The Tribune from Coshocton, Ohio • 1

1JY SI VOL. 78 NO. 146 30; From staff and wire reports Tuesday, NOV. 24, 1987 Today's weather County owes $60,000 in taxes on home just renewed their lease for five years. There is no provision in the lease for taxes." Tompkins has informed the commissioners the yearly tax bill will be $16,400 for 1987.

Ross noted most of the tax revenue will go to the city of Coshocton and the Coshocton City Schools since the county home is within the limits of those corporations. During the Monday meeting, the commissioners accepted and signed the 1988 Litter Control grant for $46,810 or $915 less than requested. Litter Control Director Randy Guthrie said he was pleased with the grant "considering a million dollars was cut from the program sioners must vacate a road which has been unused in 21 years. Current- ly the street exists only on mapsr Commissioner John Porteus" referred to a February 1987 opinion from the office of County Prosecutor William Owens which says vacation' of a road under the 21-year abandonment provision is "discretionary, not The petition must be reviewed by Gute before the commissioners set viewing and hearing dates or make, any decision. The commissioners passed "fixed assets" inventory policy stat; ing all county items must be invent -toried, as is current practice, but See COUNTY, Page 2 was leased (effective Jan.

1, 1983) to a private, for profit corporation," the letter says, "the tax exempt status of the County Home ended." The auditor's determination is supported by a letter from Brent Shenk, assistant prosecuting attorney, stating "when a county home is leased to a private corporation for profit it loses its identity as public property used exclusively for a public purpose. is not entitled to exemption from taxation." According to Commissioner President Jim Ross, "this has never been mentioned by state examiners and is a surprise." He noted "we can't pass it on to College Park, Inc. (which leases the county home) because we i statewide." The commissioners received and sent to County Engineer Jim Gute a petition from H. Eugene and Helen L. Shroyer of 349 E.

Pleasant St. in Canal Lewisville. The petition requests the commissioners vacate a portion of James Street originally known as East Street in Canal Lewisville. A similar request recently was denied by commissioners when Tuscarawas Township trustees stated they wished the road to remain dedicated as they might wish to open it. The new petition cites a state law which says, according to Shroyers' attorney James Finney, the commis- I f3 I if 111 1 i imarihm, r- I jW(KW i1 ti -Tii'- Robert R.

Lee, 46, 30166 TGR 229. The school bus had finished taking children home and was returning to the school empty when the accident occurred'. (Tribune Photo by John Brewer) MAN INJURED Roger W. Cams, 27, of 46100 CR 495, is in Grant Hospital in Columbus with injuries sustained Monday when the car he was driving on State Route 93 north of Fresno collided with a Ridgewood school bus driven by Man seriously hurt By JOHN BREWER Staff Reporter Coshocton County commissioners Monday questioned a letter from County Auditor Richard Tompkins stating the commissioners owe $60,534.14 in back real estate taxes on the Coshocton County Home. The commissioners also approved transfers of $28,943.22 from various accounts to the salaries and Public Employees Retirement Service accounts of the sheriff's department.

In his letter regarding the back taxes, Tompkins states his office, in reviewing records of properties exempt from real estate taxes, found the county home should not be exempt. "When the County Home Defendant tells jury about fatal shooting By TERRY GEESE Staff Reporter Prosecutor William Owens sat on the floor of the Coshocton County Common Pleas Courtroom Monday, a shotgun in hand. Standing over him, also carrying a shotgun, was Kevin Bernaciak, on trial on a charge of aggravated murder. It was the visual highlight ot testimony by the defendant. Under examination by Owens, the shooting of Anthony Portale was being re-enacted with Bernaciak playing the role of his shooting victim.

The defendant was the only witness called to the stand by the defense in the ninth day of testimony. His testimony was completed before the noon hour. Jurors were sent home while jury instructions were being hammered out by the attorneys and Judge Richard I. Evans. Final arguments were set for 90 minutes each, starting at 9 a.m.

today. Following the arguments, jurors will be instructed and the public will know tne possmie decisions the jury can reach. At the noon hour Monday, Judge Evans said jurors would have the choice between guilty or not guilty of aggravated murder. Any other lesser guilty forms would be decided in the Monday afternoon conferences. Bernaciak was solid in his direct testimony.

