Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 11

Lansing State Journal Executive City Editor Chaz Osburn 377-1286 Communities Room to read boosts traffic at new Leslie library. Page 4B 0 John Schneider Saturday November 14, 1998 Ham Laumsiim Local State stta lip Reorganization plan to trim costs shocks WILX employees broadcast, and will take on more reporting responsibilities, Cornelius said. Cornelius said uncertain economic times justify the cuts. "I would much rather be making plans now then reacting to the problem later," Cornelius said. WILX-TV is owned by Bene-dek Broadcasting, which owns 22 stations around the country.

nelius said the changes, including moving some full-time employees to part time, is aimed at cutting costs. "We are looking to be more efficient," Cornelius said. "It is the reality of the business climate." "We are talking about an unpredictable '99 and 2000." By Nov. 30, Cornelius said the station will replace its noon newscast with a CNN news broadcast including a three-minute local update. "We are refocusing our resources," Cornelius said.

In April, a Nielsen ratings report showed WILX's noon newscast trailing competitor WLNS in viewers hip. WLNS for years has led the ratings battle in the Lansing TV news market. The cuts have shocked the staff of more than 80 at WILX, said Cory Cumming, president sitions, Cornelius said. "Right now it's shock and anger," Cumming said. "I believe this is an anti-union move on (Cornelius') part." Cumming would not comment on what actions the union may take.

The morning broadcast will start a half-hour earlier, at 5 a.m. Noon news anchor David Andrews will host the 5 p.m. of UAW Local 2256, which represents station workers. One technical employee was laid off as a result of the noon news cut, Cornelius said. Other changes include cutting six full-time production and other technical positions to part time.

Several other part-timers' hours were cut, Cornelius said. In addition, WILX won't fill at least two open newsroom po By Christine MacDonald Lansing State Journal WILX-TV Friday announced a reorganization that includes dropping its noon newscast. General Manager Chris Cor rOs- i Group helps crime victims and families I I 4 I zf" i 1 1 -J -Y Lansing volunteers already teaming with police officers By Dominika Proctor Lansing State Journal While Lansing Police officers track criminals, a new group of advocates said Friday they will help victims. "There is too much emphasis on the criminals," said Lansing Police Department Officer Ed Bedecs. "We have to focus on the people the criminals hurt." Bedecs, a coordinator for the Victim Advocacy Program, said the 28 volunteers are available 24 hours a day to counsel victims of all types of crimes and their families, who can request the service from an officer.

"When (someone learns that) a loved one is killed, whether its a parent or whoever, that person is at their lowest," Anne Gleason said. The senior victims' advocate for Ingham County Sheriffs Department was one of the driving forces in jump-starting a program in Lansing. For the next year, the advocates will work in teams of three with senior advocates from Ingham County. Advocates fill several roles. They comfort victims in the In style: Okemos High School students Courtney Nicho- las and Matt Krakover, both 17, dance together during 6 Touch of Class5 'technicians' re actually trying to bilk businesses I They're at it again those Con artists trying to reach out and touch all parts of the world.

At your expense. In the past few days I've heard from a handful of busi- oess people asking me about So-called "technicians" tailing to check out phone nes. Believe me the only thing they're trying to check out is our gullibility. A point worth remembering: Private residences are $ot repeat, NOT vulnerable to this particular scam. The targets are businesses, government offices and other places that employ outside Qnes.

"There's no way this can affect households," said spokesman Oriano Pagnucci. It works like this this: The target gets a call from an official-sounding person who (Jaims to be an technician. The imposter says he or she is checking lines and asks xhe target to punch a combination of three keys. Doing so will give the con artist access to the office's Itmg-distance line and unlimited free calls. "It's a scam that's been ground for a while," Pagnucci said.

"Interest has been fueled recently by the Internet." So, how is a person supposed to distinguish between a call from a real telephone technician and a thief? Here's the first clue: technicians would never call customers and ask pr their help in checking lines or for them to get involved in any kind of investigation," Pagnucci said." In other words, the request itself should be enough to trigger an alarm. Pagnucci urged business owners and office managers tb spread the word among their workers. Pets at risk I EAST LANSING Got a mouse problem? Got pets? Then you've got a delicate situation on your hands. The folks at Michigan State University's Small Animal Clinic reported a rash of accidental poisonings the re-slilt of dog and cat owners try-ihg to rid their homes of rodents through the use of poisons that can be bought at any supermarket. In the past week, veterinarians at the clinic treated five pets for acute poisoning.

