St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 10

1 i' 36 JAN2 91333 B2 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH METRO THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1998 http: www.stlnet.com ST. LOUIS Teen is convicted of 1996 killing at Sumner Iligh Kembert Thomas, 17, was convicted of second-degree murder Wednesday in the 1996 shooting of a fellow student during a fight in a hallway of Sumner High School. A St Louis Circuit Court jury deliberated two hours before returning its verdict The prosecution had asked jurors to convict Thomas of first-degree Winter warmth yum" I -L-J murder out naa not sougnt tne death penalty. Thomas, formerly of the 5100 block of Maffitt Avenue, had been accused of fatally shooting Lamon Jones, 17, of the 4200 block of Margaretta Avenue, on Oct.

31, 1996. Police said Thomas had brought a pistol into the school through a side door so he could avoid the metal detector at the main entrance. Thomas testified that the pistol I 1. Vlf I 1 Thomas 'Road rage' leads to crash, arrest, police say: by Bill Bryan Of the Post-Dispatch A man, 20, is accused of ram-ming another car in a fit of "road rage" on Interstate 55 at Gravois Avenue on Wednesday afternoon, St. Louis police said.

I The suspect, who was driving with a suspended license, was captured by an FBI agent as he tried to run away. He was booked on suspicion of four counts of first-degree assault there were four occupants of the car that was struck. Warrants were being sought Wednesday night. The suspect also will be charged with reckless driving and driving with a suspended license. No one was injured in the incident, which happened on southbound 1-55 about 12:15 p.m.

Police gave this account: The suspect apparently was cut off by a motorist, a woman, 44, who was turning at 14th Street and Lafayette Avenue. When both cars were stopped in traffic, at 18th Street and Lafayette, the suspect got out of his car, walked up to the other car, threw a beer bottle against it and cursed the occupants. The victim then drove south on 1-55 and was followed by the suspect, who had two friends with him. Near the Gravois overpass, the suspect's car struck the victim's car on the passenger side. That caused the suspect to lose control of his vehicle, which struck an overpass pillar.

The suspect and his friends ran off. An FBI agent who had witnessed the incident was talking to another FBI agent who was in the area. The second FBI agent arrested the suspect. The suspect's friends were not arrested. 1 discharged accidentally when someone else bumped into him during the scuffle.

The jury assessed sentences of life in prison with possibility of parole for second-degree murder and 30 years for armed criminal action. Circuit Judge Julian Bush set sentencing for March 13. Thomas remains in jail. Sam Uone POST-DISPATCH Nicole Boardman of St. Charles soaks up literature and some sunshine in Blanchette Park before going to class at Lindenwood College.

Wednesday's high was 65 degrees. ST. LOUIS REGION East-West Gateway will study urban growth The East-West Gateway Coordinating Council agreed on Wednesday to study urban growth issues for a year and tentatively approved five principles for considering the issue. Les Sterman, the council's executive director, said it would sponsor a regional conference on the issue, probably late this year, and conduct smaller local meetings. The five principles are that: Healthy, sustainable growth can take place in all areas of the region.

Orderly growth can best be achieved by coordinating efforts of cities and counties. Local elected officials have primary responsibility for dealing with urban growth problems and should be the leaders in dealing with them. All parts of the region should be involved in the discussion. Decisions about growth should "consider all costs and benefits direct and indirect, short- and long-term." ST. LOUIS Cemetery deer letters are due by Feb.

11 People who want to respond in writing to proposals on what to do with the deer herd at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery have until Feb. 11 to submit their letters. They should write to: Jefferson Barracks Environmental Assessment, USDA-APHIS-WS, 2407 Industrial Drive, Columbia, 65202-1862. Federal officials say they will probably make a decision in March on how to handle the growing deer herd. Officials have proposed culling the herd by using police sharpshooters or trapping the deer and euthanizing them.

