The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 33

(The Atlanta Imirnal AND CONSTITUTION TUES, APRIL 17, 1990 D-5 Ga. fisherman rescued after 4 days in ea; 3 others said, about 15 members of his family were at his home in Darien, while others maintained a vigil at the hospital in Savannah, where Nathan Neesmith was listed in critical condition in the intensive care trauma unit He said Nathan Neesmith is still semi-conscious and so far has been unable to tell authorities exactly what happened. He said the Casie Nicole left Richmond Hill around noon Wednesday, heading for Tiger Ridge, a snapper fishing ground about 80 miles off the South Carolina coast The boat, which was exten said. Still missing late Monday were the boat captain, Billy Joe Neesmith, 23; the Neesmiths' nephew, Keith Wilkes, 18; and a longtime family friend, Franklin Brantley, 23. Albie Neesmith said he believes the 34-foot fiberglass boat, the Casie Nicole, may have been as far as 80 miles offshore when it sank Wednesday night or before dawn Thursday.

Members of Mcintosh County's tightly knit fishing community were aiding in the search. Henry Skipper, owner of the Darien dock where the Casie Ni Monday, about 25 miles east of Hilton Head Island, by a passing fishing boat, Coast Guard Petty Officer Brett Farrell said. Petty Officer Farrell, with the Coast Guard's rescue station on Tybee Island, said boats, helicopters and other aircraft were searching an area 50 to 150 miles off the South Carolina coast for the missing men, all of whom are from Darien. Mr. Neesmith was suffering from severe dehydration and sunburn', said Albie Neesmith, his brother.

"He's got blisters on him the size of eggs," Albie Neesmith COTfis For the birds i-' i "'1- Jones, Linder report spending $220,000 in 4th District race cole regularly ties up, left around noon dn the 85-foot-long shrimp trawler Mcintosh Lady, the biggest boat in the county, Mr. Neesmith said. With waters out to 200 miles closed to shrimping, the bulk of the county's shrimp fleet is tied up at local docks. But Mr. Neesmith said shrimpers have been coming down to their boats to listen on their high-frequency ship-to-shore radios, hoping for news of the missing men.

i "Just everybody that fishes offshore is looking for them," he said. Meanwhile, Mr. Neesmith 4 Johnny CrawfordStaff finishes a birdhouse. He gives of 23.63 mills, which means the owner of a $100,000 house will pay $722.90 in school taxes. But because of rising property assessments, many DeKalb homeowners probably will be paying more in taxes nevertheless.

Officials say several factors have contributed to the tight fiscal straits faced by the school system this year. State, funding has not kept pace with rising costs, and the county continues to contribute more to the state to fund the Quality Basic Education Act In an effort to cut this year officials have delayed filling the positions of departing administrators and some teachers. School board Chairman Nor-' ma W. Bergman said a tax increase probably will be required next year. "I don't think we'll be able to hold it the tax rate again next year," Ms.

Bergman said. ft I 111 In his family's carport, Jim Scoggins the nesting boxes away no charge. sought sively damaged in an offshore storm last month, had just been ronnireri at a Richmond Hill boat yard, Mr. Neesmith said. "The storm tore the pilot house off, tore all the equipment off and threw the dog overboard in 20- to 30-foot seas," he said.

"This is the first time the boat's been back out since it was fixed." He said members of his family are longtime Mcintosh County residents who have always fished for a living. "My daddy retired from it, but the rest of us, we fish for a living," he said. "That's our livelihood and it's all we've ever done." Iff. 1- I A Muixn luitu-raiser uiai neuea about $16,000. Mr.

Jones, meanwhile, reported raising $47,065 so far this year, beginning of 1989. The Republican National flnnPressinnfll Pnmmittpp (kin IX) nas made tne 4tn District riH a rriHtiH Jin linn contribution to the Linder campaign, the maximum allowed for a primary under federal law, although the party can contribute another $5,000 for the general election. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee gave Mr. Jones $100 to start off the political year. Of the $47,064 Mr.

