Star-Gazette from Elmira, New York • 9

A Twin Tiers Life Page 8C Metro Editor Scott Burgess sburgesssfargazeffe.com 607734-5151 ext. 316 Wednesday August 4 1999 Outback Steakhouse opens in Big Flats next week Local News Sports Entertainment Special Sections LOCALNEWS ELMIRA Preliminary hearing held for fatal crash The 79-year-old Elmira man charged in connection with a fatal accident had a preliminary hearing in Elmira City Court Tuesday morning. Raymond DePue, of South chief financial officer. Total sales were $1.6 billion last year, Merritt said. The Big Flats store will employ 75 to 90 people, mostly full time.

"We're still hiring. Hiring times are 1 to 4 p.m., seven days a week," said Kelly Stark, an Outback corporate trainer who is working with new employees at the Big Flats location. "We'll have 18 trainers here for about two weeks to make sure everybody is fully trained to make sure our customers are satisfied." Outback Steakhouse is best known for its fried onion creation known as the Bloomin' Onion. The restuarant also features a variety of steaks, ribs, chicken and specialty soups. The Outback chain, founded in 1988 and based in Tampa, operates 440 restaurants in the United States and 22 foreign countries.

That number includes 16 restaurants in New York state. Sales per restaurant averaged $3.2 million in 1998, according to Robert S. Merritt, Monday's grand opening preview will benefit the Children's Miracle Network, which supports the neonatal intensive care unit at Elmira's Arnot Ogden Medical Center. Invited guests will pay $15 each for all of the restaurant's fare they can eat and drink. Plans for the rest of Colonial Commons are still in the works, said developer Jeff Yu-nis.

The shopping center will also feature a retail anchor store, a strip mall and 8,000 square feet of additional retail or restaurant space. A Target department store has been mentioned as a possible anchor, but Yunis said he hasn't finalized deals with any prospective tenants. Yunis is happy the first stage of the project, which broke ground in May, is finally a reality. "It's great. We're very excited," he said.

"They're a wonderful addition to Big Flats and Chemung County." By JEFF MURRAY Star-Gazette jmurraystargazette.com BIG FLATS Sizzling steaks and Bloomin' Onions will be among the fare next week when the long-awaited Outback Steakhouse opens its doors in Big Flats. Outback Steakhouse, the first phase of the new Colonial Commons shopping center on Colonial Drive near the Arnot Mall, will hold a grand opening preview celebration from 6 to 9 Skateboarders test new park Prisoner admits guilt staotai! p.m. Monday and will open to the public at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Area residents have been salivating over the prospect for months, according to Big Flats Town Supervisor Merrill Lynn.

"People in general are pretty excited about it opening because it's got a good reputation," said Lynn, who had his first Outback experience in Florida about 10 years ago. "My wife is looking forward to it because that's another night she doesn't have to cook." Chris O'Brian, 1 skateboard park it," said O'Brian, Basssami pssifeik smillrfliaiiiiiai mm jamiiMSi mm siiia siiiSKSsss By RAY FINGER Star-Gazette Corning Bureau rfin9ersfar9azette.com PAINTED POST With a flurry of wheels and an occasional wipeout, the skateboard park at Craig Park opened Tuesday to the delight of a number of area youths. "It's pretty nice," said Bobby Morse, 16, who will enter 11th grade at Corning West High School this fall. "I'm pretty new to this sport. I just started skateboarding a little wriile ago.

It's a pretty hard sport, but I think I'm getting the hang of it." He has been skateboarding at Deni-son Park in Corning but prefers the wooden ramps and rubber surface of the facility at Craig Park. "I like this better because the ramps are smoother and the other one down there is all cement." Jim Button, Painted Post's deputy superintendent of public works, built the wooden ramps with three volunteers on the site of a former tennis court at Craig Park. It took about a week and a half, he said. The skateboard park is open the same hours as the nearby pool, from noon to 7 p.m. Teen volunteers will monitor the park and report any problems or need for first aid to Lynn Kotwitz, director of pool operations.

By volunteering as monitors, several of the youths are fulfilling their community service requirement at Corning West, Button said. Earlier, the village received a petition with more than 100 signatures of residents who live near Craig Park and opposed the skateboard park. Several neighbors whose back yards face the skateboard park declined comment Tuesday. But Ruth Hall of 436 High St. said she's all for the new park.

