Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio • 10

1 FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1999 DAYTON DAILY NEWS ESCAPEE: Posting on the Internet dredges up for the past three months. Gray said he first came across Brown's picture on the Unsolved Mysteries Web site in the fugitive section while cruising the Internet. "I was glancing around and, boom, there's his picture," Gray said. Before calling the FBI, Gray said he asked other employees at the video store to look at the picture "to confirm what I was seeing here." Gray tipped Brown Gray also blames himself for enabling Brown to flee the area. "I'd been looking at the (Web) page and he (Brown) called to talk to my wife to see if she could work that night," Gray said.

"And when I had him on the phone, I said, 'Kenny, buddy, there's a guy that looks just like you on the Internet. But this guy's Michael Wayne "And he says, 'You know, Greg, they say everybody's got a twin out there' and at that time I blew it off." Gray said Brown "started being kinda really mysterious" over the next couple of days, so he finally concluded, "I've got to do something here." He said he noted that the Web page described two tattoos on Brown the initials MB on his upper left arm and "MOM" on his left forearm. "I asked my wife to look at his arm," Gray said. "And he has the tattoos, but they're colored in. So that made me even more suspicious." He said it was hard to make the call to the FBI.

"Actually, you know, I really had to think about this for a while because he's a nice guy," Gray said. "We went to the same private lodge together. I drank JIM WITMERDAYTON DAILY NEWS Michael Wayne Brown (aka Ken Ginter) worked with Delores Gray (left) at a video store. Her husband Greg (right) turned Brown in to the police after seeing Brown's photo on a Web site (in background). beer with him And then I had to put myself in the victim's shoes.

You know, maybe somebody lost their father over this." Gray said he hopes Brown gets "a break." "Not let him out, but give him a break," Gray said. "Cause I think he knows he made a mistake and he's just trying to live life over. He was like 17 years old when he killed this guy. And he's just trying to live another life. And doing a good job of it, really." Delores Gray described Brown as being "very private, but nice." "Basically, us girls who worked for him weren't allowed to answer any phone calls that we didn't recognize on the caller ID," she said.

Just before leaving the area on a Monday three weeks ago, Mrs. Gray said Brown dropped off the key to the video store with an old co-worker, telling her that his wife had to be Careflighted to mend tranquilizers to help pets get through a horribly noisy weekend. A favorite air-conditioned spot for many human residents, the Dayton-Montgomery County Public Library, will be closed at all branches Sunday and Monday. The downtown branch is also closed today because of a remodeling project. Fireworks and other outdoor activities are planned throughout the Miami Valley.

Two of the biggest will be Dayton's "Spirit of America Family Festival," starting at 3 p.m. Saturday at the river corridor at Monument Avenue and Main Street; and Kettering's "Go 4th '99" starting at 6 p.m. Sunday at Delco Park. Both festivals end with fireworks as it gets dark. LABOR: Taft argued that the bill wouldn't hurt labor unions CONTINUED FROM 1A name of Kenneth Ginter.

A spokesman said the agency delayed responding to Gray because he called them at night, when their Dayton office was closed, so the call went to the Cincinnati FBI office. On Tuesday, Brown, 41, walked into Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, 15 years after his escape, and surrendered. Convicted of first-degree murder in 1975 for gunning down insurance agent Richard Sullivan in Tulsa, during a burglary, Brown was initially sentenced to death. He was later sentenced to life in prison and escaped Dec. 3, 1984.

Gray said he had known Brown for several years and added that his wife, Delores, 29, had worked at Brown's Video store at 2282 Patterson Road in Kettering signing it," Schaeffer said. Even if the bill survives, Taft doesn't believe it hurts labor unions. "I am not persuaded that this legislation will harm Gov. Bob Taft Ohio's proud labor tradition," he said. "It does not prohibit public authorities from awarding construction projects to union contractors." Backers of the bill, which include chambers of commerce around Ohio, say the agreements discriminate against nonunion contractors and reduce the number of bids on public projects, resulting in higher costs.

