The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 23

EDITOR: KERRY KLUMPE, THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1989, SECTION mm In briefC-2 Lottery numbersC-2 State newsC-3-4 ObituariesC-4 369-1003 1-1 GOP money tactics milder fire Allen Howard 3 BY HOWARD WILKINSON The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati Democrats sav the local Re publican Party is trying to hide where it gets its camoaian contributions, but the GOP says it is just using a legal means of making them harder to hnd. count, Vehr said. "Some of our contributors don't like to read their names in the newspaper." Vehr said the $277,000 in transfers came from the finance committee's federal campaign account, which does not list its contributors at the Hamilton County Board of Elections. Reports on contributors to the federal accounts are filed with the Federal Elections Commission in Wasn-(Please see GOP, Page C-2) A Democrat's identity problem, Page C-2. report filed here.

The GOP report, filed Thursday with the Hamilton County Board of Elections, showed $277,000 in transfers from the Hamilton County Republican Finance Committee to the GOP's campaign committee. There was no list of those who contributed the $277,000 to the finance committee. The transfers represented about 70 of the $389,632 the party said it had available for this fall's campaign. The party used the transfers from the finance committee's federal campaign ac Don Driehaus, Democratic Party co- Husband is still waiting after 10 years Her picture still hangs on the wall. The husband and four children she left behind still watch old movies of family picnics and vacations.

"It may be within the letter of the law, but I think it sure flies in the face of the spirit of the law," Driehaus said. The party's filing with the Hamilton County Board of Elections was perfectly legal, GOP Executive Director Nick Vehr said. The party used a method of transferring money from one party account to another that meant it did not have to list all of its individual contributors in the chairman and a member of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, said Friday that he plans to ask the Ohio secretary of state for a formal legal opinion on whether the Hamilton County Republican Party filed a proper campaign finance report Thursday. And Earl Strub School to change hands clings onto fading hope that Phyllis Strub, his wife who vanished July 17, 1980, will Almost 10 years have passed. He has divorced her.

Sold his house in Harrison. Changed jobs. But he still loves her. Earl Phyllis Strub gone since 1980 could convince himself that he her aeain. But he never wants to see doesn't want to.

Norwood a prize to parties Both sides predict council control BY JANET C. WETZEL The Cincinnati Enquirer Democrats hold most public offices in Norwood, by a small margin, but party officials predict they will widen the margin on Nov. 7. W. Carl Tepe, co-chairman of the Democratic Party, predicts Democrats will sweep the election.

But Republican co-chairman Andrew Conlon said Republicans have an "excellent" chance of winning enough seats to take over control of council. Six candidates are seeking three council at-large seats. All six incumbents are being challenged for the six council ward seats, and the president of council and ji J8 1181 1 1 i-lzk It A Time has a way of playing tricks with the mind. It passes, but in the mind it can stand still. It seems like yesterday when Earl first took Phyllis on a date to a drive-in movie in 1954.

They married the next year. "I'd remarry her if she came back," Strub said. "I wonder if she would take me back." It's still a mystery Ci i Ci Phyllis Strub is still a mystery to her family and the FBI. She was the target of a national search when she disappeared, taking with her $250,000 she allegedly embezzled from the Netherland-lerrace Credit Union, where she worked as treasurer of the union. jThe U.S.

Attorney's office in Cincinnati indicted Phyllis in November, 1982, The Cincinnati EnquirerDick Swaim Children play during recess Friday at St. Ursula Villa elementary school in Mount Lookout. charging her with four counts of making false statements and 26 counts of credit union embezzlement. John DiPuccio, assistant U.S. Attorney, Parents to buy St.

