Battle Creek Enquirer from Battle Creek, Michigan • Page 2

LOCALSTATE 2A Thursday, Jan. 9, 2003 Battle Creek Enquirer A.M. DIGEST Around our communities To submit an item, call the Metro desk at 966-0674 or 800-333-4139 LOTTERY POLICE AND FIRE REPORT BUSINESS United Airlines' flight attendants consented Wednesday to temporary 9 percent wage cuts aimed at helping United get out of bankruptcy, becoming the fourth of the carrier's five unions to do so. Page 7B NEIGHBORS Dr. David DeMaso, formerly of Battle Creek, received the 2002 David S.

Weiner Award for Leadership and Innovation in Child Health by Children's Hospital Boston. The award was given for his work at the hospital and his commitment to children's health. Page 1C LIFESTYLE Is it too early to start thinking about the 2003 Tony Award nominations? The prizes for the best of the Broadway season won't be given out until June, but there already are some intriguing possibilities about who and what will be eligible. Page 2C brought a soft drink to the counter and then demanded money. The clerk said she didn't see any weapon.

She gave him an undisclosed amount of money before the robber fled. ASSAULT REPORTED: Battle Creek police are investigating a reported sexual assault. A woman in her 20s told police a man rang her doorbell in the 200 block of Ludwig Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. She said that when she opened the door the man molested her and said, "I'm your secret lover," before running away.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Battle Creek police reported: Warrants are being sought for a man, 52, and his roommate, a woman, 41, after they fought in the 200 block of BREAK-INS: (Values in parentheses) West Territorial Road, 1300 block: snow-blower East Avenue South, first block: stereo THEFTS: Shell Oil, 2802 Capital Ave. S.W.: beer East Willard Avenue, first block: car (attempted). Sem-co Gas, 729 Capital Ave. N.Ej gas meter (undetermined). Felpausch Express, 262 W.

Columbia cigarettes Bowen Avenue, 100 block: van North Broad Street, first block: pole Clay and Elm streets: stereo Rite Aid, 30 E. Columbia merchandise VANDALISMS: North Bedford Road, 200 block: window Spring Street about 12:01 ajn. Monday. A warrant is being sought for a man, 38, after his girlfriend, 37, said she was assaulted in the 100 block of West Rittenhouse Avenue about 11:01 p.m. Tuesday.

A woman, 26, was arrested after her boyfriend, 27, said he was assaulted in the 200 block of Beulah Avenue about 240 ajn. Tuesday. A warrant is being sought for a man, 21, after his former girlfriend, 19, said she was assaulted in the 200 block of Carl Terrace about 11:45 P-m. Monday. A warrant is being sought for a man, 55, after his wife, 50, said she was assaulted in the 200 block of Hopkins Street about 1:35 p.m.

Tuesday. INDEX Classified Dear Abby Business Calendar Comics Crossword Health Horoscope Local 8B 4C 6C HOUSE FIRE: A fire that caused extensive damage to a Battle Creek home is being blamed on a child playing with matches. Battle Creek firefighters were called to the home of James E. Winans Jr. and Jeanne Watson at 80 Morgan Ave.

about 11:08 p.m. Tuesday. Investigators said the fire caused heavy damage to a bedroom, attic and kitchen and heat and smoke damage to the rest of the home. Damage was estimated at $50,000. Watson suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns.

ROBBERY: Battle Creek police are searching for a man who robbed the Speedway gas station at 566 W. Columbia Ave. about 5-45 a.m. Tuesday. A clerk said the man came in, COLDWATER Financial Aid Night scheduled for Jan.

16 Financial Aid Night is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 16 in the Coldwater High School cafeteria. The program is designed for parents of juniors and seniors who are planning to attend a college, university or technical school. Financial aid forms for 2003-04 and other information will be presented.

ALBION Parking violation fines increasing The Albion City Council unanimously approved a 50-percent increase in parking fines at Monday's meeting. Parking fines in the city had not been altered in nearly 20 years, and the changes were made to reflect the cost of living increase that occurred in that time. City Manager Mike Herman said the fines still are well below those in neighboring communities. The fines range from $3 for displaying a car with a for-sale sign on it, parking facing traffic, parking outside the allotted SETTING IT STRAIGHT 1 Truck fatalities drop by 16 percent There were 115 fatal truck accidents in Michigan in 2001, a 16 percent drop from the previous year, Michigan State Police said Wednesday. Truck accidents involving 123 large trucks killed 122 people.

The number of fatalities involving large trucks dropped by 15 percent overall between 1991 and 2001, the state police said. The number of fatalities involving all vehicles in Michigan for the same period dropped 7 percent, the department said. Nationally, the number of deaths involving large trucks increased by 5 percent between 1991 and 2001. "While we're pleased that the safety of Michigan's citizens on the highways is improving, any fatality is one too many and we're committed to reducing those numbers even further," said Capt. Robert Powers, commanding officer of the Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Division.

