The News-Star from Monroe, Louisiana • Page 4

4A The News-Star Tuesday, August 5, 2003 LOCAlTnEGIOKLOUISIAMA Judge signs jury's $500K judgment in discrimination suit! iThe federal judge, however, is still reviewing a defense motion to overturn the jury's verdict in the Franklin Parish case. 2 dant company, owned by Franklin Parish residents Ivan Hawthorne and Sam Noble, gconstantly pressured Johnson to become a member of the Apostolic Tabernacle. When it became apparent he was not going to join, the suit claimed Johnson was not properly paid, was harassed, demoted and finally fired in October 2000. Johnson's wife, Regina, was removed from the federal lawsuit after she won a lawsuit in 5th Judicial District Court in Winnsboro last year, Courtman said. She was awarded $40,000 for religious discrimination.

The owners of Healthworks, which distributes health-related products, were dropped as defendants and only the company was sued. The judge's Monday judgment fixed the principal award at $196,600 in compensatory damages and $300,000 in punitive damages. Healthworks also was ordered to pay court costs and the plaintiff's attorney fees of $12,996. The defendant company was also ordered to pay legal interest on the $196,600 from Aug. 28, 2001, and legal interest on the other sums from the date of judgment on July 30.

Open a checking account at Progressive, and Open a checking account with direct deposit and II II mmw' mm By JOHNNY GUNTER jgunterthenewsstar.com U.S. District Court Judge Robert 0. "Robbie" James signed a final judgment Monday in a religious discrimination lawsuit won by a Franklin Parish resident recently, but has not yet ruled on a defense motion to overturn the jury's verdict. A federal jury awarded Michael Lee Johnson, 51, of Liddieville, $496,000 in damages against Healthworks International of Winnsboro on July 15. "The final judgment signed (Monday) by the judge is just a fot-mality," said Johnson's attorney, Matt Courtman of Monroe.

Defense attorneys James Rountree of Monroe and Steve Dean of Winnsboro say they will appeal the jury's verdict if James doesn't overturn the jury's award. The lawsuit alleged that the defen 3 Open a checking account, and you could 9 Open a checking account at Progressive Bank, and we'll show you the money! It's money for the taking, all right, and you'll be automatically enrolled in our month- Police: More arrests likely in counterfeit money case Every current Progressive Bank personal checking household is automatically enrolled in the $100 daily drawing. Each household is eligible to win only ans $100 prize during the month of October. Non-customers can obtain "You're in the Money" Cash Giveaway entry instructions at any Progressive Bank location. Only nsjs personal checking customers to Progressive Bank qualify for the new account and direct deposit bonuses and only ant new checking account per household will qualify for these bonuses, long $100-a-day daily drawing in October and have an opportunity to win big dollars! (Every Progressive Bank checking account household is automatically enrolled.) So if you like the color of money, visit any Progressive Bank location and open an account! You'll enjoy all the other advantages of banking with Progressive, including our super convenient lobby hours of 8 till 6 weekdays, plus Saturday banking and the added convenience of 25 ATMs and 7 banking locations! Don't miss out.

It's really money in the bank! Daily drawings will be held Oct. 1-31, 2003. Eligibility for drawings ends Sept. 30, 2003. The fake $20 bills were used in bars and fast food restaurants and have turned up in drug deals.

Associated Press COVINGTON More arrests are expected in an investigation into the passing of counterfeit money between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, authorities said. Two men were arrested last week in St. Tammany Parish while trying to sell counterfeiting equipment for $100 in cash and $100 worth of the drug OxyContin, the St. Tammany Parish sheriff's office said Monday. The investigation began when Mandeville police reported that a fake $20 bill had been passed at a fast-food restaurant.

An ensuing anonymous tip led investigators to the two men, sheriff's deputies said. Kenneth David Bowdin, of Slidell, and Fernando Joseph Estopinal of Pontchatoula, were booked on state charges of monetary instrument abuse, compounding a felony, criminal conspiracy and attempted possession of OxyContin. Estopinal was released on $17,500 bond. Bowdin 's bond was set at $18,500, but state probation officials put a hold on him and he remained in jail Monday. Investigators said fake $20 bills have been used in southeastern Louisiana at bars and fast-food restaurants, and have turned up in drug deals.

