Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 17

Coming Tomorrow! Health officials tell how you can prepare for the flu season, which is expected to hit later this month. In NEWS 3L(Sil Green Bay Press-Gazette Comments? Call Executive Metro Editor Barbara Uebelacker. 431-8341 Sunday, October 8, 1995 GSKsODMInfi) ft GSlftaip g)o)0ft(Q)D Steve Hsansh State of mind What's next: Bill heads back to Assembly Steve Hannah is on vacation this week. His column will return Oct 15. David Hutchison, R-Dyckesville, (608)266-5350.

Carol Kelso, R-Green Bay, (608) 266-0485. Alvin Ott, R-Forest Junction, (608)266-5831. AGAINST Frank La see, R-Ledgeview, (608)266-9870. John Ryba, D-Green Bay, (608)2664616. Lorraine Seratti, R-Spread Eagle, (608)266-3780.

William VanderLoop, D-Kaukauna, (608)266-2418 The stadium bill returns to the Assembly Tuesday after the Senate made six amendments to the version Assembly members adopted earlier. The Assembly initially approved the bill 5247. Here's how Assembly members from Northeastern Wisconsin voted on the initial stadium bill and how to contact them to voice your opinion on the issue. FOR John Ainsworth, R-Shawano, (608)266-3097. John Gard, R-Peshtigo, (608) 266-2343.

Mark Green, R-Green Bay, (608)266-5840. Menominee fire chief kills himself Battle will alter political careers MILWAUKEE (AP) State lawmakers who have battled through intense debate over the proposed financing package for a new Milwaukee Brewers stadium say political futures are at stake oyer the issue. But which party and whose careers get hurt at the voting booths are anybody's guess. That's because the stadium plan approved by the state Senate early Friday morning raised issues that cut across partisan and ideological lines. "A lot of people's political careers will be altered," predicted Assembly Democrat Tim Carpenter of Milwaukee after he helped his own house pass the bill a week earlier.

"I would predict people are going to lose their seats over this, regardless of how they voted. Who they are, I don't know," said Sen. Bob Welch, R-Redgranite, who voted against the bilL Take the case of Sen. George Petak, R-Racine. He was an early stadium supporter who turned against the project when his Tommy Thompson and Assembly Speaker David Prosser.

In the Assembly, it passed with 32 GOP votes and 20 Democratic votes, though Republicans complained later they had to personally deliver some of the Democratic votes themselves. It was more difficult in the Senate, Thirteen Republicans and only three Democrats backed the plan. By refusing to deliver more than three votes, Democrats forced more Republicans to vote for the package, including some in competitive seats, such as Petak. But the stadium issue also reflected a certain amount of Democratic disarray. A longstanding leadership fight among Senate Democrats flared up during the debate, and pro- and anti-stadium Democrats found fault with each other afterward.

In retrospect, geography was at least as big a factor as party in the debate. Every state senator from metropolitan Milwaukee voted for the plan except Democrats Gwendolynne Moore and Gary George. Moore and George, the Senate's only African-Americans, represent districts where the stadium project seemed to enjoy far less support than other parts of the city. defied conventional political patterns: liberals and conservatives could be found on both sides of the issue. While partisan rivalries shaped the debate, the project was nevertheless supported by big-name Milwaukee-area Democrats Mayor John Norquist and County Executive Tom Ament and the state's top two Republican leaders: Gov.

own county was included in the taxing district. But Petak then switched to "yes" when his vote was needed for passage. The conservative Petak, up for re-election in three years, is under fire back home. It may be difficult for either party to extract any across-the-board political advantage from the stadium debate and passage of the plan. Lawmakers report their feedback Who-o-o's this interesting creature? JET Downtown post office is limiting night hours By Tom Cioni Press-Gaiette The downtown Green Bay post office is curtailing access to its 24-hour lobby because of inajiigjKjSp' activity.

Signs on the windows of the Downtown Postal Station at. 118 N. Monroe Ave. said the change resulted from "many recent acts of Mary Nigl, post office customer relations coordinator, said the vandalism isn't what people might expect. People have been urinating and defecating in the lobby in the early morning hours, she said.

