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THE DAILY TEXAN Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
FOUR GOOD MEN
The Daily Texan will only print on Mondays and Thursdays over the summer. We will resume a regular print schedule in the fall.
Texas has yet to choose official quarterback from its contenders
THURSDAY TNA Wrestling
The IMPACT Wrestling World Tour will be at the Austin Music Hall at 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Iron and Wine
The indie alternative band will perform at The Paramount Theatre at 7 p.m. The acoustic performance will support the Midwives Alliance of North America.
Carpenters union hires homeless to help protest UT contractor
SPORTS PAGE 7
>> Breaking news, blogs and more: dailytexanonline.com
WEEKEND
HECK NO
@thedailytexan
NEWS PAGE 5
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Organizations, cities prep for hurricane season Marine Science Institute plans for animal evacuation New state legislation limits liability when processing windstorm claims only one of those was for a manda“If the water floods by over By Victoria Pagan Daily Texan Staff
Researchers at the UT Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas are already preparing for hurricane season. Officials said scientists and animal rehabilitation experts are used to the impact hurricanes have on their work. Steve Lanoux, assistant director of operations at the institute, said the institute has shut down four times in the last 10 years although
tory evacuation during Hurricane Rita. He said every year he revises the institute’s evacuation plan to accommodate for changes at the institute and to the county’s evacuation plan. Lanoux said island residents can only leave the island by boarding the Texas Department of Transportation’s ferry or by using the Corpus Christi Causeway. He said this makes it a challenge to evacuate the island according to plan.
five feet, the highway is not usable and the ferry is not usable either because of the ramp angle,” Lanoux said. Lanoux said the shutdowns and evacuations of the institute interfere with instruction time and productivity. “The research staff has to put its research on hold,” Lanoux said. “We remove our seawater pumps
PREP continues on PAGE 2
By William James Gerlich Daily Texan Staff
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association is enacting a number of reforms this summer that officials say will protect homeowners by making the organization more efficient and financially stable. Last week Gov. Rick Perry signed House Bill 3, which allows the quasi-governmental agency to limit the amount of damages homeowners
‘I’VE GOT THE MOOSIC IN ME’
Katy Perry
Pop star Katy Perry, with special guest Robyn, will perform her California Dreams Tour at the Frank Erwin Center at 8 p.m.
The Brady Brunch
Third Base on Sixth Street is featuring a brunch buffet including Bottomless Mimosas and an all you can eat buffet for $20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ONLINE
In 1978 “National Lampoon’s Animal House” was released, resulting in a huge box office hit.
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Quote to note
“Everybody always says when you’ve got four [quarterbacks] you’ve got none, but I think if you’ve got four good ones, you’ve got four good ones.”
LIABILITY continues on PAGE 2
By Huma Munir Daily Texan Staff
SUNDAY
Today in history
can recover to a maximum of double the costs plus court fees and limit the number of lawsuits brought against the association, saving it court and lawyer fees. Rep. Jon Smithee, R-Amarillo, authored the initial bill and said it was an important piece of legislation to pass during the special session because of the approaching hurricane
UT students have potential to be affected by debt issue
SATURDAY
Press play on two videos straight from the multimedia room. Get to know Larry Flynt and his book ‘One Nation Under Sex,’ as well as laugh at the Hand Bomb, a new comedy improv group in Austin.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Ryan Edwards | Daily Texan Staff
Parker Burton watches as Regan and Loran Johnansen play xylophones inside the hollowed torso of a cow statue titled “I’ve Got the Moosic In Me” by artist Kati Alcantara, on Wendesday. In the early morning hours 49 of these statues hit the streets of Austin. While the greatest concentration is downtown, some cows can be found as far as 51st Street. These statues are just a few of the over 5,000 cows that have been displayed and sold as part of the CowParade exhibit.
The political stalemate in Congress over raising the debt ceiling while cutting back spending could directly affect students, said UT professors who have been following the impasse in recent weeks. The government could default on its debt if the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate do not reach an agreement to raise the debt ceiling by Aug. 2. If no agreement is reached, economists predict the government will not be able to pay its bills, interest rates may skyrocket and U.S. markets would take a plunge for the worse. Michael Brandl, a senior lecturer at the McCombs School of Business, said increased interest rates would directly impact students’ borrowing power. Students will have to pay higher interest rates for student loans or when buying a car, he said. When students graduate, he said, companies will be reluctant to hire
DEBT continues on PAGE 2
International Office moves to Rio Grande temporarily By Diego Cruz Daily Texan Staff
The International Office found a new home this summer after UT leased its old location to developers looking to erect a new apartment tower. The Board of Regents signed a 60-year ground lease with Education Realty Trust, who will develop, own and manage a multifamily apartment complex at 2400 Nueces Street, said campus director of real estate Amy Wanamaker. The International Office is temporarily located at 2222 Rio Grande Street above Red Mango but will be permanently housed at the new
complex upon completion. Wanamaker said UT is demolishing Wooldridge Hall, the former home of the office and groundleasing the location to the studenthousing developer after determining this was the most profitable use of the land asset. UT leased the location so the firm would develop the property and return profit at minimal risk to UT, she said. “They have 50 years of experience in higher education student housing development, and we thought they would be a good fit for the University,” Wanamaker said.
MOVE continues on PAGE 2
Andrew Edmonson | Daily Texan Staff
City manager Marc Ott and mayor Lee Leffingwell preside over a budget meeting at City Hall on Wednesday morning. The proposed budget will raise both property taxes and the price of utilities.
Proposed city budget raises utility rates Hikes come from combo of increases in electricity, water as well as some taxes By Liz Farmer Daily Texan Staff
— Mack Brown Texas football coach
Rebeca Rodriguez | Daily Texan Staff
SPORTS PAGE 7
A construction worker helps demolish the International Office building located on 24th and Nueces streets Wednesday afternoon.
The combined utility rate and property tax increase for “typical” Austin residents this year will be approximately $22 more per month, according to the proposed city budget.
The Austin City Council reviewed the proposed budget Wednesday for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Between this budget and the forecasted budget from April there is a $9.8 million budget gap. The projected $22 increase comes from the summation of increases in electric bills, water bills and property taxes. The major component of the projected monthly increase is based on a 12 percent increase for Austin Energy usage that City
Council has not yet voted on. Council member Kathie Tovo said there are some grim spots in the projected budget. “I think it’s difficult for the taxpayer to look at the increase for energy, but the alternative is to raise $27 million,” Tovo said. Mayor Lee Leffingwell said after this major change he expects the rate of Austin Energy fees to only increase by 2 percent annually.
BUDGET continues on PAGE 5