Copies' of a federal environmental assessment on the deer can be obtained by calling the cemetery at 260-8720. CLAYTON Parking for jurors may become reality For the third time, St. Louis the gift recipient, stating that the money has been given to the organization's food pantry to buy milk, fresh fruit, juice and other foods children need to stay healthy. More than half of those helped by the pantry are children, noted director Glenn Koenen. ST.

LOUIS COUNTY Boundary Commission gets new member St Louis County Executive George R. "Buzz" Westfall declined to give a second term on the county Boundary Commission to Ed Bruer, one of the commission's original members. Instead, Westfall appointed Patricia Merritt, office manager for the law firm of County Councilman Greg Quinn, R-Ballwin. Merritt fills a seat reserved for a resident of the unincorporated part of the 7th County Council District. Under state law, Westfall must select the member from two people nominated by Quinn, the district's councilman.

County officials hope they have lined up a place in Clayton where jurors can park free. Two previous plans for providing free parking for jurors fell through. But on Tuesday, county officials asked the County Council to authorize a contract to obtain 150 juror parking spaces at the parking garage at 7777 Bonhomme The county would pay $4 per space a day to Sterling Properties, managing agent for the owners of the parking garage, and to St. Louis Parking which operates the facility. Most jurors must now find and pay for their own parking.

ST. LOUIS REGION Walk will benefit March of Dimes Some 150 team captains and corporate CEOs got together Tuesday for a leadership Juncheon at the' Hyatt Regency Hotel to plan the St. Louis WalkAmerica '98 benefiting The March of Dimes and its mission of investing in research and education to prevent infant mortality and birth defects, which kill about 40,000 babies each year. Organizers are enlisting local companies as sponsors and up to 10,000 walkers for the nine planned walks on Saturday, April 25, in the downtown area; in west St. Louis County; at sites in St.

Charles, Frank-' lin and Jefferson counties; and in Alton, Belleville and Edwardsville in the Metro East area. A special Starlight Stroll fund-raiser in Forest Park is set for April 30. ST. LOUIS COUNTY Valentine candy alternative is offered The Circle of Concern, a nonprofit agency serving the poor and working poor in west St. Louis County, is offering a healthier alternative to high-calorie, high-priced gifts of candy for Valentine's Day.

For a $10 donation, the Circle will mail a special card to VELPACITY Police shut down day-care operation Police shut down an illegal day-care operation Tuesday and cited the woman for running the business out of her home without a license. Police chief John Wells said Deborah A. Bowens, 44, of the 6900 block of Claremore Drive, had set up a large room in her home to serve as a day-care area and was caring for nine children ranging in age from two months to 7 years. Police learned of the business when they responded to an emergency call from Bowens' 14-year-old granddaughter, who was watching the children while Bowen went to the grocery store. Wells said one of the children got sick and the teen-ager thought it might be poisoning.

The child was fine, but police decided to shut down Bow-ens' business and send the children home with their parents. Bowens, who was charged with operating a business without a license, will have to pass a health department inspection and receive a city business license before she can reopen. JENNINGS Reward is set up for information in killing The family of a man who was found dead in his car on a grocery store parking lot is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of his killer. Richard Spears, 61, was found dead on Jan. 12, six days after he disappeared from his son's home in Jennings.

Spears, of Country Club Hills, was last seen with his son's friend, Tommy Calvin Coffer. Police in Jennings want to question Coffer, who also has not been seen since Jan. 6. Coffer has not been officially listed as a suspect. Spears died of head and neck injuries.

Police still aren't sure of a motive, but family members said Spears won a $1,000 jackpot about a week before his disappearance, and they believe it could have made him a target for a robbery. Anyone with information can call the Jennings Police Department at 385-4672. ST. LOUIS Two men are charged in fatal shooting Two men have been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Dale Wishard, 34, on Jan. 18.

