The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 20

MICHAEL ENGLISH Charges lodged, then dropped Page 6B cal new; Meetings 2B! Deaths 5B Weather 6B MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1996 I ctured udget proposal to Has no tax increases or major service cuts GETTING THERE Schedule of budget hearings at the Metro Courthouse, on 6B. Letter stirs memories brary and expansion of suburban branches. But he has said for some time that that will have to wait another year. Bredesen promised pay raises for city employees and delivered. But some employee unions are complaining that 2 across-the-board raises are not enough to keep up with inflation, which is close to 3.

The raises are on top of what are called step pay raises already scheduled for many employees who have not reached the top of their pay scales, Bredesen points out The Metro Council begins to review the 1996-97 budget plan Thursday. A budget must be finalized before July 1. But Bredesen included only one such center in his budget proposal because there was not enough money to do more, spokeswoman Tarn Gordon said. The location has not been decided. The mayor had hoped to open three homework centers this year, Gordon said.

Bredesen's budget proposal includes no tax increase and no major cuts in services. It maintains most departments at current levels of service and allows for the first year of financing for a football stadium to relocate the Houston Oilers. By MARK IPPOUTO Staff Writer This year's Metro budget proposal is tight even for some of Mayor Phil Bredesen's pet projects. They include: Homework centers. Nashville Housing Fund.

Public libraries. Bredesen announced the idea of homework centers in his State of Metro address in March. They would be supervised places in neighborhoods where students can go to study. Computers, encyclopedias and books would be provided. Bredesen also had listed more affordable housing as a priority but did not include a contribution to the Nashville Housing Fund in the budget The housing fund was set up this year by area banks and the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency.

Its purpose is to provide down-payment assistance, financial counseling and other aid to struggling home buyers. The banks put up $1.5 million and MDHA put up $800,000 to start the fund. MDHA director Gerald Nicely had asked Bredesen for a $500,000 Metro contribution. While nothing has been budgeted, Nicely said Bredesen told him that he would try to scrape up a contribution. The money would be transferred from the city's fund balance or rainy day account, Nicely said.

"He assured me well have some," Nicely said. Bredesen frequently talks about the need for a new downtown li- 4 -mm -9 ft Was Lewis a victim of the Trace? Exhuming explorer's body aim of inquiry By LARRY DAUGHTREY Staff Writer HOHENWALD, Tenn. It's a dream come true for American history buffs, or for anyone who loves a mystery. That may explain why a flock of nationally known scientists, historians and journalists from the National Geographic, The Washington Post, the Boston Globe and television networks will show up here today. A coroner's jury of seven Lewis County residents, including a history teacher and a funeral director, will begin trying to unravel the mystery that has endured for 189 years.

Did explorer Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark fame, kill himself, or was he murdered along the once murderous Natchez Trace in 1809? The proceeding is unprecedented and will be conducted under an obscure Tennessee 1 'r01 41 1 1 1 I f- Dry, "-4 i. 1 'M Ul Nashville, like the rest of the country, experienced some tumultuous times back in the 1960s. The Vietnam War was heating up and the troops at home were becoming restless. I was a new reporter at The Ten-nessean and had just been assigned to cover the police beat It was an exciting beat to cover and one that offered few dull moments. Somewhere in the city, there was always something going on, and whatever was happening I wanted to be there.

Jack Merlin was on the force back in what he referred to as "the crazy '60s." He remembers the department had just gone to one-man cars, a move that was referred among the force as "99 boredom and 1 sheer terror, though sometimes it seemed just the opposite." I got a letter from Merlin last week that took me back to those crazy '60s. Now retired, he recalled that 'an advantage of one-man cars was that it allowed officers to carry family, friends and public figures with them on their patrols. He said it allowed them to "share special moments that took place on our tour of duty." Merlin also remembered a cold, rainy night when several officers got a call to an East Nashville neighborhood after a patrolman was jumped by eight hoodlums tempting to relieve him of his weapon, his badge and his jewelry. The officers subdued the thugs and sent them to town, where they waited in the back of a paddy wagon while the officers went to General Hospital to have their wounds attended to and "to clean up our mud-wrestling look." After returning from the hospital, the officers took their prisoners before the night judge and obtained arrest warrants. After depositing their prisoners in jail, the officers met at a doughnut shop on Gallatin Road.

