|
April 8, 2003 Around the NationApril 8, 2003 • Combined dispatches and staff reports 
CALIFORNIA Judge praises Ryder for community service BEVERLY HILLS — A judge commended Winona Ryder yesterday for completing 480 hours of community service at a hospital as part of her sentence on a shoplifting conviction. Superior Court Judge Elden Fox told the 31-year-old actress during a brief court appearance that she can return to her career and that he wouldn't object to her filming outside California, or even outside the United States. "I want you to continue what you have been doing," said Judge Fox, noting that he had received positive reports on her progress. He also told her to continue therapy and to return to court Oct. 10 for another progress report. Miss Ryder didn't speak during the hearing other than to acknowledge the date of her return to court. The actress, who was arrested Dec. 12, 2001, during a shopping trip to a Beverly Hills store, is on three years' probation for felony grand theft and vandalism. UTAH Avalanche dogs play, train in the snow ALTA — As the helicopter landed, the dogs stared intently at the craft while blinking back the bits of snow propelled through the air. The pack, mostly Labrador retrievers and German shepherds, waited with their handlers for their turn to hop in for a ride to a staged avalanche slide. Once there, the dogs searched for and dug out volunteers buried in the snow. "It's kind of a boot camp for dogs. They're out here for four days from 10 a.m. to 4 in the afternoon. They get to do three or four search problems per day," said Ben Meyerson, a 15-year veteran of the Alta ski resort patrol. More than 20 teams of highly trained avalanche rescue dogs and their handlers from throughout the West gathered in Little Cottonwood Canyon for four days of training and mock rescue scenarios. COLORADO Nuns found guilty of missile break-in DENVER — Three Catholic nuns were found guilty yesterday of sabotage and malicious destruction of property for breaking into a U.S. missile silo last year in a peace protest. One of the sisters, Carolyn Gilbert, turned to the jury as the guilty verdict was read and said: "We are not guilty under God's law and international law." Another sister, Ardeth Platte, remained silent but made the sign of the cross as she looked at the jury of six men and six women. The three peace activists have said they cut cables and made the sign of the cross on the lid of the silo with their blood before they were arrested. FLORIDA Terrorist suspect gets new lawyers TAMPA — A former Palestinian professor accused of leading a terrorist organization's U.S. operations refused to enter a plea yesterday after a federal magistrate would not give him extra time to raise money for a private lawyer and assigned him two court-appointed attorneys instead. Sami Al-Arian then had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf by U.S. Magistrate Thomas B. McCoun III. Mr. Al-Arian, a former University of South Florida computer engineering professor, is accused of heading the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's U.S. operations. GEORGIA Pair weds on bridge groom helped build BRUNSWICK — It was a wedding with few frills — no flowers, no bridesmaids — just Georgia's largest bridge beneath the bride's and groom's feet and a construction crane idling nearby. Engineer David Bigelow and his bride, Janna Jo Stone, exchanged vows at sunrise yesterday while standing on a structure that Mr. Bigelow spent seven years helping build. The only onlookers were a few friends and family members. Later yesterday morning, two years and three months late, the Sidney Lanier bridge opened to the public. Mr. Bigelow, who works for the state Department of Transportation, was the project's assistant site engineer. The new 1.5-mile bridge arcs 180 feet above the Brunswick River so ships can pass underneath. ILLINOIS Early potty training bad idea, study says CHICAGO — Parents eager to see their toddlers out of diapers will find that early toilet training often does not lead to early success and may delay acceptance of the "potty," researchers said yesterday. Asking children younger than 27 months to use the toilet can make the training last two to three times longer, a study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found. "Earlier training is likely to take longer, which can be frustrating for both parent and child," wrote pediatrician Nathan Blum, co-author of the study published in this month's issue of the journal Pediatrics. Toilet training for toddlers younger than 27 months required between 10 months and 14.5 months to take