Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 1

If 9 (x iB Saturday November 22, 1997 500 Mississippi's Newspap Mississippi edition Jackson, Mississippi IireaEHiiDn Steffi fed! Soil sip! prote SCOREBOARD 1 But in August, 6,000 pages of information, restored from the computers, was stolen during a break-in at the corporation's 401 E. Capitol St. office in Jackson, Rosenthal said. Over the past several months, Rosenthal said, computer experts have again been trying to restore those documents from the computers so the information can be provided to a federal grand jury, which subpoenaed the documents. "They thought they had" erased the records.

"For almost three months, that's what we've been pulling off the computers," Rosenthal told The Clarion-Ledger. One witness was recently subpoenaed in connection with the investigation, Rosenthal said. That person, whom Rosenthal would not identify, asserted his constitutional right not to incriminate himself, Rosenthal said. Said Heath Hall, spokesman for Gov. Kirk Fordice: Tm not aware of the investigation The governor's office doesn't have any oversight over Magnolia." said Friday.

Harry Rosenthal, lead attorney for Magnolia Venture Capital Corp. and its parent, Magnolia Capital said the probe involves the FBI, state Ethics Commission and the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review. Rosenthal said employees at Magnolia Venture's offices tried to destroy documents stored on computers last spring. That information was later reconstructed by computer specialists. State officials said to be included in widening venture corporation inquiry By JackWeatherly and Jerry Mitchell Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer A criminal investigation into a state-funded venture capital organization has been broadened to include members of the Legislature, the governor's office and the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, a lawyer I iti'i Tracking teachers for poorest of poor Because of a death in the family, MDECD Executive Director Jimmy Heidel was unavailable to re4 spond to statements about the probe.

Rosenthal refused to name any legislators who might be targets of the investigation. "Sooner or later, the trail is going to lead up to some very high offices," said Dudley Guice, board chairman of Magnolia Venture and its parent, company. "I will not be content until the truth is known," Guice said. "I've See VENTURE, 14A U.N. team to resume inspections in Iraq Search to focus on chemical weapons that may have been hidden The Associated Press BAGHDAD, Iraq Driving past anti-American graffiti and banners, U.N.

arms inspectors re-i turned to Baghdad on Friday, de-l termined to find weapons stocks that Iraq may have hidden during Saddam Hussein's three-week standoff with the United Nations. CLASS 5A Moss Point 26 Bifoxi 7 Madison Central 10 Starkville 0 CLASS 4A Lousiville 28 Aberdeen 16 Clarksdale 46 Lafayette Co. 8 CLASS 3A Magee42 Franklin Co. 12 Senatobia 17 Amory14 CLASS 2 A Ackerman21 LumbertonO Bassfield 10 Jaylorsville 0 CLASS A Durant 36......... 14 Scott Central 14.

MizeO PRIVATE SCHOOLS Simpson 14 CentreviHe 7 Kirk 27..... Carroll 20 Coverage Section NATIONWORLD Septupletmom holds newborn A weary Bobbi McCaugh-ey, mother of newborn septu-plets, makes her first public appearance, and holds one of her babies for the first time.4A The inspectors one wearing a patch of an American flag sewn to his baseball cap flew from Bahrain to Habaniya air base, 75 miles Weapons must be destroyed forever, Clinton says, 5A Brian Albert BroomThe Clarion-Ledger The West Tallahatchie school district's small tax base draws from upkeep of school buildings and of buses, such as the broken-down an impoverished community. Local taxes provides little money for one pictured. Wisely cast net lands Delta educators SPORTS By Cathy Hayden Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer MISSISSIPPI'S TEACHER 6H0RTAGE I interested applicants from Louisiana, east Texas, Arkansas and Florida. In the weeks before school started in August, Barnes even boned up on which apartment complexes in the Mississippi Delta Clarksdale, Greenwood, Seventh in a Series housing units behind West Tallahatchie High in Webb so his teachers will have somewhere to five locally instead of driving 30 miles to work.

Barnes is a one-man teacher recruiting dynamo. Although many of his colleagues talk about "home-growing" Mississippi teachers through such efforts as getting teacher assistants into university education programs, Barnes isn't banking on that. Tm not going to say we need Mississippi-grown teachers," he west of Baghdad. They refused to talk to reporters when they arrived at their Baghdad headquarters in a U.N. motorcade.

The team of 75 arms monitors, including four Americans, intended to resume inspections today, including a search for suspected stockpiles of VX nerve gas and mustard gas. Iraq had barred American weapons inspectors on Oct. 29, saying they were spies serving Washington's aim of prolonging U.N. economic sanctions against Baghdad. Chief weapons inspector Richard Butler, speaking in New York, said the number of Americans on the team had been reduced from six to four as part of a routine rotation not as a concession to the Iraqis.

The inspectors were expected to spend their first days looking for weapons stocks the Iraqis may have hidden during the forced halt in inspections, then try to return to su- pected weapons sites to which Iraqis Z'. had denied access in recent weeks, ii" ft, i SUMNER West Tallahatchie schools Superintendent Reggie Barnes has done almost everything except look under rocks in his quest to find qualified teachers. Over the past three years, he's hired a job placement agency in Memphis to help scout for out-of-state possibilities. He cruised a teacher job fair sponsored by the state Department of Education's Mississippi Teacher Center in Jackson. He wrote and telephoned hot prospects he heard about in Iowa, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and other states.

He drove to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hattiesburg and Memphis on weekends to meet Greenville had openings. "By the time they (new teachers) get here, I know how many apartments are available, how much they'll be, whether they're Inside: Expanding the state teaching force takes "out-of-the-box" thinking. 16A Legislature, communities must give would-be teachers fresh incentives. 16A Editorial. 17A Marshall Ramsey.

