The Times Recorder from Zanesville, Ohio • 1

Itt riTT 1 ECOMDER inline I I ii irtl I i i tiiii on in mi mm. mm ii-nr in ttii "i 1 1 ii.nr Thursday, July 22, 1 993 22 Pages 35c Times mi m.igpi i iuiiii-i Fired coy nty workers appeal sticky situation Unauthorized desk access alleged By PEGGY MATTHEWS Staff Reporter ZANESVILLE Two employees have been fired at the Muskingum County Child Support Enforcement Agency for unauthorized access to a supervisor's desk. The decision, handed down last week by Human Services Director Jeff Kendall, is being appealed. CSEA Director Eric Kildow did not return a phone call to his office and Kendall declined to comment. One woman was a 17-year em- he said.

"Having the keys and gaining access are the main issues, though. Beyond that the speculations are still out there.r' The incident occurred June 17 and was investigated in-house before the two were fired. The union is now conducting its own investigation, Turner said. The women contend their access to the desk was not unauthorized because one key fits several desks and it was common practice to get the candy, ac-cording to the union representative. The incident was a "group three" offense in the department's personnel policy.

Kendall had a range of options from no action at all to suspension to termination. As to why Kendall would terminate two employees over chocolate candy, Turner said, "We don't know. At this point, it seems suspicious. He's Just taken the plunge and gone for the max." Neither woman had previous discipline problems; and Turner said based on that, termination was too harsh. The next step is a meeting with Kendall and then, possibly, arbitration.

ployee and the other had been with the agency for two years, according to Ed Turner, Columbus staff representative for Local 3529 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. "Obviously, at this point we don't think the firing was Justified," said Turner, who declined to release the names of those fired. He said the women had a key to the desk and were only getting candy from the desk, a practice followed by many others in the office on an honor system. "In one drawer, specifically, there was a stash of candy, chocolate, I gather, that they really go for. The employees were all aware of this and periodically partake," he said.

''Neither got any. They were in. the act, so to speak." He said the initial paperwork had not made its way to his desk yet, but he did not believe clients' personal files had been accessed by the 17-year employee, who was actually caught at the desk. "Potentially, any desk could have records and potentially sensitive information, but that wasn't the issue raised, as I understand it," Turner said. However, there was some question as to whether the 2 year employee was acting as a lookout, he said.

"There was some discussion that possibly that was an issue," relief 00 Arcade corning down Clinton counsel commits suicide needs Donations, By NANCY BENAC Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON At the pinnacle of his career, Vince Foster should have been riding high after seeing his boyhood friend elected president and then joining him in the White House. Instead, the 73. No. 2 lawyer at the White House left work early Tuesday, drove to an isolated park overlooking the Potomac River in a wooded part of suburban Vir- The estimated cost of providing Red Cross assistance to flood victims in the Midwest is over $6.4 million, said Nancy Evans, Muskingum Valley Chapter, American Red Cross executive director. Latest figures Indicate more than 22,300 homes have been flooded.

The Red Cross has served more than 500,000 meals. Contributions to help the flood victims are being accepted by the Red Cross and may be sent to American Red Cross, 22 S. 7th Zanesville, OH 43701. Checks may be made out to "Flood Relief." A federal government do-nation hotline is 1-80034-7089. By ED WHITE Associated Press Writer DES MOINES, Iowa Unsold cited donations of clothes and food even 756 cartons of Canadian carrots are causing problems in the flood-weary Midwest.

No one wants to discourage generosity. But when trucks arrive unannounced carrying assorted bounty from across the country, relief officials often have no room or hands to store the load. The remedy: send cash instead. Please. "I think people want to help.

But they don't have any concept of what's going on out here," said Ma. Quinton Kennedy of the Salvation Army in Illinois. "Please stop, please stop," said Robert Ford, manager of the Iowa Food Bank in Des Moines. "The outpouring has been overwhelming." Outside the Food Bank's warehouse, boxes of fresh carrots were stacked 6 feet high Wednesday. Crystal Farms Ltd.

of Leamington, Ontario, sent more than 18,000, figuring they would help feed hungry flood victims. "We know what the weather can do to our crops," said Crystal Farms owner John Tatomir. I 5 A1' i i 1 i The farmer's instincts, how-, ever, were off the mark. Many; farms are, indeed, under but in Des Moines, the problem is no tap water. Food is plentiful, and those few people forced out of their homes are mostly in motels or with family and friends.