His cross-examination by Owens was fraught with inconsistencies. Under direct examination of his attorney, Kenneth Turowski of Akron, Bernaciak, 32, of Medina, testified his gun was placed in his Bedford Township mobile home and was loaded with two shells the day of Dec. 3. He said a hunting companion, Raymond Rann, had seen him unload the gun on a township road when the day's hunt was complete. However, he said that Rann apparently did not see him reload the gun when they crossed a field where he knew a deer beds down.

Bernaciak testified he saw Portale drink more than half a fifth of whiskey before the group went to Coshocton the evening before the death of Portale of Lakewood, 'He didn't hold it," Bernaciak said. "He threw-up." At Kat Balou's, he said, "Tony, he just sat there and drank most of the night." He described various encounters at the bar, including an incident in the parking lot after the bar closed. The encounter involved a "young kid" who had been in the bar with his mother, Bernaciak said. "He literal ly picked the kid up and slammed him on the ground. An encounter in an auto driven by John Tignor was described.

Berna ciak recounted being in the back seat of the Tignor car when, "All of the sudden he (Portale) hit Ray (Rann). I heard Ray moan. Bernaciak said he held the arm of Portale the remainder of the trip to the mobile home. Bernaciak testified Portale left the car at the home and said "He was going down to the trailer, saying that he was going to kill Ray." Jurors were leaning forward, attentive, as Bernaciak explained the moments leading to death for Portale. See TRIAL, Page 2 Roger W.

Cams, 27, of 46100 CR 495, is in poor condition at Grant Hospital's Intensive Care Unit after his 1986 Nissan hit a Ridgewood school bus Monday afternoon. Cams was driving northbound on State Route 93 in White Eyes Township at 4:03 p.m. Monday when his vehicle went left of center while rounding a curve, deputies at the Wet and mild is the forecast for torugnt witn tne temperature staying in the mid-to linner AtVt i-vi-iLouMj will be breezy and mild with the high in the low 60s. For details see Page 10. Post office eyed The West Lafayette Post Office is one of about eight offices in the 132-office area under the control of the Zanesville management sectional center to be recommended for renovation or reconstruction in the next five years.

Joe Mangia, customer relations officer at the Zanesville center, said costs and benefits of improvement options will be evaluated before a further decision is made. A real estate consultant was in the village recently to begin study of available properties, accor ding to west Lafayette Postmaster Don Burdett. He said the current leased office at 113 S. Kirk St. has no off-street customer parking and no loading ramp.

House fire kills 2 MEDINA, Ohio (AP) A woman ana ner teen-age daughter were kill ed in a house fire, and two other family members suffered hums while fleeing from their Hinckley Township home. Linda Kratzer, 43, ana ner aaugnter, Lorraine, 14, died of smoke inhalation and burns. They were found dead in their beds. Mrs. Kratzer's husband Mark and their son Brian escaped from the burning Agreement reached GENEVA (AP) Secretary of state Genree P.

Shultz announced late this morning that he and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze have "completed agreement all the nutstandine issues" of a treaty to ban intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Other details were not available at Dresstime. See related story on Page 10. Quake hits Calif. LOS ANGELES (AP) A strong earthquake rattled through the Southern California desert early to day, causing at least one injury.

There were no immediate reports of damage. The quake, which registered 6.3 on the Richter scale of ground motion, was reported around 5:20 a.m. PST and was felt in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, San Bernar dino, Hemet, San Diego and downtown Los Angeles. Pilot dies in crash RTTTT.FRVTT.I.R Ohio (AP) A small plane crashed early today in heavy fog near tnis warren coumy community, killing the pilot. The identitv of the pilot was not im mediately avauaDie, me warren rnnntv sheriff's office said.

The pilot was alone aboard me piane. Ohio Lottery CLEVELAND (AP) The winning number drawn Monday nignt in tne unio Lottery's daily game, "The Number," was 612. In the "Pick 4" eame. the winnine number was 7256. Inside today a COSTS OF prosecuting the Home State Savings Bank case have risen to nearly $5 million, and there is no end in sight.

Page 3. A JUDGE has rejected a request bv an Ohio State alumnus to block the firing of football coach Earle Bruce. Page 3. THE LOS Angeles Rams are feel ing a lot better about themselves after their 30-26 upset ot tne Washington Redskins. Page 6.

