Longview News-Journal from Longview, Texas • Page 9

9A Dallas sports arena wins narrow victory in too close to call vote 33ALLAS (AP) Voters on SahirrW messages. On the ballot was a measure to provide $125 million in public financing for the $230 million arena. The money would come from a 5-percent tax increase on auto rentals and a 2-percent tax hike on hotel rooms. Ross Perot owner of the NBA Mavericks, and NHL Stars owner Tom Hicks would pay the remaining $105 million, plus $132 million in rent over 30 years. The arena would be located on the west end of downtown Dallas on a site now occupied by an aging, 50-acre TU Electric plant.

In a debate aired live Friday on KRLD-AM, Mavericks minority owner Frank Zac canelli said a new arena for the Mavericks and Stars is crucial to the city's financial future. The teams currently play in 18-year-old Reunion Arena, which the Yes! campaign says is obsolete because it lacks high-dollar skyboxes. The new arena would seat up to 21,000 people and feature about 100 luxury boxes. Backers of the arena argue it would spur hundreds of millions of dollars in downtown development and create thousands of jobs. "Downtown Dallas has the highest vacancy rate of any major city in this country still with their office space," Zac-canelli said.

"This is not a booming area." Laura Miller, a former Dallas Observer columnist who is now seeking a City Council seat, opposes the deal. She questioned Zaccanelh's claims that it would create an economic boom. "Give us something, tell us something that's going to be on that property besides parking lots, and I don't see it," Miller said Proponents fear the teams will pack up and move to the suburbs if they don't get a new arena. That would leave the nation's fourth- largest city with no teams in the four major Many critics had a hard time helping Perot and Hicks both multi-millionaires build a new arena for their teams, especially after Hicks bought the Texas Rang-, ers baseball team for $250 million earlier this month. WBAP-AM.

talk show host Mark Davis called the idea "welfare for the rich." "I want an arena in downtown' Dallas built with private money," Davis said. "That's why I think the appropriate vote a no vote." JnSrrowly approved a ballot measure rais- iijg taxes to pay for a $230 million downtown arena for Dallas' professional hockey and basketball teams. 'With 577 of 582 precincts counted. 1 6,723 voters, or 50.62 percent, were in favor ot the proposal and 61,185, or 49.38 percent, were against it. Both sides made their final pushes this week in radio and television debates.

Between yard signs, billboards and biijiper stickers, it's been impossible to get aiund Dallas without running into the Let's Build It" or "It's a Bad Deal!" Sunday, January 18, 1998, Longview News-Journal jds r2-J HM Af Research gains from A Very Special Thank You To The Following Friends For Their Generosity To Children In Need. tobacco Settlement pillions of dollars set for health centers Houston (ap Talk about ycjur unexpected windfalls. $100 million of the tobacco industry's $15.3 billion settlement wijh the state of Texas has been earmarked for one of the nation's premier cancer centers: Houston's itt). Anderson. The sum, which must be paid thfcyear, will be dedicated to cancel research and reimbursement of indigent health care costs, officials alsthe University of Texas M.D.

Kerns Bakery Eddie Axberg E. T. Aeromodelers Club Eddie Vernoidez Employees of Trinity Industries Ginger Keasler Sandy Brown Jan Humphrey Aldersdn Cancer Center say Same-sex custody case may be first DENTON (AP) A jury will soon decide on a custody battle between two women over a 5-year-old girl, and its verdict could set a Texas precedent. Sharon Baughman, 38, became pregnant with the child by artificial insemination. Her former lover, Sylvia Benavides, 37, took part in the conception.

The couple raised the girl for four years before separating in November 1996. Now, each woman claims rights to the girL Baughman is asking Judge. Phillip Vick to take visitation rights from Benavides, who is asking for full custody of the child. Lawyers are scheduled to present closing arguments in the case Tuesday, the Denton Record Chronicle reported in Saturday's edition. If the woman who loses the case appeals to a higher court which is likely the appellate decision will make Texas case law.

