The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 19 I 1 1 I PORT HURON, MICHIGAN 3A ll T3 CIt TO DISCUSS LOCAL NEWS HELP US WITH YOUR STORY: We would like to talk to some youngsters and their parents about backyard cam pouts. Call Jill Carlson at 989-6267 or 8004624057. Judcfi McLean, assistant managing edrtx9S9-255 Peggy WaSsh-Sameda. River District 765-4081 3A IiiiwmmI GM LnFLrS DOdDUDBD By JOHN WISELY Times Herald Officials are still assessing the damage four days after torrential rains hit St Clair and Sanilac counties. Jeffrey Friedland, St Clair County's emergency management coordinator, said as he walked into the office this morning he knew there was reported to his office.

Mr. Friedland hopes to use the information to try to get federal aid to help repair some of the damage. "We're going to have a meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Administration later this week," he said. "The state really wants us to get help. "We were really prepared to Capac) where families were living in their basements or in lower-level apartments," local worker Barbara Trapp said.

"We're just concerned with the emergency needs like food, clothing and shelter." According to the National Weather Service, more than 4 inches of rain fell in less than one hour early Saturday morning, leaving behind a path of go out into the community to assess the damage but that is really hard because you cant see it b's inside people's homes," he said. "We found it more convenient for the community to come to us." Red Cross officials also remain busy, helping families ousted from their homes by the storm. "We've had 15 cases so far (in Yale and still work to do. "There were 15 messages on the answering he said. He said about 500 homeowners have reported structural damage.

He estimates the damage will exceed $1.5 million. That, he said, does not include the thousands of people who are coping with flooded basements and other water damage that was not Grave mix-up unnerves local family ilWh c'thV Port Huron landmark hotel celebrates its centennial By TONY PITTS. Time Herald HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: The Harrington Inn in downtown Port Huron is getting ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary on July 3. A party is planned Sunday. damage across the Thumb.

Floodwaters 5 feet deep in some spots washed out roads, wiped out crops, flooded basements and caused water levels to rise. It also contributed to one death. Souvanny Phongphila, 35, of Port Huron died about 5:15 a-m. Saturday when his car overturned in a water-filled ditch. "This is the meanest thing that anyone could ever do." Township Supervisor Patricia LaVere said she was not aware of Mrs.

Knisley's problem. "This is not something that we want anyone to have to deal with," she said. Mrs. LaVere said Mr. Knisley's grave ended up being off center when the sexton attempted to bury him as far as possible from a tree.

Officials said family members were notified as soon as they were aware of the problem. The delays were caused because township employees were trying to save money, Mrs. LaVere said. "They are always being told to save money," she said. "Well, to move a grave, you have to pay the sexton, plus to move the vault" She estimated the cost at about $400.

"That is why Rick Reynolds (head of the department of public works) said it would be when they had the next funeral. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get together with all of the players before that burial took place." After Mr. Knisley's grave was moved, rain caused the pouring of a new foundation to be delayed as well as the footing to move. Mrs. LaVere said she is trying to get the problem taken care of as quickly as possible: "We feel terrible.

Believe when I say that there was no malice intended." ttJfr NEWS OF THE STATE Mrs. Dole motivates Republicans at dinner DETROIT More than 1,000 Republicans who paid $1,000 a plate to attend a fund-raising event were told their work is just beginning. They were asked to dig deeper into their pockets for cash and deeper into their hearts for support "Money is the lifeblood of politics, isn't itT Elizabeth Dole said Tuesday night while stumping for her husband, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole. "We need to work together to ensure that all of the elections go welT She and Gov. John Engler told the crowd they need to spread the word about the importance of the November election and the need to put a Republican in the White House.