The Secret Service has been called in to attempt to track fake bills from the equipment that was seized, sheriff's deputies said. The sheriff's office said they believe that Bowdin and Estopinal may also be linked to counterfeiting in Tangipahoa Parish. PRO fiRIESSOVf BANK 1401 N. 19th, Monroe 651-5000 1101 Hudson Lane, Monroe 651-5020 1380 Lamy Lane, Monroe 651-5180 Albertson8 Hwy. 165 Monroe 387-5402 3421 Cypress West Monroe 387-6750 701 Trenton West Monroe 651-5120 Gene Cox Grocery (ATM only) 2401 Arkansas West Monroe Drew Get-N-Go Grocery (ATM only) 946 Old Highway 15, West Monroe 301 Fair Wlnnsboro 435-7581 (800) 960-7584 General Information: 398-9772 www.progressivebank.com 9 EQUAL HOUSING LENDER ittMfiaar' flaw ill Today Tonight Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Today 6:25 a.m.

8:03 p.m. 2:06 p.m. 12:14 a.m. Wednesday 6:26 a.m. 8:03 p.m.

3:15 p.m. 12:52 a.m. Sunrise Sunset Moonrisa Moonset Today will be partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs will be in the lower 90s with southwest winds from 10 to 15 mph. The chance of rain is 20 percent today, continuing tonight.

Tonight will be partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows will be in the mid 70s with southwest winds from 5 to 10 mph. First Full Last New Humid with sunshine and some clouds. Mostly sunny; hot and humid. ail A shower or t-storm early; partly cloudy.

Low 73 Shower or t-storm possible In the p.m. 92774 Hot and humid; a t-storm possible. 95774 Sunny to partly cloudy; hot and humid. 94772" 10 High 90C 96T734 Aug 5 Aug 11 Aug 19 Aug 27 MMHIilMUiihfcl met n.H'iWffi'Eao 1 2EE Satellite SL-16-R7B will be visible for 11 minutes beginning at 9:1 1 p. today.

It will first become visible 10 degrees above the SSW horizon and will leave eyesight at 10 degrees above the NNE horizon. With directly overhead being 90 degrees, maximum elevation will be 64 degrees. http:spacellight.nasa.govrealdatasightings Nashville Flood 7 a.m. Stage Mon. 24 hr.

Change 09 Memphis Little Rock- 86-73 River 8SU Tulsa 9273 8674 Huntsville a 8471 Atlanta 40 24.1 0.2 8271 03 Flood 7 a.m. 24 hr. River Stage Won. Change New Orleans 17 4.9 0.3 Ouachita River Camden 26 8.6 A 0.1 Fels 54.6 0.2 Monroe 40 21.7 V0.1 Columbia 35.0 A 0.7 Red River Shreveport .30 14.2 A 0.1 Alexandria 32 20.0 OO.O Coushatta 31 24.2 A 0.2 Lucky 1N 3.2 0.2 Ohio River Cairo Mississippi River Memphis Helena Arkansas City Greenville Vicksburg Natchez Red River Lndg Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Dallas 100779 Jackson 9073 Birmingham Today Wednesday 34 44 37 48 43 48 48 48 27 9.4 17.2 15.5 27.2 21.5 28.0 30.0 15.1 8.8 0.6 0.8 0.5 0.4 0.0 A 0.3 A 0.3 0.3 A 0.2 8571 Mobile VaId0Sla 9175 Highest 9 a.m. Noon 3 p.m.

6 p.m. 9 (very high) 4 (low) 9 (very high) 5 (moderate) 0 (minimal) 8 (high) 4 (low) .8 (high) 5 (moderate) 0 (minimal) Statistics for Monroe through 5 p.m. Monday. Temperature High Monday 93 at 4 00 p.m. Low Monday 75 at 6:12 a.m.

High Sunday 91 Low Sunday 72 For Monday Normal high 95" Normal low 72 High last year 94s Low last year 74 Record high 103 in 1964 Record low 63 in 1977 Temperature Departures From Normal Monday 0.0 Month to date Year to date Precipitation 24 hours ending 5 p.m. Monday 0.00" Month to date 0.08" Normal month to data 0.37", Year to date 32.39" Normal year to date 33.91" A Rise; Fall; No Change Pancarnla Houston 9878 'i ao77 Tallahassee 8673 El utbtarTMitiksiBeMJati Monroe' Wednesday Today Wednesday Rating on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is the least comfortable and 10 is the most comfortable for ttiis time of year Hi Lo is 9073 Vf Shreveport Tallulah Brownsville 9880 03 Today Hi Lo 88 70 78 60 pc 90 66 88 77 91 66 91 68 100 70 Today Wednesday Thursday 6 5 4 B33 City Athens Berlin Geneva Hong Kong Jerusalem London Madrid 9073 Hi Lo 87 70 76 61 pc 88 67 90 80 91 66 90 64 99 70 City Mexico City Montreal Moscow Paris Rio de Janeiro Rome Tokyo Hi Lo 76 54 77 64 76 53 sh 93 72 80 69 93 70 90 77 pc 77 54 pc 78 59 sh 83 61 pc 92 72 77 66 93 72 88 75 Alexandria 9275 THE REAL FEEL TEMPERATURE'" IN MONROE TODAY: 1 1 VFR conditions most of todav. but Baton Rouge 95c 5H76 WeW A mix of sun and clouds today. Winds southwest at 6-12 mph with good drying conditions. Humidity will lower to 60 percent this afternoon.

