The Daily Times from Salisbury, Maryland • 1

WINE AND MUSKRAT: Rotarians get a quick course in wine; muskrat on the menu in Bivalve. STYLE 11 CHICKEN FEED: Perdue takes the first step to reduce phosphorus in chicken waste. DELMARVA 3 NEW TOP DOC: The Senate confirms Dr. David Satcher as the new U.S. surgeon general.

POLITICS 35 a a Home Plate a rrrvrr TIMES Wednesday, February 11, 1998 Salisbury, Maryland A Thomson Chesapeake Newspaper 50 cents a landslide Johnson recalled W0 kMMB WMm I rZTH Ilk I m. Ml I Fannie Birckhead replaces ousted Snow Hill mayor said he should remain in office until the May 5 general election. The mayor's recall was effective immediately; City Council member Fannie M. Birckhead will serve as the acting mayor until a May 5 general election. The election results By Heather Lynch Daily Him Staff Writer V- I I' not the media.

I have done a good job as mayor and my record will speak for itself." Johnson, who began his first term in May 1996, has been credited for fighting a proposal to build a new Worcester County building outside town limits, which would have moved 131 employees that downtown merchants said were vital to their lunchtime business. The Commissioners changed county plans after steady pressure from the townspeople and Johnson. The mayor has also been noted for a long-awaited $50,000 purchase of a sludge pump to Craig Johnson SNOW HILL Mayor Craig Johnson's 21-month political career ended in a recall election Tuesday as more than three out of four of 510 voters said he should be removed from office. Close to 400 voters said Johnson, 41, should be removed from office; the remaining 116 may have been surprising to some residents, but not to Johnson. "Not at all," he said at his gun shop after Tlnw Pinto by Autumn Wintarbotton TV camera lights glare Tuesday night as Blanche Williams of Snow Hill posts the results of a special election to decide if Craig Johnson should remain mayor.

the election. "I insist that I be tried in court, See MAYOR, Page 2 Jury convicts 1 1 fer killer VanHart With damage from recent storms, Delaware again pays for a 1976 decision not to protect its coastline i 'j bni J- y.wmmm4r Z-Tn 1 iTT if 11 By The Eastern Shore News ACCOMAC After just one hour and 15 minutes of deliberation, an Accomack County jury Tuesday convicted Brian Lee Cherrix of capital murder in the 1994 slaying of Chin-coteague pizza delivery woman Tessa VanHart. The jury's recommendation on whether Cherrix should receive the death penalty should come sometime today. He will be sentenced by Circuit Judge Glen A. Tyler.

Cherrix also was convicted of use of a firearm in a murder, forcible sodomy, use of a firearm in committing sodomy and possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony. The conviction of Cherrix came the day after a Chin-coteague police officer told in spellbinding testimony how the 24-year-old defendant confessed to sodomizing and murdering VanHart after luring her to an empty home in 1994 with a pizza order. Eddie Lewis testified Monday riTT a i-r. "Laaii -1 -v ayj TIidm Fit Photo Brian Cherrix that on Aprtt 25, 1997, Cherrix confessed to him that he called in an order to Famous Pizza Sub Shoppe and Family Restaurant on Jan. 27, 1994, in a ruse to lure VanHart to an empty house on 'Small' Piney Island.

Cherrix repeatedly tried to pin the murder of VanHart on his deceased cousin before finally confessing, police said. "This is a confession case," See JURY, Page 2 3faL I US By Bryon N. Johnston Jr. Daily Tinws Staff Writer SOUTH BETHANY The year was 1976. With Delaware in the throes of a recession, officials scuttled a then $35 million project to protect the state's 25 miles of coast.

That decision almost 22 years ago is costing Delaware today, officials said as they continued to assess damages from back-to-back nor'easters that wreaked havoc in the state's beach towns. From Slaughter Beach to Fenwick Island, ocean waves flooded and damaged roads, houses and hotels while decimating dunes and washing away beaches. Gov. Thomas R. Carper has already asked President Clinton to declare the Sussex coast a federal disaster area, estimating the region sustained more than $5 million in damage.