"It's responsible public policy," said Bryan Bucklew, vice president of government affairs for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. Opponents of the bill said it is another attack on labor. If If vf hi: Democrats said the agreements can save time and money by including language guaranteeing there will be no strikes or lockouts during construction. They also say counties and municipalities benefit from having union supervisors enforce uniform work rules. Labor unions are joined in opposition by the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and the Ohio Municipal League.

Those groups believe the bill takes away the authority of local officials to create their own construction contracts. Dayton-area labor officials say the agreements are so effective several "non-union" companies such as Honda of America and Panasonic, have used them to build plants in the Miami Valley. State Rep. Dixie Allen, D-Dayton, was one of the many Democrats who wanted Taft to veto the bill. "I'm concerned what he says to labor is one thing and what he does is something else," Allen said.

CONTINUED FROM 1A avoid labor strikes. Currently, such agreements are being used for just two projects in Ohio the new Cleveland Browns football stadium and the Parma Justice Center. There are about 10,000 workers in the Miami Valley who work through trade unions. The bill narrowly passed the Ohio House and Senate. Taft raised constitutional ques-ions about the bill.

Legal esearch indicates the federal under the National Labor, Relations Act, is responsible for regulating project labor agreements and the state should not interfere, he said. Gary Schaeffer, executive secretary of the Ohio State Building Trades Council, which represents 90,000 workers, said the organization will challenge the law in court. "I know many labor officials are upset, but it's clear that the governor does feel there are problems with this legislation by not celeron If it's time for "Old Betsy" to retire, donate that beloved I I old car, truck, boat, motorcycle, or RV to Charity Auto. I I Your gift qualifies as a tax deductible contribution. We make donating I fast, simple and easy.

We are the only car donation program that provides computerized Blue Book IRS forms for your tax records. With Charity Auto's Car Donation ProgramijOL may choose thecharit I you would like the money to benefit. Non-running vehicles also accepted. a past life Knoxville, Tenn. Brown's wife, Donna Brown, lived under the assumed name of Linda Ginter.

"The day after we called the FBI, he called (the co-worker) on his cell phone and told her, 'I'm not going to be back for a while, you can do whatever you want -with the store. I'm going to be gone for a long "We're still in shock," Mrs. Gray said. She said she also hopes Brown gets a break. "He was young and made a stu- pid mistake," she said.

Lee Mann, a spokeswoman at the McAlester prison, said Brown walked into the peniten- I tiary shortly before 8 a.m. Tues- day and told prison officials he was tired of being on the run. CONTACT Wes Hills at 225-2261 or e-mail him at weshillscoxohio.com Hitting the road? The Ohio Department of Transportation says traffic will be maintained in construction areas on Interstate 70 westbound in Madison County; 1-270 both directions between Ohio 3 and Worthington, and both directions on 1-270 from U.S. 33Ohio 161 to the CSX railroad, both in Franklin County. On 1-75, traffic will be maintained both directions between Buck Road in Rossford and downtown Toledo.

1-71 southbound remains closed in downtown Cincinnati, but two northbound lanes are open. I The Miami Valley Regional I Transit Authority said buses will1 run on normal routes Saturday and Sunday. On Monday they i will operate on a typical Satur- day schedule. "1 I Non-Profit Organization i 1 .1 Ad Code 000274 addltlohal or 3. WEATHER CONTINUED FROM 1A Their forecast: Partly cloudy, hot and humid Saturday.

High 91. Sunday hot, humid, high 94. Monday hot, humid, cloudy, high 95. Lows will be in the 70s. "We are recommending that everyone stay in air conditioning or drink plenty of fluids," said forecaster Brian Coniglio.

He issued a "special weather statement" Thursday to underscore the danger. "Five to 10 degrees above normal is a lot for summer," he said. The region already has had 12 ozone alert days in 1999, Gross said. The most polluted day, so far, was June 10. People without air conditioning can find a cool spot on a porch, under a tree or with a friend who does have a cool house, said Kim Harris, a health department staffer.

The health department says you should drink twice as much water as normal when it is this hot. Pets also need extra attention. The Humane Society advises to keep animals away from all fireworks and make sure they wear ID tags in case explosions cause them to break loose and run off. Veterinarians may even recom inc (. i 5PM.

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