The Capital from Annapolis, Maryland • Page 1

Tropical Storm Josephine hits Florida A3 i i A FINAL Employee screening becoming last hurdle for new workers Bl Worker screening must be used wisely. Funds sought to hire nine teachers Cl TOMORROW: SHOWERS TUESDAY OCTOBER 8,1996, ANNAPOLIS, MD NEWSSTAND: 3SC WILD TIME KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWS NEW YORK -Once New York ready for a ension jftne World "second-place teams headed for the 14th fairway. Now this newfangled 1996 American League championship series has come along to change all that and, in the process, change baseball forever. In one dugout, when the ALCS starts tonight, you will have the New York Yjnkees, proud cham- oflhe" Bast. In the other dugout, you will have the Baltimore Orioles, not- quite-so-proud runners-up in that very same AL East but extremely grateful for the dawn of the wild-card era.

Without It, the Orioles would be working on their chip shots and garbage" disposals right 'now. But because the wild-card era has allowed them to keep on playing, they get to do something this week that was once unthinkable in the old national pastime. The Orioles get to start all over. They get a whole new shot to do, in (See ORIOLES, Page A8) Our O's have a chance In the Chamber of Honors. A6 Davey Johnson has a host of bullpen 01 the O's are ready to make their own noted In N.Y.

Dl a setback Police, firefighters won't be in reform By BRIAN WHEELER Staff Writer The County Council last night moved to protect firefighters and police officers from the full force of County Executive John Gary Jr. 's pension reform bill. the mucbr forced to reintroduee the pension overhaul last month after an initial bill died for lack of But for council members, protecting employees' pensions stemmed more from fears of being sued than a desire to frustrate Mr. Dtek Kmwtt of Teaneck, N.I., the ilnlihW toochw oft tte togo for th American Uafue CtiamptoftSWp Series at Ywkw Stadium In New York The Yankee ttw Barthnora Oriotes In ttw rtret sion overhaul yet- another sett the council voted 4-3 to reject a controversial proposal to tie those workers' pension increases to county investments an idea many vowed to fight in court Instead, officers and'firefighters will.See no changes to their pensions through the end of the year. The change frustrated Mr.

Gary's aides, who had pinned nearly half of $4.2 million in pension savings this year on that change alone. Budget officials were to revisit their projections today. "The administration's concern is what it does to the financial integrity of the bill," said Lisa Ritter, Mr. Gary's spokesman. "I think we need to run the numbers." The Republican-led council's moves were yet- another stumbling block for Mr.

Gary, a fellow Republican who had enjoyed its support on a range of issues for much of this year. Already, Mr. Gary's camp was ferred to a bill they passed last year that retooled, pensions jor top cials but has also been clobbered hi court. "Unless the County Council were to agree to the status it's certain this is going to court," said R-Arnold. "It's an educated guess as; to what a court will do." Firefighters and police officers have maintained through a year of fruitless labor talks to their pension cost-of-living'in- creases would be illegal.

They insist and Mr. Gary disagrees that changing their COLAs essentially breaks a contract they have with the county. Labor leaders last night praised the council's action but didn't rule out a lawsuit. If the bill passes, (See PENSION, Page AS) County workers' raises to be tied to performance. Cl, Heart problem caused mid's puzzling deatifc By BRADLEY PENISTON Staff Writer A female plebe who died suddenly her bed at the Naval Academy in August had a previously undetected, but ultimately deadly, heart a military spokesman yesterday.

Sometime in the night of Aug. 18, MidshipinanJoanna Sinter, 18, suffered a fatal heart arrhythmia by "a congenital narrowing of a small but critical artery in the atrioventricular node of the heart," said Chris Kelly, a spokesman for the Armed Forces Institute-of ology in Washington, B.C. The condition is uhdetectable through normal examinations or EKG tests, Mr. Kelly said. Arrhythmias are abnormal heartbeats that vary in significance, duration and cause, he said.