17A JSU, Alcorn talk trash Jackson State and Alcorn State players exchanged barbs on the eve of today's Capital City Classic at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Braves hope to prevent the Tigers from advancing to the NCAA Division l-AA playoffs. 1C STATEMETRO Hiss, author loads parad Author Willie Morris will be grand marshal of Jackson's Christmas parade. 1 FORECAST Barnes But he concentrates his search in the Mississippi River Delta Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee. And he has been forced to cast his net wider.

See RECRUIT, 16A one or two bedrooms," he says. "Who else is going to do it?" And he's pushing local authorities to build several multi-family MUW alumnae rally to support Rent Pearl man angry with lenient court system Cloudy with a chance of rain early, the clearing. High near 60. Low in the 30s. if "ivv I IBili severely handicapped children at MUW.

Her stance is based on the popular notion across the country that handicapped children are best educated with Weather details, 2A Rent Rent was at work Friday but would not talk to reporters. Parents of students at the 15-stu-dent Center for Special Children are upset that the College Board Thursday refused to block Rent's plan to close the facility in July. Students would be transferred to Columbus and Lowndes County schools. "If it is working, why stop it?" asked Dr. John Russell III of Columbus, a parent.

"There seems to be a problem if she (Rent) does stay. She is pretty clear in her views." Rent's stand runs counter to the majority view in Columbus to keep the center open, Russell said. College Board members were surprised Rent alluded to resigning. "Fm sure she is feeling at a low ebb. I hope it (resigning) is something Vshe considers and rejects," said, board member Nan Baker of Winona.

"She is doing a wonderful job." Head of alumnae association credits president for recognition By Andy Kanenglser Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Mississippi University for Women supporters were on the phone Friday to encourage President Clyda Rent to stay on the job. Rent "has really brought us national recognition. We don't want to lose her," said Susan Hedges of Indi-anola, president of the MUW Alumnae Association. Hedges phoned Renf office to express support a day after the MUW leader said she and the state College Board need to talk about her future. Rent, 55, has come under fire from Columbus leaders, parents and state officials for advocating closure of the 20-year-old center for INDEX Ann Landers 4D Opinion 17A Business DC People 2A Churches 2D Puzzles 5D.3E Classified 1E Southern Style 1D Comics 4-5D Sports 1C Deaths 2B Spotlight 9A Jack Sunn 4D StateMetro 1B Jumble 5D Stocks Movies 3D TV Grid 6D their nonhandicapped peers.

"I knew this was a really difficult situation. I was not aware it escalated to this level," said Cindy Dunbar of Jackson, a past president of the MUW Alumnae Association. Rent "is an outstanding president and leader. We were very fortunate to have her," Dunbar said. "We'd like her to stay another 10 years," Hedges said.

"She's been under a lot of stress and pressure. There have been a lot of personal attacks," Hedges said. Volume 161 No. 278 Copyright 1997 Man accused of killing Vince Sutton's sister freed for failure to prosecute By Beverly Pettigrew Kraft Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Vince Sutton, 32, of Pearl, says the man accused of killing his sister in a car crash last year was driving with two DUI convictions, and now he's out of jail. Sutton called prosecutors earlier this month to find out what happened to charges against Richard Earl Allen, 41, who was living in Pearl at the time of the Dec.

23 car crash. Sutton's sister was Barbara Sutton, 41, of 137 E. Santa Clair Drive in Jackson. Sutton was told that the Jackson Police Department had yet to send the file to the Hinds County district attorney's office. Hinds County Judge William Barnett on Oct.

17 ordered Allen released from jail for failure to prosecute on charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault, court, records show. Nancy Lee, victim-witness coordinator for the Hinds County district attorney's office, said her office had no re-cord ofhe case when Vince Sutton called to inquire about itNov.3. "It was walked over here by the police department Nov. 12," Lee said. The case is being reviewed for presentation to the Hinds County grand jury that convenes Dec.

8. "Why didn't they take the few extra minutes to finish the report?" Sutton said. "He wasn't supposed to be driving last year," Sutton said. "He had two prior DUIs and no driver's license." Jackson Police Investigator James J. Hannah said Thursday, "If somebody wants to blame someone, blame me.

Tm really sorry it took as long. I don't want to make any excuses." "Hey, look, I dropped the ball. But right now everything is going as scheduled and everything will be before the judge arid handled," Hannah said. Hannah said he had trouble gathering all the witness statements he needed to present the case to a grand jury. He would not specify which witnesses.

"I could have locked people up and made them go before the grand jury and tell what happened. What I did was try to do my job. I thought it was well SeeDULl Affirmative action showdown averted Role playing gone awry? What do Star Wars, Che Guevara and Manuel Noriega have in common? Answer: possibly the Oct. 1 shooting rampage at Pearl High School. Civil rights groups help fund settlement to white teacher to delay court test The Associated Press Black Leadership Forum, an alliance of civil rights groups, came forward to say it would pay 70 percent.

Civil rights leaders feared that pursuing the case could have done more harm than good. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who helped raise some of the money in the settlement, said the case was "riddled with problems." White House spokesman Mike McCurry said the case was an "inappropriate vehicle" for addressing the constitutional issues involved in affirmativ action. I Advocated brace for more chal-lenges, 5A The nation's high court, which has grown increasingly hostile to race-based policies in recent years, had already agreed to hear Sharon Taxman's case, and it was expected to yield a major ruling on affirmative action. But the Piscataway school board voteq5-3 late Thursday to settle with Tuonan for $433,500 after the PISCATAWAY, N.

J. Heading off what could have been a fatal blow to affirmative action from the U.S. Supreme Court, civil rights groups put up the money to settle a reverse-discrimination suit brought by a white teacher who was laid off so ariack colleague could keep her job. 5 0 '40 1 tevXW.