News-Journal from Mansfield, Ohio • 11

Your community Obituaries State news mmm TV-show brings in new leads OHIO in brief 'America's Most Wanted' airs story about convicted Mansfield killer By Jodi Andes Ntwa Journal Among the new leads, callers responding to the show said Eubanks was in Georgia, Florida, Cincinnati, Columbus, Toronto, Des Moines, Detroit and other areas around the country, Mansfield Capt. John Arcudi said. Eubanks had been on death row for the 1966 murder of Mary Ellen Deener, but got a chance for freedom after his sentence was converted to life in prison with the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of the death penalty in 1972. "America's Most Wanted" got the idea to air Eubanks' escape after being tipped off from an anonymous source.

Then within moments after the case was aired, tips on Eubanks' whereabouts started rolling in to the Fox station in Washington. One caller even said someone resembling Eubanks was arrested for rape. Working by phone, "America's Most Wanted" officials and Arcudi found the lead to be false. Mansfield police were originally called upon by "America's Most Wanted" to gather the background for the case, but Saturday's airing to capture Eubanks' was a team effort with Arcudi, "America's Most Wanted" and law enforcement officials across the country. As the tips rolled in, Arcudi was able to squash several false leads by phone.

Those tips, which usually were that Eubanks was in prison, were quickly disproved, Arcudi said. For 20 years, the Deener family lived in silence in the wake of the murder. No one in the family spoke of the tragedy, said Myrtle Carter, Mary Ellen's sister. Since 1966, Mary Ellen's picture has sat in her mother's home next to a bust of Jesus. "Mom never let them go anywhere by themselves," Carter said.

"My mother was a young woman when my sister was murdered and I saw her age from that day on." It is "just time," Carter said, WASHINGTON A convicted Mansfield killer who walked to freedom remains at large, but investigators have new leads to work with after they received 80 calls after the case was aired on national TV. Lester Eubanks was featured Saturday night on "America's Most Wanted." He walked away from an unescorted shopping trip in 1973. Dog makeover before and after 0 if Drug rallies held in Cleveland CLEVELAND CAP) While one rally touted the legalization of drugs, another was held to fight them. In Public Square, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) attracted about 200 people on Saturday who want marijuana legalized. John Hartman, North Coast NORML president, said they also wanted to protest Cleveland's policy of arresting marijuana users instead of ticketing them.

Meanwhile, at Coit Park, about 50 people marched and chanted, "Drugs are no good. Get them out of the neighborhood." Shouting through bullhorns, the marchers drew nods from residents and honks and raised fists from approving motorists as they drove by. Project gets warm welcome GRAND RAPIDS, Ohio CAP) A crowd of about 500 people cheered "Long live the canal" as a $3.1 million restoration project opened. A canal boat moved with relative ease during dedication ceremonies on Saturday. Two mules pulled it on a tow path across 4-feet deep waters and veered between a 15-foot-wide canal lock.

The project included a working lock, a 1.25 mile-stretch for rides and the 60-passenger boat. Chavis attends iff i ft Li r- 4 1 that Eubanks be forced to pay for the crime. "I don't even hate him, most of my family are Christians. He's been tried and convicted of murder," Carter said. "He needs to be in prison." Eubanks has a 1-inch scar on his upper right arm and a 3-inch scar on his left arm and is probably claiming to be a minister, Arcudi said.

If anyone has information on Eubanks' whereabouts they are asked to call the Mansfield Police Department of Major Crimes at 755-9725, the Mansfield Crime hot line at 52-CRIME, or "America's Most Wanted" at (800) CRIME-TV. Bands to compete at event Lexington hosts 22nd annual event for high school bands LEXINGTON To the crash of symbols and the blare of trombones, six high school marching bands will high step their way through Lexington's Festival of Champions on Saturday, Sept 17. Bands from Westerville North, Riverview, Willard, Utica, Wyn-ford and Seneca East will compete in this Ohio Music Education Association sanctioned event. Lexington High School band director Rob Hedrick said the band will combine music and drills while a panel of judges rate them for trophies. The top trophy is for the Grand Champion.

Among the judges will be retired Shelby High School band director Dwight Somerville. Hedrick said Lexington High School's "Band of Gold" will also perform just as an exhibition. All the bands, Lexington included, will take part in a full retreat ceremony. The event begins at 2:45 p.m. at Lexington High School athletic field with tickets being sold at the gate.

This is the 22nd year for the event, which has changed over the years. "There used to be as many as 16 to 18 bands participating years ago," Janet Peters said. Mrs. Peters, a co-chairperson for the event, along with her husband, Don, and Robert and Mary Ellen Brooks, said Lexington's event was once the top band competition in Ohio. Since then, she said, the state marching band contest in Columbus has taken over that role.

