The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California • B1

DAYNAMER THE FRESNO BEE SOUTH 1 Printed 22:18 Logical Page is THE FRESNO The Fresno BeeWednesday, June 1, 2005Section BFresnoBee.com State schools chief visits FresnoCo. Mildweather eases flooding onValley rivers Worst is likely past, Millerton official says. Standing on ceremony Bullard High seniors kick off graduation rites. By Felicia Cousart Matlosz The Fresno Bee Jack the top education leader, visited Fresno County on Tuesday to highlight education and make the case that pub- lic schools are being deprived of their fair share of the state budget. the state superin- tendent of public instruction, toured a career technical edu- cation program and a pre- school program in the Kerman Unified School District before heading to Easton for a round- table discussion with 22 local education leaders, parents and students at Washington Union High School.

a Democrat, has criticized Republican Gov. Schwarzenegger for not fully funding education under the terms of Proposition 98. The measure, approved by voters in 1988, directs that the state spend of its general fund on K-14 education. But state education leaders, including contend that the governor has back- tracked on a deal made last year that swapped Prop. 98 money for the pledge of in- creased funding when the economy improved.

he has broken his promise to the students of said. The supporters, however, say he has proposed an increase of $3 billion in edu- cation funding over last year, and that the $50 billion ear- marked for schools in the bud- get would be more than ever allocated to schools. See EDUCATION, Page B2 By Mark Grossi The Fresno Bee With a little help from cool- er weather, Central Califor- two largest rivers are backing of a little, but not much. The rush of water coming from this thick snow- pack apparently has slowed down in the Kings and the San Joaquin rivers. As the runoff subsides, so does the danger of down- stream looding from the big- gest snowpack since the 1990s.

After a 90-degree high today, temperatures are expected to drop into the low 80s late this week, according to the Nation- al Weather Service. good news, because a 100-de- gree heat wave might quickly melt the remaining snow and bring down a lot of water. just keep getting cool weather, which is nice all the way said meteorolo- gist Jim Dudley of the weather service. But there still is a lot of water left in the melting snow, said water master Steve Hau- gen of the Kings River Water Association. More than 300 bil- lion gallons of water remain in the Sierra snowpack above the Kings.

To make sure reservoirs have enough room to catch a sudden rush of water, officials continue releasing water from Pine Flat and Millerton Lake. have a modest Haugen said, we have more water than we can hold up there. why making lood Downstream on the Kings, the swollen river closed down most of the 100-plus campsites at Landing near Reed- ley. still got two or three feet of water through the whole campground owner Vito Chimienti said Tuesday. told me there would be no more water going into the river, but all I see is the river going Henry Hash, director of Tu- lare Resource Man- agement Agency, said the last information he received from water officials is don't anticipate the low going down for about 20 Hash said the dangers keep- See FLOODING, Page B2 ay Melikian of going strong at a note in the mail from a friend who lew fighter planes with him in the South Pacific during World War II.

where your old plane read the note from John Miller of Pomona. in your back yard (sort of, He included a photo from an Internet site showing the restored fuselage of the Curtiss P-40 fighter, now under reconstruction at Vintage Aircraft Co. in Sonoma. Melikian, who escaped death numerous times and is credited with downing three Japanese airplanes, was assigned that very craft. The farm boy from Biola lew for the Fifth Air Force, 49th Fighter Group, 7th Squadron.

Three months ago, Melikian received a call from Vintage Aircraft. Owner Chris Prevost said ly the plane to Visalia when it was restored. help Melikian deadpanned. Prevost explained that he bought the plane in parts from New Zealand and had it shipped here. He traced the serial number and learned that it was assigned to Melikian.

The plane was found in 1974 in an airplane junkyard in rural Australia. It was sold twice, finally ending up in New Zealand at Pacific Aircraft, which restored the fuselage before Prevost got it last year. This is not the first time Melikian has run into one of his old fighter planes. In 1942, he loaned his craft, with his name stenciled on the side, to a pilot who needed it for a mission. But the pilot never returned.

