Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 2B

2B TODAY. Wednesday. March 14. 1 MM kWM il The Space Coast Schools expel 1 00th student TOOAV ttaff Wrtton Ihe Hrevard County Schfjol Roard boos'ted it numlier uf drug expulsions this school year to 100 Hm Wiv mpht. when it exelled 19 more students on drug rel Hed charges The epulsum 19 drug related and one involving nn act violence lame tlespite pxrt! ski for more vi ibje educationil alternatives fur lhse and emotional pleas for leniency One leuryeed 15 year old Johnson Junior High School student Jnim Melbourne one of 14 Johnson students expelled Tuesday, a record number from ii single si hnol apologised to the board for lm inp two cMfeme pills at school and promised slie had lenmed her lesson She pleaded with the school Ixiard to allow her to continue her education in summer school Hoard ineinlx rs discussed briefly Ihe possibili i ty of revising their drug expulsion policy so stu flenis i mil.

I attend summer school, but maintained thai loiisislency in administering the policy this vwir is important Hoard memtiers said school officials are looking into alternative programs for expelled students In other action, the school hoard approved a proosal tint would boost schml luncli prices by about IS 4 mts next year The move would reduce class sizes ktodcrg irti through third grade by using monev the school ordinarily would spend on the school lunch tioi nil to hire additional person The hool hoard also asked that a proposed jrotint vuVle grade ivt raging policy, which school fflcl.rljaiive woikisl on for months, lie revised Hmte morvSN fore it is appruved and implemented Jievt fill Cocob Council approves parking lot loan ih.o.1 yv CihiiuiI meinliers Tuesday ap novMdi gfilpwi loan crucial to ihe success of a tarking tot imprint nunl pi in tiear ocoa Village toomil hiemlieis igreed lo loan the Cocoa Ikmnioun RtVl vi lopment Agi ncy the money, "Jilong wnffh $125UMKonirihution already budgeted The inohev will he used to redesign the parking lot IoiiO Avenue Id iHh ignolia and Oleander jani ts loioi rease irking from 119 to 208 spices find er ftj monu dr miage problf ms oiVf lnt.ui II Smith opposed thi expense, nme (Uih risleveloppnent ajj ncy should stick wiihin ihe $121 tonirilHjIion fnm the city The Umh, taken from housing reh ibititation funds, would prevent ihe cit from met ling other goals, he said nilu cihiiiliI memliers said liecause the mon will lie paid liatk in HI vears, Ihe city would not ive to tut anv housing rehabilitation plans Two file papers to contest House seat 4Miih Jlrevird RMihlnns Pmp Sansum and i hi 'sntle quilifitMl 1usti. us tJind utiles for hi Mise il lHmn k.iih by Hep Tim Deruta i ns int. urn irm legislative iide lo former ii nk iw.cH. Jr and Siefle, furmtr House uiIn lMime offitnl candidates Tuesday af JJ ummin ftr filing ihe necessary papers in Ihe staip si vision of I lit turns office in Tall ihassee, a stfs(iin. nd jylifvmM o)HMied at noon Tuesd ly und ends lUMMt I rid is spttldt eltHtUHis for Ixrth seals are Apnl Mr A ormiarj for ilie House si at ts scheduled fin vr it Ih' lisirn I TJ House seal will Im up fur grabs wIhij IWTHtnv IndialaniH resigns April 9 lo sm thn sciniH it lefi vacant by Maxwell, who vfsififrnJ to ItMCJirne eetutive director of (he slal sroiniumiv college svsiein i School union protests decertification move The luff niaiioiiat Hroiherhtxisl of inters and Allut) 7 ruds, I (x al 1010 has thrown a wrench into movement lo oust the 11 re yard hool system's Wue 4 ollar aiwJ cleru al workers' unon local MHO.