Ursula Villa said there hasn't been any leads or clues as to where Phyllis is, but he is keeping "Our DhilosoDhv has alwavs been that ment story of religious women in the the case open. Principal expects sale to foster involvement She left her office the morning of July 17, 1980, while her books were being audited by a federal credit examiner. She told the examiner she had to go to the bank. When she didn't return, the auditor called the bank, but was told Phyllis Strut treasurer face contenders. "Norwood has traditionally been Democratic, but that has changed in the last 15 years," Conlon said.

"We've had a Republican mayor, two Republican vice mayors, a Republican auditor and treasurer, and two times in the past 12 years our party has had control of council." But Tepe said there are several "very strong" Democratic candidates running for president of council, council and treasurer, and the outlook for his party is bright. "I look for a Democratic sweep," Tepe said. "We have a Democratic mayor, and it's much easier to work with Democrats in control, than working with a split council or a non-Democratic council." Tepe and Conlon agree it's a fairly quiet election, with a number of tight races, but no "really hot" ones. "Everyone is running sort of a 'hurray for Norwood' type of thing," Tepe said. "But there are no hard, clear-cut issues, other than dominance of council." Issues being discussed among candidates include who will pay for much-needed curb, gutter, sidewalk and storm sewer work, and commercial development.

There are many familiar faces in the races, including several incumbents and former council members, and the races "can be won by one or two votes," Conlon said. never showed up there that day. Phyllis Strub left in a 1977 Oldsmobile and went on a cross-country ride, accord ing to Earl, who uses credit card bills from cities scattered across the U.S. as his parents are the primary educators of their children." Parents will predominate on the school's board of trustees. Nuns will also sit on the board to ensure a Catholic influenc remains, Whitaker said.

"The board of trustees will have decision-making in all respects. They will own the school. It's a very exciting development," he said. Dwindling resources and increasing expenses in the early 1970s prompted the Sisters of Notre Dame to sell Summit Country Day in Hyde Park to a parents group. Summit headmaster Edward C.

Tyrell said: "Everyone is very satisfied. The sisters are rightfully proud of the Summit and the parents are paying more of the actual cost for education, volunteering in the schools and doing more fund-raising." The sisters of Saint Ursula also own and operate St. Ursula Academy in East Walnut Hills. The academy is unaffected by changes at at the villa. United States.

Fewer sisters are earning salaries, and more and more are in retirement, elderly and in need of care." Whitaker said, "The sisters have never charged rent for the school or seen a monetary return on their investment." Buchert said, "We looked at the option of selling or developing portions of the estate." But the order wanted to see the school continue. Parents also want to see the school continue and are willing to back it with their wallets, Whitaker said. "This is the ultimate parent-support transaction." And the parents are getting a good deal, he said. "St. Ursula Villa is a unique kind of a school.

It offers very small classes." Tuition $2,425 this year for grades kindergarten through sixth will remain competitive with other area private and parochial schools, Whitaker said. And fund-raising will intensify, he said. With ownership comes more parent involvement, Principal Paul R. Loechle said and he said that's a benefit. proof.

BY KELLY LEWIS The Cincinnati Enquirer A parents group plans to buy St. Ursula Villa in Mount Lookout for $3.5 million from the nuns who have run the parochial elementary school since 1960. All details of the purchase have not been worked out, but Jim Whitaker, chairman of the school advisory board and a parent of three students at the villa, said a tuition increase of about 10 would be necessary. By the 1993-1994 school year, the advisory board of parents will become a board of trustees. They will also take on a 14-year mortgage, Whitaker said.

The order of sisters of Saint Ursula bought the estate from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. They converted the manor into a school and built a second school. Sister Mary Jerome Buchert, head of the order, said: "It's part of the retire Phyllis finally junked the car in Baton Rouge, in November, 1980, but not before running up 27.000 miles. Earl went to Baton Rouge, picked up the car and kept it until three years ago. "It's been tough, but you do the best vou can when something like this happens.

I had to think about our four children because I had to show some strength on their behalf. We are a very close family. We don't talk about it too much. But I can't help thinking about her. I'd still like to see her, Earl says.

