Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • Page 14

INSIDE LOCAL Doilfl Ptm B2 Monday, Dec. 5, 1994 NN sobriety checkpoint nets on Saturday night A woman who trailed Massenffill SANTA PET PHOTOS. Bring your pet to sit on Santa's knee for a photo, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at center court in Newmarket Fair mall, Newport News.

Cost varies according to photo quantity. Information: 838-9500. REMINDER. Get free child immunizations through Riverside's mobile unit. For dates and locations, call Ask a Nurse at Saturday's Lotto scorecard Pick Winners Prize 6 of 6 0 $1 million 5 Of 6 61 $825 4 of 6 2,307 $46 3 of 6 33,843 Free play Winning Lotto numbers: 4-14-21-27-33-37 Saturday's Cash 5 scorecard Pick Winners Prize 5of5 0 $100,000 4of5 85 $100 3 Of 6 3,012 $5 Winning Cash 5 numbers: 6-13-28-33-34 BRIDGES AND TUNNELS.

Coleman Bridge Opening scheduled 11:15 a.m. today, subject to change. Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel One northbound lane closed, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. today. James River Bridge Northbound traffic reduced to one lane, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

today. cTtizens asory boaT5d of the virginia peninsulas public service AUTHORITY. 4 p.m., York County Public Library, Route 17, York-town. Information: 728-2062 or 1-800-683-0922. YORK COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

7 p.m., Administration Building Conference Room, 302 Dare Road, Yorktown. On the agenda: 1995-96 budget. Legislative issues. YORK COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION. 7 p.m., Community Room, Human Services Building, 301 Goodwin Neck Road, Yorktown.

Public meeting on the York County draft zoning ordinance. Copies of the draft are available for review in the York County library and the Williamsburg Regional Library. gajSLJjT 928-1111 VIRGINIA INCOME. In 1992, Virginia had a per capita income of $21,170, the highest of the Southeastern states, and greater than the national average of $20,1 14, according to the Virginia Department of Economic Development. TRAFFIC HOT LINES.

For information on closings and traffic conditions for Hampton Roads, call the Daily Press 1-Line at 928-1111 and enter category 7623 (ROAD), The call is toll-free throughout most of Hampton Roads. Other areas: James City County 989-0111; Smithfield, 357-6594; and Gloucester, 1-800-981-6600. INTERSTATESAND HIGHWAYS. 1-64 Westbound traffic reduced to one lane, 9 p.m.-5 a.m., Monday-Thursday. MEETING AGENDAS.

To receive a faxed copy of agendas for local boards of supervisors or city council meetings, call the Daily Press 1-Line at 928-1111, 0:4 Sunday's question: Can charter schools work in Virginia? YES: 11 We don't need charter schools, we just need public schools systems to do exactly what charter schools would do. Let the community and the parents in on all the rules and regulations of the schools. already have alternative schools. hope we don't get charter schools, because it is just the first wedge put in the door by the Christian right who will then work up to ask for federal funds for these schools that they operate. Absolutely, let's get back to the basics and get church back in the schools.

state in the U.S. ought to have charter schools. Public schools these days are a disgrace. schools are a wonderful idea. People need to stop being so afraid of change.

We are not teaching our children. Average kids are falling through the cracks. College-prep kids aren't prepared. Something has to be done so that school will work better for the kids. they can work, especially in Newport News, because their teachers are treated like indentured servants, not professionals.

I think we should organize and create a school for the best interests of the children. one will know until they try. 27 arrests By Delbert Ellerton Daily Press NEWPORT NEWS Newport News police stopped 87 cars and arrested 27 people Saturday night at a sobriety checkpoint on Jefferson Avenue, police spokesman Bill Roth said. Eighteen people were arrested for drunken driving and eight others for driving with suspended licenses, Roth said. Another man was arrested after officers found crack cocaine and a gun in his car, police said.

Police also issued a total of 43 citations for lesser infractions during the five-hour check at Jefferson Avenue and Hofstadter Search Continued from B1 protect her family's privacy, wanted to get away from him. Now, she wants to find him. "Everybody's telling me to forget about it and go on with my life," said Valerie, 33, who grew up in Poquoson and returned to the area after her ordeal. "But I want him caught. What he did to me, I couldn't live with him doing to someone else." She worries that his next victim may not escape alive.

