Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania • 13

new jb Rockets lift off against Page 14 Dodgers fail to hold Page 1 5 Kobacik suffers first JL loss Page 1 7 The Indiana Gazette Thursday, June 9, 1994 Page 13 'Unsolved Mysteries7 tapes segment on Davis7 death "munity. "There has not been any evidence turned up yet of foul play," he said. "The family has said they had proof that Jack Davis' death was more than an accident, but when the district attorney's office pursued that evidence, there was nothing there. It was always hearsay and innuendo." Tuesday, Streams helped film the re-enactment scene for "Unsolved Mysteries," playing himself in several shots. He also taped an interview, as did outgoing Indiana police chief Anthony An-tolik.

The crew interviewed Davis' father, mother, step-mother and step-brother as well. Other parts of the segment discuss additional cases from Wecht's book. "We're hoping that by putting this out into the media after seven years, we'll get some new information," Wise said. "If somebody knows something about the way Jack died, they might come forward." Wise said cases frequently are solved after they air on the show. A toll-free telephone number appears at the end of the broadcast to encourage informants to call.

The crew arrived in Indiana Saturday, completed filming Tuesday, and left early Wednesday. The 10-minute spot will air in the fall, probably in October. "Unsolved Mysteries" normally appears on NBC at 8 p.m. "We're hoping that by patting this out into the media alter seven years, we'll get some: new information." Director Tom Wise vis died of a skull fracture. Wecht said the injuries were more consistent with a fall than a blow, but didn't rule out the latter possibility.

Today, he believes foul play could have been involved and says the case remains unsolved in bis mind. "The entire scenario just doesn't fit," Wecht said. "The whole business of his supposedly being out there for five whole days and nobody saw the body even though it was in an uncovered stairwell." Wecht said it rained the two days before Davis was discovered in the stairway, yet the body was found dry. He also said he didn't beiieve Davis fell down the steps. "The nature of the fractures and the nature of the hemorrhaging did not fit with that contention," Wecht said.

"There are no marks on the body except for a slight bruise over the left eyebrow." Indiana County Coroner Tom Streams remains convinced that Davis' death was accidental. In fact, he said the case has worn out its welcome in the Indiana com- White Twp. waiting for response on rec complex By MARY ANN SLATER Gazette Staff Writer The White Township Supervisors have not received any response from their proposal last month to buy land for development of a recreation complex along East Pike. At their last meeting, the supervisors publicly stated they were interested in purchasing some or all of 50 acres owned by developer Tom Zau-cha. They also asked Indiana Borough and Indiana Area School District to participate in development of the recreation complex.

Township manager Larry Garner said Wednesday evening that he has not heard any response from Zau-cha, the borough or the school district on the township's proposal. Gamer noted that Zaucha plans to break ground Saturday for an ice arena that will be constructed on a six-acre tract along East Pike. He speculated that because of Zaucha current focus on the arena, the township's proposal was not currently a high priority for the developer. The township has offered to buy the land surrounding the arena at a price comparable to Zaucha's per-acre. cost for the property.

"If we purchase the 50 acres, it'll be $312,000," Garner said. During their 20-minute meeting Wednesday, the supervisors deferred action on a proposal to lower the speed limit to 35 miles per hour on a stretch of Martin Road that extends from Route 954 to Braughler Road. Garner said the 35 mph limit might be too slow for part of the road and be wanted to study the situation. In other business, the supervisors: Listened to a request from Vernon Claypoole to install two catch basins at the end of Home Street. Garner said he and road supervisor Ford Buterbaugh would look at the problem.

Agreed to advertise information concerning a ore-treatment ordinance the board will consider June 22. The pre-treatment ordinance concerns industrial users and is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Heard a report from Garner that progress is continuing on the East Pike sewer extension project. Garner said that work has begun on the pump station at Ramsey Run and the pipeline on East Pike near Slormer Road.

Indiana County Coroner Tom Stnamt portrays himself during the taping of a segment on the death of Jack Davis for the television show "Unsolved Mysteries," which was filming on the lUP campus earlier this week. (Gazette photo by Don Brink) IUP ready to welcome alumni this weekend Six people, including two with local ties, will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards. Susan Delaney of Greenview Drive, Indiana, will receive the 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award for Service, recognizing her many years of service to the university and the Indiana community. Dr. DwightW.

Glenn of Greenbelt, formerly of Clymer, president of Mid-Atlantic Radiation Physics Greenbelt, will receive a Distinguished Alumni Award recognizing his career accomplishments. Others receiving Distinguished Alumni Awards include Col. Glenn A. Walp, commissioner of the Penn By WENDY SZAKELYHIDI Gazette Staff Writer A crew for "Unsolved Mysteries" wrapped up filming in Indiana this week after re-enacting the 1987 death of an Indiana University of Pennsylvania student. Director Bob Wise said the scene is part of a segment on Allegheny County pathologist Cyr- 11 Wecht.

