Palladium-Item from Richmond, Indiana • Page 7

A7 IPOpl Friday, Feb. 13, 1991, RICHMOND PALLADIUM-ITEM Bengal becomes teen's valentine Running back Brooks visits cancer-ridden boy I Mf. Jab v-w bers, an autographed photograph of Brooks and a team photograph. Brooks also brought along his 15-month-old daughter, Jasmyn, and his wife, Simone. VanWinkle, who has been too ill to attend school this year, said he didn't know what to do when he learned Brooks was coming to visit.

In 1989, two Bengal offensive linemen, Joe Walter and Brian Blados, visited VanWinkle at school and took him to lunch. He also threw out the first pitch at a Cincinnati Reds game last summer. "I've had them at school. Having them at home is a lot neater," he said. Even with his favorite running back in the room and his Bengals shirt on, VanWinkle said his favorite team is the Denver Broncos.

"I'm half and half," VanWinkle said. "I'm starting to switch over 'cause the Denver Broncos can't win a Super Bowl." Brooks is his favorite, "because he likes to do the things I like to do. He's kind of a superhero." Brooks and VanWinkle talked about what it's like to play in the Pro Bowl and Brooks' season performance. Brooks also teased VanWinkle about the TV attention. He told him the bright camera lights are why football players always wear shades.

VanWinkle said he'd like to see Brooks lead the Bengals to a Super Bowl. "That's what'll motivate me," Brooks said. By RACHEL E. SHEELEY Palladium-Item LIBERTY To 15-year-old Shane VanWinkle, Cincinnati Bengal running back James Brooks is a "superhero." To Brooks, VanWinkle is a courageous young man. VanWinkle has been battling a rare form of cancer since December 1988.

A valentine wish came true Thursday when Brooks visited VanWinkle's rural Union County home. Brooks changed plans and braved snowy roads to visit VanWinkle. "This is an opportunity to do what I do very well, to show people around the nation I'm not just a football player. I go home at night, too," Brooks said. "I'm very blessed to play football.

Life is very short, and if I've got the chance to, I help anybody I can. I think he has more guts than I have." VanWinkle's father, Gary, said the event was engineered through a few phone calls. Brooks' promoter, Kim Smith of KS Promotions, said arrangements were made as soon as Brooks returned from the Pro Bowl. More than 30 friends, relatives and members of the news media filled the VanWinkle living room to see Brooks. In the light of the TV cameras, VanWinkle blinked as Brooks gave him a white Diet CokeCincinnati Bengals football autographed by about 70 team mem PalladiumltemRachel Sheeley er, Kim Smith; Shane's mother, Karen VanWinkle; and a friend of Shane's.

Shane got his wish for Valentine's Day to meet his favorite Bengals player. Shane VanWinkle holds an autographed team picture of the Cincinnati Bengals given to him by team running back James Brooks. Standing behind the pair are Brook's promot- David Dittmer and Scott Hinkley Jr. Choosing right IRS forms is a taxing task This is the time of year when most people get letters in the mail with four dreaded words on them: "IMPORTANT TAX DOCUMENT ENCLOSED." These envelopes serve as brutal reminders that April 15 is just around the corner. And it's waiting for you.

With a machine gun. There are those twisted degenerates who feel they must fill out their tax forms as soon as they receive these IMPORTANT TAX DOCUMENTS. These are the same people who get their Christmas shopping done in August and never run out of gas. "Why, we can take my car," they said. "I just filled it up last night." Perverts.

But, sooner or later we all must face the nasty tax-beast. And we have a few suggestions that might help ease the pressure. There are only three tax forms that you could possibly fill out for the U.S. government. All three begin with the numbers 1040, so they can be confused by you and the Internal Revenue Service.

In case you don't know which form to choose when you are filing your taxes, just follow these basic guidlines: 1040, The long form. These are for people who have real lives. They own a business, have travel expenses, and live in a nice house with a wife and three growing deductions. It is not for the weak of heart or stomach. This form is very useful for audits, (heaven forbid), because you can merely claim that you didn't understand it.

The 1040 gives you the power of honesty over the IRS. 1040A, The not-so-long form. This tax-preparer's nightmare is for those who don't have real lives, but hope someday to have them. The typical "A-filer" is fairly young, married, and has a deduction with another on the way. These people will often take up to two months to complete their tax forms, in hopes that maybe they can find one deduction that will let them move up to the 1040.

Although these upwardly mobile people work hard at their taxes, they will probably have to wait to make the big-time. 1040EZ, The short form. This is for people who have no lives. This is the form that we use. The "EZer" has no spouse, no house, no deductions, and just wants to pay the money and get it over with.

In its favor, the EZ is the only form that you don't need an accounting degree to complete. Its major drawback is that the only thing you can deduct is yourself. But, if you're filing it, you probably don't have anything else anyway. "It's great. We really appre- done a lot of things for him.

ciated them coming out, especial- They've really been real good to ly on a bad day like today," father us." Gary VanWinkle said. "It's the "If anybody deserves it he most Shane's talked in two weeks, does," mother Karen VanWinkle I can already tell it's been real said. good for him. People have really Grandmother Eilene Rieb- Somer agreed, saying, "I don't think there's any athlete out there that's any stronger than he is." As he left, Brooks told VanWinkle, "If you need anything just call and let me know. Call collect.

We can just sit around and talk." Another banner year A i ii in i IU-7'V j7VL 'T-- Palladium-Hem For 13 years, now, Eugenia "Gina" Williams has put up this banner for her husband, Phil, on Valentine's Day. And, every year, the weather has turned bad. This year was no exception. "The banner should be dried out about Saturday," she said. "Every time I hang the banner, we usually have an ice storm," she said.

