Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 27

riday, Jane 2, Tl AtU.m RrpuMlf HJ Hard sentence for worker's injury fraud in Arizona that "is big problem costing rvers body. New area code causing trouble for businesses Ihc evidence showed that while cvidei By Brnt Whiting th Alion RspuMC In rare prosecution, a Phoenix man was Ihurvlay for taking a construction job rule he was collecting insurance benefits for a supposedly disabling injury on another job. An insurance executive said the probation and jail I tine given to Gregory Dennis unswilcr, 41. should help deter other would-be insurance cheats. "It's a good sentence," said Ranney Pagcler, a vice president for Frcrmwi Compensation Insurance a California company that provides workers' compensation coverage in Arizona.

Pagcler said Arizona employers pay annual premiums of $630 million to I remont and other companies to provide compensation benefits for I heir workers. He estimated thai fraudulent claims chew up least 10 percent, or $63 million, of the disability coverage. "I his is easy money to get." Pagcler said. "And the problem is, it costs you as a consumer in paying higher prices for goods and services." Ijnsfcilcr. a carpenter and former Utw-iifircement officer, was sentenced to seven years' prtbation, including a one-year term in a Maricopa County jail with work-fur-lough eligibility.

lie also was ordered by Kae Chomenky, a commissioner in Maricopa County Superior Court, to pay more than in restitution to Paecler's insurance company. liefore sentencing, Lmswiler told Chornenky, "In my heart, I did no wnwig, Chornenky disagreed, saving Arizona lawmakers have passed legislation making it a crime to chisel on insurance claims, "Ihis court has decided thai you knew exactly what was going on," Chornenky told Lmswiler. On April 13, a jury found the defendant guilty of fraud, theft and four counts of forgery. Mark Dwyer, an assistant Arizona attorney general who prosecuted I'm-swiler, said such charges in cases like this rarely have been filed. Fmswiler's case is the first since the Legislature adopted a law last year setting up a fraud unit within the Arizona Department of Insurance to investigate bogus claims, Dwyer said.

He called the filing of phony claims for workers' compensation benefits a working for a Phoenix construction firm last year, Lmswiler suffered a wrist injury that he said prevented him from working. Lmswiler filed a claim with Fremont, his emploscr's workers' compensation carrier, and jewed more than S6.uu in wage benefits and Jo.600 in medical benefits. Immediately after claiming the wrist injury, however. Lmswiler went to work for another Phoenix construction firm and continued to pocket benefits for Ins supposed disablement. Charges were filed after Fremont got wind of the fraud and made surrepiitious videotapes of Lmswiler doing work for his new employer, court records show.

staff to extend the period voluntarily, but Tony Secse-Uieda. a US West spokesman, said voluntarily extension still is possible. "It's always an option," he said. "I don't know the exact circumstances under which we would make that decision, but it's something the industry will have to continue to assess almost on a daily basis." Arizona is one of only a handful of states that have gone to the new area codes, and a few small, independent telephone companies and automated PHX private branch exchange business systems have not been rcprogrammcd so that they recognize the three-digit number as an area code. "It's now predominantly a PHX problem," says Gary Yaquinto, head of the Corporation Commission's utilities division.

"The telephone companies have by and large remedied Channel 10 general manager resigns amid falling ratings CHAWtaUhimw7 identified, said Thursday night that Bergamo announced his resignation at a midafternoon managers meeting, recorded message for the rest of the staff on the office voice-mail system then left the station's downtown building. A successor was not announced Thursday, the staffers said, and Bergamo, who reportedly signed a multiyear contract with New World last summer, did not indicate whether he had been asked lo resign. "I'm surprised and sorry," said Bill Miller, general manager of KTVK-TV (Channel 3). one of Bergamo's competitors. "Carrying that station from when it was the CBS affiliate to Fox was a monumental job.

"As you watched it, there was no way you could feel anything but respect." time slot, finished this May's news race in last place. New World officials were unavailable for comment Thursday night. Channel 10 news staffers, speaking on the condition that they not be Th Aitociatad rn The telephone i lifeline for Kriw Industries, a Tucson company thai makes and sells electronic accessories for motorcycle. Lately, business has been lousy. Proprietor George Krivs blames the problem on the new area code assigned him by the telephone company.