Parts of the area will have a thunderstorm this lloul Allot. Shown are today's noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are watch for isolated thunderstorms. Winds at 5,000 feet southwest at 1 5-20 knots. Winds at 1 0,000 feet north- west at 1 2-25 knots.

For tviatioe weather update call (800) 992-7433 Lake Charles. A composite of the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine myiia vi me uay. rviowisi nfgnitfw wmperaiures are given lor selected cities. i nam at 1 evening. mill intensity, cloudiness, pre-r epilation, and etevatjon on the human body.

Ms I 70s rMaaMeHKU eoa Today Wednesday Today Wednesday Today Wednesday 0 7058 Pollen Monday Mold Monday Hi lo Hi Lo Lo Hi Lo iJe Pollen: 0-15 Low; 16-90 Moderate; 91-1500 High. Mold: 0-900 Low; 901-2500 Moderate; High. Source: Asthma and Allergy Clinic Of Shreveport Pollen Count is not available on the weekends 4, I PL Showers iMf Ll T-storms ZOt 10 City Albany Anchorage Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Baton Rouge Boise Boston Charleston Charleston Cheyenne Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus, OH City Hi Lo Hi City Hi Dallas 100 79 100 76 pc Minneapolis 78 Denver 91 62 90 63 pc Nashville 85 Detroit 80 64 pc 82 64 pc NewYork 83 El Paso 98 72 pc 90 68 New Orleans 92 Fairbanks 60 46 66 48 pc Orlando 92 Flagstaff 78 50 78 50 Pensacola 89 Grand Rapids 79 61 pc 79 61 pc Portland, OR 80 Honolulu 88 77 pc 89 77 St. Louis 85 Houston 98 78 pc 98 78 pc- San Francisco 66 Indianapolis 81 64 pc 82 63 pc Seattle 77' Jackson 90 73 pc 90 73 pc Tucson 100 Jacksonville 91 73 pc 90 72 pc Tulsa 92 Little Rock 86 74 93 73 pc Washington, DC 86 Los Angeles 82 64 pc 80 62 pc Wichita 92 Memphis 86 73 92 72 pc Wilminoton. DE 85 82 68 82 80 84 92 92 80 89 81 85 80 83 79 84 82 68 81 80 86 90 88 78 87 81 86 82 83 81 85 EE 69 53 71 72 68 76 pc 64 67 74 pc 63 pc 56 64 pc 64 pc 63 65 pc 67 53 pc 70 pc 72 68 75 pc 62 67 74 64 pc 57 64 pc 63 pc 63 pc 65 pc 64 70 72 77 pc 73 77 pc 58 pc 70 pc 58 pc 56 75 73 pc 72 1 70 pc 70 80 87 83 92 92 87 77 84 66 74 100 90 88 94 86 64 pc 68 pc 71 77 pc 73 76 58 pc 66 pc 58 pc 54 pc 75 pc 69 72 66 71 101 Stationary Ice National SummarV Artrtitimvil chmuerc and fhi Monday 42 Tuesday 35 Rating 0-50 Good: 51-100 Moderate; 101-150 Unhealthy to sensitive groups (children and people with asthma); 151-200 Unhealthy.

Source. Shreveport 0EQ luuay awuis II IB eastern part of the nation. Flooding will be aggravated by heavy downpours. Most of the Woct uuill remain Hm ThA Ujaet u.ill niA.HAH4 West will remain The West Coast dry. will be pleasant with clouds giving way to sunshine.

Weather (WV t-sumnr. pe-oartty cloudy, e-cloudy. -showers Mhunderstorms. r-ram. sf-snow flurries, m-snow Hce.

All maps, forecasts and data provided by AccuWealher, Inc. 2003.