The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 83

The Tampa Tribune, Wednesday, November 24, 1993 Citrus-3 Eyes in sky aid officers on ground Behind The Badge Deputy Rich Bahret Announcements The Citrus section of The Tampa Tribune prints engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements free of charge on a space-available basis. We would like to print your picture along with your announcement We prefer a 5-by-7-inch black-and-white photograph, but we will accept prints in other sizes and in color. However, color pictures do not reproduce as well after they are converted to black and white for publication. Please submit your announcement at least a week before you would like it to appear. Mail it to 215 N.

Apopka Inverness 34450 or 255 S.E. U.S. Highway 19, Suite 101, Crystal River 34429. For information, call 726-3156. Connie's MASTECTOMY BOUTIQUE AIRWAY Post-Mastectomy Product Line The flight section has nine law-enforcement certified pilots and three FAA certified mechanics.

All but one of the pilots are certified on both fixed-wing aircraft and hell-copters. Three of the deputies are flight instructors and can train the other deputies without outside assistance. The airplanes in use by the flight section include a 1978 Cessna 210 and a 1977 Cessna 182. The 210 was confiscated after its owner was arrested and convicted of transporting illegal drugs in it. These aircraft are used mostly for prisoner transport If a person outside the county or state is arrested on a Pinellas County warrant deputies can fly to that location and transport the prisoner back.

"It's very cost effective compared to commercial" flight Wright says. Though you'll find members of the flight section doing a number of different duties with several different aircraft it's not hard to see where Chuck Wright's heart is. As he watches one of the men under his command take off in the Bell 47 his voice drops a notch. "There's something about a hell-copter," he says. "They don't fly themselves like an airplane sometimes will; you have to take the controls and make it fly." I He may love being a cop, bat you know he would never be happy with both feet on the ground.

Deputy Rich Bahret is a Pinellas County sheriffs deputy working as a school resource officer. If you have questions or a topic you'd like to see covered, write to him at 10750 Ulmerton Road, Largo 3 a.m. A man lies motionless in an alligator-infested lake, his mouth and nose just above the water. He is a fugitive. Deputies on foot have tried to catch him and failed.

A police dog has tracked him but lost the scent His chances of freedom improve with the passing of each minute. The steady drone of a helicopter can be heard in the distance. Seconds later the helicopter is on the scene. Inside, an observer concentrates on what looks like a small television screen. After several minutes, deputies on the ground are directed to the fugitive's location.

Dripping wet, shaking from the cold night air, the fugitive pulls himself from the water, knowing BEHIND Deputy Rich Bahret he's headed for the county jail. The observer spotted the man because his body temperature was different than that of the water around him. His outline showed bright white on the screen in the helicopter. This is not a scene from a science fiction movie just a typical night for members of the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office Flight Section. Started in 1971, the flight section is primarily used to support patrol deputies on the ground through the use of its three helicopters.

But RADG trust fund money, courtesy of drug dealers. The A-Star is also the most technologically advanced In the section. Perhaps its most interesting feature Is the Forward Looking Infra Red radar system, which helped nab the bad guy mentioned above. A camera mounted on the helicopter feeds a picture to the screen inside. Objects on the screen are black and white, with objects emitting heat showing up bright white.

The system is sensitive to a 1 -degree difference in temperature, which comes in handy when looking for a person hiding In trees and bushes. The system can also detect heat from a car's engine or even the tires, if the car was recently driven. If it's 4 a.m. and a car thief is trying to get away from deputies by parking in a driveway and lying down on the seat, the A-Star will catch him. The A-Star is also equipped with emergency medical capabilities.

The rear seat breaks down to accommodate a stretcher, complete with oxygen and suction hookups. A cargo hook, attached to the bottom of the A-Star, can carry a "Bambi bucket" which, when filled with water, is used to fight fires in hard-to-reach places. A water rescue net is also standard equipment for the A-Star. As the sheriffs office is the only law enforcement agency in Pinellas County with helicopter capabilities, the flight section is often called upon to assist municipal police agencies. Along with these duties, other county agencies, such as traffic engineering, ask for assistance from the flight section when they need to observe or analyze traffic conditions from the air.

Personal Attention Swimwear Terry Wraps Jewelry Accessories Appointments recommended Plantation Pointe, 521 W. Ft. Island Trial, Suite (Adjacent to Plantation Resort) Crystal River, FL 795-5223 WISE -Ay Lynn Quinn DIAMONDS Until the 15th century, only kings wore diamonds as a symbol of From Page 1 More eateries catering to Thanksgiving feasters sirengtn, courage and invincibility. Over the centuries, however, the diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love. Indeed it was said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds which have a magic that nothing else can ever equal.

Since the very beginning, diamonds have been associated with romance and legend. The very word "diamond" comes from the Greek "adamas" meaning unconquerable, suggesting the eternity of love. The Greeks also believed the fire in the diamonds teflected the constant flame of love. For millions around the world the fire, the mystery, the magic, and the romance shining out from a single solitaire says all that the heart feels but words cannot express. However, it wasn't until 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of diamond engagement rings was born.

The reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the "vein of love" ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger of the left hand. When shopping for a diamond, be sure to visit a reputable jewelergemologist who will take the time to explain the differences in quality, show you a variety of designs, and most importantly, answer your questions in a truthful, forthright manner. You should be very comfortable with your purchase and have many years of pleasure from your diamond. SPECIALTY GEMS offer8 fine jewelry, custom design and repair and is at 547 W. Fort Island Trail (next to the Plantation Inn) in Crystal River (795-5900); Business hours are 10-5 and Sat.

Member American Gem Society An Association of Fine Jewelers protecting the consumer since 1934. Lynn Quinn is a Certified Gemologist AGS. Thanksgiving schedules Thursday and Friday Government Most federal, state, county and city offices will be closed Thursday and Friday except Coleman city hall, which will be open Friday. Social Security offices will be closed. Citrus and Sumter county schools will be closed Thursday and Friday.

Public libraries in both counties will be closed Thursday and Friday. Banks Banks and financial institutions will be closed Thursday. Trash pickup No city garbage service Thursday in Coleman, Crystal River, Inverness or Wildwood. No city garbage service Friday in Bushnell. Citrus County curbside recycling bins No pick-ups Thursday.

All Bright Sanitation, Mills Disposal Service and Waste Management of Central Florida Thursday pick-ups will be made Monday. The Citrus County landfill will be closed Thursday and open Friday from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The Sumter County landfill will be closed Thursday and Friday. v- Bus service Citrus County Transit will not operate Thursday or Friday.

that's just the beginning. Sgt. Chuck Wright, an 18-year sheriffs office veteran, is in charge of the flight section. His interest in flying began when he was growing up in his native New Jersey. "One of my neighbors was a state trooper, and the other owned a flying service," he recalled.

While he would occasionally get to fly as a young boy, he wanted to be a cop more than anything else. His plans were interrupted by the Vietnam War; he was drafted while a student at Miami Dade Junior College. He signed up for the Army Warrant Officer Flight Program and served two tours in Vietnam, flying combat assault and other duties in UH-1 "Huey" helicopters. But he never forgot his dream of a career in law enforcement, and in 1974 he joined the sheriffs office. He worked in the jail, as a patrol deputy and in investigations.

Eventually, Wright found himself back in the air. Fourteen of his 19 years have been spent with the flight section. The Pinellas sheriffs office has five aircraft: three helicopters and two airplanes. The helicopters include a Bell 47, Bell 206B3 Jet Ranger, and an Aerospatiale AS350B2 The Bell 47 has a "bubble canopy" and resembles the choppers on the television show "MASH." It was bought with money seized from drug traffickers. The A-Star is the newest addition to the section, purchased in 1991.

It, too, was purchased with people. We offer a kind of different atmosphere," Booth said, adding that numerous couples have made reservations. "Our cuisine's a bit more adventurous." An influx of people dining out hasn't seemed to affect supermarkets and meat markets. Business picks up during the holidays at Prime Cuts Meat and Deli, Inc. in Spring Hill, manager Richard Cassata said.

Along with holiday meats, many customers order cold cut deli trays and traditional Thanksgiving trappings, he said. About 80 percent of his customers purchase turkeys averaging 20 to 24 pounds, Cassata said. Roast beef and fresh and smoked ham make up most of the other holiday meals, he said. But at Carlton's Suprex Market in Brooksville, the trend has been away from turkey the last couple of years, owner Paul Carlton said. "I sell more ham and beef roasts than turkey," Carlton said, estimating that turkeys account for about 35 percent of his holiday meat sales.

After including all the trimmings, a person putting together a Thanksgiving meal for a family would spend about $30, Carlton said. That figure is helped by cheap turkey prices, he said. And while most of Prime Cuts' customers had placed orders in advance, Carlton anticipated a late rush today. open film fest "Do The Right Thing," "Mo' Better Blues," "Jungle Fever" and "School Daze." He moved to the forefront of the independent film movement with "She's Gotta Have It" a film about the relationships and sexual attitudes of a young woman. Shot in just 12 days for only $175,000, "She's Gotta Have It" earned Lee the best new director award at the 1986 Cannes Film Fes- tival.

Born in Atlanta, Lee grew up in New York City and began making films at New York University's film school after graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta. Aside from his filmmaking, Lee has taught courses on contemporary African-American cinema at Harvard and New York universities. At USF, among Lee's expected topics are his films and racism. Derek Herr, a film association vice president said group members hope Lee's mainstream appeal will help draw attention to the festival. "We really want to expose as many people as possible to smaller, lesser-known artists," he said.