Lexington's "Band of Gold" will be taking part in that contest on November 5, she said. Despite fewer bands, she said the competition is strong and visitors might arrive an hour or so early to watch the bands practice before the competition begins. if! 1 I Af -X 1 mmmm i mi mi- inliim ill i nni mmmi Mtemnmnifiii I Mi- tnu l.ti Lucille Stolle holds all the hair she removed from the poodle seen below. The hair was so matted that it came off in one piece. Stolle thinks her work will give the dog a better chance of being adopted.

rr, ft. 1" it church ceremony if 1 fT -v i Lucille Stolle, a local pet groomer, holds the dog that she volunteered to shave to improve its chances for adoption at the dog pound in Mansfield. Last week, the young male dog at right was brought to the pound. Be was healthy, but his fur was so matted and tangled that the chances of someone adopting him were slim. After cooperating as pound after pound of dirty, smelly, fur was cut free, the dog was presentable.

The tangle was so solid, there were no fleas to be found. A bath, followed by a pedicure completed the transformation. Friday evening, she returned the totally adoptable canine to the pound. As the "pet of the week" had already been photographed, the pound decided to have a special adoption for this very special dog Tuesday, following this story. At 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, this dog will be available to the first person in line to claim this "diamond" found beneath the rough exterior. Photos by Jim Bikar Ranchwood fifth-grade teacher wins DARE honor CLEVELAND (AP) Benjamin Chavis, recently ousted as leader of the NAACP, attended a ceremony honoring a Cleveland church and used the occasion to promote black activism. Chavis was executive director of the Cleveland-based United Church of Christ's Commission for Racial Justice before heading the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "I'm weighing options," he told Cleveland television station WJW. "I have not made any decisions right now.

I'm unemployed." He said settlement discussions concerning his ouster were continuing. Chavis spoke Saturday at the 130th anniversary celebration of the UCC's Mount Zion Congregational Church. Money was due college CINCINNATI CAP) Southern State Community College received more from the state for fiscal 1994-95 than its trustees had requested because it was entitled to more under the state's higher education budget formula, a state agency said. The Ohio Board of Regents used the formula enacted in June 1993 by the Legislature to determine what Southern State and Ohio's other colleges and universities should receive, the board said. The board gave the explanation to state Rep.

Jim Buchy, R-Greenville, in a letter dated Wednesday. The letter also said the money was not an additional appropriation by the other subjects to reinforce the program. Weekly word lists from DARE appear in spelling tests while discussions regarding peer pressure or accepting responsibility occur throughout the day. At Ranchwood, Therm-o-Disc Corp. is the Adopt-A-School sponsor that supplies students with DARE shirts.

This year, new textbooks and a new format will offer built-in improvements with expansions to primary and junior high grades as well as the target year of fifth grade. During the DARE workshop she attended, Mrs. Higgins learned about youth gangs and what to look for in school. It is important to understand the little images, in notebooks or in books that symbolize and advertise gang membership, she explained. Another interesting highlight of her meeting with officers from around the state was the "DARE Car Show." "There was a whole parking lot full, some confiscated and fixed up, old ones and new ones, or Karen Higgins is named 'Educator of the Year by program By Marcia Schonberg Ntwi Journal corrtipondcnt MANSFIELD When Ranch-wood teacher Karen Higgins greeted her new class of fifth-graders, they may not have known of the accolade she received over the summer, but it won't take them long to figure out why she was named "Educator of the Year" by the Drug Abuse Awareness Education ARE) Association of Ohio.

She brought her plaque and DARE poster to add to her already brightly decorated classroom and, as she put the finishing touches on the bulletin board, she shared some of the reasons she was nominated for the award by local DARE Officer Joe Schivin-sky and won over the other nominees. When Inspector David Scott of Mansfield, England, came to her school to gain insight into the DARE program, students and staff celebrated his visit with special events. Students donned baseball caps, played DARE games in the genre of the American pastime, baseball, and served the English bobby caramel corn and soft drinks. "Inspector Scott really got involved. I think he was amazed at how they (the children) knew the answers and how much the children enjoyed it! And Cracker Jacks, he even took some back for his son!" His enthusiasm resulted in an invitation for Mrs.

Higgins to visit schools in his community, promoting the activities she planned for her own students. Ultimately, some of her ideas and speaking engagements during her two week stay helped formulate the successful program currently underway in Mansfield, England. It was easy for Mrs. Higgins, beginning her fifth year in DARE and 23rd year of teaching in Mansfield, to explain the program to others. Mrs.

Higgins incorporates positive living lessons in her 5 KAREN HIGGINS (Photo by Marcia Schonberg) shops when she isn't teaching. ones police departments had given to the cause. It was just amazing to see the pride and community support these people had." "I like to go to things that are new to me, because I like to expe- Mrs. Higgins, who was also the rience a sense of struggle for a recipient an Ohio Council of little bit I can be more caring Mathematics Teachers' award when a student comes to me and this year, enjoys attending work- says 'I dont get it.