The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 1

NFL Scoreboard Atlanta. 30 Tampa Bay 20 Washington 27 San Francisco 20 England 17 Carolina 13 Dallas 23 New York Giants 6 Miami 26 Philadelphia: 15 Jacksonville 17 Indianapoli Cincinnati 23 New Orleans 10 Houston 16 St. Louis is Roundup Inside, complete NFL agate, plus stories on the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers. See Sports, 1-2B. GALVESTON CO Monday October 2, 1995 50 cents Emergency workers remove a victim from an accident on state Highway 3 at 25th Street North in Texas City Sunday afternoon.

Three people were injured and two were killed in the accident. (Photo by Kevin Bartram) Court's cap at issue in prison ued Control of corrections system stirs debate By DAVID A. LIEB Correspondent WASHINGTON There is a battle raging in Texas prisons. It's not about crime. It doesn't involve murderers, rapists, thieves or prison guards.

The battle is about politics, power, pride and semantics. It's about which politician can claim credit for what. Its participants include a U.S. senator, a federal judge and the Texas attorney general. But nobody seems to know what really has been done.

At issue is a court-imposed cap on Texas' prison population and its continued control by a U.S. district judge. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a La Marque native and a moderate Republican, announced legislation last week that could do away with both. But Texas Attorney General Dan Morales, a Democrat, insists he already has done that three years ago.

"There is no issue here," said a Morales spokesman. "I don't know what the senator is talking about." Countered a Hutchison aide: "That's a question of interpretation." The differences have their roots in decades of history. In 1972, convicted robber David Ruiz filed a 30-page handwritten lawsuit protesting run-down, crowded conditions in Texas prisons. It took 13 years and thousands of hours of legal battles before the state, inmates' attorneys and U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice finally agreed on a multimillion-dollar prison reform plan.

See INMATES, 10-A Two killed in collision on Highway 3 By MARK HOLAN The Daily News TEXAS CITY Two Galveston residents were killed in an accident Sunday afternoon on state Highway 3. Police identified the victims as Rose Marie Scotelia of the 5600 block of Teakwood Drive and Dorothy J. Baker of the 2200 block of 37th Street. Baker was 73. Scotelia's age was not avail- TEXAS CITY able.

Police were called to the intersection of 25th Avenue North and state Highway 3 at 4:07 p.m. A two-door serlan driven by Scotelia collided with a sport utility vehicle driven hy Timothy L. McCoy 25, of the 600 block of Cedar Drive in La Marque. McCoys 7-year-old son, Timothy was ejected through the front passenger window, police said. Baker and the boy were taken by helicopter ambulance to a University of Texas Medical Branch hospital.

Baker was pronounced dead at 5:17 p.m., a hospital spokeswoman said. The boy was in serious condition Sunday See ACCIDENT, 10-A Surveying the damage A Galveston firefighter surveys the collapsed roof of mantling a sunken roof at the Family Dollar so the fire the Family Dollar Store in the 5900 block of Broad- can be completely neutralized, a fire official said way Sunday. Heavy equipment today will begin dis- Sunday. (Photo by Kevin Bartram) Official: Further fire risk will end today By MARK HOLAN The Daily News GALVESTON Firefighters extinguished smoldering hot spots three times Sunday, one day after a $5 million shopping center fire. Heavy equipment today will begin dismantling the sunken roof of the Family Dollar store so the fire can be completely neutralized, Fire Chief Willie Wisko said.

He said Fire Department personnel would remain on the scene until then. "Hopefully by (Monday) evening it will be out 100 percent," Wisko said. The bargain store was destroyed during a 90- minute blaze Saturday. Seven other stores at the shopping center in the 5900 block of Broadway sustained damage. Fire flared and inside the store at 3 a.m., 8 a.m.

and shortly after noon Sunday, Wisko said. Fire officials will continue their investigation of the blaze once the roof is removed and they can get inside the store. Weingarten Realty in Houston, which owns the property, will provide the heavy equipment, Wisko said. See FIRE, 10-A Damaged merchandise sits in the rubble of the Family Dollar Store in the 5900 block of Broadway Sunday. The store was destroyed by a fire Saturday.