In November Wecht published a book, "Cause of Death," that features a chapter on the death of Jack Davis, a 20-year-old IUP sophomore from Penn HUls. "There are still a lot of intriguing questions about the case," Wise said. "There's certain things that make you wonder. That's what makes it a good story." Davis' body was found at the bottom of an open stairway leading to a basement entrance of IUP's Weyandt Hall in October 1987. He had been missing five days.

An autopsy declared the death accidental and determined that Davis choked on his own vomit after a night of drinking. The Davis family disputed that ruling and in October 1990 convinced William Martin, then Indiana County's district attorney, to reopen the case. He created a task force to further investigate. Then the body was exhumed and Wecht performed a second autopsy, which revealed that Da- sylvania State Police; Robert J. Agnew, superintendent of Millcreek Schools in Erie; Kathleen A.

Durkin, judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas; and Jack Wagner, former president of Pittsburgh City Council and newly elected Pennsylvania.state senator. A Reunion Ceramics Show featuring the works of 11 IUP alumni will be held in the University Museum on the first floor of Sutton Hall. The museum show will be open from noon to 3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Friday and 2-4 p.m.

Saturday. Pioneer Dinner festivities Friday will get under way with a reception in the Sutton Hall Blue Room start which previously approved the Guh-sek contract The trail is being managed by the Indiana County park system and is the first one in Pennsylvania to be approved for construction under the ISTEA program. Commissioner James McQuown said the 15 5-mile trail follows an abandoned railroad line donated for the project by Kovalchick Corp. of Patterson, director of the county park system, said the trail will be open during construction, which is expected to begin June 13, but parts of the trail might be unusable for bicycles. Horseback riding and hiking also are permitted on the trail.

Patterson said users of the trail should call the county parks office at 465-8638 for updates on trail conditions during construction, which is expected to be completed 100 days. The commissioners also an- Cousins charged with attempted insurance fraud David Weber, 1959; Ruth Riesen-man, 1364; and Ronald Lunardini, 1969. The celebration will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Blue Room. More than 150 people are expected to attend.

Additional activities will include a seminar, "Protecting Your Assets in the '90s," Saturday at 11 a presentation on "Nellie Bly Dare-'devil Reporter, Feminist and IUP Alumna," Saturday at 1:15 p.nv; and tours of the S. W. Jack regeneration Plant, Waller Theater, downtown Indiana, and the IUP campus from 2-5 p.m. Saturday. Dr.

Meloy to resign at Blair-Sal By JOHN COMO Gazette Staff Writer BLAIRSVILLE Dr. Thomas Meloy will resign as superintendent of Blairsville-Saltshurg School District to serve as superintendent of the Nazareth Area School District in Northampton County. Meloy said this morning that he will present his letter of resignation to the local school board at a special meeting at 6:45 p.m. Monday in Burrell Township Elementary School. "1 informed the board about my decision at a budget workshop meeting last night," Meloy said.

"The Nazareth School Board unanimously approved my appointment at a meeting Tuesday." Meloy said the Nazareth district has 3,500 students and is planning a new building program. He said he will report to Nazareth July 5 under the terms of a three-year contract. Meloy has served three years as superintendent of schools in the local district of 2,340 students. He has two years remaining on a five-year contract that began June 1,1991. Meloy has played a key role in developing a new building program in the local district.

Controversy over the $19.8 million building program was a key factor in five new school board members being elected to office last November. Two other members have resigned from the local board since January, including Dawn Pryce, board president, who resigned in May. The board is expected to act on a replacement for Pryce at Monday's special meeting, which is being held before a regularly scheduled monthly workshop meeting. Meloy said he would have no other comments about his decision to accept the Nazareth position until after he submits his letter of resignation to the board Monday. ing at 4:30 p.m.

More than 100 pioneers will attend the event. The two oldest returning pioneers will represent the Class of 1924. They are Margaret Knox Frank of Franklin and Margaret McAdoo Glenn of Indiana. Glenn is the mother of Dr. Dwight Glenn, one of the Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.

A class reunion celebration will include the classes of 1949, 1954, 1959, 19M and 1969. Master of ceremonies for the celebration will be Dr. El-wood Sheeder '46, former IUP dean of men. Representing the respective classes will be state Sen. Patrick Staple-ton.

1949; Michael Marcenelle, 1954; nounced the receipt of a grant for $15,000 from the Penns Corner Conservancy Charitable Trust for storm water management and erosion control along the Ghost Town Trail. The funding was provided through the efforts of the Indiana County Conservation District. A contract for $110,796 was awarded to Marc-Services, Inc. of Windber for the installation of boilers and air conditioning system at the county jail. The contract previously was approved by the county prison board.