See CHARITY Page 3A Foster ginia and took his life. A revolver in "his hand, slumped against a Civil War-era cannon, he left behind no note, no explanation. Only friends, family and colleagues in stunned sorrow. "There is really no way to know why these things happen," an ashen-faced President Clinton told reporters during a brief appearance in the Rose Garden. The 48-year-old father of three was a lifelong friend of Clinton.

They had attended Miss Mary's kindergarten together in tiny Hope, and Foster had been a partner of Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock. An administration official close to Foster said Foster was uncomfortable "under Washington's microscopr." A White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Foster had expressed frustration at recent criticism of the administration, but nothing out of the ordinary. Clinton canceled his public appearances on Wednesday. The Clintons will attend the funeral, scheduled for Friday morning in Little Rock. W.

Muskingum schools OK 4.9-mill levy vote By DAVID BALL Sports Writer Rubble starts to pile up in the the central hall of lines from the downtown building Wednesday to the Lind Arcade as the preparations begin for get the building ready. The site will become a today's demolition. Ohio Power Co. workers cut parking lot. (TR Photo by Jeff Cope) getting in revenues.

If passed, about $400,000 would go to cover costs associated with increasing enrollment, including staffing; improve course offerings to include computer science, a high school general science elective, special education and preschool costs; textbooks; staff development programs; supplemental contracts; regular building maintenance and school bus purchases. The other $200,000 would cover increasing operating costs. Voters have denied six levies in the past few years Battle brewing over war memorial sales By LAWRENCE L. KNUTSON Associated Press Writer ZANESVILLE With only one dissenting vote, West Muskingum School Board agreed to put a 4.9-mill levy on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The emergency levy would raise $600,000 a year for five years. It would cost the owner of a $60,000 home an extra $103 a year. The board voted 3-1 to set a dollar figure of $600,000 for the levy, which will go to the county auditor. The auditor will determine exactly how many mills that would be. The board will vote to put the issue on the ballot at a special board meeting Aug.

11. Only board member Barbara Matheney voted against placing the issue on the ballot. "I am a senior citizen," she said. "I feel that probably the majority of the senior citizens elected me. I have to represent them." She said seniors would not want to vote for the issue.

She also said the economy is bad, and businesses are experiencing declining profits. She said the district could make other cuts to spending but would not say what those cuts might be. But Superintendent Fred Stein-brecher said the district needs the levy because it has had to spend more than it has been -ihl I CLASSIFIED COMICS 5B DEAR ABBY 8 A DEATHS SX LIFESTYLES 7-83T STOCKS OPINION "6A PERRY COUNTY 43T SPORTS 1-3 Sunny today. High in the mid-80s. Page 9 A.

rW7 I L4J July 19 July 26 SUNRISE 6:17 SUNSET 8:48 WASHINGTON There is a yellow flag on a sun-soaked patch of grass near a walkway leading to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial which displays a coiled rattlesnake and the words, "Don't Tread on Me." Designed during the American Revolution, it is planted now near a cluster of blue canvas and plastic tents from which vendors sell T-shirts, buttons, arm patches, bumper stickers, rubbings of names on the wall and other mementoes to many of the thousands of people who visit the memorial. T-shirt prices range from $3 for a shirt commemorating a long-past event to about $20 for a brightly colored version with a patriotic slogan. One vendor sells reproductions on stone of names on the wall. A version with the name "enhanced in 23-carat gold" goes for $130 plus shipping and handling. And the rattlesnake flag may well symbolize the two sides in a small but high-intensity verbal fire fight over what is permissible at America's monuments and memorials.

The National Park Service, which has permitted the private sales on grounds of free speech since shortly after the memorial was i I 'in- V-n jnojmfJ See MEMORIAL Page 3A A souvenir stand near the Vietnam War memorial. (AP Photo).