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OpiniOn page 4a — Daily Texan editorial board announces endorsements for municipal elections
The Daily Texan Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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Austin currently free of swine flu, official says By Avi Selk Daily Texan Staff Austin got a clean bill of health for swine flu Monday, but the extent of the disease elsewhere in Texas — and the world — remained as unclear as its origins. “The cause is for concern, not for panic,” said Mayor Will Wynn at a press conference with county health officials, who said there were still no known or suspected cases of the virus in Travis County. Since cases of the mysterious virus were first confirmed in the United States last week, anyone who has come to clinic or hospital with flulike symptoms has been tested for swine flu, said David Lurie, the director of the Austin/Travis County
Health and Human Services Department. He said most cases tested negative but that some were sent on to state or federal laboratories for more advanced testing. Lurie’s agency is working to stock up some small clinics that might not currently have enough testing supplies, he said. He did not know exactly how many people in the county had so far been tested but said they’d all been cleared of the virus. The number of confirmed U.S. cases rose to more than 40 on Monday, as the European Union advised its citizens to avoid nonessential travel to the United States and the World Health Organization warned that a global pandemic is more likely. The World Health Organization has
said it is too late to contain the outbreak — believed to have originated in Mexico — and that resources must be focused on mitigating the harm wherever people were infected. Two common forms of antiviral medication seem to be effective against the virus. Gov. Rick Perry requested an additional 850,000 courses of the medication from the federal government Sunday, which would more than double the size of the state’s stockpile. Over the weekend, officials closed 14 schools and two office buildings in a San Antonio-area school district, where all three of Texas’ confirmed cases of swine flu have been discovered.
Dr. Philip Huang, medical director for the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department, gives an update on the recent swine flu outbreak Monday afternoon at City Hall.
Mary Kang Daily Texan Staff
FLU continues on page 6A
Landmark remains firmly rooted
Jordan Smothermon | Daily Texan Staff
Historic Landmark Commissioners Joe Arriaga, Timothy Cuppett and Patti Hansen hear citizens’ arguments at a public hearing Monday night over the Travis House’s owners’ request to demolish the building.
Commission votes against the demolition of historical apartment house By Hudson Lockett Daily Texan Staff The Historic Landmark Commission voted unanimously Monday night to deny an application to demolish the Travis House, a 1945 apartment house located at the intersection of 18th and Guadalupe streets. Following a presentation by Susan Villarreal of the Historic Preservation office, the commission initiated a historic zoning case for the area, giving the preservation office three weeks
Gabriel Faust and David De Lara look at art pieces displayed at Spider House on Saturday. The art show and ice cream social were intended to bring young people together to learn about City Council candidate Chris Riley. Melissa Dominguez Daily Texan Staff
for additional research before the proposition makes its way to the City Council. The decision came after debate by citizens over the building’s architectural and historic value. The Travis House opened in 1945 as a 30-unit apartment building before it was converted into the Hotel Guadalupe in 1949, according to a history of the location compiled by the commission. In 1955 the YWCA bought the three-story brick building and used it as a wom-
“[Demolishing the Travis House] is a liability to the neighborhood it is in.” — Gary Hamilton, Juno Development’s senior vice president of design and construction en’s dormitory for more than 30 fenders under the Travis Counyears. ty Justice System, according to In the 1990s the YWCA moved the report. its headquarters out of TravGary Hamilton, senior vice is House, which served briefLANDMARK continues on page 2A ly as a halfway house for ex-of-
Title IX lawsuit key to creation of some teams for UT women Editor’s note: This is part two of a three-part series on Title IX and its effects on athletics at Texas. By Ben Freed Daily Texan Staff In 1992, Texas was at the top of women’s athletics. The department won 14 NCAA team titles and 39 individual championships in less than a decade and was the “gold standard” of a women’s athletics department, said women’s athletics director Chris Plonsky. There was, however, trouble in paradise. The UT women’s basketball team enjoyed an undefeated season and won the NCAA championship in 1986, but despite strong funding and successful athletes and teams, Texas was not in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX was established to ensure equal opportunity for women at federally funded schools. In 1979, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare developed a three-pronged test to determine whether schools were in compliance with Title IX. One of the prongs required athletic and other opportunities to be available in proportion to the number of enrolled students of each gender. Texas’ student body was 47 percent female at the time, so 47 percent of student athletes should also have been female. At the time, there were more than 300 male and fewer than 100 female student-athletes. Six female soccer players decided to take the University to court in an effort to create a varsity women’s soccer team. The women, who were members of Texas’ club team, used the first prong of the health department’s test as their main argument. Jody Conradt, who had just replaced Donna Lopiano as the women’s athletics director, was taken aback by the lawsuit. “It felt as if we were being picked precisely on because we had made a strong commitment to women’s athletics,” Conradt said. “Our program was a test case for cases across the country, because if Texas could be proved to be in non-compliance, then so could a lot of others.” The case came before Judge Sam Sparks, a former Texas swimmer and federal judge in the West Texas District Court. “I advised the parties, as I do in most cases, that the case is going to decide how conduct is going to be at the University for a period of years,” Sparks said. “And it’s always best for the parties
WOMEN continues on page 2A
Candidates appeal to youth with creative campaigns By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff Dozens of students went to Spider House Patio Bar and Cafe on Saturday expecting to hear live music. Many of them left with free vegan ice cream and blue and green Chris Riley campaign stickers. Riley, who is running for City Council Place 1, hosted the Triple Scoop event to engage people who do not normally vote in city elections. “That includes young voters,” Riley said. “It also includes people who, for one reason or another, never felt connected to their city government. Art-
ists, musicians, bicyclists, people who hang out at places like Spider House and other coffee houses.” The event featured music from local bands, ice cream and a small art show. Follow That Bird! was one of the eight bands that played on Saturday. Drummer Tiffanie Lanmon said the idea of combining music and art is a progressive way to attract young voters. “It’s at least getting people at least interested in what he’s saying,” Lanmon said. “And there’s free ice cream, alcohol and music — the three best things about Austin.” Riley is not the only candidate who
is trying to target young voters. Coming off of the success of Barack Obama‘s presidential campaign, other local candidates are trying new ways to draw first-time voters to the polls. Mayoral candidates Brewster McCracken and Lee Leffingwell participated in a “rhyme-off” at Mohawk on April 21 and answered questions submitted on Twitter and Facebook. Candidates have also participated as guest bartenders at Mohawk. These events attract not only young voters but also young people who are
CITY continues on page 2A