hold, while children 27 months or older took between five months and 9.5 months to heed the message, the report said. IOWA State rehires inspectors to handle complaints DES MOINES — The state rehired four retired inspectors to help ease the load caused by an increased complaints about nursing homes. LOUISIANA Classroom gunman kills one student NATCHITOCHES — A gunman opened fire in a classroom at Louisiana Technical College yesterday, killing one student and wounding another, police said. A 22-year-old man, who had registered at the school but had not attended classes for several weeks, was arrested about an hour later near his residence in the Natchitoches area community of Clarence, police said. Police said Calvin Joseph Coleman would be charged with homicide. The shootings occurred about 11:30 a.m. in an electronics class at the school's Natchitoches campus, said Assistant Police Chief Chris Stanfield. The dead man was identified as Terome Silvie, 32. Investigators believe he was the intended target. The wounded man was identified as John Richardson. MASSACHUSETTS Plane crash survivor released from hospital WORCESTER — A 13-year-old girl who survived a plane crash last week that killed her parents and four others has been released from a hospital. Tora Fisher was released Sunday afternoon, said a hospital spokeswoman who declined to be identified. The plane crashed into a sheet metal shop Friday, killing New York real estate developer Anthony Fisher and his wife, Anne. Also killed were pilot Robert Monaco, co-pilot Eric Jacobson, Michael Campanelli and Thomas Fox. MICHIGAN Attorney's collapse delays murder trial DETROIT — The trial of two men accused of killing five members of a family was delayed yesterday after a defense attorney collapsed in court just before testimony was to resume. Richard Cunningham told Judge Daniel Ryan he was feeling ill and fell onto the prosecutor's table as the judge was telling him he could be excused. Mr. Cunningham, who was momentarily unconscious, was later taken to a hospital. The attorney represents John Wolfenbarger, 31, and Dennis Lincoln, 27. Both are charged with first-degree murder in the December deaths of 38-year-old jeweler Marco Pesce and four members of his family. MISSISSIPPI Flooding rain, hail pound state BROOKHAVEN — Gov. Ronnie Musgrove declared a state of emergency yesterday after weekend storms left six persons injured and a trail of wind and water damage across central and southern Mississippi. "We are working to fully assess the damage right now, so the rebuilding process can begin as soon as possible," Mr. Musgrove said. "Our prayers also go out to those affected by the storms." Initial reports from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency show 11 homes and 17 mobile homes destroyed by flooding rains, large hail and damaging winds. Two businesses were destroyed and 14 others were damaged. Most of the damage was in six southern and central Mississippi counties. NEVADA Teachers rally for education funds RENO — About 400 teachers from across Nevada rallied during the weekend for a broader tax base to boost education funding. The teachers waved placards and chanted "save our schools" at the annual meeting of the 22,000-member Nevada State Education Association. NEW JERSEY 30 held for violation of Megan's Law HACKENSACK — Bergen County authorities have arrested 30 Megan's Law registrants for violations, including failure to re-register and to notify authorities about changes of address. The law requires released sex offenders to register with police when they move into a community. NEW YORK Gigante ends ruse, pleads guilty NEW YORK — Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, the powerful Mafia boss who authorities said feigned insanity for decades to avoid prosecution, ended the ruse yesterday by admitting that he misled doctors evaluating him. Gigante, 75, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. Between May 1990 and December 1997, Gigante, former boss of New York's Genovese crime family, "knowingly, intentionally misled doctors" evaluating his mental competency to face trial, Judge I. Leo Glasser said before asking Gigante whether it was true. "Yes, your honor," he replied. Under the plea bargain, he received three years in jail and three years of supervised probation. Gigant is serving a 12-year stretch for his 1997 conviction on racketeering and murder conspiracy. NORTH CAROLINA Escaped wallaby is returned home RALEIGH — Quigley the wallaby is back home. The 3-foot marsupial, a smaller version of a kangaroo, escaped from his enclosed yard at Faith Stephens' house