Rocky Mount Telegram from Rocky Mount, North Carolina • 1

"A Advantage, Knights Geek alert Playhouse readies 'The Nerd Northern Nash boys advance -1 a nn Volume 85 No. 203 Thursday, May 11, 1995 50 cents I. 7 Merder case needs 3 alternate jurors of the jury. There are seven whites and five blacks. Rich, a 23-year-old Castalia convenience store clerk, was found dead underneath her own car after her mother had reported her missing.

Authorities claim that Rich was abducted from the rFoodrStoretalen- to a remote spot in the county, run over and killed. Investigators said the suspect then returned to the store with Rich's keys and robbed it. Richardson was arrested the following day, and charged with Rich's murder and the robbery of the store. Witnesses said they "sawRlcharors By J. Eric Eckard Assistant news editor NASHVILLE Wednesday morning, the court needed three alternates in the Timothy Richardson first-degree murder trial.

When the session ended Wed- COLUMN Governor rescues small boy's dog NASHVILLE, Term. (AP) Gov. Don Sundquist decided he wonlme betwecft aoy- and his dog. The pup Bailey is home today with 10-year-old Jarrett Sellers after a two-month stay Residence. Jarrett hadn't seen the 2-year-old, golden-haired mutt for a couple of months when a neighbor called and said he was" on television with the governor.

Sundquist thought he had rescued Bailey from a life on the streets, begging for scraps. But after meeting with the boy and his mom Tuesday, he concluded the dog was better off with the boy. Jarrett observed, "We'll try to keep a leash on him-a little better." iO i dowe pJ New-look Jordan store before it closed. Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner has said the state will seek the death penalty against Richardson, if he is convicted of first-degree murder. Jury selection for the three alternates was expected to re- teste North Carolina reported 152 cases of rabies last year.

Nash County had six cases of rabies reported last year. Edgecombe County had three cases of rabies reported tast year. One Nash clinic vaccinat- -ed 544 dogs and cats in April 0 Edgecombe vaccinated 263 pets during an April clinic. Clinics in both counties this year have vaccinated record numbers of animals, according to animal control officials. One Nash County clinic, vaccinated 544 dogs and cats on April 13- "It was largely successful," Langley said.

"We always wish wehad moreTbut thatValways good." Edgecombe officials vaccinated 263 pets during March clinics. The most recent case of rabies in Nash County was reported May 2 in the Sims area near Wilson County. Two dogs killed a rabid raccoon. Both dogs had been vaccinated previously and needecT only booster shots, Langley said. Edgecombe County's most recent report occurred in April in Sharpsburg, said Tim Delap, the county's animal control supervisor.

rabies Michael Jordan sported a new look Wednesday night in If I the NBA playoffs at Orlando, Jordan had been wearing No. 45. He changed hit ursp.v Volunteer announcer Cliff Sullivan at the mike for WESQ Local public radio may go silent three alternates. The final two members of the 12-person panel seated Tuesday, but after an all-day questioning marathon by the defense and prosecution, the count remained at 12. In a story about the trial Wednesday, the Telegram incor rectly-reported the racial makeup i ft, i1" J-l WESQ after August, the statement said.

Station Manager Jerry Glass said there have been some negotiations with other parties concerning taking over the station's license. Under this fiscal year, the college the FM 7 station. Wesleyan, said Glass, decided to invest more of its resources into its academic programs for the next fiscal year. Interim President Herman Collier declined to comment. Wesleyan started airing WESQ in April 1992.

Located at 90 9 on the FM dial, the station plays jazz and classical music during the day, and an eclectic mix of classic rock, rap, alternative and at night. Many students use the sta than never This is the last day a bill can pass in one chamber and still be eligible to be heard in the other. the 6:30 p.m. supper after 8:30. But the fund-raiser still drew about 150 local Republicans and unofficially raised several thousand dollars for the party, according to Helen Laughery, a member of the Nash County GOP's executive committee.