"Then it freezes, so I have to wait a couple of days to let it dry out." Williams said the banner is as old as one of her children. "I made it 13 years ago while I was pregnant with my youngest child." She said she wasn't at all surprised by Thursday's weather. "I pretty much knew that yesterday," she said. "It's just really strange." But she said she'd never dream of keeping the banner inside, no matter how bad the weather. "He's upset if it's not there," she said.

Scott and Dave are breaking new ground in tax confusion by trying to use their jobs as a tax write-off. Scott is the Palladium-Item's Indiana regional reporter, and Dave is a free-lance writer who contributes stories to the Palladium. Palladium-ltemSteve Koger Gina Williams put up this banner for her husband, Phil, Thursday, as she has for the past 13 Valentine's Days. Mother's gratitude may be for you Hot stuff 51 Dear Abby By Abigail Van Buren VP Tyne Daly pleads no contest to a drunken driving charge and will attend a alcohol education program. and if perhaps she was comparing his performance to the other men she has had.

Well, I have news for this guy. In all likelihood, the only thing on his wife's mind during sex is the upcoming visit to the school guidance counselor about Johnny's grades or where they were going to get the money to pay the IRS come April 15 or how she is going to squeeze her mother-in-law's grocery shopping between Janie's acrobatics class and Saturday night's choir practice. Did he marry his wife solely for sex? And suppose he does actually run into one of her old lovers? Does he actually believe the guy will even remember her name after 16 years, let alone bring up the subject in conversation? Let's face it, Abby. If the sparks were that terrific 16 years ago, it only confirms his excellent judgment in getting a ring on her finger and a permanent commitment from so desirable a female. MRS.

G.J. IN OCALA, FLA. DEAR G.J.: Thanks. You make an excellent point. Send questions to Dear Abby.

P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, Calif. 90069. DEAR ABBY: Last summer my son nearly died as the result of a car accident. Please print this letter to help ease a mother's conscience for not having said these things to the appropriate people some time ago.

Do not disclose my name or city. Let those who have done similar deeds believe that these words are meant for them, because they are: To the couple who stopped to call the police: Thank you! To the paramedics who faced that gruesome scene willingly, and worked tirelessly in the middle of the night Thank you To the emergency nurse and re-ceptionist who held my son's hand: Thank you! To the surgeon who skillfully set his broken bones and tediously stitched each laceration: Thank you! To the eight people whose blood flowed through my son's veins for a few precious hours: Thank you! To the intensive-care nurses who sustained his life, and made him a part of theirs: Thank you! To all of you: I cannot begin to put into two little words what will fill my heart forever. Please ac- Entertainment Group president Brandon Tartlkoff returned to work six weeks after sustaining serious injuries in a car crash. Tartikoff's 8-year-old daughter, Calla, remains in satisfactory condition, a network spokesman said. The family returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday after staying in the Reno, area since the Jan.

1 accident near Tartikoff's Lake Tahoe resort home. Sawyer Brown split NASHVILLE, Tenn. Lead guitarist Bobby Randall has left the pop-country band Sawyer Brown to pursue other interests, including a cable TV show, a spokeswoman said. Randall left the band during the past week to be a host of the show "Be a Star" on The Nashville Network, said Patsy Cox, a spokeswoman for Capitol Records. "There are no hard feelings," she said Thursday.

No replacement has been announced. The five-member band is known for hit records such as "Step That Step," "The Race Is On" and "Leona." Palladium-Item wire reports Faster than a fast ball MIAMI Baseball star Jose Canseco has gotten another speeding ticket, clocking in at 104 mph and telling the arresting officer his car was running on aviation fuel, the trooper said. "I don't think it was a big deal to him," said Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Rafael Lola, who gave the Oakland Athletics slugger the ticket on Feb. 6. "You could say he was kind of cocky.

When I told him he clocked in at 104 mph, he said, 'Oh, you're so Canseco also told Lola he had just put some special aviation fuel in his Porsche and wanted to test it out, the trooper said Thursday. Lola said that when he chased down the car ripping down the 55-mph Tamiami Trail, "I knew who he was, but I didn't want him to know that I knew." "I ran a computer check on him because I've known he has had a problem with the law before. It turned out (his license) was good. I was pretty surprised." Sounds like Cagney LOS ANGELES Actress Tyne cept them as a symbol of something that never could be measured a mother's love and gratitude. Thank you MOM DEAR MOM: Your gracious letter provides an opportunity to offer these words of caution to anyone who gets behind the wheel of an automobile: Please drive carefully, alertly and defensively.

DEAR ABBY: I can't get over the letter from the middle-aged man who was bemoaning the fact that his middle-aged wife of 16 years had confessed on her wedding night that she had had four previous boyfriends (lovers) before she married him. His whole life was "haunted" by these thoughts of his wife's premarital affairs, and he kept wondering what his wife was thinking about while he was having sex with her Daly was fined $927.50 and ordered to attend a 90-day alcohol education program after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge. Daly, 43, who did not appear in court Thursday, also had her driver's license restricted for 90 days, letting her drive only to and from work and the alcohol education program. The actress, who won an Emmy for her role as Policewoman Mary Beth Lacey in the TV series "Cagney and Lacey," also was placed on informal probation for three years. She was stopped Jan.

14 after a California Highway Patrol officer saw her 1989 Toyota weaving just north of the Ventura Freeway. NBC leader returns LOS ANGELES NBC.