The Daily Tribune from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin • Page 1

0T1 i i i i i i i ii ii tiit ra eLj LJa cUa Food Come to paradise Wl Ijljlfff (P0 oi the smspeci Authorities have been tracking Law for months .1 1 i According to the criminal were told she had rented it who drove her to Woodstock, complaint, Laura D. Law, 51, fled the ArkHale area and stopped cooperating with law enforcement after she was interviewed Get a taste of seafood lovers' paradise. See Page 1 Local News Adams County issues warrant for woman, 51, charged with killing boyfriend By KAREN MADDEN Tribune Staff Writer FRIENDSHIP -Charges were filed Monday against a 51-year-old woman accused of fatally shooting her boyfriend in the head about a year ago and hiding his corpse. The body of Michael J. Tlusty, 45, was found Jan.

22 in a pole build mit suicide and she tried to stop him. She said the gun fell to the floor during the struggle and when she picked it up, it accidentally went off, shooting Tlusty, the complaint said. Law's brother, Devin McBrien, said he hopes officials find her soon. Tin concerned with society's welfare," McBrien told the Tribune via telephone Monday from his home in Illinois. Tm concerned she's out there, armed and dangerous." The victim's brother, Mark Tlusty of Neillsville, See MURDER5A ing on their property in the town of Strongs Prairie.

In addition to charges, an arrest warrant was issued Monday for Laura D. Law, whose whereabouts are unknown to authorities, according to Adams County Sheriff Larry Warren. An autopsy revealed that Tlusty had been shot in the back of the head, and the wound was consistent with a homicide, not a suicide, it said. Law, who had a gun that would match the type used in the shooting, allegedly told her daughter and a friend that Tlusty had tried to com out for storage and didn't have a key. Law told authorities she would make immediate arrangements for them to enter it, the complaint said.

"(Adams County Inv. Gary Silka) in the course of this investigation, has determined that immediately after Oct. 31, 2001, Laura D. Law has, in effect, abandoned the residence," the complaint said. It said she visited a friend in Cannon Falls, from Nov.

1-8. From there, Law was driven to Madison, where she was picked up by friends 111., to stay with friends prior to getting a ride to Sarasota, Fla. Law was last known to be in Nashville, where she used a credit card to pay for a hotel. According to Silka, Law is around 5-feet, 8- or 9-inches tall. She had weighed about 160 pounds, but had lost about 40 pounds the last time Silka saw her.

She has brown eyes and lists her hair color as blond. However, the last time she was seen, her hair was gray and she wore it extremely short, he said. Laura Law Oct. 31 at town of Strongs Prairie property she and Michael Tlusty owned. Officers had asked to look into the pole building, but Balancing act includes using tobacco funds Club 1 1 gifts 'n: Funds raised A shiffitfartX Think safety first Blazer highlights rules for Wisconsin Rapids burning permits.

See Page 3A Business Focus on tourism Executive Director Lonnie Selje says the Internet has been a great asset for the Wisconsin Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. See Page 9A Sports ing the yearly checks on something else; they are spending decades of settlement payments all at once. "This was the single biggest opportunity in the history of public health to address the most preventable cause of death in America," Attorney General Christine Gregoire said. "I sure hope I don't look back and say it was the biggest lost opportunity." Since the settlement dollars started flowing in, anti-tobacco forces have battled with lawmakers about how the money should be spent, and have mostly lost. Only five states meet the Centers for Disease Control See TOBACCO5A States are using their settlement to help budgets OLYMPIA, Wash.

(AP) -Less than four years ago, Washington state's attorney general helped win billions of dollars from the tobacco industry for 46 states money she saw as a bonanza for smoking-prevention programs and other health measures. Now she is watching in dismay as states around the country including her own borrow heavily against their shares of the settlement to plug holes in their budgets. States are not just spend it" A'- A 1- "'''tauJk h. 4r ISA 2SuJ0 A11ANIA Forester teaches valuable lessons Maryland wins Terrapins hold down Hoosiers for first-ever men's basketball title. See Page 1C Weather eventually will be awarded as scholarships By MARK SCARBOROUGH Tribune Staff Writer NEKOOSA -Members of the Dragon Club, the Alexander Middle School student group dedicated to accepting others just as they are, hope a lot of people attend the big party they're throwing April 12.

Scheduled from p.m. at Nekoosa High School's cafeteria, the catered chicken dinner will be followed by the first viewing of the second Dragon Club video, "Dragons In the Community," in the auditorium. Money raised from the event will be the first dollars deposited in a South Wood County Community Foundation-managed Dragon Club Charitable Fund. After that fund accumulates at least $10,000, annual scholarships of as much as $500 can be awarded to Dragon Club members learning about special education and other helping professions. Alexander fifth-graders Alex Bonow and Ellie Lavin, both 11, think both the club and the scholarship are great ideas.

