The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 1

V. NT CHEMICAL WORLD: Federal agencies often dismiss claims of health problems. Page A3 SP0R Philadeiph. Or winning streak with an 11-6 win. Page Bl 7S AUGUST 18,1997 VoL 155, No.

130 SPORTS: The Houston Comets beat the New York Liberty 70-55 to move into first place in their conference. Page Bl Dietrich recently was hired as Tiki Island's police chief. (Photo by David Doemland) New Tiki Island police chief makes her mark By CAROL CHRISTIAN The Daily News TIKI ISLAND After 12 years as a detective, Police Chief Sue Dietrich, has seen nearly every law-enforcement problem that might arise on an island with about 875 residents. Dietrich was sworn in as chief on July 31 after a two-week break from her previous post with the Alvin Police Department. She had worked in Alvin 15 years, the last 12 as a detective.

Dietrich, 43, also spent three years as a K-9 officer and served on the department's narcotics task force. "She's qualified in about every way, including investigation and community policing," Mayor Ralph Miller said. "She's working to establish more police procedures and community policing here on Tiki Island. Well be seeing a lot of her." The position opened when former Police Chief Roy Moore resigned July 3 to take a job as a deputy with the Galveston County Sue Dietnch has worked in Alvin 15 years, the- last 12 as a detective. A12 the way down (to prison) here in the helicopter, I said to the marshals, 'Just let me out and give me a head A12 Timothy McViegh in a jailhouse interview after being sentenced to death for the Oklahoma City bombing.

If fate ever conspired to make good things happen to good it was at the PGA Championship where Davis Love III finally won his first major title. A new misfortune struck the space station Mir. EXTRA; ft was a real snake in the grass BOU'GEE, Ala. Sure, Loralee Mills' 16-foot, 150-pound Burmese python might have looked scary, but she says her snake was really just a "gentle giant" Her neighbor, Carl Henderson, wasn't taking any chances. He shot the reptile earlier this month after it slithered up near a spot where children like to play.

"That snake could have gotten my kids," he said. Mills has filed a complaint trying to have Henderson arrested on a charge of cruelty to animals for shooting the snake she called Big Momma, but she isn't getting much cooperation from local authorities. "If she has a pet, she needs to make sure it's secure," Sheriff George Hall said. Mills said Henderson didn't have to kill Big Momma. "They didn't call the game warden or animal control.

They just shot her," she said. "I would think they would at least have called us." The Associated Press 17-year-old missing Movement reported in Teamsters, UPS talks A Searchers look along Interstate 45 near Highland Bayou Park on Sunday afternoon as they search for clues in the disappearance of Jessica Lee Cain. Cain's car was found in the area early Sunday. (Photo by Kevin Bertram) Searchers look for clues to teen's disappearance Teen-ager missing Jessica Lee Cain was last seen leaving a Webster restaurant about 1:30 a.m. Sunday after having dinner with friends at their home.

By ALICIA C. SIMMONS The Daily News LA MARQUE Teams of volunteers combed an area near Highland Bayou Park on Sunday, hoping to find clues to the disap- Cafn pearance of a 17-year-old TiM Island teen. Jessica Lee Cain was last seen leaving a Webster restaurant about 1:30 a.m. Sunday after having dinner with Mends at their home. Her tan Ford extended cab truck was later found on the shoulder of1-45 southbound between exits 7 and 8 near Highland Bayou Park.

Her purse still was inside the car. The search continues today See A7 Jessica Lee Cain's truck was found early Sunday. The Daily News-Dave Mathews Talks continued into nightfall Sunday, although Teamsters President Ron Carey took a break for a teieconference to brief local union activists on the status of the meetings. The Associated Press WASHINGTON As President Clinton urged them to "redouble their efforts" to settle the two-weeklong UPS strike, the Teamsters union and the company said "Sunday there wasi movement at- the bargaining table. "Tnis strike is beginning to hurt not only the company its employees and the people who depend on it," Clinton said at the White House moments before leaving on bis slimmer vacation.

"I think they ought to redouble their efforts and settle this strike and they ought to do it today." Labor Secretary Alexis Herman continued to play an active role in keeping both sides at the table before a new work week began. Negotiators spent more than 76 hours in mediation from Thursday through Sunday evening. Talks continued as nightfall approached Sunday, although Teamsters President Ron Carey took a break for a teleconference to brief local union activists on the status of the meetings. He credited the pickets with forcing the company to begin se- See A12 Hennan Students face stricter graduation requirements, tighter discipline A tougher school discipline law allows students to be expelled for misdemeanor drug or alcoho! offenses at school activities. The Associated Press AUSTIN Students bustling back to school this month face new state standards ranging from what courses they've got to take to graduate to what can get them kicked out.

This year's crop of freshmen must take speech and computer courses, plus more social studies or science, before they can get a high school diploma under new rnintnrmm graduation standards. Tbugher school discipline law allows students to be expelled for misdemeanor drug or alcohol offenses at school activities such as having beer at a football game. Another law requires students to attend school until they are 18, rather than the academic year in which they turn 17. At some schools, there are new dress codes for students and even teachers. See A12 First grader Lauren Strubeck, 6, colors during her first week of ciass at White Rock Elementary School in Richardson, on Friday.

(AP) Weather Partly cloudy with isolated mainly afternoon showers. Highs in the upper 90s inland to lower 90s coast. Tonight, clear. Lows in the mid-70s inland to lower 80s coast. GALVESTON BAY Southerly wind 15 knots.

Seas 4 feet. Visibility 2 to 3 nautical miles in and near widely scattered showers. Beach water 89. See Weather, Page A2. Pick of the Day "ABC'S Monday Night Football" 7 p.m.

KTRK. The Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the San Francisco. 49ers in an NFL preseason match. Texas Lottery On the index No one matched all six numbers in Saturday's Lotto Texas drawing: 1-16-27-334444 Wednesday's drawing will be for a jackpot worth an estimated $38 million. Read The Daily News on the World Wide Web at Get the latest headlines and scores, or chat with your neighbors on the Internet! Classified Comics Crossword Movies Obituaries Opinion Sports Television.