Palladium-Item from Richmond, Indiana • Page 1

i i i i -i i. Covar to Cover club settles into summer with good roads; Today, Page CI Tomorrow's Weather Showers. High 87; low 67. PageA2 Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001 www.pal-item.com Richmond, Ind.

35 cents MI J4eM Vanished! Niqui McCown WHATSNEWS Get Out! "The whole topic (former street commissioner Bill Smith's departure) was a moot point. The council has no right to oversee the everyday personnel operations of the mayor." Paul Combs, Richmond Common Council member 9 3 councilmen Vigil keeps focus on search for woman steer clear of closed meeting MISSING August is time for state fairs Summer heats up with annual expositions Sports 7f 7 I 1 fl under state law." Two council members, Republicans Bruce Wissel and Paul Combs, came to the city building Wednesday evening but left before the meeting was convened. "I went on the outside chance it would be switched to a public meeting," Combs said. "I had originally told them I'd be there," Wissel said, "but I don't think the meeting was necessary. "If there was anything that would have done any good, I'd have stayed." Combs said, "The whole topic (Smith's departure) was a moot point.

The Council has no right to oversee the everyday personnel operations of tie mayor." "If we had any questions of the mayor, we could have talked with her individually," Wissel said. Democrat Sally Hutton was unable to attend Wednesday's meeting and Please see Council, Page A4 Barely a quorum: Others discuss 'job performance evaluation' By Don Fasnacht Staff writer Richmond Common Council assembled a quorum, but just barely, for an executive session Wednesday night. They were apparently gathered to discuss with Mayor Shelley Miller the recent termination of street commissioner Bill Smith. Council president Karl Sharp declined to confirm the topic for the meeting. "That's why we had an executive session," Sharp said afterward.

The secrecy of the session had been challenged by the Palladium-Item, Before the meeting began, city attorney Bob Bever said the council members, "will discuss a job performance evaluation." Bever said the executive session was "legitimate i r- i Palladium-Item photos by Joshua Smith Rally for Recovery: Friends and family walk along Top: Jim Hampton, brother of Niqui McCown, holds North 10th Street on Wednesday in a show of support his head during a prayer for McCown on Wednesday for Niqui McCown, who has been missing since July 22. night outside the Richmond Municipal Building. WE Inside, Page A3 Week of events focuses "Christian singers bring on crime prevention moral message to youth "Name: Marilyn Renee "Niqui" McCown. Age: 28 Description: African American High humid heat can mean tragedy with black, hair and dark eyes. Last seen wear (, ''-TV MMIilMillMiiMir i iiiniTiriliaaMMMMkia'" TT IT" 4 Young RHS girls golfers struggle Red Devils lose season's first dual meet, 378-433 PageBI Nation House approves bill for oil drilling In refuge WASHINGTON President Bush scored a legislative victory as the House approved a package of proposals aimed at boosting energy development, conservation and drilling in an Arctic refuge.

Working past midnight, the House passed the energy bill by a 240-189 vote early today after a spirited, debate over whether to allow oil companies into the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. Bush has called the refuge the country's major untapped source of petroleum and insisted drilling can be done there without harming the environment. PageA7 Around the Area Increasing health care insurance costs taxing Wayne County's bottom line. A New Westvffle, Ohio, couple camps out at the Preble County Fair. Richmond neighborhoods plan activities to take a bite out of crime.

There's a party under way in Union City, and Union City, Ohio. Page A3 The Special Clovers 4-H club lends a hand to Riley Hospital for Children in the Everyday People column. Page C2 Summer Freedom reporter tackles a tour of Italy. Page C3 from staff and wire reports Obituaries Herman Bookout William C.Eley Roscoe T.Jones EdraKitchel Carl E. Kreutzer Barbara G.Samford Marie M.Schwegman LeonaF, Taylor Robert D.Tellas By Don Fasnacht Staff writer Frustrated and fearful, but with persistent hope, the family and friends of Marilyn Renee "Niqui" McCown marched to the Richmond Municipal Building on Wednesday night to pray for her safe return.

"We don't know the situation with Niqui," the Rev. Ron Chappell prayed. "We ask that You watch over her and ask for Your intervention." McCown vanished from a coin-operated laundromat in the 1000 block of South Street on the sunny afternoon of Sunday, July 22. Since then she has been the object of a frantic but fruitless search by family, friends and the Richmond Police Department. Wednesday's candlelit gathering was as much peace march as prayer vigiL "It's not uncommon for our emotions to get ahead of us," said Chappell, director of Richmond's Human Rights Commission.

