowl last season, a resumé earning the Aggies a No. 12 preseason ranking by Sporting News. The new contract begins on Sept. 1 and includes a University option to extend the contract another two years through 2018. “Coach Sherman has done an outstanding job of directing our football program and is one of the top football coaches in the country,” A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne said. “Not only has our team improved on the field, but under Coach Sherman’s direction the overall football team has embraced the values and virtues of Texas A&M University.” Sherman has a 19-19 record after three seasons with the Aggies and has improved each season. A&M went 4-8 in Sherman’s first season, 6-7 in his second and 9-4 last year. The Aggies have 18 returning starters for the upcoming season and were picked to finish second in the Big 12’s preseason poll. The Aggies kick off 2011 on Sept. 4 with a renewed Southwest Conference rivalry against SMU at Kyle Field.

Sherman

Power play ◗Sherman now makes $2.2 million compared to Texas Head Coach Mack Brown’s $5.1 million per year.

See Beard on page 2

8/2/11 8:10 PM


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.