(Photo by Kevin Bartram) Sheik, militants are found guilty in terrorism trial Abdel-Rahman The Associated Press NEW YORK Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman and nine other militant Muslims were convicted Sunday of conspiring to wage a holy war against the United States with a string of terrorist bombings and assassinations. The federal jury also convicted one defendant, El Sayyid Nosair, of lolling extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane in 1990 as part of the larger conspiracy. The assassination was once described as an isolated attack by a crazed gunman, but prosecutors later called it the opening blow in a "war of urban terrorism." Security was tightened at the nation's airports after the verdict. The jurors, who had deliberated for a week, looked tired as their verdict was read. Most of the defendants looked on sternly, but one smirked and another repeatedly yelled in Arabic, "Allahu Akbar!" or "God is after jurors left the room.

Afadel-Rahman kept his head bowed, as he had throughout the trial while listening to an interpreter through headphones. He tried to comfort his lawyer, Lynne Stewart, as she cried. Lawyers for the defendants said all will appeal. The verdict concluded a nine- month trial that brought more than 200 witnesses and hundreds of exhibits to a heavily guarded Manhattan courthouse patrolled daily by a bomb-sniffing dog. Terrorism fears prompt highest airport security since Gulf War The Associated Press WASHINGTON Airports, across were ordered, into 'the- highest state of 'security since the Persian Gulf War on Sunday as a defense against possible terrorist attacks.

Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena didn't cite any specific threats in issuing the order, saying only, "Based on several current and future events, more security measures are now But an anonymous department official said the increased security measures were related to several sensitive events a group of militant Muslims being found guilty Sunday in a New York terrorism trial, the signing of a Mideast peace treaty last week, the visit this week by Pope John Paul II and the United Nations' 50th anniversary celebration later this month. The stricter airport security measures could include closing off rooftop parking lots, searching cars, towing vehicles left unattended outside terminals, asking for picture identification of suspicious persons, searching baggage and ending non- passenger access to certain airport areas. Isle officials monitor Opal Storm expected to become a hurricane, shift northwest By MARK HOLAN The Daily News GALVESTON The Emergency Operations Center is monitoring a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico that city officials expected to become a hurricane. The center opened Sunday from 1 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

to watch a storm for the second time this year. Officials planned to open the center today at 8 a.m. City Manager Doug Matthews said a decision on how long to keep the center open will depend on the storm's activity. At 7 p.m., the storm was located near 20.7 degrees north latitude, 91.9 degrees west longitude, or about 145 miles west of Merida, Mexico. After remaining nearly stationery during the weekend, it had resumed a drift to the west late Sunday.

GALVESTON Opal stirs Gulf fishing, Page 10-A. Forecasters expect the storm to turn gradually toward the northwest Monday, but are urging caution for interests along the entire Gulf Coast. It is not expected to have any impact locally until Wednesday. The Coast Guard has issued an advisory for all boaters to use caution or remain in port. Officials also kept abreast of a coastal flood watch issued Sunday.

Tides were running 2 to 3 feet above normal, but did not have much noticeable impact on the island, Matthews said. The number for the Emergency Operations Center is 766-2102. Weather Mostly cloudy and breezy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. High in the mid-80s. Northeast wind near 20 mph and gusty.

Tonight, low in the upper 70s. GALVESTON BAY Northeast wind 15 to 25 knots and gusty. Bay waters rough. Scattered showers. Beach water 80 degrees.

See Weather, Page 2-A Inside Medicine Despite hearth concerns raised by lawsuits, scientists stiil can't assure consumers celiular phones are safe. Nation 7-A The allure of Colin Powell to Republi-' cans hungry for a strong candidate has ignited squabbling among party conservatives. 3-A Applause 9-A, 6-B Texas 5-A Jury selection begins today in the trial of the first person to face execution under the 1994 crime law that allows the death penalty for dozens more federal crimes. Classified Comics Crossword Dear Abby Horoscope Movies Obituaries Opinion Passing Parade Scoreboard 6-1 OB 5-B 9-A 9-A 9-A 10-A 4-A 8-A 2-A 2-B Sports TV Listings 1-3B 4-B Crowds turn out for Octoberfest Sunday By MARK HOLAN The Daily News GALVESTON Cindy Schulz isn't likely to fool with the calendar again, especially when it comes time for Octoberfest. The Chamber of Commerce special events director said she was teased about starting the celebration on the last day of September.

"Next year 111 be safe," Schulz said Heavy rain Saturday nearly ruined the weekend celebration. But sunny skies and a strong turnout Sunday gave the event a happy ending. Schulz said about 4,000 people attended the sixth annual Octoberfest at Kempner Park. "We are really pleased, especially with the rainout (Saturday), Schulz said. "All the vendors were happy, arid I'm really pleased they came back and gave it a second chance.".