But police cannot find a trace of the man who introduced himself to her as Anthony "Tony" Angelo DeCompo. She later heard him use about 20 different names. "We've run all the names she said he used," said Special Agent Dennis Fischer of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. "We've run names and records. We've run various dates of birth and social security numbers.

And we've run into a dead end. "I'd like to find out who this guy is," Fischer said. "I don't know what his game is, but I think he's dangerous." The couple met at Sheffields Truck Stop, in Ocala, where Valerie was working as a clerk. Ocala is a small city in northern Florida, about 40 miles south of Gainesville. "He said his truck had broken down," and he was waiting for $800 to be wired to him, Valerie said.

"We ended up sitting at the truck stop until 4 a.m." Finally, "I told him he could come to my house for the night. I felt sorry for him. I didn't want to just leave him sitting there." A single mother who had recently ended a six-year relationship with the father of her youngest daughter, she wasn't the least bit interested in getting romantically involved with anyone, Valerie said. "He was a man in need," she said. "Truckers make fun of someone like that," with hearing and speech difficulties, she added.

"My big heart, I just wanted to help." He became the guest who wouldn't leave. A few days later, he tripped and hit his head. After a visit to the local hospital, he told Valerie that doctors said the accident had miraculously restored his ability to speak and hear. Then he invented a story that the Mafia was out to get him, and that she too was in danger. Valerie's mother was visiting from western Florida, and DeCompo convinced both women that they, and Valerie's two young daughters, needed to flee with him.

On the road, they lived off Valerie's mother's credit cards for a while. DeCompo promised to repay the thousands of dollars charged. Cuts Continued from B1 ticularly in counties where the sheriff's department is the sole police agency. "If the cutbacks go into effect, there will be a significant cut in public safety," said John W. Jones, executive director of the state sheriff's association, because money to pay the benefits will have to come from other budget areas.

"The localities just don't have the funds to pay for this, and the cuts are going to have to come from somewhere," he said. Sheriff Phelps said he has had a 10 percent increase in calls since the county started its 911 emergency system last year. But there's been no new money to support the increased workload. "It seems that we on the lower level of government are becoming victims of big-time politics," Phelps said. Plans to eliminate money for the fringe benefits was included in Gov.

Doug Wilder's 1993 budget proposal as another way to cut state spending, said Betty Long, director of research with the Virginia Municipal League. Fringe benefits include life and health insurance policies and Road, Roth said. Sgt. Robert Whitehead, who was in charge of the checkpoint, said police found crack and a gun in a car driven by Marcus King, of Newport News. Officers became suspicious of King when he refused to cooperate with officers at the checkpoint, Whitehead said.

Police also arrested a Newport News man who a witness said left the scene of an accident about a mile south of the checkpoint, Whitehead said. Whitehead said Rick Massengill, of Spur Drive, was charged with drunken driving and fleeing the scene of an accident. A York County woman is asking for help finding the man she says held her captive for three months earlier this year. He dragged her on a five-state trek through the Southeastern United States before she escaped. He introduced himself to her as Anthony "Tony" Angelo DeCompo, but used at least 20 other names when identifying himself to other people, she said.

Mike Parker, John Parker, Tony DeSoto, Tony DeAn-gelo, Frank Carrillo were among the aliases he used the most. He is 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 1 50-1 70 pounds, has brown hair, blue eyes and an olive complexion. He's in his late 20s or early 30s. He has 29 tattoos on his body. The tattoos include a skeleton with lots of Meanwhile, Valerie's mother's husband reported his wife missing and, a week after she'd left with DeCompo, canceled her ATM and credit cards.

As a result, the automated teller machines kept the cards when requests were made for cash, according to Florida police. The same day, Jaa 2, DeCompo left Valerie's mother and children at the Tampa airport. He told Valerie her mother and children were being guarded by an "associate." And she'd only see them again if she was good. A lot of the story sounds crazy, Valerie knows. She believes he was drugging her in the beginning, feeding her extra doses of the antianxiety medication her doctor had prescribed, thus lowering her ability to resist his manipulation.

And later, after she ran out of the medication, he controlled her through fear, she said. DeCompo said he'd kill her children if she left him, Valerie said, and she believed him. Wayne Schroeder, vice president of investments for PaineWebber in Ocala, thinks others could be at risk. DeCompo was a "top-notch" con man, Schroeder said. "He was extremely good." Schroeder met the couple when they came t6 his office, accompanied by Valerie's mother, last December, during the early days of their trek.