whuh represents about 1,700 Bre J7 vurd scho( einoliAf'S. objected I isl month lo a detert ifirfinn pelilmn srhiHil workers filed in January v.ilh Ihe Public I mployee Kelat ion om mivsion The commission, alter ruling the petition valid mwith, asked anyne who ot)jecled tu a decertify anon vole tocome forward 1 he WorkerV unn, reprevtiied by Joseph Willmms, a Wininr Park atiurney, filed an objec turn eb I oca I MHO i la lined the de emfication petition was mt timely liecause a contract was in effect when it was filed and a new contract was ratified before the petion could le valulaied, Williams said The dcerlificution pennon with mcire than 600 signatures was filed by employees who r'implained aliout th ir union representation at Ihe Iwrgaining lable Workers voted down I wo contract proposals fffire accepting a third contract set (lement in January Lavy seminar examines variety of subjects Workers administrative law, mhiiI Security und consumer protection will be dist ussed at this Wei k's free legal seminars spun sored by the llrevard ounly Itar Association jW (or Laymen" sessions feature local attorneys, judges, aoouniants and Realtors speaking find answering questions Ihe final class for this week will be from 7 10 pin t'liy at Ihe Brevard Community College let lure Auditorium in Mellmurne Correction 1 PccauM el an editor's error, a story in Tufes day's ediuons of TODAY Ultod to mention that Kenneth Michael Buret, and Isaac White had been erraatetTby police on more than 30 felony charges hut that prosecutors were unable to file roost of thnjie rharjme because of inmirfictenl evidence. Hearings on ship fire start today By RICK STANLEY TODAY SMIWrltor Government Investigators this af tetnoon are scheduled to convene what promises to be a lengthy public hearing into the two day fire that damaged the Scandinavian Sea at Port Canaveral last weekend The National Transportation Safety Board tentatively is scheduled to begin hearing testimony at I today at the port's Terminal No 2. Port Canaveral Authority spokeswoman Pennle Smith said The hearing is open to the public and may continue for weeks, safety board spokesman Ira Furman said Tuesday from Washington, "Our main concerns are what started Ihe fire, how It propagated, how prepared the system was to handle it and what could be done In the future to prevent it from happening again," Furman said Onboard the cruise ship Tuesday afternoon, investigators said they thought the fire may have "reflashed" when smoke was spotted coming from below deck, but a Coast Guard "strike team" could find no flames. Ensign Richard Belisle of the Cutter Diligence said "Apparently, it was just smoldering," he said Starting today, federal Investigators will hear testimony from crew members and passengers who were aboard the ship when the fire started Friday night and from authorities who fought the fire, Furman said A final report on the Investigation probably won't be forthcoming for four to six months, Furman said Coast Guard officials are conducting their own Investigation Their three membermember investigative board also Is expected to convene a hearing at the terminal today, with safety board officials present.

The fire which raged inside the cruise ship until being brought under control Sunday afternoon extensively damaged the front third of the vessel. Investigators said It started Friday evening when the ship was five miles offshore i on a gambling and pleasure cruise. The snip, on one of its Sea Escape ''cruise to nowhere" voyages, was carrying 946 passengers and crew members About 90 people most of them firefighters attempting to contain the blaze were treated for smoke inhalation Authorities say they haven't determined the cause of theafire, but officials have speculated it was started by an electrical short Jill DeChello, a spokeswoman for Scandinavian World Cruises the Miami company that operates the cruise ship said the firm will make no statements until Friday, when Insurance adjusters are expected to Issue a damage estimate. She wouldn't say whether the ship can' be salvaged or whether another ship will be brought in. 1 The company won't resume service until at least April 16, she said Unofficial estimates have placed damage "in the millions." Officials were stilt working to tabulate the amount spent fighting the fire.

Smith said "The agencies are still compiling their figures," she said. "They'll submit them lo the Insurance company (for the cruise line) and what they don't pick up, we'll have to absorb Waterfield says Gore admitted murder By ELLIOTT JONES TODAY Stof wrllar ST Pl.TI.RSBURG David Alan Gore's cousin told, a grand jury last year that Gore admitted killing 17 year old Lynn I' lliutt. Assistant State Attorney James Midehs said Tuesday According to Midehs, Frederick Waterfield also charged with the murder told a grand jury In 1983 that Gore telephoned him the afternoon Elliott was shot to death and said, 'Freddie, one tned to get away, had to kill her The Waterfield statement was revealed Tuesday before Circuit Judge LB Vocelle while the 12 member jury was out of the courtroom Slate Attorney Roliert Stone on Tues day decided not to use the statement in Gore's ongoing trial in St Petersburg Gore, 30 is charged with first degree murder, kidnapping lliott and her 14 year old girlfriend, and sexually assaulting the girlfriend Waterfield also is charged with the rriurder of Llhott and kidnapping Ihe two girls along SR AIA in North Indian River County at 2 30 on July 26 Water field trial is scheduled for April in Punta Gorda Vocelle moved the trials because of extensive pretrial publicity. Prosecutors rested their case against Gore Tuesday after jurors heard a tape in which Ihe defendant fold police that he and his cousin picked up Elliott and her friend But Gore did not confess on the tape to killing the girl The tape was the final portion of the state's case, which included testimony from 29 witnesses Afterward, the defense began its presentation In the taped statement. Gore admitted that he and Waterfieldi picked up the two BBlw rr rvflVTr4V 4As ilVH VELMA AND ALVA GORE, SUSPECTS PARENTS, LISTEN TO TAPE in recording, David Gore admitted kidnapping 17 year old girls and that he pulled a gun and forced them tbjide to his parents' house Though he didn't admit to a sexual assault, he admitted chasing Llhott down a dirt road when she tried to escape When asked what happened when he brought her back to the house.