"It's just another place for the children to have something to do. I may not like it after a while, but I'm not going to worry about it," said Hall, noting she has enjoyed watching youngsters play basketball and tennis from her back porch. "I love to see the boys out there, and I always thought why couldn't they leave the lights on until 10 or 11." Brandon Tuma, 10, of Corning, a skateboarder for about two or three years, was the new facility's first customer Tuesday. "It's a nice park. I can't wait for the tar to dry up because it's getting stuck in the bearings and the wheels.

It slows you down a little bit," said Tuma, who will be a sixth-grader at Corning Free Academy this fall. He has been going to Denison Park but wanted to test Craig j- 3 RAY FINGERStar-Gazette 5, of Painted Post tries the "fly box" at Craig Park's which opened Tuesday in the village. "It's great. I like a skateboarder for about five years. Avenue, appeared with his at-t or ne David Ryn-ders, before Judge Steven W.

Forrest on charges of a DePUE while intoxicated and vehicular manslaughter. DePue was involved in a two-car accident on Clemens Center Parkway and South Avenue in Elmira on July 24. Alyss Mosley, 27, of Allen Street, was injured in the crash and died later that night at Arnot Ogden Medical Center, leaving behind two daughters, ages 4 and 11. District Attorney Tom O'Mara will present the case before a grand jury Aug. 12.

The grand jury will determine if there is enough evidence to indict DePue on the felony vehicular manslaughter charge. If the grand jury dismisses the charge, DePue will appear at 1 p.m. Sept. 8 in Elmira City Court for further court action on the DWI charge. PAINTED POST The Hope Center is ready to expand A groundbreaking service will begin at 7 p.m.

today at the Christian Hope Center, 22 John as plans get under way to build a 100-by-100-foot addition. The service will feature thanks for the Lord's help, a time of worship and "vision casting" into the future, said the Rev. David Hackett, the church's pastor. Additionally, the Rev. Dr.

David Schock of Texas and the Rev. Harold L. Chesser of North Carolina will be guest speakers. The new addition, to be called The Hope Center, will be another way for the church to serve the community, Hackett said. Planned for about seven years, the new center will include a gym, classrooms and a cafeteria, he said.

TOWANDA Injured worker gets $110,000 settlement The Towanda construction worker who suffered back injuries after more than 1,200 pounds of building materials collapsed on him will receive $110,000 from an Elmira contractor in an out-of-court settlement. Albert Fuller, 32, settled with contractor Ben Jolley in July, almost five years after Jolley allegedly issued orders on a building site that led to Fuller's accident. Fuller was installing a roof frame on the Whipple Bros, retail outlet in Wysox, on Nov. 15, 1994, when three trusses weighing 426 pounds each fell and pinned Fuller to the ground. Fuller filed a civil suit against Jolley and Whipple Bros, in the Bradford County Court.

The suit was dismissed by Judge John Mott in July when the two men agreed to a settlement. Skateboard park rules Skate at your own risk. Helmets required. Protective gear recommended. First aid available at pool.

One person per element. Must be 9 years old or older to use park. Respect neighbors and protect park from graffiti. Keep noise down. No glass, alcohol, smoking or offensive language.

Park not to be used when wet. Source: Village of Painted Post gator William Mayhew of the state police at Horseheads, which handles all incidents at the Southport and Elmira correctional facilities. Mayhew said their department receives several complaints from the prison a month, ranging from assaults to possession of weapons or drugs, Mayhew said. Corrections spokesman Mike Houston gave the following account of the most recent incident, which occurred last Thursday. Four inmates jumped another inmate, Sean Tapp, as they returned from the mess hall around 8:25 a.m.

Tapp, 26, was seriously cut on his back, side, hand and face. He needed 82 stitches, Houston said. Ronell Sweat, 20, who is serving 15 years to life for murder and criminal possession of a weapon, allegedly attacked Tapp and sustained a cut to his right index finger that needed five stitches, Houston said. Correction officers found weapons on Sweat and Tapp, who is serving three to six years for a first-degree assault conviction, Houston said. The other three inmates were not injured.

