The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 13

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1993 CONTACT: MARILYN MITCHELL 459-3268 Deaths: 2B Opinion: 4B Money: 10B MWaffWM Ik LOCAL FICIVS BRIEFS Southern turns attention to vacant post From Staff and Wire Reports Interviews by the Southern Board of Supervisors will begin the week of Aug. 16. A selection is expected to be made by Sept. 1. About 20 people have ap WHAT'S NEXT Community leaders will meet Friday with the advisory committee to Southern University-Shreveporf chancellor search committee to offer opinions on issues the next chancellor should focus on.

The meeting time has not been announced. narrow that list to three finalists. The new chancellor will replace Robert Smith who stepped down earlier this month after his contract was not renewed. Southern University has been shrouded in controversy since three former employees were charged with theft in late June in connection with a kickback scheme involving false bank accounts, phony companies and false billing for work performed at the school. After his appeal was denied last week, Smith Said he was considering filing a lawsuit against the Southern Board, saying his ouster was politically mo- No word on whether former chancellor will file lawsuit against board of supervisors.

By DONNETTE DUNBAR The Times The advisory committee to Southern University-Shreve-port's chancellor search committee is looking ahead at issues the next head of the two-year institution will need to address. On Aug. 6, the advisory committee will meet with area community leaders for suggestions.The meeting will be at the university's Metro Center, although a time has not been scheduled. "We need to go beyond this committee to see what they want from the chancellor," advisory committee Chairman Murphy Nash Jr. told members Friday during a meeting at the campus.

During Friday's meeting, committee members also discussed issues they would like chancellor candidates to address during the interview process. Those topics include financial aid, recruitment and retainment, transfer assistance and funding. Smith plied for the position, Nash said. The deadline for applications is Tuesday. The advisory committee will recommend seven potential candidates to the search committee.

And the university's board will tivated. He could not be reached for comment at his home Friday regarding his decision. Keithville man a lotto finalist A Keithville resident will have a chance at becoming a millionaire. W.F. Hay was among the five finalists selected Friday for a $1 million lottery draw next month.

The other finalists, who submitted scratch-off tickets, are: Albert Lewis of Avondale, Melvin Duncan of Denham Springs, Pat Sullivan of Lake Providence and William E. Egan of Arabi. The final draw will take place Aug. 14 in Alexandria. The first prize is a $1 million lump sum payment.

Second prize is $100,000, followed by prizes of $30,000, $15,000 and $10,000, lottery officials said. .1 IPIMIW 4 i iij urn I 1 2 I'M, i 4 Jury finds husband guilty in wife's death Shooting was witnessed by victim's mother, three children. By CURTIS HEYEN The Times HOMER A Jonesboro man has been convicted of killing his wife on her 26th birthday. Eddie Lynn Nash, 31, faces a 1 ''if I i a v'iM 111 p4 1 4 i I i H-ri It I rT5 7 r- mandatory sentence of life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Angela Bryant Nash. A Claiborne Parish jury re CRIME 'k Body found, identity unknown Shreveport police are trying to identify a body found near downtown Friday afternoon.

A private work crew clearing a vacant lot in the 500 block of Davis Street found a badly decomposed body around 3:30 p.m., police said. Authorities believe the person was a black woman, but they could not determine an age because of the state of the remains. Until the coroner's office has determined the cause of death, police are investigating it as a homicide. Police said the body was found clothed in blue jean cutoffs, a striped blue-and-white pullover with a buttoned top and short sleeves. People with tips can call the Shreveport Police at 226-6111, or Crime Stoppers at 673-7000.

Times pholoMIKE SILVA Filmmaker Mike Grotsky prepares to film artist Lynn Randolph Interviewing Clyde Connell In her home on Lake Bistlneau. 9 6 A grot Louisiana artist Clyde Connell subject of documentary 3 turned a 10-2 guilty verdict Friday afternoon. The case was tried in Homer of pretrial publicity. Angela Bryant Nash was gunned down Sept. 12 while unlocking the front door to her mother's home on Quails Street in Jonesboro.

She was shot twice in; the; head with a 16-gauge shotgun. The victim's mother, Ida Bryant of Jonesboro, and three children then ages; 5. and 6 witnessed the shooting. All four took the stand during the five-day trial and testified that Nash came from behind the house and fired the fatal shots. There is no doubt," Bryant testified.

"I know he did it. I saw it with my own eyes." Nash and his attorney James Beal argued that the shooting was accidental. Nash testified that his wife was killed while he tried to take a gun away from Bryant, who allegedly was pointing the gun toward his stomach. Jonesboro police booked Nash on Sept. 14, two days after the shooting.

Two months later, he escaped from the Jackson Parish Jail in Jonesboro and eluded capture for about a week before he was found in an abandoned house off Beech Springs Road just outside Jonesboro. This was the second trial for Nash on the second-degree murder charge. The first trial in May ended abruptly in a mistrial because of inadmissible evidence. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 9..

Verdict eludes jury in manslaughter case From Staff Reports For the second time, a Caddo Parish jury has been unable to decide whether a former bar owner is guilty of manslaughter in the November 1990 death of a customer. Darnell Winters, 53, of Milton Street, went home Friday afternoon, after a hung jury was declared in his second trial. Winters probably will not be tried again, said Assistant District Attorney Stan Lockard, who prosecuted in both trials. Winters, former owner of Studio 13 oh East 70th Street, shot Mark Palmer, 31, of the 400 block of East 74th Street on Nov. 23, 1990.

