The Springfield News-Leader du lieu suivant : Springfield, Missouri • Page 15

fofner of fort attlejgTT PAGE FRIDAY, December 1, 2000 News-Leader Questions? Story Ideas? Call our Help Desk at 836-1 199. itrv; iff Hi Help with bills a holiday wish mm i iH Pflflf Danny Bill Stott faces five years to life on his second molestation conviction. From Our Staff The struggling parents of five children, including one with several birth defects, are profiled today in Share Your Christmas. The parents, who don't want to take from others, are asking only for help in paying their utility bills, which are high because of the cost of running medical equipment Also profiled today is a couple caring for six children in an effort to keep four of them, their nephews, out of foster care. Inside: Our report.

2B But the defense contended that the victim who also said Stott threatened to kill her was told what to say and that the victim's mother asked other children to lie and say that Stott had molested them, too. The victim's mother "asked me to tell a lie to say I got touched by Danny, and that's a lie," an 8-year-old friend of the victim said on the stand. Rules of evidence didn't allow the jury to consider Stott's prior conviction. But Stott's sister, Rozella Yonker, was still confident after the verdict was read that her brother was innocent. "If this little girl was threat prison.

Sentencing was set for Jan. 19. "It's just gratifying to see 12 members of the community believing in a child," said Assistant Greene County Prosecutor Jill Geary. Geary and Assistant Prosecutor Alex Lewis told the jury that Stott, 50, used candy, toys and cartoon videos to lure the victim to his house between June 1, 1998, and June 3, 1999. The child testified that Stott touched her under her underwear while she was at his house.

Youth coach charged with sex contact 'MyMX mo i 4 1 I A A A Drury defends its decision to begin disassembling Washington Avenue Baptist i iip fuxmtm mwm i-m jmm LAWRENCE COUNTY Guilty plea entered in rape case A Lawrence County man has pleaded guilty to charges of rape and sodomy and could face two life sentences for the crimes, the county prosecutor's office said Thursday. Billy Ray Johnson, 41, of Marionville, entered a plea of guilty to one count of statutory rape and four counts of statutory sodomy in the first degree. Judge J. Edward Sweeney set sentencing for Feb. 5 at the Stone County Courthouse in Galena, where the case was transferred on a change of venue.

The state is asking for two life sentences and three sentences of 30 years in prison, with the 30-year sentences to run consecutive to the two life sentences. The acts of sexual abuse occurred over a one-year period and involved a 6-year-old victim. The defendant faces a minimum of 10 years on each count and could receive up to life on each count. Woman dies after being struck by car AMountVemon woman was killed Wednesday night after being hit by a car as she walked across Missouri 39 to get her mail, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. Amy Mieswinkel, 80, was walking across the highway when a car driven by Betty M.

George, 72, of Mount Vernon hit her, the patrol said. Mieswinkel was pronounced dead at the scene, the patrol said. TANEY COUNTY Hearing postponed in Svoboda case The preliminary hearing in Taney County Circuit Court set for today in the case of Brett Svoboda has been postponed. Svoboda is accused of killing his infant son. His son Trey died in February, and autopsy results showed his ribs were broken in 36 places; some of the fractures had had time to heal and then were broken again.

Instead of the preliminary hearing, motions will be heard in the case, and a new hearing date may be set. By Laura Bauer Menner and Kelly Heierman News-Leader A Springfield man who coaches several youth basketball teams has been charged with having sexual contact with two 13' a 1 female players. Dirk Dis-han Price, 29, was charged with nine counts related I fit i to sexual contact with the two girls on various occasions. The contact, which involved fondling, reportedly occurred between May 27 and Nov. 23 of this year.

Price, who coaches more than 200 kids on several Missouri Heat youth teams, is out on $25,000 bond and is not Price Geary credited Start's parole officer, Janice Crane, with helping to end the abuse. Crane was visiting Stott Stott's house in May 1999 when the victim came over. Crane took the child home and told her mother that Stott had a history of sexual abuse on children. "Contact with children is a violation of his parole," Geary said. "She had him arrested (the next day) on a probation violation." 9 By Robert Keyes News -Leader Inside the Washington Avenue Baptist Church this week, a small group of carpenters began the delicate task of disassembling, sorting and stacking 115 years of history.

As a cold draft pushed through the building at 729 N. Washington Ave. on Thursday, beams of orange steel scaffolding reached upward to support the newly exposed wood frame of a roof that had long protected its congregation from wind, rain and snow. Some fear the frame could topple if not properly secured while the building is pulled apart, brick by brick, and rebuilt nearby to make way for a new Drury University science center. Drury President John Moore is eager for the project to start.

As much, he wants the controversy surrounding it to end. "From my standpoint, it is the end of the story," he said. A small but vocal group of local preservationists are concerned the commencement of the moving of the church may cost the building its rightful place on the National Register of Historic Places. Moore isn't so sure of that. But despite the urging of local and state preservationists to hold off on the move before it is makes the national register listing (that could take several weeks), "we're moving ahead and I think we're doing just exactly the right thing," Moore said.

Largely symbolic, a national register listing would certify the church as a pivotal place for African Americans in Springfield. In some cases the listing can bring tax credits and limited protections. See CHURCH, Page 3B up ened with knives and guns, this little girl would not be coming up to the door," Yonker said. Bob McGee, Stott's attorney, said he was disappointed with the verdict and declined to comment further. Geary said many people don't want to believe that people are capable of hurting children.

"Even within 100 yards of your home you can't protect your child," Geary said in court. "I don't know why a child doesn't run out of the house the first time this happens. I think the world would be a better place if they did." allowed to have contact with children under 17, other than his own three. Prosecutors asked for a "This case is particularly troubling because of the way the defendant used his position as these girls' coach to groom them and take advantage of them," said Assistant Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson. "It's not odd for (the abuser) to be someone who knew the children." Patterson said.