The 30-member film association is busy planning the Chinsegut, named for its long-ago home at USF's conference center near Brooksville. Among the themes to be explored are international films, black films and the "new violence" found in films as "Reservoir Dogs," "Bad Lieutenant" and "Man Bites Dog," Herr said. Shop Vodayfor Vaiuts of "the Vast Tean's (Past Present Sioppe Antique Collectibles 1 ANTIQUE A UCTIONS Dec. 4th in Dunnellon Starts at 7 pm Auctions Every Wednesday 20643 W. Pennsylvania Dunnellon (904) 489-4110 Show spotlights murder By ANDY GOTLIEB Tribune Staff Writer SPRING HILL Thanksgiving's no turkey for local grocers and restaurateurs.

Not only are supermarkets and meat markets selling lots of the popular bird along with hams, beef roasts and other alternatives but more and more people are eating at restaurants come turkey day. "There are more families who don't want to get involved with cooking up a meal," said Remus Gli-gor, owner of Gligor's Restaurant in Brooksville. This will be the 10th year Gligor's has offered Thanksgiving meals. When he started, few restaurants did the same, Gligor said. Now, more restaurants than not remain open Thanksgiving, he said.

Although ham, duck, chicken, fish, shrimp and prime rib will be on the menu Thursday, Gligor estimated 85 percent of his customers will order turkey. One Brooksville restaurant that won't be serving any fowl is Shakespeare's Sisters Garden Cafe. The Brooksville eatery features a largely vegetarian menu with a few fish dishes. Come Thursday, visitors have their choice of four entrees two vegetarian, two fish but no turkey, ownerchef Laura Booth said. The lack of turkey won't stop an expected good turnout, she said.

"We get a lot of professional Spike Lee to By DOUG STANLEY Tribune Staff Writer UNIVERSITY STATION An annual showcase for lesser-known films will get a boost early next year from one of the industry's biggest names. Filmmaker Spike Lee is to open the 18th annual Chinsegut Film and Video Festival Feb. 3 at the University of South Florida Sun Dome. "It's a major coup," said Lance Goldenberg of the University Film and Video Association, the festival's sponsor. "We've been trying to nail Spike for years." Verbal agreements for Lee to come to campus fell through twice before, but this time USF has signed contracts, said Laurie Woodward, assistant director of student affairs.

"An Evening of Discussion with Professor Spike" will be the cornerstone of the spring university lecture series and coincide with Black Emphasis Month, she said. Organizers hope to fill the Sun Dome for the free event "He's about as known a quantity as you can find In the film world today," Goldenberg said. "Whether you like his films or hate them, he's an Interesting character period. "He seems to be that rare breed that combines almost an underground artist and street credibility with a just completely out of the ballpark mainstream appeal," he said. Lee's films Include "Malcolm SVINGA BROS.

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3rd St. Crystal River, FL (QOl) 563-5561 boy and rancher who had won a ro-' deo event during the same outing with Sermons. Authorities said Costine and Sermons were last seen together at about 4:30 a.m. on May 3, 1992, at the home of a friend who lives about 15 minutes from Costine's home. Costine's family called the sheriffs office when he did not return td: his mobile home, where he lived alone.

Family members called and knocked on the door of the mobile home, but got no answer. Investigators said there were no signs of Sermons or forced entry in-; to the mobile home. Authorities say Sermons is either a suspect victim or witness. I "Whoever did It it was a well- planned thing," Joannah Costine-said. "There was no evidence left behind that I know of.

Everybody's; in the dark about who did it. That's, why we're placing so much hope on" 'Unsolved "And if Melissa Jo is dead, where Is her body? And if she's alive maybe somebody on 'Un-i solved Mysteries' can find her." Sheriffs detectives have been! conducting investigations In states where people have reported seeing Seimons, Including Oklahoma, Tex- as, Louisiana, Alabama and Kansas. Sermons may be driving a cattle hauler In the Kansas City, Oklaho-j ma or Texas area, according to a' missingendangered persons notice issued by sheriffs officials. She was possibly seejj at a truck stop in' Wichita Fahs, Texas, authoVities said. By KENNETH A.

HARRIS Tribune Staff Writer LAKELAND Melissa Jo Sermons, sheriffs detectives say, may have been the last person to see El-win Lawrence "Larry" Costine alive. For years, investigators have been searching for Sermons and clues in the shooting death of the 31-year-old Lakeland man. Tonight NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries" will feature the case and launch a nationwide search for 27-year-old Sermons. The show, which airs at 8 p.m., will include a dramatization of what authorities believe might have happened the night Costine was murdered, facts surrounding the case and interviews with friends and family of Costine and Sermons. "We hope that 'Unsolved Mysteries' can find Melissa Jo and she can tell us what happened," said Joe Clifton Costine, the victim's cousin.

"We miss Larry." Sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Nichols said two detectives will be in NBC's Burbank, studio to answer calls from viewers about the case. In addition, four detectives will be in Lakeland fielding telephone calls. On May 4, 1992, authorities discovered Costlne's body at his mobile home at 12636 Moore Road at about 10:30 p.m. Sheriffs investigators said Sermons, 27, also of Lakeland, attended a rodeo in Dade City with Costine. Joannah Costne, a cousin, said Larry Costine was a modern-day cow Heritage Antiques Mall 103 N.W.

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