Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 1

LASS Tennessee star faces charge of rape, 1 Save your child's Drop-in child care for emergencies, 1 graaes ana your relationship 2 Metro edition Jackson, Mississippi Tuesday September 19, 1995 500 1VW JLTX Hpeffl inc. IS DIMTOTO to mm TO I mill i ,1 Adams Flynt there. What kind of choice are you going to give them? Are you going to tell them to go to Little Rock to go to school? That's not realistic." Fordice did not immediately respond to Tucker, but said after the meeting that he recognizes choice might not work everywhere such as in the Mississippi Delta, which is almost identical to the Arkansas Delta in terms of rural poverty. "Everybody recognizes on the See GOVERNORS, 7A And while Gov. Kirk Fordice seized the opportunity to make a pitch for public-school choice, Arkansas Gov.

Jim Guy Tucker said choice is irrelevant in rural areas, where schools are few and far between. It was one of the few disagreements during a forum on Southern business development. Fordice, a Republican who ends his year as SGA chairman today, touted his PRIME Schools initia- blamed the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union, for what he sees as lack of creativity in public schools. Tucker, a Democrat, did not mention the NEA but said leaders must look beyond "rhetoric" to try to improve public schools. "To talk about choice down in the Delta of southeastern Arkansas is a joke," Tucker said.

"I mean, we have people in poverty. You get very, very little in property taxes down tive, which he says would give parents more control over local schools. He introduced PRIME "Peoples Right to Initiate Model Education" in June as part of his re-election campaign. "I think (the education system) is absolutely stultified by bureaucracy that doesn't seem to me to be interested in doing anything new," Fordice said Monday. And, as he has done frequently since taking office in 1991, Fordice Graduates in South need skills to take hightech jobs, CEO says.

By Emily Wagster Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer BILOXI Public schools must turn out stronger graduates for the South to continue long-term economic growth, business leaders said Monday at the Southern Governors' Association conference. Spinning for a million bucks v. jSr i4 'r jCdi C. jr mm I In fT WAPT fires Flynt, Adams in shakeup News director says moves designed to boost ratings. By Leslie R.

Myers Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Two of Jackson's well-known broadcast journalists were fired Monday from WAPT-Channell6. News anchor Stephanie Bell Flynt and commentator Cal Adams were let go as the No. 3-rated station reorganized its news department. "It was totally my decision," said Bob Noonan, who became news director seven weeks ago. "I was hired to do a job.

There are no sacred cows. "As lousy as this (TV) business can be in what happens to people, the bottom line is you've got to put a more competitive team on the field. "I know we can be No. 2 in the ratings. These changes put us in a position to win." Flynt anchored newscasts at 6 and 10 weeknights.

Adams was commentator and assignments editor. "I'm disappointed," Flynt, 33, said. "I've been here 8V2 years. With Cal and me leaving, there are no native Mis-sissippians on air at WAPT." Since Flynt's WAPT contract expired in March, they have been unable to come to financial terms; so WAPT let her go Monday, Noonan said. "I thought Stephanie Bell did a terrific job here," he added.

Flynt said she hired Jackson attorney Dale Danks oh Monday. Danks said WAPT apparently gave Bell no "justifiable reason" for the firing. "She is definitely contemplating legal action," he said. Adams, 60, said he has held "every position there is to hold in the news department out there." He has been a broadcaster since 1953. "I don't have any comment on that," he said of the firing.

Noonan said he'd promised not to reveal conditions of Adams' exit. Neither denied that Adams was fired. "Cal was a very loyal employee for 17 years, but I think this change will improve our news-gathering efforts," Noonan said. WAPT general manager Stuart Kellogg said, "I stand by him (Noonan) and his decisions" to "shape his team." Flynt's replacement will be Whitney Vann, a morning anchor for WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge. "Prior to that, she was a co-anchor at WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, my former station," Noonan said.

"She has a winning track record." Jennifer Griffin will be the new assignments editor. Her past jobs include reporting for WLBT-Channel 3 in Jackson. "Content has been our biggest problem. She's here to fix it," he said. Both will start in October.

Rick Guy The Clarion-Lodger Jeannie Richardson, 40, of Brandon, lets out a yell after achieving a her to compete for $1 million in the national finals, but the finish did large point total in the Millionaire Maker slot tournament Monday at earn her $750 and covered the $700 she paid for entering the contest Harrah's Casino in Vicksburg. She finished 10th, which did not qualify twice. Story, 1B. Liquor sales may be on Rankin ballot on Nov. 7 Petition could place issue before voters for second time in '90s.

By Arnold Lindsay Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer BRANDON Rankin County supervisors will place a liquor referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot if the names of 2,500 voters presented to the board Monday are verified by the circuit clerk. The petition was presented to supervisors Monday by attorney Lu-cien Bourgeois, who represents those who favor the move to allow sales of liquor within the county. Rankin County residents defeated the issue in November 1992 when 53 percent of citizens voted it down by a 19,510 to 17,190 vote. "I don't see any change from four years ago," said District 5 Supervisor Jack Dennis.