Palmer was shot in the parking lot after Winters ordered him to leave the lounge. Winters claimed he shot Palmer in ABOUT THE ARTIST McCrery staff to offer help Congressman Jim McCrery has announced office hours for 5th District constituents who don't live near Monroe or Shreveport district offices. Staff will be available to help constituents on federal issues and casework such as Social Security, veterans' benefits and federal grants. On Aug. 12, staff will be at the Ruston Civic Center, 401 North Trenton at 9:30 a.m.

and Farmerville City Hall, 407 South Main at 1:30 p.m. Among the milestones for the artist: Named a charter member of the Northwest Louisiana Hall of Fame, 1991. Featured in the show "Different Drummers" at the Hirshhorn Museum of Art at Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1988. Honored by the National Sculpture Conferences at the Cincinnati Contemporary Art Center, 1987. Received the Distinguished Woman Artist Award from Women's Caucus for Art in the College Art Association in Los Angeles, 1985.

really matches the integrity of her art. This will give people an opportunity to meet her on film. She's a great inspiration. That's really the main reason we are doing this." Connell is known for the use of natural materials in her works. Danos, a South Louisiana native, said she plans to host the premiere of the film in Shreveport.

The documentary will include a series of interviews with Connell, as well as archive material of earlier films and photographs. "Well be going back as far as Mrs. ConneH'8 wedding picture when she was 19," said Danos. "The film is intended to reflect retrospective of her life and her work." Several television stations have already expressed an interest in showing the film, said Danos. "It will be made available to local audiences as well as nationwide and in Europe." Danos said she is amazed at Con-nell's abilities.

The artist recenUy had a showing of new works in Dallas' Barry Whistler Gallery. Another show is scheduled for November in New Or- By MARY SHARON THOMAS The Times The life and works of famed Louisiana artist Clyde Connell are being captured on film for the small screen. Connell, 91, will be featured in a new one-hour documentary that will be broadcast in America and Europe, possibly the end of the year. Filmmaker Susan Danos of: RoundRobin Productions, a FranceUSA Independent has been directing The Life and Art of Clyde Connell, since early June. During a segment Friday, she filmed an interview of Connell by Houston artisfpainter Lynn Randolph.

Randolph has published articles on Connell, including one that ran in the Women's Art Journal. Dressed in a black dress with white stripes in a room that once served as her studio at home, Connell welcomed the attention Friday. "I think it's wonderful. People like Lynn are so knowledgeable, I'm learning more than they do." Danos said she decided on a film about Connell because she is an inter national artist. "She is an artist whose personality leans at the Arthur Roger Gallery.

"She is remarkably lucid and philosophical. She has so much integrity. She's really a superb example of the Southern lady, and yet she is a radical, modern artist. It's extraordinary for a 91-year-old to have a show of all-new works." State's trade schools raise price of tuition Women's group names members New members and officers have been named for the Shreveport Women's Commission. Elected for 1993-94 were: Sally S.

Moffet, president; Lillian Priest, vice president; Barbara Crenshaw, second vice president; Janey Slusher, secretary; and Harriet Belchic, Doretha Barnes and Margaret Brown, members-at-large. New members are Roberta Cawthorne, Lisa Daye, Francene Miller and Shirley Rolle. The Shreveport Commission for Women, formed in 1984, studies and develops programs to address the needs of women in Shreveport. It has focused on teen pregnancy and has hosted workshops to improve business and political leadership skills of area worn- Increase will raise about $1.2 million, official says. From Staff and Wire Reports BATON ROUGE Daytime students at Louisiana's public trade schools will pay $420 a year for tuition instead TU1TI0I1 KISCE Daytime students at Louisiana's public trade schools will pay more to at- -tend classes, effective Aug, 30.

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Ed--ucation approved a 40 per- cent increase Thursday. New fee: $420 a year 0 Current fee: $300 a year Median for Southern vck tech schools: $534 a year cause students in night classes pay by the hour, Marchand said. As of early 1993, the vo-tech system enrolled 16,160 students. That included 12,135 students in day classes in its 44 public trade schools and three branch campuses. The board is raising fees for students even though the vo-tech system is receiving $55.2 million in state and federal funds this fiscal year, up from $54.2 million during the 1992-93 budget year.

"All I can say is that they have more budgeted this year than they had last," Commissioner of Administration Raymond Labor-de said Thursday. "We budgeted the merit pay increase and all that for them." creases for workers. Merit pay is a roughly 4 percent raise given most state workers each year. Kimball said he's concerned the teachers could end up looking like the bad guys. "It makes us look bad and that's not fair.

What about the Legislature that had a special session and accomplished nothing?" Bit tuition is still low compared to other public trade schools in other states. The median for Southern vo-tech schools is about $534 a year, the Legislative Fiscal Office reported earlier this year. The tuition increase will affect only students in day classes be and Secondary Education approved the 40 percent increase Thursday. Duane Kimball, who's taught at the Shreveport-Bossier Regional Technical Institute for the past 19 years, said he was disappointed, but not surprised, by the increase. "They didn't want to raise taxes and there's only so much you can do with what you have," Kimball, who teaches collision repair technology, said Friday.

"I think that was too much. For some people it will create a hardship." Marchand said the tuition increase will raise about $1.2 million and will be used, among other things, for "merit pay" in of $300 a year, starting Aug. 30. "It's still only $35 a month," said Cleveland J. Marchand acting SCHOOLS administrator for the state Office of Postsecondary Vocational Education.

The state Board of Elementary iv.