Gore said, "The rest is just history, I guess, you know." Gore's wandering speech was peppered with "you knows" as he discussed a premeditated abduction "We had already had it arranged and everything to, when we found a girl and everything, that we try to, you know, seduce them and get them to the house and everything," the recording said "And, ah. it was already arranged between me and Fred, and we just took them to the house and, ah, they didn't want to go We just, you know, we forced them there at (he house The state claims Elliott was shot to death when she tried to escape. The Judge to rule soon on teacher's firing By IIANNA LEA SKOLNICK TODAY loH Writer The Federal District Court in Orlando is expected to rule this week on whether to dismiss a suit filed by a former I.au Galhe High School teacher fired in 19H0 on charges of immorality and misconduct in Ihe classroom The Brevard County School Board fired l.ocns Fyfe and the stale Board of l.dui:a lion later revoked his teaching certificate Fyfe, in his lawsuit against the two boards, claims the actions were discriminatory An Indian Harbour Beach resident, Fyfe, then an audiovisual specialist at lau Galhe High School, claims the school board would not have fired him if he weren a male, according to aschool spokesperson Fjfe, who is representing himself, could not be reached for comment i. The local and, state1 boards have asked that the case be dismissed, claiming that the statute of limitations has passed, Fyfe did not fol low the proper appeal process and the case does not have mertt District Judge John Reed is expected to decide Thurs day whether Fyfe's discnmi nation suit 'will go to trial A pretrial conference is set for March 29, and the case is on Ihe court docket for April 2 The school board in April 1980 found Fyfe guilty of making advances to female students and teachers, using obscene language and keeping pornographic magazines in his classroom Female students testified at the school board hearing that Fyfe made suggestive remarks at least once a week. Two male students said Fyfe often discussed sex in class Fyfe denied his actions had sexual overtones He and his attorney at the time, Andrew Graham of Melbourne, refused to participate in the hearing, saying they had been denied their right to question the witnesses beforehand In June 1980, Fyfe filed an ethics code violation against thenEau Galhe High Principal Robert Donaldson, whom Fyfe claimed was instrumental in his dismissal Donaldson is now south area school superintendent The Professional Practices Commission, now called Ihe Professional Practices Council under the state Department of Lducanon, revoked Fyfe's certificate lo teach Fyfe worked at Eau Galhe High for about 10 years Admitted molester facing 'house arrest not prison By LAURIN BRACEY TODAY Staff Writer A 71 year old Cocoa man convicted of sexually molesting an 11 year old boy in the neighborhood was sentenced Tuesday to the confines of his stepdaughter's Merrill Island home Irving David Kirsch.

who pleaded guilty last January lo lewd and lascivious behavior, could have faced five years in prison He was sentenced, instead, to two years In the state's "community control program" a form of "house arrest" designed to capture the benefits of both prison and probation Under the terms of his sentence, Kirsch must remain in the 340 Captain Row residence unless he has permission from his community control officer 10 leave. He must contact the officer daily and keep an hourly log of his activities The man also is prohibited from being with young children unless he is accompanied by his community control officer or an assigned adult But to the mother of the boy Kirsch molested, the restrictions placed on Kirsch are not enough "This Is wrong," she said after Tuesday's sentencing, "(Kirsch) is going do it again and he's going to hurt somebody," When Kirsch was released from Brevard County Jail several weeks ago, he was ordered to remain in his stepdaughter's home pending his sentencing But he failed to do so and was returned to jail. Despite Kirsch's poor track record, Brevard i Judge Edward Jackson opted lo send Kirsch back to his stepdaughter's home rather than lo state prison The judge cited Kirsch's "advanced age," his poor health and assurances from Kirsch's family that he can be controlled Police, city take dispute to arbitrator By DAVID DICKERSON TODAY foffwrr Cocoa Beach police officers deserve double Ihe pay raise offered by the city, more incen live pay for educational degrees and free dry cleaning for uniforms, police union members told an arbitrator Tuesday, The Police Benevolent Association and city administrators disagreed on seven contractual points before Special Master Wil liam Lambert, who Is expected to issue a non binding recommendation within IS days The police, contract expired Sept. 30 The union and city have been negotiating since summer Union members say they want a 10 percent raise instead of Ihe city's offer of between 2.5 percent and percent. Department heads received 74 percent raises this year.