DeCompo said they were getting married and that he wanted to set up a trust fund for Valerie. She was quiet and looked a little dazed, Schroeder recalled. DeCompo wore boots and a T-shirt that exposed arms covered with tattoos. He stood out at the brokerage firm's offices. But he looked like he could be "a trust-fund baby," somebody with inherited wealth, Schroeder said.

"He acted like he knew the business, like he had been around brokers. He used the correct terminology. He knew IBM wasn't Most cities and counties have five constitutional officers: Sheriff the top law enforcement officer in most counties; the person who runs the jail in most cities Commissioner of revenue assesses local taxes, except real estate tax, and processes state income tax returns Treasurer collects taxes and fees retirement contributions. But there may be some relief for the localities, Long said. To counter the cutback in state aid, the state Senate last year voted to levy a $12 fee when someone has civil court papers served by the sheriff's department.

That service is currently free. 3 The House of Delegates will consider the proposal when the General Assembly convenes in January, Long said. The fee would generate enough revenue to pay for fringe benefits for all constitutional offices, not just the sheriff's departments, Long said. Meanwhile, the Virginia Municipal League, the sheriff's to the checkpoint told police Mas; sengill had struck her car at Jeffer-2 son Avenue and Winston Drive. Officers at the, checkpoints checked drivers' licenses, observed motorists' eyes and asked questions to determine if they had been drink-? ing, Roth said.

Whitehead said offiV cers also handed out literature about child safety seats and belts. Police conduct the at both high- and low-traffic areas, throughout the city once a months Whitehead said. During the holi--day season, he said, several additional checkpoints are likely. hair, holding a red rose in its hand; a blue shark; the word a red. nurola and black peacock; a seal wearing Navy cap and posing with an Suspected kidnapper anchor; and the- J- names "Star," "Cricket," Tamra," and "Val." Special Agent Dennis Fischer, of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is interested in hear- ing from anyone who might have information about DeCompo's whereabouts.

t. Fischer can be reached at 732-1297. performing well. He portrayed him self as an investor with a $2.4 mik! lion portfolio," Schroeder said. After they left, Schroeder discovered that all the information-' DeCompo supplied about himself-? from his Social Security number to a Hawaii home address was phony.

No money had ever hands. Schroeder believes DeCom--po's purpose for that visit was ta' impress Valerie and her mother. Valerie hopes that if she can geC enough media attention, someone will recognize DeCompo, although" th'it does not appear to be his real name. To that she's been tacting national television including "America's Most Wanted," "Unsolved Mysteries" and "Oprah Winfrey." "Anybody who's seen him will remember him," she said. Morris Wright and Donald FittS" do remember him.

Fitts is a bellmarr at the Tutwiler Hotel in Birrninghanv Ala. Wright is the manager On Easter Sunday, Valerie' approached Fitts, pleading: "You, need to get me away from here now, he said. "She said this man she was rooming with was deranged." 'v" He believed from the tone in heL' voice that she was sincere, and tig hustled her into the hotel's cour-; tesy van. "That's when she freakecT out," lying down on the van's fktb and asking to be taken to police'. "She was hiding from this man, real," Fitts said.

Within minutes, DeCompo caijid downstairs to the front desk and asked if the staff had seen Wright said. "We lied through our teeth and said It was obviouSK to us something was wrong. I told; everybody to play dumb." DeCompo soon left with a back-" pack, leaving Valerie's behind in the room. Police arrived five minutes later. They canvassed the area, but couldn't find him, Wright said.

"The guy just vanished into thin air." Commonwealths attorney chief prosecutor Clerk of court runs circuit courthouse They're called "constitutional officers" because their jobs are spelled out in the state constitution. v. The state usually pays the salaries of the officers and their iiipiwjfg hi iu i iuvi i wi ura vvai 9 01 running tneir aepartments. j.n association, the state crime coni-4 mission and other state zations are lobbying to make surC localities don't get stuck witfijj? another state-mandated bill pfly- The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission has also; joined the fight to restore money for the fringe benefits, said Pauli Fisher, director of legislative and. information services.

