The Muscatine Journal from Muscatine, Iowa • 1

em mn Saturday, Sept, -M, 1997 Mnor ALL 4 i irxw IT VtUAR RAPIDS Ti c5aA JUUK Gaining GROUND Wapello's Nate Miller breaks free for a 3-yard run during the third quarter of Friday's game against Pekin. t- DetaHs: 1B Muscatine spoils Clinton's homecoming (1B) Forecast: Partly sunny and warmer, becoming cloudy with a chance of showers. High Today: 83. Low Tonight: 55. High Sunday: 70 ML Recycled Value, values and community service since 1840 50 Group begins task of improving marriage, divorce laws "A lot of people just as soon not talk about it." Task force members agreed that Marri- ages will end, but families are forever.

divorce is a painful subject, because some of them have been through it. Others deal with divorcing couples on a daily basis. In their first brainstorm session, task force members- Lynn Okamoto Capital Bureau DES MOINES In a very public setting a well-lit government room with well-dressed people a very private discussion took place. Attorneys, therapists and other experts met for the first time Friday to talk about marriage and divorce. The 19-member Marriage and Divorce Reform Task Force was appointed by Gov.

Terry Branstad to research ways to improve Iowa's mar riage and divorce laws. "I respectfully understand the emotion and the difficulty that goes into resolving this," Branstad told the group. legal process. And they said divorcing parents must first consider the needs of their children. "Marriages will end, but families are forever," said Robert Henry of Cedar -Rapids.

"There's really three parties here, and the children get lost all the time," Iowa State University professor Harvey Joanning agreed. One idea the task force will look at is giving couples a choice between no-fault and covenant marriages a choice that has become law in Louisiana Brian Hook, a University of Iowa College of Law student who worked with Branstad when the idea was proposed during the 19 Iowa Legislature, explained. He said a no-fault marriage gives couples the ability to get out of the marriage after six months, while a covenant marriage forces the couple to establish fault (adultery, felony, abandonment or abuse) before divorcing. Hook said several Louisiana couples have chosen covenant marriages. The group will meet again Oct.

20 to narrow its list of suggestions. Members are expected to present their recommendations to the governor by December, so he can incorporate their ideas into his 1998 legislative platform. Haze may be factor in Indonesian crash JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -An Indonesian jetliner with 234 people aboard crashed Friday in an area of Sumatra that has been shrouded in smoke from hundreds of forest fires, and investigators were checking to determine if the thick haze over Southeast Asia was a factor. Rescue teams picked through the smoking wreckage for any signs of survivors, and by nightfall the bodies of 212 people had been located in the lush, rugged terrain, airline Robert Henry Cedar Rapids expressed the impor tance of early education, and of mediation in both marriage and divorce. They said divorce must be taken out of the official John Pieter said.

No survivors were found. Slipping Down to aBmm)H if I I f'V'MP' -h away Louisa County is losing its historic homes final vote Council hears final reading of controversial law Thursday of the Journal Campaign finance bill hits Senate floor WASHINGTON (AP) In an atmosphere of intense partisanship, the Senate plunged into debate Friday over legislation to overhaul the nation's costly and scandal-scarred system for financing political campaigns. "All the excuses of the past are gone," said Sen. John McCain, outlining a bill that recently has been stripped of several controversial provisions in a bid to attraet enough support to win passage. But Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, said, "I have my doubts" anything will emerge from a lengthy debate that threatens to produce at least one filibuster.

No votes are expected before early October. 1 Members explain their positions COLUMBUS CITY Louisa County's historic homes, built by early settlers, are disappearing one by one. First it was the Marshall home near Virginia Grove, then the Jamison home near Newport, then the Todd house at Columbus Junction. The most recent is the Springer house, south of Columbus City. The Judge Francis Springer House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was burned to the ground earlier this month by its owner, Forrest Brown.

It was located a couple of miles south of Columbus City on Louisa County Road X17. "Once the roof goes, a building doesn't last long," Brown said. "It was an eyesore." He also said he had seen children playing in the house and was worried about someone getting hurt. The house was placed on the list in 1983. Cornelia Toland, a descendant of Judge Springer, did the research to get the house listed.

Even then, Brown was thinking of destroying the house. He wrote a letter to the State Historical Society of Iowa, asking about his options. According to state officials, there is nothing to prevent a property owner from altering or demolishing historic buildings unless federal financial assistance has been used to restore the property. Even then, the owner is PmaoY SmzAMNO of the Journal MUSCATINE The controversial parental responsibility ordinance comes up for final approval by the Muscatine City Council next Thursday night, and there's no evidence that any of the council members are going to change their minds. Council members have approved the measure twice by identical 4-2 margins.