Members also are asking for half payment for accrued sick leave when they resign and a $1 an hour payment when on "standby" during their off duty hours. They also want up to four weeks of full pay for officers injured and on disability leave, and a work schedule that gives officers five consecutive days off every 28 days. The city has agreed lo none of the requests. Police Chief Bob Wicker said he opposes the suggested work schedule because he doesn't believe it would be as efficient as Ihe five day workweek now used. Personnel Director Jim Smith said because Inflation was low In 1963, the 10 percent raise awarded police last year wax unwarranted.

City officials decided 'to hold pay Increases to 23 percent, with an additional 2J percent awarded employees receiving above satisfactory evaluations, he said. mi aaaaaaRiaaaaaKiflFtl Wednesday Datebook F.Y.I. A skin care class on the use of cosmetics begins it Kiwanis Park today for six weeks, 7 1 m. sponsored by Brevard District II Recreation Department. For details call 251MKS3.

A free demonstration of pastel and colored chalk painting takes place Thursday, 10 30 a m. at the Cocoa Beach Recreation Center on Ramp Road sponsored by Central Brevard Art Association which also holds free workshops every Thursday at 10 a in Ihe centeiv Public meetings Brevard Community College Board of Melbourne Campus lecture auditorium, 4 pm. Cap Canaveral Beautlilcatton Board: City Hall. pm. Cocoa Beach City Commission: City Hall, 5 pm.

Cocoa Planning and Zoning Board: City Council meeting room, 300 Branson 9 15 m. Cocoa Public Library Board of Trustees: Cocoa Library, 7.30 p.m. second girl was found naked In the attic after police surrounded the house and Gore surrendered Mldelis said Stone decided to withhold Waterfield's grand jury statement on the advice of Florida Chief Deputy Attorney General Ray Markey, who specializes in appeals of murder cases. Stone spoke to Markey on Tuesday Stone wanted to use the "put in context" trial testimony that on the same afternoon Gore allegedly called Waterfield, Waterfield reportedly said if 'David got him into trouble, he w'ojild kill him That statement came from a man who was at Waterfield's automobile repair shop about one hour after the shooting The man. Gore's and Waterfield's first cousin.

George E. Stokes told jurors that Waterfield was "sweaty" and said he had been working on a transmission all afternoon About five dr 10 minutes earlier' a' sheriff's officer found the gate to Water field's business closed and no one around, according to trial testimony Gore's assistant public defenders con tend that Waterfield "lies" "He is the person who shot Lynn Elliott," said Assistant Public Defender James Long Elliott's father, Cart Elliott, has been sitting through the trial and said hebe lieves Gore shot his daughter. "Lynn went through a living hell just before she was murdered I wish, some way, I could have been there to help her Carl Elliott viewed his daughter's body and saw the fatal bullet wounds her head "We still think that she will just come walking back through the door. She meant so much to us He has someone helping fill in al his one man television repair business so he can attend the trial. "This Is a risk that I guess I'm willing to take," Jackson said of Kirsch's placement In the commu nity control program "The easiest thing (Kirsch's relatives) could have done would be to say, 'put Pop in and sweep it under the rug But the family is trying address the problem and this Is an endeavor that takes a lot of courage," he said.

Tuesday's sentencing was Ihe last link in a five month chain of events that began last November when Kirsch was arrested by Cocoa police Jjn charges of lewd and lascivious' assault) According to police, Kirsch was suspected 3f luring four or five neighborhood boys to his aptjv ment in September and October. Police said he offered the children money stjp gifts in exchange for sex. After his arrest, Kirsch was released on his ogn recognizance from Brevard County Jail. But two months later based on the saQe allegations he was indicted by a Brevard Couigy grand jury on charges of sexual battery a capital felony carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A week later, Brevard County prosecutSrs agreed to let Kirsch plead guilty td the reduced charges of lewd and lascivious behavior According to Assistant State Attorney Howoat Swerbilow, prosecutors decided against taking (Be case to trial because of conflicting testimony ajfi' the youngsters' reluctance to take the stand "The kids knew and loved (Kirsch)," the moth er of one of the victims said after Tuesdays hearing "They called him "You just never know.

You have to suspect everybody. And that's a hell of a way to live," CHIEF BOB WICKER against schedule chanjrt Gateway Center Authority: 505 Palm Ave Room TltusvUle.Sra. 5 Melbourne Beach Town Commission: commuiffi' center, 7 pro. 13 Malabar Citizen CommJttM: Town HalL 7.30 rnr rain Bay Code Enforcement Board: Council CbfX ben, 1pm, SaleUluj Beach Library Board: library, 7.30 pm. Tltuavlile Flaming and Zoning Conmlasloni Administration Btujdiiuj, aJ.