"This is a perfect time for the enemy to overwhelm us with division," Chappell said. He was alluding to persistent rumors based on Lighting a Way Home: Supporters gather at the Richmond Municipal Building on Wednesday evening for a vigil in support of Niqui McCown. ing blue bike shorts and a pink tank top. Driving: 1990 GMC Jimmy, Ohio license CNC6753. Disappeared from: 1000 block of South Street.

Information: Contact Richmond police at (765) 983-7247 or the family at (765)965-1052. About 30 people gathered Tuesday to walk through some rugged areas of the city where her car might be hidden. They found nothing that could be linked to her Some family and friends hope to organize another search party this ment. Let's keep the positive momentum alive," Ferguson said. Javier Aquilar, speaking as a representative of the Hispanic community, said, "This is not about race; this is not about color." He joined in the concern about finding McCown.

A dozen days after she "dropped off the face of the police remain as baffled as her family and friends about her fate. No solid evidence has surfaced to indicate what mighthave happened to her. unreliable and unsubstantiated evidence that men described as Hispanics were seen abducting McCown. McCown's brother, Jim Hampton, called for people to avoid vigilante activity "Pray with me, march with me, help me," Hampton said, "but don't hurt anyone." Vagas Ferguson, president of the local NAACP, cited the support from all parts of the community in the search for McCown. "This is a positive move Wire and staff reports Sweltering heat prompted the National Weather Service to issue a warning Wednesday about dangerously hot weather from Minnesota to Texas.

Ninety-degree heat and shirt-soaking humidity have combined to create temperatures that feel like 110 degrees ormore. Temperatureshit91inRich-mond on Wednesday Combined withhumidity of 50 to 60 percent, the heat index was between 96 and lOOdegrees. Heat index is the "apparent temperature" when heat and humidity are combined. The humidity has been at 70 to 80 percent during the morning hours. According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, that has putthedewpoint, the temperature at which moisture condenses out of the air, at between 72 and 75 degrees.

The thermometer already had climbed to 80 degrees by 8:15 a.m. today High temperatures and humidity are expected to linger in the Midwest through next week. "We are right in the middle of the time of year when heat can be deadly all across the country," said Dennis McCarthy, director of the National Weather Service's central region. "Recent deaths from heat-related problems provide somber reminders that heatstroke can strike even the strongest and most well-conditioned people." Thundershowers tonight and Friday could make Indiana less muggy Officials delay action on jail project Associated Press Splish Splash: Construction worker Tim Rogers cools off under a running hose while working outside Wednesday in Springfield, III. Tips keep active children hydrated Page A4 Pride, drive to excel kills Korey Stringer Mike Lopresti column, Sports, Page B1 NFL now knows tragedy can strike it as well Sports, Page B3 Earlier Wednesday, Korey Stringer, a Minnesota Vikings football player, died of complications from heatstroke after collapsing during practice Tuesday.

Each year, 175 people die from heat-related conditions, according to the National Weather Service. This year, at least 14 deaths in Missouri are blamed on the heat. In Houston, Texas, six heat-related deaths have been confirmed, and nine more are being Commissioners consider construction bids, issuance of bonds, environmental inspection The portion of this road east of Jacksonburg Road will be closed for the project. Learned that the state will pay to have gates and lights installed at the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing on Sowers Road. The Wayne County Commissioners on Wednesday also: Learned that the Dingle Road bridge is now open to traffic.

Learned that work on the Mendenhall Road bridge will start Monday. Richmond. And the cost of the project? While construction bids have come in at just more than $19 million, the cost could surpass $50 million once financing is paid during the next 20 years. Although the county's project manager and architect on Wednesday recommended the low bid from Shook LLC, commissioners took no action so their attorney and Shook Rita J. Williams By Amanda D.

Isaacs Staff writer Wayne County Commissioners reviewed bids for construction of a new jail Wednesday but took no ac-tiononthem. They also delayed action on whether additional investigation of soil and groundwater contamination is warranted at the jail's building site, the former Swayne, Robinson Co. property in downtown ducting a site-specific study of the Swayne property is also in the hands of county attorney Ron Cross. Commissioners in-Please see Jail, Page A4 could review the proposal further. "We may do something next week," commission President John Catey said.

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