Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 7

LOCALSTATE Elaine Kulhanek Metro Editor 377-1193 Lansing State Journal Tuesday, May. 4, 1993 Page 1B 3 Some Olivet blacks plan own commencement Coyrt upholds life tern odd wife's poison deatilh) JOHN SCHNEIDER Appeal supports 1989 evidence During his trial, a former girlfriend testified that she and Davis continued their relationship after he married on Sept. 24, 1979. At the time, the woman testified, he said he was doing dangerous government work that would earn him about $250,000 and that it would appear after he was married. Davis told police his wife died when she fell off her horse and struck her head on a rock while they, were rid- By GISGIE DA VI LA Lansing State Journal OLIVET A group of Olivet College African-American students said Monday night they will hold separate commencement ceremonies Sunday, an hour before the overall graduation ceremony.

"I think it's a good idea," said Edward Long, a business administration senior. "I think it's great they're allowing themselves an option where they feel more comfortable." For about a year, the campus and community of 1,600 about 30 miles southwest of Lansing have been trying to overcome the infamy of a race riot last April. Racial tensions have been mounting ever since, driving interim President Gretchen Kreuter to hold a press conference last month to answer complaints by black student leaders. About 10 African-American students will be graduating, Long said. Of Olivet's 680 students, about 50 are black.

Olivet spokeswoman Rita Bunton said the college had nof received word of a separate graduation for African American students, although officials had heard of the rumors circulating the campus. "If they choose to have their own commencement, then they have the option to do so," she said. Long said he has not decided if he will attend the African-American ceremonies, as it may conflict with his plans of walking through the college's commencement. Rumors spread last week that a separate ceremony was in the works, he said. But it wasn't until Monday that a date, place and time were set.

"It takes away from the whole graduation," Long said. "I think sometimes things should be left outside the door. But with all of the things that have been going on on campus, I have a lot of respect for them." Although the two ceremonies will conflict, Long said most of the students who will attend the earlier ceremony do not plan on attending both. laxant in her body. The chemical causes suffocation and was thought to be injury was slight and that she had a puncture wound and several bruises.

Standard tests found no sign of a drug, but an Ohio scientist developed a new test that found a fatal level of an animal muscle relaxant in her body. The chemical causes suffocation and was thought to be undetectable. Prosecutors convinced a Hillsdale County Circuit Court jury that Davis injected his wife with the drug, then staged the accident to hide the crime. Davis was convicted Dec. 5, 1989, of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

His appeal attacked the scientific tests used to find the drug in samples taken from his wife's embalmed body. -'Whata blow. What a blow," Davis's attorney, Thomas Bleakley, said Monday. "Without question, this was inferior science, without question." i a Dog ban review Potter Park Zoo in a new round on civil rights The Potter Park Zoo staff fought off a second challenge to its no-dog policy Saturday, but the battle is far from over. Zoo officials are scheduled to meet today with Michigan Department of Civil Rights representatives, who say the zoo's ban on dogs trained to assist handi-cappers may violate the law.

The Detroit Zoo allows assist-dogs. So does the John Ball Park Zoo in Grand Rapids, if the dog owner will let a zoo staff member tag along. The director of the Grand Rapids zoo, John Lewis, estimated that 12-20 as-sist-dogs go through his zoo each year. So far, there hasn't Davis i By JEFF HOLYFIELD Associated Press The scientific evidence that helped convict David Richard Davis of killing his wife had a sound basis, an appeals court ruled Monday in upholding his life sentence. The 3-0 decision by the Michi- gan Court of Appeals marked the latest step in the twisted saga surrounding the July 23, 1980, death of Shannon Mohr Davis.

David Davis, now 48, was arrested in American Samoa on Jan. 6, 1989, after the case was featured on the NBC-TV show, "Unsolved Mysteries." A former girlfriend recognized him on the show and turned him in to authorities, ending his eight years as a fugitive. He left Michigan after insisting his 25-year-old wife died in an accident while horseback riding and trying unsuccessfully to collect on a $220,000 insurance policy. ing on their farm near Pittsford in Hillsdale County. Her parents, Robert and Lucille Mohr of Toledo, Ohio, doubted his version and pressed for an investigation.

