The Journal Times from Racine, Wisconsin • 21

page editor Joanne M. Haas THE JOURNAL TIMES SECTION FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1 998 Mactae Comity Federal agency does an about-face and makes Racine the for disaster aid. fifth Wisconsin county-to get storm help "What FEMA does Is look at the county as a was a long shot going Into It" DAVID MAACK, Racine County Emergency Management Coordinator which initially did not include Racine County. As recently as Monday, agency inspectors had inspected the Waterford area and reportedly expressed doubt it would be in line for aid. At the time, Waterford Town Chairman Robert Langmesser complained that FEMA officials were at times even reluctant to leave their The storms dumped more than five inches of rain on the town of Waterford in a short time period.

The rains caused "extensive damage," according to information supplied by Racine County Executive Jean Jacobsen's office. "Many individuals suffered damage to their homes and businesses, and the town documented more than $150,000 in repairs that must be made to its public infrastructure," the report said. Infrastructure damage in the Waterford area included erosion of the shoulders of roads and overflow from a silt basin which destroyed many back yards. Ponds will have to be rebuilt and silt cleaned up. FEMA's declaration of eligibility was an about-face for the agency, U.S.

Small Business Administration low-interest loans to repair or replace damaged property, disaster unemployment assistance, and grants for serious needs and necessary expenses not met by other programs. Maack noted that the agency loans would not be available to the town of Waterford for its expenses. Those who suffered damages or losses from floods from Aug. 5-15 may register for assistance by calling 1-800-462-9029. FEMA has so far paid out $5.2 million to Wisconsin residents in storm damage aid.

The largest portion, $4.5 million, has been provided under the Housing Assistance program. The agency had logged 9,451 aid applications by Thursday. i til I C7 -J vehicles to look at particular damage sites. Racine County Emergency Management Coordinator David Maack said the possibility of Racine County being included "was going to go either way. What FEMA does is look at the county as a whole, and only one municipality was affected.

It was a long shot going into it." The precise reason for the agency's change of heart was not immediately available. FEMA merely reported in a news release Thursday that, at Gov. Tommy Thompson's request, President Clinton's Aug. 12 disaster declaration for Wisconsin was amended to include Racine County. Thompson's request preceded the FEMA Inspection.

Assistance available includes funding for temporary disaster housing, no Fl I 'I BY MICHAEL BURKE Journal Times RACINE COUNTY Racine County residents and businesses may now apply for disaster relief caused by storms which ripped through the area early this month. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Thursday pronounced Racine County eligible for disaster aid. Racine became the fifth Wisconsin county eligible for aid along with Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Waukesha and Rock. The storms, which were marked by heavy rains, flash flooding and high winds, caused disastrous flooding in some areas, notably Sheboygan and parts of Milwaukee County. Stocking kids I I I I 1 1 tJwm Vandals strike vehicles, signs at Bohners Lake BY ANDY JOHNSON Burlington Bureau BOHNERS LAKE A recent rash of vehicle vandalism cases is keeping investigators from the town of Burlington Police Department busy.

Police reports say that several vehicles in the Bohners Lake area were spray painted with black and white paint sometime between the late evening of Aug. 20 and early morning of Aug. 21. "These cases are currently under investigation. It also appears that the same group is responsible for vandalizing several nearby traffic signs," Town of Burlington Police Chief Michael Mehring said.

Officers began taking repeated vandalism complaints starting at midnight on Aug. 20, beginning at 8011 West Lakeshore Drive Officers met with Rose M. Kressin, who said two of her vehicles were spray painted. Near that location, officers also noted several stop signs were spray painted at Oakwood Drive and West Lakeshore Drive and Oakdale Court and West Lakeshore Drive Police also responded to 7750 Evergreen Terrace, and met with Jodi Reins. There, officers discovered both sides of a van had been spray painted.

Other spray painting reports were taken at 33900 Lagoon Drive and 33710 Lagoon Drive In some cases, the vandalism also included profanity. As a way to help combat the problem, Mehring encouraged residents to call police if they see suspicious activity. "I'd rather go out on a wild goose chase tonight rather than having to go back tomorrow morning and pick up the dead geese," he said. Mehring said he has reports of people who thought they saw something unusual, but didn't contact police because it was too late or they didn't want to bother officers. "Well, bother us.

It's what we're here for. If we come out and don't find anything, that's not a big deal. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If people don't call us, and something did happen, it's 10 times harder for us to address the situation later on," Mehring said. He also said if residents do see something suspicious, they should not take matters into their own hands.

Anyone with information about the vandalism cases should call the town of Burlington Police Department at 763-7539. Inmate charged in April 6 death of his cellmate BY WENDY PARKS Journal Times STURTEVANT A 23-year-old Racine Correctional Institution inmate was charged Thursday with first-degree reckless homicide in the strangling death of his cellmate, authorities said. Racine County sheriff's deputies said Kurtis L. King allegedly killed his cellmate, Robert C. Thompson, 21, during an April 8 fight that apparently began when King learned the victim stole his antidepressant drugs.

There were no signs of a struggle, blood or damage after investigators searched the cell for clues, deputies said. Thompson was found on his metal bunk, not breathing and cold to the touch. His right hand appeared to be bruised and swollen. Several large abrasions were noticed by the investigator, the complaint said. Life-saving efforts were used, but Thompson could not be revived, authorities said.