on Thursday when a contractor installing an air conditioner left his gate open. Miss Stephens, who runs an exotic-pet business, had posted a dozen fliers, contacted animal control and went door-to-door in the neighborhood. Just before church on Sunday, she received a call from the Johnston County Sheriff's Office that the wallaby had been spotted less than a mile from home. With the help of four relatives, six neighbors and three men from Affordable Heating, Miss Stephens cornered Quigley in a brier patch next to a goat pen. Miss Stephens used a paintball gun to fire a dart. She missed twice, but the third dart grazed the wallaby, slowing him down enough to be caught. OREGON $6 million tax bill a mistake, IRS says SALEM — A homeless man billed for $6 million in taxes by the Internal Revenue Service has been notified it was a mistake. John Ramer, known as the "6 million dollar man" by his buddies at the Union Gospel Mission in Salem, was told Friday that his $5,981,104.02 tax bill was an error and he owed nothing. The IRS refused to comment on the case, but an agency spokeswoman previously confirmed it was looking into Mr. Ramer's complaints. Mr. Ramer, 30, said the agency's Taxpayer Advocate Service traced the source of the mistake to an employer's computer glitch in 1994. PENNSYLVANIA Bianca Jagger protests capital punishment PITTSBURGH — Model-turned-activist Bianca Jagger joined several hundred people in downtown Pittsburgh for a march and candlelight vigil against capital punishment. "The death penalty is a barbaric act of state-sanctioned murder," the longtime Amnesty International activist said from her hotel room. "What is most disturbing is the fallibility of humans. We cannot risk executing those who are innocent." SOUTH CAROLINA Suspended students defend Confederate flag BEAUFORT — The suspensions of 35 high school students in this quaint coastal town have put new focus on old issue: the potentially offensive fashion statement made by donning the Confederate flag. Outrage over the suspensions of students who wore shirts with images of the flag sparked a protest march to a school district office where students waved the flag and held signs proclaiming "Heritage, not hate." "I had no idea in the world anyone would be offended by this," says Brook Armstrong, a 17-year-old Beaufort High student sitting in her family's home wearing the white T-shirt that got her suspended. On the back, it shows chickens hatching from eggs decorated with the Confederate flag. "Southern chicks, better than the rest," reads the shirt. Brook will not be returning to Beaufort High, says her mother, Renee Armstrong. TEXAS University to house Watergate papers AUSTIN — The Watergate papers of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, including those identifying "Deep Throat," will be housed at the University of Texas at Austin in a $5 million deal announced yesterday. The university said it is paying Mr. Woodward and Mr. Bernstein $5 million to archive the documents, enough to fill about 75 file boxes, at its Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center. The center will preserve the papers, including notebooks, and photographs, and make them available for study. The vast majority of the documents will be available to the public within a year. WASHINGTON Burglary suspect takes cigarettes, leaves cash TACOMA — Whoever broke into a convenience store last week was more interested in cigarettes than in money. Police responded to a report of a potential burglary Friday morning after someone delivering newspapers informed that a window of the store had been broken. When the store owner arrived, he discovered that boxes of cigarettes were missing from behind the counter. But, "curiously enough, the [officer] saw that there was money in the cash register drawer that was not touched," the police report said. WISCONSIN Poe letter to be auctioned MILWAUKEE — A letter bearing the swirling black signature of Edgar Allan Poe could bring a church $20,000 or more at an auction this week. Paul Haubrich found the letter 15 months ago inside safe at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Milwaukee. Christie's in New York will auction the letter today with other literary materials. The final bid is expected to range between $15,000 and $20,000, or possibly more, said Chris Coover, a senior specialist in manuscripts for the auction house. Mr. Poe, best-known for poems and horror stories such as "The Raven" and "The Telltale Heart," wrote the letter Feb. 12, 1840, to "J.C. Passmore Esqr.," who became an Episcopal priest.  Back to Nation/Politics
|
Privacy Policy