Experts say some business phone systems aren't able to dial axles that have numbers other thun orT in the middle, which the new 320 code covering most of Arizona has. Telephone orders began to decline the day the new area code went into effect, Kriss said. "Our phones went from seven or eight calls an hour to probably six the whole day," he said. The new area code became effective March 19. But West and other Arizona telephone companies provided a "permissive dialing" period until July 23, during which cither the 320 or the 602 area code could be used statewide.

After July 23. the 602 area code will work for metropolitan Phoenix only. Today's Corporation Commission meeting could result in a 90-day extension of the permissive dialing period. The commission staff has recommended that West be ordered to extend the period and take other steps to alleviate problems caused by the new area code. Telephone companies initially refused a request by the commission their problems.

I here still may be a few pockets out there where they haven but they generally were pretty quick to get their equipment con verted." Secse-Bieda said the industry began an informational campaign more than two years ago aimed at getting all of the PBX systems converted. But not everyone got the word. "What we did not know was how well that message had sunk in and how many PBX owners made the equipment change and how many waited until the last minute, didn make the change until they absolutely SOLID WASTE Trash Collection had to," Seese-Bieda said. li Tucson's water high in radiation, study says I R.Kit ii I ifijl- li s.ftinfcN k- ii --( )r r1 rP ri-flj I- i 11 FREE CONCERT A New Beginning Artists from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Fine Arts and Education Program will present a concert, A New Beginning, at 7:30 p.m. today at the Ilerberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St. Admission is free. College-bound students who will participate include: Monique Barragan, an opera singer from Trevor G.

Browne High School; Elijah Frank, an opera singer from Glendale High School; Danielle Freeman, an opera singer from South Mountain High School; Carl Gales, a pianist from Glendale High School; Patrick House, a percussionist from South Mountain High School; and Josh Wight, a saxophonist from Independence High School. PROPOSALS REQUESTED CDBG Business Assistance The Community and Economic Development Department is seeking proposals for its Community Development Block Grant. From 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, applications will be available in Assembly Room A on the first floor of City Hall, 200 W. Washington St.

Application categories include: microenterprise assistance, business technical assistance, incubator development and commercialindustrial improvements. City staff will assist applicants June 6 to develop their proposals and understand the funding process. For more information call 261-8014. with its figures. The data contained only reported violations of federal standards by community water systems, which doesn't count unique incidents of water-quality problems at sources.

"I think this shows that Arizona has widespread compliance problems in several areas," Driscoll said. McClain called the studies a "political move." Bob Perciapsepe, who heads the 11 EPA's water program, said Thursday that the government lacks access to money set aside for monitoring and Trash in Area 1 1 must be put out by 5:30 a.m. Monday, June 5. For Area 12, trash must be put out by 5:30 a.m. Monday, June 12.

Solid Waste Districts North (City of Phoenix) 261-8564 Waste Management of Phoenix-Residential 492-0103 A I TS HP Central VTeu Oniral Kjsi 261-8563 261-8565 -I INPHNSI Hi Kl 1H" 'I AS ftp Southwest 261-8561 Southeast 261-8562 enforcing the safety of Americans from page Bl compiled some of the information in the report, said he understood that the radiation in the wells did exceed safe levels. "Otherwise, why would they report it to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)?" he said. Moreover, if the wells have been closed, "that's an example of why we need regulations," Driscoll said. Tucson did not begin testing its i ground water for radiation until recently, Mathews said. He said state officials won't know the extent of the problem until a year's testing is completed in October.

McClain said that, as far as he knew, no good studies have been done on the health risks of radiation in drinking water. Driscoll said there is a lot of disagreement in the scientific community about how much radiation exposure is safe. The report also referred to high radiation levels of some wells in Scottsdale. "Those wells have also been capped and shut down," Mathews said, adding that a lab error incorrectly had reported higher levels of radiation to the EPA than actually existed. The Environmental Working Group analyzed 400,000 federal records for 1993 and 1994 to come up drinking water.

He said $1.3 billion in special funding would be rescinded under a bill passed by Congress last month. President Clinton is expected to veto the much-debated $16.4 billion rescission bill, which would cut current funding from several programs. The studies used EPA statistics for 1993-94 to conclude that 53 million Americans drank water that violated EPA safety standards. That compared with 50 million the year before and was an increase of 7.6 million over 1991-92. ram NORTH MOUNTAIN VILLAGE DISTRICTTHREE SANM-01-95 Approximately 28.1 acres located at the northeast corner of 22nd Avenue and Dunlap Avenue.