"I feel like Rankin County is a place to raise a family, and I don't think this is in line with those feelings. I don't think liquor is part of the agenda for a family county." But Pearl developerRealtor Albert Moore, who pushed for passage of the referendum in 1992, said residents could stand continued severe economic losses as long as liquor remains illegal inside the rapidly growing county of 87,161 people. As proof, Moore said a convention center proposed for northeast Jackson might have come to Rankin County, had it been able to sell liquor. "This is not an issue of whether liquor's available. Anyone who wants liquor can drive five minutes and buy liquor in (Jackson from) the western part of Rankin County," Moore said.

An opponent of legalized liquor sales plans to rally religious opposition to the referendum. Lorise Creel, director of the Women's Missionary Union Association of Rankin Baptist Association, which has members from 60 Baptist churches throughout the county, said members of the group did not know until contacted Monday about the impending vote. Concerns over how legalized liquor could affect the county's quality of life, are still foremost, Creel said. "I still say we want our streets to be safe to be where we can walk at night Look at Jackson and see how bad it is," Creel said. In November 1991, sales of beer and light wine passed 13,714 to 13,511.

In 1983, liquor was rejected 12,338 to 10,854. "It's definitely not an economic cure all," Dennis said. "At the last liquor drive we had, they were indicating we would never get hotel or motels if we didn't get liquor I think we've already got eight or nine in the county." Jackson's Mtel takes lead in two-way paging Skytel 2-Way launch should put the company 6 to 12 months ahead of its competition. I JJ'l 2r" By Joe M. Dove Clarion-Ledger Business Editor the new industry.

From an invitation-only meeting at the New York City Public Library this morning, Jai Bhagat, vice chairman of Mtel and president of the SkyTel subsidiary, will be demonstrating the Jackson telecommunications company's new products and service for business analysts and the U.S. media. The company is also kicking off a nationwide advertising campaign today, including outlets like USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and CNN. David Freedman, managing director for Bear Stearns Co. in New York, is one analyst who expects to be in attendence at the launch this morning.

"I think that the two-way paging market See PAGER, 7A Mtel is playing its hand today in a $300 million gamble to stake out a significant niche in the emerging two-way paging business. Skytel 2-Way, a product that telecommunications analysts have been anticipating for two years, is the first in an expected series of new services designed to greatly enhance the U.S. paging business, which now has almost 30 million subscribers. And it should put the Jackson company 6 to 12 months ahead of its competition in Brian Albert BroomThe Clarion-Ledger SkyTel President Jai Bhagat demonstrates the company's new two-way pager. States get grand prize in phone scams battle nationwide order to halt a fraudu money back.

Platinum Industries of Montreal, Quebec, also was fined $2,000 under state law. Beginning Dec. 31, Attorney General Mike Moore will be better able to sue fraudulent telemarketers, regardless of where the companies are based. A new rule announced by the Federal Trade Commission in August is enforceable by all 50 state attorney generals. Each one can get a New FTC rule to allow attorneys general to pursue frauds nationwide.

By Hue Ha Clarion-Ledger Business Writer In July, a Canadian telemarketer called Priscilla Pittman of Eupora informing her that she won a brand-new Ford Mustang GTE and a $10,000 gift certificate. All Pittman needed to collect her lent telemarketing operation. In the past, Mississippi regulators could only fine an out-of-state company, but had to hand off the criminal prosecution to the state where the company is based. With the new rule, telemarketers must promptly tell the consumers they call several key pieces of information: The fact they're making a sales See SCAMS, 7A prizes was to send in some money $2,250 to pay shipping and handling costs. "I went and got a cashier's check (for $2,250) and mailed it in," said Pittman, 27, an employee at Red Kap Industries in Mathiston.

Of course, Pittman never got her prizes, but with the help of the state attorney general's office, she got her INDEX SNICKERS THE FORECAST Mostly sunny today with highs near 90. Generally clear tonight with lows in the middle r-i ommmmmmmmmmmmmm: Ul For convenient home delivery of The Clarion-Ledger, call 961-7200 or 1-800-222-8015, Extension 7200 Ann Landers 3D Cryptoquip 3D Opinion Bridge 3D Deaths 2B People 2A Business 5B Horoscope 3D Southern Style 1D Calendar 2D Jack Sunn 4B Sports 1C Classified 5C Jumble 3D State Metro 1B Comics 5D Movies 2D Stocks 6.7B Crosswords 3D News You Can Use 2D TV Tonight 6D THE HEALTHY WHEY They say that yogurt's good for us, I'm skeptical and yet It is the only culture that Some people ever get. Charles Ghigna 60s. Weather, 10A I Volume 159 No. 2 14 4 sections 36 pages 'Copyright 1995.