The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 16

Kentucky and D4 THE COURIER-JOURNAL MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1999 EDITOR: GIDEON GIL PHONE: 582-4657 FAX: 582-4200 le Region Seeking a Southern exposure Tennessee schools teach Bible classes Ex-landowners upset by LBL focus on income By RACHEL ZOLL Associated Press OOLTEWAH, Tenn. The seventh-graders at Ooltewah Middle School squirm in their seats as Charlton Heston, perched atop ruins in the Middle East, tells a Bible story on video. They read aloud from Exodus, stumbling over words such as "Hittites" and "Canaanites." They try to recite from memory the names of the books of the New Testament. Two copies of the Ten Commandments are posted on the wall. While some school systems debate whether to teach the Bible in schools, the practice is entrenched in parts of Tennessee.

Hamilton County schools have offered a Bible course for 75 years, Dayton schools for 50. McNairy, Greene, Union, Hickman and Maury counties also offer a Bible course, according to the state Department of Education, as does Bradley County. "1 simply feel that it's very important for young people to have knowledge of the Bible," said Hariet Bond, a member of the Public School Bible Study Committee, which raises money to pay for the course in Hamilton County. "Our whole judicial system is based on Biblical principles. You cannot understand literature, you cannot understand Western civilization without knowing something about the Bible." Such courses are legal as long as they don't promote one religious view.

Bond's group was formed 75 years ago by a panel of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish leaders who felt the public schools should have Bible study. In Dayton, students from Bryan College teach the course in kindergarten through sixth grade. The college was named for populist orator William Jennings Bryan, who in 1925 traveled to Dayton for the Scopes "Monkey Trial" to argue in support of Tennessee's ban on teaching evolution in public schools. In Bradley County, about 50 students per semester enroll in the course. Topics such as crea-tionism are balanced with other views, said Phyllis Wright, who has taught the Bible for 25 years.

"I tell them this is one of the theories of creation, that evolution is also a theory, and we just discuss the different theor ies," she said. But the practice hasn't gone unchecked. In 1978, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit successfully challenging the Hamilton County Bible class curriculum. "We had to change some things that sounded too much like Sunday school," Bond said. In the 1980s the ACLU fought for and won changes in Bible teaching at schools in Hawkins and Claiborne counties.

"They were reading Bible stories straight out of the Bible," said Hedy Weinberg, ACLU Tennessee executive director. "The reason teaching the Bible is not acceptable in the public schools is they're promoting religious doctrine." The ACLU has no pending challenges to Bible courses in Tennessee. The office receives complaints about the classes but few wind up in court, partly because critics fear their communities' angry response to a legal challenge, Weinberg said. The potential for lawsuits is forcing change in some districts. Dayton likely will transform its class from Bible to character education.

Travis Ricketts, the Bryan College history professor who oversees the course, calls the new syllabus "sanitized." "They take the most prominent aspects of Christianity out of it," he said. "But it's still Christian values. We want to be inclusive and include people in the community in determining those values, but I would reject the notion that all values are equally valuable for us. We're just trying to find a way to fit within the law." Joseph Conners, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said Dayton is representative of what's occurring around the country. Groups such as the National Council for Bible Curriculum in Public Schools in Greensboro, N.C., have been promoting Bible classes, but many districts even if they support the idea won't offer the class because they worry they'll be sued, Conners said.

"It remains the exception more than the common approach," Conners said of Bible history classes. "I think public schools are rightly wary of appearing to endorse one religion over another. It's perfectly legal to have character education classes that don't promote a religion. A lot of schools are offering that instead." rvr i By JAMES PRICHARD Associated Press CADIZ, Ky. David Nickell wants the federal government to keep the promise it made more than 30 years ago regarding Land Between the Lakes, but past events make him uncertain about the national recreation area's future.

When the Tennessee Valley Authority started developing LBL in Western Kentucky and Tennessee during the mid-1960s, about 900 families were forced from their properties. Their homes, schools and businesses were razed or burned. They were told relocation was necessary to begin returning the 170,000 acres between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake to its natural state. Some of the land had been in families for generations. Nick-ell's farm was settled by an ancestor in the 1780s.

The property remained in the family for nearly 200 years. "They came in and told us our heritage is not worth a dime, that this was being done for the economic development of the entire region," he said last week. Nickell, who now owns a farm in Livingston County, and other displaced landowners started losing faith in TVA's ability to follow through with the original vision of LBL as a non-commercial recreation area in harmony with nature. They saw stores, campgrounds and horseback-riding ranches appearing on their old properties. And Nickell was stunned to discover that his old farm was being used to raise grain for local wildlife.

