The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 8

8A The Pes Moines Register Monday, November 1 1 1 991 Monday Morning Briefing Metro Record Involuntary Commitment' Inmate asks parole unit for reversal Future Up in the Air Big airports to get busy, DOT says Debate focuses on whether Iowa should preserve rural aviation service. By WILLIAM PETROSKI Rbgistkk Staff Writer Man steals equipment from cable TV office A man robbed Heritage Cablevi-sion, 2205 Ingersoll Saturday after being told that the cable television converter box he was trying to exchange was listed as missing some time ago. Des Moines police said a man entered the business about 1:15 p.m. carrying the box. When informed that computer records indicated the box was listed as missing, the man forced his way past the employees and opened a cabinet containing other cable boxes and remote control selectors.

The intruder took one of each and fled the store. A Paul Bonacci One oGosch's abductors? This Week Veterans Day memorial services this morning in Des Moines will be held at 10 a.m. between the Korean and Vietnam war memorials on the state Capitol grounds and at 1 1 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Volunteer programs will be the subject of a seminar from 9 a.m.

until noon today at the Mercy Education Center, Fifth and University avenues. The seminar, "Strategies for Successful Volunteer Pro- grams," is free. Back-to-College Night at Simpson College will be held Tuesday for adults who are considering continued education. There sessions are free and will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at McNeill Hall on the dianola campus and at the college's West Des Moines office, 1200 -35th St.

Local author Sol Davidson will read from his new book, "Wild Jake Hiccup: The History of America's First Frontiersman," at a 7 p.m1 program Tuesday at the downtown Des Moines Public Library, 100' Locust St. A benefit dance for Hospice of Central Iowa will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight Friday at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines. Ad- The Des Moines Symphony, Iowa State University's Festival Chorus and the chorus of the Ames International Orchestra Festival Association will perform at a Thanksgiving celebration at the Des Moines Civic Center at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m.

Sunday. Tickets are $8.25, $14.25, $16.25 and $18.25. Student tickets, $3, will be available the day of the show only, i The Kiwanls Pancake Festival will be held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Tourism Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

The $2.50 cost includes all the pancakes you can eat, sausage, coffee, juice and milk. The International Food Fair, sponsored by the Council for International Understanding, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Admission is $2 for adults, 1 for students and seniors and free for children under 6.

Omaha newspaper's 'all-out 'attack' influenced board's decision, he claims. I By FRANK SANTIAGO RkoistcrStapfWritek I A lawyer for Paul Bonacci, a Nebraska inmate who claims to have aided in the abduction of West Des Moines newspaper carrier Johnny Gosch, has asked the Nebraska Parole Board to reconsider its vote to deny Bonacci parole. John DeCamp of Lincoln said the board's decision Oct 31 denied Bonacci due process and amounted to an involuntary mental-health commitment. DeCamp charged in a letter to the board that it reversed an earlier ruling after the Omaha World-Herald "'had launched an all-out attack" to deny parole. The newspaper was influenced in part, said DeCamp, by a civil suit brought by Bonacci against former World-Herald publisher Harold Andersen and columnist Peter Citron.

The nature of the lawsuit was not disclosed by DeCamp. He said a new hearing should be allowed "to establish that Paul Bonacci is not now nor was he ever a mentally disordered sex offender, sex deviate, requiring involuntary mental-health commitment." DeCamp said Bonacci, 24, has been falsely described by investigators and others as mentally ill. An-pther review would give Bonacci's supporters a chance to explain the multiple personality disorder that he has been diagnosed as having. Parole denial has opened the way for Bonacci to get some kind of in-patient treatment. A spokesman for the parole board said DeCamp and oth- Gunman steals car, robs driver of $200 Christian Downing, 18, of 2905 92nd Urbandale, told Des Moines police he was robbed of $200 cash and his car Saturday night.

Downing said he was buying gasoline at 42nd Street and University Avenue when a man carrying an assault rifle walked up to him, got into his vehicle and told him to drive a nearby location where they picked up a woman. They drove to the Royal Motel, 3718 Douglas Ave. The woman went inside, was gone a "long time," then returned to the vehicle. Downing was forced to drive around the near north side of Des Moines. About nine hours later he was allowed to leave his car near 15th and Center streets.

ers attempted to "bum rush" the board with a plan to have Bonacci cared for by a Lincoln-based church group and a psychiatrist. Bonacci was admitted to the Lincoln Correctional Center June 8 to begin serving a sentence for sexually abusing three boys. He is due to be released in October 1992. He surfaced during an investigation of the recent collapse of the Franklin Community Credit Union in Omaha. Bonacci told of child abusers and satanic cults linked to individuals connected to the credit union.

