Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 9

1 Austin Amorlcon-talosinQn citystate August 28, 1979 B1 Prisons overflow Photo evidence introduced The head of Texas prisons says that overcrowding is a real problem but that there is no systematic denial of prisoner rights. Page B3. A photograph of a rendezvous between an FBI informant and Cullen Davis is introduced in the trial of Davis on murder-conspiracy charges. Page B4. tjohn kelso Protection plan urged along creek By BILL COLLIER American Statesman Staff Declaring Barton Creek the "most unique urban resource in the state," a city staff report urges the City Council to step up greenbelt acquisition along the creek and begin better planning and strong development controls to protect the' creek from the pollution of urban growth.

The report, to be presented formally to the council Thursday, hints ominously that the silting of Barton Springs this year may be due to the wholesale clearing and excavation taking place for the MoPac extension and Barton Creek Square shopping center on Loop 360. While the recommended program set out in the report undoubtedly would help protect the creek and springs and provide Austinites with beautiful new recreational areas, it will also stir controversy for two reasons: The city staff routinely assumes completion of creek cross- ings by both MoPac and Barton Skyway, while both bridges have remained only proposed projects and have generated strong citizen opposition. The report fails to deal with the single most important issue to creek protection, which is what type and what scale of sewer service will be provided in the Barton Creek watershed. The report sets no overall price tag or specific timetable for action. The city already owns parkland and greenbelt (narrow strips of parkland on either side of the creek) along Barton Creek from Zilker Park southwest to Loop 360.

On Dec. 6, 1975, voters approved $1.6 million in bond funds to buy an additional 300 acres of greenbelt along the creek from Loop 360 upstream to the Lost Creek subdivision. However, to date the city has bought less than nine acres of that total, while the buying power of the $1.6 million shrinks daily because of inflation. The report suggests stretching available funds by acquiring, in some cases, "public access" and conservation easements rather than outright city ownership of the property. The study also recommends the city apply for federal matching funds available to help purchase and protect the "Cox ranch" archaeological site upstream from Loop 360.

The American-Statesman in June reported on this site and the availability of federal funds to protect it. The acquisitions recommended include: "Trailhead" tracts just west of Loop 360 and just down- See Barton, B5 rZT Stan Photo by Kit Brooking Group spokesman Jay Youngdahl stands by a car smashed in Sunday's relee. Assaulted lawyers' group says cops abetted attack Unknown candidates have trouble getting good press coverage Every so often I think it would be fair and proper for me to review some of the other presidential candidates. I'm not talking about the Connallys, the Reagans, the Browns or the Kennedys. No Sirree Bob.

I am speaking about the candidates you never hear about. You see, the problem is that, as of mid-July, there were 64 presidential candidates registered with the Federal Election Commission, and if I don't write about them, nobody else will for reasons that will become obvious as you read on. Come to think of it, nobody else will write about them whether I mention them or not. In any case, today let us discuss the Prophet Eli-Jah of New York City and Nell Fiola of Burnsville, Minn. Honest to Pete.

They are both running for president. I WILL HAVE TO ADMIT I had no idea the Prophet Eli-Jah had tossed his hat into the ring, until I received a letter from him the other day. And it said: "Dear Candidate, "I urge you to withdraw as a candidate for president of the United States and to support my candidacy as soon as possible; for the spirit of the Lord is upon me and he has anointed me for this candidacy and therefore you cannot win, but only bring judgment upon yourself by not heeding this advice. "Yours truly, "Prophet Eli-Jah, "1980 Presidential Candidate" Curious about this, I phoned (collect) the Prophet Elijah and quizzed him about his run for the Oval Office. "God is so ordering events," he said, "that no one will be able to prevent it from happening." THE PROPHET ELI-JAH DID ADMIT, however, that he is having some trouble getting the proper press coverage.