A few years ago, TVA, a quasi-governmental electric utility, was criticized when it considered developing LBL to cover its annual operating cost of $6 million. The proposals included a theme park, golf courses and hotels, all of which were scrapped after public opposition. This year, Congress decided it no longer would provide money to TVA to operate LBL or for other non-power programs. Lawmakers passed legislation transferring control of the recreation area to the U.S. Forest Service on Oct.

1. The legislation also empow- tion. In April, Hiroshi Okuda, who was Toyota's president at the time, said the automaker was looking at adding another assembly line in Princeton or expanding its car plant in Cambridge, Ontario. Okuda was promoted to chairman in June. His successor as president, Cho, told reporters outside a Tokyo auto show in October that he fa BY DAVID R.

LUTMAN, SPECIAL TO THE COURIER-JOURNAL True to form, some birds headed south near Columbus, yesterday. Colder weather is expected in the region as today wears on, with snow possible in some areas. WESTERN Stuck Paducah LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES AREA ENLARGED LlLnnessee BY STEVE DURBIN, THE C-J ered the agency to raise fees and keep the revenue generated at LBL. That, plus the Forest Service's announcement on Wednesday that it planned to trim about 50 of 91 TVA jobs at LBL and use more private contractors, "gives them every incentive to raise as much money as they can," Nickell said. Logically, that would lead to further commercialization, he reasoned.

Angela Coleman, a Forest Service spokeswoman in Atlanta, said the transition and reorganization at LBL have many details yet to be worked out. The job cuts and other changes will begin in the spring and the overall picture should be clearer by next fall. Meanwhile, the area's 2 million annual visitors will continue to be able to partake in boating, fishing, hiking and other activities, she said. "It's a unique place and we think it can become a national showplace, and that's what we're hoping this reorganization can do," Coleman said. Murray resident Paul Yam-bert, a retired Southern Illinois University forestry professor and outspoken critic of TVA, said Congress should not have directed the Forest Service to make money at LBL.

"Then there was a great incentive to do anything you can to bring in money locally, whether it's selling natural resources or selling $25 T-shirts. Yambert said. "Congress set it up so there was an incentive to do it wrong." jobs vored enlarging the company's operation in Georgetown, which employed nearly 8,000 people last summer. He once served there as head of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. The company's combined production capacity in North America now is at 1.25 million vehicles per year.

U.S. and Canadian sales last year totaled 1.52 million units. 208- 3v XH) XT WAPU STATlONIHf Zero At Saranac Lake, N.Y. of a cold front gusted to 70 mph at Indianapolis. The high winds toppled a masonary wall killing a construction worker.

Low pressure and a cold front brought rain, snow and high winds to the West. Winds gusted to 90 mph at the Callahan Ranch near Reno, Nev. Soda Springs, in the Sierra Nevada Range of California, received 17 Inches of snow in less than 24 hours. 1989: International Falls and Warroad in Minnesota tied as the cold spot in the nation with minus 34. Louisville Toyota to increase production in Indiana, add 2,000 that Toyota would add a plant at Princeton to make Sienna minivans now produced in Georgetown, and shift some coupe production to Georgetown.

Toyota was to hold a news conference this morning at the Princeton plant. Toyota said that Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan would attend the news conference. The $1.2 billion Princeton plant started producing vehicles jio Cho said in a release.

"This new plan of expansion in manufacturing as well as operations shows our continued commitment to the North American market." The Toyota release did not say what vehicle would be built at the plant, or exactly when the expansion would take place. However, a Japanese newspaper, citing anonymous sources, reported last month Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS Toyota Motor Corp. announced plans yesterday to increase production at its plant in Princeton, by about 150,000 vehicles a move that will create 2,000 jobs. The expansion at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana a subsidiary that operates the plant about five miles south of Princeton, in southwestern In WEATHER last December. It is the sole manufacturer of the hot-selling new Tundra full-size pickup truck.

Beginning in fall 2000, the plant will start making a new sport-utility vehicle, the Sequoia. The plant, which added a second shift last summer, had 1,600 employees at that time and was to employ 2,300 when the SUV goes into full produc SN Snow Time. HI Lo Prac. Forecast TODAY IN THE NATION NATIONAL WEATHER CL Clear CY Cloudy diana, will be paid for with an $800 million investment from the company. Toyota said in a release that the growth is intended to increase annual production in North America by 200,000 units to approximately 1.45 million vehicles a year in the near future.