Nebraska investigators said his claims weren't true. Bonacci was indicted for perjury by a grand jury in Omaha, but the charges were dropped. Bonacci claims to have participated in the Sept. 5, 1982, abduction of Johnny Gosch as he was delivering The Des Moines Sunday Register. In an interview with The Register last month, he said he helped wrestle Gosch, then 12, into a car.

He said the boy was taken to a house in Sioux City where he was held captive several days. Bonacci said he saw Gosch in Colorado four years later, still being held against his will. Noreen Gosch, Johnny's mother, has said Bonacci's account is believable and Iowa authorities should investigate. West Des Moines police and the Going Up Ames, la. The demand for aviation services will intensify at large Iowa airports over the next two decades and will either stabilize or decline at rural airports, according to an Iowa Department of Transportation study.

The study, released last week, says more than half of the state's 113 publicly owned airports are in communities with less than 5,000 people. Spencer is the only town in Iowa with less than 20,000 people that has commercial air service. Since 1970, only seven airports in Iowa have seen population increases in their service areas, the study says. The report forecasts a 15 percent growth in takeoffs and landings at Iowa's airports over the next 20 years, but says most of the growth will involve multi-engine and jet aircraft rather than small, single-engine planes. "As the state's economic base expands and diversifies, changes in the composition of airport facilities and aviation services will need to occur," the report says.

"That is, the types of existing businesses and industries, as well as the kinds of job-generating opportunities being attracted to the state, must be taken into account in assessing current and long-range airport development and air service needs." The report's release sparked a debate this week among several members of the Iowa DOT Commission about the role of aviation in the state's transportation system. DOT Chairman Austin Turner of Corning said he is concerned that small airports in Iowa be provided an opportunity to survive as a tool to attract new industry. His top priority is aviation safety, he said. But Commissioner Shelda Beener of Waterloo warned that Iowa must look at its overall transportation system. For example, she said she has a problem with spending money on a four-lane highway that will permit Waverly residents to get to the Waterloo airport as fast as she can, while still investing money in the Waverly airport.

Commissioner Catherine Dunn of Dubuque agreed with Beener. "I understand your concerns for rural areas," Dunn told Turner. "But we can't be everything to everybody." Police hunt gunman who robbed food store Des Moines police Sunday were continuing their search for the gunman who robbed the Hy-Vee Food Store at 1111 S.E. Army Post Road Saturday. About $1,000 and some lottery tickets were taken in the holdup, according to a police report.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation previously said they had no plans to interview Bonacci, but West Des Moines Police Lt. Garry Scott said a decision could be made this week whether to interview Bonacci. Yo Drake University's Recreation, Sports Convocation Center, 2601 Forest is expected to be complete by fall 1992. At an estimated cost of $12.5 million, the building will include a arena, five universal courts, racquetball and handball courts, a fitness center, jogging track and weight-training room. Detour Des Moines I Delaware Avenue between First Street and Magazine Road in Ankeny has reopened.

I The First Street bridge over Four Mile Creek in Ankeny, which was closed for most of the summer for repair work, should reopen this week, weather permitting, officials said. 1 72nd Street north of Plum Drive in Urbandale, which was closed for paving under the Interstate Highway 8035 bridge, his reopened. 0r3Des Moines Area vJ Community College A career in the High Tech Robotics Automation field is waiting for you! starting salary $20,000 Call 964-6277 for more information. WE DEUVER FOR TOU. A simple phone call will assure you home delivery of The Des Moines Register.

Call 284-831 1, Of TOLL REE 1-800-532-1573. McPherson establishes Grand View scholarship Des Moines City Councilman Michael McPherson plans to establish a $15,000 scholarship endowment at Grand View College with unspent campaign funds. McPherson, who defeated Karl McLain in last week's 2nd Ward council race, said interest on the money will finance scholarships in honor of his parents, Robert and Helen McPherson. The money will be awarded to graduates of North and East high schools who have a record of community service. They will be encouraged to volunteer on community projects for 20 hours a year.