This request is to change the General Plan designation from Industrial to Residential (15 dwelling 1 units per acre). fl REZONING HEARING Public Hearings will be held in the City Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson Phoenix, on applications to amend the City Zoning Ordinance. article was The Contributing to this Associated Press. Modification OfRezoning Stipulations City of Phoenix Planning Hearing Officer will hold a public tearing in Assembly Room First Floor, 200 W.

What Do You Need To Know To Do Business In Arizona Today? The City Council hearing will be held on Wednesday, June 21, beginning at 6:30 p.m. DISTRICTONE Approximately 227 feet south of the Bell Road centerline on the east side of 31st Avenue. Application 48-95-1 by Donald Cramer, representing Ronald Gawlitta and Pegasus GroupWilliam Schmicker and Dwight Davis. Request to rezone approximately 3.25 acres from C-0 to C-2. Approximately 227 feet south of the Bell Road centerline on the east side of 31st Avenue.

Special Permit 14-95-1 by Donald Cramer, representing Ronald Gawlitta and Pegasus GroupWilliam Schmicker and Dwight Davis. Request for issuance of a special permit to allow mini-storage on approximately 3.25 acres. Existing zoning is C-0. DISTRICTTWO Washington Phoenix, at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, on the following applications: DISTRICTONE Approximately 1220 feet south and 610 feet west of the southwest corner of 31st Ave.

and Dynamite Blvd. Application Off-site 01-95-1 by James Lacy. A request for approval of an orr-site constructed dwelling unit (approximately 2 acres). Existing zoning is S-l. i Southeast corner of Union Hills Drive and 27th Avenue.

Applications 236-85-1, and 195-80-1 by Douglas Hoy representing Security Capital Pacific Trust. A request for modification of stipulations relating to general site plan conformance, landscaping, and access to frontage road (approxi- mately 1 1.72 acres). Existing zoning is Ind. Pk. and C-l.

Southwest corner of Cave Creek Road and Dove Valley Road (extended). Application 76-95-2 by Harold and Edith Pachtman. Request to rezone DISTRICTTWO approximately li acres from VI to K1-1H I'KJJ. 1 ne granting or tnis application will increase the number of dwelling units allowed on this parcel from 23 to 54 units maximum. corner of Greenway Parkway and 64th Street.

Application 321-80-2 by Michael L. Kapanicas representing Superpumper, Inc. A i request for modification of stipulation 12 regarding limiting hours of operation (approximately 10 acres). Existing zoning is C-l. DISTRICTSIX Southwest corner of 44th and Monterosa Streets.

Application 24-85-6 i by David L. Case of Ryley, Carlock Applewhite representing Cascade Properties L.L.C. A request for extension of the conditional zoning time stipulation (approximately 2.21 acres). Existing zoning is C-l. DISTRICTEIGHT Northeast corner of 44th and Taylor Streets.

Application 43-86-8 by Mike Withey of Gammage Burnham representing Opus Southwest Corp. A request for modification of stipulations 5 (general conformance with site plan), 7 (limitation on floor area ratio), and 9 (setback from 44th Street) (approximately 12. 1 acres). Existing zoning is C-2 MR. DISTRICTFOUR Northeast corner of 19th Avenue and Earll Drive.

Application 53-95-4 by Beus, Gilbert Morrill representing Jinki L.C. Request to rezone approximately 2.52 acres from R-4A to C-l. DISTRICTEIGHT Approximately 375 feet south of Southern Avenue centerline and approximately 105 feet east of 30th Street centerline. Special Permit 16-95-8 by Larry S. Lazarus of Lazarus Associates representing KTVW Channel 33.

Request for issuance of a special permit to allow a receiving antenna for existing television station KTVW Channel 33 on approximately 0.07 acre. Existing zoning is S-l. City Of Phoenix General Plan Amendment Application Public Hearing will be held on application to amend the General Plan for Phoenix: 1985-2000. Wednesday, June 21, At the hearings, citizens and interested parties will have an opportunity to be heard. For more information, please call 262-7137.

For ADA information call the Theresa Damiani, Planning Department, at S262-6368 (voice) or S495-3793 (fax) or City TDD Relay 3534-5500. David E. Richert, Planning Director Frank Fairbanks, City Manager You'll find the answers in the pages of the Arizona Business Gazette. The Arizona Business Gazette is committed to develop and deliver news and information that help you to run your business better. It is more than your business newspaper.

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