Wi-shard was shot in his pickup at Lafayette Avenue and Lawrence Street. Leon Clark, 23, of the 3900 block of Lafayette, was arrested and charged Monday with first-degree murder. Ernest Martin, 23, of the 3200 block of Alfred Avenue, was arrested and charged Tuesday with second-degree murder. Homicide detectives said the killing resulted from a drug deal that had gone bad. MARTHASVILLE Man in truck committed suicide, police say A man found in a burning truck near Marthasville on Monday apparently committed suicide, police said.

An autopsy revealed that the man had a gunshot wound to the head, which appeared to be self-inflicted. He has been positively identified, but police are waiting to release his name pending notification of the family. 2 Marines are killed in Fort Wood accident The associated Press FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -A five-ton truck crashed, overturned and caught fire during night training exercises, killing the two Marines inside. Pfc.

Brenda L. Frederick of Ole-an, N.Y., and Pvt. Michael P. Harrington of North Bend, died in the crash Tuesday, fort officials said. Frederick and Harrington were motor vehicle operator students assigned to the Marine Corps Detachment and were conducting joint training with the 58th Transportation Battalion.

They were participating in night convoy training on an unpaved road near the fort's airfield when the truck overturned and caught fire. The cause of the accident was under investigation. Scouting Scouting plays big role in St. Louis Continued from Page Bl Community tendance is up. Students are well-behaved.

They take pride in one another and the school. 'It's really an extension of the entire education process," Morgan said. Boy Scout District Director Bruce Veach says Scouts who are part of in-school programs advance at a higher rate than Scouts in a regular troop, because the audience is the same and is captive every week. For the children of East St. Louis, where test scores are low and where parents keep them close to home in the evenings, this continuity is vital.

"What you have in the city of East St. Louis is a city that's on its way back," Veach said. "We're playing a major role in that because we're helping a generation of good citizens, and some are right in the class wise afford such amenities: The United Way, the East St. Louis Community Fund and other groups help pay for supplies, badge sashes, and Scout guide books. At Miles Davis Elementary, leaders with the Okaw Valley Boy Scout Council and the River Bluffs Girl Scout Council show groups how to fold a flag, how to sing and make chattering noises to "The Beaver Song" and how to earn merit badges on safety or fine arts.

They have worked with these students every week since 1986, a year after the program began at another school in District 189. Principal Darlene Morgan sees the time in Scouts as maybe even more valuable than an hour spent in gym class or in an art lesson. On Mondays, at room. Though nine elementary schools in East St Louis take part in the program, lack of funding leaves three more on the waiting list. That worries Mary Griggs, executive director of the River Bluffs Girl Scout Council.

Though East St. Louis has 17 traditional Girl Scout troops, parents and administrators are pushing for more in-school programs once they see the benefits. "They talk about the Girl Scout promise and the Boy Scout law," she says. "And many times these kids are better able to exp'ain what that means than regular Scouts. You do hear kids saying in the classroom, That's not being a good Normally, you wouldn't see things like that." Tax help Free tax preparation assistance for middle- and low-income older residents is available from the American Association of Retired Persons.

Call (314) 966-1647. Coffee Break Coffee Break is a newsletter of humor, games, tips and trivia to help relieve the stress of your workload. It's fresh every weekday on POSTfax at (314) 865-8585. Today's issue is document 4129. Scouting activities for about an hour every week in their classrooms.

Participation is about 99 percent Nobody has to car pool after school, and more students get to join in. They go on one field trip a year, to places like the St. Louis Black Repertory Company and Camp Torqua in Edwardsville. They earn merit badges, sing siUy songs and learn about being good citizens. And they don't have to worry if their families couldn't other Personal Injury Advice 7011 Medical Malpractice Auto Accidents Defective Products Choosing a Lawyer, and more ew3 mat's ml Looking for a quick, easy and nutritious recipe? Visit the Recipe File, POSTnet's online recipe exchange, where readers can share delicious dishes.

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