St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 1

I Billikens' comeback bid fails as Memphis beats SLU 92-89, Dl Vol. 121, No. 50 1999 Friday, February 19, 1999 6 50 ru si Warming up for baseball issoun may list sex offenders KiMtoA WHShh Starbucks, Big Mac team up for charity Coffee firm CEO, slugger become friends; company will start literacy program on internet Such postings on Web can create hysteria, ACLU official says Mi? II 9 1 -c fl i i Seattle post-intelligencer SEATTLE You wouldn't be reading this story right now if Mark McGwire wasn't virtually addicted to Starbucks coffee. McGwire's been drinking it for 10 years. He even persuaded his team, the Cardinals, to serve the coffee in the clubhouse, allowing him to down it in the dugout all season long.

McGwire's spokesman, who's paid to know about his client, cant explain what the attraction is. But it the reason why every time McGwire hits a home run next season, Seattle-based Starbucks will donate $5,000 to a literacy organization in the city where the home run was launched. I -zy xs -v -v McGwire BYPAULHAMPEL Of the Post-Dispatch Is your new neighbor a registered sex offender? Two area legislators think you ought to be able to find out by clicking on the Internet. Reps. Brian May, D-St.

Louis, and Bill Luetkenhaus, D-Josephville, want Missouri to follow the example of Kansas and 11 other states that have placed names, addresses and, in some cases, photographs of registered sex offenders on the Internet. "We access everything else over the Internet albums and books," Luetkenhaus said Thursday. "We ought to be able to access files that protect our children." He and May have introduced bills that would make it happen. In Illinois, Rep. Mary K.

O'Brien, D-Coal City, has proposed a similar bill. The Chicago police department has already started posting on the Internet information about sex offenders that includes photographs of felons. A federal law enacted in 1996 required all states to register sex offenders and make information about them available to the public. But Luetkenhaus said Missouri's current system is inconvenient for parents. "You've got to take a day off work, or arrange for day care, to go to the county courthouse and go through their files," he said.

It's such a hassle that few are taking advantage of the opportunity, he said. Luetkenhaus believes sex offenders are tireless predators who move frequently. Parents need the speedy Internet to keep up with their whereabouts. Luetkenhaus said he wants Missouri to develop an Internet site like one the Kansas Bureau of Investigation set up almost two years ago. The Kansas site includes sex offender names, last known addresses, offenses for which they were convicted and color mug shots.

Searches may be conducted by name, city, county or ZIP code. "Getting that information used to be a cumbersome situation," said Mary Ann Howerton, manager of the Kansas Crime Data Information Center in Topeka. She said the new system reduces the burden on the public and on sheriffs' deputies, See Offenders, PageAlO James A. FlNLEV THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The St. Louis Cardinals are back in full swing.

Mike Stefanski, a reserve catcher, takes a close look at his bat Thursday at the Cardinals' training camp in Jupiter, Fla. Pitchers and catchers begin their first workouts today, as the team prepares for opening day on April 5 at Busch Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers. Last year, McGwire homered 70 times, setting a Major League record. Starbucks promised Thursday that whatever the number this year, it will donate at least $250,000 to literacy causes under a program that it has formed with McGwire: "Out of the Park Into the Books." That's the equivalent of 50 home runs. But wait a minute let's go back to the beginning of this tale.

Or rather, the near beginning, when after a decade of sipping the coffee, McGwire strolled into a Starbucks store in Santa Monica, Calif, in October and asked whether he could buy a company hat The latte server behind the counter told McGwire that Starbucks didn't sell its hats. But the server said that if McGwire would sign his green apron, he could have the hat off his head, said Jerry Archambeault, McGwire's spokesman. Next thing Starbucks knows, there's McGwire on national television, tossing out the first ball of the final game of the 1998 World Series, a Starbucks cap on his head. You can't buy that kind of publicity. The next day, Howard See Starbucks, Page A10 1 I Local broadcast figure becomes USA Networks president work, the Sci-Fi Channel and Ticketmaster.