Tribal rulings can be used, court decides Prosecutors can use previous tribal court convictions to support a stronger drunken driving charge, the Michigan Court of WEDNESDAY Midday daily game 6-1-3 Midday 4: 4-9-4-1 Daily game: 1-8-3 Daily 4: 6-7-4-7 RcMwrr. 2-24-25-27-33 KenaL 6. 7. 11.14. 16.

18. 21. 23.24,31 42.51.53,57,59,63. 65,66.69.70.80 Change Play: Y-S-7-3-9-8 B-M-5-6-1-0 B-D-9-6-0-4 Q-Q-3-0-5-2 F-X-5-0-1-9 K-T-3-8-3-0 Michigan Millions: 17-24-26-34-38-42 Wild Bait 32 FRIDAY'S MEGAMIlilONS JACKPOT: $28 million SATURDAY'S MICHIGAN MILLIONS JACKPOT: $25.6 million For previous days' numbers, visit www.michigan.govlottery Lifestyle 2.3.7C Movies NationWorld 5A Neighbors 1.8C Obituaries Opinion 6A Sports State 2-4A Television 2C Weather 8B Or write him at 155 W. Van Buren Battle Creek, MI 49017.

Or e-mail him at NEIGHBORS Stories about the community arts, church, volunteer efforts and good things happening in the community: Neighbors Editor Sonya Bernard-Hollins, 966-0693 or sbernardbattlecr.gannett.com SPORTS Sports Editor Bill Broderick at 966-0678 or bbroderibattlecr.gan-nettcom. Or contact one of the following writers: Golf or bowling news: Will Kowalski, 966-0598 or a Western Michigan University Broncos: Shad Powers, 966-0677 orspowersbattlecr.gan-nett.com Hunting, fishing and outdoors: Tony Hansen, 966-0679 or thansenbattlecr.gannett.com a Michigan Battle Cats: Howie Magner, 966-0679 or ENTERTAINMENT WOW, published every Friday, and FYI, published daily. Dana Carter, 966-0697 or dcarterbattlecr.gan-nett.com. BODY, MIND SPIRIT Our health and fitness magazine appears the last Wednesday of each month. Call Metro Editor Rebecca Buckingham at 966-0674.

Thursday Jan. 9, 2003 Vol. 102. No. 173 Advertising.

Classified 962-3333 or classifiedbattlecr.gannett.com Fax 964-8242 Classified ads may be placed by phone from 8 a.m. to 530 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Walk-in hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mondays through Fridays. Classified is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Questions about your bill Circulation 968-4444 Classified Ads 962-5345 Retail Ads 962-5345 Subscriptions. 968-4444 or 800-333-4139 Call from 530 am. to 5 p.m.

Mondays through Fridays or 7 ajn. to 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Delivery The Enquirer should arrive by 530 am daily and by 7 am Saturdays and Sundays. If you have a missing or damaged newspaper, please caB 968-4444 before 10 am dairy and holidays; 11 am Saturdays and Sundays.

Subscription rates The Battle Creek Enquirer corrects all errors of fact. If you know of an error, call Executive Editor Michael McCulIough at 269-966-0670. HOW TO REACH US NEWS Have a tip or a question? Below is a partial list of newsroom contacts: Battle Creek government neighborhoods: Eric Greene, 966-0687 or egreenerjattlecr.ganriett.com Battle Creek area schools, education: Xochitl Pena, 966-0694 or xpenabattlecr.gannett.com. Calhoun County, EmmettTownship and casino issues: Sean Harder, 966-0692 or sharder battlecr.gannett.com Albion: Christine Iwan, 966-0684 or ciwanbattlecr.gannett.com Marshall: Chris Springsteen, 966-0674 or cspringsbattlecr.gan-nett.com Hearth care issues and Spnrtgfiekt John Vander Meer, 966-0665 or johnvmbattlecr.gannett.com Rural Calhoun County, Quincy, Coldwater and Union City: Assistant Metro Editor Bill Miller. 966-0668 or bmillergannett.com The RichlandGuO Lake area, Hastings and Bellevue: Metro Editor Rebecca Buckingham, 966-0674 or bbuckingbattlecr.gannett.com Business and economic development Jenny Rode, 966-0690 or jrodebattlecr.gannett.com Criminal justice, police and tire: Trace Christenson, 966-0685 or tchristbattlecr.gannett.com For breaking news at night call News Editor Robert Warner.at 966-0696 or space and parking more than 12 inches from the curb to $75 for illegally parking in a handicap space.

All fines double if not paid within five days. STATE Enrollment doubles in savings program The number of Michigan res-idents participating in the state's college savings program more than doubled in 2002, fund officials said Wednesday. Enrollment in the Michigan Education Savings Program surged from 38,040 in 2001 to 85,913 in 2002, said program director Bruce Sheinhaus of TIAA-CREF. Sheinhaus attributed the increase to the introduction of an online enrollment option in 2002. MESP allows people to set aside as little as $25 and up to $235,000 for college tuition.

Single filers can set aside up to $5,000 tax free each year, while joint filers can set aside up to $10,000. The average account size also grew in 2002, from $2,590.32 to $3,320.52. Students can use money in their MESP accounts for qualifying expenses at any college or university. The glitch occurred during a routine update of St. Mary's computer files in October, said Jennifer Cammenga, a spokeswoman for St.