One dog died. The other four ani-rtjals required intensive and expensive treatment. were accidental poisonings," said vet Patricia O'Handley. "Just people try-ing to get mice and rats out of their houses. People mistak-ehly assume these products are harmful only to mice and but they also pose a risk to family pets and young children." O'Handley said it was an unusual streak even for this time of year, when rodents are most inclined to seek lodging.

She speculated rodents are plentiful this fall because of a "good sum-rfter" for them, with an abundance of nuts, berries and grain. Pet owners should remember, O'Handley said, that the prisons are made to be attrac-twe to mice and rats, which also makes them attractive to pets. The best way to deal with a rodent problem, O'Handley said, is to search out and plug ifp entry routes. i Coats needed Mount Hope Church is looking for good, clean winter coats and related accessories like caps and mittens to distribute to local needy children on Nov. 21.

One of the church's ministers, Terry Dunivon, said the church had a coat distribution recently and the demand exceeded the supply of 5,000 coats. "Many, many kids left without getting the warm coat they badly needed," Dunivon said. i Coats and related items rhay be dropped off at the church at 202 S. Creyts Road anytime before Mon-4ay. For more information, call 321-2780.

What do you think? Call John Schneider at 377-1175, or send a fax. 377-1298. Study finds merit in electric changes the "Touch of Class" formal to raise money for charity. benefits of Class" grew, they decided to expand it to benefit the larger community, Gregg said. Sempliner's Tuxedo World donated 10 black-and-burgun-dy tuxedos for students' and allowed the principal ancT other administrators to rent matching tuxes for $25 apiece.

Sohn Linens donated tablecloths and napkins. Local restaurants and flower 1 Okemos students dress up, collect money to help peers By Mark Mayes Lansing State Journal OKEMOS How's this for school lunch? Chicken cordon bleu, beef Stroganoff, red-skinned potatoes and marble cheesecake, served up to the calming background tones of a live string quartet. The normally casual, kickback atmosphere of the Oke-' mos High School lunch hour took on a sophisticated air Friday as students spiffed up and turned out to benefit charity. About 350 students paid $5 to attend the formal lunch in a school gymnasium that took on a prom-night ambience. A $3 dance followed Friday night, Proceeds expected to total $1,000 to $1,500 will go to Gateway Community Services' Crossroads homeless shelter for teens.

"It's very classy," said Caleb Serving: Okemos High School student Katie Jaaski serves dessertto Brian Benthem during the formal lunch in the school's cafeteria Friday. aftermath of a crime or accident, and console relatives of victims or witnesses of crime. They also help victims or relatives get services such as counseling or funeral arrangements. Gleason's son was killed in a car accident in 1992 by a drunken driver. She said no one was there to help her with the traumatic event.

"I realized there is a great need here," she said. After graduating from a training program this fall, the volunteers have been riding along with police officers and preparing to work with victims. Margot Norris, one of the new advocates, has already stepped into action. She was part of a team that notified a family member of someone's death. "I thought I would be intruding," Norris said.

"I didn't feel that way at all. When I left i knew I had helped." Norris, like many advocates, had a personal experience with a tragedy and wished someone had been there for her. Bedecs said it only takes a caring heart to make a difference in a victim's life. He said officers can begin to rely on the advocates to provide victims with comfort and help them get additional services. Detroit Edison and Jackson-based Consumers Energy Co.

to recover their investments in generating plants and other facilities from customers. But the study, prepared by Standard Poor's DRI in Massachusetts at the behest of the Michigan Chamber Foundation, says the billions utilities have asked for as reimbursement don't take into account how those utilities will benefit from increased competition. Balancing the wins and Please see COMPETITION, 3B elections talk of a move to oust him. Michigan Republican Chairwoman Betsy DeVos is being mentioned by some party members as a potential challenger, and has not ruled out a bid. Engler said last week that Nicholson "is not up to the task" as chairman and that the party should done.better in the Nov.

3 elections. The "national party "keeps taking the bait and getting off message and going down blind alleys," Engler said. The party has suffered since Haley Barbour, Nicholson's predecessor, left the post, Engler said. But Engler's criticism of Nicholson doesn't mean he wants his job. Engler might not even be eligible under current RNC rules.