"I'm having a problem with the national news media," he allowed, "like NBC, CBS and ABC. I've been given some of the silent treatment." "No kidding?" I asked. The Prophet Eli-Jah explained one could tell his time had come because of unusual "atmospheric happenings of late." "Like what?" I asked. "Like the storm that hit President Carter's riverboat last week," the Prophet Eli-Jah said. "Hum," I told the Prophet Eli-Jah, "do you suppose it was unusual atmospheric happenings that made the president put on that Groucho Marx mask?" The Prophet Eli-Jah said he didn't know about that.

Nell Fiola is another story. Fiola, 60, says she would make a pretty good president because of the way she sees things. Lots and lots of things. "I CAN TRAVEL INTO SPACE and time spiritually and mentally," she told me over the phone, "and I can see everything that goes on. Have you ever been to a circus?" "Yes," I said, "I have been to a circus." "Well," Nell Fiola went on, "it is sort of like going to a circus.

It's like you are viewing all three rings at once and can see what is going on in all three of them. I can do that. It is as if I am on another planet and can see what's happening all around the planet. And not only this planet, the whole universe." People who say they didn't vote last time because the candidates didn't give them much of an alternative won't have that excuse this time around. But they'll probably be able to think of another excuse if they try real hard.

Youngdahl saidhe National Lawyers Guild is a nationwide group attorneys and law students, 40 of them in Austinwhich specializes in defending people in politic; trials and monitoring protest demonstrations. Police Chief Pank Dyson said officers had planned in advane of the rally "to maintain a low profile." Dyson said noixtra officers were assigned to the rally and tbse who were assigned to the neighborhood wre under orders not to get involved "premati'ely." Spokesmen forhe Brown Berets and Black Citizens Task Forcelenied taking part in the attacks. Keg sales imited New law ushered in with free beer By LARRY BeSAW American Statesman Staff Police merely watched and offered no help as observers from a lawyers' group were assaulted with baseball bats during a rally Sunday afternoon protesting the death of Gril Couch, a spokesman for the group charged Monday. Jay Youngdahl, a second-year law student at the University of Texas and spokesman for the National Lawyers Guild, said police officers at the Rosewood Park rally "stood by and watched while people were beaten and shot at and cars trashed." The rally, called by members of the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, Was disrupted by a group of East Austin activists, some armed with baseball bats. Brigade members called the rally to protest the death of Couch, a black man who died outside an East Austin restaurant while he struggled with two police officers who were not wearing uniforms.

Police arrested three men near the scene of the rally on suspicion of illegally possessing a gun, but they were released and no charges were filed. Youngdahl, who said four stitches were required to close a wound in his head, declared that by failing to intervene in the melee, police "aided and abetted in the assault and in fact are the ones who are guilty of the assaults." Eight observers from the guild, each wearing signs reading "LEGAL" on their backs, were attacked with bats "by known Brown Berets" just prior to the start of the rally, Youngdahl said. The observers arrived at the park shortly before 3 p.m., he said, but were confronted by the Brown Berets and ordered to leave. As they walked back to their cars, "men with bats started kicking at us from behind." One of the men pulled a gun and fired a shot over their heads, he added. Youngdahl said he was struck on the head and on one elbow and required treatment at the UT health center.

Officials at the center confirmed he had been treated. "All this occurred with numerous police officers within sight of the attack," Youngdahl said. "The only conclusion we can draw from these facts is the Brown Berets have been used by the Austin Police Department to do their dirty work for them. This is police brutality disguised in another form, but it is just as deadly." The two warehouse owners had planned to give away six kegs of the brew during their "tongue-in-cheek type celebration" of the law iting sales directly to the public. Obviously enjoying the celebration more than his partner, McHone said the party would continue "until it (the beer) gives out." Starting Monday, the law says, all beer must be sold by distributors to retailers before consumers can buy it.