INJURED CINCINNATI Bengals stars Cris Collinsworth and James Brooks say they will play Sunday in New York against the Jets. Page 6. AFTER "A very successful fall sports season, Ridgewood honored its athletes Monday evening witn an awards banquet. Page 6. THE OKLAHOMA Sooners nave reclaimed the No.

1 ranking from Nebraska after letting the Cor- nhuskers own it for one week. Page 7. CHICAGO COACH Doug Collins would like to see his team get some respect. The Bulls rallied in the final four minutes Monday to hand the Boston Celtics a 107-102 NBA loss. Page 7.

THE FEDERAL government's attempt to reduce the flow of red ink is getting off to a rocky start in the new fiscal year with a giant $30.7 billion imbalance for October. Page 10. WITH LESS than three days before Americans gobble down their Thanksgiving feasts, turkey price wars have broken out around the country. Page 10. rj 1UUCA.

Accent 5 Area News 2 9 Comics 8 Lrcauia pitnio liiuiiuuaia Health 10 Legal 9 nu: i umu ncwa cnorf- 6,7 Today's Reports 2 Weather i 622-1122 BUSINESS OFFICE 622-1125 CIRCULATION vuoro i.tj-(iro i tone roPYRifiHT 1987 Inmates refuse to release hostages; accident No citations have been issued in connection with the accident. Cams was transported to Coshocton County Memorial Hospital by the West Lafayette Emergency Squad. He was later transported to Grant Hospital in Columbus by LifeFlight helicopter. Heavy damage was reported to both vehicles. one dead are not being mistreated.

The inmates have threatened to kill the hostages if any assault was made. In Atlanta, one inmate death was reported by Rep. Pat Swindall, R-Ga. A television reporter sat in oh negotiations between authorities and four prisoners representing the approximately 1,500 Cubans to assure that any agreement be made public. The reporter said inmates brought out a body of a prisoner who was shot, apparently to bolster their contention that guards and not other prisoners were responsible.

resignation In other action, council: Approved an estimate of $8,652 as its share of the Consolidated Rail improvement at the Kirk Street crossing. The figure represents one-tenth of the estimated cost. Village Administrator Dan Canterbury is to check on ways to improve drainage of the area. Learned from Canterbury his crew members will flush water lines Tuesday and Wednesay nights if there appears to be no danger of overnight freezing temperatures. Gave three readings to resolutions with an emergency clause transferring $2,550 to the swimming pool bond account, $3,765 to one water system bond account and $17,962.50 to a second water system bond account, all to cover payments on previous projects.

Spent about 30 minutes with Fortune in executive session called for discussing "village personnel." 4.1 percent improvement from the first half of tne year, when prices were rising at an annual rate of 4.3 percent. A moderation of energy and food costs along with decreases in clothing prices were key factors in the change. The 4.1 percent GNP growth rate compared to growth of 2.5 percent in the April-June quarter and 4.4 percent in the first three months of the year. The economy will need to expand at a rate of just 1.8 percent in the current quarter to meet the administration's forecast for growth of percent for all of 1987. But with the collapse of the stock market in October, some economists think even this growth level may be unobtainable.

mil 'i iiajimn nil 11 "Wk ATLANTA (AP) Cuban inmates who seized a federal prison refused to release any of their 75 hostages today despite an offer to delay deportations, while other Cuban prisoners in Louisiana paraded two of their 28 hostages to show they were unharmed. There were reports of as many as six dead after Monday's uprising at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, but only one death could be confirmed. Helicopters circled the Atlanta complex after a new blaze broke out shortly after 6 a.m. today. Spanish-speaking inmates could be heard Lafayette Council accepts officer's in car-bus over onto its side.

No children were on the school bus at the time of the accident, said Ridgewood Superintendent Fred Steinbracher. The students had been dropped off by the bus driver prior to the accident, and the bus was headed back to Fresno School to refuel, Steinbracher added. refugees, most of them criminals or mentally ill, who had been in legal limbo in the United States since the 1980 Mariel boatlift. U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese II offered a moratorium on deportations to Cuba if the inmates ended their uprisings and freed the hostages.

