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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 17 March 2022
9 dead in Texas crash involving U. of Southwest golf teams

By JILL BLEED and ANITA The National Transporta-
SNOW tion Safety Board will send
Associated Press a 12-member "go team"
Nine people died in a fiery, to the crash site, including
head-on collision in West experts in human perfor-
Texas, including six students mance, vehicle and motor
and a coach from a New carrier factors and acci-
Mexico university who were dent reconstruction, agen-
returning home from a golf cy spokesman Eric Weiss
tournament, authorities said. The team is expected
said. to arrive later Wednesday,
A pickup truck crossed the he said.
center line of a two-lane "We'll try to find out not only
road in Andrews County, what happened, but why it
about 30 miles (50 kilome- happened, so we can pos-
ters) east of the New Mex- sibly prevent things like this
ico state line on Tuesday from happening in the fu-
evening and crashed into ture," he said.
a van carrying members of The golf team was travel-
the University of the South- ing in a 2017 Ford Tran-
west men's and women's sit van that was towing a
golf teams, said Sgt. Steven Emergency responders work the scene of a fatal crash late Tuesday, March 15, 2022 in Andrews box trailer when it collided
Blanco of the Texas Depart- County, Texas. with a 2007 Dodge pickup
ment of Public Safety. Associated Press truck, Weiss said. Both ve-
Six students and a faculty hicles caught fire after the
member were killed in the in Texas in 2021, where she ment, according to her bi- view. "This is kind of a shock." collision, he said, calling it a
crash along with the driv- played golf, volleyball and ography on the golf team's Team member Jasmin Col- "high-energy event."
er and a passenger in the softball. website. lum had been scheduled The crash happened on a
pickup truck, Blanco said. "She has been an absolute Golf coach Tyler James to play but at the last min- two-lane asphalt highway
Two students were taken ray of sunshine during this also died, according to ute decided instead to visit where the speed limit is 75
in critical condition by heli- short time on earth," her his mother, June James, her parents in Houston, her mph (120 kph), though in-
copter to a hospital in Lub- mother, Chelsi Stone, said adding that she knew little mother said. vestigators have not yet
bock, about 110 miles (180 on Facebook. "… We will about the circumstances. "Otherwise, who knows?" determined how fast either
kilometers) to the north- never be the same after He coached the men and Tonya Collum said. "I told vehicle was traveling, Weiss
east. this and we just don't under- the women. her God has a plan for her said.
Family members confirmed stand how this happened "We don't know what hap- and that's why she's OK. We The University of the South-
freshman Laci Stone was to our amazing, beautiful, pened. It's a huge investi- knew all those people on west is a private, Christian
among those who died in smart, joyful girl." gation. We don't have any board. Basically the whole college located in Hobbs,
the crash. Stone graduated Laci Stone was majoring in idea as of yet," James said team is gone or in the hos- New Mexico, near the
from Nocona High School global business manage- during a brief phone inter- pital." state's border with Texas.q

Disney workers plan walkout to protest 'Don't Say Gay' bill

California, Florida and else- der issues during their early firming the company's sup-
where, the group of Disney formative years. The legisla- port for LGBTQ rights but
employees said this week tion has attracted scrutiny also saying that corporate
on their website. from President Joe Biden, statements often don't do
Organizers asked Disney who called it "hateful," as much to change minds
workers to check in online well as other Democrats and can be "weaponized"
with their plans to partici- who argue it demonizes by either side.
pate in the full-scale walk- LGBTQ people. Rather than make an early
out for next week. "We must The legislation has been public statement against
make sure we have large sent to Republican Florida the legislation, company
enough numbers to be suc- Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is officials had been working
cessful," they said. expected to sign it. behind the scenes with Flor-
Statements by Disney lead- As the state's largest pri- ida lawmakers "to achieve
ership over the Florida leg- vate-sector employer — a better outcome," but
islation "have utterly failed Walt Disney World outside they hadn't been success-
Marchers wave flags as they walk at the St. Pete Pier during a to match the magnitude Orlando had more than ful, despite "our longstand-
rally and march to protest against a bill dubbed by opponents
as the "Don't Say Gay" bill Saturday, March 12, 2022, in St. Pe- of the threat to LGBTQIA+ 75,000 workers before the ing relationships with those
tersburg, Fla. safety represented by this coronavirus pandemic — lawmakers," Chapek told
Associated Press legislation," the group said. Disney has contributed Disney shareholders a few
The bill bars instruction on huge amounts of money days later.
By MIKE SCHNEIDER criticizing Florida legislation "sexual orientation or gen- to Florida's political parties With his public responses
Associated Press that critics have dubbed der identity" in kindergarten and politicians and has being panned by some
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Dis- the "Don't Say Gay" bill. through grade 3. Repub- wielded incredible influ- Disney workers and sup-
ney workers are planning The act of protest will cul- lican lawmakers pushing ence on the state's govern- porters, Chapek last Friday
walkouts during their breaks minate next Tuesday with a the legislation had argued ment. apologized and said the
every day this week to pro- general walkout by LGBTQ that parents, not teachers, At the beginning of last company was pausing
test CEO Bob Chapek's workers and their support- should be the ones talking week, Chapek sent a mes- all political donations in
slow response in publicly ers at Disney worksites in to their children about gen- sage to Disney workers af- Florida.q