The Sentinel from Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 1

Paterno ready for season See C1 fl A Carlisle, Pa. 60 pages Internet address: www.cumberlink.com 50 cents Thursday, August 9, 2001 Vol. 120 No. 240 State declares- droyght watch Residents asked to conserve water By David Blymire Sentinel Reporter A drought watch is the first of three stages set up under the state's drought plan. It calls on residents to use five percent less water by refraining from watering lawns, taking shorter showers, running dishwashers or washing machines with full loads and not letting the water run continuously while shaving or brushing teeth.

Gauges placed throughout the area show local streams are well below next step in the state drought plan, a drought warning where residents would be asked to use even less water. The final and most severe step would be imposition of mandatory reductions in water use by instituting a drought emergency a step only Gov. Tom Ridge can take. More information can be obtained online at DEP's website: www.dep.state.pa.us Type "drought" in the directlink box. average, with Conodoguinet Creek and Yellow Breeches Creek running at about half their normal current.

Hess also cautioned those who rely on wells should be especially on their guard. "Homeowners on private wells don't have the same reliability of their water supply as those using a public system," he said. "When their wells run dry, there is no backup supply." If conditions fail to improve, the drought watch could be upgraded to the conserving water. "We've been experiencing below-normal precipitation across the state since August 2000 and well levels are continuing to drop off," said Environmental secretary David E. Hess.

Hess called on all state residents, but particularly these who live in the hardest-hit areas of Central Pennsylvania, to voluntarily cut back on water use. Cumberland, Perry and Adams counties are among 23 Pennsylvania counties yesterday declared to be under a drought watch. The state Department of Environmental Protection is asking residents of these counties to immediately start Water roller coaster coming to Hersheypark By Jeff Cronin Sentinel Reporter A HERSHEY -What do you get when you cross a roller coaster and a log flume? The big wigs at Hersheypark gathered Wednesday afternoon to answer this question as they unveiled the new ride for the 2002 season. Franklin Shearer, senior vice president and general manager, unveiled designs for an interactive hybrid of a suspended roller coaster, like the Great Bear, and the water ride. "Our guests always ask us to add roller coasters and water rides to our park," he said.

"We are thrilled to be able to make everyone happy." While not one of the tallest or faster coasters, the ride, designed by Setpoint Inc. of Ogden, Utah, will be only the second of its type in the country. The other one is in Para-mount's Carowinds in Charlotte, NC. Four riders will sit in a train, two facing forward and two facing backward. Each rid- er will be armed with four gallons of water, which, with just the pull of a lever, can be released onto the unsuspecting people below.

The riders are secured by a lap harness, unlike the traditional shoulder harness found on most suspended coasters. "You feel very vulnerable (to water attacks)," said Setpoint President Joe Van-DenBerghe. But spectators won't be at a disadvantage. Michael BuppThe Sentinel Hersheypark GM Franklin Shearer announces the new ride. Surrounding the track will be several water blasters and water geysers which those on the ground can fire at the riders.

The track will cross over Canyon River Rapids three times, which offers riders the chance to dump water onto the heads of riders in the boats below. While the ride's design plans are finalized, Hersheypark officials decided not to tackle the task of naming the new attraction. That's where the public comes in. For the first time, Hersheypark is holding a contest to name the ride. Entry forms are available on Hersheypark's web site, www.hersheypa.com, and will be at the park starting Friday and at participating Giant Food stores Wednesday.

See Ride, A4 Election probe sought WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department should immediately investigate claims that the 2000 elections were unfair and violated people's civil rights, says a report issued today by a panel of election administrators. The new report focuses on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' June finding that black voters' ballots were disproportionately tossed out. "Allegations reported to the national Commission on Civil Rights during its hearings on Election 2000 are serious and must be investigated," says the report. A Justice spokesman responded that complaints have been investigated as they came up ever since the election.