"That's really interesting," said Alex about the proposed scholarship. "I like how they thought about that. I'm interested in going to DOUO AUTDally Triburw Sixth-grade club members Brooke Sonnenberg (left) and Marena Erickson work on posters recently to publicize an April 12 fund-raiser for the Alexander Middle School Dragon Club. If you go Seats at the fund-raising banquet should be reserved by April 10 by calling 886-8040. Tickets: Adults, $12; students, and children under 5, $3.

See Page 10A rewarding was when I could tell the students began to understand the language and rer.liy respond to questions and-answer dialogue," Rahn said. "A lot of the time I could see their excitement in the big smiles on their faces." Rahn has been a volunteer of Tirimbina Rainforest Center a research, education and ecotourism spot -since 1998. The center, operated by a small staff in Sarapiqui with the main office in Milwaukee, is in partnership with Centra Neotropico Sarapiqui, a ecotourism reserve. From November to the end of February, Rahn taught basic conversational English to students from 11 See RAHN5A Rahn plans to return to Costa Rica this fall By ANTOINETTE RAHN Tribune Staff Writer RUDOLPH Ken Rahn leaves a part of himself in Costa Rica every time he returns to the lush rainforest. During this latest trip, he left the gift of learning a new language and a promise he'd return this fall.

The Rudolph resident and owner of Rahn's Landscape ServiceMcKay Nursery, is settling in for a busy spring and summer, following a winter that saw him nestled in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, teaching English to a group of more than 40 people. "For me, what was most collaboration with community members, teachers and classmates to meet real community needs." By teaching youngsters how to serve others, with emphasis on tolerance and acceptance of differences, Dragon Club members acquire skills and positive attitudes they can carry forward for the rest of their lives, Wresch said. Mark Scarborough is the Daily Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at 422-6728 or mark. Scarborough cwnews.net.

disabled people and it just makes everybody feel good," Ellie said about Dragon Club. "The charitable fund will be nice, because more kids will be able to go to college and study how to help other kids with disabilities." Membership in Dragon Club founded two years ago by John Wresch, an Alexander teacher of students with severe cognitive disabilities lasts a lifetime. "The club motto is 'Helping others help Wresch said. "Students work in Lifestyle Student honored Nekoosa High School senior named Kiwanis Student of the Month. See page 3B school to learn more about helping people with disabilities." The Dragon Club is important because "it lets like me interact with disabled kids," Alex said.

"I think it's cool because we get to help Inside 2A New highway route a concern For the record: Business: Weather: Opinion: Lifestyle: Comics: 9A 10A 11A 3B 4B 8C-12C A 1 Highway 13 proposal includes: Classified: 4 Sections, 32 Pages A Gannett newspaper program and planning analyst for the state Department of Transportation. "We're trying to get public input at this stage." Tom Vruwink, owner of TJ Auto Sales and Collision Repair 3277 Highway 13, relies on the drive-by traffic created by the dual designation of Highways 13 and 73 in front of his business. Eliminating the "Highway 13" name could translate into See NEW ROUTE5A DOT proposes redesignating Highway 13 By MELISSA A. LAKE Tribune Staff Writer A proposal to redesignate Highway 13 to follow Highways 34 and 10 instead of Highway 73 has some affected business owners concerned. "It's very conceptual at this point," said Matthew Halada, Marshfield.

If approved, the redesignation could take effect as early as 2003, or after Highway 10 is widened to four lanes between Highway 34 and Marshfield. To comment or for more information, contact Matthew Halada, Transportation District 4, 1681 2nd Ave. Wisconsin Rapids, Wl 54495; 421-7312; e-mail matthew.haladadot state.wi.us. Running Highway 1 3 concurrent with Highway 34 and 10 from Wisconsin Rapids to Marshfield. Extending Highway 80 north from Prttsville to Marshfield on what is now Highway 13.

The redesignation would provide a more direct link with the new Veterans' Parkway, under construction on the east side of ii i DOUG. ALFTDally Tribune Robert Wagner (left), Department of Transportation District 4 planning supervisor, shows a map of traffic volume analysis to residents during a public information meeting March 27 in Wisconsin Rapids. Mint iiiiif ippySfeepePi 1)2? Be Undersold! We Wil! OPEN DAILY 9 am-8 pm; Sat. 9 am-5 pm; Sun. Noon-4 pm 7830 Hwy.

13 Wis. Rapids 715-325-7778 and NO OPEN at 3264 Church Street, Stevens Point 345-7778 Call Toll Free 1-888-325-7778 Furniture for Every Room of Your Home! To Subscribe to the Daily Tribune call 715-423-7200.