A medical examiner at the institute judged that the death resulted from natural causes, following a seven-week medical, toxicological, and histological investigation, Mr. Kelly said. No evidence of drugs or alcohol was found in tissue samples taken from the Minnetonka, native's brain, heart and liver, Mr. Kelly said. "We looked at everything.

There is no doubt that she died of natural Kelly said. Light abrasions found on Midshipman Simer's face, neck and arms were incurred during plebe officials said, training and had nothing to do with her death, Mr. Kelly said. Midshipman Simer, who had no history of serious medical problems, died in the Bancroft Hall dormitory just days after completing the rigorous Plebe Summer with flying colors. An athlete who played soccer and rugby at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, she had taken up rowing at the academy, academy On Aug.

18, Midshipman Simer's roommate found her dead in her bed at 6:15 a.m., after she failed to rise for reveille. She was buried with simple military honors three days later in the academy's cemetery on Hospital Point. Midshipman Simer's family could not be reached for comment. A civilian medical examiner said there was nothing unusual in the length of the investigation. "Quite frankly, seven weeks doesn't surprise me at all," said Dr.

David Fowler, assistant state medical examiner. "I know it's distressing for the family, but it's most important to find the truth." Several different factors can drag out a toxicological investigation, Dr. Fowler said "A routine toxicology report of your average heroin user on the (See DEATH, Page A8) NSIDE By EMILY HANCOCK StaffWriter Ending nearly two full days of deliberations, a county Circuit Court jury yesterday acquitted a Glen Burnie nfen of murder, but could not decide whether he was guilty of manslaughter. Trudge Pamela L. North declared a mistrial after the jury said it could not agree on whether Michael Wayne Lovelace, 35, shot and killed George Miller, 48, in self-defense or a moment of anger.

Mr. Lovelace's family said they ulfeiwlbf the degree murder. "Don't let him get How could they do this?" a sobbing and hysterical Ruth Blair cried, beating her fists against a wall outside the courtroom. Mr. LeCornu said he wants a new trial on thy manplaught fl charges, i Employers offering meager help in stress management.

81 SEVERNA PARK: Manhattan Beach group renews fight against marina. 83 CROFTON: Teens spend their summer on an Internet quest. B4 4 Mcttom, 28 pafM but that a filial decision will be made by State's Attorney Frank Weathersbee. '1 believed the evidence could support a conviction of murder, but reasonable minds can differ. I Arundel Report Cl 81-2 A5 C2 Club Notes 85 06 Crofton 84 Crossword, C8 A6 Engagements 86 Lottery A4 Movies B6 Obituaries A7 Police Beat A7 83 Sports Dl-5 Television 86 Tides A7 of The Capital are printed each day on recycled paper.

The newspaper also Is recyclable. bracing themselves for a new manslaughter trial that Assistant State's Attorney John LeCornu said is Very likely. But hi an emotional outburst following the verdict, the woman Mr. Miller was allegedly trying to attack when he was shot said she couldn't believe the jury's acquittal on the charges of first and second "There's not a possibility' that we will dismiss the (remaining) charges." Both the prosecution and the defense agreed that Mr. Lovelace, of 8139 Harold Court, shot Mr.

Miller df Glen Burnie outside the Crossroads Tavern at Georgia Avenue and Ritchie Highway in Oten Bur VE1 Classified CUcuUrtrOfi 2664800 From Kertt teland(800) 327-1583 All other departments 268-5000 Carlesa Finney is dedicated tp changing 'society inles' By LESLIE GROSS StaffWrfter When county school board Vice President R. Finpey entered a newly integrated Annapolis High School in 1968, the cheerleading squad, prom court and football and basketball teams were ail white. few years later, Finney was one of the first black cheerleaders and one of the first black students to be a member of the prom court. By graduation in 1972, a black studies course was offered. "In high school, I with Carl unjust to us," said Ms.

Finney, 42. "I was pretty rebellious." She helped lead the school through a turbulent time. There were demonstrations and a riot when students raa, threw rocks aad ecretmed feroojli the halls in protest Since then, Ms. Pmney bat always been in the business of changing "society's rules" in high FINNEY,.