"It's been happening, and we decided we finally had to do something," Nigl said. The post office didn't point fingers, but- thought the activity might be the result of homeless people unable to find rest I imr IIMi irifrfl ijinf IM'OMfimmarHifhir tfiHi i-mmMl i mr ill 1 1 ifi 1 im I 'il I 1 1 Mill fl New hours New hours for the Downtown Ppstal Station at 118 N. Monroe Ave. will be 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday- Saturday, effective Saturday, Oct. 14. rooms. Nigl also said the post office has had to call police to have sleeping homeless people removed from the lobby. The final blow was when a woman bent down recently to open her postal box, which is low on the wall, and found herself kneeling in urine, Nigl said.

-i 1 1 Fascination: A 4-year-old great horned owl, tended by James Skaleski in the top photo, enchants participants Saturday in Kids Autumn Adventure at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary. In the photo at right, Caitlin, left, and Erin Dolan of Green Bay exchange stares with the owl. The day was sponsored by the Green Bay Thursday Breakfast Optimist Club. Events included finger painting, games, rides and animal programs. Menominee, Fire Chief Robert Falkenberg, jailed last week on a felony stalking charge, committed suicide in his home, police said Saturday.

Falkenberg, 48, was pronounced dead shortly after 6 p.m. Friday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Police Chief Joseph Posephny said. Falkenberg had been freed earlier Friday from Marquette County Jail, where he had been held since Tuesday on a charge of felony aggravated stalking. Falkenberg's arrest was his second on allegations of stalking a former girlfriend, Marquette County Magistrate Cynthia Cope. He was accused of contacting Cope in violation of conditions set after a Sept.

18 arrest on a misdemeanor stalking charge and of a court protection order. Falkenberg also was a member of the Menominee School Board. Superintendent Randy Neelis said Falkenberg told him he planned to resign. Fetus case could restrict abortions WAUKESHA A court ruling that favors government supervision of a fetus may be a step toward restricting rights of women to choose abortion, a Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin official says. The group may seek a role in an appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, said Severa Austin, the organization's president.

The case concerns a 24-year-old Waukesha mother who, while, she, was pregnant last month, was ordered by a Circuit Court judge to enroll in drug therapy or risk confinement to a hospital by deputy sheriffs. -The order by Judge Kathryn Foster was requested by Waukesha County assistant corporation counsel William Domina. He argues the state Children's Code allowed authorities to protect the woman's fetus against her drug habit. The American Civil Liberties Union protested, saying Foster's detention order violated the woman's constitutional rights because she was not under arrest. trial set in crash that killed cyclists Homes and one of its drivers face a December trial on traffic charges in an August accident in which a runaway truck trailer killed two bicyclists.

A trial is scheduled to start Dec. 11 before Clark County Circuit Judge Michael Brennan. The date was set last week after prosecutors and Steenberg lawyers failed to reach an agreement Steenberg and the truck driver, Daniel Oliver, 20, pleaded innocent last month to misdemeanor traffic charges in the Aug. 8 accident that killed Margaret Eichers, 41, of Grafton, and Larry Schmalz, 52, of Cedarburg. Schmak's wife, Linda, 48, was severely injured.

The three were among about 460 people taking part in the "Great Bike Ride Across Wisconsin." Turtle may delay dredging project EAU CLAIRE Residents of the Lake Altoona Protection and Rehabilitation District had plans to partially drain Lake Altoona this fall. But they found out that a rare turtle stood in their way. The turtles' hibernation practices and permit deadlines caused the planned dredging project to be postponed until next year. The Blanding's turtle is listed as threatened by the state. Most of what the Department of Natural Resources knows about the creature comes from the research of Altoona middle school teacher Scott Thiel.

Although Thiel emphasized he has no involvement in the pro posed dredging project, he said state endangered species specialists probably have a legitimate that fall dredging might affect hibernating turtles. "I think it needs to be investigated," he said. "If the water table should drop, it would impact the turtles. Even the wood turtles in late fall are pretty well settled in." Staff and wire service reports it" Currently, postal customers can use the lobby 24 hours a day to purchase stamps from a weigh mail and pick up mail from postal boxes. The new hours 5:30 a.m.

to 6 p.m.'Monday through Saturday take effect Saturday, Oct J4S Local postal officials regret limiting the station's' hours, because they viewed the always-open station as an excellent customer service, Nigl said. But the situation is a threat to public health, she said. Lou O'Malley, an advocate for the homeless, said he was not surprised to learn of the situation arid also thought it could be the result of people living on Green Bay's streets. "What an awful lot of people never think of is when you live on the street, finding a bathroom is almost a full-time job," O'Malley said, The situation is evidence that Green Bay is experiencing the problems of homelessness' people often think are only faced by bigger cities, he said, O'Malley is associated with the Crossroads Justice Center and Shelter, 123 S. Webster which aids women and families.