Two autopsies found her head injury was slight and that she had a puncture wound and, several bruises. Standard tests found no sign of a drug, but an Ohio scientist developed a new test that found a fatal level of an animal muscle re- 0)2fl been a problem. Lansing Parks Director Eric Reickel maintains, however, that assist-dogs pose a health and safety threat to the IZJmv I xj.M-y HwwwwtfwwWiP' "HSi lliiiiiiii Street poles feature current, coming events By FAITH JOHNSON Lansing State Journal If you drive along Michigan or Capitol avenues, you must have noticed the street pole banners. They announce the 4th annual Michigan Parades Into the 4 Potter Park Reickel animals. People who use the dogs, he said, must leave them outside the gate.

If necessary, the zoo will provide a human escort "I think we already accommodate people," Reickel said Monday. "I don't think there's an issue here." But Civil Rights spokesman Jim Horn told me earlier, "This 21st Century extravaganza May 15. Alongside the banners are flags with stars. They were left over from the presidential debate in October is very definitely a civil rights concern." Kelly Watson of Detroit was visiting friends in Lansing Saturday. She has spastic cerebral WHERE WE LIVE Many hands ready to get parade rolling By JOHN B.

ALBRIGHT Lansing State Journal Some of the fun of Lansing's" mid-May Michigan parade will start a week early at the Delta Township home of Jennifer and Fred Dinkel. In the couple's garage on Saturday, members of Jennifer Dinkel's service social sorority will wrap sheet plastic around columns of chicken wire on a trailer bed to form one of the parade's 25 floats. The fourth annual Michigan Parades Into the 21st Century will step off on East Michigan Avenue at 11:30 a.m. May 15. "Everyone is looking forward to remembering when it was high school homecoming, and you a float for the parade," said Coleen Mee, president-elect of Xi Gamma Theta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phlr: "It should be fun.

The enthusiasm is across the board." Beta Sigma Phi's entry will dis-r play two artificial trees to carry the group's theme of "Together We Grow" in the 2i2-hour procession. In keeping with the parade's 1930s motif, one tree will be leafless to represent the Great Depression. The other will have full foliage to signal the progress and hope of the 1990s and beyond, Mee' said. Jim Desormier of Grand Ledge, husband of sorority member Chris Desormier, will tow the float with his 1948 Ford tractor. Lansing's Zonta Club members will gather Saturday at the DeWitt Township home of Corresponding Secretary Gail Shafer-Crane to put finishing touches on their float a half-size biplane to commemorate aviator Amelia Earhart "This is going to be a great parade," coordinator Duane Vernon said.

"We've got a block-and-a-half of circus units, including five Asian elephants." Fifteen mothers will ride in the. parade, which is coming a week after Mother's Day. See PARADE. Page 3B TOTAL PETROUIUM i 'TO-J TWOTy JS 4j LKiv mi ill in East Lansing. "The flags complement the banners that are already up," said Mary Blood, director of community relations at the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau.

She and her group are in charge of most of the banners around Lansing. The parade banners will remain up until the end of this month, but more banners are on the way. Banners that tell us "Look Again, It's Lansing" will be put up around June 1. "The 'Look Again, It's Lansing' banners remind people that if they are considering coming to Lansing for a convention or if visitors come in, to look again at Lansing. Look again at bringing your meeting or convention to Lansing," Blood said.

After those banners come down, River Festival banners go up. When they come down, banners announcing a Hispanic festival go up, and in October, Silver Bells in the City banners go up. "Banners give a real welcome feeling to the community," Blood said. "They add color to the street and call attention to the event." The Board of Water and Light hangs the banners. They are paid for by sponsors whose names also appear the on them.

"Banners would be prohibitive if one organization tried to pay for them," Blood said. f5 ininiut.Wnnii pw mm ITili( I Lansing State JournalGREG DeRUITER Parade banners line East Michigan Avenue in downtown Lansing. They're changed several times throughout the year. palsy and Horn very little control of her limbs. A golden retriever named Odie pulls Watson's wheelchair and performs other tasks for her.