"Toyota has always been committed to building vehicles in the local markets where they are sold," Toyota President Fu- From the National Weather Service, AP and Accu-Weather day. WEDNESDAY I THURSDAY PARTiy CLOUDY M0STIY CLOUDY 1 15 i 17 i I 1 I Bands separate high temperature zones for the day. RN Ram to 8 p.m. Eastern Oty -0 LOUISVILLE FORECAST Mild early on with temperatures falling late in the TODAY TUESDAY CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW SUN AND MOON CI1MDICC 7-SS a.m. 3 SUNSET 5:26 p.m.

MO0NRISE i 3:59 p.m. M00NSET I i FULL MOON 1 nar-amhor 93 1 I AST QTR. 1 i December 29; NEW MOON FIRST QTR. i January 14 CHANCE OF SHOWERS if 70, 60 51. i 3 i 4(y-h I i hi.

Temperature indicate Saturday's high and overnight low Oty HI Lo Pre Foreran Albany.N.Y 32 16 38 17 CY 46 34 39 22 PCY Anchorage 27 10 .01 25 19 SN Asheville 51 39 53 38 CY Atlanta 55 45' .04 57 45 CY Atlantic City 47 33 50 38 CY Baltimore 44 37 47 36 CY Billings 20 19 .02 26 10 SN Birmingham 62 44 .23 58 45 CY Boise 42 30 43 26 PCY Boston 36 24 41 27 CY Brownsville 78 43 60 55 CL Buffalo 38 17 50 33 RN Charleston.S.C 57 48 1.52 67 47 PCY 35 54 45 RN Charlotle.N.C 52 42 .06 53 42 CY Cheyenne 26 26 .02 23 1 CY Chicago 40 17 30 30 SN Cincinnati 44 29 43 14 RN Cleveland 50 22 50 37 RN 53 46 .61 61 44 PCY 28 50 42 RN Dallas-R Worth 62 40 41 33 CY Dayton 46 24 .01 48 41 RN Denver 35 26 22 6 CY Des Moines 32 23 .22 14 14 CL Detroit 44 22 46 36 RN Duluth 28 20 14 14 SN El Paso 55 47 48 26 PCY Fairbanks 0 30 5 0 SN Fargo 33 23 2 5 CL Flagstaff 42 28 43 1 5 CL Hartlord, Conn 20 40 19 CY Honolulu 79 68 81 68 PCY Houston 68 35 51 49 RN Indianapolis 45 29 42 13 SN Jackson.Miss 51 44 55 48 RN Jacksonville 70 57 .04 70 50 PCY Juneau 36 27 .31 40 34 RN Kansas City 42 29 .12 20 16 PCY iq i Ac 23 i Va? 42 61 41 CL 32 36 36 SN 48 74 48 CL 36 43 40 RN 71 82 68 PCY 23 31 31 SN 23 .10 12 12 SN 46 64 47 RN 45 54 45 RN 47 65 52 CY 33 49 33 CY 45 56 47 CY 32 31 23 PCY 24 .11 13 8 SN 59 .02 79 54 PCY 34 51 35 CY 47 65 41 CL 27 50 37 CY 12 34 13 PCY 44 47 40 CY 24 44 24 CY 39 .13 58 44 CY 26 20 4 PCY 24 51 23 CL 40 50 40 CY 35 63 37 CL 25 27 27 SN 36 39 27 PCY 33 45 42 CY 50 68 50 CL 43 67 47 CL 19 28 25 SN 40 .08 44 40 CY 27 36 27 CY 12 43 21 CY 62 78 59 PCY 28 .08 22 16 CL 44 64 33 CL 28 27 23 PCY 38 48 37 CY rji FRONTS: Las Vegas 63 Little Rock 47 Los Angel 76 Memphis 56 Miami Beach 84 Milwaukee 35 31 Mobile 53 Nashville 58 New Orleans 53 New York City 40 Norfolk.Va 54 Oklahoma City 48 Omaha 34 Orlando 77 Philadelphia 46 Phoenix 70 Pittsburgh 49 Portland 32 Portland.Ore 50 Providence 37 Rapid City 27 Reno 52 Richmond 49 Sacramento 72 St Louis 47 Salt Lake City 41 San Antonio 70 San Diego 73 San Francisco 68 St Ste Marie 32 Seattle 44 Spokane 33 Syracuse 33 Tampa-St Ptrsbg ..73 Topeka 40 Tucson 68 Tulsa 50 Washington.D.C. .,44 0 YESTERDAY REGIONAL OUTLOOK Lew Shown Bite T-arit Wurrin enow gunny Pt Cloudy Cloudy INDIANAPOLIS I YESTERDAY'S EXTREMES 87 at Hollywood, Fla; Low: 12 below I I CINCINNATI I A 4 A High: 46; Low: 28. Normals: 44 and 28. Year ago: High: 46; Low: 42. Records: 67 in 187789; -5 in 1884.