The same two storms brought far less damage about 10 miles south in Ocean City, which decades ago secured tens of millions of dollars in federal, state and local money for beach protection and replenishment efforts. "In Maryland they build larger beaches, with more dunes and revetments (sea walls)," said South Bethany Mayor Joe Schaefer. "There's no doubt they were better prepared and had better circumstances both before and after the storm." Other Delaware and Maryland officials agreed the sea wall and sand-replenished beaches in Ocean City took the brunt of waves and protected the resort's oceanfront area. The town's 3-foot-wide interlocking steel sea wall rises 6 feet above the beach and extends 35 to 40 feet into the sand. Beaches are regularly replenished as part of partnership between the federal, state, county and local governments.

See BILL, Page 3 "-Jaai' v. "4, "i Ti." fatfidiwil i tr'--" J0" Gunman attacks girl in Stockton jr. By Bryn Mickle DaHy Tama Staff Writer Tknw Photo by Todd Dudak The ocean continues to wash under this row of houses on Ocean Drive in Bethany Beach Tuesday. 1 mile Bombs found on Assateagne then grabbed her and pointed a gun at her, but she was able to free herself when passing cars distracted him. During the struggle, the man said he knew her mother and threatened to kill the girl, police said.

Once out of the suspect's grasp, the girl ran home and called police. Troopers arrested a suspect a short time later. Police said he was agitated and refused to give his name. After the man finally identified himself as Mills, police took him to the girl and said she positively identified him as her assailant. Investigators have not recovered the handgun reportedly used by Mills, but have charged him with first- and second-degree assault, a handgun violation, reckless endangerment and false imprisonment.

Mills was held in the Worcester County Jail. By Heather Lynch Daily IHim Staff WrHar STOCKTON A walk with her dog turned dangerous for an 11-year-old Stockton girl Monday afternoon when a man allegedly leveled a handgun at her and threatened her life. A suspect in the case, 45-year-old Stockton resident Royce Lee Mills, has been arrested and is being held on a $50,000 bond. Maryland State Police said the girl was walking her dog around 5 p.m. in the area near Routes 366 and 12 about 200 yards from the town fire hall when a man approached the girl on the sidewalk near a recycling center and said something about her dog.

When the girl asked if he liked dogs, the man responded by calling her a dog and a profanity, police said. The girl told police the man 1611 1 Ocean wash 1 on a 200-yard area of beach just south of the state-owned section of the island. "Debris just chiseled in at a great amount more than usual," park ranger John Burns said. "And there they were, kinda like Easter eggs." Park officials discovered the shells after a visitor was seen carrying one of the rockets on his shoulder as he exited the park. The visitor was relieved of his treasure and the U.S.

Navy sent its Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team from Norfolk to inspect and begin an investigation. "Based on similar types of ammunition that have been found over the years, we believe them to be inert practice training ammunition that is nonex-plosive. However, the caveat is until the Navy comes back with experts we cannot say for sure," See ISLAND, Page 2 ASS ATE AGUE ISLAND Amid the miles of seagrass and driftwood brought ashore by last week's nor'easter, park officials at Assateague Island National Seashore have found about 130 World War II training shells. The rust-covered shells and rockets most about 2 feet long, 4 inches in diameter and weighing up to 25 pounds were found I i Southi us i Atlantic Ocean TimeaErick Sahler A Moment in lime: Do you remember? 0 Inside I 6 i 1 XT. WEATHER: Cloudy turning rainy and breezy late.

Highs in the mid-50s and lows in the 40s. Page 10 S. 'v Quirt, relaxed tUnosphere with an unequaled waterfront view. Rooms with private balcony, refrigerator, Queen Anne Furnishings. 15 Business 30-32 Movies 10 Classified 38-44 Obituaries ---TV 37 Police Comics 23-28 Sports Commentary 8 Delmarva 3 State of the art waterfront Aerobic Weight Koom, Exercise Facility with Hot Tub, Tanning Bed and Indoor Pool.

Available meeting ind banquet space. A (root plea I stay, of) filling abca I ISLAND GYM, rally tnipptd wtijlrt raaaj with rsna traiMrt. Uit tajoy aiaj fa THE CAFE. ISLAND MOTOR INN RESORT On OtiiKOteogiM Boy 4391 Moil St. 757-336-3141 This photo depicts a historical site on the Delmarva Peninsula.

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