Jones raised during the first three months of 1990, $17,919, or 38 per- cent, was donations irom rAus, including $2,000 from the American Nurses Association; $2,400 from the National Education As- -1 nAt. rfM enn 11 sociauon rtv, irum me Southern Bell Federal PAC; and a $718.75 in-kind contribution, from the American Medical Association for polling data. In the 6th District, Mr. Gingrich has. raised $155,677 since January, and of that, $76,677 came from PACS, including $5,000 from the American Institute of CPAs, and $10,000 from the Aircraft Owners Pilots PAC.

Defense contractor Martin Marietta gave $1,000, as did General Electric. As of March 31, the campaign had a cash balance of $53,491. The RNCC donated services totaling $1,237 to the campaign, and individual contributions totaled $77,465. Fayetteville Mayor Roger Marietta, the only Democratic contender who released his disclosure statement Monday, raised $9,973 since January, and borrowed an additional $6,230 for his campaign. He listed a balance of $5,214 in, cash.

No reports were available from Jonesboro attorney David Worley and College Park pilot Joe Forrest Staff writers Elizabeth Coady and McKay Jenkins contributed to this article. foes see 'irony9 it a pleasing irony that they come from him." In a letter dated Monday that Mr. Barnes said he has sent to all other Democratic candidates, Mr. Barnes asked his rivals to focus their campaign ads on the issues or themselves, rather than the failures of opponents. He urged his colleagues to save negative comments about each other for news conferences or debates, when candidates or reporters could challenge the validity of the accusations.

In addition, Mr, Barnes asked candidates to refrain from running advertisements that name or show the face of another candidate while leveling criticism against him a strategy used effectively in Virginia last year and repeated in Texas. Only two gubernatorial candidates, Mr. Barnes and Mr. McDonald, have broadcast any television ads to date. Neither candidate attacked his rivals.

4' By Jingle Davis Staff writer BRUNSWICK, Ga. A Mcln-. tosh County fisherman was rescued off the South Carolina coast Monday after floating four days and nights on wreckage from his capsized boat The Coast Guard continued to search for three other people, including a brother and 18-year-old nephew of the rescued man. Nathan Neesmith, 31, who was listed in critical condition at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah," was found floating on a boxlike hatch cover around 9 a.m. 3 branches must close Offices were accused of overcharging borrowers By Jeanne Cummtngs Staff writer Insurance Commissioner Warren D.

Evans announced Monday he will revoke the licenses of three branches of the Loan Service accused of overcharging hundreds of customers, and he imposed an unprecedented $110,000 fine on their owner, Hudson Management Inc. The penalties are part of a consent decree agreed to by Hudson Management, the state attor- Warren D. ney general's Evans office and Mr. Evans, who provided a copy to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As part of the decree, Hudson did not admit to any wrongdoing.

Although the penalty is the most severe Mr. Evans has ever imposed on a small loan company, the decision allows Hudson Management's owner, Jimmy Hudson, to continue making loans from eight other Loan Service branch offices. Mr. Evans said he lacked legal standing to shut down all the offices because his investigators have not audited all the branches. Under state law, each branch is operated under a separate license.

The branches that must close within 30 days are in Waycross, Folkston and Homerville. Mr. Hudson also is required to repay any overcharges to customers, which insurance officials estimated will be about $10,000. The agreement was criticized by Gloria Einstein, a Georgia Legal Services attorney in Waycross who has represented many of the borrowers taken to court for failing to pay their loans, because it allows Hudson Management to continue operating other branches- "This is nothing like closing him down. The people of Georgia are very badly served by this agreement," Ms.