Building a new life The inner strength of Earl and his closeness to his children, whose ages range from 23 to 31, helped him through Judge acquits rapper, predicts he'll lose votes Praying for an end to substance abuse Red Ribbon Week ends with downtown vigil the ordeal. He now works lor one ot his sons as a caroenter. Thev have built another house in Harrison Township near Bright, for the family and are now workme on a house for another son. Earl, 57, has been busy trying to build a new life, although he says, he never thoueht about getting married again. Earl was a truck driver for Exhibit Group in Blue Ash.

For nearly 30 years, he hauled exhibits around the coun try and set them up for conventions. The first five months after Phvllis disappeared, Earl would drive home, hoping he would see a blue 1977 Oldsmobile in the driveway of their old home on Dick Road. It was never there. After he picked up the abandoned car, thp anxietv came back everv time the BY BOB WESTON The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati Municipal Court Judge Albert Mestemaker predicted he would lose votes in the Nov. 7 election because of his verdict Friday clearing an N.W.A rap group musician of disorderly conduct in a performance alleged to have been obscene.

"This is a slam in the face of the black community to uphold this filth when we're working so hard to rid our community of indecency," said the Rev. Morris Fleming, a spokesman for the Baptist Ministers Conference, representing 75 Greater Cincinnati black churches. "On election day, the judge certainly will have to answer for this." Fleming said it was too late for the Baptist Ministers Conference to retract its endorsement of Mestemaker for re-election, but he said he could not, in good conscience, ask anyone to vote for the judge. Mestemaker said he realized his acquittal of Eric "Eazy Wright would be unpopular, but he said he was bound to uphold the law governing such cases even though he disagreed with it. Wright, 25, of Compton, was cited by Cincinnati police after he repeatedly invit- (Please see N.W.A, Page C-2) flower arrangement and pots of ferns and chrysanthemums, women closed their eyes and held their hands out.

"Lord, there is a mountain in our way, and that's the drug problem!" the Rev. Keith Turner of the Beulah Baptist Church said. "You brought us, and you taught us! You kept us, and never left us! Give us the strength to tell that mountain to get out of our way!" The attendants came from different churches, but they shared the same belief: The help they asked for would overcome all obstacles. "You said you would hear us in heaven," prayed Roycelle Parker, a volunteer with Citizens Against Substance Abuse, which sponsored the week's observances. "Dry up that mother's tears whose son has gone into drugs.

Dry up that child's pain whose mother and father are spending welfare checks on drugs. Give us peace BY M.A.J. McKENNA The Cincinnati Enquirer Over the course of national Red Ribbon Week, substance-abuse crusaders took their drug-free message into City Hall, and schools and businesses across Greater Cincinnati. Friday night, as the week drew to a close, they asked for help from one more source. In a flashlight vigil on Fountain Square, ministers and antidrug activists prayed for the strength to fight on.

"Drugs are not a social issue. They are not a political issue. They are not an economic issue," the Rev. Anthony Ray of Southern Baptist Church said. "Unless a man or woman's heart is changed, the problem will not go away." The preaching at the twilight vigil, attended by a shifting crowd of about 50 people, was powerful enough to touch many hearts.

Beneath the main stage, decorated like sanctuary steps with a giant phone or doorbell would ring. But no Phvllis. Earl, born in Newoort. Kv is a jovial man. He talks and even manages to laugh about his situation.

He struggles with it and tries to put it in the past. He is a strong man who has lived through a nightmare without hating anybody. "I don't go to church much, but I have mv own little prayer I say a lot. "Marrying someone else never crossed my mind. I guess I still waiting for her.

Michael Snyder lor The Cincinnati Enquirer About 50 people gathered Friday night on Fountain Square to hear the Rev. Anthony Ray preach at the vigil marking the end of the Red Ribbon Week substance abuse crusade. Allen Howard's column appears Tues day, Thursday and Saturday,.