Those require that the national party chairman be an RNC member or a state party chairman or woman, said Michigan National Committeeman Sharon Wise of Owosso. By Kathy Barks Hoffman Associated Press An independent study predicts that Michigan customers could save 7 percent to 10 percent on their electric bills once electric competition kicks in. But the savings won't be nearly so great if lawmakers stick, with a plan put in place last year by the Michigan Public Service Commission, according to the study released Friday. The MPSC plan allows major utility companies such as ROD SANFORD, Lansing State Journal lunch at the school Friday shelter shops provided gift certificates as door prizes. Grand prize was a limousine ride courtesy of Classic Caddy Limousine Service in Lansing.

More than 30 students mostly seniors volunteered to work as servers and greeters. Students who bought tickets were escorted down a tree-lined aisle to their tables. "It's better than your average 'Put on jeans and a T-shirt' day," Kearney said. "It's more of an upbeat mood." Sophomores Ryan Jordan and Bill Schmidt, both 16, rented matching cream-colored tuxes for the occasion. "We thought if we're going to dress up, we might as well be awesome," Jordan said.

Students selected Crossroads after learning it recently had lost a $75,000 state grant. The Delta Township shelter serves 100 to 125 runaway and Homeless teens a year, spokeswoman Linda Sjolund said. "This is fabulous," she said of the event. "This is an opportunity for young people to help other young people." I leaving the House because of term limits may be interested. Brewer, however, is going ahead with plans to run for another term.

"Scapegoating of anybody in the party is destructive and not what we want at this point. It plays right into Republican hands," he said. Ross: Democrats must broaden appeal to win Engler rejects idea of seeking RNC post I- Probst, 16, a junior decked out in a gray and black tuxedo. "I'm glad to see they spared no expense and went all out except for the plastic silverware. I like this." A pair of seniors Ryan Gregg and Michelle Kearney dreamed up the idea as a way for their graduating class to do something for the entire school.

As the event "Touch ocrats for letting Fieger win the three-way primary by taking away votes that otherwise would have gone to labor favorite Larry Owen. Ross came in third on Aug. 4. Ross isn't sure he would have beaten Republican Gov. John Engler in the general election.

But he said the state House would still be in Democratic hands next year if he had run in the general election. Unlike two years ago, Democrats didn't come out well in the Nov. 3 election. They lost control of the state House, lost their majority on the Michigan Supreme Court, did not repeat their sweep of the state education boards and saw another gubernatorial candidate go down in flames. Ross said the problem is the party doesn't reach out enough to groups beside labor unions, women and minorities.

"The Democratic Party in Michigan now is a labor party. The answer is not throwing labor out. We need those base voters. The answer is building something bigger," he said. Michigan Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer said Ross is welcome to share his ideas, but disagrees with his outlook.

A Party should have addressed suburban concerns, he says By Kathy Barks Hoffman Associated Press Doug Ross didn't win his bid to be Michigan's governor, but neither did the guy who beat him in the Democratic primary Geoffrey Fieger. That's because Fieger did a good job of appealing to regular Democratic voters but didn't appeal to suburban residents and independent voters, Ross said. And until the Michigan Democratic Party learns how to do a better job of reaching out to those voters, it won't win many elections, Ross warned Friday during public television's "Off the Record" program. "If you can't carry the suburbs, if you can't be competitive with independent voters and at the same time hold that traditional base, you won't win," he said. Ross, a former state commerce director and U.S.

Department of Labor official, caught blame from some Dem By Kathy Barks Hoffman Associated Press Gov. John Engler is flattered that some Republicans want him to help head the Republican National Committee. But he's not interested. Engler spokesman John Truscott said Friday that the draft-Engler movement came 'whilethe governor was in Delaware on Thursday teaching newly elected governors the ropes at a National Governors Association "What they were talking about was a co-chairmanship" with current RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson of Colorado, Truscott said. "It didn't come from him (Engler), it came from others looking for new leadership of the party.

While it's very, very flattering, he expressed no interest in it." Nicholson recently said he plans to run for another two-year term in January, despite DALE ATKINSAssociated Press Stumping: Unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Ross (left) talks with a voter in this file photo. "He seems to be saying that our message is focused solely at union members, which is not true," Brewer said. With all the defeats last week, some have said the Democratic Party should look for a new leader. Outgoing state Sen. Jim Berryman of Adrian said he's interested, and several state representatives who are.