Deputies said King told a nearby inmate that he received medication for anti-depressants for a psychiatric condition and he hid large amounts of it to get high. Thompson allegedly stole the medication after he learned King was hiding it for the purposes of getting high, according to deputies. After King allegedly choked the victim to death, he placed a piece of cloth around the victim's neck and rubbed it back and forth, as a way to make it look like a suicide, deputies said. Minutes later, King allegedly began to pound on his door to attract the attention of correctional officers, to tell them the victim had committed suicide, deputies said. Deputies said they were told during interviews with other prisoners that Thompson and King belonged to rival street gangs and had quarreled about the death of another gang member.

Deputies said King told correctional officers that he thought Thompson hanged himself with a torn sheet. King also reportedly suggested Thompson's asthma may have caused the death, but King said he'd had his back turned and had been writing a letter when Thompson was afflicted. 4 Rips Governor: 'Dad' plan to be in state budget BY JOSEPH A. SCOLARO Journal Times MILWAUKEE Gov. Tommy Thompson Thursday plans to propose in the next state budget a program to get fathers more involved with their children.

Thompson unveiled the so-called "Wisconsin Fatherhood Initiative" at a Milwaukee news conference also attended by state Rep. Bonnie Ladwig, R-Mount Pleasant. Ladwig has been pushing for the program the past couple years. Thompson said he would appointing Milwaukee Brewers General Ladwig MAnager Sal Bando, the father of three sons, as the program's head. "Studies show that children who have fathers involved in their lives do better socially, academically and emotionally," Ladwig said.

"Today there are many children living in single-parent households. It's important that they experience parenting from both the mother and the father." During the past two legislative sessions, Ladwig has been the lead author of bills that would have created the "Wisconsin Fatherhood Initiative" The bills would have set aside $500,000 of state money for the project. Ladwig said the bills stalled in the Joint Finance Committee, the budget-writing panel of the Legislature Now Thompson plans to include the initiative in his biennial budget request, although he hasn't yet specified a dollar amount, Ladwig said. The budget will be introduced in February 1999. Ladwig said the initiative will make money available to organizations such as nonprofit agencies, AFL-CIO, churches and veteran organizations to help fathers interact with their children through activities such as parenting classes, father-child picnics or trips to baseball games and individual counseling.

The groups would have to apply to the state for a grant. Ladwig's bills would have required a matching grant, but Ladwig said she is not sure if the governor will include the match in the budget. Man nearly struck robbed within hour A 43-year-old Racine man, who was nearly run over with a car Wednesday because of a $10 debt, was robbed less than an hour later for the money. Racine police said Gary Sutton and another Racine man were walking in the 1000 block of College Avenue Wednesday just before 2 p.m., when two suspects approached them from behind and demanded $10. Reports said when Sutton refused to give the men money one of them hit him in the head with a garbage can while the other took $10 from his pocket.

The robbery occurred just one hour after another man allegedly attempted to run Sutton down with his car oyer the debt. Police said Sutton and a friend were walking east in the 1200 block of 13th Street when they were approached by the suspect, who also demanded payment of a $10 debt. Reports said when Sutton said he would not pay, the driver pulled around a pick-up truck and attempted to run him over. Sutton was not injured in either incident. Photos by MARK HERTZBERG Journal Times TOP: The sixth annual Adopt-A-Neighborhood school supply giveaway at the Adopt-A-Neighborhood office, 1 1 19 Kewaunee began Thursday and continues today from 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m. The Rev. Norma Carter, right, says she anticipates providing supplies to about 1,700 children thisyear. ABOVE LEFT: Richard Garcia, left, and his daughter, Angel, bottom right, are among the volunteers helping bag supplies. ABOVE RIGHT: Brittany Sanders, 8, left, and her brother, Andrian, wait for their father on the steps outside the office.

Lathrop Avenue dip slated for repairs through Oct. 15 Viaduct's remains near 19th Street up to learn Ohio Street and Lathrop Avenue. Local traffic will be able to get to residences and cross streets from either 21st or 16th streets. The reconstruction will include removal of the abutments of the abandoned Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad overpass bridge.

Crews will raise the roadway of Lathrop Avenue about three feet at its lowest point. They will also reconstruct the road, curb, gutter and sidewalk. Associated water main, sanitary sewer and storm sewer work will be done also. A bike path is expected to be made along the path of the former railroad tracks. The path will stretch from West help be removed, forcing detours I i ,..1 MARK HERTZBERG Journal Times This stretch of Lathrop Avenue near 19th Street will be restricted to drivers due to planned work to remove the remains of a viaduct.

BY JOSEPH A. SCOLARO Journal Times RACINE The final remnants of the old viaduct on Lathrop Avenue soon will be gone. But to do so, the city of Racine will have to reroute traffic for a couple of months. Part of Lathrop Avenue will be closed Monday to cars for the removal of the old railroad overpass abutment walls and reconstruction of the road between 19th Street and Republic Avenue. The project is expected to be completed by Oct.

15. A detour will be on 21st Street between Lathrop Avenue and Ohio Street, Ohio Street between 21st and 16th streets, and 16th Street between sulted with the city to make sure our planning efforts are compatible," he said. The plans are expected to go out to bid in the spring so construction could begin in the summer of 1999. The path will connect at West Boulevard with an existing bike route which runs south into Kenosha. County.

The west end of the trail is near the SC Johnson Waxdale plant. Designers hope the path will result in more people riding their bikes, walking or jogging to work instead of driving. Boulevard to Willow Road; cyclists will cross Lathrop at the point of the old viaduct, said Glenn Lampark, Racine County public works director. That has caused some controversy. Opponents of the viaduct dismantling argued that keeping the overpass intact would have been safer for bikers than having them ride across Lathrop Avenue at street level.

However, Racine County officials did not want to take ownership of the overpass because of liability and maintenance costs. The bike path plans are now being drawn up, Lampark said. "We con.