As Merlin put it in his letter "Cops and doughnuts go good." It was the last part of his letter that brought back memories for me. "As we ate our doughnuts and drank coffee," Merlin wrote, "one of our coffee-team officers asked me; 'Merlin, who is that individual riding with you tonight? He looks scared to "That's when I said, 'Oh, that's a new reporter with The Tennessean. His name is Jeremy Then the reporter, wide-eyed and white-faced, said: 'That's Jerry, Jerry Thompson, T-h-o-m-p-s-o-n. Here's my card. If I can ride with you again, let me write my home phone number.

Have you got a "I saw Jeremy, I mean Jerry, after that, but I never saw my pen again." He sent me that original card with mv home number unmistak- REX PERRY STAFF Strickland of Nashville and her three daughters: Kati, Kelli and Cassi Strickland. I'l i iff Spirits ran high yesterday at the Summer Lights festival, though there was more gray sky than blue. Seated, from left, are Patti Summer lights go out with a bang Iffy weather didn't stop the crowds law. The ultimate goal of those pushing the inquiry is the exhumation of Lewis' remains for examination by modern forensic scientists. Dr.

James Starrs, a George Washington University forensic scientist who has led the exhumation of other historical fig LEWIS By ALAN BOSTICK Staff Writer Despite gray, drizzly skies and unseasonably low temperatures, Summer Lights In Music City wrapped up last night with record crowds and apparent financial success. As early as mid-afternoon yesterday, organizers said they had already reached the for the four-day festival and conservatively predicted another people would arrive later for gospel star CeCe Winans' grand finale with the Nashville Symphony at the Metro Courthouse. Official attendance figures aren't expected until later this week, but it appears certain that last year's record of ures, has assembled about a dozen experts, ranging from pathologists to geologists, to testify. Among them is Dr. Jerry Francisco of Memphis, an often-controversial Tennessee pathologist who conducted the autopsy of Elvis Presley.

"We hope to present evidence in an intelligible fashion to demonstrate what may have happened," said Starrs, who examined the body of Jesse James last year. The hearing here, conducted in the National Guard Armory, is a form of legal inquiry dating to Tennessee's early history and English common law but unknown in modern times, Nashville legal historian Lewis Laska said. The local coroner, in this case funeral director Richard Tate, assembles a group of residents to hear evidence in a homicide case. Unlike a modern grand jury, the pro- I Turn to PAGE 2B, Column 1 REVIEW I CeCe Winans and the Nashville Symphony close out the festival, on 4B. 137,560 was surpassed.

And that, says Michael McDaniel, the festival's executive producer, is enough to pay the festival's bills and then some. Proceeds from the annual not-for-profit event are used by the Greater Nashville Arts Foundation to finance a range of art activities throughout the year. "We are totally in the black, which makes today like a bonus day," McDaniel said yesterday. "We had great weather Members of the Village Drum and Dance Ensemble create a torrent of sound at the Fifth Avenue Stage's world music celebration. sented good financial news, he said.

Those upbeat results came despite iffy weather on the last two festival days and competition from Saturday's daylong I Turn to PAGE 2B, Column 3 for the most part, great PR, and the response has been fabulous." McDaniel said reports from food vendors indicate sales were up 20 over last year. That plus a 5-10 increase in gate traffic repre Weigh Down transfers love for food into love for God I I tm vr ft and mechanic and counselor there is." For a decade now, Bible-based dieting has taken its place next to other commercial slim-down plans. What the reli- Today about 5,000 churches sponsor Weigh Down classes, 464 in Tennessee. Cost is $103 for 12 weeks, $55 for an optional 12 weeks, free after that Weigh Down is now building a permanent office on Seaboard Lane near CoolSprings Galleria in Franklin. Shamblin and her husband, David, a former broker and private investor, recently purchased Ash-lawn, the historic Oman estate on Franklin Road in Brentwood, for a reported $2.3 million.