Student gets chance to study worldwide racism DETROIT To Mischa Thompson, racism is global The 21-year-old from Detroit wants to understand racism patterns around the world and will do so as a Fulbright scholar next year. Mr. Thompson, who graduated magna cum laude last month from Howard University in Washington, D.C., is the only Detroiter this year to win a prestigious Fulbright She'll spend the next year with a professor at the University of Muen-ster in Germany, analyzing the lives of racial minorities from a social psychological standpoint Judge lets DNR kill geese to feed hungry DETROIT The geese will be cooked. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood ruled Tuesday that the state Department of Natural Resources can kill 500 Canada geese and donate them to food banks.

A group called Friends of the Ducks and Geese had sued the DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to block the slaughter. Judge Hood issued a temporay restraining order June 19 against the agencies, setting the table for Tuesday's ruling. The DNR, responding to requests for help from suburban Detroit communities overrun with geese, has captured 1,100 of the birds since June 17. Boy suffocates after being locked in suitcase MONROE A 6-year-old boy suffocated after being locked inside a suitcase while playing with a friend, Monroe County authorities said.

The body of Abel Ribera was found Tuesday morning in the hard plastic suitcase in the basement of his friend's apartment in Monroe Township, Sheriff Carl VanWert said. An autopsy showed the boy died of asphyxiation, probably about 8:30 p.m. Monday, said Dr. David J. Lieberman, the county medical examiner.

There were no marks on the boy's body or other signs of foul play, he said Tuesday. Relatives reported Abel missing about 11 p.m. Monday after he failed to return from a visit with his friend. Vandals damage school in weekend break-in ESSEXVILLE Vandals wearing latex gloves broke windows and office machines at an elementary school, leaving about $30,000 in damage, police said. The weekend break-in at Hughes Elementary School was the second this month.

In addition to the breakage, vandals emptied fire extinguishers in several rooms, he said. No fingerprints were found because the vandals wore latex gloves, discarding them when they ripped, the officer said. From Times Herald wire services By MARY LOU CREAMER Times Herald KIMBALL TWP. When Linda Knisley buried her husband, John, last February in Caswell Cemetery, she thought she had laid him to rest She was not prepared for what happened next In April, two months after the burial, Mrs. Knisley was told by township officials that they needed to move her husband's body because his grave site was off center by about 4 inches.

"They said they would take care of it as soon as they had the next burial," she said. 'They didn't I went out there and saw a fresh grave, but nothing was done with my husband." In May, she was told the problem had been resolved. On Memorial Day weekend, the family went to the cemetery to plant flowers. "He had been moved, but his headstone was at his feet," she said. "They had poured a cement foundation, but it was uneven, and excess pieces of cement were sticking out of the edges." Visits to the township office also proved unsettling.

"Nobody would give me a straight answer on how this happened," Mrs. Knisley said. "This is my husband. He took care of me for all these years. Now it is my turn to take care of him.

Ik 3 By BOB GROSS Times Herald Jim Sopha was washing windows; Diane Cooper was planting flowers. Staff members and residents at the Harrington Inn were bustling around the graceful building Tuesday, getting ready for a big party. The Harrington turns 100 on July 3. It almost did not make it The city of Port Huron ordered the building closed in 1986 for health and safety code violations. But $6 million in renovations gave it new life as an assisted living residence.

The inn is owned by the Westor Financial Group and managed by Evergreen Management Inc. The staff will celebrate the building's anniversary with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. "We're doing just what you normally would do when you have company coming," marketing director Ceil Carson said. Sunday's events will include a presentation of a marker from the Michigan Historical Center noting the Harrington's past and its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

"We do want the community to know about it," Mrs. Carson said. "It isn't every day that a building this old is still standing. We want the community to be part of the celebration." The Harrington opened its doors for the first time on July 3, 1896 with an afternoon reception and tour. An evening reception, attended by Michigan Gov.