"Unless that bill passes, or they" come up with some other source' of funding, the localities are goingJ to have the come up with the1 money," Fisher said. "That is of great concern to (he 15 cities and counties in Hamp- ton Roads." Today's question: Does Newport News have an image INN teen-ager among escapees Virginia Lottery 1901 Other lotteries 1911 category 1555. Agendas available: Tuesday's Gloucester County Board of Supervisors meeting. WMtffilMMljMli "I have a philosophy Abe Lincoln said this that you weigh public opinion, but you don't count it." Newport News Mayor Barry DuVal. Story, Al.

"Of all our possessions, wisdom alone is immortal." Isocrates, Athenian orator Dial 928-1111, category 1222 to give your opinion on today's question. Calls will be taken until noon today. problem? larceny to possession of cocaine. He said he could not release the youths' names. Police dispatchers in Martinsville, Newport News and Williamsburg confirmed Sunday that there had been no leads or sightings of the boys in those areas.

After courts commit juveniles to the Department of Youth and Family Services, they arrive at the diagnostic center for educational and psychological tests before being assigned to a learning center. Driscoll said the average stay is about a month. He said the 15-year-old from Martinsville only arrived at the center Friday. The 17-year-old from Martinsville had been at the center since early November, and the Peninsula-area youth had been there for about two weeks. It's not always easy to take a walk in York County, where just 3.4 percent of households don't own a car.

Consider this: Of the 1 1 miles of Route 1 7, York County's main road, not one mile boasts a consistent stretch of sidewalk. A few scattered businesses the York County Public Library, for example have installed sidewalks out front, but they're really designed for their own customers' use. On Richmond Road, one of the more well-kept and pedestrian-friendly commercial strips in the region, sidewalks line both sides of the street except the part in York County. Sidewalks also end on Second Street and Merrimac Trail when you cross into York County making it impossible for Williamsburg pedestrians to reach the Farm Fresh supermarket without leaving a sidewalk. If more Williamsburg shoppers come to Farm Fresh, there'll be more tax revenue for York County, so building a sidewalk in that vicinity could pay for itself, officials say.

Associated Press RICHMOND A Newport News teen-ager was three boys who escaped jfrom a juvenile corrections center in a wooded, suburban Richmond 'neighborhood and remained at large Sunday. The boys walked off the grounds of the Reception and Diagnostic Center in the Bon Air area of County about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, said center superintendent Don Driscoll. The center jdoes not have a fence. Driscoll said the three did not use force to escape.

They just left," he said. State and county police and center employees searched for the boys until 4:30 a.m. Sunday, and a State Police helicopter was Used to survey the area. State Police notified police in the boys' hometowns of Martinsville and Newport News, but there were no leads Sunday, State Police spokeswoman Mary Evans said. "We believe they are gone from this area, and we are not actively searching for them in this area," Evans said.

"We still have an investigator looking into it." "He's at the center right now, talking to people and following up on what they did yesterday and trying to figure out their trail." Driscoll said authorities also contacted relatives of the boys. "They were all surprised, and said they would notify authorities if they had any contact with them," he said. Driscoll said the three youths are males who committed offenses that range from grand Walk Continued from B1 sors says so. Several supervisors have expressed support for the plan, but they've taken no action. "We're talking about linking really critical areas," said Supervisor Mary F.

Sinclair. And doing so, Tucker said, could be a cost-effective enterprise. Tucker estimated that one mile of sidewalk could cost as little as $6,000 a sum that would come back to the county if the effort helps attract more business to York. Also, Tucker said, the commission's plan calls for as small a contribution from local tax coffers as possible. "Most sidewalk construction will be by developers as development occurs, or by VDOT, in conjunction with road improvements," Tucker said.

"And we need to get a plan passed, to include sidewalk plans in upcoming construction projects." York may have to share the cost of sidewalks installed by the Department of Transportation, but the local cost would probably not exceed $3,000 per mile.Jie said. Newport News man shot in leg NEWPORT NEWS A Newport News man was shot in the leg Sunday afternoon in the 700 block of Gloucester Drive, police said. Sgt. Rick George declined to release the name of the victim or the circumstances surrounding the shooting Sunday afternoon. Police were still investigating, he said.

Citadel hearing delayed indefinitely RICHMOND A hearing on the constitutionality of The Citadel's all-male admissions policy has been postponed, a federal appeals court said Friday. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was to have heard arguments Tuesday on whether Shannon Faulkner should be allowed to attend the public military college in Charleston, S.C. rom staff and wir reports.