Meese said Monday the moratorium would be in effect until each case could be reviewed in a "full, fair and equitable" manner. At the half -burned Oakdale center, inmates brandished weapons in a show of force early today of force and brought two hostages to the compound's gates to show that they install along with detailed plans for study by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Patterson reported that the Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association has approved a grant application from the village to help pay for the wastewater work and will make seeking funding for it a priority project. A letter written by Jones Metal stressing the job creation or retention aspect of the work was helpful in the OMEGA decision, Patterson said. The mayor deferred discussion on a negotiated agreement with Jones Metal until a representative from that firm is able to attend a council session.

Patterson said he has had several meetings with a representative to iron out a pact that will allow the company to channel its treated industrial wastewater into the village's system. GNP increases WASHINGTON (AP) The economy expanded at a robust annual rate of 4.1 percent last summer, even better than previously thought, the government reported today. The Commerce Department said the gross national product, the broadest measure of economic health, was climbing sharply in the three months before the stock market collapse, led by strong increases in consumer spending and business investment. The new figure on overall growth from July through September was revised from last month's estimate of a 3.8 percent summer growth rate. Inflation, however, was a bit worse than initially thought.

The GNP inflation index rose at an annual rate of 3.3 percent, compared to the previously calculated 2.7 percent. The 3.3 inflation rate was still an Coshocton County Sheriff's Department said. Cams' Nissan then struck the 1979 International school bus which was driven by Robert R. Lee, 46, of 30166 TR 229, deputies added. The impact broke off one of the front tires of the bus, deputies said.

The bus then went left of center striking an embankment and rolling over walkie-talkies shouting, "What's going on in the factory? What's going on in the factory?" The riot by Cuban inmates fearing deportation left at least 12 people injured. Eight Cuban prisoners were hospitalized in satisfactory condition today, five with gunshot wounds, authorities said. The rioting began Monday morning, two days after an uprising by Cuban inmates at the Oakdale, federal detention center, left 31 The inmates revolted after the State Department announced that Cuba had agreed to take back 2.500 wage ordinance and a revision of the employees' vacation ordinance section. Both were presented orally, with no written copies available to other members of council or to the public. The wage ordinance, which had included a 3 percent increase from 1986 to 1987, contains no increases for 1988.

Patterson, questioned today about the figures, said the council members discussing the matter felt that the wastewater project costs potentially will consume all available revenue in the coming year. Raises could be given later in the year if money is available. Patterson relayed information that the village's general municipal compliance plan has been approved for its wastewater plant upgrading. Now, the village, through its consultant Burgess and Niple must submit an application for a permit to DOUGLAS APPLEGATE Wants To lie Candidate By GREG BOWMAN News Editor WEST LAFAYETTE Village Council accepted the resignation of one police officer Monday night while another was in Florida on a second interview for a new position. Patrolman Robert L.

Aul, currently on vacation, submitted his resignation effective midnight Thursday. Aul's letter of resignation apparently came following a meeting with Mayor Jack Patterson and Police Chief Jay Fortune. Patterson said that Patrolman Bruce Myers is in Florida for a return interview with one sheriff's office and has been contacted there by a second department seeking an additional officer. Patterson said the council's police committee will meet to discuss a possible replacement for Aul. First readings were given to a iyua and explain the needs of Southeast ern Ohio.

Upon receiving a strong commitment from a candidate, I will determine which candidate to trust, and throw my support to him," Applegate said in a statement. He said the 18th District needs economic support and aid in rebuilding its roads, bridges and public systems after years of economic decline. Not to be confused with any of the more ambitious Democratic presidential challengers, Applegate said: "I have no illusions about being elected president. without the presence of any dominating candidate, the nomination could be up for grabs and I'm as knowledgeable as anyone presently being considered." Applegate wants to be favorite son candidate By The Tribune wasnmgion Bureau WASHINfiTDN Rpn Dmis Applegate, D-Steubenville, made it official Monday he wants to be the 18th District's "favorite son" candi- date for the White House in 1988. I i.ike nis Dreaecessor.

tormer nep. Wayne Hays, Applegate is going to use the "favorite son" strategy to try and increase his influence at the i Democratic wauonai convenuun in Atlanta next summer. I 11 successim nyyicgaic muuiu have six delegate votes out oi unio 134 votes. "When get to vne iioor me i rpmrvrAti( rnnvention in Atlanta, i i I intend to meet witn tne candidates.