When Watson tried to take him into the Lansing zoo, she was stopped at the gate. Pam Nelson, a volunteer zoo worker who was involved in the dispute, said it dissipated after Watson decided to retreat. "It all ended peacefully," Nelson said. "I got to attend to a wonderful dog while somebody else took Kelly into the zoo." Sooner or later, however, that won't be good enough. By law, assist-dogs are allowed to accompany their owners everywhere, said Mike Sapp, head of Paws With A Cause, a non-profit group that trains dogs to assist people with various handicaps.

Under the American with Disabilities Act Sapp said, assist-dogs are considered adaptive devices, much like wheelchairs and hearing aids. To ban them from a place of public accommodation, the person keeping them out must prove that their presence would pose a hardship. Notice that the word is prove. Not speculate or theorize. So far, zoo officials appear to be speculating.

Last month, when 12-year-old Lindsey Bean of East Lansing was prohibited from, bringing her hearing-assist dog into the Lansing zoo, Reickel gave two reasons: DThe fear that a domestic animal might pass a disease along to one of the zoo animals. a The fear that a dog seen as a predator to some of the animals might cause anxiety. Although most readers who responded to the first column sided with zoo officials, some disagreed with the policy. Among their arguments: Assist-dogs are better inoculated against disease than most humans. Bin a zoo, predators and prey live cheek-by-jowl.

Surely the antelope can smell the lion next-door. Why would the sight or scent of a dog be more frightening? After being stopped at the gate Saturday, Watson called Paws With A Cause from the zoo and asked for advice. She was advised not to push it. "We rely on funding from service organizations and we don't want confrontations," Sapp said. "We'd rather win through education." What do you think? Call John Schneider at 377-1175.

His column runs daily. U-M to create new center ma 3 Lawmakers plan buscapade More than 19 state lawmakers will be participating in an urban buscapade this afternoon. They will be part of a "whistle-stop" bus tour, traveling from Alumna to lead medical school A Michigan State University alumna will be the first black woman to lead a medical school in the United States. The alumna, Barbara Ross-Lee who's as I ANN ARBOR The University of Michigan and the state are teaming up to bring new research and technology to Michigan. University of Michigan President ON CAMPUS UNDER THE DOME AROUND THE STATE sociate dean for health policy at MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine, will become dean of the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine on Aug.

1. She has been on the MSU faculty for 15 years. She's also a family physician and captain in the U.S. Naval Reserves' medical corps. Lansing to Detroit after the 2 p.m.

House session The trip will stop in Hamtramck, Highland Park and Detroit The lawmakers some who represent rural areas will be met by local officials. "We'll be taking a closer look at who we represent, the people of the state of Michigan, and their needs," said organizer Rep. David Points, D-Highland Park. James J. Duderstadt and Gov.

John Engler announced Monday the creation of a Center for High-Definition Display Technologies at the university's College of Engineering. Research will help improve flat-panel display technology, currently used on lap-top computers and in military and commercial aircraft, according to university officials. What's the talk of your town? Staff writer Sally Trout wants to know. She's writing a new weekly column, Town Square, to focus on what's happening in the communities that surround Lansing. Check it out Tuesdays, starting today, on Page 3B.

Got a tip for her? Call 2 Death notices. Page 2B. On Campus Page2B. Your Voice Counts. Page 2B.

New York stocks. Page 6B. Mutual funds. Page 7B. There were no winning lotto numbers in Saturday's drawings.

The jackpot rose to $12 million. Winning numbers are on Page 2B. For lottery information any time day or night, call 485-7316 and press 3. The East Lansing Arts Chorale presents a free spring concert at 8 p.m. at University Lutheran Church, 1020 S.

Harrison Road, East Lansing. If you have a tip for State Journal readers, call 485-7316 and press 9. Dow Jones average rises 18.91 points to 3,446.46 GM leads rally in automotive stocks, picking up 1 12 to 4238 manufacturing turns sluggish in April longtime store in Mason to close. Business news begins on Page 5B..