Weigh Down Workshop teaches I Turn to PAGE 2B, Column 3 By RAY WADDLE Religion Editor Donna Peak used to worship the god of Doritos and chocolate chip cookies. Then she replaced them with the God of the Bible. She lost 120 pounds as a result "I asked God, 'God, if this is your plan, then walk me through it and help me when I dont have the Peak said last week. Peak is one of thousands of converts to the Weigh Down Workshop, a business that combines common-sense dieting techniques with enthusiasm for the Lord in order to make stance, sponsor the First Place program, which includes exercise, Bible study, keeping a food diary and weekly group attendance. Officials at the Baptist Sunday School Board call it a lifestyle change rather than a diet It's $60 for a 13-week session, then $15 for further, optional sessions.

Call 251-3669 for information. "We say to go to the Lord to find strength," said Linda Coombs of the board. Dietitian Shamblin started her for-profit program in 1986. Its growth exploded after 1991, when she further focused the spiritual aspect and began basing it in churches. ing.

I plan to keep it at least as long as he did. Jack, my friend, I still owe you a pen, and I hope to see you soon to settle the debt. Merlin was one pf those many officers people don't hear much about He was one who gave more than he took. He played with the Police Blue Lights Band for several years, did his job and stayed out of trouble. He was a good officer.

Unfortunately, good cops don't get the ink bad ones do. But they sure get my respect. Jack, thanks for the memory. people change the way they eat This month is a big one for the Cookeville-based company. It moves to Franklin this week and gets ready for a "Desert Oasis 96" national convention here June 28-29.

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend at the Nashville Convention Center. The cost is $60. Call Weigh Down at 800-844-5208 for information. "God didnt put chocolate on Earth to torture us," said Gwen Shamblin, founder and owner of Weigh Down. "We're teaching trust in God.

He's the most capable physician SHAMBUN gion-oriented programs advocate is the idea that faith and the Bible offer practical guidelines for everyday problems, in this case overeating. The Southern Baptists, for in- DOIffll DAVIDSON School may be out for summer, but the learning doesn't have to end. Belmont University will conduct registration for classes in the first summer term from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today. Late registration will be tomorrow and Wednesday, and classes begin tomorrow.

The second summer term classes will begin July 9 and -registration will be held Jury 8. Both day and evening classes are available. Call the Office of Special Academic Programs at 386-4401 for more Information. USA EENAVIDES CHEATHAM Pegram residents itching to learn the plans for this year's big Independence Day celebration can get a preview at today's Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting at City Hall. The open meeting begins at 7 p.m.

and will cover plans for the parade which is set to start at 10 a.m. on July 4 games, entertainment and the 10 p.m. fireworks show. Except for the barbecue that's being provided, as usual by the community center, the program is open to Ideas. AISSATOU SIDIME RUTHERFORD Confederate soldiers wiii take over a Smyrna home and use it and the adjacent land for offices, hospitals and stables during "Occupied!" a special museum exhibit at the Sam Davis Home In Smyrna.

Days when armies fought in the Mldstate will be depicted. Also, military and medical artifacts will be on display during the exhibit, going on now through the end of August. The historic home Is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For details, call 459-2341. BETH WARREN SUMNER If yOU Want tO See an outdoor sculpture in the Middle Tennessee area, war heros are just about the only option.

That Is why Beech Elementary School art teacher Lorraine Puckett helped her students build their own sculpture garden featuring an 8-foot geometric plywood structure painted blue, red and yellow. The sculpture will be dedicated Tuesday. Puckett Is planning to have her students each year build another sculpture for the garden. ROCHELLE CARTER SECTION EDITORS City editor Tommy Goldtmith, 2594095, Regional editor Day: Bill Choyke, 259-8095; Frank Gibson, 726-5907; Lisa Green (database editor), 259-8095; Robert Sherborne, 259-8080; Margaret Slzemore, 726-5941; Richard Stevens, 259-8083. Fax: 259-8093.

Nightweekend: Dwlght Lewis, 726-5928; John Richards, 259-8090; George Zepp, 259-8091. E-mail newt tips: newstiDStenne8sean.com. 4-.