"That is not something that is odd. Many times children are abused by people they care for and look up to, and that's unfortunate." The allegations have done permanent damage to PriceV reputation, said Dee Wampler. the coach's attorney. Irice was See PRICE, Page 3B the state foundation formula. Renner said as a charter district, the schools would still be held to "appropriately high standards of student performance." But as a charter district, the board could do away with other requirements if they don't meet the needs of specific schools, such as assigning counselors or nurses where needed instead of filling state-mandated ratios.

"We're looking at a district with diverse needs that we're trying to fit into the same mold," Renner said. "We need to meet individual school needs." Jim Morris, spokesman for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said a district's mandates come from federal, state, local and accKditation-related requirements. "We think the state standards are appropriate," Morris said. "It's the way you get statewide consistency and the way you assure parents and consumers." enamored of Dalmatians, under no circumstances let him or her be alone with any dog until the child is 5 years old. And resist the temptation to have the actual dog under the Christmas tree.

"The live puppy should arrive weeks before or after, and gifts should be accouter-ment that goes with it" The stress of a holiday is the worst time to introduce a pup into a new environment. The Dalmatian Club of America is chock full of information the brood at www.thedca.org. Freedom sought by school district By Kelly Heierman News-Leader A Springfield man was found guilty by a Greene County jury Thursday of molesting and sodomizing his 7-year-old neighbor. Danny Bill Stott, who pleaded guilty in Clark County in 1985 to raping and molesting two girls younger than 14, was convicted of two counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of first-degree statutory sodomy. He faces five years to life in Sarah Overstreet i you try to throw him a treat, he'll hit it with his nose and knock it across the room.

He's epileptic. 1 le shrieks I don't know how else to describe his bark: it soiuids like a woman having her puree snatched nonstop anytime he wants in or knows he's about to be fed. As much as I' worked with hin. he still almost knocks mo I 1 -Mvi- A I- Li I i 1 I mi ii Corrections The News-Leader strives (or accuracy and fairness. We will correct any errors or misunderstandings created by stories, headlines or photographs.

Readers may request a correction by calling the assignment desk at 836-1253, day or night. Our city editor is Bil Tatum, 836-1199; or fax, 837-1381. By Claudette Riley News-Leader The Springfield school board set its top legislative priorities this week including a move to make Springfield a "charter district." That designation an unprecedented move in Missouri that would require legislative action woidd exempt the district from many state regulations and oversight, said board member Bruce Rennor. "If you can produce better residts academically by freeing up a school from mandates, why not try it through the entire system?" Renner said. "It's the ultimate local control." In addition to designating Springfield a charter district, the board also set the following as legislative priorities: Increase appropriations to fully fund all mandates, including a 1999 Missouri law that bans social promotion.

Legislation to remove the five-year sur.set on the "calculated levy" so that local taxpayers aren't unfairly penalized says Springfield dog trainer Carolyn Krause. Krause owns Dalmatians and has a description that fits them: "It's like having an energetic 2-year-old for life." Krause has some advice on how to make sun1 you get a Dalmatian that will fit in: Choose a puppy of mid-temperament; not the bold one nor the shy one. Get guarantees of health and pedigree in writing. "No puppy purchase should become final until the pup has boon by a veterinarian of the buyer's choice. Responsible k''oVrs would have r.o pr c-n v.

this." Carpenter Larry Curran of Bales Construction (top) is working to disassemble Washington Avenue Baptist Church. Trim from the stained-glass windows is dismantled and numbered for reassembly. Scaffolding, which fills the sanctuary (above), supports the structure. Consider Del before being swept away by Dalmatian love Boo Lmoer News-Leader down hying to get in the door ahead of me. He snaps at fingers if he thinks they have food in them.

If he were a kid. he'd be career-tracked into shop class, not calculus. I took a screen to be repaired, leaving the metal door standing with the screen removed. My two other dogs hopped over the door's metal bottom, but Del couldn't figure it out even after my boyfriend and I stepped through it several times to show him. Not until we took his front paws, then his back paws, and put hun through, did he get it.

He has redeeming qualities, of course: He t.lks. smiles and will sing duets with me if I sing and rub his throat at the same time. (It's a great party trick.) When I broke my foot, he licked it furiously every night until it healed. He entertains himself and he's happy, and it just makes me happy sometimes to see such a happy creature. Just be forewarned: You, too.

could be the' proud owner of a Del the Dal and he probably wouldn't fit into your household unless you were particularly looking for a develop-mentally disabled, hard-headed, hard-of hearing pet and approximately 25 to 30 percent are deaf in one ear or both. over-breeding. He was found tied in a back yard in below-zero temperatures, his ribs poking through his dotted hide, his ears and feet frostbitten and bleeding. He was thought to be deaf but has learned to use what hearing he has over the five years since I adopted him. Now he can hear the treat cabinet open from anywhere in the house.

I love him, but to say he would be a good pet in any household that wants a Dalmatian is like saying Cruella DeVil would be a good mate for any man who likes tall, dark-haired women. He is blind in his blue eve. If When you're looking for movies to see this weekend, you'll notice one that makes Dalmatian owners wince: "102 Dalmatians." We've heard the horror stories that happened after the first two Disney Dalmatian flicks: unscrupulous breeders trying to cash in on the movie craze, dogs inbred and over-bred, born with the physical defects that result, and sold to families that can't handle them, parceled out to shelters or even worse, abused or dumped. 1 have a feeling this was the start in life given my Del, the poster child for Dalmatian A.