Half will go toward operation of the state and the rest will go into a legislative trust, which supports Republican candidates for the General Assembly. House Majority Leader Leo is- rt for By Jamie Kritzer Staff writer Resources are spreading thinner than butter on toast at the state veterinarian's office so low that officials are having to cut Corners statewide on testing for rabies cases. In Nash County, Edgecombe County and about one-fourth of the rest of the state where rabies has been reported at its highest level in 40 years officials can test only animals believed to have had contact with other animals or humans. "Where the laboratory used to do 10 to 15 cases a. day, they are doing up to between 30 and 35 cases," said Lee Hunter, public health veterinarian with the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources.

"And those are the ones that are absolutely necessary cases, where somebody's pet or animal has been bitten, and we have to test. "We've had to cut out certain types of animals for testing and vareas that hayejiad known rabies cases in the past. We just canTt afford them, and we don't have i the time." The state has had 152 cases reported this year. Nash County has had six cases, and Edgecombe has reported three. Scarlett Langley, Nash County animal control supervisor, said selective rabies testing doesn't pose a big danger.

"If the animal hasn't really come into contact with anybody it's not really a risk," she said. Three epidemics are hitting North Carolina in the east, south and midwest, creating the unusually feverish pitch this year, Hunter said. fFJf TelegramClifton Hughes tion as their vehicle to get into broadcasting, said program director Dimitri Ferrell. Ferrell does not believe the recent announcement by the board of trustees is the end of the WESQ. "I'm optimistic that the -business-community and-otherswill-eome-to theescue-of the station," Ferrell said.

"I believe the station will continue to operate. That is my personal opinion." Classified as a noncommercial education radio station, WESQ is considered not-for-profit. Thus, a party taking over the station's license must continue tokeep WESQ in that function. "I think it is an asset to the community and an asset for the college and the students," said Wesleyan professor Mel Oliver. for GOP Daughtry, a Smithfield Republican, told the crowd that GOP legislators are trying to make 1995 "the year of the taxpayer." He cited total tax cuts of more than $350 million, coming from the repeal of the intangibles tax and lowered personal income taxes.

The fund-raiser also provided an opportunity for two candidates up for die Republican gubernatorial nomination to politick under the same yellow-striped tent House Majority Whip Robin Hayes, a Concord Republican, and Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot both attended the Nash County event number Jordan and like magic, his old No. 23 apparently revived his game, i The Magic paid the price. Sports, 4B Tough gun bill gets Senate OK The state Senate approved taking guns away from people involved in threatening their spouses. Carolina, 2A mm Flooding claims half-dozen lives Flooding in Louisiana has claimed six lives and 5,000 -homes have been flooded in the New Orleans area. Nation, 3A By Tan Vinh Staff writer N.C; Wesleyan College will release its ties to WESQ, leaving the future of the college radio station up in the air.

The college's board of trus- tees has voted to cease opera- tions of the station by Aug. 1. College administrators declined to discuss why the station, which carries National Public Radio weekday mornings and late afternoons, will not be budgeted in the next fiscal year. The college released a statement Tuesday, saying there are "current explorations to develop alternative methods of funding the Unless, those "explorations" are successful, the college will cease to fund Better late By Andrea M. Cashion Staff writer Local Republicans applauded a weary group of House members who dragged into a state GOP fund-raiser at Bryanna Farms two hours late Wednesday night.

Today's crossover deadline, which means this is the last day a bill can pass in one chamber and still be eligible to be heard in the other, resulted in recent long days for the General Assembly. Wednesday's sjx-page calender meant about 10 hours of legislating on the House from 9 a.m. until 7:45 p.m. with only a short lunch break. The House members arrived at Carolina Classified Comics 5-7A Motoring -4-6B FRIDAY Partly cloudy High 80 Low 54 Tategranlifton Hugh Richard Vinroot.

center, mayoral candidate from Charlotte was among visiting Republicans Wednesday night at a GOP fund-raiser that attracted a crowd of about 150 people at Bryanna Farms. 1 4.