The commissioners also approved several recommendations for loan and grant programs from the county office of pianning and development In those matters, the commissioners: Approved a $1.1 million federal loan for Gorell Enterprises, and a $100,000 loan guarantee from Continued en Page 18 IUP Newt Service More than 400 alumni, their families and friends, and university representatives are expected to return to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus this Friday and Saturday for the university's annual alumni reunion weekend. The two-day gala will include special class reunions, a Pioneer Dinner for those who graduated from Indiana Normal School or Indiana State Teachers College up to and including 1944, social gatherings, tours, seminars, a museum show, seminars and the Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon. were caught in the act of stripping the vehicle. Repko and Hummel were charged with motor vehicle theft and placed in the Westmoreland County Detention Center to await their preliminary hearing. NEW FLORENCE Eleven metal grates valued at $1,100 were stolen between Saturday and Tuesday from Antiochian Village in Fairfield Township, said state police at Greensburg.

The grates were used to cover sewage tanks. BRUSH VALLEY Cash has been stolen from a Brushvaliey Township residence over a period of time, according to state police at Indiana. Police said (671 was taken from the home of Matthew Hill, Homer City RD 4, between April 14 and May 29. A spoiler valued at $600 was stolen from a 1994 Toyota belonging to Mary Louise Lamar, 43, of Indiana, according to state police at Indiana. The theft occurred between 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday while the vehicle was parked at Spring Meadow Apartments on Shelly Drive in White Township. ARCADIA State police at Indiana are investigating the report of an attempted rape in Montgomery Township around 6 p.m. Tuesday. The suspect is a 16-year-old male and the victim is a 6-year-old female, police said.

An Indiana man complained that juveniles threw rocks at his home from the lower parking lot at the Little League field on Chestnut Street. Borough police said the rocks were thrown at home of Herbert Marlin, 233 Chestnut at 8:37 m. Monday. Police said they are asking parents whose children may have been at the field to warn them against throwing rocks or stones. The Penn's Comer Conservancy Charitable Trust is providing $15,000 for storm water management to control erosion of soil along the Ghost Town Trail that is being developed from Dilltown to Nanty Glo.

Discussing funding for the project are, from left, county commissioners James McQuown, Thomas Coyne and Paul Wass; Burton Winsheimer, chairman of the Indiana County Conservation District board; and Lou Kopczyk, director of the conservation district, which assisted in obtaining the funding for the Rails to Trails project. (Gazette photo by Willis Bechtel) Indiana commissioners OK Ghost Town Trail upgrades HOMER CITY Two Indiana County cousins have been charged with conspiring to defraud an insurance company by torching a vehicle belonging to one of the men. Scott E. Rankin, 21, of Clune, and Francis P. Rankin, 30, of Homer City, were served warrants Wednesday by state police at Indiana.

Police said that Scott Rankin called state police at approximately 11:30 p.m. Feb. 5 and reported that his 1992 Geo Tracker had been stolen from the parking lot of the McDonald's restaurant at Regency Mall on Route 286 in White Township. The vehicle was found at the Lucerne Park ball diamond at about 9:30 a.m. the next day.

It had been destroyed by fire. According to Trooper John R. Tamewitz, who conducted a four-. month investigation into the inci-. dent, Scott Rankin conspired with his cousin Francis Rankin to have the Tracker stolen and burned in order to collect $10,475 in insurance money from the Progressive Insurance Company.

Scott Rankin was charged with conspiracy to commit arson, false reports, conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and insurance fraud. Francis Rankin was charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, criminal mischief, conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. The men were arraigned before District Justice Michael Steffee, Homer City, who set bond was set at $10,000 for each man. A preliminary hearing was set for June 20 at Steffee's office. Other crimes reported today by police: LATROBE Chad C.

Repko, 20, of Derry, and Ryan S. Hummel, 20, of Blairsville, have been charged with stealing a car from Lalrobe Motors Inc. on Route 981 in Unity Township. Slate police at Greensburg said the pair stole a 1989 Firebird from the dealership at 12:05 a.m. Wednesday and drove the car to a nearby open field.

Police alleged the men By JOHN COMO Gazette Staff Writer The Indiana County commissioners ratified contracts Wednesday for the construction of a limestone surface and drainage system on the 15.5-mile Ghost Town Trail from Dilltown to Nanty Glo and a new heating and ventilation system at the county jail. The commissioners approved a contract for $98,408 for Gulisek Construction of Mt. Pleasant to install a 10-foot-wide surface on the Ghost Town Trail. Construction costs are being funded 80 percent through the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Enhancement Act (IS-TEA) and 20 percent by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission. Trail construction is being administered by the District 10 office of the state Department of Transportation,.