He will report to USA Networks Chairman Barry Diller, a former Hollywood studio boss who has been busy building a diversified media and electronic commerce company. Just last week, Diller's company announced a $22 billion deal to acquire Lycos the World Wide Web company. "The execution of our agenda demands leadership, and having Barry Baker take responsibility for our operations will give us the best chance I know of to make the complex parts of this company work to-See Baker, Page A10 BY CHRISTOPHER CAREY Of the Post-Dispatch Barry Baker, the broadcast executive who gave St. Louis the River and the Point, is now responsible for "Baywatch," "Xena, Warrior Princess," and even that cult favorite "Mystery Science Theater 3000." Baker became president and chief operating officer of USA Networks Inc. on Thursday, nine days after he unexpectedly quit as the heir apparent at Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.

Baker will oversee all of the company's operating divisions, which include the USA Network, the Home Shopping Net Lambert Field ranks No. 7 in flight delays for '98 An airline passenger passes the time at Lambert Field on Thursday afternoon by talking on the phone. The FAA ranks Lambert as the nation's eighth-busiest airport. I- ifl-Ok? -fin i The airport's director says the problem demonstrates a pressing need for a new runway needs an additional runway. St.

Louis airport officials got clearance last year to build a parallel runway southwest of the two existing runways and make other airfield improvements. The project, dubbed W-1W, is expected to cost $2.6 billion. Unlike most other major hubs, Lambert can't accommodate simultaneous instrument-flight arrivals when the weather turns See Delays, Page A1S BYKENLEISER Of the Post-Dispatch Bad weather helped land Lambert Field among the top 10 airports for delayed flights last year. Newark International Airport was No. 1 with 31,924 delays last year, and San Francisco International Airport was close behind with 29,409, according to a Federal Aviation Administration report covering takeoffs and tions.

In 1997, Lambert ranked sixth with 15,751 delays. "It's not a surprise," said Airport Director Leonard Griggs. Griggs said the problem demonstrates why the airport landings at SS U.S. airports. Lambert, a major hub and the eighth-busiest airport in the nation, ranked No.

7 in delays with 15,925. That represented about 3.1 percent of its total opera J.B. Forbes POST-DISPATCH IN 0T HER NEWS Weather Jtaa Today: Cloudy, pATTERH snuw pussiuie. High 37. Low 26.

Saturday: Cloudy. High 36. Other weather, Page B8. McNaiy, Flotron compete for Talent's House seat Two of St. Louis County's most prominent Republicans former County Executive Gene McNary and state Sen.

Franc Flotron formally became opponents Thursday for 'Missouri's 2nd District congressional seat On the eve of the statewide GOP gathering today in Springfield, the two join state Sen. Steve Ehlmann, R-St. Charles, who announced his candidacy Sunday. The three, plus two Democrats, are competing to replace Rep. Jim Talent, R-Chesterfield, who is running for governor next year.

i niwnin "mm iimwii iniw iiiMif i i ---J Tax time is taking 3 hours longer than last year If it seems that it's taking more time to do your taxes, you're probably right The Internal Revenue Service reports it takes more than 22 hours for a taxpayer who itemizes deductions and has some investment income to finish this year's required IRS forms. That's three hours more than for last year's forms, which took 19 hours, the IRS said. One area of difficulty is IRS Schedule on which investors must report capital gains or losses from investments. Even small-scale investors must fill out the 54-line form. BUSINESS, PAGE CI Kosovo civilians prepare for possible airstrikes Civilians in Kosovo stocked up on food and international monitors began packing on Thursday, hoping peace will come by a Saturday deadline but fearing NATO airstrikes and retaliatory attacks if it doesn't In the north, Albanian Kosovar guerrillas kept government forces in their rifle sights, anticipating bloodshed across the province.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Thursday in Washington that she warned Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic he would be "hit hard" if NATO attacks. WORLD, PAGE A4 www.postnet.com U.S. fighter jets prepare for action in Kosovo. 0 11 "09 189V 11 9 METRO, PAGE Bl OMtMriai, BS Clanlfied, fl EdHoriali, B6.