At the warehouse, Shiner has averaged about $3 less per keg than other domestic beer, Leggett said. Shiner is brewed by Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner (pop. about 80 miles southeast of Austin. The beer company boasts of its status of being By JOHN C.1ENRY American-Stateman Staff It was fre beer for Austin's Shiner fans lte Monday, the first day Texas sds distributors were prohibited fnm selling their brew directly to conumers. More than 250 Austinites soaked up eight keg: in four hours at the Shiner beer varehouse on Fourth Street, and dstributors Bob Leggett and Marshal McHone were beginning to wondar when they could shut off the tap.

"We've gc a lot of people still here," Legptt said at 9:20 p.m. "And we dai't want to make too many peopl mad when we cut it off." the last locally owned and distributed brew in the state. Leggett and McHone tried to use that as leverage to get Shiner exempted from the new law, but "we fell 11 votes short" in the state House of Representatives, McHone muttered into a plastic cup of the foamy liquid. Also in that bill was approval for beer to be packaged in odd-sized containers, which Leggett said may prove fatal to Shiner. The more containers, the more shelf-space it requires, he said.

"And when the shelves get too crowded, somebody's got to go, and I'm afraid it may be us." Trustee says review time inadequate Austin school board passes budget Panel to consider park liquor ban By LE KELLY Amercan Statesman Staff Muse blares from their tape decks as the young rowdies pop ber can tops, utter obscenities and occasionally scuffle amon themselves. As nany as 50 gather in the parking lot of the Dottie Jordai Recreation Center in Northeast Austin from early eveniig on. They're creating a general nuisance that has brouit police to the area on several occasions, and has aroussd the fury of local home owners, says the center's supervisor, Linda Tyler. Before a serious incident occurs, Tyler, members of the center's advisory board and some University Hills neighbors Jvant to break up the daily gatherings. That can be accomplished, Tyler says, if liquor is banned frorr the premises.

Tbe group has organized support for the passage of an ordinance that would outlaw alcoholic beverages at recrea-tionil centers and in some areas of city parks. It will be reviewed tonight during a 7:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation Department board meeting before being sent to the City Council. If the council passes the ordinance, violators will be subject to a $100 to $200 fine and a possible jail sentence. The ordinance would make it unlawful for any person to I See Liquor, BS "Certainly a large bank or a business takes a closer look at its costs," Hage said.

The 1979-80 budget adopted Monday dried up all of a 10-cent tax reduction proposed by school administrators, but it will supply some special programs not originally included in the budget. Some of those proposals include two-way radios in elementary school buses, full-day kindergarten and an additional $5,000 tax exemption for senior citizens. That brings the total annual tax exemption for AISD citizens aged 65-years-and-older to $20 000. Earsell Duke, representing several senior citizens organizations, asked the board to add another one cent to the tax rate to give the elderly an additional $5,000 in tax exemptions. No action was taken on By TRACY CORTESE American-Statesman Staff The Austin school board Monday night approved a $110 million budget for the coming school year and 1 maintained the school district's $1.50 tax rate, but not without "some reservation," according to one trustee.

"I'm not going to vote against the budget, but if I could vote against this budget it would be a vote against the budget process," said Trustee M.K.Hage. He bemoaned the short time the board and the public have to study the budget and requested administrators to begin next year's budget process in April instead of July. i Hage said that in two months the board can merely accept Austin Independent School District officials cost estimates. Duke's request. The budget will also give teachers and administrators an 8 percent plus step salary increase and a 9 percent plus step pay hike to classified personnel (all AISD non-teacher, non-administrator employees).

Telling trustees it is "more blessed to give than receive," Austin Classifie4 Personnel Association President Bob Lawson presented each board member with a yellow and blue T-shirt adorned with the ACPA insignia. The board also passed a resolution to extend condolences to the family and parishioners of the late Father Joe Znotas, a former pastor of Santa Julia Catholic Church who died last week. Trustee Will Davis said that many times "Father Joe came over here and served to straighten our minds out." 4 SUA Photo by Kit Brooking Tyler throws away bottles from parking lot. Hlt.l -i r- -i.