The Daily News-Journal from Murfreesboro, Tennessee • 1

-y L.U.G FasliiottS.talie a familiar, yet different turn MTSU zczzonat Auburn Sports B1 Lffestytes CI $1 145 Year-No. 360 I I students Molding mm. TV -V i nil ill Woman beaten By ANGELA CAKKON Staff Writer A $10,000 reward is being offered in the case of an MTSU student murdered during an alleged October 1992 robbery attempt in a Georgia motel, the student's fiance said. Heather Uffelman, 22, died as the result of a beating by an unknown assailant after she went with her fiance Jeremy Rolfs, now 24, to meet a potential computer customer. Rolfs, who also was enrolled at MTSU, provided The Daily News Journal with information about the reward and the events surrounding the incident.

He now lives in a location he did not want to disclose for fear of being discovered by the suspect. (See Murder, page 2A) i 1 i ons After graduating in J965, he was turned down by the all-white MTSU football team, his first college choice. He took his skills to Fisk University in Nashville where he became a walk-on for the football team. Two years later, Holloway started losing students during integration to Central High School, losing the identity of a black community and role models in the form of teachers and principals, he said. Blacks became "part of the melting pot of Murfreesboro." James recalled.

At Fisk, James concentrated on football and academics, earning his degree in education. He signed as a free agent" to play professional football. "I was recruited by no one," James said. Tve been sort of a walk-on all my life." He joined the Bills where he felt he had an advantage in size, speed and height. With practically no salary to support his wife, Barbara, now a Smyrna Middle School teacher, he walked out of camp as a rookie.

But the Bills brought him back with an eight-year contract. In off-season, he earned his master's degree at MTSU. After suffering injury his seventh year, he landed a job as physical education teacher and football coach at Smyrna High School. "I was very displeased with my salary of $700 a month," James remembered. "I thought they were playing me for two weeks.

I didn't know how I was going to take care of my family." He and his wile have a T- AJ Auburn University student, and Robert an MTSU football player. James sought outside investments to supplement his pay, opting to remain in education where he moved to Riverdale as a basketball coach. He was promoted to assistant principal about five years ago, a position which' gives him more hands-on molding, he said. Each year, he watches im- (See Molding, page 2A) for htb County's first pro footballer now an educator By USA MARCHESCM Staff Writer Robert James likens himself to a sculptor who molds students with a hands-on approach, challenging them the way he molded himself to sprint faster than former pro football teammate J. Simpson.

James, 46, of Murfreesboro said he was molded by his parents, teachers and coaches who instilled self-esteem for him to become Rutherford County's first professional football player, black or white, wheir he joined the Buffalo Bills in 1969 as a free agent. He surpassed Simpson, the No. 1 draft choice in the nation in 1968, in running speed the last year James played cor-nerback for the Bills. His determination earned him All-Pro honors the last three years. He received the most votes for a National Football League defensive back his last year, earning him the distinction as best defensive back in the NFL, he said.

"Being a black man made me tougher and challenged me" not only in sports but in other aspects of his life," James said. "You can be what you want to be," he said. "Color has nothing to do with it." Today, he uses his experience molding Riverdale High School students in his role as assistant principal. He remembers learning from his parents, grandparents, his great-grandmother born during the Civil Wan as a slave, and teachers and coaches Who gave him' a positive self-concept, he said. That self-concept motivated him and friends as young teen-agers to ask if they could roller skate at an all-white rink on Old Nashville Highway in the early 1960s; An employee told them blacks couldn't be hairman wants Hands-on Assistant nrinrinal Pnhort rf niuorHola" Ulnh an 90 est i DNJ Photo by Pamsla Harrison approach diuueiu UdllUS OlltJillliy.

JdlimS students to try to help mold them recalled. But prejudice didn't limit him, he said. James played football for the all-black Holloway High School where he developed, self-esteem and leadership skills as captain of the football -and basketball teams. Vanderbilt, needing a quality win as the NCAA tournament nears, upset No. 16 Florida 82-78 for its first win over a Top 25 opponent this season.

Meanwhile, Tennessee continued to sputter as It lost to South Carolina 72-64 at Knoxville, dropping the Vols to 5-19. Alabama defeated Ole Miss 83-62. MTSU faced Morehead State in a Saturday night encounter. TODAY'S proposes to with new "Tennessee's units units which will have said. In a letter Gov.

Ned ww'uu' lanco a lew iiiuinciuo lu Ulcu Willi said he likes to work directly with into responsible adults. admitted. "It was a very touching experience for me," James said. He remembers blacks only being allowed to sit on the balcony during movies and buying ice cream but having to eat it -outside, Blacks weren't accepted in white churches, he to death in '92 1 COMPOSITE DRAWING OF MURDER SUSPECT before mergsr TAKING A LOOK AT THE ISSUE, ii in imm she point has been successful said. "But I'm always open to im provements," she said.