Einstein said. "My clients, who have $11 checks that bounce, have to pay court costs in 30 days. Jimmy Hudson gets to pay over two years and, in the meantime, can lend more money out and make a substantial profit," she said. The small loan industry was the subject of several Journal-Constitution articles last year. Georgia's poorest borrowers who make up the bulk of the small loan industry's customers pay some of the highest annual interest rates in the cpuntry, ranging from 87 percent to 120 percent In addition, those consumers are sold, often without their consent or knowledge, the most expensive and useless insurance available.

Last October, Mr. Evans sent all seven of his office investigators to Waycross after persistent complaints about the office in that South Georgia town. The investigators identified 345 loans in which customers were allegedly overcharged. The branches in Kings-land, Waynesboro, Ocilla, Na-hunta, Columbus, Colquitt, Tho-maston and Louisville have been placed on probation and will undergo audits during the next two years, according to the consent decree. According to the decree, unless investigators find substantial overcharges or loan irregularities, those offices will be allowed to continue their operations.

of loan firm budget plan avoids tax hike Continued from Dl requirements, when I saw this bird and asked my dad what it was," he said. Jim asked scoutmaster Glenn Hoobler whether a 100-bluebird-box-building project might meet Eagle Scout requirements. It would. He began by reading all he could on bluebirds and then he heard about Darrell Rush, superintendent of James H. Floyd State Park, near Summerville.

Mr. Rush, sometimes called "Mr. Bluebird," started the Department of Natural Resources' year-old "Save the Bluebird" program, building more than 4,000 nesting boxes himself. "Mr. Rush showed me how to build a box and wished me good luck with my 100 boxes," Jim said.

''After 100 boxes, the project sort of got out of hand because everybody wanted one." Jim goes before his Board of Review soon to be judged on his Eagle Scout requirements. He has given his memorized, 15-minute bluebird talk to more than 600 people in almost every civic and age group in the area and, in several instances, remained 30 more minutes to answer questions on the bird. "Jim gave the Rotary Club a professional talk on bluebirds and all 36 of us left with blue- -bird boxes," club member and Chamber of Commerce director Bill Nunis said. DeKalb school By Robert Anthony Watts Staff writer DeKalb County's school superintendent proposed a preliminary budget Monday for the 1990-91 school year that does not include a tax increase, despite a $23.7 million rise in spending including $2 million for new magnet school programs. The $368.8 million budget proposal, presented to the school board Monday night, includes funding for seven new magnet programs the system will establish at predominantly black schools in the fall as part of its desegregation plan.

Instead of asking taxpayers to shoulder an increase, school officials are hoping cost-cutting measures will allow them to carry over $8 million budgeted for this year, and also plan to dip into the system's reserve fund for Superintendent Robert R. Dobbins set to fell trees despite outcry By McKay Jenkins Staff writer Dobbins Air Force Base plans to cut down some of the 4,000 trees abutting its angering residents, businessmen and county officials who said Monday they have been unable to persuade the military to replace the trees. The trees many on private property are along the flight path of airplanes approaching the base and will be removed within the next two months to avoid interfering with Dobbins's radar system, said Bruce Raymo, the base's community planner. "Some of the trees are on Dobbins property, and we thought it would be in our best interest to clear them," Mr. Raymo said.

"We're not talking By Susan Laccetti and Charles Walston Staff writers U.S. Rep. Ben Jones and DeKalb legislator John Linder, who expect their race for Georgia's 4th District congressional seat to cost a total of $1.5 million, have already spent more than $220,000, according to federal campaign finance reports released Monday. Mr. Linder has spent about $92,000 and has $73,246 on hand, while Mr.

Jones has spent about $129,000 and has $85,638 in the bank, their reports indicate. Sixth District Rep. Newt Gingrich, the House minority whip, who will face one of three Democratic challengers, has just $53,491 on hand, according to his report, but reported raising $155,677 in the first three months of 1990. Campaign reports were due to be mailed to the Federal Elections Commission by Sunday, and many were not yet on file Monday, but copies were provided by some candidates. In other races: Sen.