Three readings are required for final approval. Gary Gray and Mark Heckenliable have voted against the measure twice while Kevin Fitzgerald, Phil Fitzgerald, Dan Gray and Max Churchill have voted for the ordinance each time. The ordinance was proposed by Robin Suo, president of Muscatine's Midtown Heart Association. It is patterned after a similar ordinance passed last year in Rock Island. The proposed ordinance outlines the responsibility of parents and guardians fof the actions of minor children.

Parents would be held responsible for the delinquent actions of their children and could be fined or sent to parenting classes. This issue has generated considerable public comment. Approximately 40 people have shown up at each of the city council meetings where the issue has been discussed. The public comment has been overwhelmingly negative at these Rally aims to build a fire under men WASHINGTON (AP) A Bible-quoting football coach who has drawn millions of Christian men to stadiums across the country hopes a six-hour prayer meeting on the National Mall will leave a huge crowd "on fire" with renewed faith. If crowd estimates by city officials and movement leaders hold up, the gathering of Promise Keepers Oct.

4 should be one of the largest religious events ever in the United States. City officials say they expect at least 500,000 men to gather on the mall and are braced for a possible 1 million or more. MUSCATINE The voices of their constituents seem to be driving the way Muscatine City Council members are voting on the parental responsibility ordinance. The Journal asked each council member a series of questions to determine how they arrived at their decision on the controversial issue (Note: Ralph Freese, 4th Ward, has not voted on this issue because of recent health problems which forced him to miss the last three council meetings; therefore, the Journal did not seek his input): 1) What have you heard from your constituents concerning the parental responsibility ordinance? Phil Fitzgerald, 1st Ward (favors ordinance): I've had a considerable number of people that stop me and say that they are in favor of the ordinance. Kevin Fitzgerald, 2nd Ward (favors): The people that have been calling and talking to me are mostly from the 2nd Ward.

That's where this ordinance originated. There's overwhelming support from the calls and notes I've received. We've studied this for months and feel that we have the beginnings of Pmotm caunanr or ftwur I i rww Tin Top: The Springer House as pictured in the 1 875 Louisa County i Atlas. Above: Architects were called in two years ago by descendants of Francis Springer to estimate what it would cost to restore the old home to its original splendor. The house has been unoccupied for 20 years.

some people were really interested in restoring it," said Brown. "They brought in some architects, and we talked about a price, but after they went back to California I never heard from them again." Mom on Br Minn, Rmm 5A only "committed to preserve for a reasonable and limited number of years." Brown said he had hoped a member of the Springer family would buy the house and fix it up, but it never happened. "A couple of years ago, Mom on Owmamcs, Page 5 a Mom on Councl, Pirn SA Underwear thief gets 15 years WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) A woman who stole four packages of undershirts was sentenced to 15 years in prison under the state's new "two strikes, you're out" law. Under the law, offenders who commit a violent felony within three years of being released from state prison must serve the maximum 3.3 million HON shares will go on the market Oh THt Journal penalty for the offense.

For Theresa Ann McKenzie who has been arrested at least 18 times in the past 10 years -that meant a mandatory 15 years. L-M ROYALTY Gloria Cerda and Mike McGill were crowned Louisa -Muscatine homecoming queen and king during ceremonies Friday. Other queen candidates were Holly Hubbs, Amberty Lessenger, Angela Lilly and Regina Townsend. Other king candidates were Duane Enckson, Jason Miller, Jeff Nguyen and Ryan Shook. The Falcons lost their homecoming game to Highland-Lone Tree 35-7.

Game details: 1B summer, HON purchased Heat-n-Glo, which complimented the company's Heatilator subsidiary, now part of the Heath Technologies division. In August, just prior to HON's annual meeting, it was announced that the company had acquired furniture-maker Allsteel Inc. HON officials said the acquisition strengthens HON's position in the mid-priced office furniture market. Bandag intends to use the proceeds from the stock sale MUSCATINE HON INDUSTRIES and Bandag Inc. are selling 395,000 shares of HON common stock.

HON plans to put 1 million shares on the market with Bandag selling 2,395,000. HON plans to use the proceeds from the stock sale for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of certain outstanding debts, according to a HON press release. The company has been in an acquisition mode recently. Last AVA anH Calendar 7A Menus SA Class. 8-12C Obituaries SA Comics 7C Opinion 44 Dear Abby 2C Records 5A Hometown 3A Sports 1-38 Iowa 2A Television 2C i.