Officers also found two single-edge razors in the area of the assault, Houston said. Tapp was treated in the facility's infirmary and is being held in protective custody, Houston said. Sweat was treated and is now being held in the special housing unit. The other three inmates remain in the general population housing area. The state police at Horseheads is investigating that incident as well as a similar attack that occurred at the end of June, Houston said.

SeePRISONER3C SIMON WHEELEFVStar-Gazette umn2C 0 Erie Canal holds strange looking fish4C Drought aid sought for New York state farmers4C Two more attacks have occurred recently at Elmira Correctional Facility. By MARGARET COSTELLO Star-Gazette mcostellostargazette.com A former inmate at the Elmira Correctional Facility pleaded guilty Tuesday in Chemung County Court to repeatedly stabbing another inmate with a homemade iron weapon. His plea came at a time when the Elmira Correctioral Facility, a maximum security prison for about 1,850 felons, is experiencing a rash of similar, attacks by inmates. Three inmates were injured in two separate assaults over the past two months. Howard Brown, 27, who is now an inmate at the South-port Correctional Facility, pleaded guilty to stabbing Elmira inmate Dwayne Mad-dox 16 times with a 10-inch piece of angle iron from a prison bedpost in June 1998, Chemung County District Attorney Tom O'Mara said.

Brown had been indicted on the charge by a grand jury in February, and the court was just beginning jury selection when Brown pleaded guilty Tuesday morning, O'Mara said. O'Mara said Brown will be sentenced to six years in state prison, which will be served consecutively to the 25 years to life he is currently serving for second-degree murder, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree attempt to promote prison contraband. "These kinds of reports are not uncommon," said Investi Other local news Country Music Association nominates this year's best2C Balancing the mail is an easy act for one man near Addison. See Garth Wade's col- said Tuesday. The skateboard park is open for a one-season trial.

If there are too many problems, it won't reopen next year, village officials said. A more formal grand opening is planned in the future. Park. "It is a lot bigger. You get better speed and stuff." Tuma usually skateboards two to three times a week but is planning to do it more often now that he has a new board.

"It came in the mail today," he "7 1 Arbitrator's ruling in police officer's hearing could take three months Neu was suspended without pay from the police force in March 1998 for filing a false report on a accident in a Buffalo parking lot, the Police Department said. He was driving a city-owned car on official business at the time. One month later, city officials continued his suspension but with pay. The city then attempted to offer Neu more than $50,000 to resign from the department. Neu reportedly signed the agreement, but city officials withdrew the offer when it appeared it would not be approved by the City Council.

Divisions among council members reflected a similarly mixed view of Neu among resi- SeeRULING3C John Ryan can call rebuttal witnesses today, but both sides hope to complete testimony by the end of the day. This is the NEU third set of hearings to determine whether disciplinary actions should be taken against Neu. For now, Neu remains on the payroll, earning a salary of about $38,000 a year. The city cannot hire a replacement until a settlement is reached. The city is also responsible for the cost of the hearings, already about $7,000.

By MARGARET COSTELLO Star-Gazette mcostellostargazette.com The arbitration hearing for suspended Elmira police officer Stanley Neu reconvened Tuesday at Elmira City Hall and is expected to conclude today. But it will be at least 2 'a to three more months before an arbitrator rules whether Neu should be terminated or reinstated to the force, with or without penalties. On Tuesday, labor consultant Jack Schamel called three people to testify on Neu's behalf. The third witness will continue testimony today, Schamel said. City Attorney Two suffer minor injuries in crash Elmira Fire Department and Erway Ambulance personnel aid Martha Douglas, a passenger in a Suburu that was in an accident with a truck at Walnut and Church streets Tuesday afternoon.

The driver of the car, Christa Raatz, 27, of Horseheads, was going west on Church when she allegedly ran a red light and was hit by the truck, driven by Shone Lattimer, 26, of Barton. Raatz and Douglas, 36, of Elmira, suffered minor injuries. Twin Tiers Life Horseheads Free Library presents Nels Cremean's In Community Sports The Horseheads Recreation Department schedules the 1999 Twin Tiers NY Take 5: Not available at press time. NY Pick 10: Daily lottery PA Daily Number: 4- 6-9. PA Big 4: 4-0-1-1.

PA Cash 5: 05-06-26-31-33. NY Daily Number: 8-8-0. NY WinFour. 1-2-3-6. Tennis Championships3B Jest Program "Read to Achieve" today8C.