John T. Rich, capped the day's festivities. The menu included Little Neck clams, Lobster Newburg, broiled roe shad, boned turkey and broiled ptarmigan. There will be refreshments Sunday, but nothing that fancy. Tours also will be available upon request.

i 7 i I we By TONY PITTS, Times Herald IN-HOUSE HISTORIAN: Anna Pearl Murray, a former teacher who lives at the Harrington Inn, has a scrapbook detailing the history of the building, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary on July 3. She is sitting in front of the wooden staircase in the inn's lobby. tZ'Jl TEE UIZ31CI a and, currently, 60 residents. Phase III of the renovation of the Harrington should begin in a year, said Ceil Carson of the inn's marketing department. The inn is at 1026 Military Port Huron.

By TONY PITTS, Times Herald CEMETERY WOES: Linda Knisley of Kimball Township holds a photo of her late husband, John, in front of his grave in the Caswell Cemetery. She is joined by daughters Amanda, Treasa, 18; and Jennifer, 13. City seeks pollution grant 1 historical marker. Distinguished guests who have stayed at the Harrington include Harry and Bess Truman, who honeymooned there in 1919; William Howard Taft; Thomas Edison; Henry Ford; Harvey Firestone; and Mickey Rooney. The Harrington has 68 units A final decision is expected to be made by agency Director Russell Harding by July 15.

The state grants are to be used by communities to identify and evaluate potentially contaminated sites where cleanups could lead to economic development. Because a cleanup of the Canadian National property would increase its market value as well as the company's profit from its sale, however, the agency recommended the proposal be rejected. The money would be used to cover the cost of soil borings and lab tests. The Merchant Street property, which is along the Black River, was formerly owned by Gulf Oil Mr. Osborn said preliminary tests indicate the land is contaminated.

Additional tests would determine how deep and wide the contamination goes, he said. The Clyde Street property was formerly owned by a private bus company that has since gone out of business, he said. MiCWEATJ ir- nrw" I The celebration of the Harrington Inn's 100th anniversary begins with an invitation-only cocktail party from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. The Harrington will be open to the public from 2 to 4 p.m.

Sunday. The open house includes a dedication ceremony of a River Pine St Wall St 55 ifi Court St" Union St.V. 3 Chestnut St. GrlswoldSi, By WES BOOHER, Twrm Hwild Osborn. The environmental division has recommended against that grant The city has been working with the railroad to get the state money because of the property's potential The company also has indicated an interest in selling the property.

Contaminated areas McMorn CL V3rar 2 1 I Sanilac County (population 40,000) was established in 1822 by Gov. Lewis Cass. He named the county after a legendary Huron chief who led his tribe in its genocidal war with the Iroquois. Originally heavily timbered, it is now one of Michigan's leading agricultural counties. The county seat is Sandusky.

Source: Michigan County Flags and Histories 4g Tests would determine land contamination By NANCY TORNER Times Herald The city of Port Huron should know by mid-July if it will receive $140,000 from the state to test about 16 acres of waterfront property for contamination. The city is confident it will receive about $80,000 of the request for testing on two city-owned parcels on Merchant and Clyde streets. Both projects, which cover about an acre of land, have received tentative approval from the Department of Environmental Quality's Environmental Response Division. However, it is doubtful that the state will approve a $60,000 request to test a 15-acre site on Fourth Street that is owned by Canadian National Railroad, said director of public works Larry 1 COCTO By TONY PITTS, Time Herald Showing off to the community Robert Willis points out a part of the Huntsman Corp. plant to his 8-year-old son, Andrew.

The plant formerly Novacor, had a community open house Tuesday and gave Blue Water Trolley tours of the facility. The plant makes plastic pellets for Saturn, Chrysler Tupperware and Rubbermaid, among others. The factory receives Its raw material as a compressed liquid via a pipeline from Canada. Huntsman has owned the plant for about a year. AND AMPLIFICATIONS 77k Times Herald strives for fair and accurate reporting, and we regret it any time an error is made.

It is the policy of this newspaper to correct substantive errors of fact that appear in its news columns. Please bring errors to the attention of Judith McLean at 989-6257..