Sam Nunn, who has no announced opponent, reported $1,489,876 in his war chest Mr. Nunn, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, collected $172,934 from individuals and $54,250 from political action committees (PACs) to go with about $1.38 million he already had in the bank. Seventh District Rep. George "Buddy" Darden, a Democrat listed $173,491 cash on hand, with $3,090 in contributions from individuals and corporations in that period, $4,650.66 from PACs and $1,996.65 in interest from his existing funds, the report said. Reports were not available from Robert Rivard and.

Al Beverly, two Republican candidates in the race. Tenth District Rep. Doug Barnard listed $6,665 in contributions from individuals and $5,200 from PACs, and a total of $559,048 on hand. Republican Sam Jones reported $30,185 in contributions and about $17,000 cash on hand. No report was available from Mark Myers, another Republican candidate.

Mr. Linder raised $60,820 during the first three months of the year, including a $40,000 personal loan. Counting 1989 Mr. Linder has raised a total of $165,741 with help from prominent Republicans like Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who was host of a ble for "poisoning" the Chattahoochee River.

Neither attack was made through paid advertising. Mr. Barnes's timing was not lost on his opponents. "We have never been negative and don't plan to become negative. It seems ironic to me that the most negative candidate is the one that is making this plea," said Jann Wheeler, a spokeswoman for Rep.

Lauren "Bubba" McDonald. "He's' just trying to get his name in the newspaper. This campaign has no intention of running a negative campaign," said James Carville, campaign manager for Mr. Miller. The Barnes camp last week publicly misstated that Mr.

Miller would draw a pension of $100,000 if he retired after serving one term as governor. He actually would receive about $80,000. "It is welcome," Mr. Young said of Mr. Barnes's proposal.

"There is nothing there that we were not already doing. I just find Barnes urges ban on attack ads; Freeman said. "We just believe that because of all the problems we've had in our school community, with all the conflicts we've had, we just don't need any more conflicts," Dr. Freeman said, explaining why he is not seeking a tax increase. "And I'm hoping that this conservative budget will "be interpreted as good news." The budget, to be formally approved in June, includes a 3 percent across-the-board increase in employee salaries, bringing teachers' starting pay to $24,720.

The budget also includes funding for 88 new buses and drivers, many of whom will be used to transport students who enroll in the proposed magnet programs. The fiscal blueprint predicts the number of students in the system will increase from 73,400 to 74,500. Dr. Freeman's proposal would maintain a county tax rate about forests, where you'd have a sizable impact" However, a survey conducted by Dobbins air traffic control experts said the base should remove a 3- to 4-acre forest on base property and up to 2 percent of the 4,000 trees on surrounding residential and commercial land primarily between Atlanta Road and South Cobb Drive on the west side of the runway and between Cobb Parkway and 1-75 on the east Residents fear that far more than 80 trees on private property will be lost under the law of eminent domain. Christine Erdody, who manages the 700-resident Almond Tree apartment complex off Terrell Mill Road, said she was amazed that Dobbins has not offered to replace eight trees that are "right around the clubhouse the focal point of the whole complex." "Their attitude was that to get something like that from the federal government would take 20 years, and none of us will be around that long." By Jeanne Cummings and Rhonda Cook Staff writer Hoping to avoid a political bloodbath like the one that has stained the Democratic party in the Texas gubernatorial race, state Sen.

Roy Barnes (D-Mable-ton) Monday challenged his fellow Democratic gubernatorial candidates to avoid negative campaign advertising. "Each of us has the funds to destroy the others," Mr. Barnes said, noting that several of the multimillion-dollar campaigns, including his own, have hired professionals with reputations for attacks on opponents including two men that worked in the Texas primary. Mr. Barnes's call for a clean fight comes after several weeks of aggressive campaigning against two opponents.

Last week, Mr. Barnes attempted to raise public concern about the size of Lt Gov. Zell Miller's state pension, and previously he held former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young responsi.