The new report was put together by a task force of about three dozen elections officials and sponsored by the Election Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit center created to help elections officials do their jobs. Allegations 'serious' "Since the allegations are so serious and can have such a major impact on any proposed congressional legislation affecting elections, it is critical that the Justice Department appoint investigators immediately," the report says Florida was won by Republican George Bush after the closest election in more than a century. The election was plagued with allegations that ballots were confusing and black voters were harassed at the polls. The civil rights commission's June report says more than half of the rejected ballots were cast by black voters, even though they made up only one in 10 voters. The commission also found disabled voters and those with language barriers had trouble voting.

It suggested widespread violations of the Voting RighN Act. Two commission members appointed by Republicans strongly dissented. Doug Lewis, executive director of the Election Center, says it is important that the Justice Department thoroughly investigate all of the complaints made to the civil rights commission and determine their legitimacy A Justice Department spokesman says elections complaints were investigated as soon as they were made. "Since the November election, the Department of Justice received thousands of complaints from citizens about the election," says Dan Nelson, a spokesman for the agency's civil rights See Election, A4 Courtesy Hersheypark Handout photo shows how squirt-gunners will be able to blast riders, who will be able to respond by dumping water from the ride. Group speeds toward roller-coaster record By Jeff Cronin Sentinel Reporter Yips and hollers pierced the air as the hot morning sun rose over the tiny village of Williams Grove in Monroe Tow nship.

Four men, aged 38 to 46, arrived at the gates of Williams Grove Amusement Park today at 5:30 a.m. just one stop in an effort to break the record for the most roller coasters ridden in 24 hours. The trek through four states began at noon Wednesday and was to end at Hersheypark today at 1 1 a.m. with a ride on Lightning Racer. Through the record-breaking attempt, the men raised about $45,000 for the Children's Miracle Network at Penn State's Children's Hospital.

Philip Guarno, general manager of the Harrisburg-Hershey Mariott; Adam Spivak, vice-president of Clear Channel Entertainment in Philadelphia and part owner of Electric Factory Concerts; John Kirk wood, nurse manager at Hershey Medical Center; and Aaron Rye, an employee at Pfizer in Lititz, drove into the park, illuminated only by the glimmering lights of the rides. They emerged from the van and climbed aboard Wildcat, just five hours after they disembarked from their last ride at Morey's Pier on the boardwalk in Wild wood. N.J. Wally ShankThe Sentinel Members of the group ride Williams Grove's steel-track "Wildcat." See Record, A4 Carlisle Steamy Details on A8 Wal-Mart developer wants more time 7 Cy David Blymire Sentinel Reporter Demolition of the central part of MJ Carlisle Mall continues to make way for a new Wal-Mart supercenter. Big Screen Times Business B6-7 Classifieds C6-12 Comics B8-9 Farm B5 FYI Dll-15 LifeTimes BIO-11 Lottery For The Record B2-3 Opinion B4 Science B12 Sports CI -4 Television B7 ture" improvements such as any local road upgrades required by the state Department of Transportation.

A deadline for recording the plan expires Friday unless council approves the requested 60-day extension tonight. If council approves, the extension will be the third the developer has sought. Demolition of the center section of the mall began recently but was halted when workers encountered asbestos, requiring the developer to contact the state Department of Environmental Protection. A future phase of development at the MJ Mall site could include replacing the vacant Wards and Ames buildings with other stores Zamias is seeking to locate in the mall. As demolition of the MJ Carlisle Mall continues today, the developer is expected to seek another extension for posting a bond required before construction of a Wal-Mart can begin.

Zamias Services Inc. of Johnstown is building the Wal-Mart supercenter at MJ Carlisle Mall located at Noble Boulevard and South Hanover Street in Carlisle. Wal-Mart tentatively plans to open the Carlisle store next summer if construction goes according to schedule. Zamias is asking the borough to extend a deadline for posting a bond required to cover "infrastruc Printed on recycled newsprint Jason Minick The Sentinel 70872500005 1.