In 1969, the wreckage was found with a skeleton in the jungles of New Guinea. A piece of the cockpit was salvaged and placed in a museum above a post office in Charters Towers, Australia. Twelve years ago, Melikian went to see it. Still visible on the side of the plane is his name, Ray be Melikian said. is gravy from here on Johanna Vossler of Visalia thought she was going to a work-related party for her boyfriend Eric Coyne, but got suspicious when she saw her sister there, who lives far away.

we having a Vossler asked Coyne. Presto, Tulare County Supervisor Connie Conway performed the wedding by the pool in front of 39 people on Memorial Day at the home of Visalia Chamber CEO Michael Cully. Coyne, who is employed by the county as a media rela- tions officer, arranged for Conway to perform the wedding. Vossler is a news photographer at the Visalia Times-Delta. had no the new Mrs.

Coyne said later. TRACK RECORD: Dr. James Nowlan of Visalia has been inducted into St. Ignatius College Prep school Athletes Hall of Fame. He went to his hometown of Chicago last week for the honor, joined by his daughter Julianna Nowlan of Eugene, Ore.

Nowlan, class of 1951, was one of four runners who set a school record that still stands in the low hurdles relay. Lewis column appears on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. He can be reached at or (559) 622-2416. Autopsies begin on 3 dead Two victims in Tulare County were from Fresno. TOMAS FRESNO BEE State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack leads a discussion Tuesday at Washington Union High School in Easton.

says California schools are not being fully funded. GRADUATION 2005 ERIC PAUL FRESNO BEE Bullard High School grads are in the spotlight Tuesday at Save Mart Center. The Fresno commencement was the first of the season; Edison and Hoover followed the same day. By Erin Kennedy The Fresno Bee ullard High School kicked off 2005 graduation season Tuesday afternoon at the Save Mart Center with the usual measured strains of and cheers and air-horn blasts from the crowd, and three valedictorian speeches urging classmates to dream big, work hard, be themselves. Just before the first high-school- ers crossed the stage, Fresno Unified School District trustee Janet Ryan thanked teachers and parents, then asked the seniors to do two things as they headed out into the world: Be kind and vote.

bad politicians are put into office by good people who she told more than 540 Bullard High graduates. Many of their parents smiled and nodded agreement. Edison and Hoover high schools followed with just enough time between each ceremony to hang a new banner over the stage, clear the Save Mart Center parking lot and refill it. The remainder of Fresno graduations continue today, with 3,991 students expected to get their diplomas in 10 ceremonies at five venues. Next week, Clovis and Central Unified high schools hold their graduations.

Backstage on Tuesday there was nervous laughter, worried faces and fussing adults before Bullard High Principal Tim Belcher called seniors to their seats. Fresno purchasing manager, Frank Morelos, confessed that in the days leading up to graduation, he had been as anxious as many of the graduating seniors. think my heart could take said Morelos, referring to the that he had this year getting diplomas from Jostens. The Minnesota- based company that supplies graduation paraphernalia moved its diploma printing plant to Tennessee this year, causing See GRADUATION, Page B4 nervous. I got those John Lopez, graduating Bullard High School senior WWII airplane resurfaces By Sarah Jimenez The Fresno Bee VISALIA Tulare County coroner officials began autopsies Tuesday on three people who died during a weekend murder-suicide near Ivanhoe.

Tulare County sheriff's Lt. David Gal- loway said the autopsies were not com- pleted Tuesday and would continue today. Mark Johnson, 54, is believed to have killed two people and set fire to his home before killing himself Saturday. Francisco Damas 24, and Juan Ramirez, 54, were declared dead at the scene. Both victims were from Fresno.

The men were employees with JD Home Rentals, said Pa Xiong, operations manager for the Fresno company. The company released a statement sending its condolences to the families of the victims. Xiong say how the company was af filiated with the property or Johnson. She referred questions to the attorney, Tom Miles, who de- clined to comment Tuesday. The statement did say the home where the victims died had been foreclosed upon by Tulare County au- thorities.

Galloway also say how the victims and suspects were acquainted. He said the case still was under investi- gation. know if ever have a mo- Galloway said. Tulare County sheriff deputies re- sponded to a call of shots fired shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday in the 13700 block of Avenue 328, two miles west of Ivanhoe.

When authorities arrived, they found two victims of gunshot wounds in front of the house. Deputies then heard more shots fired from inside the house and called in the SWAT team. Fire crews also were called when smoke was spotted billowing from an upstairs window. SWAT team members entered the home shortly before 1 p.m. and found body on the first loor.

The house eventually burned to the ground. The reporter can be reached at or (559) 622-2413. JBVGR EQGRVMJA.