It would be the only case law in any state that addresses the issues of the lawsuit. Appellate courts in two other states have sent similar cases back to state judges who denied standing to bring a custody suit to the female partner of the birth mother. Last week, attorneys brought several witnesses who described the women's lifestyles and the kind of care each gave the child. Friends testified that Benavides was a good parent and the child called her "Mom." Ellen Pesserillo, Baughman's attorney, brought witnesses who told of Benavides' hostility to outsiders and violence. This is certainly a surprise to Longview Kiawanis Club Richard Hill John Martin LeeBoothe Roger Sage Rodney Stanford KFXKFOX51 Cable Time Longview News-Journal Eastman Chemical Co.

Target Stores of Longview Nora Gene Eubanks Pepsi-Cola of East Texas Clyde Watts Carl Newman Wanda Schwenke Mr. MattButrum Cindy Gaspard Amedisys Home Health Ramond F. Claud Prime Time Truckers Mr. Mrs. jimmy Brooke Ambassadors 6th Diagnostic Clinic of Longview KI.TV KKTK KFRO KEES KYKX Sassy Rags Cherokee Water Co.

STOCO Eddie Towles Bcdric Robertson Terry Quita Russell Mr. Mrs. William Magnunson Mr. Mrs. Michael Johnson Coghlan, Crowson, Fitzpatrid ViestbrookLLP Leone Brown Brookshires -Judson Rd.

Mining Companv Mr. Mrs. Bill Dennis Nancy Mackey Custom Auto Sales Tri-Star Testing Rhonda McBurney Texas Die-Casting Forest Park 7th 8th Grade PALS Alice Henson Stacy Shuler Med-Shop Home Health Ivy League Garden Club Longv iew Executive Club Elmira Chapel Helen Smith Central Southwest Services me a very pleasant one, obviously," said Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach. executive vice nresi- Linda Reaves LH5 Anchor Club Employees of Lively deht and chief academic officer for tHfe cancer center.

IfOne of the issues is that pne- Because of Your Support 1500 "Less Fortunate" Children Had A New Toy On Christmas Morning! thffd of all cancers, directly OFindi-retly, can be attributed to the irfibact of tobacco products," he sal. Regardless of the settlement, "tye problem has not gone away," 1 nfadded, jtlie $100 million is part of the TARGET WW CADILLAC GMC $K2 billion that- seven tobacco npanies must give to the state in OLDS 400 Spur 63 Longview 168, as the industry begins paying the $15.3 billion settlement over a 2ryear period, Texas Attorney General Dan Morales said. CThe money for M.D. Anderson nijght help solve mysteries surrounding smoking-related genetic chjanges that lead to cancer, the hfcpital says. dancers affecting the mouth and bidder are among those demand- inft broader inquiry.

But a review variety of research proposals be done before committing the A CONTINUING PERIODIC SERIES OF EAST-T-PLEX LIVING LEGENDS. SPONSORED BY COMBINED UNDERWRITERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. money to particular projects. ability to direct this money to make rapid progress in our umerstanding of these diseases is going to benefit von Eschenbach said. "There clearly are a number of very significant By Bill Ellis needs that have been present within the institution, a variety of research opportunities that need to be'pursued." The world-renowned Houston cancer center is one of four state-supported medical centers to bene- ationally known and respected as the Texas State Treasurer who ran for office promising to eliminate the treasury as a state agency and do away with her own tiurom the pact.

Another $200 million will go to job, Martha Whitehead is recognized as the University of Texas Health Sci Making History Living Legends We're offering our East-T-PIex Living Legend series to parents and grandparents. Each person in our Living Legend series is a part of East Texas history. Each is still making history in their own lifetime. Share the dynamic, productive lives of these Living Legends with your children and your grandchildren. Write today.

We'll send you our FREE booklet East-T-PIex Living Legends. There's more living his tory to come. Combined Underwriters Life Insurance Company P.O. Box 2503 Tyler, TX 75710 1-800-USA-MEDX nationwide, toll tree ence Center at San Antonio for the exclusive purpose of establishing the Texas Children's Cancer Institute. Tobacco companies also agreed to give $50 million to Texas Tech Health Sciences Center for border health initiatives, including the creation of the Institute for Border Health.

'4 The same amount was commit job, she was removing a stepping stone for other ambitious office seekers, especially women. "But, the people want us to do the right thing," she decided. She won the election, but worked to close down the office. Her decision saved the taxpayers of Texas $16 million every two years. "I had a choice, either continue in office doing very little, or return to East Texas, my home in Longview and my husband.