He said no one knows for sure how many people are homeless in Green Bay, but he estimated the total could be as high as 100. At the downtown postal station Saturday, people were not surprised the post office was shutting the station at night when they learned why. However, few even realized the lobby was open all the The post office is looking for additional 24-hour iT i i'H fr. Press-Gazette photos by Patrick Ferron Experts: More pain relief needed said during the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Cancer Pain Initiative. The organization, of which Dahl is a co-founder, promotes management of cancer pain.

It urges hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions to set standards for responding to pain, she said. Medical colleges emphasize the study of organs and diseases but pain management gets little attention, she said. Untreated pain gets expensive by increasing emergency room visits, length of hospital stays and health complications, she said. Dr. David Weissman, a Milwaukee can cer specialist, said more medical groups are increasingly attentive to cancer pain management and end-of-life The National Cancer Institute has funded cancer pain education for the first time, he said.

"The perception is management of cancer pain has been poorly done and physician-assisted suicide has been a motivating force to do a better job of pain management," Weissman said. Management is affected by fear of addiction to pain-killing medication, which is overexaggerated, Weissman said. LA CROSSE (AP) Patients often get inadequate treatment for pain, increasing medical bills by increasing the length of hospitalization, speakers at a cancer conference said. "Patients can get good pain control in the recovery room and not get it when they are transferred to another room because the care is not coordinated," University of Wisconsin medical school pharmacology professor June Dahl said. The medical profession has known for years that about 60 percent of patents do not receive proper response for pain, Dahl locations on the east side of Green Bay where it can place stamp vending machines, Nigl said.

Some 24-hour access locations for stamp machines there now: Lindy's Market, 2080 University and Sentry Food Store, 1220 S. Webster Ave. -f li -i :4 V. The main post office, 300 Packerland Drive; also has a 24-hour lobby with stamp vending machines. Week in review (R sSS Monfils UlVijJ trial Prosecutors called witnesses and tried to establish a basic timeline for the last hour of Tom Monfils' life, including co-workers confronting him with a tape si Monfils telling police Keith Kutska planned to steal a mill extension Cord.

Here is a summary of key events in the Tom Monfils murder trial last week. Six men are charged with being party to homicide in Monfils' death Nov. 21, 1992, at the James River paper mill. For details on Saturday's court coverage, see Page A-l. Millworker Brian Kellner and his ex-wife, Verna Irish, testified that they, Kutska and his, wife play-acted in a bar last year how co-workers confronted Monfils.

Kutska implicated all six defendants in the confrontation, Kellner said. Lepak said when he heard Monfils was missing, he worried that he would bring a gun to the mill to harm co-workers, but then worried he had killed himself. Callous remarks workers had made didn't mean the mill had a hostile environment, he said. Testimony focused on the search for Monfils in the mill after he was reported missing on the job. Former union president Marlin Charles took the stand briefly, but his lawyer said Charles would invoke his right not to incriminate himself.

Randy Lepak testified that Kutska asked him and Mike Piaskowski to be witnesses when Kutska confronted Monfils with the tape. Lepak said no one threatened Monfils, and Lepak returned to his work station without seeing any violence. Millworkers testified that Kutska and others planned to confront Monfils with the tape but said it was difficult to say, almost three years after Monfils died, when or if they saw some of the defendants in the paper machine area that morning, Randy Lepak is expected to finish tifying Monday. i David Wiener, for-merpaperworkerin prison for killing his brother, is expected to testify he saw Dale Basten and Mike Johnson carrying something heavy, pos- sibly Monfils' body, toward a pulp vat. Monfils' widow, Susan, told about first learning that her husband was missing and then that his beaten body was found dead in a paper pulp vat at the mill.

Autopsy findings show he died of strangulation, due to the rope around his neck, and to breathing in pulp..