Mary's. One digit was dropped from a computer code that indicates the patient was "discharged to home." Instead, the code indicates patients are "deceased." Cammenga said the problem is being corrected and the hospital is contacting affected patients and their insurance providers. The mistake was discovered by a St Mary's employee who was helping a patient with a billing problem. She noticed that the bill said the patient died, but the patient was standing in front of her, said St. Mary's chief financial officer, Steve Pirog.

Park Junior High School, 201 Crosby Drive. Summit Pointe Recipient Rights Advisory Committee, 11 am, Summit Pointe Boardroom, 140 W. Michigan Ave. Yankee Springs Township Board of Trustees, 7:30 p.m., township hall. A compuiter glitch -Thousands of discharged hospital patients listed as deceased Appeals said in a ruling released Wednesday.

In an unanimous decision, the "appeals court reversed a Isabella County Circuit Court ruling and ordered sentencing of Keeshta Walter Wemigwans for felony drunken driving. According to the appeals court, Wemigwans was arrested June 25, 2001, for drunken driving after a traffic stop. He had no previous drunken driving convictions in Michigan courts, but he had two convictions in the court of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. The prosecution attempted to use the tribal court convictions to enlarge the latest drunken driving charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. However, the motion was quashed because the judge said Wemigwans did not receive sufficient due-process safeguards in the tribal courts.

However, the appeals court said that "nothing occurred in the two prior tribal court proceedings that cast any serious doubt on the veracity or fairness of process" of Wemigwans' convictions. The appellate court said the use of the previous convictions to enhance the charge against him was appropriate and sent the case back to circuit court for sentencing. Officials at Priority Health, the area's largest HMO, said they heard nothing from St. Mary's about the glitch. "I've talked with people in our enrollment department, our claims department and our medical department, and this is the first they've heard of this.

I don't believe we've ever been notified by St. Mary's," said Katherine Klein Gundy, senior manager of customer service at Priority Health. But members should not worry about having their coverage dropped, Gundy said, because Priority would not drop a member only on the suggestion of a computer code. They would rely, instead, on reports from the member's employer or from a Priority case manager, she said. Stool Sale off! Come in today to see the best selection in town Over 50 different stools on display $49.97 to $199,97 as shown here Standard 24" and 30" high dining styles Ask about our 15 day "Quick-ship' collection Your Kalamazoo Counter Stool Headquarters "The impact would be on a subsequent bill, because if one Medicare bill says a patient is deceased and then another bill comes through, there will be a problem." Steve Pirog Chief financial officer at St.

Mary's Mercy Medical Center Associated Press GRAND RAPIDS Believe Cathy Uhl, not the computer she's alive. A computer error at St. Mary's Mercy Medical Center mistakenly identified her and thousands of other patients as deceased. "We've had problems with insurance before. But when I got this letter, I said, 'Brad, (her husband), you're not going to believe this.

According to this, I'm said Uhl, 55, an administrative supervisor at The Grand Rapids Press. Uhl is not alone. She's one of 8,500 others who received the Jan. 2 letter, which notified patients that bills issued between mid-October and Dec. 11 had been coded incorrectly to indicate that the person was dead.

battlecreekenquirer.com 4fo Battle Creek ENQUIRER PUBLIC MEETINGS "Once we identified the problem, getting it fixed took only a few days. But then, we had to find out how many were affected, and that took some time," Pirog said. Most insurance companies do not do anything with this particular computer code, Pirog said. But the government definitely pays attention to the "deceased" code, he said. "The impact would be on a subsequent bill, because if one Medicare bill says a patient is deceased and then another bill comes through, there will be a problem." St.

Mary's is working with regional Medicare officials to expedite the corrections, Pirog said, but it could take months for the hospital to contact all the payers. Counter 25-50 TODAY Bedford Township Board of Trustees, 7:30 p.m, township hall. Cobum-Roosevelt-Territorial-Wilson Neighborhood Planning Council, 7 p.m., Territorial School. Emmett Township Board of Trustees, 7 pm, former Wattles Reader Hotline 9664674 Reader Fax 964-0299 Sports Hotline 966-0678 We'd like to hear from you If you have a comment about the news, or our coverage of it call our 24-hour Reader Hotline. If you have a question about advertising, home delivery or your bills, call us using the numbers below.

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Schedule information and coverage of the Detroit auto show, opening Saturday. OBITUARIES Starting today, all online obituaries and death notices will be archived and searchable. Just click on the person's name to retrieve the obituary, or search by name or publication date. NEWS EXTRAS Tales of the Front Instructions for veterans to send in stories of military service. Cold Nights: Homeless in the City: Sean Harder's series on the homeless in Battle Creek and efforts to help them.

Casino On the Verge Huron Potawatomi tribe plans a Calhoun County casino in the face of continuing opposition. 0 Politics: Eric J. Greene's weekly Capitol Connection column, district maps, 2002 election results. Mail subscriptions are payable in advance; please call for rates. Weekend and Sunday-only subscriptions include holidays and one Bonus Day per month.

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