The first two recipients are to be selected in May 1992 for 1992-93 scholarships. McPherson, who is an adult-education coordinator for the Des Moines school district, Is a North High graduate and attended Grand View. By the Numbers TtwRagMw 1 DES MOINES Metropolitan area value of residential construction in millions of dollars. FOR LESS Highest Quality Products Most Experienced Staff 1 1 $200.0 I $m8 1 $250 200 150 100 50 And Locally Owned COMPARE. r.

COUPON NO LINE PROGRESSIVE "If' SSilmSSSi I Ankeny home suffers heavy damage in nre A fire of unknown origin caused heavy damage to a single-story rural Ankeny home early Friday. The fire at the Robert Conley home at 8030 N.E. 29th St. was reported about 8:30 a.m., Ankeny Fire Chief Tom Strait said. Firefighters got the blaze under control fairly quickly, but not before it caused damage throughout the home.

No injuries were reported. Strait said the cause of the fire is under investigation. A damage estimate was not available. I BIFOCAL LENSES $1 OK 1990 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 SOURCE: F.W. Oodg Division of McGraw-HW Inc.

Reg. JL maq -J r. HZ COUPON -j i TMPn I I TRIFOCAL LENSES $QK I Reg. -J Up to $500 Grants for Poor I 1 LINED I BIFOCAL LENSES Reg. 110.00 Heat bill assistance is likely to run short IllilllBI COUPON touruN r.

i SINGLE VISION I LENSES $QOl Record participation in fall softball leagues Fall softball leagues organized by the Des Moines Park and Recreation Department set records for participation this year. The number of teams has nearly tripled since the debut season in 1989, jumping to 121 teams from 44. About 2,000 players signed up this year. I Reg. COUPON 1 A A Pair By BETSY RUBiKER Register Staff Writer w-v 1 i sou ijear uany vvcai I contacts snn mmsggiff I Pair Reg.

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Jlllllili $400,000 from the federal govern ment. This year, the program is starting with the same amount as last yean $500,000 from the state and $500,000 from Washington. Weidner said demand for the program may be even greater than last year and the fund may dry up again in February. The Halloween storm has created early requests for help, said Weid-: ner: "I can promise you, they've started applying," he said. Last year, 17,619 Iowans 10,382 of whom were younger than 18 benefited from the Besides fighting eviction and paying utility bills, the money also may be used to repair or replace heating equipment as well as to make a deposit on a house or to hook up utilities.

To be eligible, a family must include a child younger than 18 and must meet federal poverty guidelines, which for a family of three is an income not exceeding $11,140. A family also must not have more than $1,000 readily available for use. Applications are available at local Department of Human Services offices. With the first bitter blasts of winter arriving just ahead of the annual start of an emergency program to help poor families pay heating bills, a human services official predicted last week that the program once again will run out of money. Grants through the Emergency Assistance Program, which provides up to $500 to families faced with eviction notices or heating bills they cannot pay, became available Nov.

1, the day after a ferocious winter storm hit Iowa. "We could be looking at an increased need because of cold weather because people will have a harder time meeting their utility bills," said Marvin Weidner, who runs Iowa's economic assistance programs. The 2-year-old program, designed to combat homelessness, ran out of money last year in February but was revived in April after the Iowa Legislature granted an additional $400,000, which was matched with Eviction ordinance hearing set for Tuesday An informal hearing on a proposed Des Moines ordinance intended to make it easier to evict renters who break laws will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the City Council chambers in City Hall, East First and Locust streets. The "specified property crimes" ordinance is intended to fight illegal gambling, prostitution, bootlegging or drug dealing.

It would allow the city to fine the owner $100 to $200 if any of those crimes is allowed, if the owner does not correct the problem after a warning period. The city also could seek a court order forcing the owner to stop the problem. An owner who moved to evict the people involved would not be fined by the city. Landlords have said the proposed ordinance would violate the state's regulations on evictions. Muit present coupon! it time of order.

Most PPO's and insurances honored here. OFFER AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. Coupons not valid with other sales or promotions. See optician for details. Brand Ic prescription limitations may apply.

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