Precipitation: Trace inches; 0.12 inches. TODAY IN WEATHER HISTORY ji V. 8 Hl previous day weather Lo City HI Lo 64 49 30 35 73 39 10 28 San Juan 81 71 Santiago 79 64 Sao Paulo 80 65 Sapporo 34 25 Seoul 25 15 Singapore 85 74 Stockholm .30 26 Sydney 68 60 High: 1836: in central mph dropping near froze frozen saddles. in a 1 987: Colorado, the 1 988: Month: 5.18 inches, 2.82 inches above normal. LONDON Jr 58-28 JT A famous cold wave occurred Illinois.

A cold front with 70 winds swept through at noon, the temperature from 40 to zero in minutes. Many settlers to death. Folklore told of chickens in their tracks and men frozen to Streams reportedly froze over few hours. Heavy snow fell in northern with 15 inches reported in Mary Jane ski area. Strong southerly winds ahead Temperatures are tor today high and tonight's low AIR POLLUTION YESTERDAY'S HIGHEST READING 150 100 Ji 11 li Mi term in; Not available on I most weekends and holidays, For today's readings, call 574-3319 i Internet: www.crhnwscr.noaa.govlmW 42-13 BL00MINGT0N 4515 LOUISVILLE BOWLING GREEN SS2r' The following weather observations were compiled yesterday, THE WORLD Year: 40.78 inches, 2.06 inches below normal.

POLLEN COUNT paseq on me Oty HI Lo City ..73 ..34 56 0 Lima 73 Lisbon 58 London 40 Madrid 48 Manila 85 Mexico City 66 Montreal 21 Moscow 30 Calgary Caracas ,.82 68 Copenhagen ..35 30 Dhahran 72 53 Dublin 40 35 Frankfurt 38 32 Geneva 51 39 HI HI Lo Amsterdam 43 33 Athens 64 Auckland 70 Bangkok 84 Barbados 85 Barcelona 54 Bering 28 Beirut 70 Belgrade 31 Berlin 39 30 TREES ABSENT I GRASSES ABSENT 1 WEEDS ABSENT 1 MOLDS LOW 1 Taipei 58 55 Tel Aviv 74 49 Tokyo 51 39 Toronto 30 20 Vancouver 46 37 Vienna 34 32 Warsaw 35 29 Zurich 49 39 Readings taken at or lorecasl lor 7 a (In feet) OHIO RIVER Hanoi 70 57 Havana 82 70 Helsinki 31 28 Hong Kong 62 53 Istanbul 60 50 Jerusalem 68 46 Jo'burg 78 59 Kiev 36 33 tW mnp. youg, upper gauge Rood YfiRtar. TVuu- klAw i UNHEALTHY 1 MODERATE i GOOD and Timothy Nairobi 75 Nassau 79 New Delhi 75 Osaka 44 59 68 43 40 Flood Yester- Ton- Next Location itage day Today tow day Cincinnati 52.0 29.4 28.5 27.8 27.6 23.4 20.4 18.2 17.2 Louisville 23.0 I2.8 12.5 12.5 12.5 Louisville (L) ..55.0 25.4 20.9 17.2 15.6 Bermuda 73 Bogota 66 Brisbane 78 Brussels 42 Budapest 39 B'Airas 88 Location Mage day Today row day Cannelton 23.0 19.0 16.4 14.4 Newburgh 38.0 26.4 22.9 19 3 171 Evansville 42.0 24.0 20.8 17 9 161 Myers 37.0 23.0 20.6 17.7 15.9 Oslo 29 Pans 53 Rio 8 20 37 70 Foaer Home 57 35.