Frankly, it was not a difficult choice." Martha Whitehead credits her husband for helping her to achieve her goals with his unfailing support "Laughton Whitehead," she says proudly, "is one of the major reasons I wanted to come home." Returning to East Texas, Martha Whitehead resumed a career of service which began years before. As early as 1982, she served as vice president and director for development of Good Shepherd Medical Center, and later as executive director of the Good Shepherd Foundation. An experienced health care administrator, Martha Whitehead serves today as director of major gifts development for the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. Her efforts are securing gifts and grants to assure the continued growth of the institution. She is happy to be home and doesn't plan to leave.

It is said that to whom much is given, much is required. Martha Whitehead's energy and dedication continue to find outlets of service to give of herself to her neighbors in the East-T-Plex she has helped build. A past president of the Junior League of Longview and a Ruling Elder of St Andrew Presbyterian Church, Martha Whitehead was also appointed to -the Governor's Commission for Women, and is an alumni of Leadership Texas. In fact, the list of honors she has received in serving others is much too lengthy for this short review. In 1986, Martha Whitehead earned a master's degree in business from East Texas Slate University, where she later became a member of its Board of Trustees.

In 1993, Governor Ann Richards appointed Martha Whitehead to serve out the term of state treasurer unfinished when Kaye Bailey Hutchison left to become a U.S. Senator. "The office of state treasurer," Mrs. Whitehead saw, "was a stepping stone to higher office. Governor Richards had also been Texas treasurer.

But as treasurer," this active woman admits, "I was bored to death. The job had outlived its usefulness." Modern banking procedures, including wire" transfer of funds and the selection of banking institutions, were now well handled by experienced civil servants. "That left me with nothing to do but prepare to run for re-election," she said. And clearly that wasn't what she wanted. After hearing a talk by David Osborne, the author of Reinventing Government, given at the Texas Municipal League, "I couldn't sleep that night." She concluded that as the incumbent treasurer she could be most effective by doing away with the office and her job.

Prepared for opposition, she was surprised by the extent to which politicians are expected to run for office. By doing away with the treasurer's ted to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas for research, endowments and public health programs. an unconventional politician who kept her promise. First impressions may be misleading. But not in Martha Whitehead's case.

Calm, controlled, capable, Martha Whitehead is courteous and poised. Casually dressed, she's not a woman to be taken casually. In speaking forums around her native East Texas, Martha Whitehead is an outspoken advocate of making government more efficient and more responsive to those it serves. A tireless community activist to promote women's issues, her career is a chronicle of challenges accepted, changes made and commitments to serve others fulfilled. A former public school teacher in Longview and Dallas, Mrs.

Whitehead earned an English degree and teaching certificate from Southern Methodist University, where she graduated cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In Longview she became executive director of the Volunteer Center, where she learned valuable lessons she passes on to pthers. She served two terms on the Longview City Council, once as Mayor Pro Tern, until she became the first woman elected Mayor of Longview in 1991. Martha Whitehead warns against the "superwoman fallacy" so often associated with her dynamic career. Although she admits to being an overachiever, she reminds women, "seek self fulfillment, have courage to follow your dream.

Women today simply don't have time to do everything," she observes, "women need to be selective, they must be' focused." She speaks from experience, In volunteer work she gained valuable management skills. "As treasurer of a volunteer organization, I learned how to handle finances dedicated to the service of she noted. "Each new responsibility brought with it opportunities to grow with the job and work effectively with others to get things done," Mrs. Whitehead said. "By volunteering to help just one organization," she advises, "a woman can grow, learn new skills and build her self-esteem while helping others." City of Longview MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY Trash Collection Schedule During the Week of Jan 19th.

Longview citizens will have trash pick up as follows: MondayThursday pick up will 1 4 have TuesdayThursday Recyclables will be picked up on Thursday the 22nd. TuesdayFriday pickup will WednesdayFriday. Any non-perishables may be held for next scheduled pick up, such as leaves, yard trimmings, etc. IT'S IN THE BAG Combined Underwriters Life Insurance Company P.O. Box 2503 Tyler, Texas 75710 1-800-USA-MEDX.