"If con (See Chairman, page 2A) Lynch explained that talks have been held more than a year, for the sale and some final details of the transaction were talked about in a meeting' he and Rigsby held at Eagleville City Hall Thursday afternoon with Smyrna utilities director Ben Andrews and CUD general manager Larry McElroy. "Well, talks about this have been going on several years now," Barham noted. "It's time to get it started." Eagleville's water department owed the following debts: Farmer's Home Administration, CUD pumping station, $42,726.51 as of June SOim; and the general city account, $4,066.14, according to records provided by the city government Saturday morning. Eagleville also has been paying CUD $1,000 annually on a water sampling contract with Eagleville resident Ronnie Hill to do daily water quality testing in the city. "Does CUD understand we have some existing water customers outside the existing (See Eagleville, paige 2A) III X4 m3w replace the units with new units missions.

plan calls for backfilling those inactivated by the restructuring with are currently within the force but to be given up by other states," he to the National Guard Bureau, McWherter recommended no (See Guard, page 2A) Medical Det (Dental) units are among 25 slated for closing no sooner than fiscal year 1997 and no later than fiscal year 1999, Maj. Gen. William D. Jones said. The announcement came during the general's remarks to the annual conference of the National Guard Association of Tennessee.

Although DOD plans call for withdrawing the units, which means units with similar missions could be set up in other states, Jones ByJOKNCAUO'tV Staff Writer NASHVILLE National Guard units in Murfreesboro and Smyrna are on a Department of Defense list for inactivation as part of the department's nationwide restructuring plan, Tennessee's adjutant general announced Saturday, The two Rutherford County units the 177th Quartermaster Battalion and 668th answers vote on EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a series of stories detailing political and school system leaders' opinions oa. the question of consolidation of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County schools. By AMY SUTTON 1 Staff Writer Murfreesboro City School Board chairman Evelyn Hardison says she's keeping an open mind j.on consolidation of city and county schools. I "I'm not taking a stand yet," she said. "I've tried to keep an open mind, and I'm talking to anyone who wants to' talk about the issue." Hardison is mostly concerned with whafs best for the students and how consolidation would affect them, she said.

"Naturally being a resident and a representative of the city school board, I think the way our schools have been run to this 93 There will bono tsp-onfoesto Eagleville residents.1 Billy Lynch Eagleville mayor morning, can expect an increase in monthly water bills in the neighborhood of $2.50 per month. But the larger water consumers, such as Eagleville High School, may see a decrease in water rates because CUD's high-usage rates are reportedly lower than Eagleville has been charging for water, Rigsby noted. "There will be no tap-on fees to Eagleville residents," Mayor Billy Lynch said. Meter deposits that Eagleville residents have had on file with the Eagleville water department will be returned to residents, Lynch noted. oes plan Eagleville council sells water system to Smyrna event 24 coll By AMY SUTTON Staff Writer Colleges, universities, all branches of the military and several financial institutions are scheduled to man 30 booths Thursday at "College Night" for high school students at Outlets Ltd.

Mall. The event is slated for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. "Outlets Ltd. Mall's College Night is one of the few scheduled for this time of the-year," said Melanie Gentry, marketing director for the mall.

"Students can find information about admission requirements, financial aid, Bchool size, scholarships, curriculum and many other areas," she said. "College admissions professionals we've spoken with in planning the night highly recommend that high school students start researching schools, college preparatory requirements and other opportunities as early as their Boph-omore year." Lynn admissions counselor for MTSU, said "College Night" provides ample op for 0 utlets portunity for students, both seniors and underclassmen to get information to enroll in college. "We think ifs a good opportunity for local students to pick up admission information," she said. "I hope we have lots of students stopping by." The following organizations will have booths: MTSU, UT-Knoxville, UT-Chattanooga, UT-Martin, Memphis State University, Terinessee Tech, Vanderbilt, Tennessee State University, Austin Peay. State University, Union University, Murray State University, University of Alabama at Huntsville, University of North Alabama, Lambuth University, Western Kentucky University, David Lipscomb University, Cumberland University, Trevecca Nazarene College, Belmont University, Volunteer State Community College, Motlow State Community College, Martin Methodist College, Columbia State Community College, Nashville State Technical Institute; the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines; First Ten-(See Colleges, page 2A) By DAN WHITTLE Staff Writer EAGLEVILLE It's official.

The city of Eagleville is out of the water business. Members of the city council voted unanimously Saturday morning to sell Rutherford-County's; smallest municipality's water system to Smyrna for $170,792.65, which is equivalent to Eagleville Water Department's indebtedness. However, Smyrna will never physically manage the water supply in and out of Eagleville since it is going to swap the city's estimated 275 water customers to Consolidated Utility District, the county's rural water supplier. CUD will take over operations of Eagleville's water system when final terms are worked out between attorneys from Eagleville, CUD and Smyrna. Councilman Nolan Barham asked before voting if CUD will be raising water rates to Eagleville citizens.

Residential customers, according to Eagleville Vice Mayor James Rigsby Saturday INDEX Business Classified 1D-12D Lifestyles 1C-8C Sports 1B-88 Weather. 8A i.1 I mtm liill mi I- V-..